Pau Hana Patrol: Pinky’s Pupu Bar and Grill

Photos by Bruce Asato
basato@staradvertiser.com

Read more about happy hour at the Aikahi bar in next Friday’s print edition of TGIF.

Friday’s Pau Hana Patrol

Photo by Cindy Ellen Russsell

The upstairs dining room at Bonsai, aka the Laptop Lounge, is wired and ready for use during Tuesday’s long pau hana.

Inside HILife: Pau Hana Patrol

Hawaiian music still thrives in Waikiki

Jamm Aquino / jaquino@starbulletin.com

Bartender Zack Barnett pours a cold pint at the Kani Ka Pila Grille.

KANI KA PILA GRILLE
Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel, 2169 Kalia Road
923-3111

By John Berger
jberger@starbulletin.com

Two of the biggest myths that have been perpetrated about Waikiki in the past 10 or 15 years is that there is no parking and no Hawaiian music.

Yes, the city has allowed street parking and metered municipal lots to wither, but people who go there for shopping or hotel entertainment will find plenty of validated parking available. Hawaiian music isn’t as prominent as it was 50 years ago, but it is alive, as well.

Kani Ka Pila Grille, located poolside at the Outrigger Reef on the Beach Hotel, has plenty of both. And now that the block of Kalia Road between Beach Walk and Saratoga has finally been made two-way, it’s easier to get there.

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Inside HILife: Pau Hana Patrol

A toast to pau hana

Craig T. Kojima / ckojima@starbulletin.com

By Kawika Kanae
Special to the Star-Bulletin

The majority of my week is spent downtown. It’s where I work and most often where I pau hana.

But when downtown gets to be a bit too much, I’ll venture elsewhere for something specific. A mechanical bull, dartboards with plate-size bull’s-eyes, or even a jukebox that spits at you if you select a Lady Gaga song are all reason enough for me to visit someplace new.

With none of those in existence – to my knowledge – at Lulu’s Waikiki, you might think the drive there wouldn’t be worth it. Well, Lulu’s has one of the best locations on the island, and that alone was reason enough for me to rush over to the corner of Kalakaua and Kapahulu avenues to meet up with friends recently.

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Inside HILife: Pau Hana Patrol

Bargain weekday pau hana

Jamm Aquino / jaquino@starbulletin.com

Big City Diner bartender Carly Palmer serves up ice cold beer at Big City Diner’s Auahi Street location during pau hana.

By Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com

When it comes to pau hana, there might be “no diner finer than Big City Diner,” to borrow a line from the local restaurant chain’s commercials on radio and television, but that’s only because there aren’t many other diners that actually offer happy-hour here in Honolulu.

You can’t go wrong when it comes to saving money during Big City’s weekday pau hana — from 3 to 6 p.m. at all five restaurants on Oahu (along with the Ward location, Big City operates in Waipio, Pearlridge, Kaimuki and Kailua), everything on the pupu menu is discounted by 50 percent. Additional deals are offered on other days, as well.

The only catch? You must buy two drinks, per person, during your visit. Luckily, coffee and soft drinks count toward the minimum, so don’t feel pressured to overindulge with alcohol. Still, it’s kind of tacky to even impose a rule like this at all — if the food is up to snuff, customers should already want to stay and eat long enough to easily go through more than a couple of drinks.

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Inside HILife: Pau Hana Patrol

Not just for ribs

George F. Lee / glee@starbulletin.com

Server Charmaine Ramelb is ready to present an order of Onion Loaf during happy hour at Tony Roma’s in Pearlridge.

TONY ROMA’S PEARLRIDGE 98-150 Kaonohi St. 487-9911 www.hsblinks.com/26p

By Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com

If you can come to terms with visiting Tony Roma’s and not actually ordering ribs, happy hour at the national restaurant chain’s Aiea location is one of the best deals on the Leeward side of Oahu.

From 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays, some of the most popular appetizers on the menu here are discounted more than 50 percent off regular prices. The only catch? You have to sit at one of about 10 bar stools at the bar proper. Happy-hour drink specials, on the other hand, are available to all customers in the restaurant.

Even if you weren’t planning on sitting at the bar, once you discover the perennial Tony Roma’s favorite, the Onion Loaf ($4), is on special, you won’t want to sit anywhere else. And when you realize the Kickin’ Shrimp ($4) and Red Hot Buffalo Wings ($4) normally cost $8.99 and $9.99, respectively, you’ll end up staying put at the bar.

Click here to read the rest of this week’s review.

Inside HILife: Pau Hana Patrol

Therapy for mind and soul

Cindy Ellen Russell / 2008

Family and friends gather to enjoy food and play some pool at Therapy Sports Grill in Hawaii Kai. Pictured clockwise from left are Heather Newsman, Trent Terry with his brother Garrett, Jeanette Rhodes with husband Eric and Shaye Hannon.

Therapy Sports Grill Koko Marina Shopping Center 394-8200 www.therapysportsgrill.com

By Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com

Bars have always served as the common man’s form of treatment for whatever issues arise during the course of a typical day at work.

Need to let off some steam and talk it out? Looking for a distraction that will help take your mind off the reaming you took from your boss earlier in the day? Want to just grind your way to happiness? Then head to Koko Marina Shopping Center for pau hana and deal with whatever issues you have with help from the fine folks at Therapy Sports Grill.

When this place opened in late 2007, residents from Hawaii Kai and elsewhere on Oahu quickly spread the word about the quality of food that came out of the kitchen. It makes sense to use the phrase “sports grill” in their name, since the offerings here are a cut above the typical fried fare found at other sports bars on the island.

During Therapy’s afternoon happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. weekdays, more than 15 food items are available for $6 each. The featured pupus are all quality, too — Therapy’s Famous Chicken (your choice of wasabi, dynamite, garlic or furikake) is a perennial favorite, as is Therapy Poke and the three sushi rolls also listed on the happy hour menu.

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Inside HILife: Pau Hana Patrol

Find ono sushi at Epic

Restaurant Epic 1131 Nuuanu Ave. 587-7877

By Jason Genegabus
jason@starbulletin.com

This week’s featured happy hour comes courtesy of two readers who mentioned that Restaurant Epic offers some “ono-licious” sushi in downtown Honolulu.

Sushi? At Epic?

Turns out the Asian fusion restaurant does indeed serve up a variety of rolls, in addition to a complete menu of soups, salads, pastas and entrees. And if you stop in between 4:30 and 9 p.m. Mondays and Tuesdays, and from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays through Fridays, expect to see some pretty affordable pau hana specials available as well.

Some of the other bars in the neighborhood might seem a little more sexy to the professional crowd looking for drinks and a “meet market” after a long day at work, but Epic is a great pick for those interested in a quiet environment to relax and unwind. Fewer than a half-dozen people were in the restaurant during our visit last week, making the spacious dining room feel a lot more intimate.

Being at a restaurant during happy hour ensures that pupus are an option along with discounted drinks — more than a dozen items are offered here, ranging in price from $4 to $12. Hearty appetites will be happy to see two styles of grilled steak ($12) on special, while staples like seasoned edamame ($4) and garlic fries ($4) will definitely help keep your spending in check.

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Pau Hana Patrol: Bar 35

High 5 for Bar 35

FL Morris / fmorris@starbulletin.com

Bar 35 35 N. Hotel St. 537-3535 www.bar35hawaii.com

By Carey Reynolds
Special to the Star-Bulletin
 
Who knew that some of the best pizza on the island could come from a bar in Chinatown?

Bar 35 provides a spin on traditional toppings with nine gourmet options like the “Smokey Heaven” (smoked salmon, red onions, capers, cream cheese and Gorgonzola cheese), “Deep Forest” (imported San Daniele proscuitto, fresh mushrooms, tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese and extra virgin olive oil), and “French Kiss” (French Brie cheese, cooked ham, fresh pesto, tomato sauce, Mozzarella cheese and fresh basil), to name a few. The pies are not discounted during happy hour, but they are large in size and worth sharing with friends.

Pizza isn’t the only thing this bar is known for. The owners of Bar 35 have a very strong love for beer and offer more than 100 selections from more than 20 countries around the world.

In order to take full advantage of the variety, Bar 35 hosts “House of Brews” every Wednesday from 6 to 8 p.m. The bar offers a themed tasting, where $20 buys you a taste of nine different exotic beers and complementary pizza samples from the kitchen.  

If beer isn’t your thing, happy hour starts at 4 p.m. daily with $3 Skyy cocktails and $4 beers. The martinis here are excellent and come in a plethora of flavors, such as the ever-popular lychee.

Only cocktails are specially priced during happy hour, but if you are looking for a cheap, lighter snack than the pizza, I would recommend the large basket of European-inspired French fries with garlic seasoning. Be sure to select one of the ten different dipping sauces —  my personal favorites are the wasabi mayonaisse and garlic aioli.  

The atmosphere inside Bar 35 has a New York-like, industrial loft feel with young and hip groups of friends and co-workers chatting about their day while drinking and watching old movies projected on a wall. It’s the perfect atmosphere for lounging — or if you’re up to it, meeting new people.

The indoor seating area is very dim, so it takes a moment for your eyes to adjust. Going into a bar this dark during the evening is one thing, but I’m not very much into the pitch black, cave-like mood at four in the afternoon.

Luckily, the beer, food, crowd, as well as the outdoor patio helped brighten the experience. The bartenders are great here, but sometimes the cocktail waitresses can be hit-or-miss.

For all you beer lovers out there, Bar 35 is paradise. With amazing treats that should not even be considered bar food, a fun and attractive crowd, and good music, this is one of my new favorite spots for pau hana, thanks to “House of Brews.”

Pau Hana Patrol: Gordon Biersch

Mellow yet lively

Gordon Biersch Aloha Tower Marketplace (808) 599-4877 www.gordonbiersch.com

By Carey Reynolds
Special to the Star-Bulletin

Aloha Tower Marketplace is home to Gordon Biersch, an open-air brewpub with good music and a nice crowd.

Situated on the waterfront with a large patio great for people watching. Happy hour is served at the two bars located throughout the pub. The inside bar is a quiet place where you can watch a game, while the outside location is a great place to listen to live music or check out the busy harbor.

Happy hour fills the patio with a good crowd of both tourists and professionals. On Wednesdays, Gordon Biersch offers live jazz on the waterfront. Visit their Facebook fan page (Gordon Biersch – Honolulu) to checkout the weekly lineup.

Famous for its brews, Gordon Beirsch offers discounted prices on their cocktails and famous drafts during happy hour. A popular brew is the Marzen, a smooth, auburn-colored Bavarian lager. The brewery offers six signature beers as well as a large list of martinis, mojitos, and margaritas all reasonably priced between $4 and $5.

The pupus during happy hour are your typical bar food snacks that are filling and taste great with a cold beer. Some choices are better than others, but overall the food is what you would expect of a pub. I recommend both the Southwest Eggrolls and the Crispy Artichoke hearts.

However, the Glazed Chicken Wings and the Tapas are something I will pass up next time. The dishes come in large portions and well worth $4.95.  

The service could use some improvement, especially during happy hour. We had to flag our waitress down every time, especially at the end of the happy hour to get our last order in.

Overall, the atmosphere, music, and beer are the highlights of this happy hour spot. Service needs work and food could be better, but the bands, sunsets, and breeze come alive at this busy happy hour spot that is sure to be relaxing.

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