"TS Restaurants' grill on Kaʻanapali sand since 1994, Hula Pie and ahi poke tacos — book the lanai for a team dinner."
6Food
8Ambience
7Value
About Hula Grill
The ahi poke tacos come three to an order, wasabi aioli leaking out of the wonton shells, and the Barefoot Bar already has its feet in the sand by noon. That is the Hula Grill proposition: a beachfront grill that has fed Kaʻanapali off the same stretch of Whalers Village since 1994. Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxten's TS Restaurants runs it, the kitchen leans on line-caught local fish and Maui produce, and a head lands between $35 and $70 before drinks. Hula dancers work the bar between 6:30 and 7:30 every night while the sun drops behind Lanaʻi.
The Kitchen
Hula Grill is a TS Restaurants kitchen, the group Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxten founded in 1977 and the same hands behind Leilani's a few doors down. It opened here at 2435 Kaanapali Parkway in 1994, on a site that had cycled through the Kaʻanapali Beach Club, Antonoine's and El Crab Catcher before the hula came in. The cooking is honest island grill: line-caught mahi-mahi and ʻahi over kiawe wood, macadamia-nut-crusted fresh catch, baby back ribs, and the ahi poke tacos that outsell everything as a starter.
The finish is the reason half the room came. Kimo's Original Hula Pie stacks macadamia-nut ice cream on a chocolate-cookie crust with hot fudge and whipped cream, big enough for four and rarely ordered for fewer. Most plates run $35 to $70 a head before drinks, and the bar pours Mai Tais by the tray. For a white-tablecloth Maui dinner instead, Mama's Fish House up the coast is the other end of the island.
The Room
The room is open to the trade wind on three sides, no walls between the tables and the sand. Downstairs the Barefoot Bar is loud and barefoot-literal; upstairs the dining lanai is calmer, lit low once the sun goes, tables spaced generously under ceiling fans. There is no dress code beyond a shirt and shoes, and most arrive straight off the beach. Seating runs past two hundred across both levels, so a party of fourteen is a phone call, not a problem. Aim for a table on the rail by 6:15 to catch the sunset before the hula starts.
Best for a Team Dinner
Book this room for a team dinner because it does the three things a group on Maui needs: it seats a dozen-plus on the open lanai without weeks of notice, the menu runs on shareable pupus and whole fish that travel down a long table, and the Barefoot Bar is loud enough that nobody feels overheard. Picture an offsite crew on the rail at sunset, three Hula Pies and a round of Mai Tais, the hula dancers passing behind. Reserve the upstairs lanai on OpenTable a week out and ask for sunset. For the wider list, see the Maui team-dinner guide or browse more team-dinner rooms worldwide.
Not for
Skip it for a quiet anniversary or a serious tasting menu — this is a beach bar with hula and Mai Tais, not a destination kitchen, and the Barefoot Bar runs loud till close.
Frequently Asked
Is Hula Grill Kaanapali worth it?
Yes, for the location and the vibe more than the cooking. Hula Grill is a beachfront grill, not a fine-dining room, but the ahi poke tacos, the macadamia-crusted fresh catch and Kimo's Original Hula Pie are reliably good, and almost no table on Kaʻanapali sits closer to the sand. Come for sunset, a Mai Tai and a group; for a refined plated dinner, book Mama's Fish House instead.
How hard is it to book Hula Grill in Maui?
Not hard, but the sunset window books out. The Barefoot Bar downstairs takes walk-ins and fills first, so reserve the upstairs lanai on OpenTable a week ahead for parties of six or more and ask for a 6:00–6:30 seating to catch the sun. Mid-afternoon lunch is wide open. See the Maui team-dinner guide for other group rooms.
What is the dress code at Hula Grill Kaanapali?
There is no dress code. This is an open-air beach grill at Whalers Village, so shorts, sandals and a cover-up over swimwear are all normal. People do not dress up for the Barefoot Bar; an aloha shirt is as formal as it gets. Come straight off the beach, but bring a layer for the lanai once the trade wind picks up after dark.
What should I order at Hula Grill?
Start with the ahi poke tacos, the most-ordered dish on the menu, and the seafood potstickers. For mains, the fresh catch comes several ways — macadamia-nut-crusted is the classic. Finish with one Kimo's Original Hula Pie for the whole table; it is built for four. Pair it all with a Mai Tai from the Barefoot Bar and time dinner for the 6:30 hula.
Is Hula Grill good for a team dinner?
Yes, it is one of the easier large-group rooms on Kaʻanapali. The open lanai seats big parties without much notice, the pupu-heavy menu is built for sharing, and the bar and live hula keep the energy up. Reserve the upstairs deck a week ahead and ask for sunset. See more team-dinner restaurants in other cities.
Book the upstairs lanai a week ahead for groups and request a 6:00–6:30 sunset table. The Barefoot Bar is walk-in.
Affiliate disclosure: Restaurants for Kings may earn a commission when you book through our reservation links, at no cost to you. Our scores are editorial and never paid for.
Where to take the whole crew on Maui, from beachfront grills with room for twenty to private oceanfront tables, ranked by how well they handle a group.
