“The Best Maui Nightlife” will take you bar-hopping for mai-tai’s and microbrews in the fun and funky bars of the Kihei Kalama Village!
Kihei Kalama Village is THE best spot for Maui nightlife.
As a longtime resident of Kihei, I can state this with certainty. Folks looking for the best Maui nightlife drive in to Kihei from Kahului, Wailuku, and Wailea on Friday and Saturday nights to enjoy it. The action is centered around the Kihei Kalama Village, which is more commonly known as the “Barmuda Triangle” or to locals just “The Triangle.” This place has eight bars that are all just a short walk apart, with plenty of parking available onsite. The crowd will be a mix of locals and tourists depending on the bar and the time of night.
When to go?
From 4pm til around 10pm, the bars and restaurants are full of tourists fresh off their whale watching tours. Every night, but especially Friday and Saturday nights, a huge wave of locals take over from 10pm til closing time at 130am. The area is safe, with many bouncers and private security guards onsite. You can easily hop from bar to bar to bar, until you find just the right spot. Which bar is best? That’s really up to you. Each offers something a little different. Just take a walk and check ’em all out! All the bars listed below are at 1913 South Kihei Road.
Which bar has the best Maui nightlife for your style?
What Ales You is a craft beer bar with over a dozen really excellent beers on tap. It is unquestionably the best place for microbrews. Closes “early” at 10pm, so this is the place to start your night with some great IPA’s or saisons or stouts, before downgrading to Bud Lite somewhere else. They have a cold air-conditioned bar section, and also a hip open air section with couches. Tues-Sun 11:00AM – 10:00PM; Mon 3:00PM – 10:00PM
Three’s Bar and Grill This restaurant/bar has the best food in the Triangle. It has become VERY popular and the wait list to get a seat can be long. I really love the food here, and I’m sad that their secret is out, so I can rarely get a seat here anymore. Also closes “early” at 10pm, so eat here, then party elsewhere. Mon-Fri 8:30AM – 10:00PM; Sat-Sun 8:00AM – 10:00PM; They also have the best happy hour (3-6PM & 9-10PM) for food in Kihei with their delicious appetizers half off, and $4 14oz / $6.50 20oz microbrew draft beers, $3.75 for well drinks, house margarita, or house mai tai.
Dog and Duck Irish Pub This cozy Irish bar has multiple TVs tuned to ESPN, with a full menu and bar. It has great drink specials. 16oz Bud Lite draft is always $3. Service is fast and friendly. This bar feels like home to me. Always my first stop for some rocking Kihei Kalama Village nightlife. Thursday night at 7pm is their very popular Trivia Night. If you go, my team is gonna beat you. Mon-Fri 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Sat-Sun 8:00AM – 2:00AM; Happy Hour 3-7PM
South Shore Tiki Lounge This tiki-themed restaurant/bar has the best pizza in Kihei, and a live guitar/singer every day 4-6pm. Their small open air dance floor gets packed around midnight on weekends, with local DJs spinning top 40 club jams. Probably the hottest party spot late night on weekends. Everyday 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Happy Hour 11AM-6PM has $3 Primo draft, and $4 for Pacifico drafts, Sauza Margaraitas, premium well drinks, and Bloody Marys.
Haui’s Life’s a Beach Locally known as the LAB. Has a nice patio right in South Kihei Road where you can watch the world go by. Lots of big TV’s tuned to sports, a Golden Tee golf game, and a pool table. They have a super-cheap happy hour, and lots of LOUD live music. Amongst all the Kihei Kalama Village nightlife, LAB is THE place for karaoke. The place fills up on Thursday nights after 10pm with wanna-be rock stars. Hosts a budget-conscious local crowd. Everyday 11:00AM – 2:00AM; Open early for NFL games.
Lava Rock Bar and Grill is a huge open air bar/restaurant on the second floor at the back of the Triangle. The only bar with ocean views. Biggest dance floor in the Triangle, and two pool tables. Sixteen 55″ TV’s showing sports. 16 beers on tap. Everyday 8:00AM – 1:30AM; Happy Hour 3-6PM AND 9-11pm has $3 beer specials, $4 drafts.
Kahale’s “Maui’s Local Dive Bar” is sort of a biker bar, but not in an unfriendly way. Hosts an older, local crowd age 30-60. Most tourists give Kahale’s a pass, but it’s worth a stop. Serves inexpensive microwavable bar food. Lots of live music playing 70s and 80s covers. Everyday 10:00AM – 2:00AM
VIBE Bar and Nightclub is a dark bar with a tiny dance floor and comfy couches. Hosts a mixture of young LGBT and straight clientele. This is a great place to get some dancing in, or just enjoy some cold air conditioning and comfy seating. Friendly service and just an all-around positive “vibe” in here. Open everyday 7:00PM – 1:30AM “Power Hour” from 7pm to 8pm on Sunday thru Thursday has 50% off all drinks.
More awesome nightlife spots NOT in the Triangle:
Sansei – Sansei Seafood Restaurant & Sushi Bar is the king of sushi in Kihei, but it is also is a bit of a nightlife spot. They have a late-night happy hour from 10pm til closing that offers 50% off sushi. And they have karaoke on Saturdays. Folks that have worked up an appetite across the parking lot at “The Triangle” will pop over to Sansei for some sake bombs, kick-ass sushi, and a turn on the microphone. Open 5:30pm to 10pm nightly. On Thursday-Friday-Saturday nights they stay open til 1am-ish.
Maui Brewing Company – This place probably needs no introduction. What started out as a small craft brewery with a good restaurant over on the West Side, has grown into The Behemoth of All Maui Beer. Its Kihei tasting room opens at 11am, gets packed with tourists at sunset, and closes early at 10pm. The beers are great, but you won’t find many deals here, with Wailea prices starting at $6.75 a pint. Happy hour from 3-6pm drops the price to $5.75. You won’t find many locals here.
Diamonds – This place feels like your friendly neighborhood bar. Located in the Azeka Plaza, it’s the northernmost nightlife spot in Kihei. Under the same ownership as the Dog and Duck, they have good beer specials, great DJs and live bands, and just a mellow place to hang out. They do a roaring business once a month for Kihei Fourth Friday.
Freds/Moose McGillicuddy’s – These two bar/restaurants are literally on top of each other, Fred’s on the ground floor, and Moose’s on the second floor. Both are under the same ownership, and both have good food, and a great view of Kamaole II Beach. Both have lots of TVs for watching the big game. Just the other day I had the best margarita in Kihei from Freds, and some nachos, and then walked across the street to swim at Kam II and take in the sunset.
The Best Maui Nightlife Spots OUTSIDE of Kihei:
If you’ve chosen to stay on the west side in Lahaina or Kaanapali, there are still a couple of good options for Maui nightlife. Most locals from the west side are making road trips to Kihei when they really want to party. But, a huge number of Maui hotels and condos are located over in Kaanapali, and there are a couple of fun places worth checking out.
The Old Lahaina Luau – This is the best Luau on Maui for real Hawaiian cultural performances AND great food. Come here first, and then head a mile south to downtown Front Street.
The Dirty Monkey – The only really hopping bar in Lahaina, it packs in the tourists and gets a reliable contingent of locals, especially young folks getting off work in the restaurant/hotel industry. They have DJ’s, a dance floor, and a view of Front Street.
What is your favorite Maui Nightlife location? Let us know in the comments!
Want to learn more about Maui and the surrounding islands? Check out Things to Do in Kihei, Things to do in Lanai, or Things to Do in Molokai.
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