We planned on going here to meet with some of my husband's work friends for his birthday. We checked out Yelp first for some tips and to know what to expect. One of our friends was able to join us at last minute and was wearing khaki shorts and close toed shoes. He was asked to change or leave. We expected this, so it isn't a problem, but we pointed out the guy behind us who was in jean shorts, flip flops, and a t shirt who had been served by our server. Our friend was dressed in a collared shirt and looked more put-together than the gentleman behind us. Not a huge problem, we know about the dress code, but it was frustrating that the rules didn't apply to everyone. The drinks were delicious and though they were pricey, they were decently strong. The server managed to spill a good amount of my husband's James Bond martini, which was a little frustrating that we had to pay full price for a not full drink. Also, we had a group of 8 people and checks were not able to be split up. Just a heads up - bring cash if you are planning a night like this. The server was attentive in setting up a space for us all to sit together, but once she served my husband and I, she wasn't back to check on us for at least 20 minutes, which left our friends drink-less for longer than I would like once they started showing up. The music was great and the atmosphere was great! read more

Great upscale live music in the heart of Waikiki in a fabulous hotel -- what else can you ask for?! Love this place! Highly recommend it! The drinks menu is great!! Jenna our bartender was kind and charismatic Dress appropriately, no shorts, sandals and etc. read more

Truly gorgeous. I absolutely love how Hawaii can mix the casual with the fancy so easily. This is a beautiful bar and lounge in Waikiki that manages to be be beautiful yet casual at the same time. We were there to listen to live jazz, and it was a really nice experience. Acoustics were very good, and the music wasn't too loud. Drinks and appetizers were delicious and the service was nice. The ambiance of this place is just wonderful. It manages to be cozy and intimate but doesn't feel crowded. We were there as the sun was starting to set, and the last rays of light made the entire room glow with warmth. Add to that the spectacular jazz music, and this was one of the nicest evenings (among many) I spent in Hawaii. read more

4 1/2 stars! This lounge is fun, classy and sexy. Live jazz flowing, and the president happened to be dining next door at nobu so we ended up here... with big crowd outside. Grab a old fashioned and sink into the live jazz. It will be great relaxing night for you and your company! read more

First off, I want to point out that this review is based on two separate visits to Lewer's Lounge, and I will break it down as visit One and visit Two. However, on visit two we kind of got an explanation of why the service was so bad on our first visit, please read on to find out..... Visit One: Music - Very good (piano + saxophone & flute) Drinks - Excellent Service - Horrible We went on a Friday to make up for a late birthday celebration. I love jazz, so I was excited to see that all the reviews said the music is good. (Coming from NYC and used to work at a world famous jazz club, I've been trained to crave good jazz LOL) We showed up around 11:15pm. We were deciding where to sit and saw a table that hasn't been cleared and asked the cocktail waitress if anyone was sitting there, she said no and promptly took the dirty glasses away and wiped the table for us. However, IMO, the tables should've been bussed right away after the last patrons left, especially for a five star establishment. We sat and got the drink menus and some nuts for snacks. Then we waited... Five minutes went by..... Ten minutes went by..... Fifteen minutes went by..... I think we waited maybe 20, 25 minutes before Jessica came back to get our drink order. It took almost 10 minutes for our drinks, and she didn't bring the two glasses of water I requested. We waited a little longer for the water and I finally just got up and went to the bar and got them myself (the bartender was really nice and brought the waters to our table) The drinks we ordered were all delicious: Pink Elephant, Whisky Smash, my husband had a martini with thyme that I don't remember the name of it and something else..... They were all really yummy! The next Monday we went back because I really enjoyed the music, regardless the bad service we had. Visit Two: Music - Ok (was only piano) Drinks - YUM YUM Service - top notch! We sat at the bar this time as it was empty. Plus I saw the same cocktail waitress working as last time LOL Despite I had a little cockroach crawling in front of me when we first sat down, it was still a really good experience (except the music this time). Bartender, Tim, was VERY attentive, asking if we were doing ok, if we need refills on the nuts, kept emptying the pistachio shells and chatted with us for a bit (well, we were also the only patrons at the bar). The drinks he made were EXCELLENT! I had the giger lychee cappirissima and hubby had the strawberry basil martini, YUMMMMMM is all I can say!!!! I wasn't really digging the piano alone, apparently that's what they have on Mondays and Tuesdays, just a pianist playing piano. Jessica (the waitress) saw us and said hi as she remembered us from the Friday before, she even remembered the drink I had. She apologized for the bad service and explained that her coworker was hurt and they called in someone else who doesn't know what to do for substitute. Although it is no excuse, I do find relieve that we gave the place another chance and will def be back on nights other than piano solos. read more

Honolulu's growing nightlife scene is attracting a new kind of tourist to paradise. Along with the typical Japanese and Middle American visitor segments, there are reportedly more people in their 20s and 30s making the trip here -- and they've got money to burn. Following a brief closure and approximately $200,000 in renovations in 2005, the Halekulani revamped its Lewers Lounge in an effort to appeal to this new type of traveler. Luckily for us locals, we get to take advantage of the secluded watering hole without having to shell out big bucks for a hotel room. According to an article from the New York Times, "travelers are finding a transformed Waikiki, well into the process of morphing from a tacky resort of aging hotels and Elvis impersonators into what is beginning to pass for urban chic." That could also be applied to what's happened at Lewers Lounge, although the Halekulani isn't tacky by any stretch of the imagination. Management faced a dilemma of sorts when it came time to give the room a makeover. There was no way that ADI Design, the company hired to do the work, could completely overhaul the lounge in one of the hotel's oldest structures. At the same time, changes were needed to make it appeal to guests who were making their first trip to the islands instead of their fifth. So the artwork of old Hawaii stayed on the walls, but ADI dressed up unappealing support pillars and added mesh curtains to go with a completely redesigned ceiling. The end result is a destination that retains a familiar feel while boasting a new look that resembles a mainland jazz bar. Soft lighting and votive candles provide a romantic setting, and if you hang a right at the entrance, there are three couches perfect for a drink and some quiet conversation. Near the pillars that have been converted into kahili-inspired couches is the lounge's "stage." This area and the bar itself are the most lively, where conversation and drinks flow freely among an eclectic mix of people from around the world. During my last visit, It seemed like my date and I were the only local residents there besides the hotel employees. That can be a good thing or a bad thing. Good, because you're among people who are on vacation. You can launch into conversation with a stockbroker from New York or a plastic surgeon from Beverly Hills. But not enough locals can be detrimental, especially when the Halekulani offers free valet parking with validation. Why leave this place to tourists when it costs nothing but the price of drinks to patronize it? The best time to visit Lewers Lounge is when director of beverage arts Dale DeGroff is in town. Formerly a bartender at New York City's famed Rainbow Room, he's responsible for the revamped cocktail menu. To give you an idea about how serious DeGroff is about making drinks, consider this: After ranting about the quality of ice served behind the bar, he got the hotel (at considerable expense) to replace the ice machine. Instead of measly chips that quickly melt in a drink, guests are now served blocks of ice the likes of which I've never seen at another bar on this rock. You've got to see this stuff to believe it. Although the price of drinks might keep you from visiting very often, the experience of drinking at Lewers Lounge is fairly unique among establishments in Waikiki. Keep this place in mind if you're looking for an intimate getaway with that special someone or want a change of pace before heading to "Wonderlounge" at the W Honolulu, "The Monkey Bar" at the Hyatt Regency or "SKYLiNE" at the Hanohano Room. http://starbulletin.com/2005/03/25/features/barfly.html read more

The ambiance and musicians get 5 stars! I could sit in here for hours, sipping a gin rickey and getting lost in the music. The espresso cupcake was gorgeous, truly the most beautiful cupcake I've ever seen. Unfortunately, it was very bland and over half of it was whipped cream, leaving you with about three teaspoon bites of cake. Not ideal, especially since it was $7. My biggest complaint with this place is the service. In the beginning, our server was very attentive, but then after the first two rounds of drinks, she just seemed to ignore us. She served the table directly behind me, but walked past us several times before we finally succeeded in flagging her down to order more. She also completely forgot about one of my drinks and ten minutes later, I had to remind her. In past experiences, when a classy place messes up an order or forgets a drink, they compensate by making the drink on-the-house or giving a free dessert. Not so at Lewers Lounge; all I got was a quick sorry and then she vanished. Finally, it took us AN HOUR to get our check! We got tired of waiting and finally went up to the bar to ask for it because our server disappeared and never came back. All in all, I liked this place, but I just wouldn't go back because of the bad service. read more

I love this place! Stayed at the Halekulani a few years back and still remember this lounge for it's EXCELLENT cocktails (wish I could get that drink recipe again- I've wanted it ever since I left 2 or 3 years ago now?) It was a great vibe, the music was awesome and there was great service. I really loved this place. I would highly recommend it! :) read more

Lewers Lounge - Me at Lewer's Lounge with the talented musician who was playing that night and my favorite drink OF ALL TIME ;) - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

GREAT drinks!!! if u like slow jazzy music or just want to chill with your honey and have some exotic cocktails that u cant make at home at your own bar then head here ! I love the famous mai tai here..everything is fresh and no heavy syrups and boxed or bottled juices in these drinks! a bit pricey 12 for a drink .. but for me it was vacation so ... its expected in the budget ;-)..i did order the chocolate trio desser and must say for 15 dollars ... it was so tiny!!! 3 bites ;-) thats all..so just stick to drinks here u WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED read more

Lewers Lounge - mai tai - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Lewers had a great selection of spirits and their cocktails were perfectly made. What makes this place truly stand out is the ambiance and the jazz music. This is not a place for a very large group but works extremely well for parties of 2-4. read more

I absolutely LOVE Lewers Lounge! It's my favorite bar/lounge in Hawaii. The ambiance is great. The live jazz is so soothing... The drinks are pricey but so good and not weak at all. Guys, take the girls here to impress. AND remember there is a dress code! read more

Although it's been quite some time since I've been to Lewers Lounge, I felt compelled to write a review on this stellar establishment. Tucked away in the Halekulani Hotel, Lewers Lounge may just be the key to sealing any deal... Not that any deal was "sealed" when I went (haha), I was whisked away to Lewers Lounge many years ago on one of the most romantic dates of my life. Dimly lit, warm wood grains, and cozy seating with live jazz...How can you go wrong? Drinks are good and strong, service top-notch. This is one swanky joint that I'd recommend to anyone that wants to charm the pants off a girl/guy :) read more

What can I say that hasn't been said already? This place is GOLDEN. Great atmosphere, great ambiance, great music. Ladies: try the Pink Elephant martini. My girl says it's the best martini she's EVER had. read more

Terrible. Totally disorganized seating, no "host", waited for 10 minutes for a seat and then another couple barged in ahead of us and was seated immediately. Thought the Halekulani was a class act, this did not bode well. Once the music started, I was having bad flashbacks to Bill Murray Nick The Lounge Singer SNL sketch from the 70s from the female singer and eventually sax accompanist. This isn't jazz, it's "lounge", and not particularly good lounge music. If you like that stuff, be my guest, but be prepared to bully your way to a seat unless you want to stand at the doorway then leave in disgust at the lack of service. We even dressed up to meet the dress code, but there were a few guests with shorts and flip-flops. Don't bother. read more

Nice relaxing alternative to the Mai Tai beach vibe going on outside. The jazz band adds a great sound, the drinks a pricey like the hotel but worth it if you want to get away from the shopping mall feel of Waikiki. read more

Lewers Lounge - Hotel pool near the lounge, nice.. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

I LOVE LOVE LOVE Lewer's Lounge!! The atmosphere is very relaxing, with comfortable chairs and couches. Their drinks are top of the line! I also appreciate their food and desert menu. The jazz is EXCELLENT! The main performer has a beautiful, rich voice and plays the piano beautifully. She's also very friendly and remembers faces. Have you heard her sing in French before? It's a show stopper. The saxophone/flute/clarinet performer is always different. However, each are very talented and compliment the main performer. The service is great! One of my favorite places to hang out read more

Very nice performance. We went on Friday and Saturday night. The staff is very nice attentive.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do. But when in Honolulu, come here for awesome cocktails, friendly service, and wonderful, live entertainment. Even better, stay at the fabulous Halekulani and you can go right up to bed when you've had enough. Cheers! read more

Lewers Lounge - Intimate and sexy lounge with smashingly good cocktails and awesomely efficient service. Cheers! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

One of our favorite spots for a romantic, classy getaway from typical Waikiki. I see alot of people mention there's a dress code but not what that specifically means, and their website doesn't specifically say either, so I called to make sure: men, collared shirts (short sleeve okay), long pants (jeans okay), covered-toe shoes women, resort wear, no shorts, no torn jeans, no tshirts, open toe shoes and sandals okay but not beach shoes (by that I think she meant flip flops? but not sure) Hope this helps! read more

Went on a weeknight with some friends to chat and socialize. Very romantic and relaxing atmosphere, great drinks (the James Bond martini, black pearl martini) and yummy small dishes (baked brie with fruit and crackers). Favorite dish of the night- desert, the coconut cake is to die for! So soft with whipped frosting and fresh coconut...seems it was featured on the "Food Network" Only drawback...very long wait for food to arrive and server seemed to disappear. We had to go up to the bar to order more drinks as he didn't come back to us...not a crowded night though. Recommend for couples or for a nice nightcap or coffee and desert. Would return. Very nice Halekulani hotel as well. read more

Expensive cocktails in a pretentious atmosphere. Dress code is what knocked off stars for me. If my husband dressed in long pants and closed toe shoes he would be a sweaty puddle after a couple drinks and he got a "heat on" in Hawaii's tropical climate. If you buy into Lewers Lounge upscale fantasy and want to play the game, then this place is for you. I found other places in Waikiki with comparable drinks for less, with a more friendly atmosphere. Been there, done that, won't be back. read more

Lewers Lounge - Bee's Knees Cocktail, left, Strawberry Cocktail on right. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

This place was great! Seating is limited but we got seated at the bar fairly quickly. Bartenders were nice, loved the vibe and jazz music. We came for the absinthe, which was a great first experience. Drinks are a little on the higher side, but I expected that being a hotel bar. (Unique drinks too!) Would love to come back and try some of the food. read more

Lewers Lounge - Live jazz is wonderful! - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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Loved this place! My gf and I went here after dinner to get some drinks and listen to some jazz music. The ambiance is perfect for a cute date night. Service was also good. read more

Drinks - 5 stars Service - 5 stars The best jazz lounge in Honolulu. We stay at the Halekulani Hotel a few years ago, Services was not good...front desk called us at 4:00am by mistake, the agent don't even apologize, and just hang up the phone..... read more

Ahh.. the classic James Bond type bar. They know how to make proper, proper drinks. This is a decent way to start the night. I would know recommend more than 1-2 drinks here, if you plan on going out afterwards, that is. The music is tasteful, although a bit before my time. I think the most refreshing part about this place is that there are still places in Hawaii where you can't help but dress up, lest you feel out of place. My date and I always are about 20-25 years below the median age at this place, but I guess that is to be expected. read more

It pains me to give something at the Halekulani three stars. Growing up on Oahu, my mom would take me to House Without a Key at the Halekulani after a day at the beach. She'd get one of their legendary mai tais, and I would order a Shirley Temple. And of course throughout my adulthood, I remain a loyal fan of HWAK. In my book, the Halekulani is just top top top in Waikiki. So while I had high expectations, I was disappointed with this visit. I imagined that Lewers Lounge would have the same sort of doting yet classy service plus the resort-like feel of HWAK, Orchids, and La Mer...in other words, a breeze, and a glimpse of the ocean and sunset. Instead, Lewers Lounge is locked away in a corner of the hotel with no windows. It feels a bit dungeony -- it's dark and closed off. I suppose they're trying to make it feel like a jazz club, but I'm interested in a different experience considering that I am now a tourist visiting the island. We were there with a large group to celebrate a friend's milestone birthday, and unfortunately my boyfriend was turned away for wearing shorts! We thought the attire would be the same as HWAK. And by the way, his outfit was pricey and looked very classy -- he just happened to be showing his legs. The waitress wasn't the most pleasant about it -- she was borderline indignant. She did offer him pants, which came with an elastic band and were a few inches too short. Seriously, they were like pants to come out of a cartoon! It was laughable!!! When my boyfriend expressed dismay about wearing them with his gorgeous polo shirt, she suggested he could just pull them on over his shorts. More laughing ensued. He then Ubered back to our hotel room, and Ubered back, having changed into a more comfortable outfit of his own choosing. But it did put a damper on the evening and I felt as though the waitress held too steadfastly to the rule of the pant. The mai tai was delicious and the live jazz music was truly lovely. But I can't say I'd be excited to come back to this particular part of the Halekulani. read more

This place holds a very specific niche. If a dark, classy lounge with a dress code is something you'd like, this is definitely the place for you. Although I'm most often in shorts or jeans, I love cleaning up now and then and taking my wife out on the town. I loved the ambiance here. Very classy, great music. The 2 piece band was playing gems from the days of the crooner, and we were never disappointed with the music. Not too loud, great elegant background music for intimate conversation. I can't comment on the food in depth, we only shared one appetizer and spent the night drinking. I ordered my favorite cocktail, the Bronx, which is not well known these days. I'm pretty sure I saw the bartender looking it up on his phone, but I was impressed anyway. Most times I'm asked how to make it when I order, or worse yet flat out denied the drink. At least he put forth the effort and it came out well constructed. Drinks are pricey, but that's to be expected given the environment. The only criticism I have is the lack of dress code enforcement. I understand that we're in Hawaii where shorts and sandals reign supreme; but we came to a venue like this for a reason. If you want to drink Mai Tai's in flop flops, there's a hundred better bars in walking distance. It would really improve the mood if everyone wore slacks, collared shirts and dresses as is supposedly required. Overall though, great place to relax and take in the music. Perfect place for a date! read more

Chill sexy spot for a cocktail and some live jazz. The lights are turned down low, the service was polite and on point. Probably the best cocktails I've found in Waikiki are at Lewers. Loved the Pink Elephant. This was the only place in Waikiki that I actually didn't regret my cocktail order. Get a slice of the house special coconut cake as well. It's light, airy, and not overly sweet. read more

Great place to chill and listen to some good music . I wish that we had discovered it before our last night in Hawaii .

I've always loved this place - the drinks are, of course, overpriced, but it's gorgeous, has great live (often jazz) music, and while the drinks are overpriced, they're super yummy. The environment is classy and it's a nice place to go for a nightcap after a great evening out. They serve tasty walnuts and cashews with your drinks, too - which is a nice touch. read more

This is quite the gem and hidden away in Waikiki. I absolutely love live jazz and this place is probably the only decent jazz bar in all of Hawaii. The desserts are served in such a cool and interesting way and oh yeah they also taste really good. I had multiple alcoholic beverages and I'll admit they were a little bit pricey but they were very good and pretty strong. The talent was amazing. I went in on a Saturday night and the performers just did exceptionally well. In fact I even tipped generously. This is the kind of place you can put on a suit you can grab a whiskey and you can just close your eyes and enjoy the hours slip away. This kind of place makes me really wish I lived in a time before now. read more

A group of us ended up at the Lewers Lounge after our wedding to enjoy cocktails and jazz music to wrap up our big day. We hadn't made a booking as we didn't know how many would end up there, and I got a little nervous as the group grew and grew as more of our guests made their way over. The staff did not comment or appear to have any issues when we had to keep pulling couches and seats over to our area which I am very thankful about. Luckily the lounge only had a few other patrons, being a weeknight, so I hope we didn't create too much of a scene with close to 20 of us there by the end of the night. We enjoyed a couple cocktails each, and the live music in the background and dim lighting created the perfect relaxing atmosphere I was after to celebrate months of planning in the lead up to our wedding. I think between all our guests we made our way through most of the cocktails, and as far as I'm aware everyone was happy with all the drinks ordered. It was a lovely, elegant venue to enjoy the end of our big day. read more

Lewers Lounge - Sunset Martini and Ginger Lychee Caipirissima - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

A great martini bar with a pianist and saxophone player! Great service, classy, and swanky! The best part about it, you don't need to dress super nice. Every drink we had was delicious! Get the Strawberry Basil, you won't be disappointed! read more

A place for people who like piano/jazz music and want to go somewhere majority can't afford their drinks. It is good to get away from the masses once in a while. Of course, a place like this has a dress code. If you are dressed casually or like a hoodlum, you will not be allowed entry. You have to look your best or at least look decent in order to frequent this establishment. I enjoyed this place when I went there but my friend did not like this place as much as I did. This lounge is inside a hotel but I can't remember the name. Nice place to keep it classy. read more

Lewers Lounge - The Majestic for me. - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Hands down the classiest bar/lounge in Honolulu and my absolute favorite! Drinks are always wonderful, as is the live Jazz duo that perform nightly (although it wouldn't hurt to switch it up once in a while) and the Bacon Lobster Tarragon Roll ($18) is in my top 5 sandwiches on Oahu list.... oishi! Service by Tamoko is consistently exceptional, prompt and friendly (has been our waitress probably 7 times over the last year or so)- she always deals with our sometimes large group (who loves to tell jokes and play tricks) with poise and professionalism, a truly wonderful employee to say the least. Highly recommended for date nights if you know how to put yourself together (no slippers or shorts) and want to impress a girl, bonus points if you can act the part (pinkies out) and super bonus points if you dance with her to the jazz duo (ladies love romantic stuff like this). read more

4.5 stars. This is a great place to have a drink, a conversation, and listen to music. Happy to have an alternative to the typical drinking establishment in Waikiki (not that there is anything wrong with other places). Drink prices are fair, but I think the wine selection could be a little better. My major issue with Lewers Lounge is the food. Given the talent at the hotel it could be a lot better. 3 stars for the food. read more

Do not waste your time going here. These other "positive reviews" must be from a lost time. The room was stuffy, dark, and very dated. After waiting 10 min+ for any service, we realized we waited 9 min too long. We should have left right after walking in... read more

Very romantic. Love seats. Smooth jazz, Good food and wine. Quiet enough to talk. Great service. read more

Love this place!!! It was elegant, peaceful and EVERY service member was polite and courteous. There was live music and the entire lounge has a wonderful vibe. I wish I knew about hthis place before. read more

Lewers Lounge - The beef sliders . Sooooooo juicy - Jazz & Blues Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

First of all this lounge is gorgeous. We went for our wedding night to listen to some live jazz and it was the perfect ending to an amazing day. Jon was excellent! I called him ahead to help me with a surprise for my husband and he made sure the details were coveted. Excellent customer service. The singer was amazing! Loved their live music and ambiance. Food was very good as well. Definitely a lounge setting so it's the right amount for snacking. Service was a tad bit slow to get someone to order but I think it was simply because of the setting (lounge vs restaurant) and live music that was on. read more