If you find yourself posting up in the posh resort town of Wailea or cruising the strip of the beachtown Kihei, you’ll have an abundance of eateries to choose from, but you want the best, right? So here’s a hand-selected list of south Maui restaurants that are rolling some of Maui’s finest sushi.
But wait, there’s more. We’re here to help demystify some of the unusual words you might see on menus like furikake, laulau and lilikoi — and explain which meat is being served and why. And possibly most importantly of all, provide the fun facts on the origins of local dishes.
If you’re happy with your meal, tag us @HawaiiIslander on Instagram to share the love.
Feature Image: Sansei
5 Palms Restaurant
An open air, casual fine dining experience, with views that will make you want to dine slowly and savor it all. The locally sourced menu focuses on fish, fruits and veggies, and there’s a daily “happy sushi menu” from 3pm to 10pm. This is the perfect place to enjoy a fresh ahi tuna roll after a beautiful day in the sun. Open daily 7am to 9pm. Happy hour is daily 3pm to 5pm. 5palmsrestaurant.com
Koiso
Trip Advisor’s #1 Sushi Bar on Maui, this is an intimate, authentic little sushi joint. Seating is limited and reservations are required — there are currently two seating times, 6pm and 7:30pm. If you can’t dine in, there are takeout options like The Chef’s Selection Sushi Platters. Check out what Chef Hiro is cooking up, and see if he makes it to #1 on your list. Open Tuesday through Saturday 6pm to 8pm. Closed Sunday and Monday.https: facebook.com/Koiso-Sushi-Bar
Miso Phat
This family-owned-and-operated sushi bar offers delicious and freshly caught local fish as well as excellent service. Owners Shawn and Joy Steadman also captain the “Shiso Phat” boat which provides fresh fish for the restaurant’s specialty sushi rolls, sashimi, and nigiri. Open daily 11:30 to 8:30pm to serve you sushi and aloha. misophat.com
Morimoto Maui
The vibe here is “modern open-air Japanese beach house” with a menu featuring fresh local fish that’s artistically rolled, expertly sliced, and perfectly paired. Keep the sake flowing, because you’ll want to stick around and catch the Maui sunset — it’s always epic. Open daily 12pm to 8pm. morimotomaui.com
Sansei
Sansei is part of the DK Restaurant group, which has a small fleet of restaurants throughout Hawaii. They are known for delicious sushi and their Sushi Early Bird Special is where it’s at, with 50% off select sushi and drinks. There’s a nice selection of rolls, but if you want some other bites as well, their menu has you covered. Open daily 5pm to 8:30 pm. dkrestaurants.com/sansei
Did we miss your favorite restaurant?
Our always-hungry team of foodies have compiled this list.
Please let us know if we’ve missed your favorite connect@localgetaways.com.
