This review is being written to share what an amazing experience we had during our recent trip to Lahaina, Maui - specifically our stay at the Plantation Inn and dining experiences with Chef Gerard. Upon arrival, we had a reservation our first night at Gerard's. Once seated and water was poured, we bean to review the menu. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to dine as they were just alerted that an employee tested positive for Covid, and they had to close the restaurant. Needless to say, we were disappointed. However, we did have the opportunity to sample Chef Gerard's wonderful cuisine as he prepared a set breakfast menu daily for those guests staying at the Inn. His meals were delicious and elegantly displayed making the meal a treat each for us each morning. One morning we actually had the opportunity to have a great conversation with Chef Gerard, what a hard-working man! He began his career as a Chef at age 7 helping his mother in the kitchen. WE found him to be very personable and cared about not only his guests he prepared meals for, but also his employees that help make his restaurant a success. On our last night at the Inn, we once again had a reservation for dinner, but were advised that once again another employee was positive for Covid, and we would need to find alternate dinner accommodations. Again, we were disappointed but understood the situation the restaurant was confronted with. Safety had to come first. On our last morning, we were surprised that Chef Gerard prepared the meal we mentioned we were so disappointed we couldn't sample - Sweetbreads and Lamb Chops ... for breakfast! Sounds strange - but what a treat! Chef Gerard is a fabulous Chef and wanted to please his guests. He told us how difficult Covid has been on his business and that he was going to close after 50+ years as a Chef. He said we received his last dinner that he would prepare. What an honor it was for us! Au revoir Chef - we are thrilled to say we met you and even more proud to have enjoyed your last meal!
Simon C.
The locat ion of Gerard's is not on the busy Front St itself but it's just a short distance walk to the inner streets. Went during covid time, not sure if it's because the social distance rule but although it was super hard to get a reservation (tried multiple times of refreshing for a few days) but the restaurant was less than 50% full. Waiters and services were super nice and high quality. French Onion Soup: A- To me it could have been more creamy, but I guess after a whole day of walking in hot weather and as an appetizer it was refreshing at the same time. Fish Taco: A The tuna was fresh, and the sauce was even better. One of the best fish taco I have had in Maui. Fresh Catch Mahi Mahi: A- It was quite good, very creamy sauce and quite tasty, the veggie and the potato also tasted good. Escargots Bourguignonne: A- Met my expectation, not too many French restaurants in Maui and we enjoyed it. Shrimp Pasta: B+ The waiter recommended this dish and also saw a lot of good reviews about it, but to be honest it wasn't quite my style, I felt the overall taste was a bit bland, no question about the pasta quality but if it could add more complexity to the dish I may have liked it better. Overall, a quite nice French restaurant with pretty decent dishes and I think it worths a try.
Evon Melchor
The best 4 course meal I have had! A big thank you to the staff who were extremely helpful and amazing.
Iari Melchor
One of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. Easy to drop 3 bills for two people and not bat an eye, because the food, service, atmosphere and experience is absolutely first-rate! Will definitely visit again!
Im a carnivore... by that I mean till this week I spent about 7 months eating nothing but meat no exception. So, I feel qualified to judge the meat. Worst chicken I've ever tasted at a resteraunt. I made one almost as bad once but I froze it twice and left in the fridge for 2 weeks. Lamb was mediocre at best. Id be embarrassed to serve it to my family
My wife and I have not had such a wonderful dinner and total dining experience in many, many years. Gerards must be a required stop in Lahaina for a superb setting and fine, really fine food for anyone looking for a great relaxing meal. To Gerard himself, BRAVO. Outstanding.
patriciaS
Escargot, French onion soup, fresh fish, fillet mignon, boar when available. Never have I had an unsavory bite! He is Cordon Blue trained and it shows. The presentation is a work of art. Treat your mouth, eyes, and nose to a meal you'll remember.
Jesse B.
My best friend and I were staying at the Plantation Inn and knew we had to make a reservation at Gerard's (which was only 20 ft away from our room)! For the appetizer, I had the ahi tuna and salmon carpaccio which was TO DIE FOR! Melt in your mouth delicious. Easily could have it every day for the rest of my life. Then for my main entree I had the rack of lamb which was cooked to perfection! The potato gratin that accompanied it was flavorful and cooked well. Service was impeccable and quick. Cocktails were hefty and worth the price. All in all, an incredible experience and a MUST if you're looking for 5-star dining in Maui!
DarienFoodie
3 course prefix for $95 would leave you to believe there are items on the menu that are available and worth the charge. At gerards that is not the case. Escargot, quail and sweetbreads not available. All beef surcharged for $18. French Onion soup surcharged for $10..what??? This meal was simply overcharged and what was served was mediocre. Fish of the day overcooked. Chicken cordon blue ....was decent, but really?? If you're in Maui...skip it.
Tyler H.
Finding restaurants with availability and good service is exceptionally difficult during this time, but Gerard's delivered. Our waiter was top notch, and gave great consultative advice to our dining experience. First - it's nice to have available parking in downtown Lahaina. It can be stressful knowing you have a reservation time and can't find a spot, but Gerard's has their own lot, which helps a ton. There were several enticing entree options from which to choose, but we ultimately landed on a Scallop dish, and a classic Chicken Cordon Bleu. Both entrees were prepared nicely, even if the presentation was unusual. The Scallop dish was rimmed with duchess potato, which was...odd. But, these were pretty minor imperfections in an otherwise solid meal. For dessert, we strongly recommend the sorbet, which is crafted by the chef using specialized equipment. The waiter mentioned something about using a device that is sun-powered to examine the sugar crystal formation...I'm not sure about the exact science, but our son said the result was a 6-star sorbet. While pricing is generally high in Maui overall, Gerard's will set you back a bit. It's still a great meal and experience overall, just not quite mind blowing (except for the sorbet!). We would happily return.
Food is great and a nice atmosphere. Service is ok but for that kind of money I expect much better service. Pre-Fixe at $95 plus drinks and wine makes at about $200 per person or more. We bought a fairly low cost wine so just slightly below that. In that range I shouldn't have to pour my own wine. Nor should the pregnant woman who dropped her fork had to pick it up. They didn't even pop by to give her another/fresh fork. Kind of disappointed.
Christopher D.
My wife and I had a very nice dinner at Gerard's on the evening of 8/13. We are glad that we'd booked ahead of arriving in Maui as it was busy. The parking next to the restaurant was very convenient. The greeting and seating was prompt and very cordial. Our female server was excellent at answering questions about the menu and making recommendations, including the wine choice. Additionally, she was gracious in answering my questions about the island and culture, as well as remembered it was our wedding anniversary for which we were celebrating. Both my wife and I enjoyed each course we selected, including our dessert. Excellent meal and service at Gerard's.
JackieUSMC
We sat outside on the porch, it was a cute restaurant. The food was amazing but I would recommend looking at their menu before booking a reservation. They have a 4 course pre- fix menu with a variety of choices however many items are extra $. At $95 per person and add on drinks it was a $320 meal for two people, this was too expensive for me but shame on me for not looking at menu before I booked. Food was amazing, service was great and I loved the setting.
Inspire443259
We were planning to celebrate a birthday in this restaurant and was extremely disappointed. The reason I chose this restaurant firstly was its availability - everything else on the island in the category “fine dining” was full booked weeks if not months ahead. Also the reviews on trip advisor seemed good. I did not realize that time that the easy availability was not without a reason. First of all that is a not a dedicated place, that is a small inn with a tiny restaurant at the first floor. Everything looks and literally smells old. The place is very dense inside -spread among several small rooms - large tables for 3-6 people are placed next to each other without any 6-feet sanitary norms. One table is moved immediately into a door way between two adjacent rooms, almost closing the way. Actually I was not so picky and wanted to give it a change to try the food. But my family member who had higher COVID risks didn’t want to sit next to a busy pass way when waiters ran in and out of the front entrance serving people outside from one side and to other guests in a couple of feet distance at the adjacent table from the other side. Finally we found that table in the corner next to the doorway mentioned above. On the other side of the open doors between two internal rooms just in a couple of feet away sat a large loud group of people. We tried to close the doors to avoid noise and being possibly exposed in so dense closed environment. The manager immediately ran to us and claimed that the doors are actually a “fire exit” and they should stay open. He didn’t explain though if people are supposed to jump over our table in case of an emergency or crawl under it, since the table literally barricaded the passage and normally no people were supposed or able to go through it. The manager declared that he already was “too nice to us” and proposed to leave if we don’t like something. Until that moment I still wanted to give that place a try even though my family didn’t like it, but such unparalleled arrogance was the last drop even for me and we left. My family members were stressed. It was disappointing to get such a treatment especially on a birthday. Unfoturnatelly I didn’t have an opportunity to try if the food was as good as in the reviews. Honestly it didn’t look so good - I saw a thick layer of something like tomato sauce spread over a dish like in a cheap pizzeria, and the thick smell inside that very dense space. However I may be wrong and may be the food was not actually so bad. I am surprised by so many positive reviews. Many of the them doesn't have any details though. Anyway be prepared and do some more research before going to this place and don’t be tempted by the easiest availability of that place compared to the others on the island.
TrunkBay41
Overpriced mediocre food. No effort in presentation, quality, or service. Paper napkins & dirty silverware. Seems like the restaurant gave up and is now overcharging tourists for mediocre food. Not informed beforehand menu was prix fixe $95 per person. $200+ for two people not including drinks or supplemental charges for many items on the menu. Also, many items not available. Price fixe menu is almost identical to regular menu except for the ridiculous price increase. I dislike leaving negative reviews, but I felt compelled. I also question the authenticity of many of the “positive” reviews. Would not recommend.
This review is being written to share what an amazing experience we had during our recent trip to Lahaina, Maui - specifically our stay at the Plantation Inn and dining experiences with Chef Gerard. Upon arrival, we had a reservation our first night at Gerard's. Once seated and water was poured, we bean to review the menu. Unfortunately, we did not have the opportunity to dine as they were just alerted that an employee tested positive for Covid, and they had to close the restaurant. Needless to say, we were disappointed. However, we did have the opportunity to sample Chef Gerard's wonderful cuisine as he prepared a set breakfast menu daily for those guests staying at the Inn. His meals were delicious and elegantly displayed making the meal a treat each for us each morning. One morning we actually had the opportunity to have a great conversation with Chef Gerard, what a hard-working man! He began his career as a Chef at age 7 helping his mother in the kitchen. WE found him to be very personable and cared about not only his guests he prepared meals for, but also his employees that help make his restaurant a success. On our last night at the Inn, we once again had a reservation for dinner, but were advised that once again another employee was positive for Covid, and we would need to find alternate dinner accommodations. Again, we were disappointed but understood the situation the restaurant was confronted with. Safety had to come first. On our last morning, we were surprised that Chef Gerard prepared the meal we mentioned we were so disappointed we couldn't sample - Sweetbreads and Lamb Chops ... for breakfast! Sounds strange - but what a treat! Chef Gerard is a fabulous Chef and wanted to please his guests. He told us how difficult Covid has been on his business and that he was going to close after 50+ years as a Chef. He said we received his last dinner that he would prepare. What an honor it was for us! Au revoir Chef - we are thrilled to say we met you and even more proud to have enjoyed your last meal!
The locat ion of Gerard's is not on the busy Front St itself but it's just a short distance walk to the inner streets. Went during covid time, not sure if it's because the social distance rule but although it was super hard to get a reservation (tried multiple times of refreshing for a few days) but the restaurant was less than 50% full. Waiters and services were super nice and high quality. French Onion Soup: A- To me it could have been more creamy, but I guess after a whole day of walking in hot weather and as an appetizer it was refreshing at the same time. Fish Taco: A The tuna was fresh, and the sauce was even better. One of the best fish taco I have had in Maui. Fresh Catch Mahi Mahi: A- It was quite good, very creamy sauce and quite tasty, the veggie and the potato also tasted good. Escargots Bourguignonne: A- Met my expectation, not too many French restaurants in Maui and we enjoyed it. Shrimp Pasta: B+ The waiter recommended this dish and also saw a lot of good reviews about it, but to be honest it wasn't quite my style, I felt the overall taste was a bit bland, no question about the pasta quality but if it could add more complexity to the dish I may have liked it better. Overall, a quite nice French restaurant with pretty decent dishes and I think it worths a try.
The best 4 course meal I have had! A big thank you to the staff who were extremely helpful and amazing.
One of the best dining experiences I’ve ever had. Easy to drop 3 bills for two people and not bat an eye, because the food, service, atmosphere and experience is absolutely first-rate! Will definitely visit again!
Im a carnivore... by that I mean till this week I spent about 7 months eating nothing but meat no exception. So, I feel qualified to judge the meat. Worst chicken I've ever tasted at a resteraunt. I made one almost as bad once but I froze it twice and left in the fridge for 2 weeks. Lamb was mediocre at best. Id be embarrassed to serve it to my family
My wife and I have not had such a wonderful dinner and total dining experience in many, many years. Gerards must be a required stop in Lahaina for a superb setting and fine, really fine food for anyone looking for a great relaxing meal. To Gerard himself, BRAVO. Outstanding.
Escargot, French onion soup, fresh fish, fillet mignon, boar when available. Never have I had an unsavory bite! He is Cordon Blue trained and it shows. The presentation is a work of art. Treat your mouth, eyes, and nose to a meal you'll remember.
My best friend and I were staying at the Plantation Inn and knew we had to make a reservation at Gerard's (which was only 20 ft away from our room)! For the appetizer, I had the ahi tuna and salmon carpaccio which was TO DIE FOR! Melt in your mouth delicious. Easily could have it every day for the rest of my life. Then for my main entree I had the rack of lamb which was cooked to perfection! The potato gratin that accompanied it was flavorful and cooked well. Service was impeccable and quick. Cocktails were hefty and worth the price. All in all, an incredible experience and a MUST if you're looking for 5-star dining in Maui!
3 course prefix for $95 would leave you to believe there are items on the menu that are available and worth the charge. At gerards that is not the case. Escargot, quail and sweetbreads not available. All beef surcharged for $18. French Onion soup surcharged for $10..what??? This meal was simply overcharged and what was served was mediocre. Fish of the day overcooked. Chicken cordon blue ....was decent, but really?? If you're in Maui...skip it.
Finding restaurants with availability and good service is exceptionally difficult during this time, but Gerard's delivered. Our waiter was top notch, and gave great consultative advice to our dining experience. First - it's nice to have available parking in downtown Lahaina. It can be stressful knowing you have a reservation time and can't find a spot, but Gerard's has their own lot, which helps a ton. There were several enticing entree options from which to choose, but we ultimately landed on a Scallop dish, and a classic Chicken Cordon Bleu. Both entrees were prepared nicely, even if the presentation was unusual. The Scallop dish was rimmed with duchess potato, which was...odd. But, these were pretty minor imperfections in an otherwise solid meal. For dessert, we strongly recommend the sorbet, which is crafted by the chef using specialized equipment. The waiter mentioned something about using a device that is sun-powered to examine the sugar crystal formation...I'm not sure about the exact science, but our son said the result was a 6-star sorbet. While pricing is generally high in Maui overall, Gerard's will set you back a bit. It's still a great meal and experience overall, just not quite mind blowing (except for the sorbet!). We would happily return.
Restaurantji Recommends
Food is great and a nice atmosphere. Service is ok but for that kind of money I expect much better service. Pre-Fixe at $95 plus drinks and wine makes at about $200 per person or more. We bought a fairly low cost wine so just slightly below that. In that range I shouldn't have to pour my own wine. Nor should the pregnant woman who dropped her fork had to pick it up. They didn't even pop by to give her another/fresh fork. Kind of disappointed.
My wife and I had a very nice dinner at Gerard's on the evening of 8/13. We are glad that we'd booked ahead of arriving in Maui as it was busy. The parking next to the restaurant was very convenient. The greeting and seating was prompt and very cordial. Our female server was excellent at answering questions about the menu and making recommendations, including the wine choice. Additionally, she was gracious in answering my questions about the island and culture, as well as remembered it was our wedding anniversary for which we were celebrating. Both my wife and I enjoyed each course we selected, including our dessert. Excellent meal and service at Gerard's.
We sat outside on the porch, it was a cute restaurant. The food was amazing but I would recommend looking at their menu before booking a reservation. They have a 4 course pre- fix menu with a variety of choices however many items are extra $. At $95 per person and add on drinks it was a $320 meal for two people, this was too expensive for me but shame on me for not looking at menu before I booked. Food was amazing, service was great and I loved the setting.
We were planning to celebrate a birthday in this restaurant and was extremely disappointed. The reason I chose this restaurant firstly was its availability - everything else on the island in the category “fine dining” was full booked weeks if not months ahead. Also the reviews on trip advisor seemed good. I did not realize that time that the easy availability was not without a reason. First of all that is a not a dedicated place, that is a small inn with a tiny restaurant at the first floor. Everything looks and literally smells old. The place is very dense inside -spread among several small rooms - large tables for 3-6 people are placed next to each other without any 6-feet sanitary norms. One table is moved immediately into a door way between two adjacent rooms, almost closing the way. Actually I was not so picky and wanted to give it a change to try the food. But my family member who had higher COVID risks didn’t want to sit next to a busy pass way when waiters ran in and out of the front entrance serving people outside from one side and to other guests in a couple of feet distance at the adjacent table from the other side. Finally we found that table in the corner next to the doorway mentioned above. On the other side of the open doors between two internal rooms just in a couple of feet away sat a large loud group of people. We tried to close the doors to avoid noise and being possibly exposed in so dense closed environment. The manager immediately ran to us and claimed that the doors are actually a “fire exit” and they should stay open. He didn’t explain though if people are supposed to jump over our table in case of an emergency or crawl under it, since the table literally barricaded the passage and normally no people were supposed or able to go through it. The manager declared that he already was “too nice to us” and proposed to leave if we don’t like something. Until that moment I still wanted to give that place a try even though my family didn’t like it, but such unparalleled arrogance was the last drop even for me and we left. My family members were stressed. It was disappointing to get such a treatment especially on a birthday. Unfoturnatelly I didn’t have an opportunity to try if the food was as good as in the reviews. Honestly it didn’t look so good - I saw a thick layer of something like tomato sauce spread over a dish like in a cheap pizzeria, and the thick smell inside that very dense space. However I may be wrong and may be the food was not actually so bad. I am surprised by so many positive reviews. Many of the them doesn't have any details though. Anyway be prepared and do some more research before going to this place and don’t be tempted by the easiest availability of that place compared to the others on the island.
Overpriced mediocre food. No effort in presentation, quality, or service. Paper napkins & dirty silverware. Seems like the restaurant gave up and is now overcharging tourists for mediocre food. Not informed beforehand menu was prix fixe $95 per person. $200+ for two people not including drinks or supplemental charges for many items on the menu. Also, many items not available. Price fixe menu is almost identical to regular menu except for the ridiculous price increase. I dislike leaving negative reviews, but I felt compelled. I also question the authenticity of many of the “positive” reviews. Would not recommend.