I had The Hidden Nene bookmarked when I was planning out my trip to Hilo and I couldn't be happier with my experience at the speakeasy. My wife and I stopped by for pre-dinner drinks and we absolutely loved the drinks that we were able to try out. I started out with a cocktail called the "Spam Dram", a crispy Spam fat-washed barrel-proof bourbon, combined with seared Spam and nori syrup and topped off with a spam musubi garnish. As one might guess, this drink was presented in a spam musubi tin, and atop the bed of crushed ice was an *entire* spam musubi. The drink was a perfect representation of spam musubi in a glass -- sweet, savory, and full of umami. Props to whichever bartender put together this creative drink. The next drink I ordered was the "Smoky Bear", another bourbon based cocktail. This one had bird's eye chili essence in it, and was much closer than your traditional Old Fashioned, except it had an incredible amount of smokiness and a punch of heat to it as well. If you enjoy stiff drinks with complexity, look no further than this cocktail. While we were seated at the bar, we overheard somebody close to us mentioning a password special that had been posted on the Instagram page of The Hidden Nene. We checked their latest story posted two hours earlier and the password special for the day was a "fizz me baby one more time", a strawberry and yuzu gin fizz. My wife ordered this cocktail as her second drink and loved how refreshing the drink tasted. Overall, if you consider yourself a cocktail connoisseur, you owe it to yourself to check out The Hidden Nene if you're in Hilo. read more

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The coastal town of Hilo hides the fantastic speakeasy, The Hidden Nēnē. Head down the stairs by the green door, and it becomes less hidden, and you can see the sign for the basement level bar. The underground space is low green lighting, a long bar, and green velvet bar chairs. We went during the day, so they were not busy, and were able to sit at the bar. The service was quick, relaxed, and friendly. The cocktails are upscale priced, but well made. They do offer a full food menu, we did not order any food on our visit. read more

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Amazing drinks, an awesome happy hour, and super friendly staff and bartender. We loved our experience here and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys fun cocktails. Love their happy hour menu and prices! They also have a build your own charcuterie board on the menu. I love the concept and don't think I have ever seen that offered before. read more

This was the coolest cocktail bar I found on my trip to the big island. It had a lot of creative craft cocktails, many of which utilized local flavors and Hawaiian made spirits. It had the nice ambiance you'd expect from a speakeasy, and even had live music. The drinks were pretty good and unique but I found a few of them a tad too sweet for my tastes, with the Spam Dram and Moonlight being a bit syrupy. To me it felt like the sweetness hid some of the unique flavors in the drinks. This is the main reason I have rated 4 instead of 5 stars. However, I'd highly recommend the Iwakaluakumaha, which I found perfectly balanced and as of writing, is available for $10 during happy hour! read more

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Hands down the best bar in downtown Hilo. The cocktails are so creative, each drink is an adventure. My husband ordered the Spam Dram which is reminiscent of a Mint Julep with butterscotch undertones. The Advice was fruity, herbaceous and smooth. The Ko Cane is a spirit forward rum cocktail. Staff are super nice. read more

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As a senior General Manager and sommelier of a large restaurant group, the hidden nene was by far the highlight of our Hawaiian vacation. Char's service and drink menu blew me away and left this sommelier beyond impressed with a camera roll of beautifully garnished drinks that I couldn't have imagined ever creating myself on my best day. I know the next time I come to Hawaii, I will for sure be back to see Char and company, and to be honest I can't wait! read more

The Hidden Nene - The vodka drink (complete with the Playlist changed to chumbawumba) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Such a gem!!! Underground speakeasy vibes new hot spot with fancy drinks and delicious eats. Local beer selections on tap and they made a believer out of me with the French Onion soup. Bartender was a delight and we will definitely be heading back!! read more

After a day up on Mauna Kea & our last day back home we decided to go our favorite bar in Hilo to top off our trip! Kinda want to keep this place a hidden secret so shhhhhhh. Took my Gf & her brother from Maui 1st time in Hilo and at hidden nene for him. My GF's brother is also a bartender on Maui! He was very impressed with the selection of drinks and of course the ambiance of the bar. We all agreed hands down the best bar and happy hour. Ambiance and speakeasy vibe is our type of bar with the hidden bar. The creativity of the drinks, live music and pop up events make this bar very unique Shoutout to our bartender Tasha!! She was awesome! Made our visit pleasant and welcoming! My gf's brother was amazed of the preparation and presentation of drinks! Tasha and staff sets the bar high for sure! We originally found this spot after seeing my friend Keoni Payton (Pain killers) (Farmers Market Hawaii) post story on IG a while back now officially our third visit. This place is bomb kinda don't want to share it but keep this place in business! Mahalos Tasha & Hidden Nene! Can't wait to be back! read more

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Amazing experience at this gem in Hilo, it's like stepping into another world, and the cocktails are seriously next level! Excellent service, beautiful interior and lighting, I live on Maui so I will be visiting sooner than later! read more

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Menu has changed a bit since last visit. They have a full menus with bites and cocktails. My group just got cocktail. They still have some of their classics and some new additions. Still a great place to get a drink before dinner reservation. This place is spacious and cozy, if that makes any sense. Servers are attentive and everything was delightful. There was a mix up on our bill but they were quick to fix. read more

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Incredible speakeasy with excellent food and service. The drinks and delicious and made quickly, the food is also delicious but can take a while since there's only one person preparing all of the food orders. This is a beautiful little place conveniently located in the center of Hilo. I went twice during my stay and had the drinks Figment and the drink with the impossibly long name that started with an i. Both were phenomenal and unique - you can't find anything like this anywhere else. Additionally. I had the ahi melt, the carpaccio, and salami wrap and I enjoyed every bite of each. Wish I could just live at this place and was sad when I had to leave! read more

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This place is the cats pajamas! Definitely stop by for lunch, I tried the hummus wrap, YUM! Great portion size, wonderful accompaniments of sweet potato chips and pickled asparagus. Service was great from Crystal and the owner Char herself! The cocktail list is so creative, you'd have to come back to try 1 of everything! The place itself has such a cozy, speakeasy atmosphere. Definitely the ultimate hidden gem in Hilo. Everything was 10/10. This will be one of my stops every time I am on island. read more

The Hidden Nene - Hummus wrap - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Went for the 12:00-1:00 happy hour. I was very impressed with the creativity of the cocktail menu. We had a group of 6 and all of the drinks ordered were top notch. And the deviled eggs? Ridiculous! The bartenders were very friendly and efficient as well. read more

stopped by a happy hour and had the best time! We ordered 2 happy hour drinks and got a charcuterie board and it was amazinggg! The staff was so fun and kind, restaurant was clean and trendy, highly recommend!!! read more

The Hidden Nene - tarte de lima - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Cute little place and good happy hour with some snacks. Strong and delicious drinks. Don't get upset as these drinks are a work of art and does take some time so when it gets slightly busy it'll be a wait. read more

The Hidden Nene - Tarta de Lima - highly recommend - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Good Help (Is So Hard To Find) [Official Video] - Death Cab for Cutie A good cocktail is also hard to find, so when I saw this place online prior to arriving in Hilo, I was bent on going, it did not matter that it was 12 noon on a Friday afternoon! Happy hour 12-2 PM on Friday when we went. Just a few blocks from the Hilo Farmer's Market and Pineapple's. Right across the street from KTA. Shady guy on the corner, kept looking at us and I kept looking at him. I see you, bud. Descending into the depths of the quiet darkness was soothing. There was no greeting, so we just sat anywhere. There were two ladies behind the bar, one was mixing up drinks and the other was filling up bottles and ice and such. There were 3 other customers in the bar besides us - two on the couch and one at the bar. It wasn't crowded at all. It took a while before the mixologist came up to us and took our orders. She was nice. The Tea - $10 happy hour price ($16 reg price). A cute drink. The ingredients are listed on their website but it's not easy to read as it scrolls really fast, but without having to list the fancy ingredients like Suntory Roku (gin), matcha, orange blossom, mamaki, lemon, lime and wasabi, the flavor was very straight-forward, not complex at all. It tasted very nice but mostly citrus, strong citrus. The lemon and lime overpowered everything. I could not taste anything else. The presentation was beautiful with the dried mamaki leaf and the white orchid. Buzz factor 2/5. Smoky Bear - $10 happy hour price ($16 reg price). A sweeter drink made of bourbon, birdseye pepper, sugar, wood smoke. My husband said it reminded him of something he's had a kid, like Easter candies. The presentation was really nice, with a charred rosemary and a white orchid. Strange mix of sweet candies and smoky smoke. Buzz factor 3/5. Service: here's where it gets knocked down one star from a 5. The lady mixing the drinks was doing 99% of the work. We felt bad for her. The lady stocking things was just bustling around without being aware that another group had walked in, and was sitting in the corner and waiting awkwardly. I kept looking at them looking at her. They were waiting a long time. She finally saw them when she went to stock something else in another room, got their orders on her way back, and gave the order to the lady bartender. We didn't want to keep waiting for another drink, so we left cash with tip at the counter and left. Return factor: not sure. Would like to try the other drinks in the future but only if we had hours to spare (or waste). read more

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Cute little speakeasy in downtown Hilo. Came on a Friday evening after eating at Turtle & Moon. We had to wait a little bit (they quoted 20min) but ended up being 5 as a couple left shortly after. I got the key lime pie cocktail which was a unique concept! The tequila threw me off a little bit, but it was a fun little drink to try. It's a small space so I'd anticipate waiting pretty long during peak hours. Their happy hour seemed solid for their cocktails -- I would have loved to come back for that! read more

The Hidden Nene - Key lime pie cocktail - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

The hidden Nene is a very special speakeasy 'club'. We went here on a whim on a Wednesday evening and was not disappointed. The location is on the bottom of a hotel and such a chill vibe. There was music and the performers were right on. The drink menu is a little out of my comfort zone but the bartender was so nice and helped us decide and made great drinks. I finally gave in and had the Tarta de Lima and tasted just like a key lime pie. The foam was sooo delicious. They had special touches for each drink and was fun to see what the final result was. Drinks were strong. They had small plates too. Not a whole lot of seating but we found a spot at the bar. Loved the decor. Highly recommend. read more

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This speakeasy in the heart of downtown is the perfect spot to grab a late night cocktail. The drinks were yummy (I tried the happy hour rum and tequila cocktails made with local fruits). The rum cocktail does have a bit of a kick to it. The live music was the cherry on top! read more

The Hidden Nene - Tequila cocktail with coconut meringue topping and rum cocktail with a kick! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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I was told this would be right up our alley for cocktails and it didn't disappoint. From the somewhat hidden e trance to decor to the staff to the cocktails to the food was top notch. We tried almost half of the drinks and they were all balanced and provided something g amazing to my palette. read more

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Good bar- couple of interesting cocktail recipes on the menu. The bartenders are the real deal and knowledgeable about their craft. I got the hummus plate and it was delicious. read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Amazing little speakeasy with the most delicious cocktails and small bites. The service was top notch and the atmosphere smooth and pleasant. I will be read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Drinks were amazing! Live music, overall fun and great atmosphere. Highly recommended

Shhhhh What a sweet spot in downtown Hilo. We do a Friday thing and sometimes the Nene is in the mix. Always a favorite. Great pupus, fabulous drink menu, and the staff couldn't be better. Always a friendly voice and welcoming gesture as you show up. Limited seating, but we travel in a big group and have never been turned back. Will we go back? Indeed, and looking forward to it! read more

A hidden gem ( no pun intended) in Hilo. Like walking into a speak easy from back in the day. Totally unexpected in Hilo. Very cool and chill place. The place isn't very big and depending on when you go you may have to wait to get in. Servers/bartenders are accommodating and will happily explain any drink on the menu or make one to your liking. Granted the drinks are a little pricey but very unusual and worth it. Small plates are also offered and change through the year but this visit only had drinks. Hours have been extended 12-12 and 2 happy hours are offered I believe daily. So if you looking for a unique place to meet your friends or take your folks visiting the island check this place out. On a side note this would not be a place to bring children. read more

This year on our annual visit to my wife's mom in Kurtistown, my wife saw this place as we were walking by the Booch Bar. It's a little inconspicuous. We wanted to kill time and grab a drink before dinner at her mom's so we stopped on in to have some cocktails. It's like a cute speak easy with laid back decor. And the cocktails are delicious. Also all the bartenders were super nice and friendly. We are definitely making this our traditional stop when we are in Hilo every year now. read more

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Found this by searching things to do in Hilo. It's such a cute space with the friendliest staff from the security to the servers. Drinks were very tasty with good happy hour specials. read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

On the Big Island of Hawaii in the town of Hilo we were talking with a local over Shave Ice and she told us about a speakeasy. We were intrigued and so one evening after dinner at Pineapple's we walked down a few blocks and found this (hidden) night spot. The Hidden Nene is a very cool little bar in the basement that serves unique libations. We really enjoyed our cocktail and the vibe of this cool spot - and will definitely return next time we're i They have a bar menu as well which we did not try this time, but looked good enough to sample next time we're here. And if you're curious - Nene is the name of a Hawaiian Goose. read more

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Loved the bar. Sarah's the shit. Bathroom would be epic if people just knew how to not make a mess. Maybe management can monitor. But overall awesome experience with drink and food. read more

Very cute spot! I had the key lime pie drink and my boyfriend has a bourbon drink that I'm forgetting the name of. This place was crowded but we still had good service. This place has a really unique cocktail menu and is very vibey read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Service was absolutely horrible, waited over 30 minutes to try to get a bartenders attention after she only took 2 people order out of a 7 person group! Let remind you to even get a drink in the beginning took over 10 Minutes. I was the first person the bartender asked if I was ready to order and I ordered my drink along with asking if I can order food and was told to "wait until the drinks were finished" well drinks were made and she never came back! I had to go to the bar and ask for better service because sitting at a high top wasn't good at all..... This establishment needs more than 1 bartender on a some what busy night. Even the guy sitting next to me ordered ICE CREAM AND HE WAITED OVER 30 MINUTES! Then he canceled his order too with the bartender.... Left a google review and the owner was absolutely horrific!!! Mocked me on a review from 5 years ago about a hotel with fleas.... Nothing to do with restaurant but instead instituted on bashing me thinking I was the problem....... YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR CAMERAS TO SEE THAT THE BARTENDER DID NOT COME OVER OR HELP OUR GROUP AT ALL.... Only kept service 2 people out the 7. Two people who were serviced were already on the 2nd drink and had food while the other half of our party was still waiting for service and to put in food..... LOOK AT YOUR CAMERAS BEFORE BASHING A CUSTOMER OVER THEIR HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!! Awful awful owner. Especially after his comment I WOULD NEVER GO BACK and will tell everyone in the future to not even look at this place. Other places on the island especially with an owner who is an asshole. God forbid if you leave a horrible review the owner will mock and criticize you instead of being a professional business owner and say he's sorry for the horrible service and that they can do better in the future. But sure let's mock and be an asshole to your customers when they have a bad experience. read more

Jessica would give 10 stars!! Food, drinks, ambiance, service all excellent! Check it out! read more

What a fun bar aka speakeasy. I love the music they were playing. I love their side dishes. I love their charcuterie board. The bartenders were amazing. The drinks were amazing. read more

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An absolutely great bar with fab drinks and great food. What a treat! it is a bit hidden but do not be daunted. Google your way there and look for the stairs to take you down. The cocktails are amazing. the atmosphere is friendly and very attractive too. read more

In Hilo for a short trip and had a chance to check this speakeasy out. We stopped by on a Sunday afternoon and loved it. Had a couple friends from Honolulu recommend after stopping by there a few times and raved how good this speak easy is. Quality of drinks were top-notch, tasty. Interesting, fun, fresh, exciting all of the above. Lovely decor and very friendly service. Hoping one day they open up something in Honolulu but if not, look forward to visiting the next time I stop by Hilo. read more

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When in Hilo, you just visit The Hidden Nene. If Chris is mixing, you're in for a really special treat. He is incredible at his craft and super inviting. The cocktails were perfect. I wish we had Chris in Tucson. We would be regulars at his bar. read more

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The location is beneath the Silly Goose, down the stairs. When you walk down, the ambiance is really nice. It's dimly lit and smells like eucalyptus. It was quite crowded, and we sat by the door for a little while until the bar opened up. Once we got to the bar, a server came behind us and asked what we wanted to drink. After looking over the menu during happy hour, I realized that none of the drinks contained vodka, which is the only thing I drink. She suggested that we could substitute in any of their specialty drinks, and there was quite an extensive list of them. However, I decided to go with something simple, like a cosmopolitan. My husband ordered the Smokey Bear. We arrived at about 7:12 PM, but we did not receive our drinks until 7:30 PM, as there was only one bartender servicing the entire bar and service area. The cosmopolitan wasn't bad, but while she was making the Smokey Bear, she got distracted and left the smoker on my husband's drink for too long, making it taste like burnt wood. It was hard for him to finish, but he did complete his drink. Those were the only two drinks we had there. The slow service and the distraction of the bartender made this place not live up to the wonderful reputation it seems to have. Perhaps if they offered a wider selection of drinks made with other types of liquor, I would have been more interested. However, the price for those two drinks led us to leave and find a place that was more reasonable and had better service. read more

OVER THE TOP!! Exceptional food! Best Mai Tai on the island! Cocktails are delicious. Food and cocktail presentations were perfection. Service 11 out of 10! Aulii and Char were the best!! Dont miss this place! read more

Absolutely amazing! What a cute hidden gem. Came here with friends around the beginning of happy hour. We got seated right away but it did start to fill up. Staff was kind knowledgeable on drinks. We didn't order food since we had dinner plans but saw the charcuterie boards which looked fantastic. The key lime pie drink was like drinking a dessert. So delicious. Great place for locals or tourists passing through! read more

The Hidden Nene - Key lime - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

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Great place to sneak away from the heat and hussle of downtown Hilo. Get some cool air and real treat! The ambiance is unlike anywhere else on the Big Island. Appreciate the mix of music. Not a pretentious bar from what you may expect upon entering. The drinks are phenomenal and the staff inviting. Loved the app as well. A true hidden gem! read more

The Hidden Nene - El Rey, Caprese app and a Lager - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii