30 Best Bars in Hawaii, USA

Across from the harbor in Kawaihae, you can dine and dance to live music under the stars and palms at this wildly popular tavern, with central uncovered atrium (offering a clue about how often it rains here—nearly never). The fare is of the burger, fish-and-chips, and fish taco variety and is decent in both price and quality. The grog offerings are super fun, with inventive cocktails such as the Dancing Dragon, an elixir with house-made sangria infused with peach and raspberry liqueurs and tropical juices. Sometimes the bands are great and sometimes not, but it's so much fun to come here you really won't mind.

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.

You can sip an umbrella cocktail while you gaze at the original "Bali Hai" from this lounge, open on two sides and offering breezy views across Hanalei Bay to plush emerald mountains. If you think the scene looks familiar, maybe you’ve seen the classic movie South Pacific, filmed here. "Bali Hai" is actually Kauai’s Mt. Makana. Order a tropical cocktail and pupu and enjoy a truly enchanted evening as the sun sets over the sparkling waters. Local musicians entertain guests Thursday through Monday. Nearby Tunnels Beach (aka Haena Beach and Makua) is often called Nurses' Beach, where Mitzi Gaynor sang about washing that man right outta her hair; Hanalei Bay is where Bloody Mary sang “Bali Hai.”

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.

If you'd like to catch a football game or UFC fight, this is the place for it. It also offers the most diverse nightlife on the island, with music and dancing most evenings. Start off with happy hour from 2 to 5 pm Monday through Saturday, then stick around for the fun. 

Trade winds waft through Wally's Lobby Bar, a modest little open-air bar situated in Hukilau Lanai that looks out onto a coconut grove. Sit at the cozy bar or recline in big comfortable chairs while listening to Hawaiian slack-key guitar. Live music plays from Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Poolside happy hour runs from 3 to 5 pm. Try one of the freshly infused tropical martinis or Kauai-made mead, or choose from a good selection of wines and sake by the glass.

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. 

A sports bar by night and a good hamburger joint by day, Cronies is a local favorite. When the lights go down, the bar gets packed.

One of the liveliest bars on Kauai is this beachside bar and restaurant at Kalapaki Beach. Contemporary Hawaiian music is performed daily 3:30--5:30 pm and 6--8 pm, and from 9:30 to 11:30 am during Sunday brunch.

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.

The sleepy North Shore stays awake—until 10:30, that is—each evening in this small convivial deli and bar inside Hanalei's restored old schoolhouse. There's local live Hawaiian, jazz, rock, and folk music on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday evenings.

What this watering hole lacks in decor, it makes up for in friendliness. Knock one or two back with a fun pupu menu, including street tacos or pork sliders. There's also more for the hungrier bar patron, like Mike's special chili, Reuben sandwiches, or hot dogs. They also offer comedy and open mic nights. Happy hour prices and portions are generous. 

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. 

The bar at Hiro's Ohana Grill at Hotel Molokai is always a good place to enjoy a drink and beautiful views, with a rotating lineup of local musicians adding ambience to stunning sunsets.

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.

If you're looking for a genuine dive bar, this is the place. The bartenders are friendly, and you'll find plenty of locals to talk story with. Just be sure to mind your manners: classic dive-bar fistfights have, on occasion, been known to break out here.

A favorite after-work spot for employees from the surrounding hotels, this sports bar lounge in the Hilton Waikoloa Village offers friendly bartenders, free Wi-Fi, and pool tables. Enjoy tropical cocktails, craft beers, light fare, and live music from 8 to 10 nightly.

A favored haunt of the South Kona crowd, Korner Pocket is tucked into the back of an office plaza and looks like a dive at first glance. But don't let appearances fool you. They serve fantastic, affordable food, ranging from scrumptious burgers to a killer prime rib. The fish taco is a reliable bet. Popular local bands frequently perform, with no cover, and everyone gets up to dance. You can also play pool. It's one of the only places open late in South Kona.

This dive bar brings in a young bunch looking to par-tay. A lively rotation of events and entertainment keeps the good times rolling, including live island-style music, guest bands, karaoke six evenings a week, and open-mic nights. A casual Mexican-food menu with great prices keeps the munchies away.

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.

Hidden away in an unassuming strip mall, this friendly establishment is one of the Big Island's most venerable gay bars. Drag shows, darts, hot DJs, live music, karaoke, drink specials, fiestas, and Sunday barbecues are included in the roster of weekly events.

A popular gathering place, this sports bar in the back of the Coconut Grove Marketplace has a pool table and an outdoor patio, along with dozens of TVs screening the big game (whatever it happens to be that day). It really gets hopping on the weekends and for karaoke. There's good happy hour pricing and taco specials three days a week. 

Let loose at this popular restaurant and sports bar, which has live music Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday nights. Thursday is trivia night, and sports are broadcast all weekend and Monday nights. It offers local microbrews and a full menu of appetizers, sandwiches, burgers, and other pub fare.

This venerable and funky institution in sleepy Hanalei still offers its famous luau at 5 on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings, although the bar is the big attraction. The spirits of locals and visitors alike are always high at this popular hangout, which features live music nightly from 6:30 to 8:30 pm.

This chill bar gets its name from the Chinese expression “qing, qing” (which means “please please”), often used as a toast; soldiers returning from the Chinese Opium Wars introduced it in France and throughout Europe. With an extensive wine menu—by the glass and the bottle—plus a selection of single malt bourbon, whiskey, and scotch, it's an ideal spot for a drink or tapas-style food. The bar’s rooftop lanai, romantically lit with string lights and featuring a large living wall flourishing with ferns, is the best place to sit.

Tiki torches light the way to this fun restaurant and bar overlooking Kuhio Beach in the Twin Fin Hotel. A mix of locals and visitors heads here for happy hour and, later, to enjoy its kitschy cool, casual vibe. There's great nightly entertainment by contemporary Hawaiian musicians playing lively and popular cover tunes. The drinks menu is extensive and (not surprisingly) tiki-focused. Don't leave without sipping on the Lava Flow (rum, coconut milk, pineapple juice, strawberry puree) or noshing on coconut shrimp, ahi poke, or macadamia-crusted fish of the day. And if you love the tiki vibe, you can purchase an array of whimsical merchandise, including the colorful tiki mugs. If you're here during the holidays, ask the host about the "Christmas bar."

For the most part, Wailuku goes quiet once the office workers clock out and the shops close, but this neighborhood hangout is the exception, and it has become a go-to spot for craft cocktails, good vibes, and late-night fun. Although it doesn't serve food, it does offer a small dance floor, a patio out back, a karaoke night, and lounge music or live jazz.

Hawaiian bars should have two things: stellar views of the sunset over the ocean and equally stellar mai tais. This lounge of this restaurant has both, as well as live music, ranging from contemporary to Hawaiian, Thursday through Sunday. Come for sunset or for the late-night happy hour, but seats are scarce once the music starts at 6:30 pm, and an attractive crowd starts showing up around 8.

Dubbed the "Friendliest Bar in Waikiki," this charming karaoke joint is a must-visit on any trip to the island. The positive vibe comes from owner Dan Chang, who personally welcomes his guests to this LGBTQ+-friendly establishment. The bar is in the lobby of the Stay Hotel and has a full kitchen cranking out Asian- and Latin-inspired dishes. It's known for a lively late-night crowd and innovative cocktails. The list of karaoke songs is extensive, and the place gets jammed, so arrive early if you really want to add your name to the list and sing a song.