Kula Bistro

Kula Bistro is real Hawaii. Although the menu is basically Italian, the atmosphere is true Hawaian, with Aloha service and ceiling fans and open windows instead of ac. I had the eggs Benedict and my wife had the pancakes with coconut syrup. Each was a treat and each had plentiful servings. We could both have easily been satisfied with one entrée, but happy that we had the opportunity to try two breakfast items. Both were amazing. If we ever return we will visit Kula Bistro again! Thanks for the great experience!

We ate here for dinner right after watching the sunset at Haleakala. We had 3 people in our party and ordered a house salad that had the right amount of dressing and flavor (which could have easily been shared by 4 people). Then we proceeded on to order dinner which was a bolognese (this was very good Italian authentic in its flavors). The next entrée we also ordered was amazing which was the seafood risotto (the special for that day and it had 2 huge slices of mongchong fish plus 2 large prawns and also 2 large scallops). We ended up wth leftovers because the dishes are so large! But the food was amazing! And last of all we had the lilikoi cheesecake that they make fresh that day along with a decaf coffee! Would come here again with anyone going to watch the sunrise or sunset at Haleakala because their breakfasts are amazing too!

My husband and I lived on Maui for over a year before we heard about this place. Now we are there at least once a week. Excellent food and service! What I really like is that you can get anything from a hamburger or pizza to a fresh seafood dish too beautiful to eat. I highly recommend the coconut shrimp that comes as an appetizer or as a meal with purple mashed potatoes. No matter what you decide on you will taste the quality of great ingredients and an excellent chef. Upcountry but the drive is beautiful and worth it!
Also a very clean restaurant: o)

My Valentine of 46 years and I had a special lunch while vacationing in Maui. My hamburger steak was excellent while my wife had coconut scrimp and Monchong, prepared just right. Our server was Tammy, who helped us in the past as well, was very helpful and attentive. Come by for a meal and ask for Tammy.

Lovely place! Great service and atmosphere. Try the honey dipped fried chicken ! You will love it.

This was my first visit and it was wonderful! I had heard rave reviews about their burger and being the burger fanatic that I am, I had to give it a try and it didn’t disappoint. I plan to return and try their pasta which looks amazing.
I also tried their Cream Horn, Pecan Pie and Chocolate Cream Pie– all were delicious. The chocolate cream pie was my favorite of the three. Flaky crust, luscious cream and very chocolatey.
It’s definitely worth the drive from Town. Use GPS to get there so you don’t get lost like I did lol

The Food was Really Good I had salad with mozzarella and tomato my friend had risotto with seafood with was rich and decadent. The Staff were nice but they close at 8 we got there late so I suggest sitting for dinner no latter the 7pm you do not feel rushed. The Bistro has a upscale air about at dinner time so if that your style this just may be a good place for you and yours. Bet it has a different feel at breakfast.

AMAZING FOOD!!!
Don’t let the casual exterior and interior of this spot fool you — the food is superb!
Fantastic servers & you can even go across the street to market to bring in your own alcohol.
We ordered the coconut shrimp, veggie lasagna and loco moco.
Some of THE best shrimp I have ever had. The sauce and the super fresh sweet potato mash that came with it was just a dreamy pairing. And the lasagna… oh I dream of this lasagna. Big portion and veggies are cooked perfectly. Soft but not mushy. Cheesy and indulgent :)
Everything was soooo delicious and on par with some of the fanciest restaurants I’ve eaten at on the mainland. Everything seems to be house made. I’m such a fan!
Don’t let the price deter you — you are getting a quality meal :) yum yum!

Okay, so this place is great for locals. For tourists, it’s off the beaten path, but totally worth the visit if you’re heading down from Haleakala.
The white chocolate chip pancake with macadamia nuts and coconut syrup is so good! It has a generous amount of the chips and the fluffiness is balanced perfectly with the crunch of Mac nuts. Very good!
I’m a Benedict person and as I’m sure other Benedict aficionados know, it’s all about the Hollandaise sauce. I had their veggie Benedict and it was fantastic! Tomatoes and spinach on a baguette, poached egg and really great Hollandaise! Highly recommended. Next time I’ll try their Mahi Mahi Benedict, which also looked good.

I went into Kula Bistro already decided to get the honey dipped chicken. Unfortunately, they were out of it. I heard many great about the dish as it stands as a «local favorite.»
With that disappointment aside, I was able to try a couple appetizers the stuffed mushrooms and the kalua potsticker. The stuffed mushrooms were on the heavy side but very delicious and cheesy which I loved. The kalua potstickers come with a mango salsa with fried taro bits. The potstickers were okay a little dry, but with the little salsa and taro bits makes it better.
For brunch, I’ve tried the crab cake panini with your choice of salad or fries. The salad was amazing. I could eat a whole dish of that. The bread on the crab panini is perfect. The crunch and flavor. I also ordered the pesto chicken pizza, which was not that bad. The open face steak sandwich was tender, but could use a little more seasoning.
They have a big selection of pastries available. I was so full I didn’t get to indulge in any. I’ll be back for chicken and sweets!

Headed all the way to Kula for this hidden gem. Worth the drive from wherever you may be on the island. A small, house turned into a restaurant like atmosphere is what you feel when you walk in. Rustic and charming and comforting. Aside from great food, they also have a bakery which made some lovely pastries in a glass case (dessert anyone?).
I had their seafood Linguine special. Grilled monchong, scallops and shrimp on a generous mound of linguine, smothered in a lobster butter sauce. The fish was cooked perfectly. And so were the scallops. The shrimp, however, were a little overdone and tough. 2 pieces of garlic bread accompanied each entrée.
The lobster sauce didn’t overpower the other ingredients of which I am very grateful for. It could have used just a tad more salt, but that’s about it.
The quality of food and service you get is beyond what you’d expect when you look at this quaint and charming restaurant from the outside. I will be back Kula Bistro… and so will my friends… and my family… and my coworkers… etc etc.

What a great little find! Stopped here for lunch today, my wife and I both ordered off the seafood specials menu. I had the stuffed sea bass, my wife had the coconut shrimp. The shrimp portion was generous, and came with a delicious purple sweet potato side. My sea bass was a smallish portion, but well prepared.
Loved the ambiance: spacious, not cramped at all with high ceilings. Service was perfectly attentive, my iced tea was always kept filled.
Four stars instead of five due to the use of same ingredients in both dishes: asparagus, baby Bok Choy, sauces. I know restaurants do that to save time and money, but that’s not a 5 star technique. Other than that minor issue, I’d highly recommend it and would definitely go back.

This is the best food we’ve had like this while visiting Maui one or more times per year in the past 11 years. We’ve dined at recommended places in Kapalua and Lahaina to celebrate our 25^th, 30^th and 35^th anniversaries. All seemed overpriced and without the layers of flavor expected of a high end restaurant. We had decided that perhaps Maui is like other vacation spots we know of with overpriced food in high end restaurants where the food is ok but not exceptional. We were correct until we found Kula Bistro which exceeded all expectations.
We arrived for lunch at 11:00, having decided to try this restaurant because there was not parking in Makawao. (Our server told us that people were probably preparing for the street festival later in the afternoon.). What good fortune we fell upon!!!
The coconut shrimp appetizer was cooked to perfection with a light crust. It hardly seemed deep fried and was different than the typical vacation resort coconut shrimp. They were the size of prawns, beautifully presented over lavender colored sweet potatoes grown on Molokai.
My husband and I shared the daily special onaga (red snapper) stuffed with crab. Another delightfully prepared dish, a feast for the eyes and taste buds. It was served over a bed of spinach with a buerre blanc sauce, lavender colored sweet potatoes, asparagus and shrimp. The fish was cooked to perfection like the shrimp — moist, tender and delicious.
The lillikoi mousse cake was the perfect sweet (and sour) treat for dessert. We took a few bites with tea and brought the rest back to our condo to enjoy over the time of our stay here. We would like to return again to try other items on the menu and are thinking perhaps for breakfast before our 10 am flight. We will definitely return here on our next trip!

For a rare weekday off together, my husband and I decided to head upcountry to get away from the heat, and enjoy a little change of scenery. Breakfast this time was at Kula Bistro, a charming, airy, and casual eatery right across from the iconic Morihara Store.
We were sat immediately, and were provided with waters– and offered a water for our two-​year-​old. Yay! Perusing the menu, we each went pretty predictably– eggs and rice for our son, the bacon-​eggs-​meat-​toast meal for my husband, and fried rice for me.
Service was very friendly, and our food arrived very quickly! My son’s eggs were light and fluffy, and came with a nice scoop of rice. My husband’s plate was huge, and looked absolutely delicious! This place has some of the thickest, crispest bacon I’ve ever seen, and the hearty slice of baguette that accompanied his breakfast looked amazing!
My fried rice was cooked perfectly, and came as a pretty hearty portion, topped with two over-​easy eggs. Issues with fried rice elsewhere can be that it’s kind of gummy, or that it’s too «busy» with different things. Here, each rice grain is separate, and it includes some bacon, sausage, and fresh green onions, along with the accompanying eggs. Breaking those runny eggs into that big bowl of smoky-​flavored fried rice was a wonderful way to start my morning.
Coffee was good, and our friendly server kept it refilled. Prices were decent, and for the quality of the food, more than fair. Although we don’t get to Kula from Wailuku too often, we’ll definitely be back again to sample more– maybe try some dinner!

Okay… so as many other reviewers shared, my tummy was rumbling after the hike up to Haleakala and a-​Yelpin’ I went.
Needless to say, ended up at Kula Bistro and we were not at all disappointed. The BEST white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes EVER! The boyfriend and I split one as we also ordered the Mahi Mahi Eggs Benedict and Fried Rice. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, was amazing!!!
Definitely a must while in Maui and off the beaten path, which is a nice change of scenery from many of the touristy places.

OMG! The honey dipped fried chicken is the bomb! The chicken was exceptionally juicy. There was no flour aftertaste, and the honey added the perfect sweetness. I also loved that the entire skin was crunchy/​crispy.
The lunch came with the typical local scoop rice and their version of potato salad. Potato salad not a big fan. It was a bit like mashed potatoes with chunks and mayo. I think the recipe needs some tweaking.
The location is in Kula, outside the view from the parking lot is spectacular! It’s a shame that isn’t the view from within. Servers are absolutely on it. My water was never left empty! Embience isn’t casual, friendly and artsy. They have a case of desserts, I didn’t get a chance to look or sample, unfortunately.

Another new place for dinner. So stoked! Since I live in town, it was fun to «bundle up,» hit the road and head «up north.» Kula is a little on the colder side and boasts a great view of the island. I was really excited to venture up and check this little gem out.
Kula bistro is a quaint little place with so much character. A friend had made reservations so when we arrived, we were promptly sat at a table that was set for a party of 10. The server was quick to get drinks and answer our questions about the menu. There are a abundant amount of ono choices here folks!
My girlfriend and I decided to get an entrée and share it. That way we get a variety of goodies. I chose the Kalua Pork Panini (because, Kalua pork. MMMM!) and she got the Kula Bistro House Salad. It arrived quickly and cooked to perfection. The pork was so good… seasoned just right. The salad was really colorful and full of flavor. The only thing that was kind of a bummer was: I ordered a side of dressing (since we were sharing one salad)… he brought out a small ramekin of it – and then charged me a dollar for it without even giving me the heads up. I know it’s only a dollar… but it was also only like 1 tablespoon of dressing. I thought that was kind-​of lame. Small problem. Everything was good. Let’s move on to the desserts shall we…
The dessert case at the Bistro is nothing short of what a bakery in in heaven might look like… We stood around like kids in a candy shop. Which one… which one. This was a big decision: peanut butter and jelly cake, rum cake, chocolate flourless cake… and then, I spotted it. A little cup of what looked like pudding, whipped cream and some chocolate shavings. I asked what exactly it was. «Butterscotch Budino» she says. That’s all it took. It was mine. I walked it back to the table and slipped into a sugar coated coma for a little bit. The outside world was a blur, and all I could think about was «I wish I could eat this every. single. day.» I shared a bite with a few people and I got the same glazed look: «is this real life?» Yeah. It is. Real life with a butterscotch lining. So here’s my tip: when you head up the mountain for some grub, do not forget to save room for the dessert. If you’re scared you’ll run out of room, there is nothing wrong with eating dessert first. I’m a mom and I make the rules :)

KOOL-​AH Bistro.
I met two good friends (residents of Maui) for lunch after checking out the nearby Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm. I actually had this bookmarked before I left on my trip, and therefore was absolutely thrilled they suggested this restaurant.
NOTE: Small parking lot for customers on the right side of the building. Also, there is a sign at the entrance listing the daily specials.
I’ll admit, I would have not expected to find a true gem of a restaurant in such a quaint part of Maui. Kula Bistro is located across from a general store, so I suppose both businesses benefit from the foot traffic each bring to the area.
The ambiance/​décor is a true testament of the laid back lifestyle of Maui: Simple and no frills. The restaurant is a decent size with various artworks adorning the walls. My favorite was the piece made up entirely of wine corks, as the corks were placed in a very intricate pattern that was certainly eye-​catching.
Being from Honolulu I expected, for some odd reason, a crowd or line waiting to get seated. There was no crowds at all. In fact, there wasn’t even a line. We stepped into the restaurant where the friendly staff informed us we could sit at a table of our choice. Dorothy, we are obviously NOT in Honolulu (where surely there would be a 15 – 20 minute wait depending on the restaurant). It’s no wonder I needed a break from the city.
My travel companion and I perused the menu while we waited for my two friends to show up. The staff was kind enough to check on us while we waited offering water refills and to answer any questions we may have had about the menu.
My friends arrive and after some deliberation we finally decide on our orders. Three of us chose pasta while my travel companion from Oahu was the odd man out ordering one of their specialty sandwiches. Firstly, one thing that was impressive was that the portion sizes of the pasta were extremely generous, and all were served with large portions of garlic bread. The sandwich was served with a good portion size of Caesar salad. My order was the Bolognese and it was absolutely, positively delicious. The meat, herbs, and garlic, combined with the pasta produced an outstanding dish. I most likely would have eaten it all if I could have. I was able to sample the other pasta dishes, the creamy pesto with grilled vegetables and Luciano’s Special respectively, and I thought those dishes were quite delicious as well. I should have asked early on in the meal to sample my friend’s sandwich, but alas it was gone in the blink of an eye.
SERVICE: Excellent. Our server was an extremely patient and polite woman who checked on us periodically throughout our meal. She was helpful and very knowledgeable about the menu as well.
side NOTE: The restroom is quite small. We all compared it to an airplane lavatory. Just FYI.
BOTTOM LINE: A delicious lunch spent with good friends. Fantastic service. I hope to return on a future trip to Maui.

After a treacherous drive up and down Haleakala (motion sickness kicked in at high effect), I was very anxious to sit down somewhere and relax with a nice breakfast. Kula Bistro was highly recommended to me by many friends, so it was a must stop place since we were in the area.
I had the crab cake benedict and my friend had the big bistro breakfast. Both came with homemade breakfast potatoes. Big winner!
The big bistro breakfast had 3 eggs, 2 breakfast meat choices, breakfast potatoes, and toast (which was a piece of garlic bread).
The crab cake benedict was quite delicious! Instead of your usual English muffins, the crab cakes were put on top of french bread that was made into garlic bread. Great idea! Made it even yummier! The crab cakes were also on top a bed of spinach. I highly enough the crab cake benedict.
All in all, it was a nice visit. The prices are a little expensive for breakfast, but it is a café kind of atmosphere so I suppose that’s expected. They also have a bakery area that you can buy pastries from.
The only thing to be careful of at this place is their restroom. Talk about SMALL! One toilet (restroom is shared by men and women) in a tiny room. I’m only 5’3″, but even I felt like a giant in there. My knees almost touched the wall when I sat on the toilet. I don’t know how taller people are able to sit on the toilet. Yikes! Restrooms are an important part of my visit anywhere, so that’s why I took away a star.

I don’t know why this place is coded as Italian because I came here for breakfast today and ordered local plates: white chocolate macadamia pancakes, fried rice, and a papaya bowl with yogurt and fresh berries.
The white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes came in a 3 stack and they are massive. They fill the entire plate. They give you a nice coconut syrup and maple syrup to drizzle on. You also can order them a la carte, one by one. My fiancé loved it and my face lit up when I took a bite.
The fried rice comes with your choice of egg style. I chose sunny side up. It comes with a mix of different meats so it’s pretty hearty.
The yogurt and papaya is light and it’s a good healthy breakfast item. I enjoyed this. It would have been more amazing if it had granola and honey. Nevertheless it was still yummy and fresh.
Our server, Brianna, was super attentive. She checked up on us often and provided us with great suggestions.
Everything was super chill, easy. Parking was easy and free. There was no wait to be seated. Food came out promptly and the portions are massive. Service was on point.
Definitely stop by if you’re coming down the mountain or in the area!