Kitoko Maui

It's a food truck but the flavor, texture and quality 9/10 👌 Crispy rice cube with sauce is something to come back. We had the braised beef and ahi plate... just really really well executed.

Buckle up because I have a lot of praise to give for Kitoko! And for good reason.

My first visit to Maui was in 1993. I’ve since brought my family & friends back time & time again. Kihei is our favorite place in all the islands with the kindest humans on the planet, the most unique & amazing small businesses of all kinds, rich history, & the most beautiful beaches so we spend the majority of our time there. I point this out for a reason. In all my visits to Maui & Big Island, I can honestly say this is the best restaurant I’ve been to!

I used to work fine dining in Seattle & my husband is still in the business. The food, presentation, & freshness of ingredients at Kitoko is on par with any high end restaurant I’ve been to on island or on mainland but is reasonably priced (plates in the $20 range) and is located in a beautiful garden setting next to a hula show among several other small food trucks & vendors. What a find!

I had my first experience at Kitoko while attending the South Maui Gardens Hula Show (I’ll do a separate review for that!) with a few friends from home while visiting friends on island. A Hula show is different from a full luau, because it doesn’t include the buffet traditional luau shows do, so we arrived to find a whole variety of food options instead, via little shops & food trucks! I’m so glad that we chose Kitoko to enjoy with our show but I have to admit that, as truly amazing as the hula show was, once our plates were in front of us, I was locked in on these dishes & I may have missed a bit of the show! Lol!

The presentation was stunning with vibrant colors in every dish that were intrinsic to the recipe & not just garnish. Not a single item on any of our 4 plates was ancillary or decorative. Every item on the plate worked with the other ingredients. Not to sound corny, but it was very Hawaiian as that’s how the people of Hawaii work within their communities. Everyone comes together to create beauty in whatever they’re doing. I know most people don’t think that deep about their dinner but this trip was in November after the August fires & this is what the world witnessed, especially in those first few days, from the Hawaiian people. Locals came together instantly to take care of their communities & make everything work as best as possible. So the dishes at Kitoko felt like a beautiful representation of the Hawaiian spirit in that way.

We enjoyed dishes with classic island options like taro, mahi-mahi, poke, & prawns of course but we also indulged in the most delicious venison (not sure if it’s sourced on island but Maui IS the only island with deer that were brought in at some point as they’re obviously not native)! I wouldn’t be able to explain the beauty of these dishes so I had to take photos. All of the flavors were rich, unique, well balanced and tasted CLEAN & fresh. This was such a treat because when you travel, eating out more often than you’re used to can often leave you feeling heavy. So finding a menu that was filling, affordable, but also felt light & fresh was such a treat!

My only regret was not trying their desert menu!!! We’re returning in July to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary with our friends on island as well as friends & family from abroad & I’m already planning to take my kids to the hula show so I can go back to Kitoko & they can choose what they’d like from the other food trucks. We have a variety of diets with our kids (one is autistic, one is pescatarian, & one has gastritis) so having several options all in one place is heaven! Hopefully they’ll get adventurous & want to try the beautiful dishes at Kitoko but it’s nice to have more familiar food options so they get what they want & me & hubby will be able to enjoy an elegant, delicious meal WE like 🥰 Maybe this time I’ll order desert FIRST! I may even have to come back to try their brunch! If you’ve read this far, you MUST make Kitoko a stop during your next trip to Maui! I promise you won’t regret it!

This was the best food we had in Maui, hands down. Plating was exceptional as well. We wanted to come back before we left the island but unfortunately our schedule didn't allow for it. So much care is put into each dish, and everything tasted amazing. Recommend this place to anyone visiting the island. Another plus is that you get to eat in the beautiful gardens, surrounded by trees and birds singing.

Impressive find! This place offers entirely organic, locally sourced vegetables. If you're not accustomed to garden-fresh produce, it's a whole new experience. Their Mahi meal and Short Rib Moco Loco is a must.

Everything was amazing. Great presentation and the taste was exceptional. The venison steak was the best piece of meat I’ve had in a long time, cooked perfectly. The poke was very good and the grilled shrimp were flavorful and delicious. Best food we had on our trip to Maui for sure!

Kitoko really exceeded my expectations! My husband ordered the Ono poke and I ordered the beef loco moco and both dishes were absolutely unforgettable. The atmosphere is also really nice and well decorated. Service was so quick! This is a must try if you’re in Maui! Best food we had in Maui!

Got the Beef Loco Moco (in the round blue bowl) and the Mahi Mahi bento, both were great. But definitely would get the loco moco again because:
- The beef brisket chunks were super tender
- Crispy rice +gravy + soft poached egg
- I love that it came with veggies, so I can pretend it wasnt totally unhealthy

The Mahi mahi bento was good if you want something light. The fish was cooked perfectly and all the veggies were yummy but I would not recommend if you were famished cause the only carb in that is the Okinawan sweet potato.

Also the atmosphere and service were great. Very friendly and it's in a good truck garden with plenty of seating. Only negative, which isn't the restaurant's fault, was the flies at our table in the outdoor seating area. But it wouldn't stop me from coming back I would just take note before you go.

Best food Ive eaten on Maui... and Ive had a few $300 dinners already this week.

The best food truck in Maui without doubt. Even better than lots of restaurants in Maui though it is just a food truck. The fusion tastes surprisingly great. You can tell that the chef and his team aim to offer high standard gourmet and service but not requiring diners to pay a lot. Respect!! Definitely will come back if I have a chance to revisit Maui.

The best food truck, it is actually a restaurant quality food served in food truck! Hands down the BEST food I had here in Maui! IT IS A MUST TRY! It has a very Nice sitting area and you can get dessert as well!

A hidden gem! The food is fresh and tasty. The garden makes you feel like you are on a tropical island 😝

This was our first stop in Maui on the way to our resort. What a wonderful welcome. The quiet, tropical atmosphere in South Maui Gardens made a beautiful dinner setting for couples and families alike.

Kitoko is not at all what I expected from a food truck. Their plates were beautifully crafted, cuisine elevated by local ingredients and thoughtful preparation. Plates are large and can easily be shared. Their food in a sit-down setting could easily be 20-30% more expensive. An exceptional experience at a very reasonable price.

This place is worth the hype! The food is amazing. Cannot say enough about the beef loco moco. It is a must-get for those without dietary restrictions. The poke was also amazing, but styled a bit more like a ceviche with no rice and instead hand made purple potato chips to scoop the meal. They have fantastic vegetarian options, and a bakery with wood fired pizza options and patisserie next door. The garden is this secluded oasis that is just lovely to sit and eat in. So beautiful! An absolute must-visit

Sous-chef Rafa is just amazing 👏 bravo! From teasing every individual note of flavor in the dish from the cilantro to the tomato broth full of fish, to the presentation of the plate, it was just a masterpiece.

I thought I had taken individual pictures but I guess I didn't, but the flavor will not be forgotten. When visiting Maui this is the place to go.

If there is a "Special of the day" make sure you try it. Is worth it, one dish is about 30-35 USD but they are large 1.5 portions worth.

Note: Do not forget about the desserts.

Great location inside South Maui Gardens, Kihei, and adjacent to Kihei Food Oasis food truck area. Several vegan options. I enjoyed the vegan Tofu Bento meal, $17.95, which included warm purple-sweet-potato chunks, two pieces of tofu, miso dressing, wakame, carrot & onion pickles, sprouts and more.

I ordered the seafood loco moco, a generously sized dish great for sharing, and it exceeded my expectations. The mahi mahi and shrimp were perfectly grilled and tender, with a well-complementing tart salad. However, it would have been more convenient to eat if the lobster claw had been pre-cracked.

What truly enhanced the overall experience was the enchanting garden surrounding the food truck and dining area. It was a harmonious blend of lush greenery, captivating sculptures, and inviting warm lighting. The atmosphere was further elevated by the presence of live music, creating a comfortable and soothing ambiance for dining.

Our favorite restaurant in Maui so far (we've only been to 10 or so). The loco moco is the best we've ever had. Everything on the menu looks and tastes amazing. This is the kind of food we hope to experience on a vacation. Michelin star dining at a very affordable price.

Hands down the best food truck experience ever! This place will blow you away. The presentation is absolutely gorgeous and the food is dynamite. We had the Seafood platter and it was one of the best meals ever. And you MUST try their dessert items!!! The staff is friendly, and the customer service is great. There’s a lot of seating in the midst of the beautiful garden. Maui’s must try!

We had a bunch of amazing food from Kitoko/Blue door Bakery. The cinnamon rolls and lilikoi tart were soooo good. Definitely would recommend checking them
Out when your in Kihei.

Ever questioned the accuracy of the 4.9 stars? Don’t worry, I did the same before visiting this “hidden” food truck. Amazing food quality with extremely fresh seafood daily. Apparently one of the main chef has a lobster fishing license and comes at five in the morning to assure the quality for the entire day. Absolutely amazing attitude that anyone should admire with. This food truck is a must visit in Maui and stands as a big reason for me to plan another visit.