If you can get a reservation this place is awesome. Trying to walk in is frustrating at best. After being turned away multiple times they finally said they were taking walk ins, only for us to be turned away two hours later when an "unexpected" reservation showed up. Just say you don't take walk ins or do better. If you're here on vacation don't waste your time without a reservation, plenty of great options downtown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Sarah S.
I've been wanting to try this place for over a long time now and FINALLY got a chance a chance to go!! Luckily it was early on a Wednesday night and we were able to walk in without reservations. But with only two guys working they limited the seating. Located in the a tiny intimate space with a bar and some tables I heard that the best seats are at the bar with front row seats so you can see the bartenders do their thing. We were seated on a table where we couldn't see but it's ok because we were engaged in conversation all night. Love that we all got different things and got to try each other's drinks. Everything was crafted with excellent care and beautifully and articulately presented with a short narrative about each drink. The starred ones were my faves. Round 1: ***E ho'o pau mai tai-12 year rum, spices: orgeat, fig lime, absinthe, keawe wood smoke. My friend said this was the world's best mai tai. I always wonder how anyone can make that claim unless they have literally travelled the world and tasted every maitai. They might not be wrong though, because this award winning drink was one of the best maitais I've ever had!!! Not too sweet, much more complex than your typical beach drink, and full of wonderful flavors! Masterfully made! **Kisetsu Sour/ lilikoi - changes seasonally - Nikka Coffey gin, mason pepper, yuzu, bergamot, lilikoi, lemon, tonic . This drink changes with the "seasons". Beautiful, refreshing and too easy to drink! Espresso martini- haku vodka, pandan, cynar, sesame, cold brew, whole egg. They smoke the espresso beans in front of you. My friend liked his drink more than I did. Round 2: Red Shiso smash- (not on the menu)-Toki, red shiso, lemon, yuzu, wasabon sugar, soda. Good but not my favorite. ***El Umami- tequila, mezcal, bergamot, strawberry, tomato, bergamot- lovely in looks and taste! A little sweet, a little smoky. Roma Norte- mezcal, chile verde, grapefruit, honey, black pepper, frozen apple. Super cool presentation. Good if you like smoky. ***Smoked salmon- bourbon smoked salmon, wasabi, dill oil, smoked trout roe. Soooo good! Great for sharing. Excellent servers knew we'd need more bread. Complimentary: Rice ball snacks Dessert: Ganache with yuzu- a perfect ending! Service by the guy in the leather apron and hat (sorry didn't catch his name ) was top notch. We were very well attended to. Love that they fill chilled water without having to be asked through the evening. I can see why people love this place and why it's James Beard worthy! Drinks nowadays are pricey everywhere. Theirs come with creativity, care, craftsmanship and class which give them more value than those at most other bars.
Evan M.
Cocktail excellence. Must try if you're on the island. Best cocktail bar with an acute attention to detail. Highly recommend a visit.
Chloe H.
TL;DR: Drinks are mediocre and expensive. I'd skip it. I have been to quite a few bars on the World's 50 Best list, and I was excited to check out Bar Leather Apron. However, I am rather disappointed by my experience here. A lot of people have complained about it being nearly impossible to make a reservation here. It was fully booked for the days we were in Honolulu, so we decided to try our luck with walk-ins. Their last seating is at 10:30pm. We came as a party of 2 and they told us they weren't sure whether they'd be able to seat us that night, which was fine and we decided to wait anyways. It took about an hour for us to be seated. There was another girl who came by herself and got seated right away. So, you might have a good shot if you are coming alone. We ordered a total of 4 drinks. These drinks, while conceptually interesting, did not deliver on execution. I was drawn to the novel and unique elements that made their drinks theirs, but I could not taste the matcha in "matcha", or the sesame in the espresso martini, or the strawberry and tomato in the el umami. They all just tasted like drinks I could have gotten elsewhere (for cheaper), and it felt as if they wanted to attempt novelty but were scared that they'd turn people away. I think they indexed too much on the drinks being pretty/instagrammable rather than being tasty. I can name far better bars with more interesting drinks and lower price points, easily, off the top of my head. Lastly, I echo someone else's review that they weren't as busy as they seemed to be. It looked like they were holding back tables. If you still want to try your luck with walk-ins, the bartender recommended coming between 7-9pm because they are busiest before and after dinner.
Kendra W.
A1 craft cocktails!!!! Has the best mai tai on island! Everything on the charcuterie board pairs well together and the bartenders are amazing. The venue is super intimate... kinda reminds me of someone's decked out 'man cave' or a cigar lounge (smoking is not allowed here). I would not recommended for large crowds or anyone hoping for a sports bar type feel. If you're looking for a setting that seems sophisticated paired with amazing craft cocktails ...this is the place!
Craig Bovaird
Hilarioussy described as a cocktail. Don't get wrong it's fine, but it was closed by 10pm and full of board
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Winnie Huang
Everything we ordered today taste really good! I think our fav was imperial or kisetsu tonic… something with passionfruit lol you can ask the staff for recommendations and just follow his suggestion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Mike P.
Outstanding service and knowledgeable staff. Every drink you order is an experience with detailed information about how and why the Bar picked the ingredients. If you come here, ask questions and enjoy the experience and skills of the bartenders
M P
Cocktails were great and had a fun interplay of texture. Service was really slow and it took 40 minutes to get our first drink, but the team made it up to us.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
Scott Brazwell
For cocktails, this is the best place we have ever been to. Loved the whole experience. Justin really makes you feel special.
Very unique experience! High quality products and service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese & Charcuterie Board
Kim K.
Not much food choices, but that's NOT what they're known for! Get their AWARD WINNING MAI TAI and you won't be disappointed!!! If you like an experience with your drink this is the place to go! Even if you don't want one of their mixed drinks, there is a plethora of choices if you want a fabulous whisk(e)y or bourbon! Service was above and beyond anything else! Knowledge is everything and these guys have it! You have a question about a drink or whisk(e)y, they can most likely answer it!!! It was a small place, but I loved the dark ambiance. Definitely going again!
Reid H.
New favorite bar in Hawaii! Jason provided a fantastic experience through his knowledge of the various drinks--top tier (top shelf?) bartending. I had the shisho highball and the Imperial, both great but preferred the highball fasho. The place feels low key but high quality, and the food seals the deal. The onion and scallion, plus smoked salmon, were both tasty. Shoots
Ilya Krisa
Sophisticated cocktails with delicate taste and delivery!Seating is limited so if you don't have reservation be sure to come in early for your chance to enjoy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Richard McHugh
Some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. Mai Tai is truly the best cocktail I’ve ever enjoyed. Downside: If you can’t sit at the bar, you are going to have a really average experience. The non-bar seating is uncomfortable, brightly lit, overlooks an office building staircase, and you miss “the show” of watching the bartenders mix your drink. The bartenders also don’t come over to the non-bar seating to engage or even acknowledge your party at all. They only focus their presence on people seated at the bar. You basically don’t exist to them and are treated as a nuisance if you try to speak with them (thanks for the friendliness, Justin!) . Business district location is undesirable to the point of being a detractor. They really need to find a new lease and add bartenders so they can seat more people in an atmosphere befitting the quality of their drinks. But, if you can set the downsides aside, these are truly some of the best cocktails you will ever have.
If you can get a reservation this place is awesome. Trying to walk in is frustrating at best. After being turned away multiple times they finally said they were taking walk ins, only for us to be turned away two hours later when an "unexpected" reservation showed up. Just say you don't take walk ins or do better. If you're here on vacation don't waste your time without a reservation, plenty of great options downtown.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
I've been wanting to try this place for over a long time now and FINALLY got a chance a chance to go!! Luckily it was early on a Wednesday night and we were able to walk in without reservations. But with only two guys working they limited the seating. Located in the a tiny intimate space with a bar and some tables I heard that the best seats are at the bar with front row seats so you can see the bartenders do their thing. We were seated on a table where we couldn't see but it's ok because we were engaged in conversation all night. Love that we all got different things and got to try each other's drinks. Everything was crafted with excellent care and beautifully and articulately presented with a short narrative about each drink. The starred ones were my faves. Round 1: ***E ho'o pau mai tai-12 year rum, spices: orgeat, fig lime, absinthe, keawe wood smoke. My friend said this was the world's best mai tai. I always wonder how anyone can make that claim unless they have literally travelled the world and tasted every maitai. They might not be wrong though, because this award winning drink was one of the best maitais I've ever had!!! Not too sweet, much more complex than your typical beach drink, and full of wonderful flavors! Masterfully made! **Kisetsu Sour/ lilikoi - changes seasonally - Nikka Coffey gin, mason pepper, yuzu, bergamot, lilikoi, lemon, tonic . This drink changes with the "seasons". Beautiful, refreshing and too easy to drink! Espresso martini- haku vodka, pandan, cynar, sesame, cold brew, whole egg. They smoke the espresso beans in front of you. My friend liked his drink more than I did. Round 2: Red Shiso smash- (not on the menu)-Toki, red shiso, lemon, yuzu, wasabon sugar, soda. Good but not my favorite. ***El Umami- tequila, mezcal, bergamot, strawberry, tomato, bergamot- lovely in looks and taste! A little sweet, a little smoky. Roma Norte- mezcal, chile verde, grapefruit, honey, black pepper, frozen apple. Super cool presentation. Good if you like smoky. ***Smoked salmon- bourbon smoked salmon, wasabi, dill oil, smoked trout roe. Soooo good! Great for sharing. Excellent servers knew we'd need more bread. Complimentary: Rice ball snacks Dessert: Ganache with yuzu- a perfect ending! Service by the guy in the leather apron and hat (sorry didn't catch his name ) was top notch. We were very well attended to. Love that they fill chilled water without having to be asked through the evening. I can see why people love this place and why it's James Beard worthy! Drinks nowadays are pricey everywhere. Theirs come with creativity, care, craftsmanship and class which give them more value than those at most other bars.
Cocktail excellence. Must try if you're on the island. Best cocktail bar with an acute attention to detail. Highly recommend a visit.
TL;DR: Drinks are mediocre and expensive. I'd skip it. I have been to quite a few bars on the World's 50 Best list, and I was excited to check out Bar Leather Apron. However, I am rather disappointed by my experience here. A lot of people have complained about it being nearly impossible to make a reservation here. It was fully booked for the days we were in Honolulu, so we decided to try our luck with walk-ins. Their last seating is at 10:30pm. We came as a party of 2 and they told us they weren't sure whether they'd be able to seat us that night, which was fine and we decided to wait anyways. It took about an hour for us to be seated. There was another girl who came by herself and got seated right away. So, you might have a good shot if you are coming alone. We ordered a total of 4 drinks. These drinks, while conceptually interesting, did not deliver on execution. I was drawn to the novel and unique elements that made their drinks theirs, but I could not taste the matcha in "matcha", or the sesame in the espresso martini, or the strawberry and tomato in the el umami. They all just tasted like drinks I could have gotten elsewhere (for cheaper), and it felt as if they wanted to attempt novelty but were scared that they'd turn people away. I think they indexed too much on the drinks being pretty/instagrammable rather than being tasty. I can name far better bars with more interesting drinks and lower price points, easily, off the top of my head. Lastly, I echo someone else's review that they weren't as busy as they seemed to be. It looked like they were holding back tables. If you still want to try your luck with walk-ins, the bartender recommended coming between 7-9pm because they are busiest before and after dinner.
A1 craft cocktails!!!! Has the best mai tai on island! Everything on the charcuterie board pairs well together and the bartenders are amazing. The venue is super intimate... kinda reminds me of someone's decked out 'man cave' or a cigar lounge (smoking is not allowed here). I would not recommended for large crowds or anyone hoping for a sports bar type feel. If you're looking for a setting that seems sophisticated paired with amazing craft cocktails ...this is the place!
Hilarioussy described as a cocktail. Don't get wrong it's fine, but it was closed by 10pm and full of board
Atmosphere: 1
Food: 2
Service: 1
Everything we ordered today taste really good! I think our fav was imperial or kisetsu tonic… something with passionfruit lol you can ask the staff for recommendations and just follow his suggestion.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Outstanding service and knowledgeable staff. Every drink you order is an experience with detailed information about how and why the Bar picked the ingredients. If you come here, ask questions and enjoy the experience and skills of the bartenders
Cocktails were great and had a fun interplay of texture. Service was really slow and it took 40 minutes to get our first drink, but the team made it up to us.
Atmosphere: 4
Food: 5
Service: 3
For cocktails, this is the best place we have ever been to. Loved the whole experience. Justin really makes you feel special.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 3
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cocktail Bar
Restaurantji Recommends
Very unique experience! High quality products and service!
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Recommended dishes: Cheese & Charcuterie Board
Not much food choices, but that's NOT what they're known for! Get their AWARD WINNING MAI TAI and you won't be disappointed!!! If you like an experience with your drink this is the place to go! Even if you don't want one of their mixed drinks, there is a plethora of choices if you want a fabulous whisk(e)y or bourbon! Service was above and beyond anything else! Knowledge is everything and these guys have it! You have a question about a drink or whisk(e)y, they can most likely answer it!!! It was a small place, but I loved the dark ambiance. Definitely going again!
New favorite bar in Hawaii! Jason provided a fantastic experience through his knowledge of the various drinks--top tier (top shelf?) bartending. I had the shisho highball and the Imperial, both great but preferred the highball fasho. The place feels low key but high quality, and the food seals the deal. The onion and scallion, plus smoked salmon, were both tasty. Shoots
Sophisticated cocktails with delicate taste and delivery!Seating is limited so if you don't have reservation be sure to come in early for your chance to enjoy.
Atmosphere: 5
Food: 5
Service: 5
Some of the best cocktails I’ve ever had. Mai Tai is truly the best cocktail I’ve ever enjoyed. Downside: If you can’t sit at the bar, you are going to have a really average experience. The non-bar seating is uncomfortable, brightly lit, overlooks an office building staircase, and you miss “the show” of watching the bartenders mix your drink. The bartenders also don’t come over to the non-bar seating to engage or even acknowledge your party at all. They only focus their presence on people seated at the bar. You basically don’t exist to them and are treated as a nuisance if you try to speak with them (thanks for the friendliness, Justin!) . Business district location is undesirable to the point of being a detractor. They really need to find a new lease and add bartenders so they can seat more people in an atmosphere befitting the quality of their drinks. But, if you can set the downsides aside, these are truly some of the best cocktails you will ever have.
Atmosphere: 2
Food: 5
Service: 3