When one thinks about Hawaii, they also picture lounging on one of the nicest beaches and drinking the best mai tais in Hawaii while fiddling with those adorable little umbrellas. Now, with our 2018 rating for the best mai tais in Hawaii, selected in our annual Readers’ Choice Awards, you can drink the best of them.
1. The Royal Hawaiian in Oahu offers a Mai Tai Bar.
For two consecutive years, people voted The Royal Hawaiian’s Mai Tai Bar as the best mai tais in Hawaii. The Royal Hawaiian asserts that they developed the mai tai specifically for their hotel in 1953, and their menu now offers a variety to enjoy. Just feet from the well-known Waikiki Beach, you can enjoy the sun or, at the bar, munch pupu, the appetizers, while sipping your best mai tais in Hawaii. You can locate Mai Tai Bar at Royal-Hawaiian.com/dining/mai-tai-bar, 2259 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, Oahu, and reach them at (808) 923-7311.
2. Merriman, Oahu, and Maui are home to Monkeypod Kitchen.
The Monkeypod Kitchen’s mission is to provide the best and highest quality goods Hawaii has to offer; this commitment goes beyond just its cuisine. The best mai tais in Hawaii at Monkeypod Kitchen have been on the two-year list; this year, they rank higher than they did years ago. Not only do Monkeypod mai tais taste great, but the addition of lime transforms a classic into something fresh and new. You can find Merriman’s Monkeypod Kitchen on various websites, such as monkeypodkitchen.com.
3. Duke’s Waikiki, Oahu
If you’ve already visited Duke’s Waikiki, you’ll know it has one of the strongest and best mai tais in Hawaii. Apart from its excellent taste and presentation in a distinctive tiki glass, you can savor it while basking in wonderful sunset views. At least once in their lifetime, everyone living on Oahu should have this experience. Duke’s Waikiki is located at 2335 Kalakaua Ave., Waikiki, Oahu; (808) 922-2268; dukeswaikiki.com.
4. Mama’s Fish House, Maui
Though most people visit Mama’s Fish House for the Polynesian Black Pearl, the dessert is not the reason you start your evening here. The eatery serves two types of mai tais. While the alcoholic version is more sour, the non-alcoholic variant is somewhat more on the sweet side. You can enjoy the best mai tais in Hawaii here without any disappointment. Mamasfishhouse.com, 799 Poho Pl., Paia, Maui; (808) 579-8488. Mama’s Fish House.
5. Don the Beachcomber, Hawaii Island
Mai Tai fans, welcome to paradise. This Kailua-Kona bar and restaurant is named after New Orleans bootlegger Donn Beach, who opened the first tiki bar in 1933. It specializes in vibrant or classic drunken drinks. Consider the 1944 Mai Tai, a traditional Hawaiian mai tai that combines Ron Zacapa 23-year-old rum with Smith & Cross Jamaican rum, lime, orgeat syrup, and Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao. Are you in a sweet mood? Fresh mango rum, fruit juices, and melon liqueur combine to create the Green Flash. Don the Beachcomber also hosts the Mai Tai World Championship annually, where mixologists compete to create the “World’s Best Mai Tai.” Visit the Royal Kona Resort, 75-5852 Alii Dr., Kailua-Kona, Hawaii Island, (808) 329-3111, and the Beachcomber website, royalkona.com.