Cafe O’Lei is my favorite moderately priced Maui restaurant. The food is wonderful and the prices are reasonable. It’s upstairs in the Rainbow Mall at 2439 South Kihei Road. Phone 808-891-1368. Cafe O’Lei Kihei is open for lunch and dinner. The chef-owners are the same as the Cafe O’Lei at the Dunes at Maui Lani golf course, the Makawao Steak House, and the more upscale AmiAmi in the Maui Coast Hotel. See below for some specific Cafe O’Lei menu items as well as photos.
Great cuisine here! Not your classic boring seafood, but delicious classics made with fantastic ingredients. Had the seared ahi which was absolutely delectable, the daikon that was garnished on top, nicely complemented the ahi. Only problem I had with this place was the hostess and wait time.
Food and service were excellent! Only bummer was that we went for sushi and their sushi bar isn't open Sunday's and Monday's. But the food we got instead was still very excellent.
Was in walking distance from my condo in Kihei. Nice atmosphere. Speciality drinks are all very good to try. Our table ordered the short ribs and the Cajun shrimp pasta which were large portioned and had excellent flavor. Ny strip was not cooked to order and lacked flavor but the mushroom sauce was awesome as well as the potatoes that came with it. Would definitely recommend to others and would love to come back and try the raw bar which was not open that night.
The Baked Maui Onion Soup En Croute is unreal!! It's actually so good, I was so impressed. The over sized puff pastry that sat on top of the bowl added a cute touch. I also ordered the blackened mahi mahi. It was extremely tasty, fish was flaky and light. Service was fabulous.
I just finished my meal at Cafe O'Lei and I cannot get over how incredible the sushi was! I routinely eat sushi whenever I can and I cannot rave enough about the Volcano Roll and White Dragon Roll. I cannot describe the intense fashion of tastes that amalgamate into the symphony that the chef created but...wow. This evening, for the first time ever in my restaurant eating experience I gave my compliments to the chef! If you are in Maui, regardless of the city, come and eat here!
Yes :-). Three of us spent two weeks on Maui a little while back. We rented a condo, but generally ate out at least one meal a day. Cafe O'Lei rated a return trip from us - first time was for dinner, second time was for lunch. We were all quiet happy with our meals and with our service. We all order different foods and then sample each others food, so there are multiple positives all around. Sharing is good :-)
Presentation was very nice. Food was good, not great. The flavor of the honey macadamia pork was good but was too fatty for my liking. Hubby got short ribs. Tasted more like a pot roast. Careful on wait times. Told us it'd be 45 and after walking around for 20 we found they had already called our names.
Not having tried many other restaurants on Maui, we would try others before coming back.
Best lunch deal!!. Delicious plate lunch specials ($7.95?!?!??!) in a nicely decorated air conditioned restaurant. Fantastic mahi mahi fish and chips without too much batter. Delicious mac crusted chicken sandwich and the snow carb salad sandwich is devine!! $1 charge for coke refills when the small glass is mostly filled with ice...I guess nobody is perfect :-)
Best Maui lunch. Café O'Lei has a great daily special plate lunch for $7.95 it cannot be beat for quality , taste or atmosphere. Dinner is great but for me it's lunch. I have owned a condo in Kihei since 2008 so I have explored all restauraunts!!
Wasn't impressed by our appetizers (civiche & short rib tacos were ok: not great) but the braised short ribs were not only huge in portion, but exceptionally well done and tasty. The seared ahi was excellent as was our service. Will be going again to try more.
Cassandra Fray Robinson
+4.5
The braised Asian short ribs were very good, but do not come here for the sushi!
We went there on strong recommendation of some friends. The waiter was fast, very fast! The entree came befor the appetizer! Loud noisy atmosphere. In and out in 30 min. They really are hell bent on turning tables not enjoyment of the experience.
Food excellent as we were told just felt like we ate it at a fast food joint.
We had fun here. Appetizer tower was very good and service was very fast and attentive
Delightful dinner. My shortribs were deliciously seasoned and cooked to falling off the bone goodness. We ended with pineapple upside down cake with Carmel and ice cream.... again it was very tasty. Service was great and friendly .
Good food. The special (Ono) and the mahi mahi were very good. Also good place to get out of the heat for a little bit.
Delicious. We went here twice during our stay. the dinner was incredible! some of the best fish dinners i've ever had. service was lovely and the drinks were great too.
Good sushi. Great bar and aloha spirit
Good lunch specials. Unlike some of the previous posters, I found the service pretty reasonable here; on multiple visits ranging from adequate to excellent. They do get pretty busy, The lunch specials are excellent quality and outstanding value.
Great meal at a great price!. We had lunch at Cafe O'Lei while visiting Kihei for the day and are still talking about it! It's exactly how the Lonely Planet guide book describes it. Great value for money, tasty regional Hawaiian cuisine, creative menu choices and an easy to find location. My husband and I each had a full entree and split a dessert and our bill was no more than $25. Would certainly recommend for the diner or traveler wanting upscale taste on a small budget.
Went there for lunch and had the chicken curry salad which was delicious!
Food was great and even better for the price. I think the service could be a little more friendly, but would come agai. For the macadamia nut encrusted chicken sandwich--
Fresh macadamia nut crusted Ono with honey citrus butter sauce over rice with a Caesar salad for 9.95! This place is amazing for both lunch and dinner but the lunch is so perfectly priced it can't be missed if you are ever in Kihei. Just winding down two weeks in Maui and have had lunch there every day. Fresh fish includes Ono, mahi mahi, ahi, pink snapper and others. Always done perfect and as I said the lunch prices are almost ridiculous!
Glad to discover!. Having been to Hawaii many times, I was accustomed to the pricing in better restaurants. When I came to Cafe O'Lei, I was suspicious due to the extremely reasonable prices.
1. Best Maui onion soup I've ever had.
2. Fish (I had mahi mahi, wife had shutomi) was outstanding! Great preparation, portions, taste. I've easily spent twice per entre at other places with equal to less quality.
3. Service was great. Never waiting for anything.
Cafe O'Lei also has a sushi menu which I look forward to trying on my next visit. I learned they rely on word of mouth Instead of formal advertising. It must work-place was packed!
SECOND VISIT-we liked Cafe O'Lei so much we returned for a second visit. Fully intending to order sushi, I changed my mind when I learned they had opakapaka.
Same experience as first visit-excellent. Sushi will have to wait until next year!
Loved the mahi mahi and nut crusted chicken. Sushi was great as well Service was good and kept things going smoothly for a group of 25 If your looking for quiet that's not the place. Reservations needed
Excellent food and nice atmosphere. You will drop a few bucks here but is is worth it. Had the special of the day that was panco crusted mahi on top of rice and veggies. You could tell attention to every detail was given by the chef.....from the basil infused tomatoes to the tempura crusted asparagus.
Attempted to get a table without a reservation (not so smart) but was welcomed at the bar which is full service. Usually I'm uncomfortable eating at a bar, however the experimce was pleasant. The bartender did at least as well as a waitress would have. On this occasion we tried some raw oysters ( they have a raw bar on the weekends) which were opened in front of us and really delicious. We both ordered from the sushi menu and were served excellent sushi very promptly. We retuned last night with friends- as well as a reservation. I had the NY strip with buttermilk mashed potatoes that were so good I ate them all. The others had a variety of fish dishes and everyone was delighted with their meal. Finished with the pineapple upsidedown cake and it was excellent and more than large enough to share. We will most likely go back again - perhaps for some sushi for lunch.
Jennifer Costanti Harder
+4.5
I had the ahi over rice with asparagus and it was soo good! I also tried the BBQ pork sandwich. It was what the sandwich should be but the ahi was way better.
Good food, chocate decadenc desert bad, waitstaff mediocre, prices reasonable, beef not local, good wines @ reasonable price, good ambiance, no espresso(!), ahi dish over seasoned a bit, fair liquor selection, good beer on tap.
Creative menu with interesting options (calamari stuffed with seared ahi) but food itself didn't exactly "wow" me.
Great food at reasonable prices. Had to hail down the waiter a couple of times for water and drinks, but service got better as the place cleared out. Onion soup good, calamari and fish special (monchung) great. Chocolate Decadence desert also a winner.
Good food, nice atmosphere, seated promptly with reservation (mandatory - very busy). Would have preferred our original orders of sushi and prime rib but not available. Felt very rushed while enjoying beef medallions and the signature chicken macadia with pasta.
Outstanding!. Best seafood on Maui, and that's saying something! I've never had a bad meal there in over three years of living on the island. Plate lunches are magnificent, and the French Dip is wonderful (but go early--they often run out)! At night, it's packed to the gills and, consequently, loud, but the food is amazing!
Delicious, I have been twice. Great food great selection great staff. Suggest making a reservation and bringing your appetite.
Fantastic restaurant. My wife and I had the special of the day - fresh red snapper, and were both extremely pleased. Our waiter recommended a sushi appetizer that we enjoyed so much that we returned two nights later for a sushi dinner, which was even better. The prices are probably the most reasonable on the island.
Good food, setting. Nice ambiance for dining with friends. All of the food had that fresh, sweet Hawaiian flavor. We loved the macadamia nut crusted chicken. Call ahead for reservations.
Still miss it. Being a former employee and constant customer i absolutely love cafe o lei i worked there for almost a year and was absolutely in love with everyone there not only is it a great place to work but the food is phenomenal the atmosphere at the restaurant is very welcoming the whole staff is very family based
after stopping my employment at cafe o lei i was still a regular customer
and the sushi
hands down the best on all of maui
Decent food, cheap prices. Looking to bring your sweetheart out for a nice formal dinner, but don't exactly have enough in your pockets these days? I would definitely recommend checking out Cafe O'Lei. My boyfriend & I just had dinner there recently and it's safe to say this is my second favorite spot on the island (Mama's holds a warm spot in my heart!). While waiting for our seat an older couple schooled us on the menu since we were newbies. Trust me and take their advice on the crab cake appetizer. The word delicious just doesn't do them enough justice.
Cafe O'Lei is an second story eatery in Kihei. It was close to where we were staying at the Maui Coast Hotel and we ate here twice. I didn't think I would want to eat soup in the Maui heat but this restaurant has great air conditioning and they are known for their Maui onion soup. Cafe O'Lei is open for dinner as well but their lunch menu has amazing value.
Other than some extreme rudeness by the bar staff as we were waiting on our table, the food was above average as was the service we received.
Cafe O'Lei is my favorite restaurant in Kihei. The food is wonderful and the prices are reasonable. It's upstairs in the Rainbow Mall at 2439 South Kihei Road. Phone 808-891-1368. Cafe O'Lei Kihei is open for lunch and dinner. The chef-owners a
The food was fantastic! The atmosphere and service were great too! I had the crab cakes, Mac nut crusted Mahi and the coffee creme brulee! Highly recommend all of it! We will be back again!
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We stopped in the Wednesday before Thanksgiving around 6pm. We knew it would be busy since it's the start of the holiday weekend. We were expecting a wait. When we talked to the hostess she said maybe a 20-30 min. We said no problem and sat down. The manager came over and said that she was sorry we had to wait and we said its not a problem, we expected to wait and figured they were busy. She kept telling us that we were being so nice. She was able to get us sat earlier than the 20 min and kept thanking us for being so patient. Everyone there was just sooo very nice and they kept telling us we were being so nice!
The ambiance was great and the food was amazing! We started with the Cafe O'Lei Crab Cakes and the Maui Wowie drink. For our dinner my daughter and I shared a Cafe O'Lei Caesar salad, my girls had the grilled chicken flatbread, my husband had the prime rib and I got the Kamakaze Roll. We finished off our dinner with the warm malasadas and the Mud Pie! Everything was so delicious. The manager kept coming by our table to check on us. We are so happy we stopped by there! This was a great recommendation from our surf instructor at Maui Wave Riders!
The Poetry Zone with Sam
+5
I eat at Cafe O’Lei about once a month. It’s a restaurant that has it all, gorgeous atmosphere, delicious food, amazing staff, and reasonable prices. You can see the beautiful waiting area in the second photo.
I went into Cafe O’Lei for my birthday and had an incredible experience I would like to share. I was overheated and stressed from walking from the beach when I arrived at Cafe O’Lei for my birthday lunch reservation. My incredible server, Terri, immediately brought me water & had me breathe so I could calm down & enjoy my birthday lunch.
I had the lunch fish special, the Ono fish, and it was ono. Each day Cafe O’Lei has lunch specials & they are always delicious and reasonably priced. The lunch special is shown in the first photo .
I was further impressed by Terri and the incredible staff as she served a party of four next to me. They ordered multiple fancy drinks, appetizers, and meals. She did substitutions, special requests, and brought more mixed drinks while staying friendly and personable. When the meals came out to that table they were brought by the entire kitchen staff so they arrived together and it was a beautiful spread.
Terri then surprised me with a delicious birthday cake topped with caramel, strawberries, and a candle. It made me feel very special. The special cake is pictured in the third photo.
If you are a local or enjoying a Maui vacation you should absolutely stop by Cafe O’Lei for a meal. I’m certain if you do you’ll return again. It’s one of the absolute best restaurants on Maui.
Taco Tuesday
Nice dinner menu. Catfish dinner SO GOOD!
Karaoke every Friday 6-9pm
Table of 6 was available right when we walked in. Greeted by our waiter Travis...he was very accommodating, good suggestions, friendly actually hilarious! We started with mango margaritas w/li hing mui rim (which I didn't like, wish it was regular salt) and their spicy ahi nachos. For lunch we had the Cafe O'lei fish special, pan fried Ono with coconut lime sauce, jasmine rice with caesar salad, Shrimp linguini, crab club sandwich and ended with mud pie. It's a win win place to dine with friends & family. Great service, food, and atmosphere for our "go to" restaurant!!
Great food! The waitress was so nice and friendly. The food was really good I had the short rib and the coffee creme brulee. The short rib was amazing and flavorful. They were very accommodating. I had a taste of the mahi special and it was also cooked perfectly and tasted very flavorful. Great place to eat!!
I had seven local people tell me this is a must eat here in Maui. We tried it and it was decent. I wasn’t impressed with my meal, which was their special Mahi Mahi with lemon basil sauce. It was dry and had no flavor. But my hubby had the blackened Mahi Mahi and it was so delicious! We also had the crab cakes, coconut shrimp & pork flatbread pizza, all were superb! Their Maui Wowie drink was also excellent ! I would go back next time we are here, I’d just order something different.
Always a wonderful meal here! My favorite is the shortribs and the macnut chicken w/capers. Dessert is out of this world. Crowded in here tonight. Service is always great! I highly recommend this restaurant. There is another Cafe o Lei in Waikapu, but I prefer this menu.
We love the food and enjoyed the ambiance very much. They have some really good vegetarian options. Don’t forget to try their cocktails and roasted eggplant entree.
Cute little place, easy to get to and friendly staff. We just have one recommandation for the kitchen which would have made it perfect otherwise: the food lacked salt. otherwise desert was good.
Good food, and delicious drinks! Our server was excellent as well. Price was a bit on the higher side of reasonable (in part because we got drinks as well), but the quality is definitely there. Would recommend as a place to eat and give 4.5 stars if I could.
This place came highly recommended for their food and service. I can definitely agree. They have specials of the day that are pretty affordable. The plate lunch offerings are interesting, too. Our waitress was attentive and quick. Will return if we are ever back in Kihei.
This restaurant offers very good sashimi to cap off your island experience day. They also serve other dishes from calamari to ribs and steaks. Their cheesecake also tastes very good. We suggest to reserve before going since the ace gets packed. Typical of any American dishes, servings are huge and from an Asian country, one meal can already feed two people. They accept both local and foreign credit cards.
Not only was Cafe O’Lei able to same-day accommodate a group of 19, but the food and service was absolutely incredible. Travis was the best and went above & beyond to make sure everything came out perfectly! Everything was fresh & delicious- I would give 10 stars if I could!
Amazing food! Been here two times and tried several things and I have loved everything I ate. Their popular dish, the short rib, was so so amazing and had amazing sauce and the blackened mahi mahi was delicious! Definitely a place I'm going to come back to more!
Catherine Horcasitas-Holcomb
+5
This was my first visit to Cafe O'Lei Kihei and I was very happy with everything about it. It felt very inviting during the holidays. The atmosphere was nice and relaxing and the employees were all very professional and helpful. Since it was a bit busy we sat at the bar for dinner. It turned out to be a great spot! Our bartender was really friendly and knowledgeable about the menu. I had the ahi tuna nachos and they were soooo good! I would have them again there!
Enjoyed a very good meal. It was a perfect evening, being seated right away, great service, and great meals. The new York strip was cooked perfectly and the mahi mahi was very good.
This place was recommended to us and we were told to get the Onion Soup🤤 So delicious!
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We made reservations just in case as it was always busy when we drove by.
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Very beautiful place with a very relaxing table set up. Little white partially see-through fabric separating the guests.
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Windows everywhere made a fantastic view in every direction you looked.
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Everyone enjoyed their meals and we even tried to make it back.
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Staff was awesome.
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Thanks.
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