How to enjoy Hawaii at night [Waikiki Edition] Popular spots to visit before and after dinner

1. Sky Waikiki: Overlooking the city of Waikiki from above

Sky Waikiki, located in a high-rise building in the heart of Waikiki, is a rooftop restaurant and lounge that has become a staple of Waikiki nightlife.

The best time to visit is definitely sunset. From Sky Waikiki on the 19th floor, you can get even closer to the vast Hawaiian sky. The sight of the blue sky gradually turning pink and then turning into the darkness of night is truly fantastic. As the sun sets, the illuminated streets of Waikiki spread out below you, making it the magic hour. If you want to visit during this time frame, we recommend making a reservation in advance.

Of course, we also recommend going for a light drink after dinner. You can enjoy a cocktail while relaxing in the bar corner or on the sofa seats and taking in the pleasant night breeze, or you can stand around the fire pit, which serves as a social space, and enjoy a drink to the fullest as you enjoy the nightlife of Waikiki, Hawaii.

There's also good news for families. You might think it's difficult to go drinking with kids, but Sky Waikiki is actually frequented by locals with their families, so families with children won't stand out.

Furthermore, starting in 2020, the nightclub will no longer be open on Saturday nights, allowing you to relax and enjoy your food and drinks while listening to live music. There are plenty of box sofa seats available, perfect for families with children, making this an even more family-friendly place.

2. Paradise Ciders: Enjoy the popular craft cider in Hawaii

In recent years, "craft cider" has been gaining attention not only in Hawaii but throughout the U.S. as a boom following craft beer. In Japan, it is generally called "cider" from the French language, but in English speaking countries it is called "cider."

Originally, it was an alcoholic beverage made by fermenting apples and was also called cider, but in recent years, the number of fruits used, such as pear and raspberry, has increased, making it more diverse.

So Paradise Ciders started making cider using tropical Hawaiian fruits. The brewery and tasting room is located in Kalihi, a 20-minute drive from Waikiki.

There are six kinds of ciders always available here: Leid Back Lilikoi, Mango Daze, Pineapple Cruzer, Guava Lava, Kickit, and Killah Dragon. In addition, there are seasonal ciders that can only be tried at this tasting room, so it's worth making the effort to visit.

With such a wide lineup, it's hard to decide which one to get because they all look delicious. So, we recommend the FLIGHT, which allows you to sample four different types. Just say "I want a Flight" and they'll immediately prepare a flight glass (4oz size).

The lineup for the day was 12 varieties in total, 6 varieties always on offer and 6 seasonal varieties, so we ordered 3 flights. We compared the different varieties, sharing them with our friends. Some were easy to tell they were fruity, while others left us wondering, "What does this taste like?" It's a place where you can enjoy drinking together, asking each other, "What does this taste like?" and "I like this one," so I recommend going with a group of people.

Fruit liquor is easy to drink, so you may want to drink it quickly, but it does have a high alcohol content, so be careful not to drink too much.

They also sell beer in bottles and cans to meet the needs of customers who want to take their beer home and drink it in their rooms. Some of their regular customers even bring their own Growlers to take home with them. They also sell their own original Growlers, so if you find one you like, you can buy it as a souvenir or memento.

As of February 2020, the tasting room is open from 3pm to 8pm Wednesday through Saturday, and from 1pm to 6pm on Sundays. We recommend finishing your sightseeing early and enjoying a drink before dinner.

Also, since the area becomes less crowded after the evening, we recommend taking a taxi or Uber to the store directly instead of the bus. Looking out the window, you might find yourself exclaiming, "What? There's such a stylish store in a place like this?!" It's such an unexpected place. Visiting an unfamiliar area that is not often visited by tourists is sure to be a new Hawaiian experience.

3. Enjoy popular craft beer by weight at "Off the Wall"

Hawaii has seen an unprecedented boom in craft beer stores in recent years. If you're having trouble deciding which store to go to, we recommend "Off the Wall."

One of the recommended points is that it is located in South Shore Market in the Ward area next to Ala Moana Shopping Center, making it easy for tourists to get to. In addition, this shop offers self-service beer by weight. The biggest reason for its recommendation is that you can enjoy Hawaiian craft beer as much as you want, whenever you want.

When you enter the bar, you first hand over your credit card information and receive a "beer card" with that information registered on it. This beer card keeps a record of how much you've drunk, and when you leave the bar, the amount you've consumed is automatically charged.

The cashier will ask you to choose one card and will spread out a large deck of playing cards in front of you. If you pick the Joker, your meal will be free.
I'm happy about little things like that.

Once you've secured a seat inside the bar, it's time to choose your beer! Off the Wall not only has 15 types of local craft beer on tap, but also 3 types of hard cider and 6 types of wine, so you can invite people who aren't beer lovers along too.

After picking up a glass from the shelf, you decide what beer you want to drink, then hold your beer card over the scanner on the wall.

Then, you pull the bar towards you and pour yourself the amount you want to drink. The great thing about this system is that you are automatically charged only for the amount you pour into your glass (= the amount you want to drink).

The price of each beer varies, but this is also displayed on the panel and the amount of beer poured is displayed each time.

At a bar, you usually pay a set price per glass, whether you drink it all or not, but here you only drink what you want, making it the perfect place for people who want to "drink a little at a time but still have a lot to drink."

There are many different types of beer on offer, so you can enjoy pouring small amounts to taste and see which flavor you like. When you find a flavor you like, pour yourself a big glass and drink it to your heart's content.

The menu combines the flavors of the owner's hometown of South America with American cuisine. On this day, I chose Mango Chipotle BBQ Ribs ($14) and Slider & Papas ($16). The rich flavor goes perfectly with beer, making you want to drink more.

They hold various events such as quiz competitions and comedy shows on weekday nights and live music on weekends. It is open until late at night, so you can use it as a second bar, but there are also many stylish shops in South Shore Market, so why not stop by for a craft beer after shopping?

4. When the night falls, head to the local hotspot: "Work Play."

WorkPlay in Kakaako is currently a popular nightlife spot for locals.

Kakaako is an area famous for its wall art. It is also home to the Salt complex, so it may feel familiar to tourists. However, this lounge is located on a narrow street in Kakaako, making it easy to miss. It's a true "hidden" lounge.

Since its opening in January 2018, it has been bustling with trend-conscious locals.

"Work Play" is a cafe serving craft coffee from 10am to 3pm on weekdays, and a bar lounge from 3pm until closing time.

The drinks menu is extensive, with beer, wine, cocktails and spirits, and if you can't drink alcohol, they also have mocktails, sodas and herbal teas.

There is live music every night, and the atmosphere is like a nightclub until closing time. Also, every Monday night is KARAOKE NIGHT, a participatory event where you can sing along to professional live music on stage.

The day we visited for the interview was the day of KARAOKE NIGHT. Many people were participating. Why not try karaoke with live music while you're in Hawaii? It's sure to be a lifelong memory. Regardless of how good you are at singing, the backing band, the MC, and the audience all join in to liven up the night, as their motto is "everyone having fun."

In addition, the bar has four private rooms: the "Peacock Room" with a real stuffed peacock, the "Whiskey Library" with its unique whiskey collection, the "Parlor" with a romantic theme featuring European artwork, and the "White Room" decorated with works by Hawaii-based photographers.

These rooms can be rented by reservation for groups of 6 to 20 people. The condition is that you must spend at least $200 on food and drink. The dinners are also said to be delicious, so it is recommended to use them when you want to party with friends in Hawaii.

If you want to experience a real nightlife experience that goes beyond just drinking at this popular Waikiki spot, or if you want to enjoy drinks with local young people, be sure to visit this place.

Interview and text: Miki Kabat
Photo by Kaz Tanabe