Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman - Wailea, Maui

We’ve heard such good things and had high hopes but unfortunately our experience was just okay. The service was good - everyone was friendly and helpful. The outside seating was comfortable and relaxing. Our drinks and apps were pretty quick, though we had a longer wait for the mains. And most of the food left something to be desired. The fish sandwich was small and for the price, should include a side. The mac but crusted fish was very salty, as were the greens. The rice was very dry. We were excited about the taro ravioli but all we could taste was butter and herbs - no taro flavor at all. The cocktails were delicious and worth having a few. I’m sure the food is usually good as all of our friends have loved it. We just lucked out on our visit.

The atmosphere and service shone the food, making for a pleasant experience. We caught the last five minutes of live music, and they were absolutely amazing—wish we had been able to enjoy more! After a full day of swimming and sightseeing, we were completely exhausted—barely managing to keep our eyes open except while eating. 🤣

I only leave recommendations when it's a phenomenal review and the monkey pod takes the cake. We spent 5 days in Waikiki and 3 days in Maui. This way by far the BEST dinner we had in Hawaii, hands down. If you're looking to have your mind blown, get the taro ravioli. I could've eaten this for the rest of my life and been happy. We also had the shrimp and mushroom potstickers that were divine. For our entrees, we had the macadamia nut crusted fish and the prime ribeye steak. We ended our meal with the strawberry pie. Every single item was exceptional. One of the main components of our dining experience was the incredible service provided by Paige. She was attentive, helpful, and brought such great energy to our evening. Thank you Paige and the chef for such a wonderful evening!

This restaurant is always super busy, and certainly worth the hype, so plan on reserving a table ahead of time if you want to skip the line that forms around dinner time. I had the Bulgogi Pork Tacos. They’ve got a great mix of sweet, savory and spicy! The portions are good, and leave just enough room for a slice of cream pie. The orange creamsicle pie was my choice this time around, and is another must try. I have also tried the pizzas before and would also recommend those :). The restaurant also features an amazing view of the sunset!

I've heard a lot about Monkeypod but had never been before. I had some high expectations, given their association with Merriman's, and I was pleasantly impressed. Their cocktails were delicious. The server was terrific with her recommendations and we enjoyed all the dishes we tried. The banana pie was good, although I wanted to have a greater banana flavor that was stronger, as well as some toasted macadamias to add some crunchy texture on top. Overall, it was a great dining experience.

The food was good, had the steak which was really juicy with jalapeño mashed potatoes. The mai tail which was suppose to be award winning which was good but without the foam top that they put on. Desert was the coconut cream pie which was good aswell.

The meal was definitely quite pricey for my family of 5, but we all enjoyed the food. It was about $72 per person after tax and tip, and we ordered two appetizers and five mains. I thought all the fish was good but nothing super crazy. The live music was really nice!

Food was great. We were lucky with no wait time. Make reservations though. They were busy and only had one blender when we went, so those type drinks took longer. Highly recommended by others as well.