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MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort Reviews List
MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Chef Mark Ellman of Avalon fame and Chef/Owner of Maui Tacos, who also owns the orginal Mala Ocean Tavern in Lahaina, has joined forces with his long time partner Shep Gordon and opened a Southside outpost of Mala. Aptly called Mala Wailea at the Wailea Beach Marriott Resort and Spa Overlooking the Pacific Ocean and the Island of Lanai.
Our delightful restaurant offers stunning sunset vistas over the Pacific – every seat has an ocean view. Mark is pleased to continue the Mala tradition of making great food organic, healthy, fresh, and delicious. With an authentic menu of Mediterranean and Pacific Rim cuisine, our beautifully crafted dishes will please the palates of your most revered guests.
See more MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort details
48 Current Reviews
Summary of Diner Ratings & Reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Rating Breakdown 48 reviews
5 stars
(15)
4 stars
(12)
3 stars
(9)
2 stars
(9)
1 star
(3)
Food
(Very Good)
3.6
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.7
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
4.1
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
Filter Reviews By:
Diners classify this restaurant as:
- scenic view(33)
- great for outdoor dining(27)
- romantic(20)
- special occasion(17)
- fit for foodies(13)
- good for groups(11)
MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort Reviews List
Review 1 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great Restaurant!!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Great food. Great waitstaff. Great view."
Dined on 5/23/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, romantic, scenic view, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 2 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Very good!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"Nice meal. Service was fast at times and slow at times."
Dined on 5/17/2013
Special Features: vibrant bar scene, scenic view, kid-friendly
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Review 3 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
too bad about the waitress
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"my dining experience would have been top notch if not for the server who rushed us. When we asked her to slow down a bit, she informed us that we were her last table on her last day at work. She sais that although we might enjoy the sunset, she wasnt about to stay and turned us over to another server. From there it was lovely, however, the romantic mood had been squelched and there was no getting it back.
The restaurant shouldnt be held at fault , however, it is amazing how one bad attitude can spoil the work all the others had put in."
Dined on 5/15/2013
Special Features: romantic, scenic view
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Review 4 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
Waste of time, waste of money
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Ate here for dinner. Service was slow and infrequent. Other than taking our order and serving our food, we did not have further contact with our server. Completely ignored! If the food was excellent, then I would say that this place is worth a shot, but the food is horrible and overpriced. Even the dessert was bland. Go someplace else!"
Dined on 5/12/2013
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Review 5 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
food was aweful
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We have been eating at MALA for 5 years and its never been this bad. The ribs were re heated from the day before and were dry and tough. The fish was so bad we ate a few bites and just. Stopped. For. 130.00 you would expect high quality food. I would not recomend this location to to anyone. If you want to eat at MALA drive to the other loacation"
Dined on 5/10/2013
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Review 6 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
What a view!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"We really enjoyed this restaurant. The waiter was informative and attentive. The dish he recommended was was really tasty. The location and view are unbeatable. How could one go wrong eating in Wailea?"
Dined on 5/08/2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, great for brunch, romantic, scenic view, special occasion
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Review 7 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This was our first time and would definitely go back again."
Dined on 4/29/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, kid-friendly, scenic view, neighborhood gem
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Review 8 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Menu Variety, Great View
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Just came back from vaca in Wailea; this was a great option - not as super-high-priced as the super high end hotel restaurants AND more menu options - the view is lovely, the feeling is less intense and a bit more low-key- - everything was delicious, you can get can get formal trendy appetizers and entrees as well as a great kobe burger or pizza. Wonderful drinks. Not as pricey as the super high-end restaurants in this area (we ate at many of them) and pricing is much better. Nice to be able to get something a bit more casual instead of just the formal appetizer entree offerings. They have both. Would highly recommend."
Dined on 4/29/2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, scenic view, neighborhood gem, special occasion
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Review 9 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Best Burger on Maui!!
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Although this restaurant serves delicious menu items like fresh island fish, my husband and I go thete because thry serve the best Kobe
Burger on the island. The restaurant is quiet so you aren't overwhelmed with noise.
There is inside as well as patio seating where you can enjoy an ocean view.
All menu items have great presentation and are always delicious."
Burger on the island. The restaurant is quiet so you aren't overwhelmed with noise.
There is inside as well as patio seating where you can enjoy an ocean view.
All menu items have great presentation and are always delicious."
Dined on 4/30/2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, romantic, scenic view, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, special occasion
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Review 10 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
You're paying for the view
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"My husband & I ate here for brunch 4/21/13 and had already made a reservation for dinner the same night. The prices were high for what it was. The brunch buffet was around $28/pp and it was underwhelming. I have had better buffets in Vegas for $7. The view was nice so that made up a bit. I'm pretty sure we paid for the view mostly.
Dinner was ok. The jalapeno potato soup was a bit watery but still pretty tasty. My herb encrusted fish tasted bland and I found myself adding a lot of salt. My husband had Ahi and he enjoyed it.
This place wasn't terrible but we enjoyed some of the other places around a lot more (Sarento's, Longhi's, Monkeypod Kitchen). Was at the bottom of our list of eats for the week."
Dined on 04/21/2013
2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 11 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Chef Mark Ellman is an original
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Chef Mark Ellman is an original Pacific Rim Cuisine chef. Food quality, preparation are always excellent. Service was friendly and attentive. There is something for everyone from fresh fish lovers (there is nothing better than fresh fish from Hawaiian waters)to ribs to gado gado and a kobe burger. My all time favorite is the Avalon Seared Ahi--I have probably had it 20 times over the past 25 years and it is still awesome. It would be hard to find a better sashimi grade of ahi. View of sunset is worth having an early dinner. Enjoy!"
Dined on 04/25/2013
2007
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 12 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Far better options elsewhere
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Far better options elsewhere on this part of the island. The atmosphere, food and location were all second rate."
Dined on 04/23/2013
2010
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Review 13 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Does not feel like Hawaii
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Good)
3
/
5
Ambiance
(Fair)
2
/
5
"To get to Mala, you have to walk through the Marriot hotel. This is not the most romantic situation. You walk past Hertz car rental, booth etc. So, to get into the restaurant there are estetic problems. There should be floral displays or something to make the entrance nicer. I would not recommend Mala to my clients. Also, being a local ( Kama'aina) I think the servers should be local, or at least not talk with a Texas accent like our server. ( He was nice though) i did not feel like I was In Hawaii. I can see why the restaurant was half empty during peak season."
Dined on 04/18/2013
2013
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 14 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Beautiful evening sunset dining
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
"Beautiful evening sunset dining on an outside veranda. Food is good though not as great as price would suggest. Restaurant did not grant discounts (on two evenings) despite advising of coupons provided by the associated Marriott hotel except when challenged at hotel checkout"
Dined on 04/11/2013
2006
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, scenic view
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Review 15 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Avoid unless you are staying there
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Bad, crowded location. Server has a bad attitude and the food is overpriced for a hotel restaurant."
Dined on 04/14/2013
2013
Special Features: scenic view
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Review 16 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Poor)
1
/
5
View is amazing, food and
Food
(Poor)
1
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
"View is amazing, food and service is not. I had very bad and expensive cippino, wife and guests had Kobe beef burger. Burger was on a soggy bun and had very bad fries. Kids pizza was the best meal. Waiter hovered over us waiting to grab his tip, despite us having a half a bottle of wine left. I eat over Maui and will not return here despite it being the closest to our home."
Dined on 04/04/2013
2003
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Review 17 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Great setting at sunset overlooking
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Great setting at sunset overlooking the ocean. Food was disappointing for the price."
Dined on 03/31/2013
2011
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, scenic view
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Review 18 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Everything was done beautifully.
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"Everything was done beautifully. We all enjoyed ourselves and the food was delisous and filling. Also very accommodating to our larger group. Thanks for everything."
Dined on 03/20/2013
2013
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, late-night find, neighborhood gem, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 19 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
The parking was a bit of a
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Energetic
"The parking was a bit of a challenge, especially in the evening because the parking garage is so dark! BUT the food & service was excellent; the wine list was excellent. Truly a great experience."
Dined on 03/23/2013
2006
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, scenic view
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Review 20 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great view, good food
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"My husband and I stayed at the Marriott and ate dinner at Mala on a Saturday evening and the place was noticeably not very busy which was surprising. We shared a meal of soup, salad, steak and dessert. Everything that came out was absolutely delicious. Pierre, our server, was superb. Highly recommended! The biggest surprise to us was the bread wasn't free of charge and came with pats of butter that had to be unwrapped which was not exactly what I would expect in fine dining. There are free chips and dip presented when you are seated but we did not like the flavor or chips. Regardless, I would still recommend Mala."
Dined on 03/10/2013
2009
Special Features: good for groups, great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, romantic, scenic view
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Review 21 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Very Good)
4
/
5
I was disappointed with the
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Good)
3
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"I was disappointed with the greeting as we waited for our table. Perfunctory at best.
The waiter was excellent. The food tasted good, but there were too many ingredients thrown together, and the texture in most of the dishes was mushy.
Perhaps we need to know what dishes to order. Will try it again."
The waiter was excellent. The food tasted good, but there were too many ingredients thrown together, and the texture in most of the dishes was mushy.
Perhaps we need to know what dishes to order. Will try it again."
Dined on 03/05/2013
2004
Special Features: good for groups
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Review 22 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Restaurant is too expensive
Food
(Good)
3
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Restaurant is too expensive for what it offers. The wine list is certainly too restrictive, too expensive, no wine of quality at reasonable prices. We paid $109 for a very good bottle - value was no more than $60-$75. Size of dinners is too large for a fine dining establishment. The food was ordinary only in terms of taste and presentation - not commensurate with price."
Dined on 03/02/2013
2011
Special Features: special occasion, scenic view
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Review 23 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
We thoroughly enjoyed our
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Quiet
"We thoroughly enjoyed our experience at Mala at the Marriott Wailea.We had a table on the terrace over looking the ocean and palm trees. There were four of us in our party and everyone's food was excellent. It's a bit pricey but I would highly recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for a special night out."
Dined on 02/22/2013
2012
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Review 24 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
What service?
Food
(Fair)
2
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"The service was terrible...it shouldn't take 2 hours when all you order is a hamburger. It would be at least 20 minutes before we'd see our waitress again."
Dined on 02/16/2013
2013
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, scenic view
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Review 25 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Good)
3
/
5
Service and ambience sorely lacking
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Poor)
1
/
5
Ambiance
(Poor)
1
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"After a fantastic experience at the Lahaina location in December, we were really looking forward to trying the new Marriott Mala. Big disappointment. Where the Lahaina restaurant is cozy, kitschy, and brimming with character, the Marriott restaurant is sprawling, featureless and feels like an outdated hotel lobby. After being seated, nobody spoke to us for more than 25 minutes. No exaggeration. We finally took the initiative and ordered drinks from a passing hostess, who then sent a server over. When we mentioned the wait, rather than take ownership of what happened, he brushed it off. Food was pretty good, but by that time we were done with Mala."
Dined on 02/14/2013
2013
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Review 26 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Fair)
2
/
5
Since we discovered Mala during
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Fair)
2
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
"Since we discovered Mala during our winter sojourn 4 years ago, we have returned every year and have been more than pleased. This last triip,however, was very disappointing. We had 7 PM reservations, and the lanai was full. We ordered right away, and the service was etremely slow. Our salads arrived, and while the beet salad was excellent, the caesar was over-dressed (asked for very lightly dressed), and without grated egg on top. By 8 PM, we were still waiting for our entrees. At that point, I noticed that no one on the lanai had any food! About 5 minutes later, our food finally arrived. Mahi and ribs were very good, but the miso opakapaka was burned and crusty on the bottom. Have had this before, and it was always excellent."
Dined on 02/10/2013
2010
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, neighborhood gem, notable wine list, romantic, scenic view
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Review 27 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Very good place to eat, ocean
Food
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"Very good place to eat, ocean view seating is outstanding. Service was great as was the food."
Dined on 02/07/2013
2013
Special Features: fit for foodies, great for outdoor dining
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Review 28 for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Overall rating
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Great honeymoon dining experience!
Food
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Service
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Ambiance
(Outstanding)
5
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate
"This was the first night in Maui for our honeymoon and we were treated so great - we weren't even staying at the Marriott! Our waiter, Kimo, was just a very nice guy and made our meal that much better. We were treated right away to a couple of complimentary glasses of champagne, and after the meal a complimentary dragon fruit sorbet, which was phenomenal! The ahi was obviously phenomenal as well! Thanks, Kimo!"
Dined on 01/12/2013
2010
Special Features: great for outdoor dining, romantic, special occasion, scenic view
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Ratings-Only Reviews for MALA - Wailea Beach Marriott Resort
Based on the average of (20) ratings-only reviews
Overall
(Very Good)
3.7
/
5
Food
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Service
(Very Good)
3.8
/
5
Ambiance
(Very Good)
4
/
5
Noise Level
Moderate