For sure, this longtime watering hole is far more Mr. Bing's than Smuggler's Cove. I'm sure it was once a legitimate tiki bar, but I'm guessing it's seen better days. When Jamie W. and I dropped by, there was a rustic tiki statue and a tropical cocktail menu, but the rest of the decor was more vintage....an Elvis photo, a provocative boudoir blow-up, glossies of who knows who. It felt kinda dark and empty on a Sunday afternoon, but the bartender was attentive when we ordered a couple of $12 tiki cocktails. Jamie went for the Pina Colada, which was already pre-mixed with rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice. I ordered the Hawaiian Volcano which blended vodka, Southern Comfort, orange, and pineapple juice (photo: https://yelp.to/Ol-sIiuLxR). Both drinks were serviceably tiki, though they were missing the fruity accoutrements we had come to expect. I think it was all part of the laissez faire approach they take here with the faux-leather couch, the pool table, and the pointless rock wall covered by a jukebox that I'm not sure works. But who cares if it's shabby? There's a tiki heart in here somewhere. DRINKS - 3 stars...not the best but I like the who-cares approach AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...not really tiki, more like garage sale SERVICE - 3.5 stars...kinda respect the been-there, done-that attitude TOTAL - 3 stars...not sure if it's Hawai'i West...more like Hawai'i U-Turn RELATED - Exploring North Beach? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2X34Mji read more

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Maybe if they cleaned it once in awhile the place is filthy. The Korean lady is a thief she short changes you all the time she's rude as hell. Not very professional read more

We stopped in here on a total whim as we were looking for a nice quiet place without a lot of people so we could relax for a bit before moving on to some other things we were doing in Chinatown. This small hole in the wall is unassuming and won't grab your attention easily but we'd passed by a few times before and decided to check it out. It's small, dingy, grubby, and dark, there's one person working who chats with you a bit but really just wants you to order something. My partner got a mai tai and I ordered the "Jungle Ass Juice" because why the heck not? These are not your fancy tiki drinks (seriously what do you expect out of a place that serves "ass juice"??) but holy this is an absolute gem of a find. Prices are good, drinks are strong, and the place is relatively quiet.... outside of the three social media influencers that showed up, ordered a shot of fireball each, then recorded themselves belting out "Livin' On A Prayer" that they loaded onto the jukebox... and then immediately left?? That was amusing and hilarious and we chuckled to ourselves while continuing to work on our drinks. I like this place and it's going on our bar-hopping rotation through Chinatown/North Beach. read more

Five stars for Sonny (Sunny?) the Bartender! Backing up a bit, this place is a dingy, dark and thoroughly musty joint. There are a lot of hip cool new tiki bars popping up but this one is not that. Instead it is the legit remnants from before tiki bars went out of fashion and long before they came back in. This place is a DIVE. So if you like that sort of thing you'll love it. If you don't you won't. My recommendation is late night. Y'know, like how we popped in the first time close to 2am after a show, concert, or club. Right before hoping in my car parked in the garage next door to use the restroom before the drive. The plan being to order a coke and drink so we aren't jerks just going in for the restroom. Well we noticed a food menu...and it changed our lives forever. Spam burger(!), kimchi fried rice (with spam of course) and the star chef and bartender with an (awesome ornery) attitude - Sonny. Doesn't matter what time you come in; if they're open and she's there, she'll fry you up some delicious, salty, amazing late-night guilty pleasures and might also serve you up some trash talk. Seriously try a spam burger. Spam on a toasted bun with melted american cheese. Life changer. We have been a handful of times since and lucked out with Sonny every time. Anytime we hit the city we try and fit in a visit now. You should too. PS - we love you Sonny, if that wasn't obvious :) PSS - don't play Sunny by Bobby Hebb on the jukebox (like I did). She hates that read more

It was refreshing to find something that's not Italian and not Chinese in this part of town. A limited menu of Hawaiian tastes, but just enough to get your fix in. Can definitely appreciate their loco moco, it's comfort food without trying to be something fancy (i.e. no sous vide short ribs or black garlic or other bougie nonsense like that). Cheese Lumpia: I'm a pushover for cheese, so had to try these. They had the familiar tight crisp lumpia fried shell. The inside had a partially runny partially clumpy cheese, like ricotta. It also had some finely chopped lumpia vegetables. Not quite as a good as like a mozzarella stick, but still tasty, especially with that spicy creamy dipping sauce. Spam Musubi: This was huge! Like the size of three spam musubis in one. Tasted fairly freshly made. The only flavoring that seemed to be used was wasabi. I kinda prefer when it's made with soy/oyster sauce since that adds a bit of moisture to the rice. Was okay though. Nolan's Loco Moco: Really liked this dish. They did not skimp on the gravy, which is the best part. Was very thick and full of umami mushroom goodness. The beef patty was thick and well done, easy to crumble into the rice. The fried egg had the right sunnyside up runny texture, even after being transported home. Very hearty. Fries: Thick cut. Not that crunchy. Covered in black pepper. Not really my thing. read more

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Mele Kalikimaka. This is a dumpster fire of a dive bar that probably hasn't been renovated since the first edition of that Bing Crosby Christmas album came out in 1945. That being said, that's why I love it. Sunny makes a strong drink, keeps the late night chaos down to an acceptable level, all while making me contemplate why I came in here? Free pool, sometimes food, and a guaranteed travel back through time to when bars were nothing more than bars. read more

I walked in - there is one person sitting at the bar . I politely ask "are you the bartender? " she says "yeah" then we stare at each other for 3 seconds and I make my exit. read more

I made plans to catch up with a friend and we were in the mood for a tiki moment, so I did a quick search and found Hawaii West. So glad we decided to try it out! The venue is charming and an extremely dive-y way. We mostly wanted Mai Tais, but we also ended up getting food. The food menu looked good! Here's what I thought: Mai Tai - Generous portion, decent prices and potency. We got two rounds! Jumbo Garlic Prawns - Juicy, decent portion. Great kimchi too! Loco Moco - Huge dish, I had to take half of it home. Overall, great experience! Very unique, might not be for everyone but it's a great time if you give it a chance. read more

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Hawaii West is open during COVID and has re-opened their kitchen! I didn't know what to expect. Been coming to HW for awhile to hang with the neighbors and the other characters that come in. Always had a blast hanging there but never really saw it as more than a solid watering hole. Of course the usual bar hangout isn't available at the moment, but Nolan and Sunny have adapted! I've been going over to get burgers and mai-tais to go. Their burger is ridiculous good. Sunny has some kind of secret seasoning for the burger patties that I can't get enough of. Sometimes I add kimchi to the burger which somehow is the best thing ever. Hawaiian food is good too. The Huli Huli chicken has this pineapple BBQ sauce that I'm in love with. Also really digging Sunny's kimchi (which you may have had from her at the bar) and her kimchi fried rice. Nolan said they're still experimenting with some new recipes and will keep adding things to the menu. Good for delivery too. On Postmates you can even get beer and cocktails delivered. Nothing brightens up an evening at home more than a solid burger and a Piña Colada. Highly recommend! read more

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"The" Hawaii West exists only in the minds of a lucky few... I, being one of them, hold on to as little of this place as I can. This is not a bar, it's a ride to the dark side. Northbeach has a certain energy that only we natives and true oldschool locals understand... This energy began pooling a decade ago into several bars, coffeeshops, restaurants, and bookstores, all of which are, and always have been famous. Well, "The" Hawaii West remains unkown to most, feared by the rest, and INFAMOUS in the minds of the lucky few... And sorry to say, Nolan, will never be the same without Sonia. read more

Almost everything about this bar is sub-par (even the Schlitz cocktails), and that is what makes it so special. I hope Sunny lives to be 200. Note: For those who aren't aware, a Schlitz cocktail is Schlitz beer served with whipped cream and cherry on top of the can. A great drink, but at Hawaii West I like to stick to drinks with one ingredient or less. read more

Attention Hawaii West and dive bar loyalists! Hawaii West is in danger of being evicted and replaced by a dentist unless we appeal to the boardofappeals@sfgov.org by April 12th. Don't let another San Francisco institution fall to the pandemic! Please send an email to make our case that this North Beach business which has been around since the 1960s should not be replaced with a professional business that will do nothing to enhance the character of the street and neighborhood. No offense to the dentist, but there are better options than a street-level storefront location in the middle of a historic neighborhood. And a dentist certainly isn't an acceptable replacement for a loved bar where memories are made (or perhaps forgotten) with friends. https://brokeassstuart.com/2022/04/07/50-year-old-bar-hawaii-west-being-evicted-by-new-building-owner/ read more

This was our destination spot after seeing the article by Broke-Ass-Stuart. We wanted to support the local dive bar scene but we were very disappointed. We were there on Sat early evening and they didn't serve food. My drink was completely watered down, the bartender was more concerned with money than service and of course the bar was empty. We were really bummed that it didn't turn out how we expected. There are much better Tiki bars out there and maybe it's just time for Hawaii West to retire into the dive bar sunset. Change isn't always bad. Btw, there are a ton of local dive bars within blocks of Hawaii West. So no loss. read more

Hawaii West - Hawaiian Near Me - San Francisco, California

This is the epitome of a wall in a hole bive dar and strangely cozy. Have a "scotchy" or a kick @$$ jungle juice, it all feels like where you would come to laugh and enjoy the end of the world. read more

I ordered a delicious takeout order of fries from this place via GrubHub. They threw in a free banana (separate from the fries, of course) as a bonus, haha! My potassium levels thank you! read more

Hawaiian West has great food and great cocktail's. And the owner (Nolan Kellett) is very friendly and he also teaches pool, which was a lot of fun. The people who works there we're very nice and the customers we're a variety of different culture. There is also a Police station right across the street. Which was nice. I felt very safe at this bar, not only cause the police were right there, but everyone who's there seems to be loyal customers and a load of fun! The owner also does a lot of the cooking. And is very generous with the amount they serve. I also like that this business is runed and owned by three generations! I would definitely return once this pandemic is over! And I've told my friends whenever there in North Beach/ Chinatown to go check this place out, they wont be disappointed! I wasn't!! read more

foods package was burnt plastic I did not eat it because its plastic I cant eat plastic. the meat is overcooked worst patties I have ever eaten in my whole life. Better eat mcdonalds patties. lumpia the appetizer has rotten inside. kimchi fried rice but not cabbage its daikon and its not called kimchi its marinated daikon . Discusting service read more

Hawaii West - Overcooked beef patties with plastic mixed loco moco. THATS HUMAN HEALTH PLEASE DONT MAKE FOOD LIKE THIS. - Hawaiian Near Me - San Francisco, California

NOT CLOSED!!!! Sonny is still here and making the best mai tais in town. Love it here. Dive tiki bar. Nice people. Chill. Been accidentally charged over back in day - just be friendly and not an ahole and she'll make it correct. This place is great and not closed. read more

Hawaii West - Hawaiian Near Me - San Francisco, California

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For me this place is all about the Spam Musubi and the Nolan LocoMoco which is served in a rich gravy which I like to add an extra egg . its a true hole in the wall from another era , and worth it for take out read more

I've been coming here for years so I don't know why I haven't left a review. This is an old school bar dark dingy and just to much stuff BUT Nolan the owner is very nice and the food especially spam kimche fried rice is great. read more

I stopped in for the first time in years. I think this place has somehow managed to get even skeezier. Both a patron and the bartender lady were smoking cigarettes inside the bar. Strange to see in this day and age. I guess she must be the owner. I think there's some loophole there. Aside from that, the service was unfriendly. I like dive bars in general, but this place is just gross. read more

This place charged me up the ass. Up charged to the max. Just be aware if you do come here. I got like 2 beers and was charged over $100. Granted, I was drunk but not so drunk that I ordered that much. I got spam musubi (which I didn't even order, the bartender just put it in front of me, so I figured it was a nice complimentary thing since I was in on Christmas Eve) and beer. I don't know, I'd never go back and I don't recommend to anyone else either. I gave it two stars because if I hadn't been up charged like crazy, it could have been an alright experience. read more

Okay. So I got the loco moco. Didn't have exceptions, didn't really expect anything but to be not hungry after. That was..... a False hope. The white rice was literally so overcooked, I thought I ate popcorn kernels, and that was what it literally felt like on my first bite, it hurt. I thought I'd get more bang for buck by ordering here than L&L bbq or ono Hawaii as it doesn't seem like a chain, I was wrong. I'd rather eat a jack in the box teriyaki chicken bowl than order here again. read more

To paraphrase Dave Chappell, "What can I say about Hawaii West that hasn't already been said... about the war in Afghanistan?" This place is anything but modern. Or clean. To walk by it on most nights, you likely wouldn't even know that it was a bar. But if you take it for what it is - a dive bar in north beach, then it all starts to make a little bit more sense, and it morphs into someplace that you might even consider cozy. I personally find the folks who run this place to be pleasant and welcoming. I have been coming to Hawaii West for years, and I have never experienced the overcharging that others claim has happened to them. Not to invalidate their experiences. Perhaps it's because I have a positive relationship with the owners already. But I find it difficult to believe that they would do something like that. The beer selection here is pretty limited, but they did recently begin offering cans of Four Point, which is always a good, local choice. Otherwise you're basically limited to Corona, Stella, and Longboard (I think it's longboard?) if beer is what you're after. Otherwise you can always get some Jameson. I've never had a cocktail here. It's not exactly a place you go to get cocktails, so order those at your own risk. As for the atmosphere, it's what you expect from a dive bar in north beach. The floors are often sticky, and the air just smells a little dirty. There are chairs that look like they were salvaged from an apartment that burned down in the mid-80s. The pool table is completely broken and littered with reminders that folks have spilled a lot of beer on it over the years. The good part about this, however, is that it is free to play. So it isn't like you'll be getting ripped off or anything. It's just a janky table, that's all. There is also a reasonably priced juke box that takes credit cards, and a television to watch Warriors games on. All things considered, this is a pretty cool, relatively low-key spot to grab a few drinks with old coworkers and play a couple games of pool. Would I bring out of town friends here? Nope. Would I come here alone at night? Probably not. But there are worse places to spend a small slice of your evening. read more

This past Saturday I was in the blazing sun most of the day, slaving away at a school fundraiser. After all that good-deed-doing, I felt I was entitled to a little "reward", and what better reward than some tasty adult beverages? I dragged my tired, overheated ass to the nearest bar, which happened to be Hawaii West. I hadn't been in a couple of years...back when it was dirtier and divier (and I mean that in a good way) and under different ownership. It's a little spruced-up now, but still has a great downscale, neighborhoody feeling. I lucked out that one of the friendly regulars was there. He took me under his wing and made me feel right at home. He and the adorable little bartendress kept me in stitches with their antics. After a few cold beers, I forgot all about the day's stresses. Eventually, it was time to "break the seal". I found my way to the bathroom, only to discover the toilet clogged and the floor semi-flooded. I went into Mommy Mode and whipped the place into shape, unclogging the toilet and cleaning up the messy floor. When my new drinking buddy saw me come out, he pointing in another direction and announced: "Um, that's the wrong bathroom. We use THAT one over there!" Yay me...I left Hawaii West in better condition than when I got there. read more

Came here after a concert around 12am. Ordered from Postmates, 2 loco moco with requests (extra gravy and no mushrooms). None of the requests were fulfilled. There was no gravy at all, my boyfriend said the burger tasted like plain oil, it was alright for me but the rice is what threw me off. I don't know if it was the kimchi but it STANK so bad, it smelled like a dog that hasn't showered in weeks. read more

After a bottomless mimosa/margarita brunch at Don Pisto's, I drunkenly stumbled into this bar expecting tiki huts and mai tais. Those I did not find but instead I accidentally happened upon a private birthday fiesta. The birthday boy invited us to help ourselves to the trays of home cooked food they had meticulously set out on the back table. I had no shame as I drunkenly started the food line by peeling back tray covers and piling steaming scoops of carnitas and rice onto my plate for my second brunch of the day. Before I left, I wished Carlos a happy 31st birthday as if he was a dear old friend that I'd known for years. I also waved a loud and enthusiastic goodbye to the asian lady bartender behind the counter. That evening, I woke up confused and still full from my double brunch. Then it all sank in... I had just crashed a birthday party. read more

this place has to be the most purest of dive bars in all of North Beach. Bartender who speaks minimal English and doesn't really deal with BS? Check. One pool table (free to play)? Check. Old popcorn maker that looks a little sketch? Check. A friend took me to this spot and I'm really only keen on reviewing it because I want to make sure it never goes away or loses it's lease. In truth, I'm torn because I love it but I also don't want anyone to know about it for fear of the vibe being tainted. But hey, they got bills to pay, so go on and drop by and spend your money here! read more

This is a pretty darn cool dive bar! I met up with the SF Yelpers here on one of their pub crawls. This dive bar is PERFECT with it's beachy Hawaiian theme it fits in perfectly in North Beach! I mean seriously... where else would you put this bar? The bartender who was flying solo did a fabulous job in getting all the Yelpers their drinks. She was friendly and served up our drinks with a smile! The musical selections on the jukebox were top notch. There was a lonesome pool table begging for some play. The beers on tap included Stella, Heffenweizen, Pabst Blue Ribbon, Miller Light, Anchor Steam, Sierra Nevada, Kona, Longboard Lager & Red Hook but what caught my eye was the 4-7pm Happy Hour deal which at first I read as $1 drafts but then Will H. was gracious enough to point out that I had missed the operative word "off".... Ok so it's not a $1 Draft Beer Happy Hour...but who cares the beer is cheap here to begin with so it's a $2-3 Draft Beer Happy Hour... Same difference....I loved this place! read more

DIVE bar right across the POLICE STATION I used to live right up the street from this place, and for the first month or so I didn't want to go into this place because it was right next to the police station--for some reason I always imagined this to be a police/biker-gang kinda spot. But after I went in a few times, I realized this is actually the Chillest place on earth--there is a wide variety of clientele, and everyone is just there to chill out, or play in the billiards league, or turn on the jukebox. The bartender is also extremely friendly, with an interesting personality. The owners are also locals who own a couple of other bars in the area, so every 30 minutes or so people would walk in and say hi to the owner, chitchat, get a drink, have a couple of laughs, and continue on their way. Definitely the neighborhood dive bar. read more

Stopped by to check out their food. I've never been a fan of Lumpia but theirs was fantastic. The Lumpia was very tasty and the Cheese Lumpia was a nice surprise. Loved Sunny's Kimchi Fried Rice, lots of Kimchi flavor. We topped off the meal with a nice Cherry Shaved Ice. Will definitely be coming back to try other items on their menu. read more

Yummy special dranky drank! Thanks to my favorite bartender Ro Ro love you lots!! My favorite dive bar when I'm in the city.. Chillaxing w/ the best bartender ever, shooting pool & jamming on the juke box. "I love this bar." Very chill atmosphere and great to start your night out but always find myself having my last call @ Hawaii West!! :) $20 credit card so If your just passing by for one drink make sure you have cash. read more

This place is still open... Only giving this place 5 stars because the lady is so nice. But basically every negative review is true. Just get a bottled beer. read more

If you come to Hawaii West with expectations underneath the floor, you'll be fine. Hawaii West is a dive bar. Not a "Dive Bar" like Specs down the street. A dive bar like "I wonder if there are old men smoking opium and playing Go in the basement." There's no music unless you play the jukebox, which, to be fair, is very cheap. There're two televisions that look like they were bought on sale at the Dollar General in Toledo, both of which are typically tuned to obscure foreign soaps. Occasionally you'll get some ESPN. Those are the good days. Pool is free! Not a pool for swimming - if there were a swimming pool, I would advise avoiding it - but instead a pool table for billiards. The cue ball feels like it's made of styrofoam. There's either no chalk or forty chalks. But it's free. There's free popcorn in the popcorn machine. The bartender makes popcorn in the microwave and dumps it in. Apparently the bartender was just fired for assaulting another employee. This is the least surprising thing I've ever heard about Hawaii West. The bartender in question had a supernatural ability to detect the exact amount of drunkenness in any particular patron and upcharge them the perfect amount. She would also say "let's take a shot!" then pull down a top-shelf bottle and charge you for the shot she took. That was actually pretty funny to watch, if I'm being honest. The mixed drinks are... let's call it "variable". You're either getting a mouthful of well vodka with a single atom of Mai-Tai mix or a sugar slushy. The beer taps haven't been cleaned since 1977. Thank God they haven't figured out a way to ruin bottled beer yet. Remember being in college and declining to clean your bathroom for too long? Remember that smell? The smooth, mildewy film that settled on your tile? Yeah, that. At around 1:30am, you'll realize that you've been drinking at a nasty bar for too long and you'll close your tab. You'll be too drunk to run quality assurance on the receipt prices, so you'll just pay so you can go home and eat leftovers. You'll take one step out of the bar and four uniformed police officers will be walking straight at you. Panicked, you'll take out your phone and pretend to text, only to realize that Hawaii West is conveniently located right across the street from Central Station. You're not drunk anymore. Thanks, adrenaline. So why two stars instead of one? If you have no standards and you enjoy moderately-refrigerated Corona and you want a place you and your friends can put your feet up on the chairs and play awful jukebox music and perhaps even smoke inside, then Hawaii West is your jam. read more

This is a living health code violation. Saw the bartender take USED paper towels out of the bathroom trash, fold them up and place them behind the bar. Some straws are wrapped and some aren't...meaning they could be recycling some of them read more

I've been wanting to try their veg Loco Moko and finally did tonight and it did not disappoint! Served with an Impossible patty and vegan gravy, it was REALLY good! I washed it down with their amazing kimchee and they even threw in a couple of plums as dessert. Thank you guys so much, can't wait to order it again! read more

This is what you'd expect from a dive bar- it was a Sunday night so take all that into consideration. I only had 3 beers and was the only one in the place except for 4 20 somethings playing pool with wigs on- didn't really catch the point of the wigs but the one with the British barristers wig on at one point had to turn it around based on some sort of gamesmanship I'm older so pardon me for what I haven't learned. This wasn't your dads game of quarters So not being too good at pool and of advanced age in comparison I started a conversation wither the bartender/ owner Nolan he was an interesting fellow and for that I give this place 5 stars read more

The sweetest and funniest women you will ever meet. Hard core sweety love her to death. Food was great and the service was even better come here for a time! read more

We stopped in late on a Saturday night and this is a TRUE DIVE! A little too much of a dive bar than I typically like since it was pretty dirty and nobody was in there on a Saturday. Pros: We came as a group and made it our bar. Pool is free to play and we got to play many many games throughout the night. Cons: Drinks were not very good and the atmosphere wasn't quite what I like. read more

This is a cool joint. Hung out with the owner, Nolan and the bartender, Olga last night with a bunch of my friends and employees. Yes........Olga from Underdogs now works here on Thursday, Saturdays, and Sundays. The owner is a cool guy and pretty fun to hang out with. They do take credit cards here but they can't run it twice. The reason why i know this is because when I came back again that night they wouldn't take it. Weird. Owner bought us a few rounds for us but the price is a little high here for a dive bar. Either that, Olga don't want me to come back here anymore.....hahahhha. Hawaiian bar with no pineapple juice? Can't run the credit card twice? They have a kitchen but they don't serve food? I'm a little perplexed about that. They have a pool table here which is kinda cool, but these guys are sharks here. I haven't seen sharks like this since the days of the Great Entertainer. I think the losers had to do 25 push ups. Pretty funny to see a bunch of grown ups doing push ups. Hawaii West (1st time) 110 dollars Yuet Lee 115 dollars Hawaii West (2nd time)170 dollars Mr Bings 80 dollars Hanging out with friends and employees.................465 dollars............thought I was going to say priceless huh?. That would be too much of a cliche, but it was great to hang out with the people that gets you were you are at today. read more