Kihei Area Guide
Best Maui Beach Bars: Oceanfront Drinks & Barefoot Vibes
Salt air mingles with charred pineapple and rum as the bartender slides a frosty mai tai across the weathered koa wood bar. Behind you, tiki torches flicker to life along the sand. The sun — that impossibly huge Maui sun — is halfway into the Pacific, painting the sky in shades of mango and hibiscus. Someone with an ukulele starts a slow Hawaiian tune. You kick off your slippers, sink your toes into the still-warm sand, and realize this is exactly why you came to Maui.
Beach bars are a Maui institution, and the island offers everything from barefoot tiki shacks to polished oceanfront lounges with craft cocktail programs. Whether you’re looking for a laid-back afternoon beer steps from the shore or a curated sunset cocktail experience with live music and ocean views, South Maui’s bar scene delivers. This guide covers the best beach bars and oceanfront drinking spots across the island — with a heavy lean toward South Maui, where the best sunset views and most walkable bar-hopping routes live.
South Maui’s beachfront bars turn every evening into an event.
Best Beach Bars in Kihei
Three’s Bar & Grill — The Local’s Go-To
Three’s sits right on the Kihei strip with an open-air bar that catches the cross-breeze and serves some of South Maui’s most inventive cocktails. Their Hawaiian-Asian-Southwest fusion menu works surprisingly well with tropical drinks — try the lilikoi margarita alongside their famous Ahi Won Ton Tacos. Live music several nights a week keeps the energy up without overwhelming conversation.
South Shore Tiki Lounge — Dive Bar Energy, Great Drinks
This is Kihei’s beloved tiki bar — the kind of place where flip-flops are formal wear and the bartenders know everyone by name. The cocktails are surprisingly strong and well-made for a spot with this much personality. Their tiki drinks are the real deal: rum-forward, properly balanced, and served in ceramic tiki mugs you’ll want to steal. Live music and DJs make this the spot that keeps going after the other bars quiet down.
For the full after-dark scene, check out our Maui nightlife and entertainment guide — South Shore Tiki Lounge is ground zero for Kihei’s late-night energy.
Nalu’s South Shore Grill — Casual Beach Bar Dining
Nalu’s oceanfront patio is one of the few spots in Kihei where you can sit within arm’s reach of the sand with a cocktail and a plate of fresh fish tacos. The vibe is pure beach town — surfers drying off, families winding down, and couples claiming the best sunset seats by 4:30. Their tropical cocktails are solid, and the draft beer selection leans local with Maui Brewing Co. on tap.
Local’s Tip: The Kihei bar crawl route is perfectly walkable: start at Nalu’s for sunset drinks, hit Three’s for dinner cocktails, then finish at South Shore Tiki Lounge. The whole strip runs about a half-mile along South Kihei Road — no car needed if you’re staying in a nearby vacation rental.
Best Oceanfront Bars in Wailea
Monkeypod Kitchen — Craft Cocktails & Happy Hour Legend
Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman at the Wailea Gateway Center has earned its reputation as one of Maui’s best happy hours, and the bar scene is the star. Their daily happy hour (3–5:30 PM) features $8 handcrafted cocktails, $6 draft beers, and half-price appetizers — some of the best value premium dining on Maui. The Monkeypod Mai Tai (with a liliko’i foam top) is essentially the island’s most Instagrammed cocktail, and it lives up to the hype.
If you’re timing your bar visits around deals, our complete Maui sunset happy hours guide maps out the best daily specials across South Maui.
The Lobby Lounge at Four Seasons Wailea
You don’t have to be a hotel guest to drink at the Four Seasons, and this is one of Maui’s most refined oceanfront bar experiences. The Lobby Lounge sits elevated above the ocean with sweeping views of Wailea Beach and the West Maui Mountains. Cocktails run $22–$30 but are expertly crafted — their barrel-aged negroni and Maui-grown coffee martini are worth the price tag. Live Hawaiian music most evenings adds atmosphere without the volume.
Humble Market Kitchin by Roy Yamaguchi
Located at the Andaz Maui, Humble Market’s bar program blends Japanese precision with Hawaiian ingredients. Their shiso mojito and yuzu gimlet are the kind of cocktails that make you rethink what a tropical drink can be. The open-air setting overlooks Mokapu Beach with one of the most dramatic sunset views in Wailea. Pair your drinks with their crispy pork belly bao or Hamachi crudo.
Local’s Tip: Wailea’s resort bars are all open to non-guests — just valet at the hotel and mention you’re visiting the restaurant or bar. Self-parking is sometimes available at Shops at Wailea if you’re hopping between properties. The dress code is resort casual: no swimsuits at the bar, but a clean aloha shirt and nice shorts are perfectly fine.
Wailea’s resort bars welcome non-guests — the views alone are worth the visit.
Best Beachfront Bars Beyond South Maui
Fleetwood’s on Front St — Lahaina
Mick Fleetwood’s rooftop bar in Lahaina is one of Maui’s most iconic drinking spots — the 360-degree views from the rooftop include the harbor, the West Maui Mountains, and sunset over Lana’i. The cocktail program is serious (their Drummers Mai Tai is legendary), and the rooftop sunset ceremony at 5:45 PM is a must-see. It’s a special-occasion kind of place that’s worth the drive from South Maui.
Merriman’s Kapalua — West Maui
Perched on the point at Kapalua Bay, Merriman’s might have the single best oceanfront bar view on the entire island. Humpback whales breach within sight during winter months, and the sunset position is nearly perfect year-round. Their cocktails lean toward Maui-grown ingredients, and the farm-to-table bar snacks are exceptional. It’s a 45-minute drive from South Maui, but for a special evening it’s absolutely worth it.
If an evening at one of these West Maui spots sounds appealing, pair it with a stop at one of the island’s romantic restaurants for couples — many of the best date-night spots are nearby.
Local’s Tip: If you’re heading to Lahaina or Kapalua for the evening, consider making it a full West Maui afternoon — hit the beach at Ka’anapali, grab drinks at Fleetwood’s, and drive back to South Maui after dark when traffic is light. The drive takes about 35–45 minutes.
Best Maui Brewery Taprooms & Craft Beer Bars
Maui Brewing Co. — Kihei Flagship
Maui Brewing Co.’s Kihei taproom is essentially the island’s craft beer temple. With 36 taps pouring everything from their flagship Bikini Blonde to experimental small-batch brews, plus an outdoor beer garden with games, food trucks, and live music on weekends, this is where South Maui’s beer culture lives. It’s not technically on the beach, but the open-air vibe and casual atmosphere make it feel like one.
For the full island brewery trail, our Maui craft beer and breweries guide covers every taproom worth visiting, including several you can hit on foot from Kihei vacation rentals.
Kohola Brewery — Lahaina
Kohola’s taproom in Lahaina serves Hawaiian-inspired ales in a chill, locals-first atmosphere. Their Lokahi Session Ale is one of the most drinkable beers on the island, and the rotating IPA selection keeps things interesting for hop heads. A great pre-dinner or post-beach stop if you’re spending the day on the West Side.
Local’s Tip: Maui Brewing Co. runs a happy hour from 3–5:30 PM daily with $6 flagship pints. Get there early on Fridays and Saturdays — the beer garden fills up fast with locals and visitors alike. Their Pineapple Mana wheat beer is the quintessential Maui brew.
Kihei’s brewery taprooms bring craft beer culture to the beach town vibe.
What to Drink: Essential Maui Cocktails
Every bar on Maui has its own spin on the classics, but these are the drinks that define the island’s cocktail culture:
The Mai Tai
The undisputed champion of Maui cocktails. The best versions use aged rum, fresh-squeezed OJ, orgeat, and a float of dark rum. Skip the neon-orange tourist versions and look for bars that shake theirs to order. Top mai tais: Monkeypod Kitchen, Fleetwood’s, Humble Market.
The Lava Flow
Essentially a strawberry piña colada served in a way that makes it look like flowing lava. It’s sweet, frozen, and unabashedly tropical — the drink equivalent of a Hawaiian shirt. Best enjoyed on the beach without a trace of irony.
Lilikoi (Passion Fruit) Anything
Lilikoi is Maui’s secret weapon. Lilikoi margaritas, lilikoi martinis, lilikoi mules — the tart, aromatic fruit makes everything better. Three’s Bar does a particularly good lilikoi margarita, and the Four Seasons’ lilikoi drop martini is pure elegance.
For a deeper dive into Maui’s food and drink scene, our comprehensive restaurant guide covers dining at every price point across the island.
Local’s Tip: Ask your bartender what’s made with local ingredients. Many Maui bars now use Maui-distilled spirits (Hali’imaile Distilling, Ocean Vodka), local honey, and fresh-squeezed tropical juices. These Maui-made cocktails taste different from anything you’ll get on the mainland — in the best possible way.
Where to Stay for the Best Bar-Hopping
Kihei is the undisputed champion for walkable bar access. A vacation rental along South Kihei Road puts you within walking distance of Three’s, Nalu’s, South Shore Tiki Lounge, Maui Brewing Co., and a half-dozen other solid spots — no designated driver needed.
Wailea offers a more upscale bar scene with resort lounges and fine-dining bars, all connected by the Wailea Beach Walk. A rental in Wailea means you can stroll between the Four Seasons, Andaz, and Grand Wailea bars without touching a car.
Both neighborhoods are ideal base camps for exploring the island’s bar scene while keeping the evenings simple and safe. South Maui’s dry climate also means your outdoor bar evenings rarely get rained out — sunset drinks al fresco are nearly a guarantee.
Browse South Maui vacation rentals →
A well-made mai tai and a Maui sunset — the island’s most perfect pairing.
Quick-Reference: Best Maui Beach Bars
Best overall Kihei bar: Three’s Bar & Grill — great cocktails, live music, open-air setting
Best tiki bar: South Shore Tiki Lounge — authentic tiki drinks, late-night energy
Best happy hour: Monkeypod Kitchen — $8 craft cocktails, half-price apps, 3–5:30 PM daily
Best upscale bar: Four Seasons Lobby Lounge — refined cocktails, sweeping ocean views
Best craft beer: Maui Brewing Co. Kihei — 36 taps, beer garden, weekend live music
Best view: Merriman’s Kapalua — unmatched oceanfront panorama (worth the drive)
Best cocktail: Monkeypod Mai Tai — liliko’i foam, perfectly balanced, impossibly photogenic
Best walkable bar crawl: South Kihei Road strip — Nalu’s → Three’s → South Shore Tiki
The best Maui bar nights start with sunset and end with new friends.
Maui’s beach bars aren’t just places to get a drink — they’re where the island’s aloha spirit comes alive after dark. From a barefoot tiki lounge in Kihei to a polished cocktail terrace in Wailea, the common thread is the same: ocean air, warm light, good company, and the feeling that you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.