07/16/2026
Good news!
Nearly three years after the devastating Maui wildfires, Kimo’s Restaurant is officially on its way home. T S Restaurants has signed a letter of intent to develop a new Kimo’s Restaurant on Front Street, marking a significant milestone in the company’s commitment to return to Lahaina and contribute to the ongoing revitalization of the town’s historic commercial district.
While the company continues to explore possibilities for the original Kimo’s site as redevelopment plans for the makai side of Front Street evolve, T S Restaurants is moving forward with a new Front Street location to ensure Kimo’s returns to the community as quickly as possible. T S Restaurants will partner with longtime Hawaiʻi business leaders Kent Untermann and Mousa Hassan, who are restoring the Chan Wa Building, the future home of Kimo’s.
The announcement marks a homecoming for the restaurant where the T S Restaurants story began. Founded in 1977 by Rob Thibaut and Sandy Saxten, Kimo’s was the very first T S Restaurant, opening at 845 Front Street on the last available waterfront parcel in Old Lahaina Town. Its success laid the foundation for what would become one of Hawaiʻi’s best-known restaurant companies, growing to include iconic destinations such as Duke’s Waikīkī, Leilani’s on the Beach, Hula Grill Kāʻanapali, Duke’s Maui, Keoki’s Paradise, Jake’s Del Mar and others.
Rather than recreate the original restaurant, the new Kimo’s will honor its legacy while embracing a new chapter. Guests can expect the same welcoming atmosphere, familiar menu and signature hospitality that made Kimo’s a Lahaina institution.
Additional project details, including the restaurant’s design, construction timeline and opening plans, will be announced as they become available.
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