I’ve been to The Gazebo before, so I was excited to have an opportunity to write it up. Well, actually, I was way more excited to eat there – this whole blog thing is more like a side effect.

This restaurant is tucked away back behind the business end of a motel-y looking resort in Napili. To find it, you’ll need to poke around the back roads in the area a bit, keeping your eyes peeled for a teeny little wooden sign sporting the magical words “The Gazebo”. Find a parking spot as quickly as you can or, if there aren’t any (which is likely), just plow your rental car into the middle of a hibiscus bush and climb out of a back window. Start walking through the motel … sorry, “resort” grounds and head vaguely towards the ocean. When you see a line of people waiting near a swimming pool, you have discovered breakfast nirvana.

It is literally a gazebo. No bonus points for having a creative restaurant name.

The wait for a table is rarely less than 15 minutes, and it’s often quite a bit more – that’s the bad news. The good news is that it will be the most pleasant wait you’ve ever experienced. You’re in Hawaii for crying out loud, who cares how long the wait is? Just remember not to wander aimlessly out of line while you gape at the postcard-perfect scenery and bask in the toasty sun.

” Before we could say ‘sugar shock’ our food had arrived “

Once seated, you will find yourself reviewing a lengthy and reasonably-priced menu filled to the brim with just about everything you can imagine and quite a few things you can’t. If this is your first visit to The Gazebo, skip straight to the “Our Specialties” section and try not to giggle with sheer schoolgirlish delight. The white chocolate macadamia nut pancakes are as drool-worthy as they sound. I also highly recommend the banana macadamia nut version, and pineapple is available as well. In a final stroke of tropical genius, you’re provided with coconut syrup to top it all off. Yeah, wow is right.

The only thing that could possibly be any better than that is a little gem I discovered on the specials board: Peanut butter banana french toast. Hot dang do I love peanut butter! I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned that before, but no matter. I ordered up the french toast; my wife opted for a banana mac nut short stack and a side of bacon for us to share. Baaaaacccoooooooonnnnnnnnn.

The peanut butter banana french toast special. I am still having dreams about this.

Before we could say “sugar shock” our food had arrived, just as fresh and amazing as I remembered from a few years ago. The waitstaff at The Gazebo are great folks; they’re fast, personable, they get their orders correct, and they keep your iced tea filled. I tried to think of something mean to say about them but I came up with nothing, curse the wily charlatans.

The Gazebo earns an easy 28 out of 30 fluffy golden tropical pancakes; really its only downside is that you have to travel all the way to Maui to visit it. Wait, maybe that’s an upside. Doesn’t matter. Just go there!

The Gazebo
5315 Lower Honoapiilani Road
Lahaina, HI 96761
(808) 669-5621
www.mauihawaii.org

UPDATE
This restaurant is so nice I reviewed it twice: Random Revisit: The Gazebo

Banana macadamia nut pancakes with juuuuuuuust a dab of whipped cream.