Mama's Fish House (Hawaii, US)

Our last eating stop in Maui was Mama's Fish House in Paia. We drove nearly an hour to get there and it was well worth it.

The restaurant is on the Hana Highway and it's very hard to miss (during the day). It's quite large and they have plenty of seating. The parking is all valet only (free) because they get so busy that they have to cram lots of cars into their parking lot. The restaurant itself is about 75 feet from the ocean so the views are decent during the day. At night, the sea breeze is very refreshing and the mood and atmosphere of the dining room is quite romantic.

Service at Mama's is quite good as the servers are all very polite and helpful. It's a very busy restaurant so we made reservations. However, be aware that they will call you to confirm your reservation. So make sure you can be contacted or give them a call the day before to confirm your reservations.

Fruit Smoothies and Ginger Tomato Bisque

We ordered 3 fruit smoothies around the table along with an appetizer and 2 entrees.

The Fruit Smoothies were all very good. They were thick and frosty, but the ice and juices never separated and maintained their consistency throughout our dinner. After the drinks were served, we were given some Hawaiian sweet bread and a whipped butter with what I can only assume was ground red bell pepper for colour and a hint of pepper taste.

Opakapaka Ceviche

The server also brought a Ginger Tomato Bisque, compliments of the chef. It was served hot and had lots of flavour.

Mahimahi Stuffed with Lobster and Crab

Opakapaka Ceviche – Tahitian lime, chili pepper, kaffir lime leaf, cilantro and mango. Our appetizer was a great way to start our meal. It came with three types of chips and was very refreshing. The ceviche was cold and the sauce wasn't too sour. We tried to eat the young coconut that it was served in, but it was rather difficult so we gave up after a few pieces.

Ahi Seared in a Hana Ginger-Panko Crust

Mahimahi stuffed with lobster and crab, baked in a macadamia nut crust. I ordered this the last time I was at Mama's and it was just as good as I remembered it. The mahimahi was very soft and tender, and there was a good portion of crab and lobster stuffed inside.

Ahi seared in a Hana ginger-panko crust with Kalua Pig fried rice. The ginger-panko crust had subtle ginger taste to it which blended very well with the ahi tuna. I gave H most of the kalua pig fried rice and she loved it. It was very flavorful and the pork was excellent.

Kuau Chocolate Pie

Since the 4 of us shared 2 entrees, we had room for dessert so we ordered the Kuau Chocolate Pie Baked in a caramel cookie crust. The chocolate part of it was very smooth and rich, but it didn't really stick out as being unique or different from what you can get at a bakery. The caramel cookie crust was the central attraction. There was a thick layer of caramel between the chocolate and the crust. The only problem was that the chocolate separated from the caramel so we had a tough time keeping the top and bottom of the pie together. Altogether though it was quite delicious and a nice way to wrap up our dinner.

Overall, I recommend anyone who visits Maui to try out Mama's Fish House. If you do the drive to Hana during the day, Mama's is a great place to stop by for dinner on your way back to wherever you're staying on the island. Remember to make reservations though.

Summary
Food: Exceptional. All their dishes are very well made and delicious.

Service: Very good. The servers are very polite and helpful. Service is top notch.

Setting: Very good. Free valet parking, romantic atmosphere, and spacious dining room.

Value: Good. The prices are steep, but you're paying for all of the above, so it's somewhat justified.