- A traditional luau buffet centres on Kālua pork — slow-roasted, shredded, salted — with lomi salmon, rice and sweet potato alongside.
- Haupia is the classic dessert: a firm, sliceable coconut pudding.
- Lomi salmon is a cold, fresh tomato-and-onion salad with cured salmon — not a hot dish.
- At Huakaʻi Lūʻau most buffet items are marked gluten-free, with vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options.
- The open bar is included, and there is a separate kids' buffet.
- The buffet opens at 5:50 PM, before the main show — you eat first, then watch.
Quick Answer
A Maui luau buffet is built around Kālua pork, slow-roasted until it shreds, served with cabbage. Around it you will typically find lomi salmon (a cold salad of cured salmon, tomato and onion), white rice, sweet potatoes, a grilled local fish such as mahi-mahi, teriyaki chicken, and haupia — a firm coconut pudding — for dessert. At Huakaʻi Lūʻau most items are marked gluten-free, with vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options, and the open bar is included.
The buffet, dish by dish
Cold buffet
| Dish | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| Lomi salmon | A cold, fresh side: cured salmon diced with tomato and onion. Sharp and palate-cleansing rather than fishy. Lomi means to massage — the ingredients are worked together by hand. |
| Hawaiian macaroni salad | Mayonnaise-based, deliberately plain, and a fixture of every plate lunch on the islands. It exists to balance the salt of the pork. |
| Green salad | Island greens with seasonal vegetables. |
| Hawaiian sweet rolls | Soft, slightly sweet dinner rolls — the one item every child recognises. |
Hot buffet
| Dish | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| Kālua pork and cabbage | The centrepiece. Pork slow-roasted until it pulls apart, seasoned simply with salt, then served with cabbage. Kālua refers to the traditional underground imu oven method. |
| Mahi-mahi | A firm, mild white fish — not the dolphin, despite the nickname. Prepared with Hawaiian seasonings. |
| Teriyaki chicken | Grilled with a gluten-free teriyaki glaze. Reliably the children's choice. |
| Molokai sweet potatoes | Purple-fleshed, denser and less sweet than a mainland sweet potato. |
| White rice | Steamed. Present at essentially every Hawaiian meal. |
| Roasted vegetables and Brussels sprouts | Seasonal, roasted. |
Desserts
| Dish | What it actually is |
|---|---|
| Haupia | The traditional one: coconut milk set firm with starch and cut into squares. Cleaner and less sweet than most people expect, and naturally dairy-free. |
| Chocolate cake | Rich and soft — the non-adventurous option. |
| Fresh fruit | Seasonal, cut fresh. |
| Coffee and tea | Freshly brewed. |
Dietary requirements
At Huakaʻi Lūʻau, most buffet items are marked gluten-free on the line, and vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options are provided. Haupia is naturally dairy-free, and the teriyaki glaze is gluten-free.
Tell us in advance. If someone in your party has a severe allergy or a requirement beyond the standard options, call (888) 582-8858 before the night rather than raising it at the buffet. It is a straightforward thing to plan for and a difficult one to solve on the spot.
Eating with children
There is a separate kids' buffet running alongside the main line, which removes most of the friction of a shared buffet with young children.
Drinks
The open bar is included in both General Admission and VIP, and runs from doors through the show. This is worth checking at any luau you compare — a cash bar commonly adds $60–$100 for two adults across an evening, as covered in our pricing breakdown.
When you eat
| Time (Apr–Sep) | What happens |
|---|---|
| 5:30 PM | Doors open on the Luau Lawn |
| 5:45 PM | Pre-show begins — live music and cultural welcome |
| 5:50 PM | Dinner buffet opens |
| 6:20 PM | Pre-show ends |
| 6:30 PM | Main show — Polynesian revue with live band |
| 7:30 PM | Fireknife grand finale |
| 7:30–7:45 PM | Cast meet-and-greet |
October through March, every time above shifts 30 minutes earlier — doors at 5:00 PM.
Related reading
The full current list is on the menu page. For the wider evening, see the guide to choosing a Maui luau and what the show actually covers.
Frequently asked questions
What food is served at a Maui luau?
A traditional Maui luau buffet centres on Kālua pork — slow-roasted until it shreds — served with cabbage. Around it you will typically find lomi salmon, Hawaiian macaroni salad, white rice, Molokai sweet potatoes, roasted vegetables, teriyaki chicken and a grilled local fish such as mahi-mahi. Dessert is usually haupia, a firm coconut pudding, alongside fresh fruit and cake.
What is haupia?
Haupia is a traditional Hawaiian dessert made from coconut milk thickened with starch and set firm enough to cut into squares. It is less sweet than most visitors expect, has a clean coconut flavour, and is naturally dairy-free.
What is Kālua pork?
Kālua pork is pork slow-roasted until it pulls apart easily, seasoned simply with salt. The name refers to the traditional cooking method, in which the pork is cooked in an imu — an underground oven lined with hot stones. At a luau it is usually served shredded with cabbage.
Are there vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free options at a Maui luau?
At Huakaʻi Lūʻau, most buffet items are marked gluten-free on the line and vegetarian, vegan and dairy-free options are provided. Haupia is naturally dairy-free and the teriyaki glaze is gluten-free. If you have a severe allergy or a requirement beyond the standard options, call ahead on (888) 582-8858 rather than raising it on the night.
Do you eat before or during the luau show?
Before. At Huakaʻi Lūʻau the dinner buffet opens at 5:50 PM and the main show begins at 6:30 PM, so guests eat during the pre-show and are finished by the time the revue starts. From October through March those times shift 30 minutes earlier.
Is a Maui luau worth it for families with kids?
Yes, for most families. Huakaʻi Lūʻau runs a dedicated kids' buffet alongside the main line, prices children 6 to 12 at 40 percent of the adult ticket, admits infants 0 to 5 free, and ends the main show by 7:30 PM so younger children are not out too late. The cast also stays for a meet-and-greet from 7:30 to 7:45 PM.
See the Full Menu
Huakaʻi Lūʻau · The Luau Lawn at Hilton Grand Vacations Kāʻanapali Beach Club
104 Kāʻanapali Shores Place · Lāhainā, HI 96761
Performing weekly on Tuesdays
Pricing, showtimes and menu items are current as of August 2026 and are subject to change; taxes are additional at checkout and menu offerings may vary with seasonal availability and operational requirements. Price ranges quoted for other Maui luaus are general market guidance rather than quotes — confirm current pricing directly with each operator. Seating within each ticket tier is first-come, first-served.