5 Best Nightlife in Lahaina, Maui

This place redefines the luau by crossing it with Islands-style fine dining in an intimate beach setting. Each course of this succulent sit-down meal represents the Pacific Island cultures—Hawaiian, Samoan, Maori, Tahitian—featured onstage. Wine, spirits, and cocktail options are copious and go beyond the usual tropical concoctions. Lahaina's gorgeous sunset serves as the backdrop to the show, which forgoes gimmicks and pageantry for an authentic expression of Polynesian chants and dances. Lele, by the way, is the traditional name for Lahaina.

Considered the best luau on Maui, it's certainly the most traditional. Sitting either at a table or on a lauhala (mat made of leaves), you can dine on Hawaiian cuisine such as pork laulau (wrapped with taro sprouts in ti leaves), ahi poke (raw yellowfin tuna salad), lomi lomi salmon (traditional Hawaiian diced side dish), and haupia (coconut pudding). At sunset, the historical journey touches on the arrival of the Polynesians, the influence of missionaries and, later, the advent of tourism. Talented performers will charm you with beautiful music, powerful chanting, and a variety of hula styles, from kahiko, the ancient way of communicating with the gods, to auana, the modern hula. You won't see fire dancers here, as they aren't considered traditional. This luau sells out regularly, so make reservations before your trip to Maui.

You could easily miss this casual 1950s-style diner while strolling through Lahaina. Tucked in the second floor of the Wharf Cinema Center, its semi-outdoor area plays host to rockin' local music Thursday through Sunday nights. The entertainment lineup covers reggae, light rock, contemporary Hawaiian, and traditional island rhythms. It doesn't hurt that the kitchen dishes out specialty burgers, fish that's fresh from the harbor, and delicious house-made sauces from the owner's family recipes.

This lively spot in the middle of Front Street is great for food, drinks, and sports by day, and a variety of activities at night. Happy hour runs from 2--5 pm and the bar stays open until 1 am, which is considered pretty late for Maui. A rotating calendar of nightly activities includes live band karaoke, open dance floor, live music, silent discos, and trivia nights on Sundays.

A casual sports-bar crowd gravitates here for pau hana (after-work get-together) and a game of pool. The bottle shop offers more than 30 beers and there are at least six on tap. There's no cover, the many televisions throughout the bar play all the sports packages, and the drinks are strong and afforable.