Makawao Public House - Makawao, Hawaii

Rebecca P.

Gluten free diners’ PARADISE!!!! So many of the items on the menu are or can be made gluten free — including a gluten free bun on the delicious smash burger. So much thought, love, and care has been put into this wonderful restaurant — you can tell from the warm and good-hearted folks that work here, the locally sourced farm-to-table ingredients, the whole thoughtfully and creatively curated menu… and everything was SO SO DELICIOUS. The pickles were perfection, the french fries were some of the best I’ve ever had in my life. And the ambiance was so relaxed, with the view of the beautiful tropical courtyard in the back. This place is special, no doubt. I can’t wait to return 🥰

David K.

Great little restaurant in Makawao. I army dinner right when they opened. Our server was great. Very attentive and friendly. We ordered several happy hour dishes and entrees. Started with buffalo wings, had the smash burger with truffle fries, wedge salad, truffle Mac and cheese, Kanaka stew and Fish and chips. Only disappointing thing was their malt vinegar too was missing and I didn’t notice it until I poured a ton of it on my fish 👎🏼. I would recommend a Hispanic you are in the area though.

Hannah E.

Love it here! The dirty blue whale (dirty martini) and burger are fabulous. Feels like an upscale tavern while still having a nice casual atmosphere. Make sure you ask if they have the clams!

Alexander C.

Local bar with a groovy vibe. You wouldn't expect the food to be great in a bar setting, but it was great. A local watering hole where locals mingle with the occasional tourist.
We had the chicken wings, spicy and plain, delish. Followed up by a fish and chips with a super light and crunchy batter. Next time, i'm going for the burger!

Gloria M.

Coming from out of town, TX, we stumbled upon this place that was open in the evening around the area! And the serving was outstanding !!!!!! All of the servers were very kind and attentive, recommend options and just made us feel very welcomed and at home! Food was really good! Will definitely be back in the future!

Nicole C.

My son and I saw your IG post for Christmas Eve Prime Rib Family Dinner and we quickly made a reservation.
As we walked in we instantly became comfortable, the decor has a coziness to it, yet it's all fresh,clean and new. I loved the chandeliers; the green couches look inviting if we had a wait. Everyone and everything was wonderful. We both had your No Buzz Mocktails; they were delicious! The meal was perfect, the Cesar salad!! May I have a plate of your house made garlic croutons. Our Service was excellent and incredibly friendly, everyone was working harmoniously.
We have started a new tradition in our family with yours. We most definitely look forward to many more great experiences.

Order The Dessert

parikhsa77

Dinner was great tonight. We had an early reservation. 4 adults and a toddler. Started with cocktails, on point. 2 steak plates; 2 fish and chips and one fresh catch. My wife who is a very picky seafood eater said the fresh catch was as good as anything at Mama’s. High praise. Father in law and I both got the rib eye plates perfect cook super tender. Would get again. Mother in law and toddler got the fish and chips. They both loved it. Crispy fries and yummy battered fish. All around awesome dinner. Thanks MPH

Maui W. T.

99% of the time when a Maui restaurant closes, the space will sit empty. Thankfully, this is the 1%. Opened in late 2023, Makawao Public House has taken over the sadly defunct Makawao Steak House.

ATMOSPHERE:
I can’t specifically say what renovations were done aside from the removal of the carpet, but it’s now a lively and loud environment. The bar, while always occupied, got more crowded as it got closer to closing time.

We got seated on a four topper near the front of the place. My seat had food and oil on it, forcing me to head to the restroom to fetch wet paper towels to perform housekeeping duties.

RESERVATIONS:
Definitely recommended.

PARKING:
Good luck with finding street parking.

MENU:
Intimate selection of local, American and British fare. Well-rounded alcohol offerings.

BEVERAGE:
Coconut Girl - $15.00
Smooth but oddly flat, vodka-based recipe of sweet, savory and citrusy flavors. Alcohol volume was very low. In need of a kick!

Resting Spritz Face
Unfortunately not available.

Public House Daiquiri - $15.00
I have to remember that there are traditional daiquiris and frozen ones. This is the former. Strong, tart and sweet.

FOOD:
Chowder - $12.00
The seasonal bowl was New England, my favorite. Beautiful homemade flavor with the addition of fish meat. Excellent!

Pupu Steak - $23.00
The sliced New York strip was simply seasoned which brought out its wondrous, natural flavor. I tried it plain and with the “Asian crack sauce”, reminiscent of a chimichurri, and the latter was definitely the winner. Highly recommended.

Chopped Wedge - $15.00
Visually colorful and appealing, this was a great presentation as every piece of lettuce was coated in ranch dressing.

Kanaka Stew - $24.00
I was torn between this and the ramen. Both sounded good especially with the crisp outside air. The venison was tender and not gamey, with dissimilar veggies of uala (sweet potato), ulu (breadfruit), kalo (taro) and carrots. I opted for mashed potatoes over rice. Enjoyable but it simply needed more salt and acidity.

DESSERT:
Mud Pie
I’d prefer the absence of caramel as that made it too sweet. Also, the coffee ice cream could’ve been more frozen. It wasn’t melting but soft ice cream is just not texturally appealing.

Cheesecake
I believe the monthly flavor was caramel to my dismay, which made it also overly sweet. Density-wise, it was almost as airy as my benchmark at Cheesecake Factory.

SERVICE:
Female server was friendly but once food & beverages were dropped off by runners, there was no follow up. She eventually came around to ask for beverage refills, but it wasn’t attentive at all.

TIP:
No coffee or tea is currently available.

OVERALL:
I’m positive they’ll work out the kinks. A definite return. Bangers & mash next?