I’m no foodie but I like to eat. And drink. So I’ll admit to feeling a little intimidated in advance of my first visit to the Lounge at Nobu for happy hour. Just 24 hours earlier, I was at Anyplace Lounge on King Street raving about the Spam-and-scrambled-egg-sandwich quarters on white bread. Now, here I… Read More »
When most people think of thirtyninehotel in Honolulu’s Chinatown, they think of cocktails, DJs and art. But food is also on the menu at this innovative haven for creative thinking, and the cooking deserves recognition. Chef Jamal Lahiani, 28, creates unique, restaurant-quality dishes out of a minimalist kitchen on the back lanai of thirtyninehotel. He… Read More »
There’s something familiar about the Harbor Pub, a genial joint that escapes notice in its corner location under the more posh Chart House overlooking the Ala Wai Boat Harbor. OK, maybe you’re not a “Lostie” who would’ve recognized the family-owned pub as a stand-in for the Aussie dive where Sawyer and Jack’s dad shared a… Read More »
Top of the Hill in Kaimuki has no frills and no pretensions. It’s a hole in the wall that’s had the resilience to stay in business for more than 20 years in a neighborhood where many restaurants and bars have come and gone. Just down the street from Big City Diner on Waialae Avenue, you… Read More »
Experiencing pau hana at the Plumeria Beach House is pretty much hitting the jackpot of happy hour in Honolulu. You know, when the three cherries line up? That would be a sparkling ocean view, cut-above pupu and designer cocktails, all at an amazing discount. Oh, and did I mention the free parking? Everything about the… Read More »
For those who frequent Honolulu watering holes, finding a relatively unknown bar during its soft opening phase is an intriguing proposition. With everyone and their cousin’s sister on Twitter and Facebook, plus status updates via Foursquare and nearly instantaneous post-visit commentary on Yelp, you almost feel like you’re getting punked when coming across a spot… Read More »
If you happen to want an escape from the perpetual sunshine or the beach on the Windward side, then walk into the Kailua Town Pub & Grill. You might feel like you’ve crossed into another state of mind, finding yourself in a dark, cool British hideaway. Kailua Town Pub & Grill offers 30 drafts on… Read More »
They named it right. Home Bar & Grill is a familiar, comfortable haven for fans of the local pau hana scene, a place that will keep me coming back.
It was a Thursday afternoon, and upon walking in to BluWater Grill in Hawaii Kai, I had my pick of tables under umbrellas by the water. Looking out upon the marina with its small rivulets (and the occasional boat passing by) while sipping a cocktail has a calming effect and is definitely the highlight of… Read More »
The pau hana specials at the P.F. Chang’s restaurant near Ward Center are so popular that the restaurant expanded its happy hours earlier this year to include the weekends. Maybe it’s the lingering malaise in the economy, but for whatever reason, “happy hour is becoming more and more popular,” said Christi Skidmore, a manager at… Read More »
For all the change that’s come to Kailua in the past 10 to 15 years, one constant has been the relative lack of pau hana options. One reason could be due to the neighborhood’s suburban location on the other side of the Koolaus from where most of us earn — and spend — our discretionary… Read More »
The Waikiki Sand Villa’s Sand Bar is … nice, but unassuming, a place that seems best suited for someone who’s already in the vicinity. It’s a combination lounge and common area, with terminals providing access to the Internet along one wall, and a few tables outside, a few steps away from the hotel pool. In… Read More »
Hidden away in lush foliage in a residential neighborhood at the foot of the Koolaus, a second location of Haleiwa Joe’s offers a retreat from the everyday grind. Haleiwa Joe’s Haiku Gardens Restaurant has pretty much the same menu as the Haleiwa Joe’s on the North Shore. It has the same tropical drinks, and friendly… Read More »
I walked into Longhi’s at Ala Moana Center at pau hana time and half expected to see my mom seated at the bar.
Pau hana at Tenyaku Asian Yakiniku is great for diners who like meat but don’t want to get stuffed, and for guys who like to grill, even if it’s slivers of meat sizzling in the middle of the table. There are no pau hana liquor prices yet — but that’s a real possibility, manager Jen… Read More »
The fourth annual Taste of Waialua tomorrow celebrates both its past and present, North Shore style, with live music, art, coffee, chocolate and food, and an opportunity to sample products from choke North Shore-based businesses. While Waialua boasted a bustling sugar mill that operated for 100 years before its closure in 1996, it is now… Read More »
I’ve never been really big on Japanese-style yakiniku. Why would you go out to spend money on a meal you’ll only end up grilling yourself? Maybe it’s because I’m a guy who would rather just grab a plate and tongs and dive right into grill duty rather than sit around watching someone else do all… Read More »
If anyone out there is reading this, I hope you aren’t getting tired of hearing about how I went someplace and had a good time. Because that’s not going to change this week! Dixie Grill is right up there in my Pau Hana Patrol Top 10 right now, on the basis of good food, totally… Read More »
Indigo Eurasian Cuisine has always been one of my favorite haunts in Chinatown. It’s like entering another world when you walk into this urban chic-meets-Southeast Asian-inspired restaurant and cocktail bar. The award-winning Indigo has pretty much been one of the original mainstays of Chinatown since its inception in 1994. It takes innovation to keep a… Read More »
I like a good sports bar as much as the next person. The atmosphere is congenial, the beer reliably cold, and while the food might not be particularly adventurous, at least you know what you’re getting. So I was looking forward to my first trip to Kanpai Bar &Grill on Ward Avenue, across from Sports… Read More »
La Mariana Sailing Club is a homage to the Hawaii tiki bar of yesteryear. Three years after the death of founder Annette La Mariana Nahinu, the place is not only still open, but looks like it’s doing well under its new management. Often referred to as the last authentic tiki bar in Honolulu, a recent… Read More »
When pondering your next afternoon of pau hana fun, it’s always good to keep in mind what kind of audience you want to have witnessing your shenanigans. Just having a drink or two with those office co-workers you wouldn’t want to otherwise be caught dead in public with? There’s a bar for that. Need someplace… Read More »
After two divine evenings spent sampling Vino’s happy hour menu, I believe I am falling in love. This sophisticated-casual Italian eatery, with its low lighting, comfortable seats and cosseting soundtrack of retro classics and Beatles tunes, puts a glass of wine in your hand, encourages you to let down your guard, then makes its way… Read More »
The heaping mounds of great, distinctive, local food at Side Street Inn on Da Strip lend themselves to pau hana gatherings of friends and co-workers uninhibited about digging into mounds of edamame, fried rice, chicken katsu, kalbi and a wide array of other tasty and familiar dishes. So keep that in mind: It’s impossible to… Read More »
Established in 1971, the Hard Rock Cafe is a global institution with locations in more than 50 countries. Originally started by American entrepreneurs Isaac Tigrett and Peter Morton, the chain expanded and was acquired by London-based The Rank Group before being sold to the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 2007. Of the 134 Hard Rock… Read More »
