A true Maui landmark, Mama’s Fish House has been serving seafood in this same location since 1973. Their menu is so local that it’s updated daily with the name of the fisherman, the location where the fish was caught, and what it likes to do on the weekends (OK, maybe not that last one). This place is located steps from the sand at Kuau Cove, so it’s about as beachfront as it gets. And despite the bamboo walls and thatched roof, Mama’s Fish House is a pretty upscale and intimate place.

Open since 1973, Mama’s isn’t new or hip (or cheap), but it remains the island’s definitive restaurant experience, a necessary pilgrimage for visitors and a special-occasion splurge for locals. The ahi with caramelized Maui onions may cost $60, but you’ll also get thoughtful service with aloha spirit, a story about the provenance of each catch down to the fisherman’s name, and a cute beach out back where you can collapse on your towel after brunch and sleep off your Mai Tai.