Maui is known for many things, and unfortunately one of them is expensive restaurants. When you’re surrounded by oceanfront restaurants charging $65 for a mahi mahi entree, it starts to feel like the only way to eat well on this island is to blow your budget at dinner every single night. 

Until you find Paia Fish Market.

Paia Fish Market has been an institution on Maui’s north shore since 1989, back when Paia was still a sleepy little town and long before it became the cool, boutique-lined destination it is today. The setup is completely unpretentious… counter service, big communal bench tables, fish decor on the walls, and a line out the door that tells you everything you need to know before you even look at the menu. This is a place that has been quietly delivering some of the best fresh fish on Maui for decades and charging a fraction of what the fancy restaurants ask for it.

Who This Is Perfect For…

Paia Fish Market is a lunch and dinner spot and it’s genuinely one of the best budget-friendly meals on the island. If you’re doing a north shore day… stopping at Ho’okipa, wandering around Paia Town, maybe heading to Twin Falls… this is your lunch. It’s perfectly located right in the heart of Paia and it fits right into a north shore morning or afternoon.

It’s also great for anyone who’s been spending all week at nice resort restaurants and just wants something fresh and casual without feeling like they’re paying extra for the ocean view. There is also a location in Kihei if you’re based in South Maui and don’t want to make the drive up the coast, though the original Paia location has the best energy by a mile.

Fair warning: the lines at peak lunch time can get long. Try arriving a little before the lunch rush or after. It’s worth the wait either way.

Extra Details

The fish tacos are what most people order and they are deservedly famous… fresh fish, corn tortillas, house-made salsa, good coleslaw on the side. But my personal favorite is the grilled mahi mahi plate, which comes with coleslaw and your choice of cajun rice, home potatoes, or fries. 

The fish is prepared either grilled charbroiled, or Cajun. Most plates run somewhere in the $18 to $25 range, which by Maui standards is a genuinely good deal for the quality of fish you’re getting.

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