It's really such a treat to have yummy drinks overlooking the most amazing ocean view of Waikiki…read more This place is totally underrated and i pray more people will come to take advantage of it. Our bartender, Nita, is very welcoming and makes wonderful drinks! We are so thrilled to have found this amazing lounge with a happy hour. We will definitely come back again!

Great spot at the Hilton Waikiki Beach Resort & Spa - so nice to be able to pop up to the top floor…read morefor a craft cocktail and not have to leave the hotel after a long day of sightseeing. The drinks were delicious and well-made; the views were stunning. Friendly bartender, trendy aesthetic, and pleasant live music.

Great bar to enjoy a cocktail after a long meal at La Mer - you'll need help digesting!…read more The bar is short but its at table height, so comfy chairs, no bar stools, the bar tender walks down a few steps to be at eye level. They have their collection of specialty cocktails but I asked him to make me a Sazerac, 50/50 cognac/rye. It was superb.

4.5 stars Why did I…read moregive this place 4.5 stars? Because I didn't actually get to go inside. Now you're thinking, "What??" Yup, because there's a dress code in order to get in! For guys you need a dress shirt and slacks to get in so when I walked in with my sandals and tshirt I was turned away at the door (I had been out at the beach all day and didn't have any dress shirts or slacks or anything). Now you're thinking, "If you got turned away why are you giving this place a review??" Because even though I couldn't go inside, the person at the door told me I could sit in the lounge area outside and still be served. I wasn't going to say no because I knew I wanted to go here so I took that option. Now let's get into the real stuff. This place is on the second floor of Orchids and Lewers Lounge so you'll have to take the stairs or the elevator to get there. Yes, the cocktails are pricey but you're not just paying for the drink; you're paying for an experience. Each of their $24 cocktails come with an appetizer/pairing. You can switch it out for another if you want but this is just their suggested pairing. My first pairing was the Hemingway old fashioned which comes with marinated mushroom and onion. I thought the old fashioned was good but I remember eating the appetizer and then taking a sip of the drink and saying out loud, "That just changed the flavor of the old fashioned." The appetizer was more acidic and sour and after having that coated around my mouth it made the old fashioned sweeter and not as bitter or sour. That just took me by surprise and realized just why they are the way they are. My second pairing was the halekulani cocktail which comes with vegetable brunoise with Ibérico Gelee Cream of Bacon. I feel like a lot of the juices in the cocktail overpower the taste of the whiskey even though the whiskey is what makes this cocktail special. After eating the vegetable brunoise the tropical flavors in the drink come out a lot more. My server told me that the whiskey is from Elijah Craig who makes this bourbon specifically for them and this drink. It also contains some 1950s bourbon so it really is a special drink. I love that one of the waiters came out to chat with me for a little bit. We talked about why I was visiting and where I was visiting from. We spoke about our travels and his travels to the Pacific Northwest like Seattle's Canon and Portland's Multnomah Whiskey Library (those are both some of my favorite bars ever and if you've never been, bookmark those for your next visit). It was unnecessary for him to do that but he did it anyway and I just think that speaks to the experience they want to provide their guests, regardless of whether they're inside or outside. A part of me thinks a part of the complete experience is lost because I was unable to actually have a drink inside the bar. I have no doubt that had I been allowed to go in this would be an absolutely great 5 star experience. I got that top-notch service even sitting outside and I know I would've gotten that perfect atmosphere inside. I still wish to this day I could've gotten in the door but I guess that's for another day. You bet if I'm going back to Oahu I'll be bringing a lot of t-shirts and shorts and one nice outfit just for this place.

Nestled within the larger Tropics bar, this cocktail spot is the type of place that you have to be…read morelooking for to find - and you'll be well-rewarded. Featuring an excellent selection of bourbons and Scotches, the cocktail program here has some old standards done well, as well as some with a Hawaiian twist. Joel, the bartender, is knowledgeable both about his craft and the local area. The food menu is currently the same as Tropics, but he says they're developing a separate menu that should hopefully be up and running in a few weeks. If you want to get an excellent drink or two in a cozy, wood-paneled bar, this is the place for you.

Solid joint, surrounded by a sea of mediocrity. Great vibe,…read moreoutstanding service, stiff drinks, good food. Will return!

A year late writing this review oops but had to come back to it because this bar was hands down one…read moreof my favorite memories from my Honolulu trip in Nov 2023! My friend and I had actually meant to go to The Dragon Upstairs which is the bar upstairs (yeah we missed that in the name... LOL) but we walked into Hanks instead. This place is THE definition of a local dive bar. There was a lovely entertainer singing some hilarious songs on the guitar, the most random, interesting, and hilarious group of locals seated at the bar, someone's dog sleeping in the corner, and of course a fantastic hot bartender that keeps you there and keeps everyone drinking!! We met so many interesting people that night and had a blast. Stayed there way longer than expected and definitely stayed through many more rounds of drinks than expected. But in true dive bar fashion, it didn't break our bank which we loved!! Accidentally stumbling upon Hanks was the best mistake we could have ever made and I can't wait to go back if I'm in Honolulu again! Truly a gem!

Would not return…read more During a recent visit, a bartender named Eli made a comment to me that was sexual in nature and made me extremely uncomfortable -- not the kind of interaction I expect from staff at any establishment. After that exchange, I noticed the service toward my group became noticeably colder for the rest of the night. We also had repeated issues getting correct change back on cash transactions at the bar. I raised both concerns with management afterward and received no response or acknowledgment. I've been there several times over the past year, and this experience was enough to end that. I can't speak to whether this is a pattern, but it's not an experience I'm willing to risk again, and I'd encourage other patrons -- especially women -- to be cautious. For a better night out, Dragon upstairs has better drinks, better prices, and a staff that treats customers well.

We come here often, whenever we visit Waikiki. Great drinks, great people, great views...everything…read moreone could ask for from a beachside booze shack. Finding seating can be difficult, but generally doable. Highly recommend!

I really enjoyed the interaction when ordering and my Mango Lava Flow cocktail was very good and…read morethe sample of the original Lava Flow was as terrific. Be careful - too many of these could be dangerous! Loved being able to get a casual drink at the waters/beach edge of Waikiki. Bonus - great music, wave action and people watching.

Grabbed a quick drink at this bar inside Stix Foodhall. Bartender didn't seem very knowledgeable…read more Prices were ok.

Not sure if it's true that Shanghai Bar is closed or not, but if they are, it must have happened…read morepretty recently since one of my buddies was just here not too long ago. Assuming they are, though, it's a shame! While our experience here was pretty uneven, we still thought it was a pretty decent spot to grab a relaxed nightcap! Located just off the center of the Stix Asia food court (right by Matsuri and Shingen) and in the middle of one end of the food hall, Shanghai Bar was about as casual and small of a cocktail bar you'll find. Yet, despite how simple it looked, their drink menu certainly wasn't lacking in options. As their name suggests, a good portion of their cocktails, spirits, and beers had Asian influences (tons of Asian whiskeys!) and even featured a boozy boba (and non-alcoholic boba). What's more, they also had a relatively robust mix of food offerings, including a variety of appetizers, noodles, and soup (I think this is a sister eatery to Honolulu Noodle Company that's also in the food hall). -- TEQUILA P.O.G. - Tequila, Pineapple Juice, Orange Juice, Guava Juice, Simple Syrup, Sprite, Grenadine, Lime...$18 Even though the taste of this was a little fruitier than I expected, this was still pretty solid. The POG was refreshing, the tartness of the lime helped to cut the sweetness, and the pour of tequila was just right. -- SHANGHAI MAI TAI - Rum, Agave, Guava, Pineapple. Lime, Cherry, Lemon...$18 Of everything we had, this might have been my favorite. Between the guava, pineapple, and lime, this had a fruity element to it, but unlike the P.O.G., it wasn't super fruity. The pour on this one felt more than fair too, which was nice. -- MOJITO IN SHANGHAI - Rum, Lychee, Mint, Soda...$18 This is what we ordered, but I didn't even realize until now that what we got was more like a regular mojito. Still, what we did get was pretty good. Although it tasted a little sweeter than a normal mojito, I liked the bit of tartness and minty flavor it had. -- HOKU MULE - Hakuto Japanese Gin, Fresh Shiso, Lemon, Ginger Beer...$18 This was kind of a bummer and I'm partly to blame. Since they were out of ginger beer, I took the bartender's offer to use bitters instead of changing my order. Initially, this started off fine, and the overall taste was pretty good, but the bitters got to be a bit overwhelming. Similar to how we didn't notice that our Mojito in Shanghai looked very different from the photos in the menu and on Yelp, we also realized much later that our Shanghai Mai Tai was also served differently (it was missing the toothpick with the cherry and lime). Not as significant of a change, as they were more of a garnish, but still worth noting, as it was something else about our drinks that didn't match up. As much as we thoroughly enjoyed the more casual vibe here (as opposed to some of the more congested bars nearby), it's definitely offset by our drinks. Regardless of the fact that we mostly enjoyed what we had, it's hard to overlook the fact that only one matched up to what was listed on the menu. If nothing else, I can't help but wonder how much better they could've been! Not that it seems to matter anymore if Shanghai Bar truly is gone. Oh what could've been... THREE AND A HALF STARS rounded down.

Staying at the Romer house in Waikiki. This little adult only pool was nice and busier than…read moreexpected. It's a lil smaller but still a nice intimate space. My friends and I sat in the corner seating which was nice cozy spot. We got the smash burger with fries and the Caesar salad. The sliders were def our favorite and was crispy and flavorful. The salad was adequate. The bar offered blended drinks which we got a lava flow. I wish they had more selection in terms of liquor. They seemed to only have a few spirits with no other options. The bartender was extremely nice and worked extremely hard taking care of the bar the tables and the pool guests! I would def come back for a casual drink and snacks!

After checking in at Romer House for a staycation, my wife and I came to check it out and use our…read more$100 restaurant credit. I'm glad we did. It's a small bar and area right in the hotel's pool area designed to serve those at the bar. Very casual with the bartender wearing shorts. Andrew, the bartender, greeted us very nicely asking what we'd like to drink. We ended up having a good conversation about the tequilas they had to offer which surprisingly was better than expected with a few high end bottles. We ended up trying the Patron El Alto, breaking the seal as we were the first, which was $47 a shot. We had it straight up, sipped and shared it. Would have been better in a glass vs plastic glass but it's a pool bar so understandable. I had a $7 Maui brewing Pau Hana Pilsner draft and we ordered and shared $21 Smash burger and fries. It was really good and the gentleman who brought it out looked like he was the chef who made it and explained what it was and how it was prepared. Nice touch. Would we come back again? Probably not. Though Andrew was great and very personable, Waikiki prices are prohibitive. If we were staying here or in Waikiki and needed a place to go, the Backyard would definitely be a good option.

"I visited the bar area at the Courtyard hotel after spending time by the pool. I had brought a…read morehard seltzer down from my room while relaxing poolside and was nearly finished with it when I approached the bar to ask about lunch service. I explained this to the bartender and let him know I intended to order food and another drink from the bar. While I understand there may be policies regarding outside beverages in the bar area, the interaction felt unnecessarily dismissive and unwelcoming. The bartender's tone and attitude made me feel embarrassed rather than politely informed of the policy. His body language and eye rolling was so rude. Hospitality and customer service are important, especially in a hotel setting, and I believe the situation could have been handled with more professionalism and courtesy. I ultimately decided to leave instead of ordering because I no longer felt comfortable staying. I completely respect business policies, but guests should still be treated with kindness and respect when misunderstandings happen."

AMA is Amazing! Serious mixology expertise - makes a mean Manhattan and moves with grace and speed…read more Also the setting is a perfect U shaped bar that encourages chatter and making new friends! I am back in 2 weeks and excited to end my nights here, with AMA and her amazing concoctions!