50 Best Bars in Honolulu

“Koa Oasis is one of my favorite little finds at Fort DeRussy Beach Park.

Not for nothing, but for a tiny beach shack, they make some surprisingly solid cocktails. I’ve had the Mai Tai several times and recently tried the Li Hing Margarita for the first time. It definitely won’t be my last. In fact, I think I’d order it over the Mai Tai next time, which is saying a lot.

The service is always outstanding. Every employee I’ve interacted with has been friendly, welcoming and efficient. Honestly, if I could give the service 10 stars, I would.

The food selection is limited, but that’s not really the point. They have snacks, chips and hot dogs — enough to soak up the booze from the booze shack. 😂

One other thing worth mentioning: I’m not military, but if you’re active duty, retired military or a veteran, Koa Oasis offers a military discount with proof of service.

Great drinks, great service and an unbeatable location just steps from the beach.“

“Such a fun place. They have swing chairs at the bar. love it!!“

“I highly recommend coming here - especially when Laura is working!! She is such a baddie💪 Highly attentive, VERY knowledgeable about their craft beer, and was super helpful/accommodating with food! We were there to watch a football game, and even though my team played horribly, I still had an amazing time, because of Laura’s hospitality and service❤️“

“I wish I could give this place SEVEN stars, but apparently Google Maps is run by cowards.

RM 38 is, without question, the best bar on the island. And it’s not like the island is out here serving sad gas-station margaritas—there are plenty of world class drinks around. RM 38 is just that far ahead of the pack.

The staff is amazing. You can tell they genuinely love what they do, which makes sitting at the bar feel like dinner theater, except everyone is cooler, the plot involves cocktails, and the ending is always “wow, I need another one.”

The menu is awesome, but if you are overwhelmed or indecisive, just let them work their magic. They will make you something better than whatever you thought your favorite drink was, then casually drop a fascinating story behind it like they are part bartender, part historian, part wizard.“

“This was easily my favorite bar on the island.

They specialize in highballs, and the current menu is a full-on Chinatown tribute—local ingredients, bold flavors, no shortcuts. Everything about this place hits. Smooth vinyl spinning 😎, a space that actually feels intentional instead of thrown together… you can tell the owner cares about the experience, not just the drinks.

I had three cocktails—all of them balanced, creative, and dialed in.
The Mango Sticky Rice cocktail? Different level 🥰 I had it twice… so yeah, technically four drinks.

No regrets.“

“Music and atmosphere is outstanding! Fun place to listen to good music while enjoying a beverage!“

“This outdoor bar is fantastic. The Mai Tai's are fantastic and not to be missed. They open at 11am and serve until 10pm. There is live music most evenings. There is walk up service at the bar or take a seat at one of the umbrella covered tables for table service. Winnie is a fantastic server and has worked there over twenty years. Find one of her tables, you won't be disappointed.“

“Me and my daughter visit here in November we went the waitress. They call her. Hennessy and Roland were so nice. The hookah was good. Good environment. I recommend if you’re ever in Hawaii this is the hookah lounge to visit. good vibes and you can also bring one bottle. I think there are trying to get their liquor license. They don’t have food right now, but you can definitely order food. Trust you will enjoy.“

“This is an amazing whiskey bar! Their collection of whiskey, bourbon, and scotch is unrivaled here. I have been several times and have always enjoyed it. My most recent visit left me a bit underwhelmed. I ordered the BLT. It was beautiful with a nice twist...a fried green tomato, but I took one bite all I could taste was mustard! Who puts mustard on a BLT? It was a shame, I ate 1/4 of it and took the rest home. At home I scraped the mustard off and added mayo...then it was banging!

The service was great as usual and the atmosphere lovely. All in all a solid choice...but beware the mustard!“

“Paniolo Bar & Café (in the lobby of The Equus Hotel) is officially in my rotation now—and the fact that it’s a quick 5-minute walk from my place? Dangerous. In the best way.

I didn’t even eat this time (yet), but I will be back for food—possibly today.

Let’s talk drinks:
My first one… no idea what it was called, but it was red and perfect 😂
Then I had a passion fruit + pineapple margarita that was chef’s kiss—fresh, balanced, and exactly what you want when you’re in this mood.

But the real standout? Ben behind the bar.

Attentive, personable, and just gets it. The kind of bartender who elevates the whole experience without trying too hard.

The vibe is relaxed, local-friendly, and low-key elevated—exactly the kind of spot you don’t want to gatekeep, but also kind of do.

If you’re in Ala Moana and want great cocktails with even better service, this is it.

I’ll absolutely be back!“

“You will meet people that love to talk and have a great time. Bring any food in .. your lunch or dinner and have some drinks. The prices are reasonable and the last dive bar left in Waikiki. Come meet new friends on your visit - Aloha“

“I find Mimosa is quite easy to make.“

“Icon scene on Waikiki Beach! Top notch service. 🌺“

“The food will surprise you with how well executed it is. Oyster and Opihi shooter are a must try, if they're not sold out.

The service is always attentive, prompt and socially gregarious. Thank you to the team at Remixx bar & grill for good eats and memories. Highly recommend!

P.S. bring cash for the digital jukebox 🤭
P.S.S karaoke room available 🤫“

“i love the beef and chicken kebob. the koko brownie was to die for. they offer wide variety of alcoholic drinks. prices are very reasonable. parking is conveniently located at the back of the restaurant.“

“Awesome food, cold beer and friendly staff!!!“

“Great place close to the ocean.“

“was there recently on my trip with the best company. (I was travelling from Australia). Loved it! Totally going back again early May 😃“

“Fried Chicken is the best“

“Best garlic shrimp I’ve ever had! I’ve been to 15+ eateries ordering the same dish on the mainland and the Hawaiian islands. The guava fried chicken and Lilikoi Pie were epic too! �“

“Great place to catch the football game today! Great screens, friendly staff and fun guests!!!“

“Best appetizers and drinks I’ve had in a very long time“

“Loved this place! Marco and his gang are fantastic! Treated us very well. If you’re looking for a cool local place to decompress from hustle and bustle in Honolulu, this is the place! ❤️👍🏻“

“We found this bar by accident. It was part of our best experience in Hawaii. The bartenders and customers were so welcoming. We had such a blast and loved not paying tourists prices🥃🏝️🙏🏼❤️“

“I recently moved to Chinatown from east Oahu and decided to check out Hanks… walking distance from my apartment!! What a gas!!! Loved the live music and huge variety of patrons. The bar tender was skilled and conversational and made this old lady who’s solo, feel welcome and comfortable!!👍🏼👍🏼“

“I only write google reviews for the places that I really love and Bevy was one of my favorite place to visit when I was in Hawaii. They have amazing list of cocktails and the bartender was super attentive! Enjoyed my time here and food was good too! They made my birthday extra special 🎂“

“Quick and friendly service! They were so kind and accommodating with replacing our cocktail soju when I realized their Dubai Chocolate was made with matcha, and treated me extra special on my birthday (even on a Sunday night). My boyfriend and I love the karaoke rooms and the Ube Latte soju, and the KFC is the best!!“

“Davey’s is our favorite local bar in Waikiki. Davey himself was so welcoming and accommodating. The staff was excellent! We loved the Smash Burgers on Sunday! We came to watch football and were treated like family. Dog friendly as well! Will be back next time.“

“Really local spot, the bar staff is amazing. They always make sure they’re taking good care of you. The food isn’t the priority but it’s good when you order. The drinks are good and the atmosphere is very welcoming if you play your cards right. Keep in mind this is a local spot so come in humble and you might get a spot at the bar. If you do, it’ll be your new favorite spot.“

“Great location. Excellent food and wonderful beer / wine. Neil is fantastic. Love this place!“

“I visited today and sat at the bar for Happy Hour and had the best bartender (woman) whose name I didn't get but we did chat about travel. She was so kind! I forgot my credit card and ran after me down the street to return it to me! The food was great and the service was awesome. Thank you kind lady and enjoy your trip to South Africa!“

“Great food and friendly service. I love this place!“

“Excellent food!👍🏽 Friendly staff & loved the service!👍🏽👍🏽“

“Stopped by LBLE bar twice on our NYE trip to Waikiki.

The 1st time, we stopped by for a drink, waiting for our room. We were able to catch the Saturday afternoon football game on the huge TV, grab HH drinks and some lau lau nachos.

The 2nd visit, we went to watch the week 18 49ers vs Seahawks game, we ordered HH drinks and was able to order from Blake's secret menu! Blake went out of his way to make us a rootbeer float.

The great service from Blake the bartender is what drove us to come back for a 2nd visit. We enjoyed our time spent in LBLE Lounge and will definitely visit again when we are in the area. Shout out to Blake for making our visit enjoyable.

We definitely recommend the Guava cooler and the secret menu item rootbeer float!“

“Overall
​ | |
​To start, the service and atmosphere here were absolutely fantastic,our waiter was incredibly prompt and kind throughout the entire meal.
​As for the food, it was overall quite good, though there were a few mixed reviews at our table. The jambalaya was a highlight with a great ratio of rice to protein, though I personally prefer the heads to be peeled on the shrimp. The nachos felt a little stale to my taste, and someone in my party mentioned that the lobster noodles weren’t cooked quite right.
​That said, everyone in our group enjoyed the experience and the rest of the food. It's a great spot, and we'd definitely come back for the excellent hospitality!“

“Great service and delicious food! 🩷“

“I’m from out of town and I found this bar because all of the other ones were “ugh”. When I came to Club Wave, I felt so welcomed. The bartender, Makamae was great. The owner and his family are great. The atmosphere, people, and the conversations are great. When I came back, everyone remembered me by name. I used to have two favorite bars that I would go out of my way to go to. Now, I have three.“

“It was an unexpected surprise. Not fancy, but a nice casual atmosphere to grab a quick bite to eat. Have passed it many times not realizing what we were missing. Have tried a few times in the last year but always seemed to miss when they were open. Will definitely stop in again when I am at USCGS to pick up supplies from Ability 1.“

“Traffic sucks. Happy Hour is better.
* Great Happy Hour 5-7:30 daily

*** Free Karaoke. Bring a small group or coworkers. Comfy hangout

Great for parties. Call ahead. Super Friendly staff .

Bucket beers/ pupus available. Pizza +“

“I enjoy this place a lot. The beer selection is fantastic. The ambience feels mellow but definitely not boring. The video games provide nostalgia. I highly recommend it.“

“I was skeptical at first. There was no way a bar could cook up some grinds. I was wrong. Everything we ordered was bomb. You thirsty? The break room. You hungry? The break room. You both?? You already know. You gotta try this place; or don’t. Idc, cause if you don’t come, I’ll always have a table… lol. But seriously, you gotta try umm. They got brunch specials of you ain’t a night owl…“

“The best shave ice & fruit we had during our entire 2 week trip on O'ahu! Can't stop thinking about how delicious they were and I've been home 2 months now. Can't wait to come back!“

“We stop by here about once a month. The owner/bartender (Eddie) is the main reason he has such a following. The bartop is usually full on a weekend, but there are plenty of seats and tables in the dining area. Bar food favorites include the deep fried pork belly, wings & fries, tots, maxwell polish dog. Their homeade hot sauce is amazing. Drink prices are reasonable. Bottles & cans only. No drafts. Great bourbon & whiskey selection. Street parking is a bit of a challenge. However, there are several city municipal parking lots nearby for about $3-5 for a 4-5 hour stay.“

“Owner from Golden Gate Lounge, has a strong Korean personality that I like. 🥴💕“

“The people, staff, ambiance, especially the food are great, bar none. pool table, dart board league standards. If singing your thing then great karaoke system. Stop by and say hello:)“

“I have been to this bar twice and both times have been an amazing experience. The second time I went I had many questions about recommendations on a type of sake and Michael was able to make sure I had the best intel on sake because he was super knowledgeable on everything they sold! I had an amazing experience and recommend to all others. Thank you Michael!“