When you get that craving for a hamburger, nothing else will do. After a day of fun under the tropical Hawaiian sun, seeking out the most Instagram-worthy cheeseburger may not be enough to satisfy that urge. Looks aren’t everything, and with so many options on Maui, you need to know which places actually build the best-tasting burgers. We’ve scoured the Valley Isle to find the most mouth-watering and delicious hamburgers. Here is our list of the Top 10 Places for Burgers on Maui.

Monkeypod Kitchen

Named after the tree that thrives in the Hawaiian island chain, Monkeypod Kitchen is passionate about handcrafted food, drink, and merrymaking. Their diverse menu is locally sourced and curated by Chef Peter Merriman, who was dubbed “the Pied Piper of Hawaii Regional Cuisine” by the Los Angeles Times. The burger to get here is Pete’s Classic: Maui beef, umami mushrooms, gruyère, arugula, and horseradish crema. Two locations on Maui – Wailea Gateway Center in Kīhei and Whalers Village in Lahaina.

 Cool Cat Café 

Cool Cat Café is the winner of Best Burger on Maui 5+ years in a row. The menu features more than a dozen carefully crafted burgers including the open-faced Sh-Boom chiliburger and the Ali’i patty melt.  But their unique “Burger of The Month” is where they really showcase their true burger mechanics. Be on the lookout for The Classic. It’s a marinated Angus beef patty, bacon, melted American cheese, lettuce, tomato, diced onion, jalapeno relish, mayo, topped with Heinz 57 sauce. That combo gets stacked with crispy, homemade potato chips and piled between two freshly baked buns. Yumm-o! Location: Wharf Cinema Center Shops – 658 Front Street, #160, Lahaina

Stewz Burgers 

Stewz serves up 100% natural grass-fed beef patties from Maui Cattle Company, which are lovingly nestled between two Maui Sweet Buns. When you’re there, order the Kula Burger, which includes Monterey jack cheese, avocado, red onion, roasted garlic, poblano chile, and house chipotle lime aioli.  Add a side of Hapa Mix (sweet potato fries mixed with French fries) and a chocolate milkshake and you’ll know why Stewz Burgers has been voted Best Burger in Hawaii by USA Today.  Stewz also serves up delicious homemade turkey burgers and an amazing vegetarian Paia Burger. Location: Kukui Mall – 1819 South Kīhei Road, Ste D114, Kīhei, as well as the Kulamalu Upcountry Food Truck.

Nalu’s South Shore Grill 

Nalu’s serves up scrumptious, Aloha-style comfort food and is beloved for their massive burgers. We can’t decide which one is best between two of the standouts on their menu. The Korean Bulgogi Burger: Angus beef patty, sweet-spicy Korean BBQ marinade served over toasted brioche with gochujang aioli, Asian pear Kim chee and melted swiss. Or the smoky-sweet Apple Brie Burger: Angus beef patty, brioche bun, Dijon mustard aioli topped with caramelized Maui onion, granny smith apples, melted brie, and applewood smoked bacon. Perhaps one for lunch and the other for dinner? Location: Azeka Shopping Center – Makai, 1280 South Kīhei Road, Kīhei.

Havens 

Zack Sato was the chef de cuisine at Hotel Wailea, but in 2020 he made a pandemic pivot to open a burger and noodle joint called Havens that specializes in Maui comfort food. And hū, boy, they sure make a killer smash burger!  For the uninitiated, that’s a cooking technique that presses ground beef onto the grill to sear in the juices, much like the classic Midwest diner-style cheeseburger.  The “Original” and “Deluxe” are tasty, no-frills beauties but if you feel the need for flair, “The Paniolo” adds bacon, onion rings, and BBQ sauce. Look no further for the perfect smash burger on Maui – these are the real deal.  Location: 30 Manao Kala Street, Ste. 102, Kīhei.

Café O’lei 

Restaurant veterans Michael & Dana Pastula, teamed up to create Café O’lei. Situated right across from the beach, Café O’lei is where you can find the Aloha spirit as you chow down on your cheeseburger in paradise. Erehwon Ranch in Kula provides the beef for these gargantuan gastronomic miracles. Topped with cheddar cheese, grilled onion, lettuce, and tomato, these burgers don’t need fancy sauces or culinary tricks to work their magic. They are simply divine. Location: Rainbow Mall – 2439 South Kīhei Road, Kīhei.

Hula Grill Ka’anapoli 

The mouthwatering burgers at Hula Grill are only available at lunch.  But that shouldn’t stop you from seeking out the heavenly Hula Cheeseburger. Built with 1/2lb Angus chuck & brisket blended patty, it comes with cheddar cheese, kiawe grilled Maui onion, lettuce, tomato, and applewood smoked bacon on a brioche bun. Trust us, your tastebuds will say “Mahalo”.  Location: Whalers Village – 2435 Ka’anapali Pkwy, Lahaina.

Café Mambo 

Café Mambo can be found on the way to Hana, in the bohemian beach town of Paia. It’s known for fantastic people-watching, and you’ll be glad to know that the folks at Café Mambo are serious about the craft of cheeseburger wizardry. The Aloha Burger adds a juicy slice of pineapple to the patty party, and for a twist on the usual, try the Crispy Duck Burger. Location: 30 Baldwin Ave, Paia.

Teddy’s Bigger Burgers

Legend has it that two backyard grillers felt they couldn’t find a fast-food cheeseburger as good as their home-cooked ones, so in 1998 they “reinvented” the 1950’s burger joint and opened the first Teddy’s Bigger Burgers restaurant. All of their patties are 100% fresh chilled ground chuck and their dedication to quality is high. Rather than limiting your options for what to order, customizable burgers are the star of the show. Choose from six kinds of cheese and toppings ranging from green chile and grilled onions to pineapple and peanut butter. These monster burgers are so good they’ve gone international. You can find them on Maui and four other world capitals – Honolulu, Tokyo, Manila, and Iowa City. Yes, really. Maui Location: 335 Keawe St. Ste. 221-222, Lahaina.

Bully’s Burgers

Located on the rustic Triple L Ranch, these belly-busting burgers are as fresh as you’ll ever find. Named by Maui Times as the “Best Burger Ever”, these 100% all-natural, all-beef burgers come from their own free-range, grass-fed cattle raised on the back slope of Hale’akala. Lasso is one of the Special Black & Blue burgers and you’ll be rewarded with the perfect amount of blue cheese tucked right in the middle of the juicy patty, topped off with bacon, lettuce, and tomato. Location: 15900 Piilani Hwy, Kula.

Remember, Ali’I Resorts (https://www.aliiresorts.com) is the #1 vacation rental for South Maui condos. Options range from affordable to luxury price points. You can stay beachfront, next to a golf course, or downtown Kīhei for easy access to surfing and family fun. You can also stay in North Kīhei for super central island convenience.