Hanks Cafe Honolulu

LoL!!!! All I have to say about that. People watching, strong drinks, good time…read more The morning will require COFFEE

I was looking forward to this place. As I wanted something, more Hawai'i authentic…read more. Typical little alley type dive bar . Wasn't worth the hype Waitress was super nice

Interior

T&T Tall - yes plwase

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Honolulu Tavern

4.3(221 reviews)

3.2 mi•Waikiki

Cheapest and best dive bar in Waikiki. Location is great to all the other bars and clubs. There is…read morenothing fancy here though if you're expecting that.

Honolulu Tavern is a classic old-school Waikiki dive bar. It's frequented mostly by locals and…read moreoffers much more reasonable drink prices than most spots in the area. The place isn't fancy -- just a couple of fans trying to move the air -- but it has a relaxed, no-frills vibe that's refreshing after walking around Waikiki. Good spot if you're looking for affordable drinks and a laid-back local atmosphere rather than a polished tourist bar. Imee, is my favorite bartender. She'll take great care of you and keep you laughing!

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Menu (April 2023)

Arnold's Beach Bar & Grill

4.2(546 reviews)

2.9 mi•Waikiki

Great old school watering hole. Friendly atmosphere and people. Been going there for the past ten…read moreyears while on layover.

Arnold is one of my favorite dive bars in Waikiki. Always a blast great vibe and mix of tourists…read moreand locals. I love their juke box you can control the music thats being played which is fun. The alcohol isn't overpriced the staff is friendly and they have some pretty yummy hotdogs which hit yhe spot after a night out on the town LOL. Not fancy but so much fun.

Plant wall!

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Hideout

4.2(1.4k reviews)

3.2 mi•Waikiki

Food was great, atmosphere was fantastic, music was the perfect volume and mix- a JARROD made the…read moreentire experience extraordinary. If you come here ask for Jarrod- you will not regret it!!

3 stars primarily for the nice open air second floor location and good live music. We were a group…read moreof 4 adults and made same day reservations for around 7:30 pm on a Thursday evening. The good: shrimp dumplings! Freshly made, great flavor! Combo appetizer plate was good also. Good quantity. The live music. Good vibes, even tho a little loud. Could be better: wine list was minimal. But I guess you don't come to Hawaii for the wine right? Short rib was one average to small size. Nothing special. I wouldn't order again. Server was ok at the beginning, but not sure why it slowed down so much after about 45 minutes even tho the place wasn't too crowded. Not good: dessert. We ordered the Mac nut espresso cookie. We were thinking it was a cookie skillet or at least a big soft warm and gooey fresh cookie. What we got were 2 thin, small, stale, crispy-ish cookies and some overly sweet runny cream sauce on the side. It took about 20 minutes to get these from the time we ordered them. Not worth the wait. Service got really slow towards 9 pm and the place wasn't that crowded by this point. Overall I don't think we will return. Service was pretty slow at the end and the food was just ok.

Bar

Wonton Poke Tacos are great! Especially during happy hour.

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Citrus Swell

Green Lady Cocktail Room

4.4(134 reviews)

3.2 mi•Waikiki

What an incredible surprise! We were staying at the White Sands Hotel and had no idea there was a…read morehidden speakeasy tucked inside the hotel Finding it is part of the fun - it's behind an unmarked door that barely looks like an entrance, but the hotel staff will happily point you in the right direction! Once inside, it feels like you've stepped into a completely different world. The cozy indoor space and secluded outdoor patio make you forget you're even in the middle of Honolulu. It's intimate, relaxing, and has that exclusive speakeasy vibe we absolutely love! The best part? If you're staying at the hotel, you can charge your drinks and food right to your room. As huge fans of speakeasies, discovering this on our first trip to Hawaii was the perfect cherry on top! Even if you're not staying at the hotel, it's absolutely worth seeking out as even if you're not a guest you can still come here! A hidden gem for real!

I visited this speak easy a couple years ago, and recently went back for the first time…read more Definitely a lot more options than I remember and I loved the spirit free cocktails. Wish there was maybe two more pupu options but thats just because I am picky. That toffee was delicious! Drink were light and to to sugar/syrupy.

Stagg B25A. 5/2026. 20/pour

One of the few bars in Waikīkī that serve authentic French Absinthe

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Booth seating near the entry

Irish Rose Saloon

3.9(202 reviews)

2.5 mi•Waikiki

It has been sooooooooo long since I've been here. And I mean, sooooo long, I use to go to the old…read morelocation on Lewers! LOL! But a friend of mine was singing at a memorial tribute and needed a ride, so hecks yeah! I want to see the new place! Great atmosphere! A totally different crowd than what I remember, but a friendly crowd. Great pour on my Jameson and ginger. Good sound system and a polite security team that keeps the aisle clear... :) I look forward to coming back especially with Suzie's nearby. Mahalo Irish Rose!

Great spot for live music and a lanai for smoking/drinking. The bartenders and staff are all…read morefriendly and handle it well. Always a place for a good drink and once a month punk rock shows!

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Smith's Union Bar

3.8(125 reviews)

0.0 mi•Downtown

Chinatown locals dive bar. We stopped in for a drink after lunch. Fun crowd. Baseball on…read moretelevisions, fans blowing and a cold margarita. The bartender, Alex, was very friendly and attentive. They have a wall of photographs dedicated to the Sailors, Soldiers and Marines from the USS Arizona, and served during the Pearl Harbor attack. Awesome dive bar!

Smith unions pub closed in early June 2026. Many treasured memories and many karaoke songs were…read moresung here.

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Rivals

3.8(270 reviews)

3.0 mi•Waikiki

Great little bar. Staff are awesome and they have bulk TVs for whatever you're looking for. Even…read moreplay the NRL when it's on.

This is by the beach, me and my girlfriend walked in and they kicked us right out because she had…read moreon a bikini. We came from the beach on our way to our hotel to grab some food and they kicked us out not letting us order food after we had sat.

Caught the Dodgers game here great atmosphere .. good Paloma

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For when you can't drink alcohol!

Cuckoo Coconuts Waikiki

4.0(835 reviews)

3.1 mi•Waikiki

The live music, lights, and fun atmosphere instantly put us in vacation mode. It was packed, so we…read moreended up sitting in the back, but honestly, it was still so worth it! We grabbed a few drinks and snacks, and I got one of the giant pineapples to drink out of - it was a fun experience and made the whole night feel extra tropical. If you're looking for a place with great vibes, live entertainment, and an upbeat atmosphere without it feeling like a nightclub - Cuckoo Coconuts is worth a visit. It's a fun spot to relax, and soak in that energy!

We stumbled upon this spot and it was so lively for a Monday! They have live music a few times a…read moreweek. We met the singer who has been performing for decades and is super friendly. Staff is also friendly and visibly hardworking. We only had some onion rings and a beer which were 10/10.

Cheese fries blue Hawaiian and pina colada

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Band

Blitz Sports Bar and Grill

4.5(50 reviews)

1.6 mi

First time checking out Blitz. I dont often give 3 starts but here's the quick pros and cons…read more PRO: Convenient location and we were able to make a reservation on a UFC fight night. Comfortable interior and HUGe TVs this is a great place to watch sports. Service was very friendly but could have some improvement. Hamachi carpaccio was pretty good and fried pork belly. Cons: They didnt have any beers on draft which I thought was strange for a sports bar, I asked for a menu but they didn't have any drink menu available, so the poor servers had to constantly repeat what beers they had. It was a busy night but the food took a very Long time to arrive some things almost an hour. Servers need a little more training. Granted they were pretty;) BUT We had to ask for water, water refills, plates, utensils, serving spoons, reminded them to check with kitchen if food was coming. Overall I would go there again if things get better but well probably go to another place next time.

Pretty cool place for Sunday Football, pretty empty place, ate the Loco Moco $18 its ok comes with…read more2 small pieces of onions,leterally, 3 halfs of a mushrooms, Burger well done was kinda hard, egg over easy cooked well, might of been sitting cooked already. I guess they used already cooked and serve old stuff not fresh. Likelike has the Best Loco Moco. I think I miss the rush so get left overs. Bartender new Popolo girl didn't know if she had Coke Zero and instead of just refill she asked if need one, that's the 1st for me from a Bar. And of course Bar & Waitress taking shots with regulars and paying attention to themselves instead of taking care of customer,, soda empty 20mins for the first time unbelievable. But most Bar people drink on the job what's new. Gotta ask for refill wow. Not sure if I ever come back here.

Sundays Pop-Up - TJ's Country Kitchen (IG) - Catfish plates $20

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14 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Kini O.

15 years ago

We are a group of local professionals and had heard from a business friend, who went there in 1999, that Hanks was a fun place, but sadly our experience was terrible. We were sober and drinking sodas and so we are not mistaken that he was short-pouring drinks under the bar, being rude and confrontational to docked ship haole tourists and an elderly group of friends, and short changing four sets of costumers who were too tipsy or busy to notice. He behaved like a person on drugs. Since Hanks and The Dragon Upstairs are owned by the same man, we will not give business to either. read more

Greg J.

6 years ago

I went in Hanks about 2 months ago. I was on vacation from Texas and drank a few beers there. The last time I was there was August 1979 when I was in the Navy stationed at Pearl. I was stationed there from 77-79. I spent many nights there. Back then it was called Cindy's. A nice lady, had a party for me my last night in the Navy. She was Korean and had other Korean girls who worked there and I became friends with most of them. Anybody remember Cindy's? read more

BB K.

10 years ago

Hanks will always hold a special place in my heart. Met my husband here and we also eloped here. Great little dive bar in downtown. The bartender, Dave, has been here forever. He knows you by your name. Always friendly and always serving drinks with a smile. The bar allows outside food in. There is a jukebox for you to play your favorite tunes. Also a big TV to watch your favorite sport. Live music at night. No cover charge. read more

Wesley T.

148

2 years ago

Been going to Hank's over 20 years. It's the hub of the Dawn Patrol with the mostest ALOHA in Chinatown. Ben is THE BEST BARTENDER!!! Sundays at 7am - 12 noon. Come one come ALL. He brings homemade pupus. No can go wrong. If can, can. If no can...find a way. 10+ star. read more

Chris H.

4 years ago

Hanks is a great place with good people and great bartenders. But whoever they have there that opens the place and cleans the toilets has to go. He's a disrespectful coward who starts problems then calls the police when confronted. read more

Valey M.

11 months ago

BOLO - The reports from victims and customers' recordings indicate that their drinks were possibly tampered with by the on duty bartender, a short older Portg guy, and not a patron as the owner claims. read more

Whopper C.

11 years ago

full of meth heads, smokers, and soon to be homeless if not already alcoholics, but then it's a "dive bar" so maybe you don't mind, the mentally unstable. read more

Mason D.

3 years ago

Jake is daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy daddy read more

Mickey T.

15 years ago

I & my GF were so much fun here. I love live music. The band that I listened was very cool! I wanna come back again.

Alexander K.

3 years ago

It's amazing it's amazing it's amazing it's amazing ng it's amazing ng it's amazing ng it's amazing

Jessica F.

14 years ago

Great, small, laid back bar. Awesome place if you want a few beers with friends on a chill night.

On S.

3 years ago

KLC is the most prettiest girl in town. Catch her if you get up early for that 7am shift

Skye W.

15 years ago

Good spot. I love hearing Matt Moore play his sax and I love singing blues there.

Thomas E.

4 years ago

I saw the greatest guitar player I've heard in my life. Who is this guy?

Hanks Cafe Honolulu - divebars - Updated September 2026

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