Ritz-Carlton KapaluaHawaiian seafood and steak$$$$Kapalua (Ritz-Carlton)2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence
"Donovan Foster's Friday chef's table at the Ritz-Carlton Kapalua, five courses for $150 — fly in for an ocean-view celebration."
7Food
8Ambience
6Value
About Banyan Tree
Dinner at The Banyan Tree comes with the Pacific in front of you, on a terrace at The Ritz-Carlton Maui in Kapalua. The kitchen leans on Josper-grilled prime steaks, Hawaiian ahi tuna poke and local seafood, built for sharing over the view. On Fridays, chef Donovan Foster runs a five-course chef's table at $150 a head, an interactive tasting of island ingredients. The room carries a 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. It sits at 1 Ritz-Carlton Drive, open for dinner from Wednesday to Monday.
The Kitchen
The Banyan Tree is the signature dinner restaurant of The Ritz-Carlton Maui, and its kitchen reads the islands rather than a continental playbook. The à la carte centres on a Josper charcoal grill, which turns out prime steaks and local fish, alongside Hawaiian ahi tuna poke and farm-driven sides meant to be passed around the table. The set piece is the Friday chef's table: chef Donovan Foster builds a five-course tasting of local, seasonal ingredients at $150 per person, served as an interactive, one-seating experience with optional wine pairings.
It is the closest thing on this stretch of Kapalua coast to a tasting-menu evening. The wine program earned a 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, which tells you the list runs deeper than a resort dining room usually bothers with. Dinner service runs Wednesday through Monday, closed Tuesdays, from a terrace built around the Pacific view at 1 Ritz-Carlton Drive. This is resort dining doing the work, with a named chef, a real tasting format and a cellar to match.
The Room
The Banyan Tree trades on its setting: an open-sided terrace at the Ritz-Carlton in Kapalua, looking straight out at the Pacific and the sunset. Tables are generously spaced for a resort room, the sound level is easy, and the lighting shifts from golden hour to candle-low as the evening goes on. Dress is resort-smart, which on Maui means a collared shirt or a sundress rather than a jacket. Service is warm and unhurried. The Friday chef's table seats a small group at one sitting, so it feels more intimate than the main terrace.
Best for a Celebration
Book The Banyan Tree for a milestone or a client dinner on Maui because the setting does half the work. The Pacific view frames the evening, the Josper grill and local seafood need no explanation, and the Friday chef’s table with Donovan Foster turns dinner into an event. Time a table for sunset, and consider the five-course tasting if the occasion warrants it. See Maui’s best tables to impress clients and the Maui dining guide.
Not for
Not for a quick or budget dinner; this is special-occasion resort dining, the chef's table is one Friday seating, and prices match the Ritz-Carlton setting.
Frequently Asked
Is The Banyan Tree worth it?
Yes, for a special-occasion dinner on Maui. The Pacific-facing terrace, the Josper-grilled steaks and seafood, and the Friday chef's table with Donovan Foster make it one of Kapalua's stronger dining rooms, and the 2025 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence backs the cellar. It is priced as resort fine dining, so treat it as a celebration rather than a casual meal.
How hard is it to book The Banyan Tree?
Book ahead, especially for sunset and for the Friday chef’s table, which seats a small group at one sitting and fills first. Reservations are available through OpenTable and the resort, and the dinner room is open Wednesday through Monday. For a celebration, request a terrace table timed to sunset. See the Maui dining guide for alternatives.
What is the dress code at The Banyan Tree?
Resort-smart. On Maui that means a collared shirt or a sundress rather than a jacket and tie, with neat resort wear the norm on the terrace. There is no formal jacket requirement. Given the setting and the prices, most guests dress up a little for dinner, particularly for the chef's table.
What is the average meal price at The Banyan Tree?
The Friday chef's table is $150 per person for five courses before wine pairings. À la carte, Josper-grilled steaks and seafood mains put a full dinner with a starter and a glass of wine in resort fine-dining territory per person. The wine list, a 2025 Wine Spectator Award winner, can add to the bill quickly.
Is The Banyan Tree good for a celebration?
Yes. The oceanfront terrace, sunset timing and the Friday five-course chef’s table make it well suited to anniversaries, birthdays and milestone dinners on Maui. Book a terrace table for sunset, or the chef’s table when you want the evening to be the event. See our Maui impress-clients guide for more.
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