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    Sam's Hideaway

    4.7 (159 reviews)
    InexpensiveDive Bars, Lounges
    Closed 12:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 1 month ago

    Sam's Hideaway Photos

    Business Info

    SAM'S HIDEAWAY ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Karaoke

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    Recommended Reviews - Sam's Hideaway

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    Bar
    Mariana S.

    So I was just in Kona for my solo Birthday Vacation and I definitely wanted to check out Sams. I heard it was a great dive bar and it was! A lot of local, karaoke was fun and I made friends easy. Getting a drink took a bit but it was busy in there. Very small but I would def go back anytime I go back to Hawaii!!

    Karaoke after 8 pm......
    Legoguy101 E.

    Best way to catch a VIBE....... I looooooovvvvvvvveeeee it ova hurrrrrrrrr.... Good clean fun.

    Cheap!
    Paul C.

    Badass little bar in the back of an outdoor mall in Kona. Great servers, cheapest drinks in the area, free parking a short walk away. We came here three times while in Hilo. I was drinking Mai Thais and mixed drinks, so I can't comment on their beers. The two servers we had were each great. It's a tiny bar with only one person on a shift. They kept our drinks full, were fun to talk to, and even served us popcorn without asking. The locals love this place. Retired boaters, motorcycle clubs, local blue collar workers. Fun stories. Apparently the bar was featured in a Greatest Catch TV show - so look it up!

    Joyce P.

    Their sign "All Roads Lead To Sam's" perfectly describes my experience with them. Because of them, my 2 week vacation on Big Island went from great, to awful, to fantastic. A lovely Lyft driver recommended Sam's to me and my group of friends so we decided to visit on our last night in Kona. We had an amazing time with the help of bartender Derek, and security guard Josh. The drinks were cheap and amazing. The karaoke vibe was so fun and entertaining that we decided to join. It is definitely a place I would 100% recommend for any visitors in the area. Unfortunately, the next day I lost my wallet. We went on a hike at Pololu Valley and that was where I thought I lost it. Luckily I still had my phone and passport and the items inside my wallet were replaceable, but it was still upsetting. We stayed near Hilo and Pahoa for the next 7 nights. On the last day, we had a late flight out of Kona so we drove back to the west side of the island. It was a last minute decision (literally 1 hour before our airport check-in) but we decided to end our vacation with some goodbye shots at Sam's. I ended up sitting right infront of the sign. And my boyfriend happened to ask them if by any chance they found a green wallet there. And Derek, our same bartender, said he did! So he spent the next half hour contacting his boss and me still being in shock, I finally saw my green wallet in his hands... right infront of me... even after I've accepted it has been lost to the island a week ago. This was amazing! If it weren't for my friend suggesting shots last minute, and if it weren't for my other friend saying we could walk to Sam's, and if it weren't for my boyfriend asking Derek, and if it weren't for Derek and Sam's taking care of my lost wallet that had its own vacation in their safe for a week, I wouldn't have gone home with my wallet and everything in it. All our roads definitely lead to Sam's. Mahalo for an amazing experience!

    A great visit!!!
    Jeff D.

    Great place for good drinks and friendly people. And if Chris is working behind the bar, don't say anything negative about Bo Jackson! If you want a truly laid back bar to go to without any fu fu bling and fakeness, then this is the place.

    Mai tai
    Tyra L.

    Great spot for cheap drinks, karaoke, and to chat with some locals. The Mai Thai was for sure the cheapest and strongest I had while in Hawaii. We had a little trouble finding the place since it's down the center of a mall area, and it's pretty small. If you are coming from the main road Sam's will be in about a block and on the left across from a little sheltered smoking area that also has a Sam's sign.

    Kristen B.

    I didn't eat when I went there. But the staff was so friendly. We sang karaoke and had a few drinks. Visiting from the mainland and it was a great experience.

    Mai tai for me!
    Anna H.

    We were on the lookout for cheap maitais and Sam's was the place! You really can't beat his $6.50 price in the area. It's divey, local, and loud. It's indoors, has bathrooms, and jukebox music. No food is available for purchase. Highly recommend this place for cheap drinks!

    Amber the bartender
    Windi G.

    This bar right here is the most iconic dive bar in kona! The service is right on point! people and bikers welcome. Air conditioning on point and it's definitely a nice hideaway! Come one come all and hang out and chill for sure. I've been coming here for years and I will coming for more! Come on down to Sam's hideaway and join in on the local talk story and forever good times! Amber is the utmost attentive bartender as well....I hope to see you rolling through the red door!

    fantastic, perfect, amazing, delicious mai tai made by celeste!

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    4 days ago

    Best bar in Kona! Bartenders Sam and Michael are so friendly and fun. Will definitely be back!

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    1 year ago

    Love this place, had my 82 birthday here and they have some of the best bartenders in Kailua.

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    2 years ago

    Super fun local bar, right in the heart of Kona. Great vibes and a perfect place to karaoke!

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    1 year ago

    Had a great experience at Sam's..daytime was the best because of Celeste.. she was so sweet and accommodating! Will be back.

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    2 years ago

    Service is great. Whenever I'm in Kona this is my go to spot. This is a comfortable local bar. Karaoke starts at 8

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    This place is a divey vibe for sure. It's fun, and friendly. It's loud, a definite local crowd. It's a cute little place.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Sam's Hideaway

    Review Highlights - Sam's Hideaway

    (Regulars at the bar also were chatty and helpful!) When we went back later, Baili recognized us right away.

    Mentioned in 7 reviews

    Read more highlights

    Laverne's Sports Bar

    Laverne's Sports Bar

    3.3(263 reviews)
    0.4 mi
    $$

    Laverne's is one of many good bars and restaurants along the water in Kona. It used to be Humpy's…read moreand still has the same vibe. They have a downstairs bar and tables, plus another larger bar upstairs that connects with their dance floor and bar, plus goes on to connect with the neighboring bar and music venue. There are restrooms both downstairs and upstairs. I've been here many times, and am always appreciative of their draft beer selection. They have a great collection of old tap handles around the ceiling, many beers and breweries that no longer exist. On our recent visit, we had a great bartender/server who was attentive and quick with orders. Beer glasses were clean, beer cold and fresh. They have a large menu of foods, including brunch earlier in the day.

    Stumbled upon Laverne's Sports Bar on a rainy day while looking for somewhere close to our hotel,…read moreand I'm glad we did! The place was pretty empty -- probably due to the downpour outside -- which honestly gave it a really chill, laid-back vibe that we ended up loving. Heads up if you're parking in the back: we scanned the QR code and it came out to $50, which felt steep. Not totally sure if that's standard or if we did something wrong, so just be aware before you scan! Inside, there was only one waitress working, but she was accomodating and even let us split our bill, which is always appreciated. The food also came out fairly fast, which was great since we were starving. I went with the chicken sandwich and fries -- the sandwich was perfectly moist and juicy, not dry at all, which is exactly what you want. Hit the spot on a cold, rainy day. Might possibly stop by again next time we're in the area - minus parking in the back lot. Great little spot if you want something low-key and satisfying.

    Photos
    Laverne's Sports Bar - Set up for Super Bowl LX!

    Set up for Super Bowl LX!

    Laverne's Sports Bar - Chicken sandwich

    Chicken sandwich

    Laverne's Sports Bar - Bar

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    Bar

    The HI Dive Bar - Chocolate coffee macadamia nut mud pie with a chocolate ganache.

    The HI Dive Bar

    4.2(20 reviews)
    8.8 mi

    After spending most of our time in the touristy area, we decided that all we really want was just a…read moregood dive bar. As I was trying to find a place, I came across the HI dive bar. After checking out their photos and their reviews online, we had our way down to the bar. There's nothing fancy about this bar so if you're just coming here for a cocktail, that's all you're here for the bartender was super sweet and nice and really was helpful when deciding what I wanted to drink , I ordered their special lemonade like a dirty Arnold Palmer. When I drink my sweet tea, I like it like a southern sweet tea where it's extremely sweet. This cocktail was not sweet and they use a brown sugar as their sweetener. The drink itself was very fresh tasting and the only thing they do here that I wasn't happy about is they use a trigger to measure out how much alcohol is in your drink. This was the first location that I saw in Hawaii really doing this. Every where else we visited had a nice and strong pour. We didn't order any food here, pleasing from the photos and just didn't want any bar food. This is really a dive bar and the ambiance is your regular old place. They did have a few games that you could play having a cocktail. There is a patio outside that is screened so that helps with the bugs but it's nothing fancy. It literally looks over an apartment complex.

    Stopped in just to check this place out and was very pleasantly surprised! Friendly place and…read moreexcellent drinks!! We sat on the lanai and it was perfect. Great place to pop in at and chill for a bit!

    Photos
    The HI Dive Bar - Covered patio

    Covered patio

    The HI Dive Bar - Peach cheesecake for dessert this afternoon. You gotta get here.

    Peach cheesecake for dessert this afternoon. You gotta get here.

    The HI Dive Bar

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    Lava Lava Beach Club - Macadamia crusted fish

    Lava Lava Beach Club

    3.8(4k reviews)
    20.2 mi
    $$$

    We walked from the Marriott along the beach path in the dark, using our phones as flashlights, and…read morethe trek was absolutely worth it. This beachfront restaurant had a lively atmosphere with music playing when we arrived. Our table was right by the water, and our waitress was super friendly. We started with the Bambu Pupu Sampler. It was a solid appetizer, but the Outstanding Ahi stole the show. It was tender and perfectly complemented by the crunchy cracker. The Hook, Line & Sinker was another winner. The ahi was cooked just right, crispy on the outside with a delicious orange sauce, and served with rich coconut rice that was buttery, soft, and my husband's favorite part of the meal. We were also persuaded to order the coconut cake for dessert, and we're glad we did. It was delicious and the perfect way to end the meal. Excellent food, great drinks, and a memorable beachfront setting made for a fantastic dining experience. The thoughtful finishing touch was a complimentary postcard they offered to mail anywhere in the U.S. We sent one to our baby to read when he's older and hopefully visits Hawaii someday. It was such a sweet gesture and made the evening even more special.

    According to our resort next door, Lava Lava was a must try. So I made a reservation on Opentable…read morebased on what was still available. A confession- the three of us weren't very hungry when we showed up for early dinner Sunday at 5pm. Not much appealed to the three of us. I had the fish, bacon, & potato chowder, and the sizzling shrimp pupu. The shrimp was way too salty. Ate a few. Reheated the next day. Still too salty. My chowder had chunks of potatoes and one piece of bacon and two pieces of fish. Service was great. Food was very presentable. Right on the beach facing Anaehoomulu Bay. There's plenty of seating ; however reservations are necessary. We were led to a table on the beach with no awning. We asked for another table offering shade. Dress code is very informal as many folks spent time on the beach and dropped in afterwards to eat. There was live entertainment. They do validated parking; but we just walked over from the Marriott. Next time we'll have to come on empty stomachs.

    Photos
    Lava Lava Beach Club - Main floor

    Main floor

    Lava Lava Beach Club - Tipsy Tots with teriyaki steak

    Tipsy Tots with teriyaki steak

    Lava Lava Beach Club - Haupia Cake "Broke Da Mouth"

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    Haupia Cake "Broke Da Mouth"

    Sam's Hideaway - divebars - Updated June 2026

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