Bars in Honolulu

Anna O'Brien's is Honolulu's most beloved live music bar — a laid-back local venue in the Kapahulu neighborhood that books nightly live music spanning reggae, blues, country, and local Hawaiian bands in an unpretentious setting far from the tourist-facing Waikiki strip. A true locals' establishment where island musicians and regular patrons create the kind of authentic community atmosphere that defines Hawaii's off-the-beaten-path nightlife culture.

Duke's Waikiki at the Outrigger Resort is Honolulu's most iconic beachside bar — a casual open-air venue on Waikiki Beach named for Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing. Live Hawaiian music every evening, a beachfront setting directly on Waikiki, and the best mai tais in the area make it a mandatory stop on any Honolulu entertainment itinerary.

Duke's Waikiki at the Outrigger Resort is Honolulu's most iconic beachside bar — an open-air venue directly on Waikiki Beach named for Duke Kahanamoku, the father of modern surfing. Live Hawaiian music every evening, a beachfront setting with views of Diamond Head, and some of Hawaii's best mai tais make Duke's a mandatory Waikiki experience. The combination of authentic aloha atmosphere and prime beach location keeps it consistently one of Hawaii's highest-rated entertainment destinations.

House Without a Key at Halekulani Hotel is one of the world's great outdoor cocktail bars — a beachside lanai under an ancient kiawe tree where former Miss Hawaii performs hula against the backdrop of Diamond Head at sunset. A perennial Condé Nast and Travel + Leisure 'world's best bar' recognition, it represents Hawaii's unique entertainment culture for the luxury travel market visiting one of the Pacific's most prominent tourism destinations.

La Mariana Sailing Club is Honolulu's most extraordinary bar — a 1955 tiki bar on the waterfront whose extraordinary collection of authentic vintage tiki décor (carved tikis, glass balls, original tropical murals) creates the most authentic mid-century tiki bar atmosphere in America. Its extraordinary preservation of 1950s Polynesian Pop culture in an authentic waterfront setting makes it a pilgrimage destination for tiki bar enthusiasts worldwide.

Moku Kitchen at Ward Village is Honolulu's most outstanding craft beer and cocktail bar — a Ward Village restaurant presenting an exceptional selection of Hawaii and mainland craft beers alongside locally sourced cocktails. Ward Village's extraordinary redevelopment as Honolulu's most walkable urban neighborhood and Moku's commitment to local Hawaiian ingredients create a bar experience of genuine Hawaiian farm-to-glass philosophy.

Smith's Union Bar is Hawaii's oldest operating bar — a Chinatown institution established in 1935 that has survived world wars, urban renewal, and generations of Honolulu social change to remain a living piece of the city's working-class waterfront history. The dive bar's no-frills character and historic pedigree make it a beloved cultural landmark in a neighborhood that has become Honolulu's most vibrant arts and nightlife district.