Ulu Kitchen by Merriman

“Had an outstanding experience at ʻUlu Kitchen by Merriman starting my wife’s birthday celebration off with an amazing breakfast. The setting is absolutely beautiful! Located right on the water with a relaxed, upscale atmosphere that really captures the Maui vibe. We even got a little dolphin show right there not far off the beaches! The food was exceptionally fresh, locally sourced, and full of flavor. Every dish felt thoughtfully prepared and well executed. What truly stood out, though, was our server, Miguel. He was attentive, knowledgeable, and genuinely made us feel taken care of from start to finish. His recommendations were spot on, and he brought a great energy and vibe to the experience. Overall, an unforgettable meal and easily one of the highlights of our trip. Highly recommend.”

“I highly recommend booking a reservation for breakfast at Ulu Kitchen if you are staying in the Kanapali area. It was so good the first time, that we went back a second time! The food was fresh and delicious. The service was excellent. The atmosphere is wonderful. Sipping fresh pineapple juice and enjoying a tasty breakfast dish with an outdoor ocean view is a fantastic way to start a vacation day! I highly recommend the avocado toast, eggs Benedict, flapjacks with hot rum sauce, and the smashed potatoes. The freshly squeezed fruit juices are a nice touch, but at $9.00, I didn’t splurge for a second glass, and I savoured every sip!”

“Great service, entrees and more. Perfect setting for sunset. The focassia bread is a tasty starter. The Poke Bowl was perfect and the special was great. We loved it so much, we went back and tried the appetizers. They were great as well.”

“We ate breakfast at Ulu Kitchen all six mornings of our stay since we had a resort credit. The location is unbeatable, right on the walking path next to the beach with great views. Overall, the service was good and the morning happy hour made the drinks very reasonably priced. The food quality varied slightly (between 3.5 and 4.5 stars). While 'The Cure' breakfast pho was usually awesome, one morning it arrived very salty and was missing the buttery mushrooms. Without the resort credit, the prices felt a bit high for what you get. One minor frustration: the room charge system failed several times, meaning we had to save our receipts and settle up at the front desk. I'm not sure which sides fault that was but despite the technical glitch, it’s a solid spot for a scenic breakfast.”

“If you enjoy paying resort prices while birds stare at your food like they helped pay for it, Ulu Kitchen by Merriman might be your place. The best advice I can give is to go during happy hour. The food is good, but the regular menu prices are hard to justify. I ordered the surf and turf entrée for $80 and by the time our family of four finished dinner the bill was around $230. To make matters worse, we were charged for kids’ drink refills, which felt a little ridiculous considering the overall cost of the meal. The food itself was good. No complaints there. The ingredients were fresh and everything was prepared well. The problem is that the prices felt far beyond what the meal delivered. It was one of those experiences where every time the server walked over, I was worried another charge might appear. The restaurant offers outdoor seating, which sounds great in theory. In reality, we spent part of dinner keeping an eye on birds and bugs that seemed just as interested in our meal as we were. Service was fine and the setting on the Westin property is beautiful, but there is no getting around the fact that this place heavily leans into resort pricing. Overall, Ulu Kitchen serves good food in a beautiful location, but the tourist surcharge is alive and well here. Happy hour is the move. Otherwise, bring a healthy vacation budget and maybe a little extra for the birds. I would not return.”