The Best Beach Bars In Honolulu, Hawaii

| © Joel/Flickr
Catrina Pang

When you’re in Hawaii’s gorgeous capital, there can be nothing better than relaxing on the beach with a delicious drink in hand. Luckily, Honolulu has no shortage of bars along the famous Waikiki Beach. Below, we guide you through the best bars to visit when you’re looking for quality drinks with that amazing Honolulu view.

1. The Beach Bar

Bar, Pub Grub

Located just steps away from the beautiful sands of Waikiki Beach, the oceanfront Beach Bar is an ideal setting for enjoying the Waikiki scenery. Although it is part of the Westin Moana Surfrider Hotel, both locals and visitors love to hang out at the bar, listening to great renditions of popular songs played on the ukulele. Patrons love the Mai Tai especially, and the Lava Flow is considered by many to be the best on the island. An especially popular spot at sunset, the lovely warm Hawaii nights bring in fantastic local live music playing both Hawaiian selections and tourist favorites, perfectly complemented by the entertainment of beautiful hula dancers.

2. The Barefoot Bar

Bar, Snack Bar, American

Home of ‘Hawaii’s Best Mai Tai’, The Barefoot Bar at the Hale Koa Hotel is located right on the ocean’s edge, offering visitors the perfect place to sit back and relax. Every evening, The Barefoot Bar kicks things off with live music at sunset and hosts numerous holiday promotions throughout the year. Great service, good prices compared to other beach venues, and a fantastic view of the Friday night fireworks from the Hilton next door make The Barefoot Bar a favorite among Hawaii visitors. Although they don’t serve food, there is a snack bar conveniently located right next to the bar, serving basic appetizers like nachos, french fries, chicken wings, onion rings, and more. The line for drinks gets pretty long around sunset, thanks to the spectacular view, so people make a point of trying to get there early for a seat with a good view.

3. Mai Tai Bar

Bar, Cocktail Bar, Cocktails

The celebrated tropical-themed Mai Tai Bar, located at The Royal Hawaiian hotel just steps away from Waikiki Beach, sets the stage for romance and elegant relaxation with vibrant tropical music and live local entertainment at sunset. Numerous heads of state, Hollywood stars, and international jet-setters have mingled with karma’aina at this beautiful bar to drink exotic handcrafted cocktails while soaking in the breathtaking panorama of Diamond Head, Waikiki Beach, and the sparkling Pacific Ocean. Happy hour prices are great, and they even make great bread puddings that are custardy with raisins and a vanilla bean ice cream, delicious (though pricey) burgers that come with tasty roasted potatoes, and amazing Thai Salad with Mahimahi.

4. Duke’s Waikiki

Restaurant, Bar, Seafood

Named for famous surfer and Olympic gold medalist Duke Paoa Kahanamoku, Duke’s Waikiki is known as one of the best spots to go for dinner on the beach in Waikiki. The beautiful location affords guests a breathtaking oceanside experience while dining on fresh fish or perfectly cooked steak frites. Many choose to reserve a seat overlooking the ocean to be sure of getting the best view. Bartenders are fun and friendly, serving up numerous favorite tropical drinks including mojitos and piña coladas, and delicious strong Mai Tais. The restaurant also offers a fantastic breakfast buffet every morning, great lunches, and tasty snacks at any time of the day. Whether you’re looking for an amazing meal or simply want to hang out at the bar with a great drink and fantastic view, Duke’s is the place to be.

5. Tiki’s Grill & Bar

Bar, Restaurant, Seafood

View from Tikis Bar & Grill, Waikiki
© Rob Bertholf/Flickr
Tiki’s Grill & Bar takes pride in its status as a locally owned and operated independent restaurant destination, providing a casual American and Pacific Rim menu with flavors of the islands using fresh local produce. It offers a variety of menu items including fresh fish, steaks, and chicken for dinner, sandwiches and salads for lunch, and a wide range of pupus for the bar. In addition, Tiki’s has lanai seating that lends its guests incredible views of the beautiful sunsets on Kuhio Beach. Patrons especially love the great happy hour drinks and specials, as well as the fact that if you bring in your receipt the next day, you get a buy-one-get-one-free Mai Tai.

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