Entertainment in Hawaii
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Cheeseburger in Paradise
You can hear the music a block away from this energetic open-air place on the waterfront. No surprise, the music's Jimmy Buffett style, and the setting is pure tropics from the rattan decor to the frosty margaritas. Live soft rock from 16:30 to 22:30 nightly.
reviewed
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B
Jazz Minds Art & Cafe
Intimate and subdued, this jazz lounge with almost a speakeasy ambience pulls in the city's best talent, ranging from big band and bebop to fiery salsa and cutting-edge minimalist. Just don't let all the Asian tourist-oriented strip clubs nearby turn you off.
reviewed
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C
Varsity
Even though Magoo's has changed its name, University of Hawai'i students still hang out at this open-air sidewalk bar, with plenty of cheap microbrews from Hawaii and the US mainland on tap (and cheap Pabst Blue Ribbon!). Thursday nights are really buzzing.
reviewed
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D
Movie Museum
This Kaimuki gem is a fun place to watch classic oldies, such as Citizen Kane and Casablanca, in a theater with just 20 comfy chairs. Movies are shown Thursday to Monday evenings and weekend afternoons. Reservations are recommended.
reviewed
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E
Rumours
At Rumours, there's dancing and DJs aplenty. The music varies from night to night, with Latin music featured on Thursday nights, Top 40 on Fridays, and hip-hop and R&B on Saturdays. We dare you to request the Hawaii Five-0 soundtrack!
reviewed
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F
ARTS at Marks Garage
At the cutting edge of the Chinatown arts scene, this community gallery and performance space puts on a cornucopia of live shows, from youth poetry slams and conversations with island artists to live jazz and Hawaiian music or Shakespearean plays.
reviewed
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G
Tiki's Grill & Bar
At the top end of the ResortQuest Waikiki Beach Hotel, Tiki's Bar & Grill is a good place to enjoy a drink and pupu (snack), or catch live music in the afternoon and see out the day in style as the sun sets over nearby Waikiki Beach.
reviewed
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H
Kumu Kahua Theatre
This little 100-seat treasure in the restored Kamehameha V Post Office building is dedicated to premiering works by Hawaii's playwrights, with themes focusing on contemporary multicultural island life, often richly peppered with Hawaiian pidgin.
reviewed
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I
Happy Talk Lounge
Enjoy the same (or better) views here as at the resort's more buttoned-up Bali Hai Restaurant. There's a tasty bar menu (around US$7 to around US$15) from 14:00 to 21:00, live jazz from 16:00 to 19:00 Sunday and Hawaiian music most other nights.
reviewed
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J
Mixx
Mixx attracts an older crowd in the late afternoon and evening for wine by the glass and tapas-style pupu (appetizer) plates. As the evening goes on, the crowd becomes younger, especially if there's a DJ spinning or it's salsa night.
reviewed
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K
Paradice Bluz
The dark interior of this cool jazz house sports black leather couches and red brick walls hung with paintings of legendary jazz greats. The music is jazz, blues, funk and R&B, with most of the live action on Friday and Saturday nights.
reviewed
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Seaview Terrace
For free resort ʻentertainment,' arrive before sunset on Tuesday and Saturday for a torch-lighting ceremony and either Hawaiian music or na keiki (children's) hula shows. Call for start time, which varies by season.
reviewed
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M
Moose McGillicuddy's
- Maui, USA
- Entertainment › Club
This place attracts the party crowd, out to drink and dance till they drop. With its two dance floors, Moose hops with DJs nightly and live music on weekends. Happy hour (15:00 to 18:00) features piña coladas for only around US$2.
reviewed
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N
Huggo's on the Rocks
Take in a view of the bay from beneath Huggo's on the Rocks' thatched roof or at a table with your feet in the sand. The open-air setting is ideal for sunset, and the mai-tais and pupu are renowned. There's live music nightly.
reviewed
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O
Ale House Sports Bar & Restaurant
- Maui, USA
- Entertainment › Bar
This high-energy place attracts mainland expats who come in droves to watch major league baseball and football games on a wall of TVs. And to make sure everyone shows up, it offers around US$3 drafts whenever a big game is on.
reviewed
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Bamboo Sports Bar
- Maui, USA
- Entertainment › Bar
Known as the place 'where locals hang loose,' this is where everyone, tourists and islanders alike, comes to watch sports on big-screen TV, shoot a game of pool and down a few cold beers along with Asian-style pupu.
reviewed
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Q
thirtyninehotel
More arty than clubby, this multimedia space is a gallery by day and low-key dance scene at night. Guest DJs from the mainland don their aloha wear for special weekend appearances, while jazz tests the acoustics on Tuesday.
reviewed
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R
Stevenson's Library
An exclusive gentleman's-club library…on the beach. Might seem incongruous but, hey, why not? From the gleaming 27ft koa-wood bar, enjoy an impressive selection of liquors, fine cigars, live jazz, pool and chess.
reviewed
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S
Zanzabar Nightclub
The kind of club that advertises on the radio, Zanzabar is flashy and slightly cheesy but strobe-light's good time nonetheless. Theme nights and karaoke fill the weekly schedule. Weekdays are 18 plus, weekends 21 plus.
reviewed
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T
Rob's Good Times Grill
The atmosphere might be a little hokey, but a young, energetic crowd comes out to boogie to a live DJ Thursday through Saturday. Sunday through Tuesday is karaoke and Wednesday is…country line dancing (yeehaw!).
reviewed
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Drums of the Pacific
Ka'anapali's best luau includes an imu ceremony (the unearthing of a roasted pig from an underground oven), an open bar, a Hawaiian-style buffet dinner, and a flashy South Pacific dance and music show.
reviewed
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V
Stopwatch Bar & Grill
- Maui, USA
- Entertainment › Bar
For the quintessential local scene, swing by this friendly sports bar, which brings in Upcountry musicians like the Haiku Hillbillys on Friday and Saturday nights. Any other time it's all about sports TV.
reviewed
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LuLu's
No problem finding LuLu's - you can hear this boisterous place a mile away. Ultracasual, it's got a kitsch-cluttered bar where drinks flow freely and the music rocks from Wednesday to Saturday nights.
reviewed
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LuLu's
On an upper floor, open-air LuLu's is large, loud and full of gimmicks. Dollar bills cover the walls and 30 TVs fire away. For a night of scamming and debauchery on the dance floor, head for LuLu's.
reviewed
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Y
Whaler's Brew Pub
You can sample a handful of beers brewed on-site at this pub overlooking Nawiliwili Harbor and the lighthouse on Ninini Point. By day there's a simple bar menu; by night, dancing and DJs.
reviewed