Monkeypod Kitchen - Wailea

I LOVE Monkey Pod! I’m so glad they have this location now. Atmosphere is great. Local live music. Food is fantastic! Amazing food with a local twist. Pizzas are great and so are the tacos. Mac nut crusted fish was prob one of the best I’ve ever had. THE CREAM PIES! What the heck. Best ever. We tried the banana and coconut this time and they were great (still prefer the strawberry and the creamsicle though). Our server was 🔥🔥 too.

We had the best time! We were recommended to go here by a Reddit comment about the Mai Tai’s and they were awesome!!! Annie, our server, was awesome and had really great recommendations, too. Would definitely recommend for both the food and the great drinks.

Outstanding experience from start to finish. From the moment we arrived, the service set the tone—we were told there would be about a 5-minute wait, but ended up being seated in closer to 2 minutes. When we asked to sit outside, the host stand was extremely accommodating, which we really appreciated. Our server, Nick, was exceptional. He was incredibly knowledgeable about both the food and drink menu and took the time to make thoughtful recommendations based on our personal preferences. Every drink suggestion was spot-on, and the food recommendations were equally impressive. He also made it very clear that if a drink wasn’t to our liking, he would happily replace it—an extra touch of consideration that stood out. We are still in shock about how balanced the drinks were without one ingredient being overpowering. Was not able to get the bartender’s name, the waitress running drinks, or the waiter running food, but they all were phenomenal! Traveling with kids can sometimes be challenging at restaurants, but Nick was especially helpful and patient, making the experience enjoyable for everyone at the table. The food itself was fantastic: generous portion sizes, very flavorful, and clearly well thought out. Everything felt fresh, balanced, and executed with care. Monkeypod delivered excellent service, great hospitality, and consistently delicious food. This is absolutely a place we would return to and confidently recommend to anyone visiting Maui.

When they claim to have the best mai tai on the island, they mean it. Happy hour draws in a very large crowd but the line moves quickly, so put your name on the list and walk around the plaza. The food there is great. I would recommend the chicken wings to share. The servers are all very friendly and quick.

Loved our meal here! There was a bit of a wait for our reservation but it went by quickly. The atmosphere is a bit loud and the lightening needs to change (it's overhead and makes you look awful). However our server was soo sweet and the food was outstanding. The special of monchong fish with cauliflower puree was amazing. The shrimp with cornbread also amazing, though portion size a bit small. The banana pie was way too sweet, I wish there was some chocolate or something to break through the sweetness, and the portion was a bit big for the two of us.

Everyone says, "Go to Monkeypod Kitchen," and that's some good advice. We enjoyed a lovely meal during our vacation on Maui. We didn't have a reservation and the wait wasn't too long. There is not much to do at this little shopping plaza, so planning ahead would be better! I had the noodle soup dish, it was excellent. Hearty, spicy, memorable. If this spot were local I would run over weekly for that dish alone. Energetic staff. Open kitchen, lots of energy. Excellent mocktails! I loved everything about Monkeypod.

The Mai Tai (both alcohol and NA) were amazing!! The food was good but quite under-seasoned. The Organic Macadamia Nut Crusted Fresh Fish was good but I don’t think I would pay that price to eat it again. The Seared Ahi Steak was perfectly cooked but didn’t have much flavor without the sauce. The service was STELLAR!

Monkeypod is always a delight. Today we went to the OG location in Kihei. There was an hour wait on a Friday evening. Like everywhere, this spot is huge and has a big bar seating option. We ordered the iconic mai tai, mixed greens salad, veggie gnocchi and fish and chips. The mai tai is widely revered to be spectacular and I agree - it truly is world class. The lilikoi foam on top is unlike anything. The gnocchi was loaded with vegetables, mushrooms and healthy amount of pasta. The fish was fresh - our server informed that the fish today was mahi mahi. The garlic aioli fries were very tasty. The salad was fresh - and the orange ginger vinaigrette was beautiful. The service was top notch as always. Huge shout out to our server Thomas! A very well spent evening for us.

The atmosphere is perfectly vibrant at this restaurant! We heard the Mai Tai was the best…I totally agree, but they had a special cocktail called the “Cold Fashioned” which is my new favorite cocktail. We had Macadamia Nut Encrusted Mahi Mahi and it was cooked perfectly and had a great flavor profile. The real WOW for us was the Lobster Deviled Eggs. Squeeze a little lime on them…trust me! We also tried, at the strong recommendation of another tourist we met, the Jalapeño Mashed Potatoes. They were good, different, which I appreciate, not spicy. So, I don’t know that the potatoes deserved as strong of a recommendation as we got, but they are worth a try! Anyway, we had good service, and food and drinks were served in a timely fashion. We would definitely recommend the restaurant, but be sure you get a reservation WELL in advance. Everybody loves the place, and for good reason.

This was our first time dining here, and it was amazing. The food was delicious, and my husband said the Monkeypod Mai Tai was the best he’s ever had. I enjoyed the virgin Mai Tai, served in the coolest tiki glass, and it was just as delicious. We sat on the patio and had excellent service from our server, Nick. He was knowledgeable, attentive, and gave great recommendations. We will definitely be back on our next vacation and highly recommend this restaurant.

We dined here on our honeymoon and we loved the experience! The ambiance of the restaurant was really fun and it was cool to see all the various cocktails and things on the menu. We got truffle fries and some type of ravioli to start… loved the fries but would not recommend the ravioli. It was a weird texture and overpoweringly cheesy. The drinks and margaritas pizza were great, too! We came for happy hour and our waiter was great! We did feel a little forgotten about at the end of our meal, but it was starting to pick up a ton by that time as it transitioned to dinner time.

Good food and good service. The menu has a nice variety • Our server made good recommendations. The chicken wings are a MUST try. We had the wings, cucumber avocado salad, black truffle fries, fish tacos, jerk chicken and fish sandwich . Each of the dishes were delicious. The food arrived quickly and is freshly prepared. I wasn't able to try their famous pizzas because they were not serving that day. They clearly mentioned that when I made the reservation, appreciate the notice.

A beautiful restaurant with delicious locally themed dishes and a staff that is efficient, friendly, and attentive. The restaurant is comfortably decorated in a modern tropical theme. Tables and booths are available and are spaced so that you're not on top of other visitors. A large bar offers comfortable counter service. Tables are also available on an outside patio. We have never needed to make reservations. However, during busier times of the year and for large groups it would probably be smart to make arrangements. A free parking lot is available adjacent to the restaurant.

We thought this place was really yummy, I loved the fries, chicken wings, and fish tacos. The chicken wings were very special and the tacos were the best we’ve had on the island so far. Erin was our waitress and she was a very kind person. Super helpful and provided exceptional service! Would recommend this spot. Vibes were cute too.

I had a great experience at Monkeypod Kitchen in Maui. The Mai Tai was outstanding—perfectly balanced, refreshing, and easily one of the best I’ve had on the island. The pineapple pizza was delicious with its sweet-savory combination, and the ulu ravioli was a unique standout, rich in flavor and beautifully prepared. Ryan was our server and he explained vegetarian options and recommended drinks. We ordered from his suggestion and everything turned out pretty well.

Made the mistake of eating earlier in the day and wasnt prepared how amazing the food was. Ended up sharing the poke tacos and strawberry pie for dessert with a couple of their famous Mai Thais. Everything tasted so fresh and amazing. We lucked out and got a spot outside in the corner near the fountain/ pool. It was very romantic being tucked in the corner listening to the sound of the waterfall.

Had seafood special which was sea bass with lobster mashed potato, cod fish and chips, and strawberry cream pie. Everything was amazing but fish and chips was little dry. We sat at the bar so there was no wait for me. The service was great!

Monkeypod is the best restaurant in Maui by far. The food is awesome, the servers friendly and super efficient and the ambiance is excellent. It's good value for money. Their mai tai is special and pies are not to be missed at the end. Overall definitely recommend this place.

We had a great experience here recently. The place was busy, but even as a party of 6 we were seated quickly. Most of us indulged in their famous Mai Tais, delicious. The gluten-free options are limited, but our server was knowledgeable about gluten and said the kitchen could support a variety of options. We got the roast chicken wings and fish tacos. Both were very good. While we didn't indulge in cream pie for dessert, our gluten eating friends had slices of the banana and strawberry cream pies. They said they were delicious.

My husband and I were in Maui last week for our honeymoon and we came to Monkeypod twice during our stay. The first night I got the famous mai tai and it was delicious. I’m not even really a fan of sour/sweet cocktails, but the foam on this one really made it special and more decadent. We tried several items, but we especially loved the sashimi tacos, beef bulgogi tacos, and the gyoza. All were exceptional! If we are ever back in Maui we will definitely come back again!

Awesome! The food and drinks were very very good. Sydney was our bartender and she couldn't have been more friendly and helpful. The drinks were great and unique, including a house made vanilla cream on the espresso martini. Food was outstanding and the unexpected amazing corn bread. Must try if you are in this area or within striking distance.

We had a great experience dinning there! Ryan and his crew went above and beyond on providing us with the best customer service! Despite a setback getting there and dealing with an unpleasant and racist hostess! I am glad we did not allow her negative Ora and demeanor to prevent us from enjoying this wonderful night dinning as a family while visiting Maui! I hope she can change her attitude towards minorities and act professionally and not be rude! We’re a paying customers like anyone else and we are always kind and generous with our servers. I’m glad my family didn’t have to witness her behavior, I dealt with it with patience and clam, because I invited my family there and I wanted them to be happy and they were and thanks again to Ryan and his crew!

We dined at Monkeypod three times during our 7 nights in Wailea, and each visit was incredible! The food is absolutely outstanding, but what made our experience unforgettable was the service—especially from our server, Ryan. We had him the first night we visited and again before heading to the airport, and he is simply amazing. The way he describes the food and drinks, his warmth and professionalism—it’s service like we’ve never experienced before. Our last meal at Monkeypod was the perfect send-off from Maui. Thank you, Ryan, for the exceptional hospitality—we hope to see you again in the future!

Great place! Just the kind of place we were looking for on our honeymoon that wasn’t going to kill us. We went during happy hour and it was so fun. Great service, great drinks and good food! No reservation (on a Monday) and got in after about 5 minute wait.

Love love love coming to monkeypod on our vacations. Great food, drinks and atmosphere. Get the hook up at happy hour (3:30-5 I believe) and try their specialty cocktails! 🍹Even though seafood items are not included on HH discount don't be shy the lobster deviled eggs are amazing, bomb cesar salad, as are other dishes. 🦞🥚 Great pizzas. 🍕 Delicious dessert - apple banana creme where you at?!🍌🫓 Recently brought out little with us and he loved it all, the food, pineapple and music. Free butter noodles for those under 3, which ours demolished the second visit - also loved the taro ravioli 🤍💜 We enjoy sitting outside on the covered patio. They're sound system is nice, love music is directly piped in and the folks they have play always sound amazing. 🎤🎵🎶

Really look forward to eating at Monkeypod Kitchen every time we visit Oahu/Ko Olina. The food is fresh and cocktails are so flavorful. Their kale salad dressing is something that I strive to copy, just one of the many recipes that Monkeypod’s chefs create perfectly! But the Mai Tais are special, better than any mai tai on the mainland or Hawaii! Have a couple and enjoy the sunset. Service is very good and the deserts are also wonderful.

If you get Shay as your server then you’re in for a treat! We had so much fun here! Get the Mai Tai, the banana pie, the crusted fish, and the fish tacos. All fantastic!

We were a group of 4, my friends liked everything but I personably was left disappointed with the bulgogi tacos - they were salty to the point I could not finish them. I did like shrimp appetizer. Cocktails were good as well. Came out at $75 per person plus tips. Happy hour excludes seafood app items so it leaves not much else there.

Solid food, definitely expensive for the portions, but it's in Wailea so everything is more pricy. Fish tacos were a bit basic, the macadamia nut fish was good, the Potstickers were very good as were the garlic truffle fries. The Mai tai was decent, it has a nice passion fruit froth. In general, the vibe was a bit loud for me and kinda reminded me of a higher tier Chili's with a bit of Hawaiian flavor. Overall, I enjoyed it but felt it was over hyped by the online reviews. The wife and I made a 5:45pm reservation and the place was already hopping.

Our entire party enjoyed our dinner. Fish was excellent ( I had pizza as allergic to fish) and the cocktails made the mood. Great location and view at sunset is just spectacular.

Overall a good experience. The major negative was the kitchen service fee. Is that your credit card fee? Enforced kitchen staff tip? What gives? At these prices, that's just a money grab. Shame on you. Anyway, kiddo had fish & chips. He's not discerning and ate it all. Husband had the chicken. No complaints but nothing spectacular. I had the mahi mahi. It was good but not great. Fancy Mai Tai was very good but I have now had a better one at another restaurant in town. Service was great. So that matched the prices. It was okay but you can get the same food and drinks elsewhere for less.

Great foodie spot in Maui for anyone wanting a solid, flavor packed meal! I had many fiends recommend trying Monkeypod on top of the local reputation this place carries. I highly encourage everyone to make a reservation as this place gets booked up very quickly, even on a weekday. For those without a reservation, I heard the hostess tell someone it would be over an hour before getting seated. (Just a heads up!) The food was very good, overall! The entrees in particular. I had the bulgogi beef tacos and my partner ordered the gnocchi. Both were exceptional! The tacos were drizzled in a chile aioli, a fresh chile, and some crunchy veg. Truly one of the best tacos I’ve had in a really long time. At first I thought the dish was small for the price, but they’re packed and I left very full. My mouth still waters thinking about this meal! My partner who orders the gnocchi feels the same way. His dish was rich, filling, and balanced by the addition of veg. He said to me “oh, so this is how gnocchi are supposed to taste!” Once you’ve had these light, fluffy pillows you can’t go back to the rubbery version most restaurants serve. My partner also remarked he enjoyed this dish so much he’d be hard pressed to order or try anything else! However, we both felt the same about the tortilla soup - it was underwhelming. It was too spicy and not balanced by anything. It wasn’t super hot when severed and I’d not order it again. Given how great the entrees were this appetizer should be reconsidered or removed from the menu. The atmosphere is laid back, feels casual, and very loud. The evening we dined inside it was packed and I could barely hear my partner talk. If this bothers you then you walk may want to ask about outdoor dining. Also, due to how busy the night was, the staff tried turning tables over very quickly which lead to small missteps in service. For example, the guys busing the tables wiped food onto the seats and left it there for the next diner to clean or possibly sit on. On a brighter note, when I used the restroom I did witness a staff member wash their hands for a full minute and avoid touching the door handle upon exit! 🎉👏 Love seeing good hygiene practices! The service was great the entire evening. Our server was very knowledgeable about the menu, described the dishes in great detail, which was very helpful in making our menu selections. Overall, I’d highly recommend making a reservation and making Monkeypod part of your Maui visit! It was easily one of my favorite meals during the whole trip and I’d absolutely go back!

Service and ambience was good apart from the giant oven in front getting fixed. Food was okay at max. Weird to have half priced appetizer to have double the quantity than the entree of gnocchi. Gnocchi texture was amazing, but the quantity and it having less salt, held it back.

Overall good review. They will tell you to come on in without a reservation but expect a 30 min wait. When you go to buy a drink at the bar while you’re waiting the bartender will abruptly direct you to a line to order a drink which felt strange. I had the fish and chips which was very good. My wife had a pizza which was very limp and wet and wasn’t great but not horrible. Our waiter was outstanding once we got to our table. Their prices are very fair for the food, the drinks are a little pricey. And the Mai Tai is as good as rumored.

Super cool place with amazing service! Being close to Aluani is a huge plus so you don't have to cough up so much money to the mouse. Really great beer and cocktail selection too. All the food was really delicious... with the exception of the pizza. Normally I wouldn't deduct a star for one bad menu item, but it was that bad I have to. If we didn't order pizza it would be 5 stars without question.

The ambiance is fantastic, and the staff are very friendly. I ordered the ribeye, but it seemed more like a New York strip cut. The salad, however, was truly delicious and excellent.

Would have been 5* however they didnt action a food restriction and the wait for pizza was 26 minutes. Went twice because the first time was delicious. Service was a little slow. But the food made up for it. Seating at the chef table was a cool experience, would recommend for individuals or couples. Not a group.

Full disclosure: I had one drink and an appetizer at the bar on a Monday afternoon. I was pumped to come here for the Monkeypod Mai Tai, which a friend recommended and I read was the 3rd best Mai Tai in Hawaiʻi. It was 1430, so I got right in to a seat at the bar and ordered my drink. The service was not exactly slow, but it felt inattentive for how empty the place was. The server did a fine job, I was in and out, but the experience felt pretty corporate. The mai tai was good and strong, but underwhelming at the $19 price point. I felt the same about the garlic truffle oil fries, although the dips were a surprise highlight. Regarding atmosphere, there was live music starting up while I was there, which is a point in favor of the place, but while the small style choices were nice and the staff is clearly reaching for an upscale vibe, the decor came off as ticky tacky - more reminiscent of a Red Robin than a chic gastropub or resort eatery. The lillikoi foam on the mai tai is worth a try if you hate money, but there must be better places to get a pineapple rum drink.

We were really looking forward to trying Monkeypod, but the experience fell short for us. I ordered the jerk chicken, and unfortunately it was very dry. My wife had the sea bass, which she enjoyed, but overall the meal didn’t stand out. What affected our night the most was the service. When we first sat down, our server started pouring water without greeting us or asking if we wanted any. That set the tone, and throughout the night the service just didn’t feel welcoming or attentive. As customers, that first interaction matters, and it left us with a negative impression right away. Because of that, I wasn’t able to enjoy the evening as much as I hoped. Overall, the experience didn’t meet expectations. I personally wouldn’t recommend it—there are plenty of spots on the island with better service, better energy, and better food

Extremely busy and crowded but that's the time of year. Nice waiter and pretty good food.. but was disappointed when arrived early (purposely) to a note out front indicating weren't honoring their happy hour.. and it only got worse when we saw a 6% kitchen charge. This infuriates me sorry covid has been over for years restaurants need to stick to their honest posted services and prices.