Mama’s Fish House
Review of Mama’s Fish House, Paia, published in Top Maui Restaurants 2012:
Readers consistently ask us these three questions:
Should I drive the Road to Hana?
Should I get up for sunrise at Haleakala? Should I go to Mama’s Fish House?
Our answer is the same for all three questions: It depends.
The decision to go to Hana, Haleakala, or Mama’s Fish House is deeply personal and requires careful examination of your true desires, expectations, and motivations. We leave the first two questions to another section of this book, and will address Mama’s here. While we can’t offer advice to you directly, we can tell you the parameters by which we would make the decision.
Mama’s Is a Landmark … for a Reason
Mama’s is a landmark, an institution, and a well-run, profitable business that brings joy and happiness to tens of thousands of diners every year. If this were Florida, it would be Disney World or Epcot.
When we first made this comparison, we heard from the restaurant that they resented it. They pointed out the careful choices in decor, the one-of-a-kind items that had been brought back to Maui from journeys to the South Pacific. They felt we were saying they are just a tourist trap. Well, we’re not saying that — at all! To start, we don’t think Disney is a tourist trap. Disney offers its guests the best in entertainment — the best singers, dancers, rides, parades, high quality souvenirs, the most beautiful landscaping. They control every aspect of your experience with the intention of making sure that you feel happy. Are they popular? Absolutely. Does it cost an arm and a leg to go there? Yup. Does this mean it’s not worth it? No — you either love the world they have created for you, or you don’t. There is no middle ground.
Mama’s also offers a highly controlled experience. The owners toured the South Pacific in a sailboat many moons ago, and they’ve recreated the experience for you here, both in the Tahitian-inspired cuisine and the sea-spray- kissed atmosphere. Mama’s also offers the best. The fish is unequivocally fresh. The tropical fruit, the vegetables, the seaweed, the ferns, the roasted macadamia nuts and everything else are of the highest quality (and the menu lists where each ingredient comes from, including the name of the fisherman, his boat, and how he reeled his catch in). The preparations are painstakingly developed and carefully made, and delicious across the board.
The Greatest Show on Maui
The show starts when you hand your keys to the valet (there is no self- parking). Walking down to the restaurant and the grounds, we still marvel at how perfectly Hawaiian this place is.
The restaurant sits on what is called Mama’s Beach, which offers one of the most breathtakingly beautiful views available. After you check in at the hostess/souvenir/gift kiosk and walk through the narrow walkway to get inside, the restaurant, the gracious ceilings and wide open walls and fresh breezes create a perfect setting for a terrific meal. In this parallel reality, you go “on vacation” for the length of your meal — even if, like us, you already live on Maui.
From the start the service is like clockwork. Servers bring menus, drinks, dishes and then clear them away with a regularity that can seem precisely timed. We suspect that it is. This is a restaurant — one of the few on the island — that can fill every table several times in one afternoon or evening — and they do not particularly want you to dawdle over dinner.
The strength in this food is not gourmet flourishes, but fresh food cooked simply and garnished perfectly. The menu is focused, but perfect. The fresh fish of the day is listed, along with the best preparation to complement it. The pork and steak dishes are similarly developed with perfection in mind. One of our favorite preparations is a simple butter lemon sauce with macadamia nuts, because it is Just Done Right. The beef Polynesian, served in a grilled papaya, is a medley of medium rare morsels spiced with chili and lime. The ceviche? Out of this world — and we love the giant fried sweet potato chips that accompany it. This fresh-and-simple-and-perfect ethic stretches even to the drink menu. The mai tai is strong and sweet. Our favorite nonalcoholic drink on the island is the coconut mint concoction that blows our senses with its straightforward freshness. In general, there’s a lot of coconut on this menu, and tropical fruits figure heavily into the savory dishes.
The Black Pearl at Mama’s Fish House. Is that dessert fit for a king, or what?
The desserts warrant your attention. The insanely beautiful Tahitian black pearl is a glossy globe of ganache ensconced in a pastry shell and surrounded by sunrays of lilikoi sauce. In the center of the “pearl” hides a soft lilikoi cream. The sleek Kuau pie is an addictive slice of silky chocolate atop caramel cookie crust. The house-made ice creams are fabulous — especially the banana and coconut — and are delivered to your table with a song if it happens to be your birthday.
If you want to take advantage of the superlative view, lunch time may be a good time for you to book a table (or walk in). The menu is reduced in size but not in quality, and the prices are slightly (but not much) lower. Another strategy we suggest is to make this the meal you eat right before you get on a plane to leave Maui, especially before a red eye flight to the mainland. It may seem odd, but it makes sense: you can be sure you will enjoy your meal, that it won’t last overly long due to slow service, and you’re only fifteen minutes away from the airport.
Sometimes, we simply head to Mama’s to indulge in resplendent drinks and dessert. We sit at the bar and act like we live this luxuriously all the time. (Whenever we’ve tried this, though, we’ve always caved and ordered an appetizer or two.)
The bottom line for us is that we like Mama’s exactly for what it does: provide a one-of-a-kind experience. You get an excellent, fresh meal with incredible views and very well-trained service. We do not expect or want it to change any more than we’d want Disney to stop doing what Disney does. You can have a wonderful meal elsewhere on the island — that’s true.
But only Mama’s gives you Mama’s.
That is our long-winded answer to “Should I go to Mama’s Fish House?”
We hope it is helpful.
Address: 799 Poho Pl., Paia, North Shore
Meals: Lunch, Dinner
Parking: Valet
Phone: 808-579-8488
Website: www.mamasfishhouse.com
August 11, 2012 @ 11:35 am
Nice view, that’s it. Poor service, bad last words by staff. We were expected to wait 1 hour for an open table without reservations. Several patrons without reservations were seated before us since they seem to be more “classy”, wow. Like the “in-list” , if your not with this crowd forget about it. The place had so much open table that seems to had a very unimpressed feeling to wait for. The valet by the way expected you to tip them with rude comments like “the next time you come back make sure to reserve to get better service.”. What an experience that sets you back to think are you really here at Maui?
December 26, 2010 @ 8:23 am
We have eaten here several times. Yes, the location is great and the fish is fresh. But, like enjoying an episode of Lost, you have to ignore reality to believe the entree is worth nearly $40 (the food is good but not THAT good). And the service ranges from great to simply perfunctory; along with prompt and friendly servers our chairs were constantly bumped because the tables are too close. We’ve decided that our money is better spent at numerous other restaurants on the island.
December 10, 2010 @ 9:59 am
We always love to eat early but Mama’s was already nearly full. We knew that was a good sign. I don’t know if any of the tables have poor views here. It’s a wonderful spot! The service was definitely quickly timed. My husband had to grab his appetizer plate as the waitress didn’t listen to him say he wasn’t finished. It did feel rushed throughout, even though the wait staff often said “No hurry” as they came and went. At the same time, we don’t like to stretch dinner for 2 hours so we appreciate the quicker pace. We both ordered Mahi mahi stuffed with crab and onion, topped with a small lobster tail. We had Mama’s Chocolate Pie for dessert, which was more mousse than we expected, but still wonderful. The meal was absolutely outstanding and we will definitely return here.
November 18, 2010 @ 1:36 pm
What a lovely setting! Our group of four arrived, enjoyed the free valet parking, strolled the grounds a bit just as the sun began to set and took a few photos near the tiki torches. We were seated at a window overlooking the beach. The Mai Tais were delicious and our meal was excellent. We shared appetizers and for dinner enjoyed fresh Opakapaka, Ono, Ahi and some type of stuffed Fish…everyone was very pleased. The freshness of the fish was wonderful and learning who caught it was quite impressive! The only disappointment was that we requested the complimentary order of Poi, just to try it, but it never came. They were quite busy but we did not feel rushed. We lingered a bit over coffee and shared dessert. We’ll just have to try the Poi next time!
February 4, 2010 @ 10:49 am
I love this place and have been going here for 7 years – a trip to Maui is not complete without a stop at Mama’s. Best recommendation I have ever received for any restaurant. I love that the fish is so fresh they tell you who has caught it. Their Passion Fruit Creme Brulee is AMAZING and the staff is awesome. Love it Love it Love it all!!!
January 13, 2010 @ 5:45 pm
It is like its own little world. Very Classy!
December 15, 2009 @ 1:03 pm
Our party of 6 went to Mama’s again this Thanksgiving and had an even better experience than last year.Sure the food is expensive (top $ for top quality) but this is one of the special places you go to when you want that special event. The location is spectactular, more so now that they have expanded the serving area eastward.Every table has a fantastic view.
Being the only one in our group who normally orders anything but fish (thats another story), I always hestitate to pick fish but when you go to Mama’s you get the fish. I am always impressed with the food from selection to preparartion to service and am never disappointed. Of course when I return home and try to duplicate the fish, it never works. I don’t know how they do it but I could eat their fish every meal. Having lived and worked on all 4 US coasts, yes the Arctic Ocean has a coast, nothing beats fish in Hawaii.
The service was perfect. Timing and attention could not be beaten. Maybe because the restaraunt was not crowded.
Mama’s is a must every time we visit Maui.
November 6, 2009 @ 10:19 am
Is the food to die for? Yes. But we would actually like to finish our food before they take our plates. They are so busy stuffing the restaurant with more diners that they reach over you to fill your water, take your plate before you are finished and try to get you to leave as soon as possible. The fresh ahi appetizer was the best ever. The shrimp wontons were great, too. However, the girls who take the plates tried to take it when half was left. We stopped her the first time but then she came back and grabbed it while we were still eating the last of the 4 shrimp. We were appalled. We don’t mind paying $300 for a meal but could we at least finish it? One of the Maui books we bought warned us to hold on our plates. We didn’t realize they were serious. Great cooks, great food, great waiter, but horrible rest of the staff. We will not be back and will not recommend it to others.
September 6, 2009 @ 7:51 pm
If you are feeling pinched in the budget, or are simply in the mood for less than a full meal, I highly recommend sitting at one of the bars. Order a pupu or salad along with your drinks, and enjoy a lovely evening in Mama’s soothing, Old Hawaii ambiance. Service is equally excellent; hats off to the bartenders and service staff.
July 13, 2009 @ 4:28 am
This is by far… my favorite restaurant on the Planet!!! Every year we go back at least once. A great place for that “Special Evening”. The location and views are spectacular, the food and service is great. Do yourself a favor and make this a must on your next trip.
July 10, 2009 @ 1:19 pm
We were in Maui for the first time last May for our 25th anniversary. Before we left Oregon we downloaded the top Maui restaurants online and it was so informative. We reviewed many different restaurants and decided on Mama’s Fish House for our anniversary dinner. That was the best decision we could have made. Yes it was spendy but well worth it. The ambience, the food, and the staff couldn’t have been better!!When Bill called in for reservations he told them that It was our 25th anniversary, and when we were seated our waitress actually brought him over a fresh lei to give to me!!! I was all absolutely fabulous and we would recommend it to anyone!!!!
July 6, 2009 @ 6:24 pm
THIS PLACE WAS SOMETHING MY DAUGHTER AND I WANTED TO DO FROM THE FIRST TIME WE SEEN THE WEBSITE.. WE WENT TO A FRIENDS WEDDING IN MAUI LAST JULY AND IN THE 12 DAYS WE WERE ON THE ISLAND IT WAS ONE OF THE HIGH LIGHTS OF OUR TRIP. FOOD, SERVICE 2ND TO NONE, WE WERE GIVEN THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE, AND WHILE I THINK DINNERS WOULD BE ROMANTIC, THE VIEW AT LUNCH TIME IS TO DIE FOR, THE SERVICE STARTS THE MINUTE YOU PULL UP IN THE CARPARK AND THE VERT CUTE VALET OPENS YOUR CAR DOOR WITH A SMILE THAT WOULD MELT ANYONE AWAY.. WE TOOK LOTS OF PICTURES AND SENT THEM TO MAMA’S AND NOW WE ARE ON THE WEBSITE, WE ALSO SENT THE BRIDE AND GROOM THERE FOR A LUNCH AS A TREAT FOR A WEDDING GIFT THE DAY BEFORE THE WEDDING.. IM BRINGING MY HUSBAND BACK AS SOON AS I CAN AND WOULD LIKE TO STAY THERE FOR A FEW DAYS THIS TIME, MAHALO MAMA’S YOUR MADE OF WHAT WE CALL THE WRIGHT STUFF AND KEEP ON DOING IT. KGW AND TAW
July 5, 2009 @ 10:19 am
My wife and I had dinner at Mama’s for our 25th Anniversary on May 19th. Having read a ton of reviews, it sounded like a “can’t miss” restaurant. I knew going in that the price was going to be a little salty, but with it being a very special night, we couln’t wait to get there. We requested a table by the window, and were seated within 15 minutes of our reservation time. They couldn’t reserve the window over the phone, but put you on a list for first available. It was well worth the wait. It was the nicest sunset of our 10 day trip. The atmosphere was great, the staff was better, and the food was to die for. We WILL be back next year. My wife and I agreed. It was not only the best meal, but also the best night of our lives!
July 3, 2009 @ 4:11 am
My wife and I have been coming to Maui every year since 1992. The first full day we are there we go to Mama’s for lunch and the day we leave to go home we do the same. The resturant setting is just what you would expect Hawaii to be like with palm trees and the ocean just steps away where you can enjoy it while you eat. The food is always fresh and even if you don’t really like fish, this is the place to try it. There are always several types of fish and several types of preparations which are sure to please. The service and wait staff are very knowledgeable and take good care of you. A trip to Maui wouldn’t be complete without a trip to Mama’s Fish House. We will be back for our annual trip in November and are already looking forward to Mama’s. We live in Iowa and our trips to Mama’s help keep us warm during the long Iowa winter. Aloha
July 2, 2009 @ 4:54 am
The view and feel of the place is wonderful. A little overpriced but location, location, location. The serving staff are excellent friendly, and attentive. Be sure and be there in time for sunset.