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My review is purely based on the view and the sunset. The food was good, expensive, but I would have been happy with a burger and fries as long as I was sitting in that location.
We booked our table right before sunset, for the patio, which is basically on the beach. There was a wedding on the beach which was cool. Sunset was amazing, the view of the ocean was incredible.
I went in September 2008 - I don't remember what I had and it didn't stick with me as amazing, but again - the view. I remember that it was good and that the staff was nice, but not overly friendly as others in Maui are.
It's still an experience, but I really feel like a paid for the view of the sunset, and it was worth it.
Woah! The view is my fav!!
Service was good. The menu was so so. I expected more from James McDonald, but oh well. The cool thing is they have a farm upcounty and that's where they grow thier veggies!
3 stars- i'll be back sometime...someday...
Really good food. I think I ordered incorrectly, but tried some of the other dishes at my table and was impressed. I thought this was fish spot so stuck with the fish dishes. Turns out the two best plates at our table were the porkbelly and filet.
Great view.. right on the beach. Wonderful service. The Drinks were good and they have a full bar. I would go again.
This place has plenty of parking, which we were worried about because of the Front Street address.
My family used to come to Pacific'O quite often, but we stopped coming here probably about ten years ago. On a recent night I had dinner here, and I now know why we stopped. Yes the view is amazing, but the food has gone WAY downhill. Perhaps it's a side affect of expanding (they also own I'o and Feast at Lele - both of which also have very mediocre food), but I can't understand what people still see in this place.
Service was decent, although they were quite slow refilling the water glasses. Bread was good, we were given two large rolls of ciabatta (cut into slices) for three people. And the garlic butter was really good. But you can't judge a restaurant based on bread alone. My Farm Salad had a nice flavor, but the lettuce leaves seemed old, and they weren't cut up, so I had to cut them up myself to avoid shoving a huge leaf into my mouth. I'm okay with cutting up my own salad, but when it costs over $10, I think the kitchen can chop up my lettuce. I had the Ceviche appetizer as a main course, and was NOT impressed. It tasted like it had been sitting in the refrigerator for a day or two. My friend's fish dish was decent, but we all agreed it was not worth $36 dollars.
The one great dish of the night was dessert, a lumpia served with the most AMAZING banana ice cream I've ever had.
I will not be back here, it's not worth the price.
Nice setting, good for sunset dining with great view.
Food was OK, small servings of pretty good food, not great, but overly high priced food.
I had the surf and turf. The pork was a bit different than anything I had ever had. Lots of fat on it, I was not sure if that was the way it was supposed to be served, but to me it was sort of gross, I did not eat it. The fish was good, seemed fresh. Veggies were OK.
Everything is alacarte - the bill adds up fast, even for high Maui prices.
One of my favorite dining experiences of all time! ...that was like 9 years ago though. Classy, delicious, candle lit on the beach in Maui, the romanticism of Hawaii made manifest.
Kudsos to Chef James McDonald who owns Pacific O, I'O and Feast at Lele. His food comes out looking like artistic masterpieces and the selection of drinks and beer were exceptional. The twin Pacific Lobsters were the best I've ever had. (the best cooked of that kind) They cooked them to the edge of done-ness that they ended up being succulent and full of flavor. The Kula Onion salad was divine as well as the Tempura Ahi Tuna and Yellowtail entree. Outstanding decor and beachside dining can't be beat.
The only minus is that he tries so hard that he goes overboard at times. The Ahi/Yellowtail dish had too many competing sauces that I ended up up eating only the fish with no sauce. Overall very happy with the experience though.
My BFF had heard that this was THE place to go for seafood before we even embarked on our Maui trip. The day I arrived, I was sitting in my friend's grandma's living room watching TV and there was a show on about Pacific'O and how they grow their own stuff etc so I was really excited to come and try the food.
So one night, we trekked down there and arrived at an almost empty restaurant. Okay, to be fair, the outside patio area was quite full, but inside the restaurant was empty. Our server was very knowledgeable but a little too professional in my opinion. It was a little too hoity toity for the islands I thought, but nevertheless, she was efficient at her job so I don't have any complaints there.
I tried the ceviche -- it was okay -- nothing spectacular. The accompanying sauce just didn't wow me. In fact, I've had better ceviches at a hole in the wall Mexican place in soCal so I was't completely blown away. The fish was very fresh though as expected.
The fish of the day was I think 'ulua' -- a white fish -- it was the only one I didn't recognize out of the list so I wanted to try it. I guess upon tasting, I should've ordered the mahi mahi because this fish was a little tough -- not sure if its texture is like this in general or it was overcooked.
Our friends had the bling bling which looked impressive and our friends enjoyed it.
On the whole, it was enjoyable, but I'm not sure if I would come back again. I didn't feel wow-ed at all. I guess I was expecting a certain mind-blowing experience given the hype, but anyway, I wasn't blown over. The food was a tad too fusion-y for my taste, but I understand that it's Hawaii and home to fusion cuisine, but it was just overkill if you know what I mean. Every dish doesn't need to have mango, coconut or green 'caviar' to give it that certain je ne said quoi effect.
Located a bit south of the shops on Front Street right on the beach we had a wonderful dinner.
We started off with the SPICY MUSSELS (Cajun spiced and seared Hawaiian tuna, tropical fruit, avocado and tomato with aged balsamic vinegar and wasabi aioli) that were in a great sauce to soak up.
For my entree I had the BLING BLING (Grilled petit filet mignon and ginger butter poached lobster with potato du jour and tempura asparagus). If you look at my picture you can see how the made the lobster tail look like a sea turtle. Very cute, but even better was how it all tasted. I ate all of the filet & lobster. The potato side was just ok.
With full bellies we inquired about the dessert and the waiter rattled them off and nothing sounded fabulous and no one around us had ordered dessert to see anything come out that we had to have.
Dinner was great, the view was nice, but the waiter could've been a little more on top of things considering the restaurant was nearly empty.
Overall, I was disappointed by Pacific'O. Prior to trying Pacific'O, I had already been to Mama's, Mala, I'o (literally next door), and a few other good places. I didn't think Pacific'O was even as good as I'o, which is right next door and shares the same executive chef.
Some of my complaints are minor. The night we had dinner, we had reservations but they failed to inform us that the upstairs area had been rented for a wedding reception. It was cool - the music was loud, but it was the kind of music I liked. Nonetheless, I wish I had known we'd have loud music harshing the mellow ambiance.
I was not impressed by my food, either. I thought the wonton appetizer was not that impressive and neither were the entrees.
Great meal, fantastic location (literally, on the beach), VERY pricy. I'm confused by Yelp's $$$ rating. There were four of us, and our meal was $375 without tip. Granted, we had two bottles of $40 wine and a bottle of champagne, but STILL... No desert, etc.
That said, I'm willing to pay for good food and good experience, and so my comment about price is only to inform others...we were happy to pay for what we thought was a delicious meal and a phenomenal view of a Maui sunset. Highly recommend.
My experience at Pacific'O was fantastic. The food was delectable, especially and most obviously, the fish. But what really made the difference was our waitress. She was truly the reason this resturant deserves 5 stars. She was attentive but not overbearing, friendly and conscientious, and any other positive adjective you can think of.
Did alot of research on this place. Many friends named off a few different places to go in Lahaina for a fancy dinner. Pacific'O was the one I chose after reading all the menus of the other places and thought it sounded reasonably priced and was close to our hotel as well as having stuff on the menu that wasn't to fancy for me. I like to know what I'm eating!!
Their website was very easy to use and we booked our reservations online / same day and had no problems. I wish more restaurants did that. Plus it says making a reservation is not required but a good idea. I was able to get the time and date I wanted.
The place is right on the beach and has an amazing ocean view. Setting gets 5 stars thats for sure.
We started with the Yuzu divers appetizer.. was YUMMY! My boyfriend thought the cocount rice roll under the scallops could have been smaller so it was easier to manage but overall it was wonderful. The scallops just melt in your mouth.
I had the Tomato Stack salad.. this gets a YUMM-O!! Loved loved loved it.. I honestly wish I could have just gotten more of the tomatoes and buttermilk cheese and forget the lettuce! My boyfriend just had the house salad which he said was good too.
For dinner we both had the BLING BLING. This is where my boyfriend insists that they need to know about, and also the reason he wouldn't let me give them 5 stars. Let's start with the good stuff! The filet was amazing.. cooked perfectly and so tender on a bed of cooked veggies which were also yummy. I could have eaten this all night!! Next we move to the mashed potatoes.. YUMMY.. and creamy!! Grilled asparagus was next.. it was good. Really don't understand the pull for deep fried items especially veggies but it was tasty and tender.. cooked great. Now we move on to the Lobster.. this is where we made sad faces at eachother from across the table.
We both got very good size portions of everything included the lobster tail, it was a good size but overall it was just lacking compaired to the rest of the meal, and the lobster is the one thing I thought they would rock my world with! It was presented still in the shell which is so not a big deal but it was a bit hard to get managable bits cut out of it. I kept getting pieces of the shell with almost every bit, which I would have to politely take out of my mouth and put to the side. My boyfriend and I both were not crazy about the sauce.. we felt it would have been better served with just plain old butter since we are on an island and we wanted to taste the local seafood.
The main complaint with the lobster was that it was very over cooked and chewy, hence more sad faces back & fourth. He wanted to say something to our waiter but I wouldn't let him, but he felt someone had to know!
Overall the place really was great.. I had the most amazing Reisling in my life.. I cannot find it on the wine list but lucky for my the boyfriend saved the name of it. The service was excellent and it was a beautiful place!
I have no idea what all the hype is about. This restaurant is expensive and takes itself very seriously. They go to great lengths to tell you everything that is in the food-- something that only great restaurants have the balls to do. and they tell it to you as you sit in a PLASTIC chair. You heard me right. You can't dine here for under $75 a person and yet you do it in a plastic chair. Where are the beer nuts?
The butter with the bread needed salt and my food had to returned. Twice. Apparently, their idea of shashimi grade differs from mine. Sauces needed help and for crying out loud! Learn to cook your fish and do us all a favor!
Besides the bad food, the pork quesidilla was delicious and the foo foo drinks were quite good. If you can grab a seat outside and watch the sunset, all the more reason to pay the crazy amounts for this overly hyped meal. For a real meal at these prices, check out Mama's Fish house on the other side of island. That's quality for the price. Yum!
I would not return here. I hate snooty restaurants that don't deliver.
This is one of those rare gems in Lahaina that actually serves respectable cuisine in a jungle of overpriced and subpar tourist grub.
I had their signature dish is the Hapa/Hapa Tempura -- two sashimi blocks (I believe Ahi and Ono) lightly fried tempura style with lime basil sauce. The presentation is worthy of a magazine cover. The flavor combo works very well and the wasabi sauce dirzzled on the side of the plate was a nice compliment, more so than the miso sauce.
The ambiance is amazing, had an oceanfront table at sunset and there was a luau going on next door which was pretty entertaining. The service was also top notch and they had an above average wine list. Also kudo's to the fact they have their own sustainable ranch near haleakala that they source their produce from.
The only knock I have is the price, it would not be as expensive anywhere else but unfortunately it is on par with Maui pricing.
I would NOT eat here. It is expensive (over 30.00 for a mahi mahi fillet and vegetables), the service is horrible and everything was either overcooked or undercooked. We had a fight with one of the waiters over some raw artichoke dumplings. The restaurant is pretty bad overall. Nice view though. Don't go to the one across the street,I'O, it's just as bad and expensive. Why? Because it's owned by the same person.
Good but not great. Great setting and ambiance but the overall experience was behind lahina grill.
This is probably my favorite restaurant in Maui right now. A little overpriced. But it's really good food and a really good view. You're right on the beach. The main course fish was amazing. Location is a little questionable. It's a little off the beaten path of Lahaina.
Head south down front street, past the white trashy tourist scene & girls gone wild types until you hit a more residential block where on the right you will see the Pacific signage. When you enter the complex, to your right: Pacific'o. To your left: I'o. Further left: the Luau Feast at Lele. All three have menus developed by Chef McDonald . . . not that there's anything wrong with that! He also owns the O'o Farm, Pacific'o's source of fresh salad fixings, and is a legend on the Island.
Pacific'o overlooks Lahaina harbor and the island of Lanai and this view combined with the amazing "farm to plate" concept really won us over. The meal was excellent from beginning to end. The view, the food, the staff, I cannot say enough good things about this fantastic restaurant. While my Mahi Mahi was amazing, it was the vegetables, and salad fixing that won the crown of "star attractions". You really can taste the difference in locally sourced produce. I recommend that Tomatoe stack!!! You don't want to miss this one.
I love Chef James McDonald's food. He's into that good looking, and tastes even better type. Mostly locally grown, organic, just fantastic selection.
His fish dishes are what I patronize his restaurants for. For I'O, I've been here maybe about 6 times, at least. Do not miss the crab cakes, Lemongrass Coconut Fish, or Coconut Macadamia Fish and Banana Pineapple Lumpia. Absolute perfection!
I love Chef James McDonald's food. He's into that good looking, and tastes even better type.… Read more »
Make reservations in advance to sit outside on their lanai. An absolute gorgeous outdoor dining setting. Our waiter Jim was excellent as we enjoyed our wedding dinner celebration here. Started with the YUZU DIVERS, delicious and lovely presentation. We tried the Yuzu Divers over the Ahi Tower because you can get Ahi almost anywhere, Yuzu Divers, not so much.
Go with the Bling Bling entree for their version of surf and turf, heaven and the perfect portion size! My husband had a special that night, an opakapaka curry dish, outstanding. We wanted to order the Banana Pineapple Lumpia but ended up with chocolate cake on the house, can't hate on that! Lots of dining memories to be made here, we will be back!
Pacific'O is our new favorite Maui eatery. Normally when we come to the island, we're always a little disappointed with the places we find, but Pacific'O made everyone in our group happy. We had lunch on the patio and enjoyed the great ocean view and all the cute surfers walking by with their boards.
I love that most of their produce is grown locally and organically at their own farm. The fish is all caught locally and delivered fresh daily. Our server Sarah was excellent, very friendly and attentive. We shared a bunch of appetizers: the shrimp won tons and the tropical ceviche were both delicious. The roasted Maui onion and goat cheese salad was OK, but nothing amazing.
We all raved about our entrees: the fish tacos, the panko crusted fish of the day, and the special of the ahi melt with provolone, tomatoes, aztec spinach and delicious bread. We had heard the banana lumpia was fabulous but we were too full to even give it a try. Guess it just means we'll have to come back again.
PS: Put your purses and other valuables under the table, as there are tons of birds in the area and one chose to relieve himself right in my purse.
Side note: They also have an 8.5 acre organic farm called O'o Farm out in the country where for $50, you can go for a lunch tour and experience the full farm-to-table process. That's definitely high on our priority list for our next trip. http://www.oofarm.com
My husband and I were both completely disappointed by Pacific'O. We were pleased when we arrived, because it is nice to sit right over the beach at sunset and the drinks were really good (mango mint martini was delicious). We started with the scallop appetizer and a tomato salad. They were both good, but dinner was terrible! We both ordered fish dishes which were poorly cooked and completely under-seasoned!! We were shocked! After reading the reviews we had high expectations. The service was not very good. The meal was completely rushed, even though the restaurant was half empty. I definitely do not recommend this restaurant. Every other meal we had in Maui was fabulous.
Love this place. Everything is super fresh, they grow most of their produce on their own farm on the other side of the island. The fish is incredible and they have a nice selection of wine. The Bling Bling is fabulous (lobster and a filet). Great service, relaxing atmosphere and great location--off the main strip.
An hour after we landed in Maui on Thanksgiving Day, we made reservations for dinner here. It was fantastic.
They had Thanksgiving options (Lemongrass Turkey, amongst others), but I ordered the Won Ton appetizer first and then the Yuzu Divers appetizer for my entree. I learned a very important lesson: I don't actually enjoy scallops. But for scallops, these were good. My fiance (as of later in the evening) ordered a phenomenal Roasted Maui Onion and Herbed Goat Cheese Salad (all local). For his entree, he got Hapa/Hapa Tempura -- two sashimi blocks fried tempura style with lime basil sauce. I had total envy.
The one downside to our entire meal was the service. A large group nearby affected the overall ambiance. They were having a big family holiday dinner of about 16. The table was split evenly with the adults on one end and kids on the other. The adults seemed oblivious to their raucous children but mercifully, someone in the party noticed after about 45 minutes that the kids should go running off their energy on the beach. Once they moved out there, all was lovely, but I was a little disappointed that the staff didn't seem to do much to accommodate all the other couples around this large party.
As most other restaurants in the area, this place was not inexpensive. When we spend over $100 for a meal, we expect a little bit more from the front of house. But, I liked everything I tried and really appreciated their attempts to source everything locally through their O'o Farm nearby. And the sunset was lovely.
My husband and I eat here whenever we're in Maui. What a spectacular place. The food is absolutely devine, and the view is unequivocally unparalleled in the area.
There are two separate eating areas - one at the bar, the other practically on the beach. If you want the beach seating, definitely make reservations! The bar area also hosts a nice view, but isn't the same. Speaking of the bar, their drinks are quite yummy, especially their lava flows.
Their food is so fresh and creative. My favorite is the Hapa Hapa Tempura; my husband - the non-foodie - is completely ga-ga over their Coconut Macademia Nut Crusted Fish (you can choose the type of fish). My dad had the Lapalapa Lobster and loved it.
Didn't give it 5 stars because they rent out the second-level of the restaurant for wedding receptions and other events. When there are parties, it can be a little loud and distracting. The last time we were there, one of the reception guests above was overly intoxicated and dropped her glass over the railing - the glass landed on the cement right next to us, and could've caused some major injuries if someone had been walking by (scary). Hopefully they've made some changes since then...
This place is definitely a must-see when visiting Maui!
I want to love this restaurant because it practices a 100% sustainable approach to being a restaurant including using all locally farmed and produced ingredients, using mainly organic ingredients, and showcasing local flavors in their dishes. I absolutely think that all restaurants should go this direction so Pacific O' gets brownie points from me for that.
The restaurant is located off the main tourist strip which is very nice. We made reservations for our group of 6. This decision ended up being a wise choice because we were able to sit outside and dine overlooking the beach. Earlier in the evening, we tried to make reservations for the Feast Lele, a Polynesian luau located next door, but they were completely booked. We were able to catch a glimpse of the show since their staging area is on the beach, adjacent to Pacific O'. The music was not too loud or distracting so the luau didn't take away from the romantic ambiance.
The dining experience was fantastic overall with a couple of bumps. We made our respective selections from the menu:
Ceviche (menu special)
Interesting preparation. The avocado seemed to overpower and obscure the ceviche itself, but the ingredients tasted very fresh. Beautiful presentation on a blue plate and banana chips surrounding, which made the ceviche look like a sunburst.
Roasted Maui Onion and Herbed Goat Cheese Salad
My friend seemed to enjoy this dish a lot. A small eater, she rarely finished her meals, but she ended up polishing off the entire thing!
Wakame Ono (menu special)
I really enjoyed the wild rice, tempura mushrooms and wakame that accompanied this dish. However, the fish itself seemed overcooked (a bit rubbery) and needed some more seasoning.
Hapa/Hapa Tempura
My hubby and friend each ordered this dish. My friend seemed to not enjoy it as much as my hubby, who commented that it was "eeeh" (with the so-so hand gesture). My friend later on said that it was okay, but not as tasty as his wife's...
Lapalapa Lobster
When the dish first appeared, the lobster came out lukewarm/near cold. This baffled my friend because the rest of the dish was hot. So she had to send the dish back, which our server did quickly. A person who I'm assuming was the manager for the evening came back and apologized for the condition of the first dish. Our server also came back to apologize and check in. After the dish was "corrected" we all decided that it was the best dish of the evening. The lobster coconut sauce with chive oil was excellent.. My friend's hubby ended up polishing off the sauce!
Kona Winds Opa
The group decided this was another tasty dish. My friend was able to offer samples to the entire table AND stuffed himself silly with this dish. The vinagrette was tasty and the Opa was cooked well.
Aside from the entrees, each item on the menu was paired with wine, which is something that I love to see at upscale restaurants like this. The service was impeccable; our server was very knowledgeable and attentive, his help never left a glass without water, and they cleared the dishes with disturbing our evening conversation. We passed on dessert because we were all so full and had a bit of a walk back.
When in Lahaina, be open to paying a bit more for upscale dining and visit this off the strip restaurant for romantic ambiance, solid food and wine choices, beautiful and tasteful decor, and excellent service.
I've been here twice for lunch (my parents prefer lunch to dinner) and I always love it (and my parents always pay, so... :)).
Whatever fish they have is always great and their iced tea is nice. And it's a small thing, but the sauces and reductions are always super flavorful.
The banana lumpia are the bomb.
Plus the view - who can beat it?
My husband and I went here with some family members for a drink before the Feast at LeLe and we liked what we saw on the menu so we returned the next night for dinner.
Not to mention it was away from the normal crazy Lahaina happenings and about a block from our beach house...
The food was terrific, we had the BLING BLING (Lobster Tail and Filet Mignon) Very tasty and it was perfect with the wine they paired it with.... Can't remember the name of the wine for the life of me, we had a couple bottles and all I remember was that it was a red Merlot... Ooops!
Fine-dining restaurant practically right on the beach overlooking the ocean. Book a dinner reservation between 5:30-6:00PM to watch the sunset. The service was excellent, they offer a big wine list (mostly California and New Zealand wines) and exotic cocktail drinks. It's next door to a restaurant that has a luau, so you'll hear the music and see the performers walking by and practicing on the beach. We sat at a table where we can catch glimpses of the luau. They were also kind enough to seat us even though our entire party hadn't arrived.
Our appetizers: Tropical Ceviche Du Jour ($12), Award-winning won tons ($14), and Yuzu Divers - Crispy coconut rice roll with seared Diver scallops, arugula pesto, and zesty yuzu lime sauce ($12). The won tons and Yuzu Divers were fantastic, the ceviche was 'eh'. A bit too fishy. House salad was pretty good (B+), not enough bacon! Gotta love the bacon.
Our entrees:
BLING BLING - Grilled petit filet mignon and ginger butter poached lobster with potato du jour and tempura asparagus. ($40) Well worth the price! The lobster was fresh and huge! Filet mignon was prepared just right and the sauce was perfect. Tempura asparagus was tasty as well, I ate the entire plate!
The rib-eye was just okay - it was cooked well but the marinade was bland and didn't have enough flavor. Portion was really big.
All in all, we had a fantastic experience.
The beachfront location couldn't be better, and you can even catch a bit of the dancing from the Feast at Lele next door if you're sitting on the patio, but what makes this place great is the inventive menu and wonderful service.
My water glass was never empty, our server was friendly and knowledgeable, and there were lots of good vegetarian options on the appetizer, salad and entree lists. There's also a huge wine list, which includes some very reasonably priced bottles.
I only wish I'd saved room for dessert!
Wonderful food at a great location. Reserve early and get a table alongside the beach. Sunset views if you're very early. Well prepared seafood and local produce. Everything fresh and simply, but perfectly cooked.
We had the tasting menu on our last visit ...a real value if you're hungry...every course was excellent.
By the way, at Maui prices, I would not consider Pacific'O "Child friendly"
I really like Pacific O'. We recently went for our second visit, driving over from Wailea just for that purpose. The first time we visited, six months prior, it was recommended to us by the concierge at the Hyatt in Kaanapali where we were staying. It was very good both times.
First off, the setting is terrific. Beachfront in Lahaina, away from the touristy bustle of Front Street. It's located right next to a luau, so you even get a peek of the festivities (hula, fire dance, etc.) next door. Great view of the water and Lanai on near horizon. Perfect place to see a sunset.
Next the cuisine - overall very good. Of course it's expensive, but actually less so than other upscale places on Maui. They make a big deal about bragging about a couple of their "award winning" apps - and they are good. But seriously, do you have to pat yourself on the back so many times in your own menu?
The mains are, of course, heavy on seafood. My fish was excellent, and my wife's lobster was suculent and sweet. Great foccacia served with the meal as well. The first time we tried the tasting menu, which I didn't think was a great value but still gave us an ok sampling of the menu. Desserts are very good. Service can be a little aloof - sort of strange given the laid back attitude in Hawaii.
Overall, I'd recommend. Very good food, excellent view. How can you beat that in Maui?
I had hoped to check out the food here, but no such luck.
My wife and I had a pretty busy day with a snorkel trip to Molokini and a massage scheduled at the Grand Wailea. I wasn't sure on when we could make reservations, but according to OpenTable there were plenty of dining slots open - I figured we could just mosey on in and dine without any issues.
We arrived around 8P and was told it would take 10-15 minutes for a table; no worries - pretty standard. Tam ventured to the ladies room while I waited near the front door. Funny thing, two other couples arrived - without reservations and they were seated immediately. Wassup with that?!! Were were both "dressed-to-impress" and we both just looked marvelous from a spa outing - what's up?
Tam hadn't returned yet, but when she did went to the bar to order a drink before dinner.
Okay - I have a hard time explaining stupid actions from stupid people, so when I told my wife what just happened we decided to just leave. This was one of my wifes favorite restaurants - from a trip she took years earlier, so we were both very dissapointed.
James McDonald is a genius.
We had dinner here a few nights ago and there is nothing like fine dining on the beach.
We had the tower of ahi which was blackened ahi seared to perfection on top of diced avocado, tomato and pineapple. The ahi melted in our mouths like warm butter and the spices were amazing.
FROM MENU:
BLACKENED AHI TOWER
Cajun spiced and seared Hawiian tuna, tropical fruit, avocado and tomato with aged balsamic vinegar and wasabi aioli.
We also had beef satay. There were 3 skewers of beef that were so tender we could have eaten the with a spoon.
FROM MENU:
BEEF SATAY
Succulent skewers of grilled tenderloin with a cucumber peanut dipping sauce.
I then had the Hapa Hapa which is a sushi roll that is half ahi and half ono separated in the roll by caviar and then very quickly fried with tempura. Phenomenal....
FROM MENU:
"HAPA/HAPA" TEMPURA
(Award winning dish - Best Seafood - Taste of Lahaina) Two sashimi blocks of fresh fish wrapped in a sheet of dry seaweed, quickly fried medium rare tempura style, white miso dressing, lime basil sauce.
I had a very nice Riesling since it was very hot and we arrived just before sunset. I tried the Savignon Blanc and it was awful so I sent it back. I was disappointed to see it on my bill at the end of the night. since our bill was over $100 / person but hey...whatever.
I would go back....again and again.
Apparently the sister restaurant I'O is next door and is just as good in a different ultra modern way.
Scrumptious "pacific rim" food and a fabulous beach-side location at the quieter end of main street though the Luau occurs next door --but it is not intrusive. If you want to sit outside right next to the beach you must make a reservation. Note: we sat inside and the view was still terrific.
The service was smooth and professional. The staff were friendly.
Pacific'o makes a point of using local produce and sustainable food which is laudable. This doesn't mean the place is expensive --well it is somewhat --but it is good value for Maui.
We had the tasting menu--which gave us 3 portions of terrific appetizers including wontons w/ shrimp and some great ahi. The main course was a melt in-the-mouth steak with delicious whipped potatoes. Dessert was a creamy banana dessert lumpia (like a fried egg roll). For $75, the tasting menu represents great value and the portions are a good size. I left stuffed but convinced that every calorie was worth it.
I would recommend this place to anyone who loves good food (especially fish and or pacific rim cuisine).
We went here for drinks b4 going to dinner The decor is cute reminds me of back in the day eating at the Beach Club with the family... Its right on the water with amazing views we even saw a whale out in the ocean putting on a little show for everyone.. The bar area is big and the bartender was friendly I think there probably should ave been 2 bartenders cause he was a bit slow but it wasn't his fault... We didnt eat but smelled and saw all the dishes going past and our mouths watered... ; ) So I plan on going back for some pupus and dinner....
I was really quite disappointed by the food at Pacific'O. I really wanted to like it better, but just couldn't. My wife and I went here on our honeymoon expecting a tour de force meal, but it pretty much fell flat. The appetizers were surprisingly greasy, and oily. Which you expect somewhat for apps, but this was too much.
The setting was alright being by beach, although the dancers for feast at lele (which is next door) get ready and launch from right on the beach front.
All in all I was just shocked that a restraurant with its own farm didn't really have much punch. I may be just delusion since I live in San Francisco, but it's not like I frequent (or have even been to) Gary Danko's.
This is a romantic seafood restaurant on the beach. We were too late for sunset when we arrived but definitely a place to come for great food, drinks, atmosphere and an incredible view. This is not a place for kids so recommend a babysitter. Highly recommend either you call for reservations (outside by the beach) or wait at the bar (patiently) for a beach seat.
We had delicious blended volcanos and ate the BLACKENED AHI TOWER while waiting for our outside table. The volcanos and the ahi tower were phenomenal and highly recommend.
Once we sat down (we waited about 45 unrushed minutes), we tried all the restaurant specials the Won Tons appetizer as an entree with the Hapa Hapa Tempura. They both make me happy just to think about as I write this. PHENOMENAL. The Hapa Hapa Tempura is not your typical tempura it is very lightly fried on the outside with barely any breading and made up of two types of sashimi tuna (red and white) connected by the tempura. DELICIOUS and highly recommend this dish, nevermind the delicious seaweed and sauces on the plate. I love the miso dressing, spicy deliciousness.
My girlfriend and I compared this meal, the ambience and the quality of service to some of the best restaurants we have tried from Picasso's at the Bellagio, to Royal Palms and Coronados in Phoenix... this place ranks in the top 5. We will definitely come back here again.
Touted as a having a great chef with one of the most intriguing menus we decided to try it out for lunch. I just hope that the dinner menu and quality is ten times better.
Our waiter was horrible with no personality. The fish cake I ordered 'on a bed of organic greens' was disgusting. The greens looked like they came out of a salad bag and were already wilted from the heat of the fish cake. The cake itself just tasted horrible and had some sort of really bad aoili dumped on top. My husband got the fish and chips which were decent but the overall experience was a not great. Gotta give it some stars though for the location- right on the beach, great area.
Lahaina, HI
Category: American (New)
Lahaina, HI
Category: Restaurants
Lahaina, HI
Category: Seafood
Lahaina, HI
Category: Seafood
Lahaina, HI
Category: French
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