Hali’imaile General Store

We make this a must destination every time we visit Maui. I have never had a disappointing meal from nearly everything on the menu from the ribs to the pork sandwich. This time however. I had a wonderful treat– the kalua pulled pork enchilada. Like no other it is a 7″ CUBE and is not to be forgotten. Try it!

I had a bad experience with the hostess. We arrived at 5:40 and we got seated at a table next to a door. I asked the hostess if we could be moved and she said they were expecting larger parties. You could shoot a cannon through the place at 5:40 and the place finally filled up when left. Other couples were sitting at a table for 4 when we left. Having a bad table ruined my experience at the restaurant. I can’t endorse a restaurant that does not put the customer first. I suggest you try Mama’s Fish House where you can get better service.

What a disappointment. This is one of my favorite restaurants on the island and although my meal was delicious it came scalding hot and I burnt my lips, tongue and mouth. My waitress and the manager although they expressed concern did nothing about it. I am still in pain.

We really enjoyed our lunch here after we visited the distillery which is right across the street. I had the pulled pork sandwich that was very good. GREAT sauce on the sandwich loved it. Its a very cute place lots of thing on the menu to choose from too.

Every time I’ve visited Maui I’ve gone here and been a fan. HOWEVER, I will not be returning. The service was horrible! Our server Elizabeth was militant and rude. I asked her what the fresh catch of the day was and she simply replied, «I’m pouring water now» and then walked away. It got worse from there. The food was just okay, has definitely declined in quality and taste. I left VERY disappointed and would not return. My advice… SAVE YOUR MONEY, this is no longer fine dining. #NoLongerAFan

Most excellent lunch! The 3 of us were all very happy with our meal & wonderful TaiMai drinks.
It is a noisy spot, but otherwise ideal!

I’d been thinking about the sahimi napoloeon for 5 years and was so excited to go back for it again. Unfortunately the updates to what was already perfect weren’t as good to me — the waitress warned us that they modified it and their subtraction of greens made it less balanced as far as flavor goes. Our friends got the curry and they voted that a 3 out of 5. Service is always excellent here and there was no wait since we got there early. It’s definitely one of the more expensive restaurants, but a nice, cozy sit down restaurant.

I had heard a lot about this restaurant before heading to Maui and decided to stop in on our last night. We checked out the website in advance, and the seafood coconut curry dish looked amazing (large prawns, fresh fish, vibrant vegetables). When we came into the restaurant and ordered the dish it looked more like a clam chowder with small bits of fish and the teeny tiny shrimp that are the size of your fingernail. It came with rice that was dry and had me wishing for my favorite frozen rice from trader joe’s. If you’re going to put those beautiful photos on your website, make sure the food matches it!
I do have to mention that the drinks were delicious but overpriced. Overall I was disappointed as we were hoping for a memorable meal and instead felt like we got stuck in a tourist trap. It was one of our most expensive meals on the island and definitely was the least exciting.

we drove by several times, but could never tell what the atmosphere was like as the building sits uphill of the road with a large porch. The owners of the house we were renting sent us over for dinner, and we had a great time. It was packed but we were lucky enough to grab a seat at the bar… Tim the bartender was awesome… mixing great drinks and knows the menu inside and out. The signature sashimi dish is fantastic, as are the ribs. Wines by the glass are also nice choices. A very local upscale bistro vibe inside… loud but not too loud. I highly recommend the hali’imaile general store… second only to Mama’s perhaps as the best food on the island… a cut above Merriman’s (though the view there is stunning), and way better than the Montage (Cane and Canoe).

I want to love the dining experience here more than I do. The location Upcountry is charming and rustic. I booked a table for four, and we ordered three courses with drinks. Overall, we spent $ 311 for dinner and left disappointed.
It’s important to realize that the restaurant is surrounded by sugar cane fields. Sugar is their primary «local» ingredient in most dishes, but they just don’t tell you that. If you have a super sweet tooth, you will be happy here.
Here’s how it went:
[Drinks]
— Quality wine list that suits the food and a creative cocktails.
[Appetizers]
— Goat cheese tart — warm, savory and delicious. One tart cut into four single bites.
— Shishito peppers — best dish of the meal, served roasted with alea salt and balsamic drizzle
[Salads]
— House salad — local greens with walnuts, mandarin orange wedges, optional cheese and a light vinaigrette. Our greens tasted slightly soured and like the refrigerator, and we sent it back. The replacement was much fresher.
[Entrees/​Mains]
— Mahi Mahi with lilikoi butter, sweet potato mash and greens — best entrée in the table.
Stars = 4 stars
— Roasted chicken with root vegetables– meat was a tad dry but otherwise very flavorful. Good sized portion. My dining companion took home ½ of it and was looking forward to eating the leftovers steamed in his homemade chicken stock to add moisture. Stars = 3 stars
— Rack of lamb with mashed potatoes, broccoli and Hunan sauce — high quality quality ingredients cooked perfectly. As is, the dish is great for people who don’t actually like the taste of meat or veggies. The Hunan sauce utterly ruined the dish because it is candy sweet (think shave ice level of sweetness) and blocks out every other flavor in the plate. Worse, the chef drowned the plate in sauce. I took two bites, sent it back and asked for no sauce. I received the same food items coated in sauce re-​plated to a smaller plate with more sauce pooled in the corner of the plate (instead of drowning the food). If you order the lamb, ask for the SAUCE ON THE SIDE, if at all.
Stars = 1 star with sauce, 3 stars without sauce.
— Duck with maple bacon mash and veggies — description sounded amazing. This was easily the worst dish on the table. The duck was utterly dry, and it takes efforts cook duck that dry because it is literally one of the greasiest birds. We were baffled. The mash and veggies were also super sweet, rendering the dish almost inedible. My dining companion refused to send it back (she never sends anything back), ate ¹⁄₃ of it and declined to take home leftovers.
Stars = 1 star.
[Desert]
We skipped it. We had sugar headaches from the entrees and couldn’t bear any more sweetness.
Bottom line: go for drinks and appetizers. If you’re looking for a high quality dinner experience, go to Mama’s Fish House in Paia or Merriman’s on the West side.

We made a reservation for New Year’s Eve b/​c we were told the place had just reopened after renovations. Perhaps our expectations were too high given the promise of the «new» restaurant.
Entering the space l couldn’t really detect a difference from the last visit which was about 4 years ago (and I was underwhelmed then too). We were ushered to a table for 4 in the busy front of restaurant and handed menus by a cheery and energetic hostess who proceeded to remove 2 table settings. All fine so far. Then, we were greeted by our server who wanted to take drink our orders. Everything still fine, if a bit rough around the edges.
Then, the first disappointment: the menu seemed not really to have changed substantively and there were no vegetarian options in the entrée section (though in fine print at the bottom of the menu there was an «invitation» to inquire – is this the 1980s?) All of the fish options on the list were macadamia encrusted, sauce drowned, and/​or breaded. Why would I order fresh fish in disguise? As it turned out there were 2 fish specials that seemed a bit «cleaner» in preparation, so we opted for one of each after a tuna poke appetizer (the highlight of the meal) and a house salad that so lacked any dressing, flavor or imagination that it was embarrassing, which is a good segue to the entrees. First, tuna veracruzana served lukewarm and over-​cooked on a bed of white rice and with 2 olives in a red sauce hardly resembling what I would consider a proper veracruzana, and Walu in an Asian preparation, miso glazed with a slaw (which was tasty) on a dry blob of tepid mashed potatoes.
I couldn’t wait to get out of there. Did someone say the emperor was wearing clothes???

This place is still solid, but it needs a menu update and has not evolved like a high-​end restaurant should.
The Curry Fish Stew was very mediocre. Not a lot of curry flavor, washed-​out by an over abundance of coconut and cream.
I would keep that in mind. But the town near-​by and the experience of driving up the volcano is still wonderful on a clear night.

Awesome !!! Awesome !!! Awesome !!!
Arrived at 8:00 pm after the Haleakala sunset…
Great Food, Great Service, Great Atmosphere …
Please stop and check out the HGS…

Everything everyone has said wonderful about this place is true. We went on route to Paia/​Road to Hana. It was not what we’d expected, but the charming old house situated along the road was a nice surprise. We were sat quickly and chose a table by the door under a fan (learning that no where in Maui has a/​c). Our waiter, Dale, was so friendly and personable that we ended up getting tips from him on where to go and what to do after our meal. The food was excellent and not too badly priced for Maui. I had the best burger I had on the island.
It was a great location and great meal!

Yesterday my friends and I stopped here for a bite to get some food in our tummies before doing a tasting at the distillery across the street.
We popped in around 12:30pm and got seated quick, no wait. But it was a very full dining room.
Pros:
Great fresh food with local flare
Light lunch options or larger, heavier dishes for lunch or dinner
Friendly service
Fairly quick service even when crowded
Indoor/​outdoor seating options
Open, light and airy environment with a nice, cool breeze
Great Maui inspired cocktail menu
Cons:
It was pretty loud with a full dining room and music in the background. This made the overall experience less enjoyable and discouraged conversation as we had to learn forward and speak loud to be heard.
Would be difficult for anyone to enjoy with hearing disabilities. Maybe you could eat outside or ask for a more private table.
Overall this is great stop for a quality, fresh meal in the area. I’d recommend it if you’re around this area. I would not drive out of my way for it, but it was a great option nearby the distillery, where we were already headed.

The General Store was recommended by a friend. She said it was some of the best food she had while on the island. Her disclaimer «it’s been several years since I’ve eaten there». Well, I went yesterday and it was fabulous! I got the Blackened Seared Ahi Soba Noodle Salad. it was crisp & delicious! It had julienne carrots, red peppers & snow peas, diced mint leaves & cilantro. The flavor was fantastic.
We also got the fish special: Ono w/​roasted veggies & pineapple on a bed of arugula. Plus, the Ginger beer (I can’t remember the actual name). Both had amazing taste. The pineapple vodka in the drink got us curios about the distillery across the street.
Definitely a restaurant I will eat at again & recommend to others!

We’ve been coming to HGS for years now. The menu is still the same after all these years, which for me is half good, half not so good. I like variety.
ATMOSPHERE:
Located on the bottom slopes of Haleakala in the middle of a quiet residential neighborhood, sits this former general store turned quaint country restaurant. The ceilings are high making for a very airy feel. The vibe is of a country dining room with high shelves that display art work, floral arrangements, plate sets, vases, and dishes that are for sale, purchased by owner and chef Bev Gannon on her journeys. There’s a small bar, dessert display case and open-​view kitchen. The spacious porch is a nice place to perch before or after your meal, though there’s no outdoor dining, just benches.
MENU:
Salads, apps, fish, steak, lamb, desserts.
FOOD:
Caesar Salad — Whole baby romaine leaves and a slightly tangy dressing.
Lobster & Hearts of Palm Salad — Thinly sliced discs of palm topped with grape tomatoes, avocado, sprouts, chunks of lobster claw meat, sweet potato chips and finished with a sweet and slightly tart coconut dressing. A very nice salad.
Bev’s Famous Crab Pizza — I honestly can’t tell what the topping mixture is made of but it’s probably imitation crab finely minced with cream cheese? Whatever it is, it’s very good. It’s the size of a personal pan pizza, done on a boboli crust and served warm. Delicious.
Kalua Pork & Goat Cheese Wontuns — Deep fried wontuns stuffed with roasted pork and cheese. I like it plain but it comes with a mango bbq dipping sauce. Super delish.
Brie & Grape Quesadilla — Grapes and cheese? OMG it’s delish! Love the mixture of sweet & salty.
Calamari — Mix of tentacles & rings done in a light and tasty batter. Drizzled with a slightly sweet & creamy aioli.
Rock Shrimp Tempura — Small pieces of breaded shrimp and popcorn in a Chinese food-​style takeout box. Batter is crispy & tasty. Comes with 3 dipping sauces — miso, honey and sweet soy.
Sashimi Pizza — Edamame hummus, sprouts, won tun strips, purple cabbage, and sashimi ahi over a light crispy cracker, and drizzled with a soy-​sesame aioli and tobiko. Highly recommended.
Grilled Rack of Lamb — The black bean hunan sauce is super delish. I opted for plain mashed potatoes instead of the wasabi mashed. The lamb was cooked nicely and had no gamey taste. Veggie was steamed asparagus. Highly recommended.
Ribeye — The steak was cooked perfect to order and was seasoned just right. There’s a side of truffle rigatoni & cheese side but I opted for no truffle as it’s my kryptonite.
Fish Special — They do an excellent fish here. If you’re offered the furikake crusted fish, GET IT! If it’s not available, ask.
Flank Steak — It comes pre-​sliced over a pool of a soy-​oyster sauce, steamed green beans, and a cup of rigatoni bacon & cheese. Good but spend the extra $ 10 and get the ribeye.
SERVICE:
For the most part everyone is great. We had only one bad experience with a male server on Mother’s Day brunch back in 2009. You could tell he wasn’t happy on that day as he had no smile, made no friendly conversation and just was disengaged from us. Reservations are recommended as they get busy at times.
OVERALL:
Great food in a quaint country atmosphere. Prices are high like a resort but definitely worth it.

Okay Mama’s…yea better step it up! These guys are catching up!!!
Always a great meal plus service etc. can’t go wrong!!!

Another great recommendation from KimiK. Right before our trip to Hawaii we had drinks with KimiK and asked for a few of her favorite spots. We told her we were going to Haleakala for a day and she suggested the General Store… Not disappointed.
This elevated building seems like a well preserved historic large structure, so clean and beautiful inside. We were lucky enough to be their for their perfect ceiling high Christmas tree.
The staff was great– promptly seated at the lunch rush, and our waiter really took his time to answer all our menu questions. I would say he’s been there for quite awhile– he new all the ingredients and how every dish was prepared. We gave the fish tacos made with mahi mahi a try. The fish was so fresh and melted like butter. The balance of fish, slaw and salsa was prefect. The waiter’s description of the Kahluha Pig Enchiladas was also spot on, layers of corn tortilla, shredded pig and mole sauce. The hubby almost licked the plate clean.
Island prices are a little high, this lunch with lemonade and tip was just under $ 50.
Would like to return and try more of the menu.

How we ended up here was a bit of a miracle. We were not looking for Haliimaile! After mooing at the cows, we took a bit of a detour and found ourselves here. We were famished and cold and the slight rain made this place so welcoming. Fortunately there was parking and we were seated quickly, by the door nonetheless, but we were seated.
Service was attentive and quick. They filled our water glasses constantly. We were thirsty! We ordered drinks as well. Hello, vacation! Our server went over the specials which sounded really yummy, but we opted for the enchilada pie and the lamb french dip. They were both so delicious! Not salty, which is what my doctor wants for me. And the portions are a good size, too. Definite plus! Good taste and good portion are important to me.
I would like to come here again, but next time for dinner. Prices are a little bit higher here, but understandable for being in Upcountry. I don’t know if I can justify wearing cocktail attire, so resort wear is appropriate here, especially since it is rustic. There was a friendly cat out front, who likes attention. I can’t wait to come back.