Three’s Pūpūs are Named “The Best” on Maui. Here’s Why!

It’s been a great few weeks here at Three’s.  We’ve been delivering on some epic catering events, enjoyed an amazing Food Network debut and now, we’re stoked to be voted Best Pūpūs from MauiTime.  Doesn’t good news come in “Three’s?”

Three’s Bar & Grill wins Best Pūpūs for 2017 from MauiTime! Photo courtesy of MauiTime.


Going out for pūpūs, Hawai‘i’s word for appetizers or tapas, is a longstanding tradition in our state.  We’ve crafted our diverse pūpū menu to appeal to everyone.  It’s value-driven, fun and chef-inspired; with everything from wings and quesadillas to fresh-shucked oysters and sushi! We offer great deals on them during Three’s double happy hours, between 3 and 6 p.m. and again from 9 to 10 p.m., seven days a week!!

So here are a few of the favorites:

Kalua Pork Quesadilla

Kalua Pork Quesadilla, a longtime favorite on Three’s pūpūs menu.


It’s an original — our very first menu item, in fact!  The BBQ Kalua Pork Quesadilla features spiced Maui Gold pineapple and mango chutney, cilantro aioli and peanut ginger slaw. We rolled out this item at a wedding expo back in 2008, when we had just started our catering company. It’s near and dear to our hearts and is a real crowd pleaser. It’s sweet, smoky, and of course, CHEESY!!

Bacon-fried Brussel Sprouts

Bacon-fried Brussel Sprouts, available at Three’s and featured on Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins and Dives!

Another must-try appetizer is our Bacon-fried Brussel Sprouts.  Seriously, give ’em a shot! Brussel sprouts are a hot item on the trendy foodie scene, so we wanted to reinvent our own version.  These brussels are wok-fried with bacon, garlic, ginger and carrots, then glazed with kimchee-balsamic and garnished with shaved Parmesan.  They’re SO addicting, you may even catch a glimpse of them on our Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives episode this Friday, July 21 at 6 p.m.!!

Panko-crusted Ahi Roll

Panko-crusted Ahi Roll, among the top appetizers at Three’s Bar & Grill.


We’re known for our epic sushi at happy hour, but one item that definitely defines us is our Panko-crusted Ahi Roll.  It’s a fresh sushi roll with local tuna, avocado and cucumber,  panko-breaded and flash-fried, served over a Thai curry butter sauce and drizzled with unagi glaze.  It’s crazy yummy!!

The list of deliciousness goes on to include items like Sweet & Spicy Lettuce Wraps, Hurricane Fries, Coconut-crusted Shrimp, Fish Tacos and Three’s Wings.

And what better place to enjoy those pūpūs than in our newly-renovated Surf Lounge?!  Our bar was recently extended and the whole space was revamped with 15 additional seats and more T.V. screens to give you more room to enjoy your food and drinks.

Some of Three’s favorite pūpūs and beer, displayed on the new mango wood table in our Surf Lounge.


The MauiTime awards are voted on by our community.  We’re honored to feel the love, because it tells us people are stoked on our food.  By the way, it’s worth mentioning our sister eatery in Kīhei, Fork & Salad, just won Best New Restaurant, getting the news on its one-year birthday!  At Three’s, we’ve worked really hard to create a very special happy hour, which won Best on Maui two years in a row, along with many runner-up mentions.  It’s nice to know our pūpū menu gets that sort of recognition.

Our staff deserves a huge shout-out.  Every one of our employees, from our kitchen to front-of-the-house to bar staff, has helped build Three’s into what it is today. They all contribute in their own ways, whether sharing ideas for the day’s next special, getting delicious food to your table efficiently, or crafting hundreds of cocktails at the bar during happy hour, our team is straight-up amazing!!  Thanks to them, and thanks to YOU, our loyal customers, for your continued support!

“Three Cheers” to our New Bar Space!

Cruise on in to our Surf Lounge at Three’s, and you’ll notice a big difference these days.  We’ve transformed our charming little bar nook into a sizable drinking destination!

In less than two months’ time, we’ve expanded the usable space in our lounge, replacing the old black granite counter top with sustainable Hawaiian mango and mimosa wood, adding 15 additional seats, building mahogany wood back bar shelving with LED lighting, and featuring crown molding finishes. We’ve even installed two more flat-screen T.V.s, and moved our big screen against the wall to accommodate more viewing.

The new bar is absolutely stunning, and creates a beautiful focal point in our surf lounge that all patrons can enjoy. You can grab a drink while waiting for a table, or get comfy and chill a while to enjoy our award-winning happy hour, cheer on your favorites sports teams or check out the latest surf contest on T.V.!

We’re proud to be recognized for our great happy hours, 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. daily, and aimed to incorporate a “trendy bar vibe” along with all our food and drink specials.  We wanted our guests to sit at our bar and feel relaxed enough to drink and dine right there if they feel like it!  So we designed it to be gorgeous, welcoming, functional and accommodating.

The entire process took one-and-a-half months from inception to final installation.  Chef Jaron led up the project management, which included design concepts, pulling required county permits, orchestrating trade teams (lighting, stainless steel, electrical work and additional carpentry needs), equipment selection and graphic art design.

Chef Cody, who gives you the tour in our video, was the “master builder” of it all, from framing wood to fabricating sheet metal to epoxying bar tops.  He crafted the bar off-site in three separate pieces, so it could be moved in on a moment’s notice, without disrupting business.

This was no easy task, but as usual Cody and Jaron managed to pull it all off, using their math skills to fit the new pieces in place, and Three’s didn’t even have to close during the process!

We couldn’t have done this without our amazing team’s support.  Three’s front-of-the-house manager Lauren helped us design the operational functionality of the bar, as well as the artistic aesthetics of it. From color scheme to drink-making efficiency, her years as a Three’s bartender came in handy when making final calls or tough decisions.  Tom, our go-to commercial carpenter, built the beautiful custom backbar shelving, and Wiki Wiki Electrical wired it all up!

Join us at Three’s and see our remodel in person!  Our old bar had only eight seats; this new space seats 23!!  It was important for us to create a comfortable area for guests waiting for tables or just joining friends for a pau Hana.  This space is made for YOU!

The added seats are also a significant feature with our upcoming Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives episode set to air Friday July 21st (at 3 p.m. Hawai‘i time!); we are anticipating a bump in business and want to accommodate all of our customers. Come have a seat in our surf lounge and check it out!

Three’s Catering: What it Takes to Cater on Maui

There is a part of Three’s that has existed as long as the Kalua Pork Quesadilla, Ginger-crusted Mahi and Mediterranean Flatbread have been on the menu.  It’s so important, Three’s Bar & Grill may not be here today without it.  The catering side of our business is what helped support Three’s while we were establishing our roots in Kīhei, and has grown to play a vital role in our identity today.

So what’s it all about?  Well, although catering is a ton of work, it’s a fantastic way to spread your brand, and gives people from all over the island a chance to sample your food.

Three’s Catering is full-service, meaning we go beyond just providing your food.  We offer service staff (servers, bartenders, captains), equipment rentals and even unique ways to stylize your event.  We provide set menus and packages, or if you’d rather go custom, we have an in-house event planner to help organize it every step of the way.

We cater pretty much everything you can imagine!  Weddings (plated and buffet), food truck events, corporate events, action station events (sushi, noodle and hibachi grill stations) and all kinds of public events, from fundraisers to concerts to speeches.  We also have extensive experience on boats, since we proudly cater all meal services for Pacific Whale Foundation.

Some larger public events we’ve catered usually occur at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center (MACC).  For instance, concerts are a big deal here on the island.  Maui draws some big name talent, like Santana, Sublime, Elton John, Journey, and Jack Johnson to name a few, and that means large crowds to feed.   Three’s has consistently been part of catering these large events, many of which draw upward of 5,000 concert attendees!

We’re also stoked to cater a significant event happening Monday, June 26 at the MACC, when global media leader and philanthropist Oprah Winfrey will appear for a special conversation and Q&A session on health, wellness and happiness.  The free special event, presented by HMSA and Sharecare, is called “Live Your Best Life,” and tickets are available through Sunday via a free online sweepstakes if you’d like to join in.  Our sister restaurant Fork & Salad will also be catering a private VIP breakfast and lunch reception prior to the public event!

Although you enjoy the finished product (the delicious food!), planning for events, large or small, is a huge aspect of the business.  For instance, weddings take months of precise back-and-forth coordination with our sales manager, including food choices, rentals, service staff, timelines, floor plans, diet restrictions and more.  Everything is perfectly planned down to the exact amounts of chicken versus fish versus steak, to where each entrée is delivered per table, per seat.

Larger public events like concerts demand a different style of planning, based upon estimated ticket sales and years of learning through experience.  Our team is trained to execute interesting and delicious food quickly and efficiently, so you can get back to enjoying your show or event as soon as possible!  Menus are geared to serve a particular clientele per event, and as with our restaurants, utilize as many Hawai’i farms and producers as possible; in fact, we source ingredients from more than 25 local suppliers!

Our close-knit catering team is dedicated to excellence.  Each member is trained in job tasks specific to that particular event.  From planners to servers, bartenders to captains and chefs to dishwashers, our catering family works together to ensure every event goes off without a hitch, honoring our motto of “every event, every time.”

The top priority for our events remains customer service.  We take pride in our ability to deliver exceptional service with a ton of aloha.  Our goal is for every event to go flawlessly, with no worries for the client about any challenges, whether involving a contracted service from us or a different vendor like a florist, cake baker or deejay.  If there’s an issue and we’re at your event, we work together to solve it, so the guests can focus on what matters:  the celebration!!  That’s what we’re proud of.

Traditional and Not-so-Typical Choices on Three’s Kids Menu

Our menu at Three’s is designed to be diverse; to satisfy your appetite, whatever you’re in the mood for!  But that also applies to kids, who get a special activity menu all to themselves!  Taking keiki into consideration is an important part of any dining outing or experience, and we felt it was important to offer a great kids menu that not only pleases the parents, but gets the young ones craving Three’s too!  With happy keiki munching away, parents get to take a breath and relax.  Everyone can appreciate that.

It’s nice to give children a choice when it comes to what they want to eat.  From traditional kids items like chicken strips with fries and mac ‘n cheese to unique offerings like a BBQ kalua pork quesadilla, keiki caesar salad, and ramen, our menu aims to please.  Other favorites include the keiki cheese burger made with Maui Cattle Company beef, pasta with parmesan, and our fresh berry bowl for some added vitamins and antioxidants!

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We also offer an array of beverages on the keiki menu, like POG (passion-orange-guava juice), milk (and the chocolate variety!), soft drinks, tropical smoothies, and a fun, kid-friendly twist on a mojito, known as a tropical mock-jito!

We take pride in being a restaurant that welcomes keiki with open arms. Our owners have kids and families too, and we want children to enjoy themselves just as much as the grown-ups do.  As many parents know, it’s typically not the adults who decide on the restaurant, but the kids who make the choice!!  So come on in and savor some quality family time plus great food in our surf lounge, dining room or outdoor patio with live music.  See us anytime from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and our doors open at 8 a.m. on weekends for breakfast!

Have You Seen Three’s on Food Network’s DDD??

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We’re proud to share that Three’s Bar & Grill has been a featured restaurant on Food Network show, Diners, Drive-ins and Dives (DDD) not once…but TWICE!!

Our original episode, called “Barbecue, Batter & Beer Can Chicken,” premiered on Food Network on Friday, July 21, 2017!   We aired the showing in Three’s revamped, roomier Surf Lounge to a packed house of loyal customers and supporters!!

Three’s in the National Spotlight on DDD

Legendary show host Guy Fieri and his fantastic production crew flew to Maui in early April to film Three’s food, staff and customers.  Guy took particular interest in several menu specialties like Three’s Traditional Ramen and Asian Beer Can Chicken.

We and our dedicated employees spent many hours organizing ingredients and cleaning the kitchen to perfection before the DDD team showed up.  Then, lights…camera…action!!  The filming process itself was fascinating and the crew was beyond professional, but also really personable and fun to work with!  Between the field producers, audio technicians and videographers, they paid meticulous attention to every sound that was made, each person’s positioning and the angle of every image.

A few days after the shoot, we had the honor of joining the DDD team on a private Pacific Whale Foundation snorkel trip!  We crafted sushi, fish tacos and poke bowls for Guy and the crew, and had an awesome time hanging out!!

Let’s Do It Again Sometime (like how about 2021?)

 

Then, in May of 2021, crews came back to Three’s for a post-COVID follow-up called “Papaya, Panelle, and Pork” — a wonderfully-produced, “where-are-they-now” episode on Food Network.  Chef Travis Morrin got cooking in the kitchen again and we got to feature some local food favorites like our fresh Mahi Mahi Plate, Panko-crusted Ahi Roll and Crispy Pork Belly with Green Papaya Salad.  We worked with such a fantastic crew and were so stoked on the finished production, which aired in August 2021!!

Something Extra & Unexpected with Guy Fieri

Three's owners behind the scenes at Guy Hawaiian Style 2021

Three’s co-owners at the filming of “Guy! Hawaiian Style” in May 2021

And…it doesn’t stop there!  We got a little bonus showing on a special Discovery+ show called “Guy!  Hawaiian Style.”  Our co-owners Travis Morrin, Cody Christopher and Jaron Blosser had the honor of joining fellow Hawai’i chefs to hang with Food Network’s Guy Fieri and his family in a casual, fun setting.  The series aired in August 2021.  What an awesome experience!

We’ll Never Forget Our DDD Experiences

All the way around, we consider this a dream come true.  A chance of a lifetime.  We are proud to join the ranks of other successful establishments who’ve received amazing national exposure from this top-rated show.  Please be on the lookout for reruns and on-demand episodes to support Maui in the national spotlight!

Three’s Gives Maui a “Grand Taste” at AgFest

A “shrimp french fry.”  Well, that’s more of a nickname.  It was technically a little fancier than that for our offering at Maui County Agricultural Festival’s Grand Taste on Saturday, April 1.

“Seared Kaua’i prawn — on Kaua’i, they practice some of the most sustainable shrimp farm operations around,” explains Chef Travis, who crafted Three’s tasting menu for the event.

As an added bonus, we fried the prawn heads, a delicacy some people love to crunch on.  The dish also included a purée with Hāmākua mushrooms and Waihe‘e Valley Plantation macadamia nuts (learn more in our Know Your Farmers video) along with a light salad of parsley and celery leaves, salmon roe, bacon and arare.

For the Grand Taste at Maui Tropical Plantation, we were among 12 booth stations featuring locavore chefs who partnered with  farms and producers throughout Hawai‘i.  For a minimal ticket price of $30 to $40 in support of the Maui County Farm Bureau, guests got to experience farm-to-table cuisine at its freshest and finest.

“It’s a two-hour event where you get to try some really phenomenal food from some great chefs around the island,” Chef Travis says. “People get to see how the chefs incorporate ingredients into their dishes and makes something really cool.”

Our prawn dish was nearly 100% locally-sourced, which is a priority for us at Three’s, and of course at our sister eatery, Fork & Salad in Kīhei. Be on the lookout for more videos, where we’ll take you through our entire adventure at AgFest!  Mahalo for supporting local!!

What’s New? Delicious Additions to Three’s Menu!

Reopening our doors at Three’s after the kitchen fire in Fall was an epic feeling. And we were proud to reopen with some enhancements to not only the kitchen and decor, but also our menu!

We gave a lot of thought to the food items we added, so we wanted to give you the lowdown on a few of the highlights.

THREE’S SEAFOOD CRAB BOIL FOR TWO:

Three’s Seafood Crab Boil for Two, an entrée brought back from our first year in business.

Three’s Seafood Crab Boil was on our menu the very first year when we first opened, and everyone really loved it. So we wanted to honor those earlier years and our first customers by bringing this entrée back. It’s enough to feed two people, with a generous mix of snow crab, Kaua’i prawns, clams, mussels, Portuguese sausage, potatoes and corn, all simmered in beer butter and our housemade cajun spice to give it just the right amount of flavor.

HAWAIIAN JAMBALAYA:

Hawaiian Jambalaya, a longtime favorite at Three’s Bar & Grill, has returned to the menu.

Our Hawaiian Jambalaya is another favorite making a second appearance from a few years back. It’s a creole rice dish with a whole bunch of tasty ingredients, like shrimp, sausage, chicken, BBQ kalua pork, trinity peopers and melted jack cheese! Diners loved it and our staff was especially sad to see it taken off the menu. So this entrée is not only a customer pleaser, but pays tribute to our longstanding employees who loved this menu item and wanted it back. So here it is — come try it out!

AHI SLIDERS:

Ahi Sliders, one of Three’s new specialty items.

A true newcomer to our menu, the Ahi sliders have been a mega hit! It’s a light, rice-free sushi dish, featuring spicy crab mix wrapped in Ahi sashimi, with tempura crunch, black tobiko and more. You’ll find the Ahi sliders under our Specialty Items, and we’ve gotten a lot of great feedback on it.

RED CURRY CLAMS & MUSSELS APPETIZER:

Red Curry Clams & Mussels, a new appetizer at Three’s Bar & Grill.

There’s more, like our Red Curry Clams & Mussels — a full pound of ‘em simmered in sake, red curry butter and Thai basil — in our Appetizer section.

MARILYN MONROLL:

New specialty sushi at Three’s, known as the Marilyn Monroll.

We also have more sushi selections, including the Marilyn Monroll, which is a spicy California roll topped with torched hotate and finished with unagi glaze, masago and goma.

We’re stoked to add these items to the diverse menu Three’s is known for. Whether you’re in the mood for a Kalua pork quesadilla, tropical salad, french dip, ramen, beer can chicken, prime rib, freshly-shucked oysters or more than a dozen specialty sushi rolls, you’ll find it right here!

We hope you’ll join us to try out one of our new additions, or enjoy an old favorite! Either way, we’re happy to have you. Three’s Bar & Grill is open from 8:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and open at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday (tried our epic breakfast yet?). We also have two happy hours a day, from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 to 10 p.m. Give us a call at  808-879-3133 or book your reservation online at our page on Open Table. We’ll see you at Three’s!