36 Best Bars in Oahu, Hawaii

Winner of a James Beard Award for Outstanding Bar in 2023, this cocktail bar is oddly situated in the mezzanine of an office building and seats only six at the bar, along with a few other tables. You'll need some luck to snag reservations (or close watching of the Resy app) to enjoy bespoke cocktails that utilize only the finest liquors and ingredients. Owners Tom Park and Justin Park (no relation) have cultivated a reputation for their E Hoo Pau Mai Tai made with an eight-year-old, raisin-infused El Dorado rum and another 12-year-old El Dorado rum, as well as coconut water syrup, spiced orgeat, ohia blossom honey, lime, vanilla, and absinthe—all served with a kiawe wood–smoke presentation.

Making the most of its spot on Waikiki Beach, Duke's is a bustling destination featuring live music every day. This laid-back bar-and-grill's surf theme pays homage to Duke Kahanamoku, who popularized the sport in the early 1900s. Contemporary Hawaiian musicians like Henry Kapono and the Maunalua group have performed here, as have nationally known musicians like the late Jimmy Buffett. It's not unusual for surfers to leave their boards outside to step in for a casual drink after a long day on the waves. The cocktail menu is filled with Island-style drinks: try a sunset sour or coconut mojito while watching the Waikiki waves.

One of the newer breweries to debut on Oahu, the modern, two-story brewhouse has its manufacturing area, a gift shop, a bar and more casual dining area downstairs, and an upscale mezzanine with exclusive cocktails. With 20 of its beers on tap (half of them IPAs), plus guest collaborations, cocktails, and mocktails, there's something for everyone. The food menu is just as extensive, including at Sunday brunch.

Set back from the main entrance of the Halekulani Hotel and decked out with dramatic drapes and cozy banquettes, Lewers Lounge is a great place for cocktails, both classic and contemporary. Standouts include Chocolate Dreams (made with Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka) and the Lost Passion (tequila, Cointreau, and fresh juices topped with champagne). Enjoy your libation with great nightly live jazz and tempting desserts, such as the hotel's famous coconut cake.

The bartenders here truly know how to mix up a fantastic mai tai. This is, after all, the establishment that first made the famous drink in the Islands. The pink umbrella–shaded tables at the outdoor bar are front-row seating for sunsets and also have an unobstructed view of Diamond Head. It's an ideal spot to soak in the island vibes just steps from the sand. Contemporary Hawaiian musicians hold jam sessions on stage nightly, and small bites are also available.

The craft beers produced by this Maui-based company are Island favorites, and a visit to this sprawling, indoor-outdoor brewpub adjacent to the Outrigger Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel's lobby means you don't have to island-hop to sample its offerings at the source. Ask about limited-release drafts to imbibe the brand’s hidden gems, or order a flight of freshly brewed beers. Maui Brewing strives to source local ingredients for its beer and its food, and the menu here includes a poke bowl made with locally caught tuna, a kale salad that incorporates Waianae-based Naked Cow Dairy feta, and a Brewmaster pizza featuring Honolulu-based Kukui sausage.

West-oriented views (particularly stellar at sunset), creative cocktails incorporating fresh fruit and herbs from neighboring farms, house-made syrups and spirits, and live entertainment most nights draw locals and visitors to this classy, surf-themed lobby bar at Turtle Bay Resort. It’s also the only nightlife choice on the North Shore east of Haleiwa, and night crawlers should know that the bar usually stops serving by 10 pm.

Although this elaborate luau has the sharpest production values, there is no booze allowed (it's a Mormon-owned facility in the heart of Laie—Mormon country). It's held amid the seven re-created villages at the Polynesian Cultural Center in the North Shore town of Laie, about a 1½-hour drive from Honolulu. The luau—considered one of the most authentic on the island—includes the Ha: Breath of Life show that has long been popular with both residents and visitors. Rates vary depending on activities and amenities that are included (personalized tours, reserved seats, or table service, for example). Waikiki transport is available. It's held Monday–Saturday at 5.

Grab a seat in either the industrial indoor taproom or the outdoor beer garden where dogs are welcome (and have their own menu). With more than a dozen beers on draft—including the Hop Lei IPA, Froot Loops, and Aloha Blonde—as well as wine, cocktails, and mocktails, you're likely to find something to your taste. For food, there's pizza and other standard pub fare plus a brunch menu. Get cocktails and more upscale offerings in the upstairs HI Brau Room, which has its own speakeasy-style entrance. A newer Aloha Beer location is in Waikiki.

The sleekly high-tech Majestic, designed to sail smoothly in rough waters, powers farther along Waikiki's coastline than its competitors. Enjoy seasonal whale-watching trips between January and March during the day or year-round sunset cocktail and dinner cruises aboard the 400-passenger boat. (Atlantis is also known for its submarine tours off Waikiki.) The boat's dining room is elegantly laid out, and the standard Hawaiian buffet fare perfectly accompanies the tropical cocktails, sparkling wine, beer, or guava juice. Most passengers are honeymooners and those celebrating anniversaries and birthdays—or even the occasional proposal—and this, plus the Hawaiian music, makes the atmosphere festive. For the best view of Waikiki and the sunset, head to the top deck.

Inside the tiny dining room and outside on the slightly bigger deck area, you can enjoy fancy cocktails, wine, and upscale food here. The parking lot outside has been converted to The Garden with picnic tables, a coffee cart, and more casual fare during the daytime only. The Boardroom is closed Monday and Tuesday, and reservations are recommended. 

Helping enliven the Kaimuki night scene is this pub, which stays open until midnight on Friday and Saturday. It's a small place—you have to squeeze between nearby patrons to get to and from your table—but the wait staff is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu of 150-plus beers. BREW'd also offers better versions of standard pub fare than you'll find at some places in town, including a good brisket poutine.

Toward the back of Foodland Farms (located off Piikoi Street on the Ala Moana Center's first level), this small cocktail bar has an extensive menu of whiskey and other spirits. Both the drinks and the small plates use locally sourced ingredients. As a bonus, once you've enjoyed a drink and a snack, you can pick up some groceries in the main store on your way out.

Inspired by listening bars in Tokyo, this dimly lit, hip little spot serves some equally trendy cocktails. Sip a highball or house cocktail while a DJ spins vinyl nearby (no requests, please). Conversation is not banned, but a mellow mix of chatter and soaking up the sounds goes down best. Close to Hawaii Theatre, the bar is also a great place for a drink before or after a performance or show. Reservations are a good idea. 

Just after sunset at the Marriott Ko Olina Beach Club, the charismatic Chief Sielu Avea leads the Samoan-based Fia Fia, an entertaining show that takes guests on the journey through the South Pacific. Every show is different and unscripted, but always a good look at Polynesian culture. It's the only recurring show with eight fire-knife dancers in a blazing finale. It's held on Tuesday at 4:30. Admission includes a buffet dinner.

Removed from the tourist traps along Kalakaua Avenue, the Genius Lounge is tucked away on the third floor of a former apartment building on Lewers Street. The extensive drink menu offers beer and wine, cocktails, homemade sangria, and, of course, sake. Locally inspired dishes are also available. Though small, the space is open to the outdoors and furnished with dark woods and lit by candles, making an intimate setting for small gatherings and Friday-night dates. The crowd is mostly Asian visitors and transplants, but a daily happy hour (6–8 pm) lures office workers and pre-club prowlers.

Located at the Laylow Hotel, this indoor-outdoor mini-oasis has a firepit, tiki torches, comfy couches, and palm trees swaying overhead. Although there's a food menu, it’s best to come here for expertly mixed cocktails or mocktails and some pupu (appetizers)—perhaps the poke tacos or the pork belly Brussels sprouts. A daily happy hour from 4:30 to 6:30 pm makes things easier on the wallet. Reservations are advised. 

Oahu's brewing scene has erupted in Kakaako’s industrial neighborhood, and one brewpub led the charge: Honolulu Beerworks. In a converted warehouse, owners Geoff and Charmayne Seideman and their crew brew 10 core beers—Kewalo's Cream Beer and South Shore Stout among them—in addition to limited releases with often spicy names. When you need some ono grinds (delicious food) with your local brew, they've got munchies, flatbreads, panini, and mac and cheese. Cocktails are also available. It’s a regular spot for many locals, particularly on the weekends. You might just make new friends sitting at one of the bar's long picnic tables, made from reclaimed wood.

Hawaii's oldest and best-known gay-friendly nightspot offers panoramic views of Diamond Head by day and high-energy club music by night. Check out the all-day happy hour, which starts at 10 am. There's an abundance of drink specials on weekends and discounted pitchers of beer and cocktails on Sunday. Food options include nachos, tacos, pork sliders, and more. Celebrity patrons have included Elton John, Adam Lambert, and Dolly Parton.

The drinks and rotating beers on tap at this Irish, Cheers-like bar are reasonably priced by Honolulu standards, and its menu of New York–style pizzas, both classic and inventive, is a crowd-pleaser, too.

Finding a brewery in Kalihi isn't what you'd expect from such a modest neighborhood, but this no-frills, hole-in-the-wall spot (formerly Broken Boundary Brewery) is home to a growing menu of "old school" beers (the Hi Fi is an ode to the original West Coast IPAs of the 2000s) that aficionados will appreciate. It's also a good place for a quick bite—sandwiches, burgers, tacos, and quesadillas are on the food menu—and a drink before or after a trip to the Bishop Museum or while picking up some food souvenirs at Diamond Bakery next door.

This massive Kona Brewing Co. restaurant and bar on the docks of Koko Marina has long been a hot spot. In addition to serving the company's signature brews with lunch and dinner, this authentic pub offers live music most nights. It's a lively spot, especially on weekends.

Come here to feel Hawaii hip. Named after the iconic lei sellers in Chinatown, this bar is part speakeasy, with a sign out front and an entryway that allude to those lei shops. You can buy lei here, and the bright white inner courtyard has two lei walls to enhance that vibe. The rest of the space, though, is a purple-hued, neon-tropical lounge that slays. On the menu are upscale cocktails and small plates, and there's plenty of great people-watching.

Even if you're not a surfer, you'll love this place's retro vibe and unobstructed second-floor view of Waikiki Beach. The open-air setting, casual dining menu, and tropical drinks are all you need to help you settle into your vacation. The venue transforms from a nice spot for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a drink (happy hour is 3 to 5 pm) into a bustling, high-energy club with live music lasting into the wee hours.

After a long day of shopping at the Ala Moana Center, the casual, fourth-floor Mai Tai's is a great spot to relax. What you will find is live entertainment and happy hour specials for both food and drink. What you won't find is a cover charge or a dress code. To avoid waiting in line, arrive before 9 pm.

With exposed red brick, big skylights, and rotating exhibitions of work by local photographers and painters, The Manifest has the vibe of an artist’s loft. It's a café by day and a cocktail bar and night club by night, so it serves a good cup of joe as well as quality cocktails.

On the edge of Chinatown and the financial district, this bar has served drinks to such locals and visitors as King Kalakaua and Robert Louis Stevenson since the late 1800s. The kind of Irish pub you would find in Boston, Murphy's offers a break from all the tropical, fruit-garnished drinks found in Waikiki, and it's definitely the place to be on St. Patrick's Day. Friendly bartenders and waitstaff serve Guinness on tap, pub food favorites, and Irish specialties like corned beef and cabbage and shepherd's pie. If you time it right, you can try their incredible house-made pies, which are served only on Friday and quickly sell out.

This bar 19 stories above the city offers nearly 360-degree bird's-eye views of Diamond Head, the Waikiki beaches, and the classic coral Royal Hawaiian hotel. It’s also one of the best spots to take in a Waikiki sunset. Be sure to order the popular SkyTai cocktail as you enjoy the views. There are also happy hour drink specials daily and a limited menu with fresh seafood. The indoor club, where resident DJs spin on Friday and Saturday nights, exudes contemporary-L.A. chic.

The celebrated 1,500-passenger Star of Honolulu offers four sunset dinner-cruise packages, from a roast beef buffet and Polynesian show to a romantic, seven-course, fine-dining excursion with live music. The company also runs whale-watching and special holiday cruises.