Having first opened in 2021, Gilligans Bar & Grill has become quite popular for its nice mix of true southern comfort food and classic Hawaiian fare. This is good, filling food, and it doesn’t hurt that the restaurant has a fantastic location at Maui Nui Golf Club.
Gilligans Bar & Grill is located on the eastern outskirts of Kihei, neighboring the building for South Maui Golf & Repair. Both facilities are located on a ridge that allows for sweeping views of the ocean as well as the town of Kihei and, of course, the golf course which has one fairway running right along with the restaurant’s backyard.
While certainly a lot of golfers visit Gilligans Bar & Grill, this restaurant isn’t just good for the convenient location to the course. Gilligans Bar & Grill bills itself as a restaurant, sports bar, and entertainment venue, seeking to offer exceptional entertainment, food, and drinks to all of its guests.
In terms of entertainment, live music is certainly a big part of what you can expect at Gilligans Bar & Grill. The restaurant has a band playing every Tuesday afternoon and most Friday and Saturday evenings. Tuesday evenings, after a classic or southern rock-inspired band takes the stage, a free open mic comedy show gets hosted on their stage. On Sunday afternoons, full bands, DJs, and even magic shows commonly show off their talents on the restaurant’s outdoor stage. Outdoors on Sundays because indoors, Gilligans Bar & Grill focuses on its sports bar repertoire thanks to its NFL Sunday Ticket DirectTV subscription that ensures patrons get a chance to see every football game broadcasting live.
Of course, what’s a sports bar without drink specials? Enjoy all-day Happy Hour specials on Sundays and 2 to 5 every other day. These specials include $2 ice-cold PBR drafts and discount bar favorites like $6.50 Mozzarella Sticks.
Bar food (think burgers and French fries) is certainly a staple at Gilligans Bar & Grill, but there are plenty of other entrees to choose from. Popular menu items include:
Country Style Pork Chop
We did say they love their southern comfort food here. This entree features a large pork chop well seasoned and cooked via simmering in a creamy garlic herb and mushroom sauce. It’s a filling main and comes served with your choice of two sides (options include a side salad, deviled egg mac salad, rice, coleslaw, waffle fries, baked macaroni and chase, BBQ baked beans, and mixed veggies).
Lemon Buttered Island Fish
You can’t go wrong with fish freshly caught from Hawaiian waters. This entree features the catch of the day prepared with a house-made lemon caper butter sauce and served with rice and mixed vegetables.
Gilligans Bar & Grill is generally open for lunch and dinner but on Sundays, they open early, at 8 am, and feature a special Sunday Breakfast Menu with local favorites like Loco Moco as well as southern staples like Southern Fried Chicken & Waffles.
When visiting this restaurant and bar, you have a lot of seating options. You can choose to stay close to the bar TVs and fresh cocktails at the bar or grab a table in the very rooming dining area. The dining room features large window walls that offer sweeping views of the golf course, town, countryside, and even the brilliant blue waters of Maalaea Bay. You can also get closer to these views by opting for the restaurant’s outdoor seating.
Insider Tips:
-Gilligans Bar & Restaurant is not named after the classic television show, but rather on a golf term. Gilligans are when an opponent can ask you to play a shot again, making them the opposite of mulligans.
-Note that the live bands are live bands, more than just background music. Those looking to enjoy more conversation while eating might ask for a table in an area opposite the band on live performance days and nights.