Hawaii’s Nightlife – Best places to Enjoy at Night

By: Hawaii Tours
Date: May 11, 2020 

If you are not too tired after a day of sun, fun and sightseeing there is always a place to choose your poison and relax or dance the night away. All night owls young and old venture out to enjoy some karaoke, grab a bite to eat or to party until closing time. If you are planning your Hawaiian vacation to include some nightlife we do personally recommend checking out some of the locations listed below. While there is something for everyone to enjoy you may find that some islands are just a bit more laid back than others when it comes to the nightlife scene. Here is a list of our personal favorites for each island. Check them out and tell us what you think!

Kauai

If you are looking for a busy nightlife, Kauai is not the best island to choose for your vacation. There are plenty of bars and lounges with music and dancing however if you are looking for packed house with shoulder to shoulder people, loud music and strobe lights you won’t find it here. Kauai is known to be very mellow and one of the most relaxed of the islands. There is still much to offer once the sun sets for entertainment but plan for last call to be a little earlier than expected.

Duke’s Barefoot Bar – This popular restaurant and bar pays tribute to the legendary Duke Kahanamoku. You can grab a bite to eat at the upstairs restaurant or hang out at our favorite spot downstairs at the Barefoot Bar with its natural setting of botanicals and mini waterfall. Located in Lihue off of Rice Street, this open air bar is so close to the ocean you can hear the waves crashing and even partake in some beach volleyball. Local music is provided on the weekends. Hours: 11am to 10:30pm/ Aloha Hour 3pm to 5pm.

Keoki’s Paradise – Keoki’s is very similar to Duke’s offering an open air location with beautiful botanicals, streams and waterfalls surrounded by lit tikis. There is Hula almost every evening and live music can be heard on the weekends. It is an excellent place to hang out, take in the surroundings and enjoy an exotic drink of your choice. They are located in Koloa at the Poipu Shopping Village. Hours: 11am to 11pm / Dining Room: 4:45pm to 9:30pm.

Tahiti Nui – This restaurant and lounge was featured in the movie The Descendants and is the perfect local hang out and watering hole. Established and owned by the Marston family this little dive like spot brings both tourists and locals to enjoy great eats and drinks and live music every night. The building might be old and not like the fancy resort bars in town but their secret recipe Mai Tai’s alone are worth the visit. You can find them on the north shore in Hanalei just as you get into town. Hours: 11am to 10pm.

Rob’s Good Times Grill – Rob’s is the largest sports pub on Kauai offering live music, trivia, and karaoke and dancing until the early morning. There is over 20 TVs to watch any game with your favorite teams or UFC fight. They offer an extensive menu with daily specials. Check out their website for daily specials and events. Rob’s is easy to find in the Rice Shopping Center off Rice Street in Lihue. Hours: 11am to 2am / Aloha Hour: 3pm to 6pm.

Stevenson’s Library – In this booked lined library style room with fine dark woods and sofas you will find a 27 foot bar handcrafted from Koa wood. Similar to a gentleman’s club it has an extensive menu of Cognacs and scotch as well as martinis, beer and wine. Pass the time by playing any of the parlor games of pool, backgammon or chess. Live jazz is played nightly. They are off Poipu Road at the Grand Hyatt Kauai. Hours: 6pm to 12am.

Oahu

Oahu has it all! The best nightlife can be found only on Oahu as soon as the sun starts to sink in the horizon. It has the hottest dance clubs and even the small town local watering holes. If you are looking for late night excitement this is the island you want to choose!

Bar 35 – This is the hottest spot for craft beers (over a 100 served) from 20 different countries, cocktails, pupus and dancing! Live music and local DJs keep the party going into the late hours. Visit and of their indoor and outdoor patio bars located in downtown Honolulu in Chinatown and the Arts District off of Hotel Street. Hours: Closed Sundays, Mondays to Thursdays 4pm to 12am, Fridays 4pm to 2am and Saturdays 6pm to 2am /Aloha Hour Tuesdays to Fridays 4pm to 9pm.

Manifest – Manifest is a modern day café during the day and an edgy cocktail bar and night club after sundown. The café portion usually shuts down around 5pm and the DJs hit the decks around 10pm. They are located in historical Chinatown on North Hotel St in Honolulu. Hours: 9am to 12am.

The District – The District is Hawaii’s newest main hot spot for a late night out of dancing and drinks. It features a large dance floor, 3 bars, a VIP lounge and 12 private tables. They are located across from the Ala Moana Shopping Center on Kapiolani Blvd. Please be mindful of the business casual dress code. Hours: Wednesdays- 11pm - 4am (nightclub, Thursdays - 8pm - 1am (Salsa Dancing) and Fridays – Saturdays 10pm - 4am (nightclub).

Addiction – Get addicted with one of Honolulu’s exclusive and hottest nightclubs. Visit one of several bars and dance all night under the 40,000 luminous light bulbs with some of the best DJs around. There is a dress code enforced. Addiction is located inside of the Modern Honolulu Hotel on Ala Moana Blvd. Hours: Thursdays – Saturdays 10:30pm to 3am.

Sky Waikiki – Want the best views of Waikiki with a cocktail in hand? Sky Waikiki is located on the roof top 19 stories above Waikiki giving you panoramic views of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head. The rooftop bar/ lounge is a great place to hang out and relax after a busy day. There is also live music from 6pm to 9pm Thursdays to Saturdays. They are located off of Kalakaua Ave right across from the Royal Hawaiian Center. Hours: Sundays to Thursdays 5pm to 11pm / Fridays and Saturdays 5pm to 12am.

Maui

Not ready for sleep? Head out for a night on the town in Maui. Being such a small island the nightlife is pretty impressive. The scene is definitely not as large as Oahu’s but there any many places to visit after your day out in the sun. A lot of locals gather at the variety of what’s to offer.

The Dirty Monkey – The Dirty Monkey features over 250 whiskeys and bourbons, craft beers from all over and specialty cocktails. They also have a dance floor, 14 huge 4K TV’s and games including shuffle board. This is a great place to come in a watch your favorite sporting event or boogie to the beats from the DJ. You can find them right off of Front Street in historic downtown Lahaina. Hours: 12pm to 2am and Sunday 6:30am to 2am / Aloha hour: 3pm to 7pm.

Kahale’s Maui’s Local Dive Bar – Kahale’s is one of the oldest bars in Kihei and has the longest happy hour on the whole island. It is definitely not a trendy spot but if you are wanting something laid back and casual it’s the perfect place. They are in the BARmuda Triangle on Keala Road in Kihei. Hours: 10am to 2am and on Sundays 8am to 2am / Aloha Hour 10am to 5:30pm.

Haui’s Life’s a Beach – Life’s a beach at Huai’s! Look out for the concrete whale and stop in to sip on a giant Mai Tai or a cold beer after a day soaking up the sun. There are TVs to watch the latest sporting event or participate in some Karaoke. Haui’s is also located in the BARmuda Triangle in Kihei on Kihei Road. Hours: 11am to 2am and Sundays 8am to 2am.

Alaloa Lounge – If you are if you looking for a more upscale place to enjoy, Alaloa offers a great place to view the afternoon sun setting with indoor and outdoor seating. They have an extensive menu of specialty drinks and beers. Alaloa is in Kapalua and part of The Ritz-Carlton. Hours: 12pm to 10pm.

Charley’s Restaurant and Saloon – Named after a Great Dane many consider Charley’s a Maui landmark others just say it’s an easy going place for food and drink. Everyone tends to flock to this old timey, small town restaurant with a wide variety of foods and memorabilia. Even Willie Nelson played a concert here and remains a mainstay throughout the years. Charley’s is located in Paia on the Hana Highway. Hours: Mondays to Thursdays 8am to 10pm, Fridays and Saturdays 8am to 2am and Sundays 8am to 6pm.

Big Island

The Big Island offers something for everybody from east to the west. If you are looking for more of a place to dance the night away Kona is your best choice as Hilo is more a bit more of a laid back local bar scene. Either location will surely provide a place you’ll want to come back to.

Oceans Sports Bar and Grill – Here you can find open air seating and numerous flat screens to catch any game or sporting event. It is family oriented during the day and 21 and older late night with DJs and themed event nights. They even serve up street tacos behind the building at a great price too. Ocean’s is located in the Alii Sunset Plaza in Kona. Hours: 3pm to 2am and Sundays 8am to 2am / Aloha Hour: 3pm to 6pm.

Blue Dragon Tavern and Cosmic Musiquarium –The newly renovated Blue Dragon is famous for being the only open air live music venue on the northern part of the island. Even though they are not open late it is the perfect place to hear a wide variety of music and different types of entertainment. They are also very dedicated to Earth friendly procedures and zero waste efforts. Hours: Mondays to Fridays 6am to 10:30am, Wednesdays 5pm to 10pm, Thursdays to Saturdays 5pm to 10:30am Sundays 5pm to 10pm

Kona Brewing Company – Kick back and relax on their 2000 square foot patio and enjoy one of their many seasonal brews! You can also take a brewery tour that is open daily. This is the very first Kona Pub and Brewery that was opened. There is another location on Oahu and another location they will be opening soon also on the Big Island. Children under 15 are not permitted and are located in Kona on Pawai Place. Hours: Sundays to Thursdays 11am to 10pm and Friday to Saturdays 11am to 11pm.

Humpy’s Big Island Alehouse – Originally based out of Alaska Humpy’s expanded to a 2 story location right in the middle of Kona with perfect views of the ocean. There is plenty of outdoor seating on their multi-level patio or you can cool off indoors at one of the huge bars. They are offering a huge assortment of beers on tap and live music to jam with. Hours: 8am to 2am / Aloha Hour: 3pm to 6pm.

Hilo Town Tavern – Hilo Town Tavern is a great place if you are just looking for a place to chill out and nothing to fancy. There are indoor and outdoor seating areas that draw in a crowd of locals, visitors and regulars. There is live music most nights and also an open mic night and pool. You can find them in central downtown Hilo on Keawe Street. Hours: 11:30am to 2am.

-Melissa Beahm

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