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Honolulu Tavern

4.3 (220 reviews)
InexpensiveDive Bars, Sports Bars
Open 11:30 am - 2:00 AM (Next day)

Honolulu Tavern Photos

Business Info

HONOLULU TAVERN ATMOSPHERE

What's the vibe?
Moderate noise
Divey
Casual
Happy hour specials

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Recommended Reviews - Honolulu Tavern

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Reviews With Photos

Ar
John J.

5,000,000 Stars - Jeff the Divine Pourer of Honolulu Tavern If Zeus stepped down from Olympus, traded in his lightning bolt for a cocktail shaker, and opened a dive bar in Honolulu, he would still fall short of the sheer majesty that is Jeff the Bartender. I walked into Honolulu Tavern expecting a beer and maybe a game of pool. I walked out a changed human being, spiritually reborn through the transcendent wizardry of Jeff's drink-making abilities. The man didn't just pour me a Mai Tai -- he summoned it from another dimension using ancient Polynesian incantations and possibly a portal beneath the bar. Jeff doesn't make drinks. He crafts liquid experiences. I ordered a Jack and Coke. He gave me an elixir so powerful I briefly remembered all my past lives and cried openly at the bar. Jeff handed me a napkin without breaking eye contact. "Let it out," he said, in a voice smoother than the whiskey he poured. He flips bottles like he's auditioning for a Cirque du Soleil fire show. He garnishes with flair, zest, and possibly dark sorcery. He doesn't just serve drinks -- he blesses them. At one point, someone tried to order a vodka cranberry. Jeff leaned in and whispered, "I can do better." Moments later, he slid a drink across the bar that tasted like a sunset riding a unicorn across Waikiki Beach. Also -- and I cannot stress this enough -- Jeff remembered everyone's name, their favorite drink, and gave unsolicited but eerily accurate life advice. One sip of his signature cocktail and my taxes filed themselves, my skin cleared, and I received a text from my ex apologizing for everything. In conclusion: Jeff is not a bartender. He is a mixological prophet. A liquid shaman. A cocktail demigod. If you die before experiencing a drink from Jeff, you've wasted your one precious life. Mahalo, Jeff. Mahalo for EVERYTHING

Craig I.

If you're looking for a dive bar - look no further! Our bartender was awesome - and gave me a hot dog with my beer -- no extra charge! :-) Don't come here looking for umbrellas in your drinks - or anything fancy really. Come to hang w some locals and get relatively inexpensive booze...

This is quite possibly the greatest Dive Bar on planet earth! Such an eclectic mix of locals and longtime mainlander transplants. It's a real taste of gritty, no frills, no bs Honolulu. Bar staff are amazing, friendly and full of great stories.

Hawaiian ice tea ($7)
Brian F.

Honolulu Tavern is a small dive bar in the Waikiki area near the International Market Place mall. It's in the same building the Hawaiian King hotel and is known to be one of the last dive bars in the Waikiki area surrounded by expensive hotel bars. The front of the bar contained mostly bar counter seating with a couple tables but if you go to the back where the restrooms were, there was a lot more space and tables. The well drinks were about $4 each and they sold Hawaiian ice teas for $7 which were sweet from all the pineapple juice. It was a chill hole-in-the-wall spot and my bartender Vivian was super cool!

Honolulu Tavern delight.

I LOVE this dive bar in Honolulu. I'm a bit of a margarita snob, and just had one of the most delightful house margaritas I've had in years. Not some premixed bland bottled version, but a hand-made true margarita. Great service, great atmosphere, great drinks. I highly recommend visiting this wonderful hole-in-the-wall gem in Waikiki.

Michael C.

Would you like to meet friendly locals and get drunk for little money? This is THE PLACE! Bonus if John is your bartender

Mai tai

The bartender was extremely rude he wanted us to sit on the bar but it's 4 of us and it's easier to talk if we are on a table the bar was empty and we kindly asked if we can sit on the table instead he was mad after that he was very rude he gave us very bad drinks and before we left he asked us to hand him all the empty glasses... Not recommended at all

Bar

Absolutely the best bar in town hands down! Great space to relax and have a good time. Jeff makes the most amazing Blue Hawaii cocktails in wakiki! A must stop place during your visit!

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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3 years ago

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2 years ago

Erin the bartender is amazing, great drinks! Thursdays they have hotdogs for free. Erin deserves a raise! Bottles only no tap though.

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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Cindy K.

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2 years ago

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2 years ago

Exactly as we expected. Conversation at the bar was the highlight at this place. Drink specials each day, 3 tvs if you are into sports

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6 years ago

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2 years ago

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6 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

We stopped by on a pub crawl! Great place to stop by for some great microbrews. Recommended.

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2 years ago

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4 years ago

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7 years ago

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4 years ago

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3 years ago

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4 years ago

Perfect little dive bar! Very friendly, drinks strong! Saw folks bringing food in. Not very big inside, but that is what makes it special.

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3 years ago

Love this spot. Drinks are affordable and the bartenders are cool. I'm going to become a regular here I can feel it.

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7 years ago

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Cindy K.

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4 years ago

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5 years ago

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3 years ago

Great little dive bar with the coolest bartenders. Perfect starting spot for a bar crawl.

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5 years ago

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7 years ago

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2 years ago

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7 years ago

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2 years ago

Nice bartenders. Unassuming vibes. Low key spot to grab a drink or two outside of the busy hubbub of Waikiki

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11 years ago

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8 years ago

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8 years ago

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Ask the Community - Honolulu Tavern

Is there karaoke here? If so, which days? Thank you

No, sorry we don’t not have karaoke here

Going to be Honolulu in August... do you know of any swinger bars?

, Thanks for asking and we are always looking for swinger clubs when we travel just came back from Fort Lauderdale and went to the world famous for peace then the Bliss… Read more

When is karaoke here?

Sorry there is no karaoke at our bar

Is this place 21+?

It is 21 and over yes.

But what time do the tacos stop?

10:30 pm.

Happy hour times? Parking?

Not sure about happy hour times but they have street parking.

Do you have an industry night?

Aloha! Our prices are below most "industry night " specials every day, so no. Wells are 3.50 day 4.50 night and domestic beer $4 calls are all about $6 However each day we have specials Like Monday's 9-11 pm we have all Wells $2.50 Rolling Rock… Read more

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Review Highlights - Honolulu Tavern

I walked out a changed human being, spiritually reborn through the transcendent wizardry of Jeff's drink-making abilities.

Mentioned in 9 reviews

Read more highlights

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Arnold's Beach Bar & Grill

Arnold's Beach Bar & Grill

4.2
(545 reviews)
0.4 mi
$

Great tiki vibes and service. Bartender was very personable and casual but still quick with drinks,…read moreaccurate with the tab, and gave great drink recs. We got a painkiller, li hing margarita, and some beers. We tried to go back another night but seating was limited, so be wary on a busy weekend night you might have to stand. Love this place!

This place was packed when I came through after 11 PM. Shoulder to shoulder packed. It was honestly…read morea little tough getting in and out because so many people were hanging out by the entry walkway, but that kind of comes with the territory here. This is a great spot to grab a drink if you want something that feels closer to a local dive bar vibe, even though it is right in the heart of Waikiki. You are not really dealing with locals raised on the island, but more people who live in the area or regulars who clearly make this part of their routine. It has that laid back, no frills energy that makes it easy to settle in for a drink or two. The barbacks were clearly busy, but drinks still came out quickly, which I appreciated. Overall, the vibe feels very tiki bar meets dive bar. Strong pours, loud music, and a crowd that is there to hang out rather than be seen. It adds to the fun, especially later at night. Not perfect and definitely crowded, but if you want a lively spot with fast drinks and a casual atmosphere, this is a solid stop. .

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Plant wall!
Plant wall!
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Hanks Cafe Honolulu

Hanks Cafe Honolulu

4.5
(112 reviews)
3.2 mi
$

This dive is a favorite of my father in law. I've gone with him on many occasions, and somehow…read morefound myself here most recently with my honey on Valentine's Day after dinner. They always have live music, art for sale on the walls, and characters to talk to at the bar. If you're looking for a drink or an ear day or night, Hanks got you. The bartenders make their drinks generously and the beer selection is "perfectly acceptable" as my father in law would say.

Rating: Hank's used to be our go-to "hole-in-the-wall"…read morekaraoke spot, but the toxic behavior of the larger Chocolate Chucky-faced bartender who hosts the karaoke nights has completely ruined it. After bringing dozens of friends here over the years, we are officially done. If you visit, be careful: * Unsolicited sexual advances. I'm used to being hit on by bartenders but this guy was way out of his territory. He is gross and constantly had to dodge his unwanted advances especially with his girlfriend working there. Seriously?? Ew. Stage Ego: The host (same heavy set guy) prefers hearing himself sing over managing a fair rotation for the paying customers. * Retaliation & Hostility: After I turned down highly inappropriate personal advances from this bartender, he began actively punishing me--ignoring my orders and burying my karaoke requests at the absolute bottom of the list. * Short-Challenged & Ripped Off: on too many occasions I'd hand him a $20 for a $5 drink then never give me change --continues to serve other customers avoiding eye contact or pretending he doesn't hear me ask for my change. Other times he'd claim I never paid him at all. That was the last straw. A bar is only as good as the people running it. We're tired of the hostility, ego, and financial dishonesty. There are plenty of other great karaoke spots nearby that actually respect their customers--go to those instead.

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How much $$$?
How much $$$?
Hanks Cafe Honolulu
1st of 2024...but NOT the last!!!

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1st of 2024...but NOT the last!!!
Hideout

Hideout

4.2
(1.4k reviews)
0.1 mi
$$

Great service and yummy food... Tucked away at the Laylow…read morehotel, is a chill restaurant with fun Hawaiian vibes. We started our vacation with dinner at the Hideout, and upon entering you could immediately hear live music. We received a warm welcome, and brought over to our booth where our server Kai was quick to greet us. We ordered cocktails (I don't remember the name of mine. It's something spritz, and my husband tried the banana bread old fashioned) and we shared the appetizer platter (brussel sprouts with pork belly, kalua pork egg rolls, poke tacos, and edamame)to share. We also ordered the garlic shrimp dumplings. Everything was super tasty. Lots of other items on the menu that I want to try during another visit to the island.

I loved finding this spot! I looked at the coffee situation at my hotel (Hilton Garden Inn) and the…read morelack of anything but powered creamer (yuck) so immediately went on the hunt for something better. I initially tried the bakery directly across the street at the International Marketplace, but they didn't open until 7am. I began to walk towards a distant Starbucks I found on Google and noticed an active escalator and signage pointing towards the open Hideout at the Laylow. Advertising local coffee, I immediately took the ride upstairs and was greeted by two young ladies full of smiles and Aloha spirit! Being summertime and hot (even at 6am) I ordered a large iced latte and decided to drink it on their large open lanai. I'm glad I did. The breezes up there were perfect and watching the daylight get brighter with local birds chirping and fluttering about made for a very nice wake-up! This became my go-to stop every morning of my visit! I only ordered breakfast once and kept it low-carb so I had cheesy eggs and Portuguese sausage. Perfect and hit the spot. If staying at the Laylow (Marriott product) or close by, I'd recommend this as your morning wake-up as well! Enjoy!

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Bar
Bar
Wonton Poke Tacos are great! Especially during happy hour.
Wonton Poke Tacos are great! Especially during happy hour.
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Citrus Swell

Honolulu Tavern - divebars - Updated June 2026

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