The Five Best Bars in Honolulu
What’s good, travel fam! If you’re even a little bit like me, whenever you visit a new destination, you’re always in the market for a good watering hole! Let me first start by saying that Honolulu, and pretty much all of the Hawaiian islands, are not party destinations. So if the goal of our vacation is to dance to soca all night, it’s time to adjust your expectations. Having said that, there are some great bars with excellent drink choices around. These are my favorite 5 bars:
1. Amuse Wine Bar
Going through all the bars in my head, I’d have to say that Amuse is at the top of the list of wine bars I’d recommend. This bar is perfect for the fashionable traveler in search of a nice, relaxing evening of tasting all sorts of wines from around the world. My favorite thing about Amuse is their wine carousels. This is how it works: you load funds onto an Amuse card (kind of like how you would with a laundry card), and then you use the card to trigger a dispensation of a couple of ounces of the wine of your choice. The prices differ based on the wine you’re selecting, but the pours are roughly the same. If you’re a wine lover, you can’t do any better. They also have exceptional cocktails if wine isn’t your thing!
This bar is located in Kaka’ako at 1250 Kapiolani Blvd, Honolulu, HI. It is about a 10-minute drive from Waikiki.
2. Blind Ox
Where are my whiskey drinkers at? This speakeasy is the island’s top destination for whiskey drinkers, in my view. Their selection is vast, and they have numerous flight options, which, let’s be real, is the quickest way to a whiskey drinker’s heart. I am especially fond of their Japanese whiskey selection. The décor here is chic, and the ambiance is awesome. It’s themed red and black, and there’s a giant ox in the middle just because.
The bar is located at 829 Kapahulu Ave Honolulu, HI, and is about 10-15 minutes from Waikiki. It’s definitely worth the Uber/Lyft ride.
3. The Laylow
If you’re interested in a nice terrace vibe, and you’re not really interested in leaving the Waikiki area, the Laylow kills two birds with one stone. The Laylow is always busy and is always a vibe! The rooftop offers the perfect place to kick it with your friends and jam to live music while enjoying their interesting cocktail mixes. It gets pretty busy here so I’d recommend making a reservation at least a week in advance. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a slight drizzle and be blessed with a lovely rainbow in your background.
The Laylow is located at 2299 Kuhio Avenue, Honolulu.
4. The Tchin Tchin! Bar
Next on the list is this gem in Chinatown. This cute and quaint bar is really rather popular, and judging from the taste of their cocktails, it’s not hard to see why. They have a wonderful aesthetic that exudes luxury and style, with leather couches all around and a lengthy stylish bar. They have a decent tapas selection too if you’re looking to drink and have a little bite.
This bar is located at 39 N Hotel St, Honolulu, HI 96817, and is roughly fifteen to twenty minutes from Waikiki.
5. 1938 Indochine
Last, but definitely not least, is 1938 Indochine. This was the bar where I celebrated my 30th birthday and it’ll always be special to me (credit to L for the selection!). First, before I get into the frog legs, I’d like to shout out their whiskey and mezcal cocktails as well as their general whiskey selection. There is not a single cocktail on their menu that I tried that wasn’t immaculate. And as if that alone wasn’t enough for a mind-blowing experience, they have an excellent dining menu. Those frog legs though? Whew! Just arrive ready to order them because they are very delicious.
This bar is located at Salt Kaka’ako at 602 Ala Moana Blvd, Honolulu, HI, and is approximately 20 minutes from Waikiki.
My only caveat to this list is that I’m still yet to try Sky Waikiki and Bar Apron. I’ll check those out in the next couple of weeks and I’ll update the list if necessary.
