7 New Honolulu Happy Hours You Need To Try Now

Take your pau hana to the next level at one of these seven restaurants.

By Lennie Omalza

This crostini, with avocado and tomato drizzled with olive oil, is on the happy hour menu T's at 53.

Photo: Lennie Omalza

1. 53 by the Sea

T’s at 53, the walk-in-only bar at 53 by the Sea, offers guests a first-rate happy hour experience with posh pūpū and drink options, all for about $15 per dish. If you thought this elegant seaside restaurant was only for tourists, you might be surprised by what you find. There’s fried calamari, crostini with avocado and tomatoes, and veggie tacos. The view of Kewalo Basin and Diamond Head, especially at this time of night, is unbeatable, even from the bar.

4 to 6:30 p.m. daily, 53 Ahui Street, (808) 536-5353, 53bythesea.com

2. Herringbone

Dubbed “Oyster Hour,” Herringbone’s happy hour options include the “two buck shuck” (oysters on the half shell for $2 each) and yellowtail crudo, to wings and margherita flatbread. One of the new restaurants at the International Market Place, Herringbone offers some fresh twists on food, good attention to detail and a reason to linger in Waikīkī for local folks. Draft beer, wine and cocktails are between $5 and $7.

4 to 6 p.m. daily, 2330 Kalākaua Ave., (808) 797-2435, herringboneeats.com

3. Morton’s The Steakhouse

“Power Hour” in the bar at Morton’s offers $5.50 beers, $8 wines and $9 “Mortinis” (martinis) and cocktails. This hideaway bar at Ala Moana Center always seems a little clandestine in all the right ways. Need a break from shopping? Want to meet friends some place with free parking? Bar bites include fresh-cut potato chips, petite filet mignon sandwiches, tuna tacos, mini crab cake BLTs, prime cheeseburgers and a filet mignon trio—all for less than $9 each.

4 to 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. to closing Sunday through Friday, 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., (808) 349-1300, mortons.com

4. Roy’s Hawaiʻi Kai

The ‘ahi tataki is on the sunset pau hana menu at Roy’s Hawai‘i Kai.

Photo: Courtesy of Roy’s Hawai‘i

Ready to end that work day a little early with a good meal, great price at a place you think of for celebration dinners? The three-course, prix fixe sunset pau hana menu at original Roy’s in Hawai‘i Kai starts off with furikake-crusted big-eye ‘ahi tataki on Waimānalo greens, followed by flame-grilled petite filet mignon and garlic shrimp Kaua‘i prawns. Dessert is pineapple upside-down cake with vanilla ice cream. It’s $45 per person, with an optional glass of Roy’s cabernet sauvignon or chardonnay for $12.50. (The Waikīkī location also features a pau hana menu.)

5 to 7 p.m. daily, 6600 Kalaniana‘ole Hwy., (808) 396-7697, royshawaii.com

5. The Street, A Michael Mina Social House

During its earlier happy hour, The Street, located on the bottom floor of the International Market Place, offers 25 percent off all food at all 12 food stations, from The Ramen Bar to Aloha Ice. Kai Beer, Beer Bar and Myna Bird have drink specials, too. The late-night happy hour, from 10 p.m. to midnight, features a special Late Night Grindz plate for $10, available at International Smoke but with food from other stations. The plate includes your choice of a main item (for example, Jamaican jerk chicken and pork barbacoa from International Smoke, pizza from Adam’s Nana Lu, poke from Kai Poke), three sides and rice. You can also buy The Street Party Pass, where you can eat dishes from seven stations for $36.99 or from four stations for $24.99. Read more about that here.

3 to 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight daily, 2330 Kālakaua Ave., thestreetsocialhouse.com

6. Stripsteak Waikīkī

Stripsteak Waikīkī includes a loco moco slider on its new happy hour menu.

Photo: Catherine Toth Fox

Happy hour offerings at Stripsteak Waikīkī at the International Market Place include duck-fat fries, skirt-steak flatbread, loco moco sliders, a variety of nigiri sushi and more, served at the bar or in the open-air lānai. Most of the dishes are between $7 and $11, and all of the drink specials are under $10. Get a complimentary cocktail or pūpū by sharing your experience on Instagram with the hashtag, #stripsteakhappyhour.

4 to 6 p.m. daily, 2330 Kalākaua Ave., (808) 800-3094, michaelmina.net

7. Yakitori Hachibei

We almost hate to tell you about this happy hour at Yakitori Hachibei since it’s a special that the managers of this new and popular dinner-only restaurant in Chinatown recently began running for an unspecified amount of time. The 5@5 happy hour is described as an “early opening campaign for a limited time only.” But it is a great find for Downtown workers, featuring a variety of dishes and drinks for $5. They include yamaimo fries, ‘ahi poke, fried calamari, chicken liver pâté served on baguette slices and fried chicken wings topped with the restaurant’s special yuzu-citrus dressing or Nagoya-style shoyu and pepper. Five-dollar drinks include whiskey and soda, draft Kirin Ichiban Shibori and refreshing flavored shochu highballs made with freshly pressed lemons.

5 to 6 p.m. daily, 20 N. Hotel St., (808) 369-0088, hachibei.com/en

Join us for an evening of fantastic food, creative cocktails and exhilarating entertainment as we celebrate Hawai‘i’s very best restaurants at the 2018 Hale ‘Aina Awards: Destination Delicious on Sept. 17 at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel. Take a culinary trip around the world in one evening while you dine on artfully crafted dishes from Hawai‘i’s best chefs. For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.