Mala Ocean Tavern

Review summary

1. K

   Kim

   Houston

   2 reviews

   5.0

   2 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Great spot on the water with a relaxed vibe. The food is simply delicious! From the tuna to the calamari - excellent. Drinks were creative and spot on too. Highly recommend.
   

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2. k

   ken

   Hawaii

   16 reviews

   2.0

   16 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 2
   2. Food 2
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 4

   We have eaten at Mala numerous times over the past years, and always had excellent meals. But the dinner we had today was below standard. My pan fried mahi mahi ($39) was thin and over cooked. My wife had the ribeye steak ($52) which was chewy.
   

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3. M

   Mary Jo

   New Orleans

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Everything was excellent the food and Carlos our waiter was on point.
   

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4. D

   Debbie

   Seattle

   4 reviews

   3.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 3
   2. Food 3
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 5

   They appeared to be short staffed. We had to wait 15-20 minutes for our table even with a reservation. It took awhile for our server to check in with us. Once he did(Carlos) he was very attentive
   

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5. W

   Wendy

   VIP

   San Francisco

   8 reviews

   1.0

   8 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 1
   2. Food 1
   3. Service 4
   4. Ambience 3

   We have been loyal diners at Mala since it first opened, visiting more than 40 times over the years. While we’ve seen changes along the way, this visit was by far the most disappointing. As always, the wait staff was friendly, which was a small silver lining. We made a reservation well in advance for my birthday, specifically requesting an outdoor table as we usually do. Upon arriving on time, the hostess informed us they were running about 15 minutes behind—generally not an issue. However, we ended up waiting 30 minutes. She assured us an outdoor table would be available soon, as a party was finishing up. Then, another group arrived more than 15 minutes past their own reservation time—well beyond the usual grace period—and was told the same thing. To our surprise, when we were finally seated, it was inside, while that late-arriving party was given the outdoor table we had been promised. We placed our order without issue, sticking to our usual ribeye, medium-rare. Unfortunately, the steak was tough, overcooked, and poorly presented—mostly broccolini stalks and a few small roasted potatoes—for $52. While we expected the price for a ribeye, we didn’t expect such a lackluster dish, given Malia’s past reputation for good eats. This has always been one of our go to places during our yearly visit to Maui. Sadly, this experience was enough to make us decide that this will be our last visit to Mala.
   

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6. D

   Don

   Hawaii

   22 reviews

   4.0

   22 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 4
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 4

   We arrived at 3:05 for 3:30 reservations. We were told we would be seated closer to our reservation time. There were plenty of empty tables to seat us. We asked to sit at the bar until our table was ready, so we did. Still lots of empty tables. At 3:30 we were seated inside instead of several empty tables by the ocean. We did not understand there thinking. The service and food was very good. We were there a few days before and was seated when we arrived early and by the ocean. Not sure we will return.
   

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7. W

   William

   VIP

   Hawaii

   4 reviews

   5.0

   4 reviews

   Dined 1 day ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Everything was 5-Star. The food was delicious, ambiance was perfect, and the staff was friendly as well as efficient. Mala Tavern is a must stop for Maui.
   

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8. j

   joanie

   Greensboro

   1 review

   5.0

   1 review

   Dined 2 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   Excellent food, service and atmosphere. First time back since Covid and still as wonderful as ever. We will be back!!
   

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9. C

   Carol

   VIP

   Los Angeles

   21 reviews

   5.0

   21 reviews

   Dined 3 days ago

   1. Overall 5
   2. Food 5
   3. Service 5
   4. Ambience 5

   The view, the food and the service were all outstanding!
   

   Mala Ocean TavernResponded 2 days ago

   Mahalo nui loa for the five star review! We are so glad that you dined with us at Māla and we hope that you join us again soon. Aloha!
   

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10. J

    Jane

    Las Vegas

    1 review

    2.0

    1 review

    Dined 3 days ago

    1. Overall 2
    2. Food 3
    3. Service 3
    4. Ambience 3

    Besides the credit card for a reservation the restaurant charges a 4% kitchen service charge which is not told in advance. When question I was told the kitchen service charge was to pay the staff Will not be going there again
    

    Mala Ocean TavernResponded 2 days ago

    Thank you for your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that the kitchen service charge caught you off guard. The 4% charge helps support our hardworking kitchen team, and this practice is becoming more common at many restaurants in Hawaii. However, we understand that transparency is important, and it's listed at the bottom of our menus. We want to ensure every guest feels comfortable with their dining experience. Please know that this charge can be removed upon request. We appreciate your thoughts and hope you’ll reconsider visiting us again in the future. Mahalo!
    

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