BEST FREE ENTERTAINMENT
There’s nothing better than getting a free show. No, I’m not going to be immature here and say that the best free show on Maui is strolling upon a drunken couple doing their “love business” on the beach. The best free show on Maui can be seen from the Maui Time Weekly offices at 505 Front St., which look down on the Feast at Lele’s nightly luau. There is nothing like typing away at your computer and hearing the sweet sounds of Hawaiian music make their way into our offices to let us know the show is beginning. I have been franticly writing away on many an occasion and heard the falsetto begin, which forced me to leave my work behind and run to the window of our publisher’s office to watch the show. Normally, we aren’t allowed to talk to anybody while working and if we look at each other, we lose a finger but after hours, when the office is nearly empty, the fun begins as the sun sets. [IH]
Best Seafood Restaurant
MAMA’S FISH HOUSE
Our mama is turning 30! Time flies when you’re slingin’ great fish. It is one of the most well known restaurants on the island and they’ve been serving the best seafood around for the last three decades. It has an old school island ambience complete with its own beach, hula music, aloha shirts and tikis. They go through roughly a Yugo full of fish per day (seriously about 500 pounds), all of which is caught nearby by local guys who bring their catch to be weighed right there. You want to talk about fresh fish? These critters are still moving when they get to Mama’s. The photos of the fisherman with their prize fish hang alongside those of celebrities that have enjoyed Maui’s best seafood experience. [JG]
BEST PLACE TO BUY CHEESE
Only recently has cheese become an important part of my life. Previously, I was a cheddar cheese, Kraft Singles kind of guy. Something changed me. Something made me stop and think about what cheeses I buy for what meals. What cheeses go best with different foods. And to think, it all started with Gorgonzola cheese on a gourmet cheeseburger. I have grown and with that, have had to find a cheese merchant that is capable of accommodating my cheese needs. That shop is Who Cut the Cheese in Kihei. Not only does it have a brilliant name in that it is a reference to a fart joke, but it has an impressive assortment of all different types of cheeses. I don’t want to be…well, cheesy but this store has helped me to become the cheese lover that I am today. So (with a tear in my eye and some cheese in my mouth) I say thank you to the one shop that was made for me and I ask, who did cut the cheese? [IH]
Best Restaurant When Someone Else Is Paying
MAMA’S FISH HOUSE
They might have the best seafood on the island, use all local fish, meat and produce, but if you’re a starving local, struggling just to survive in paradise, then you will never get to eat here unless someone else flits the bill. Mama’s is the classic destination for when the parents come from the mainland and you finally get your chance to savor the flavor after driving past it almost every day. The beautiful girls of the North Shore have an advantage over us working stiffs because they can coerce an older rich guy to pay their way. Oh to be young and attractive and female and live on the North Shore and…damn it, my life sucks. [JG]
Best Dining With A View
KULA LODGE
Amazing views of the West Maui Mountains and the fantastic cloud formations that congregate on the peaks, the lush cane fields below, the North Coast and Maalaea Harbor create a dining spectacle. At breakfast time, you can rub elbows with goofy middle Americans as they load up on eggs benedict before riding their bikes down the Crater. For lunch, hobnob with old couples cruising the countryside and loads of tourists checking out the sights. The service is good all day at Kula Lodge, but dinnertime is most enjoyable. Debbie and Katie make great drinks to make the drive a little more adventurous but we obviously don’t encourage that kind of thing. Be safe, eat well and enjoy an upcountry dining experience like none other. [JG]
BEST PLACE TO HAVE A MICKEY AND YELL AT TOURISTS
Have you ever wanted to know what it’s like to be a bird, soaring high above the human masses below you, scouting targets for your waste disposal? Well, now you can. Situated upper level above Lahaina’s infamous Front Street, Moose McGillicuddy’s offers a rare bird’s eye view of the pedestrian masses below. Sit and drink to your heart’s content while spewing vitriolic filth at the tourists. But beware, Moose’s also offers a bird’s eye view of the birds themselves, and these little buggers have taken their swoop-and-snatch techniques to professional levels, meaning you’d better keep an eye on your food. [TH]
Best Margarita
MAÑANA GARAGE
It’s hot. Like summertime hot. Slipping into Mañana Garage gets you the best margarita ever blended on Maui. Altogether fitting that Maui’s best margarita—a luscious libation of tequila, lime or lemon juice, triple sec and ice, glass rimmed with salt—be mixed and served at a Latino-flavored restaurant like Kahului’s Mañana Garage. A quibble: what’s with these folks who order margaritas without salt or drink them through straws? Order some other drink, folks—the salt is there for a reason. The same reason tequila afficionados chase shots with a dash of lime and a hit of salt. Be a man (or woman) and do the sodium. Just do it. [JK]
Best Fish Sandwich
PAIA FISH MARKET
The saying goes; eat more fish, live longer. Well, thank goodness for Paia Fish Market. No one prepares ono, ahi or mahi in-between a grade-A bun better than they do. Sandwiches come cajun-seared or grilled and accompanied by tangy coleslaw, fresh tomato and grated cheddar. Many of the other selections may tempt you, but this sandwich is the goods – and it’s cheap! I usually get mine on the way back from the airport picking up friends or family – the best intro to Maui! Cute girls work at the Paia Fish Market and it offers a great view of the passersby of Paia, which is always entertaining. [JG]
Best Vietnamese Restaurant
SAIGON CAFÉ
Take a bow, Saigon Café owner Jennifer and staff, you got top billing as the best Vietnamese restaurant on Maui. Many food folks would argue that Saigon Café is a top contender for Maui’s best food, any kine restaurant, that’s how good they are. No secret to the masses, and hence their popularity—they serve fresh, natural foods, succulently blended with Southeast Asian flair. They also do western-style dishes very nicely, like their sizzling-while-you-eat-‘em steaks. This Wailuku restaurant’s casual ambiance and fun, friendly service only adds to the great eating experience, all at reasonable prices. [JK]
Best Place For Vegetarian Food
DOWN TO EARTH
A lot of stigmas have somehow been attached to vegetarian diets. I always think of vegetarians as all wearing hemp and smelling like barley (whatever barley smells like). But eating a vegetarian diet is obviously good for your health and makes the moo moo and oink populations smile. Down To Earth has some seriously good food and their cobbler style creations for breakfast are the bomb. Jason at the Lahaina shop makes the best food for the veggie muncher in all of us. So whether you’re looking for a new lifestyle or just a healthy lunch, Down to Earth is your spot. [JG/IH]
BEST PLACE TO BREAKUP
By far, the best place on Maui to have a violent, obnoxious, drunken shout-fest that results in the ending of a relationship would have to be in the middle of a luau. All of the key ingredients for a hilarious and memorable breakup are present. For one, you need alcohol. Every breakup is better with alcohol. Chances are you will both be more honest (and loud) and, truth be told, you were probably going to get into an inebriated argument anyway. Let the wine flow and God bless the open bar. Next, there are plenty of people around. You need an audience to cheer you on, boo you or just watch while drinks are thrown and embarrassing secrets are revealed. And three, there’s the show. What better way to call off your courtship than between the hula dancers and the crazy guy with the flaming stick? You can take in some hula, down some brews and tell your boyfriend that he is horrible in bed. The best part is, you have a great story to tell all of your friends. And to all you hula dancers out there, if a scene begins to erupt, just let the couple do their thing and remember that the show must go on. [IH]
BEST BALLOT STUFFER
Oh yeah, you thought you were real clever. We’ll never notice the tons of ballots stuffed into one envelope with the same six votes for your business filled out on each ballot, Best Lunch, Best Dinner, Best Pupus, Best Place for Vegetarian Food, Best Restaurant When Someone Else Is Paying, Best Thai Restaurant. We’ll never see the same handwriting is on each one even though it looks like you opened your address book and filled out different names and addresses. Despite the fact that we didn’t count your identical ballots votes in our total, you won something anyway! Here’s a tip for next year, leave it to the readers, Thai Chef, they love your curry so much they voted you in fair and square. [JR]
Best Italian Restaurant
CASANOVA
Any way you slice up the competition for best Italian restaurant, it’s quite a feat to be voted Maui’s best in this category these days. With more than a dozen places serving Italian fare, the competition is fierce. Casanova wins best of the bunch honors by consistently serving flavorful traditional Italian favorites, including fabulous fresh seafood, which make up a big part of authentic Italian cuisine. There’s lots of warm aloha at Casanova, too—they treat their customers like they are family, and that’s Italian all the way. [JK]
Best Restaurant For Family Of Four Under $30
TASTY CRUST
What could possibly be better than good, cheap food? I can’t think of too many things that I more desire than good eats for minimal flow. And with that, I introduce Tasty Crust. Maui Time Weekly readers voted this Wailuku eatery best restaurant for family of four with a bill under $30 because of their good food and uncanny affordability. They serve breakfast, lunch and dinner in a classic diner-style cafe, right out of the 1940s, with prices to match the era. [JK/IH]
Best Spam Musubi
MINIT STOP
The price sign at Minit Stop lists Spam Musubi under two categories, hot foods and sushi. “But I don’t understand,” I implored Lali, the clerk behind the Paia counter. “Is it a hot food? Or is it a sushi?” She looked at me funny and said, “It’s Spam.” Right. It was then I realized one should never ask too many questions when it comes to Spam. So why does Minit Stop make the best? They slice their Spam fresh every day, slap it on a rectangle of rice and serve it up, warm and tasty. And for a buck thirty-nine, you can get your Musubi, morning, noon and night. Long live Spam. [EG]
Best Mexican Restaurant
LAS PIÑATAS
For the record, the name of the place judged best Mexican restaurant on Maui is Las Piñatas. No matter, everybody just calls it Piñatas and calls their food muy bueno. True Mexican food snobs will sniff that, to get real Mexican food, you have to travel 2,500 miles due east, to Alvaro Street in Los Angeles or other legendary Southern Californian Mexican food spots. Sure, this is gringo-ized Mexican food, but it’s consistently good at Las Piñatas, just the way lots of Maui gringos like it. [JK]
Best Place To Eat At 3 a.m.
DENNY’S
I’ve been to Denny’s late night enough times to know why it’s the best place to eat at 3 a.m. First, it’s the only place open after bars close that gives you a choice of breakfast, lunch or dinner. Now that’s freedom. Second, Denny’s is the only place that gives you pictures on the menu. So when you are too drunk to navigate between descriptions of Grand Slams, Slugger Slams and Moon Over My Hammys, you just feast your fuzzy eyes on the picture that looks the prettiest, and say “Errr, umm…I’ll take that one.” God bless those that cater to the drunken masses. [EG]
Best Sandwich Shop
SUB PARADISE
In my opinion, the bread makes the sandwich. And the bread at Sub Paradise is top notch. I know that for a fact because Craig, the friendly guy behind the counter, cut me off a couple crusts to sample. Score on the white and wheat. Anyway, I could tell that Craig and the owner, Neil Swanson, were psyched about their subs. Especially #27, their most popular: turkey, hot bacon and avocado. Yum. These guys have been doing their thing since 1990 and they’ve got gobs of repeat customers to prove that it’s working. All their subs are made to order, with fresh-sliced meats, cheeses and the condiments of your choice. On that thick fluffy bread, now that’s a sandwich. [EG]
Best Pizza
SHAKA SANDWICH & PIZZA
Move over Domino’s, Shaka Pizza is still bringin’ it and Maui knows who to call for the good stuff. Talk about da kine, brah – New York style thin crust or thick Sicilian with homemade sauce and tons of cheese, Veggie Delight or Meat Combo, gourmet pizzas like Chicken Pesto. Dine-in, take out, or call that thing in for delivery. Don’t forget the garlic bread, calzone, cheese steaks, hoagies, French fries and Caesar salad. Shaka even sells by the slice if you’re in a hurry to try the grinds. [TL]
BEST PLACE TO MEET SOMEONE YOU SHOULDN’T DATE
It goes without saying that bars and clubs are not the most auspicious places to meet a potential mate, in general. There’s the loud pulsating music that deters intelligible conversation, the lack of adequate lighting (all the more helpful the less sober you become!), deceptively good behavior and predatory pretension aplenty. Nowhere is this more apparent than at Tsunami’s at the Grand Wailea Resort on Friday and Saturday nights. Whoa, this place is packed with attitude and some very young, dumb and full of cumbrance individuals who take themselves maybe a little too seriously. Why are they trifling and just whom do they think they’re trying to sweat, I wonder? They’re like, 12 or something. [SC]
Best Thai Restaurant
THAI CHEF
When Thai Chef says hot, he means business. You want the curry? You can’t handle the curry. Red, green or yellow with veggies, chicken, beef, pork, shrimp or fish – the guy knows his stuff. Try the Green Papaya Salad or Spicy Seafood Combo Soup for starters, then choose from over 60 menu items including Thai Style Shrimp Scampi, Crispy Cornish Game Hen, Pineapple Fried Rice and an impressive selection for veggie lovers. Enjoy Thai Chef’s cozy setting, excellent service and authentic flavors. Keep it mild if you please and remember to order up a tall Thai Iced Tea to cool your tingling taste buds. [TL]
Best Steak
RUTH’S CHRIS STEAK HOUSE
I know next to nothing about good steak. I haven’t eaten red meat since that summer I spent hawking hot dogs in front of a hardware store—100-degree humidity, a boiling pot of beef franks and a bad hangover. Believe me, it could make anyone vegetarian. When I told Bruce, the manager at Ruth’s Chris Steak House in Lahaina about my non-meat-eating tendencies, he said, “I’m sorry to hear that.” I asked him what he could tell me to make me want to eat his meat. “We’ve got the best flavored steak around, cooked in an 1800-degree oven that seals the juices inside,” he answered in all seriousness. “And plus, you can cut our filets with a fork.” Did Bruce convert me? Close, but no. Should you eat at Ruth’s Chris if you want a phenomenal steak? Yes. [EG]
Best Lunch
SUSHI GO!
Can you deny the allure of a lunch that’s already spinning across the table as you’re seated? “Home of the largest sushi conveyer-belt in the U.S.”, Sushi Go! is fast, affordable and tasty enough to satisfy. The fish is fresh and there’s plenty of variety – rich unagi sweetly sauced, spicy ahi poke sushi, even vegetarian rolls. Best of all, they keep it coming in an endless stream of plates, color-coded by price so you can ponder the bill as you pile them up. Covet your favorites and grab them fast, but please don’t hoard the communal ginger and wasabi. [TL]
Best Local Beer
KONA BREWING CO.
Beer. Oh, beer. Now we’re getting into the good stuff and thank God for buy Hawaii. While beer in itself is a beautiful thing regardless of where it’s made, Kona Beer is not only great tasting, it makes you feel good to put the outrageous amount of money that we all spend on beer into the pocket of a local brewery. While I’m not giving you an excuse to become an alcoholic just to “support a local business”, Kona is definitely the way to go for local beer and good times. So crack a brew, tell a story and Kona, if you’re listening, I could use a sponsor. [IH]
Best Sushi
SANSEI
With fancy names like Mango Crab Salad Handroll and Kapalua Butterfly, it’s got to be good. Sansei pairs the ambiance of fine dining with the delicate art of sushi, offering both at a decent price. Take a seat at the sushi bar and watch the chefs in action as they skillfully craft your order. Don’t make small talk, these guys are serious and have no time for your shenanigans. That’s right, I said shenanigans. Stick with the traditional Maguro and Hamachi, try a combo selection or skip the rice and go for the straight sashimi. Any way you slice it, Sansei is the bomb for fresh fish lovers. [TL]
BEST PLACE TO BUY WINE
The Wine Corner is much more than a place to get your alcoholic fix. It is the best place to go for the Paia lowdown, to have a chance run-in with a famous person and to observe the real life entertainment on the streets of Paia. The owner, Greg Brown, can fill you in on how things work on the North Shore and gives good relationship advice. Yantzi can introduce you to everyone in town and get you up to date on the social scene. And Trish provides a solid woman’s touch. Their extensive selection of beer and wine is well priced, too. [JG]
Best Breakfast
IHOP
Is it the family atmosphere or the variety of syrups that keeps them coming? Maybe it’s the fantasy of a house filled with pancakes – fluffy buttermilk, banana nut, chocolate chip and those crispy hash browns on the side. The traditional breakfast hot spot, IHOP is packed on weekends with nostalgic crowds hungry for a slice of Americana. French toast and Belgian waffles never tasted so good. Build your own omelet if you dare, or order up a t-bone steak and eggs for the manly man. People of Maui love to get down with the Rooty Tooty Fresh and Fruity and well, so do I. [TL]
Best Japanese Restaurant
SANSEI
That’s right, sushi and Japanese food are two different meals. Get it together and get over to Sansei for a taste of the Pacific Rim. Tempting starters like the Seared Fresh Hawaiian Ahi Salad will have you begging for more. Try their Spicy Crab Stuffed Whole Lobster Tail if you’re feeling feisty, or venture the Grilled Filet of Beef Tenderloin with its savory shiitake mushroom unagi demi-glaze. Don’t miss out on Sansei’s early bird specials, as friends in the know are already lined up out the door. Giant decadent desserts, quality, quantity and a reasonable price – can you say oishi (delicious)? That was a good try but work on the accent. [TL]
BEST PLACE TO GO ON A FIRST DATE
Maybe the title of this category should have been “Best place to take out a loan to go on a first date”. But that’s okay, because if you can get past the sticker shock, this is the place you want to take your honey for the first time, especially if you want to get busy for the first time. Mama’s Fish House is so romantic you won’t even have to order clams to get her in the mood. And with plenty of sandy beach close by to stroll on after dinner, your after-dinner options are already “laid” out for you. Get it? Get the innuendo? [TH]
Best Coffee Shop
STARBUCKS
When it comes to picking a best coffee shop, you picture a swanky hip-cat spot with beatnik poets in the corner, a bunch of funky tables and chairs, maybe some mood lighting and the warm smell of coffee filling the air. Oh, how we have evolved. Our world has moved on to high-paced business people and spoiled teenagers who need something to perk them up before they head off to work or school in their over-priced sports cars. Still, Starbucks maintains the ever important coffee shop quality of convenience (they’re everywhere!), prompt service and quality coffee strong enough to make you think you’re invincible and all-knowing. Hmm, do they sell IVs, too? [KH/SC]
Best Burrito
MAUI TACOS
I almost get tears in my eyes when I talk about this category. I think I am Maui Taco’s number one supporter. All of the money I have left over after paying the bills goes to buying Lahaina burritos with chicken and pinto beans, wrapped in foil. I have recently been turned on to Maui Taco’s breakfast menu and soon hope to eat all three meals there on a consistent basis. The salsa bar adds flavor (because that’s its job) and when I bite into one of their burritos, it’s not quite heaven, but it’s as close as I’m going to get to it for a while. [IH]
BEST BARSTOOL
When you put in the kind of serious drinking time that I do, you tend to notice the details of your chosen watering hole. The expertise of the bartender, the selection of beers and/or spirits (do they have your favorite vodka, whiskey or schnapps?), and the apparatus upon which you sit – the barstool. An important element that should withstand the test of “putting in a shift” at your frequent haunt, the barstool ideally should be just comfortable enough to encourage a few rounds of liquid worship, but not so much that you’ve decided to set up your toothbrush in the medicine cabinet installed at your own private cubicle. With swivel-back, cushioned chairs on wheels that sit on a level above the bar, I hereby decree that the Hang Loose Lounge in Kahului indeed has this vital component mastered. [SC]
Best Plate Lunch
ALOHA MIXED PLATE
Plate lunch is a trademark of Hawaiian culture. It’s island cuisine meets the lunch special meets damn good food. I’ve eaten at Aloha Mixed Plate plenty of times and I’ve got to admit, they do have some pretty amazing plate lunch. It reminds me of going to your auntie’s or grandma’s and have her cook it up greasy style. But in absence of an auntie or grandma willing to slave over the fire, Aloha Mixed Plate is the best way to go. The plate lunch is a beautiful thing and Aloha has its finger on the pulse of the industry. [TH/IH]
BEST BARTENDER TO GET SEXUALLY HARASSED BY
Okay, so I’m still pissed that Maui Brews closed its doors for business last month, but more so now that I will be missing out on my favorite, most perverse bar past-time. His name is Dino and I am his honorary cocktail shaker. Well, for those of you unfortunate females who haven’t been suckered by, er, experienced this phenomenon, it goes a little something like this. “What? You’ve never heard of a Cocktail Shaker?” he says mischievously with full glint in the eye. “Step right up and hold this [canister full of cocktail].” Flash to large-breasted gullible girl leaning over bar holding canister to have said bartender grab her unsuspecting hands and “help” her shake voraciously aforementioned canister. Desired effect? A bartender, along with bar crowd audience, giddy with the gaudy show of jiggling tits-in-action. Yeah, okay, and then there’s also the whipped-cream-in-the-hand-is-worth-two-shots-of-Jack treatment and then that one time… [SC]
Best Dive Bar
SLY MONGOOSE
Ah, The Goose! My home away from home and the thorn in my side, the Sly Mongoose is that neighborhood bar from back home where you go for pau hana on Friday, or any day for that matter, and meet up with your plumber, your auto mechanic, your postmaster or your future ex-spouse. You can just as soon talk shit with the guy at the end of the bar as you can ring the bell and buy everyone at the bar a drink. It’s your family here; show respect and you can do or say whatever the hell you want. It’s where we like to take beer-in-a-can tastings, collect wooden nickels, get free love advice (like the “Never pull the same knob twice on the cigarette machine” theory) and join in a group sing-a-long of “Aqualung” or that damn Meatloaf song. It’s where I witnessed my first bar brawl one fateful evening and my first time discovering the musical genius of Willie K in an impromptu bar-concert another night. Anything can happen, and does, at the Sly Mongoose. [SC]
Best Bar to Get Drunk for Under $10
LIFE’S A BEACH
I had to do research for this one, thinking maybe you voters knew something, or someone, that I didn’t at Life’s A Beach in Kihei. I showed up without knowing a soul and made friends, got drunk and listened to live music not only within a tight budget, but also within a period of about 10 minutes. I wasn’t sure if my bartendress had horns under her hat or wings under her crop top but it didn’t matter. She knew her way around a rum drink like nobody’s business, and all the while served with a smile. [JR]
Best Bar & Best Happy Hour
MULLIGAN’S
Spend just one night or one afternoon (or both, as in my case!) at Mulligan’s On the Blue in Wailea and you’ll understand why this Irish pub wins our readers’ favor. Not only does Mulligan’s feature two-for-one pupus and $1 off drinks for happy hour, but they also have great nightly live entertainment, not to mention some very mischievous (in the most charming way) Irish bartenders. Oh yeah, you’ll be tantalized by the Cajun Seared Sashimi, Harp Battered Shrimp and Guinness on tap. And yes, you will enjoy flirting with the cute cocktail servers or (like me) taunted mercilessly by Irish Mike and his clan of rebel-rousers, as you enjoy the sounds of Celtic Tigers or John Moore Project, whether inside or enjoying the magnificent skyline outside on their lanai. You may even stay longer than you wanted to, pulled into the merry mayhem that ensues. But, you know, delicious debauchery is good for the soul, and I can think of no better time (Happy Hour) and no better place (Best Bar – Mulligan’s) to pull it off. [SC]
Best Bartender
PADDY (MULLIGAN’S)
Five days a week will find Paddy “Who’s Your Daddy?” serving up fine liquor and brew at Mulligan’s On the Blue in Wailea. Paddy is up early every day to quench the heavy thirst of hot Wailea, serving his drinks with a big helping of irresistible Irish charisma and wit, so it’s no wonder you voted him number one, Maui. He keeps the ladies gushing with his Irish accent, while he pours Guinness like the true professional he is. Paddy’s expertise is openly shared, he is quick with the orders and never likes to see an empty glass. Come by before your golf game and tune up with a morning libation, he says it improves the game. Need a cool beverage for that midday sun? He is here for you. Did I mention that goddamn Irish accent? [BJ]
Best Chinese Restaurant
DRAGON DRAGON
Everyone craves Chinese food from time to time. Sometimes it’s the middle of the day when you’re at work so you create the “business meeting” excuse. Other times it’s when you’re lazy and don’t feel like cooking dinner – hence the “but I’ve worked so hard today, darling!” excuse. And then there’s that special time – oh I don’t know, say, after the bars close – that you really could eat some Sweet and Sour Pork. Well, whatever the time, Maui has chosen Dragon Dragon in Kahului for their Deep Fried Eggplant with Chile-Soy Dipping Sauce, Honey Walnut Prawns, Shark Fin Soup with Crab, Crispy Soft Shell Crab with Chef’s Special Sauce, the Kung Pao Chicken, Sauteed Scallop Szechwan Style and Crispy Gau Gee Mein served up just right. Now if only they delivered at 3 a.m. [SC]
BEST PLACE TO WATCH MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL
This place is so good it’s not even there anymore! An unfortunate circumstance linked to the obscenely large rent requirements of Lahaina caused Maui Brews to close up shop on what was and still is the best place to watch Monday Night Football on Maui. Granted, you had to get there in the middle of the day to watch the thing (if you wanted to watch it live), but plenty of TVs and killer happy hour specials on pupus and draft beers – of which there were tons – made Maui Brews THE place to be on Monday night (er, I mean day) for football. [TH]
Best Bartender/Cocktail Waitress to Flirt With
DAVE BAUSS (MILAGRO’S)
Um, I can only imagine that this award will come as not only a big surprise to Dave, bartender extraordinaire at Milagro’s in Paia, but also a huge, maddening embarrassment. But believe me, I’ve witnessed firsthand the hordes of females clamoring for a space at the small bar just for a sweet smile or a wicked grin from Mr. Pookie Lips. The readers have spoken here, Dave, don’t blame me for your charms – I know you can’t help it. Just keep batting your butterfly lashes, mixing your aphrodisiacal concoctions and quietly, yet authoritatively, mastering your domain. [SC]
Best Chicken Wings
BJ’S CHICAGO PIZZERIA
I love chicken wings. I can’t help it, it’s the perfect appetizer to me, crispy and tangy. They’re served with ranch dressing and spicy barbeque sauce along with celery and carrot sticks. It’s even good for you! Well, you could get caught up in my buffalo wing propaganda if you’re not careful. BJ’s knows their chicken wings – they come crispy outside, juicy inside, with dips and sticks for all! Followed up with an icy cold draft and I’m in wing heaven, not to mention on a cheap date. [JR]
Best Pupus
KKO (KAI KU ONO)
Pupus aren’t the only great thing about KKO in Kihei. They’ve also got these amazing red leather couches with leopard print pillows, neon-trimmed palm fronds covering the lanai and a late night happy hour. Their extensive appetizer menu is served until midnight and includes such yummies as Spicy Kauai Shrimp baked with garlic, butter, lemon juice, Chardonnay and “nuke” paste. KKO also has Mango BBQ Ribs, oysters, Tai grilled calamari, a Crab and Artichoke Dip and amazing sushi, like the Hazey and Howzit rolls. So pimp out on the leather (couches, I mean), suck down a martini (perhaps “sip” is more appropriate?), and eat a fabulous pupu or two (or three…or maybe just one more sushi roll!). [SC]
BEST IRISH PUB
Okay, so there’s only two and they’re both great, but the very fact that anyone put in the effort to create an Irish pub on an island in the middle of the Pacific means they should win an award. So I think Reilley’s is going to stumble away with this one because of their superior location on the west-side that puts them right on the edge of Ka’anapali and plops them within hurling distance of eight major hotels. And with a bar that looks out over the 18th at the North Course, Reilley’s is the place to be when sucking down a cold one after your round or on the day that all drinkers thank the Irish for, St. Paddy’s Day. [TH]
Best Burger
CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE
Out of all of the best places on Maui to get a scrumptious cheeseburger, you voted Cheeseburger in Paradise the best place. YOU ARE KILLIN’ ME! What about all of the local burger places? Come on people, do you really eat here or did you vote it the best because of its name? Regardless of your decision, Cheeseburger in Paradise was voted the best burger. Go get a burger from a server in a red hula skirt. Puhlease… [CM]
Best Dessert
ROY’S SOUFFLE
This dessert is on everyone’s mind year after year. It’s almost as if people can’t stop thinking about it once they’ve had it. “When’s the next time I’m gonna get it?” is what they’re thinking afterwards. Hot crunchy chocolate exterior, soft gooey fudgy chocolate inside, accompanied by its perfect mate, vanilla ice cream. Roy’s executes this dessert with excellent form, awing audiences worldwide. I’m not a chocolate lover, but this is the stuff dreams are made of. [JR]
Best Fine Dining & Best Dinner
ROY’S
Food and wine lovers island-wide have decided that they never tire of Roy’s consistently high quality, fine dining cuisine. With an open-view kitchen that invites diners to witness their culinary genius in action, the most tantalizing food, a special menu that pairs Sake with entrées, an extensive yet non-intimidating wine menu and the kind of attentive and knowledgeable service that satisfies and does not annoy – oh, and did we mention that Chocolate Soufflé? – Roy’s clearly wins the title for best dinner. I’m sure if they were open for lunch, they’d get that one too. [SC]
Best Saimin
HOUSE OF SAIMIN
Saimin is a delicatessen in the islands and finding the perfect bowl of noodles can be cause for celebration. Our readers celebrate around one bowl of saimin, with a landslide victory of votes. Of course House of Saimin dominates the world of saimin on Maui. Uncle Rudy and Aunty Nora are there every night cooking up fresh noodles and special broth for their steaming and sensational bowls of goodness. You can get veggies or not, extra chicken sticks or haupia pie, and you can always count on a refreshing candy as they send you out the door with a happier healthier opu, thanks to their handiwork. Lucky for late night people finding themselves on the west-side, they have the best and latest night menu around. You can’t beat the prices either! [JR]
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