Monkeypod Kitchen, has two locations on Maui and is the brainchild of award winning Chef Peter Merriman. There is also a location on Oahu.
The Wailea location has been open for a while, but the Ka’anapali location is a more recent addition. And, I must say, Monkeypod is the best thing to happen to Ka’anapali Beach Resort in a long time. They are located beach side in Whaler’s Village. And, because they have great food and the best Mai Tai on the Island, it’s a very popular spot.
A few years ago, we had the pleasure of visiting their Wailea location and had a great experience. We were pretty excited to hear that they now had a location in Ka’anapali.
The restaurant is beautiful and large, with capacity for about 400 customers. It’s very open allowing for customers to enjoy beach views during the day and great sunset views in the evening. They are open from 11 am to 11 pm every day.
Happy Hour
Good news, they have two daily Happy Hours. The first for 3 pm to 5:30 pm and again from 9 pm to 11 pm. It’s lively and the best aloha hour in the area. Here are the details: during Happy Hour, all of their signature cocktails at $5 off, including their famous MonkeyPod Mai Tai, with beer at $2 off and wine at $3 off. And for food, their pizzas are $10 and appetizers are half price (there are a few exceptions).
Unlike Leilani’s and the Hula Grill that only take reservations in the fancier part of their restaurants, Monkeypod take reservations, even during Happy Hour. You can head over to OpenTable or directly on their website, here. Don’t be foolish, reserve ahead. There’s no need to waste valuable vacation time waiting for a table.
During our last trip to Maui, we were staying at the Westin nearby and did end up eating here an embarrassing amount of time. So, we did get to try out quite a few things from their menu.
The MonkeyPod Mai Tai is by far the best on Maui. It is so popular that we were told that they sell almost 600 per day. What makes it so special? It’s the honey lilikoi (passion fruit) foam that they top it with that separates it from any other Mai Tai. The exact recipe can be found here, if you are wanting to replicate it at home.
The Food
Their food is made with fresh local ingredients and everything we had was very tasty and obviously of high quality. Since we stopped by a few times, we did get to try quite a few things, so here’s more about some of our faves.
First and foremost, the Kalua Pork & Pineapple Pizza is fantastic. Before ordering we were a little hesitant because instead of a regular tomato sauce they use a macadamia nut pesto one, but we shouldn’t have because it is very tasty. It does come with a good amount of jalapeño peppers, so if you don’t like it super spicy just ask for it without or on the side.
Next, the garlic truffle oil fries, are a good starter or a snack. The fries cut in house and very tasty with the addition of the truffle oil and parm on top. Looking for something a little less indulgent? Go for the regular fries, that are just as good.
Also, the lobster deviled eggs are great! During Happy Hour, they are half prices and definitely not something that you can get everywhere. So, get them!
As well, we did try other pizzas notably the Proletariat and the Margherita that were delicious. They have a giant pizza oven in the back of the restaurant. Since it is so big, they are quick to arrive once you order.
As for other appetizers, we had the chicken wings and the potstickers. The wings are backed, not fried so no guilt there. And, the yummy potstickers are hand made in house by a very dedicated lady so an obvious good choice.
In case you were wondering, yes we did eat some veggies too. The oven roasted brussels sprouts are a solid choice, but surprisingly spicy. Also, the Waipoli Farm organic mixed greens salad is very filling and tasty.
Wary Travelers Tip
Also, if you are joining them for dinner, when reserving, ask for a table with sunset views. You might just be treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets that you have ever seen.
Finally, if you are reading this post because you are planning a trip to Maui, the following posts might also interest you:
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