Maui Restaurants Make Top 100 List for Al Fresco Dining

The entrance to Duke’s. Photo by Vanessa Wolf

Four Maui restaurants were included on OpenTable’s list of 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America, including: Duke’s Beach House in Lahaina; Ferraro’s in Wailea; the Hula Grill in Kāʻanapali; and Pacific’O in West Maui.

They were among a dozen Hawai‘i restaurants named to the list, reflecting the combined opinions of more than 5 million restaurant reviews submitted by OpenTable diners at more than 20,000 restaurants across the country.

Originally launched in November 2008, the OpenTable Reviews program helps diners book online restaurants that best fit their dining occasions.

The Al Fresco list was released as we head into summer diners search for travel and outdoor activities.

Ernest Puaʻa is one of the many island entertainers at the Hula Grill. He is currently scheduled to perform on at 11 a.m. on Wednesdays. Other island entertainers include Kawika Lum Ho, Kapali Keahi, Kealii Lum, Jarrett Roback, Wili Pohaku, Peter De Aquino, Derick Sebastian, Damon Parrillo, Ma’a, Danyel Alana, and more. Photo courtesy BellaEva Photography via Ernest & Lisa Puaʻa. ***Hula Grill Kāʻanapali Barefoot Bar entertainment lineup.

The complete list of Hawaii locations (in alphabetical order) that were named to the list are posted below:

Beachhouse-Moana Surfrider – Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Blue Dragon Restaurant – Kamuela, Hawaiʻi
Brown’s Beach House-The Fairmont Orchid – Kohala Coast, Hawaiʻi
Duke’s Beach House Maui – Lahaina, Hawaiʻi
Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante Maui – Wailea, Hawaiʻi
Gaylord’s at Kilohana – Līhue, Hawaiʻi
Hau Tree Lanai – Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Hukilau Lanai – Kapaʻa, Hawaiʻi
Hula Grill-Kaanapali – Lahaina, Hawaiʻi
Lava Lava Beach Club – Waikoloa, Hawaiʻi
Pacific’O – Lahaina, Hawaiʻi
‘Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge – Kaʻupūlehu, Hawaiʻi

Pacific’o. Courtesy file photo.

The complete list features winning restaurants in 19 states and Washington, D.C., with California claiming almost half the number of winning restaurants with 44, followed by Florida with 13, Hawaiʻi with 12, and Arizona with eight. North Carolina and South Carolina boast three honorees apiece. Maryland, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania have two each. Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Missouri, Nevada, New York, Rhode Island, Texas, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. are also represented.

“Dining al fresco is a delicious way for travelers and locals alike to take in the sights, sounds, and flavors of a city,” says Caroline Potter, OpenTable Chief Dining Officer. “These winning restaurants have created delightful outdoor seating areas that provide a front-row seat to the natural beauty and urban vistas around them, allowing guests to commune with their surroundings while experiencing welcoming hospitality and fresh fare.”

The list was generated from more restaurant reviews submitted by verified OpenTable diners between May 1, 2015, and April 30, 2016. All restaurants with a minimum “overall” score and number of qualifying reviews were included for consideration. Qualifying restaurants were then scored and sorted according to the percentage of qualifying reviews for which “great for outdoor dining” was selected as a special feature.

Based on this methodology, the following restaurants (listed in alphabetical order) comprise the 100 Best Al Fresco Dining Restaurants in America according to OpenTable diners:

Alexander’s – Naples, Florida
Arnold Palmer’s Restaurant – La Quinta, California
Auberge du Soleil – Rutherford, California
BALEENnaples – Naples, Florida
Beachcomber Café-Crystal Cove – Newport Coast, California
Beachhouse-Moana Surfrider – Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Bella Vista at Four Seasons Resort-The Biltmore – Santa Barbara, California
Belmond El Encanto Dining Room – Santa Barbara, California
Bistro 60 – La Quinta, California
Blue Dragon Restaurant – Kamuela, Hawaiʻi
Boat House Waterfront Dining – Tiverton, Rhode Island
Brockton Villa – San Diego, California
Brown’s Beach House-The Fairmont Orchid – Kohala Coast, Hawaiʻi
Café Amelie – New Orleans, Louisiana
Café Pinot – Los Angeles, California
Café Santorini – Pasadena, California
Cedar Creek Inn – San Juan Capistrano, California
Citrus Grillhouse – Vero Beach, Florida
Cliff’s Edge – Los Angeles, California
Copley’s on Palm Canyon – Palm Springs, California
Depot Hotel Restaurant – Sonoma, California
Duke’s Beach House Maui – Lahaina, Hawaiʻi
El Chorro – Paradise Valley, Arizona
El Techo – San Francisco, California
Ela’s Blu Water Grille – Hilton Head Island, South Carolina
Farm & Table – Albuquerque, New Mexico
Ferraro’s Bar e Ristorante Maui – Wailea, Hawaiʻi
FERRO – Idyllwild, California
Gaylord’s at Kilohana – Līhue, Hawaiʻi
Geoffrey’s Restaurant – Malibu, California
George’s Ocean Terrace – La Jolla, California
GG’s Waterfront Bar & Grill – Hollywood, Florida
Gracias Madre – West Hollywood, California
Guglhupf – Durham, North Carolina
Habana – Costa Mesa, California
Hau Tree Lanai – Honolulu, Hawaiʻi
Home Restaurant-Los Feliz – Los Angeles, California
Homestead on the Roof – Chicago, Illinois
The House Brasserie – Scottsdale, Arizona
Hukilau Lanai – Kapaʻa, Hawaiʻi
Hula Grill-Kaanapali – Lahaina, Hawaiʻi
Indigo Crow – Corrales, New Mexico
Iron Gate Patio & Garden – Washington, D.C.
Jake’s – Palm Springs, California
Kaluz Restaurant – Fort Lauderdale, Florida
L’Auberge de Sedona – Sedona, Arizona
La Fonda on Main – San Antonio, Texas
Laili – Santa Cruz, California
Latitudes – Key West, Florida
Lava Lava Beach Club – Waikoloa, Hawaiʻi
Lavender Bistro – La Quinta, California
Le Vallauris – Palm Springs, California
Little Beast Restaurant – Los Angeles, California
Lon’s at The Hermosa – Paradise Valley, Arizona
Marche Bacchus – Las Vegas, Nevada
Mission Inn Restaurant – Riverside, California
Momed – Atwater Village, California
Monarch – Scottsdale, Arizona
Old Stein Inn – Edgewater, Maryland
Ophelia’s on the Bay – Sarasota, Florida
Pacific’O – Lahaina, Hawaiʻi
Pacifica Seafood Restaurant – Palm Desert, California
Passerelle Bistro – Greenville, South Carolina
The Patio at Las Sendas – Mesa, Arizona
Perch LA – Los Angeles, California
Pietro’s Italian Restaurant – Lodi, California
Plates Kitchen – Raleigh, North Carolina
Portico Restaurant – Richmond, Virginia
Poseidon – Del Mar, California
The Prado at Balboa Park – San Diego, California
Red Fish Grill – Miami, Florida
Red Hat on the River – Irvington, New York
The Restaurant at Ponte – Temecula, California
The Restaurant at Russian River Vineyards – Forestville, California
The Restaurant at Wente Vineyards – Livermore, California
Rick’s Café Boatyard – Indianapolis, Indiana
Rita’s Kitchen at Camelback Inn – Scottsdale, Arizona
Rustic, Francis’s Favorites – Geyserville, California
Saltus River Grill – Beaufort, South Carolina
Sam’s Social Club – Calistoga, California
SEA180 Coastal Tavern – Imperial Beach, California
Severn Inn – Annapolis, Maryland
Spencer’s Restaurant – Palm Springs, California
Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Escondido, California
Stone House at San Ysidro Ranch – Santa Barbara, California
Sundy House – Delray Beach, Florida
Sunset Terrace-Omni Grove Park Inn – Asheville, North Carolina
Talula’s Garden – Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
The Tap Room at Dubsdread – Orlando, Florida
Tom Hams Lighthouse – San Diego, California
Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar – Naples, Florida
Tommy Bahama’s Restaurant & Bar – Palm Desert, California
Tonto Bar & Grill – Cave Creek, Arizona
The Tropicale – Palm Springs, California
The Turtle Club – Naples, Florida
‘Ulu Ocean Grill and Sushi Lounge – Kaʻupūlehu, Hawaiʻi
Vin de Set – St. Louis, Missouri
The Waterfront Restaurant – Anna Maria, Florida
Willow Creek Restaurant – Evergreen, Colorado
Wyebrook Farm Market & Café – Honey Brook, Pennsylvania