Entertainment in Hawaii
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'Ulalena
Along the lines of a Cirque du Soleil-style show, this extravaganza has its home at the 700-seat Maui Theatre. The theme is Hawaiian history and storytelling; the medium is modern dance, brilliant stage sets, acrobats and elaborate costumes. All in all, an entertaining, high-energy performance.
reviewed
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B
Hula Grill & Barefoot Bar
- Maui, USA
- Entertainment › Bar
It's your Maui postcard: coconut-frond umbrellas, sunset mai tais, sand beneath your sandals and the lullaby sounds of Hawaiian slack-key guitar. Skip the food, though.
reviewed
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C
Aloha Beach Resort
Presented by the famous Punua hula halau (troupe), this luau is both flashy and family-oriented, featuring keiki (child) to tutu (grandparent) dancers. Wallis and Shana Punua, who direct the show, follow in the footsteps of Kumu Hula Ku'ulei Punua, a senior hula teacher on Kaua'i. The dinner is your typical generous but standard open-bar, all-you-can-eat buffet.
reviewed
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D
Indigo
A favorite for the theater crowd, Indigo has a relaxed, open-air courtyard and menu decorated with contemporary Eurasian cuisine. Creative dim sum appetizers include 'ahi (yellowfin tuna) tempura rolls and goat cheese wontons. Dinner features such dishes as tangerine-glazed ribs, ginger-miso salmon and mahogany duck. An award-winning wine list matches the inspired menu.
reviewed
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E
Tradewinds
A tropical sports bar featuring a daily happy hour from 14:00 to 19:00 and a 24oz 'Big Ass Draft' (the ass-shaped glass is yours to keep). No food, but neighboring mall restaurants deliver for free. Lively fun with darts, karaoke, live bands on weekends and nine TVs. During NFL season, it opens at 07:00 (08:00 when the mainland switches to daylight saving time).
reviewed
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F
Palace Theater
The resurrected, historic Palace Theater is Hilo's cultural crown jewel. Its eclectic programming includes arthouse and silent films (accompanied by the house organ), music and dance concerts, Broadway musicals, and various cultural festivals. Every Wednesday morning it hosts a 'Mornings at the Palace' Hawaiian cultural series with rotating programs.
reviewed
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G
Sushi & Blues
Only in Hanalei will you find the Abercrombie & Fitch set working as sushi chefs and bartenders at a blues club! Staff displays the nonchalance of youth, but the open-air room and tables set with cobalt goblets are quite pleasant. Diverse drink menu includes martinis, beers, wines, sake and tropical favorites. Live music Tuesday to Friday.
reviewed
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Hideaway
You don't really know a city until you've visited a few dive bars and The Hideaway is Honolulu's most beloved drinking hole. It is also oddly close to Waikiki but only shows up in a very few drunken vacation snapshots. The crowd is mainly a steady supply of regulars who feel at home with cheap beer and an eclectic jukebox.
reviewed
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Kahilu Theatre
Waimea may not be hopping with nightlife, but it enjoys a first-class year-round slate of dance, music and theater. Performers at Kahilu have included Chick Corea, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Laurie Anderson, Chanticleer and the Harlem Gospel Choir. A big draw is the annual Waimea 'Ukulele & Slack Key Institute concert.
reviewed
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Hawaii Theatre
In a beautifully restored historic building on the edge of Chinatown, this is a major venue for dance, music and theater. Performances range from top contemporary Hawaiian musicians, to modern dance and film festivals. It also hosts the Ka Himeni Ana competition in which famous Hawaii musicians play in the falsetto style.
reviewed
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Smith's Union Bar
You have to be a dive-bar aficionado to appreciate Smith's Union, which first opened in 1935 when this section of Chinatown was a red-light district and playground for merchant seamen. For the wage-slave hipsters, it is a front-loading hangout before hitting the district's most recent incarnation: a trendy club zone.
reviewed
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L
Formaggio
The neighborhood of Kaimuki leads Honolulu in early adaptation of international trends and this wine-and-cheese bar pairs a sip of Italian sophistication along with a tumbler of mellow Hawaii. With a soundtrack of smooth jazz, the local crowd savors conversation and spirits not just a race to oblivion.
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Doris Duke Theatre
At the Honolulu Academy of Arts in the Sheridan Park area, this theatre is the place for film buffs to get their fix. It showcases a range of American independent cinema, foreign films and avant-garde shorts. Live performances at the venue include Chinese Opera and Japanese koto music.
reviewed
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Masters of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar Concert Series
Top slack key guitarists Ledward Kaapana and Dennis Kamakahi are monthly guests at this exceptional concert series, and George Kahumoku Jr, a slack key legend in his own right, is the weekly host. The theater can only hold 250 so call ahead for reservations. Performances are at 19:30 Wednesday.
reviewed
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O
Hapa's Night Club
If you're looking to hit the dance floor, Hapa's has the best scene on Maui. The place rocks on Monday to the guitar work of local legend Willie K; hosts the gay community on 'ultra fab' Tuesday; has a DJ on Wednesday; and comes up with anything from salsa to reggae on other nights.
reviewed
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Opium Den & Champagne Bar
This bar at the Indigo restaurant is best known for its small army of martinis. Try the amazing lemon-drop martini if you dare. Being on the edge of Chinatown and near the Hawaii Theatre, it attracts both theatergoers and a downtown after-work crowd for well-priced drink specials.
reviewed
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Q
Cool Cat Café
- Maui, USA
- Entertainment › Bar
The breezy open-air setting and cool '50s decor would make Elvis and Marilyn feel right at home. Whether you're looking for fountain drinks or hard-hitting cocktails, this is the perfect spot to whet the whistle as the sun sets over the harbor. Happy hour and live music at sunset.
reviewed
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R
Hanks Cafe Honolulu
You can't get more low-key than at this neighborhood bar on the edge of Chinatown. Owner Hank Taufaasau is a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to the barfly business: the walls are decorated with Polynesian-themed art, live music rolls in nightly and regulars have made it home.
reviewed
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Gordon Biersch Brewery Restaurant
It isn't the most original choice, but the San Francisco-based brewpub has a relaxed waterfront perch near enough to Honolulu sightseeing areas that you can reward culture-spotting with hops-chasings. Live rhythm and blues and contemporary Hawaiian rock get a weekend billing.
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Mauna Kea Beach Hotel
The acclaimed kumu hula (hula teacher) from North Kohala, Nani Lim, and her halau (hula group) perform authentic renditions of ancient and modern Hawaiian songs and dances. An open bar and a buffet of traditional and regional Hawaiian foods is included.
reviewed
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Kapahulu Kafe
Why rot your guts with the fermented juices when you can chill-out with Hawaii's homegrown stimulant, kava? Between the University and Waikiki, this kava bar is a mellow introduction to the herbal drink, plus an arty venue for a weekly calendar of local acoustic acts.
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Pipeline Cafe
A gargantuan warehouse in an industrial side street, this place has a punk-rock heart but also showcases hip-hop and heavy metal bands. You don't need multiple face piercings to blend in, but it doesn't hurt. There's often an admission charge, depending on the band.
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Aku Bone Lounge
This is down-home Hawaii - a low-key bar with a tasty pupu menu, cold Bud Light and a rubber-slippers crowd. Most nights are for karaoke, which are sung by patrons from the comfort of their own tables, but live Hawaiian music takes over four nights a week.
reviewed
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Bar 35
Nudging against Chinatown's happening thirtyninehotel, this urban bar has a dizzying 100 domestic and international bottled beers to choose from, and addictive chef-made gourmet fusion pizzas to go along with all the brews. There's live music most Saturday nights.
reviewed
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Y
Anna Bannanas
There's nothing like lying on a beach all day to make you feel like dancing all night. Near the university, Anna Bannanas is a good weekend dance spot with rock and reggae bands. This place has been here for around 30 years so they must be doing something right.
reviewed