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I highly recommend this book, even if you are not on a budget. A first we thought that we will end up where there was OK food, but we tasted better food than some of the more expensive tourist locations. Gives you that great island living experience, you go to towns where no tourists hang out, restraunts with friendly people, mom and pop shops where people care about you and the food they are serving.
It was accurate regarding the restaurants, locations, menu selections, and especially pricing. We brought this book on our trip and used it frequently. We were very pleased with the book.
We ate at at least 5 places recommended by this book while we were there, from oceanfront restaurants to tiny taco stands on the Hana Hwy. Most of the places listed here are casual condo resort restaurants, "mom & pop" digs, or fall under the "fast food" category (but there's only one chain restaurant listed). But if you are like us and like to explore "out of the way" Maui when you go and are looking to spend less than $20 (or less than $10) per person on a meal, this book will be indespensible during your driving tours around the island. We liked the specifics like instructions on where to park and suggested menu items to try.
My husband and I used this guide for a 5 day trip to Maui in January 08. By the way, we've used Maui Revealed for years (who doesn't these days)., and 50 Thrifty lists a lot of restaurants that Maui Revealed doesn't. You can save money and eat at the less expensive breakfast and lunch spots listed in this book, and then splurge a night or two on dinner at Mama's Fish House, Roy's/Kimo's/Lahaina Fish Co., and a luau or dinner show. We found the reviews to be up-to-date and accurate.
If you like to stay at your resort and dine at the typical touristy restaurants in Lahaina and Kihei, you wont find this book very useful. So spend the few bucks for this book and have an even bigger selection of restaurants to choose from when you get there. Yes, the descriptions are brief, but this is meant to be a lightweight pocket guide that you can throw in your beach bag or keep in the glove box of your rental car, whether you use it on the fly to find a casual place to munch, or want to plan for something a little more upscale but still within a budget. But afterall, this is Maui and unless you are at the Four Seasons or other upscale resort area restaurant you are probably fine to roll in with your flip flops and a t-shirt.
Maui Revealed is much better. This book is not very in-depth, the reviews are short and not terribly accurate. There are plenty of cheap places to eat if that's what you want and it feels like they wrote this book to travel around Maui as a "critic" to get recognition and cheap food.
Take this book with you when you go to Maui. We were staying at the Ritz Kapalua, so we were eager to go off campus for great meals at cheaper prices. It's right on target. Wow. every restaurant we tried was exceptional.
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