Must-see nightlife in Hawaiʻi the Big Island

Tucked behind a family home and fronting a greenhouse bursting with orchids, the US's southernmost coffee shop is a relaxed place to rejuvenate after a…

Luquin's original location burned down along with the old Akebono Theater. After a temporary stint slinging burritos out of a food truck, they moved into…

This nightly bar in Uncle Robert's compound serves cocktails and mostly Kona Brewing beers. If you are looking for a different kind of aloha at Uncle…

Ola boasts brews that are made with local ingredients (the porter is flavored with Kailua-Kona vanilla), or are just good on a hot Hawai'i day (try the…

The small bar serves The Rim's lunch menu (and its view) all day long; craft brews from Big Island Brewhaus, Ola, Kona Brewing Co. and Maui Brewing Co…

This microbrewery has a small tasting room where you can sample excellent craft beer. Most brews were originated by Mehana Brewing, Hilo's first…

Nearly trendy by Hilo standards, this polished beer and wine bar is the best bet in the city for craft-focused suds and spirits. On their eight or so beer…

This casual tavern offers friendly service, ample seating and a great beer list. And, let's face it, it's your only option for nightlife past midnight…

For pure kitsch, nothing beats the lounge-lizard fantasy of Don's, located inside the Royal Kona Resort. Soak up the killer views of crashing surf, then…

This bar, reminiscent of a cross between a mainland sports bar and craft-beer hall, knows how to cool customers off after a hard day of golfing, swimming…

Sam’s is a dark, cozy (OK, maybe ‘dank’) little nook of a bar. You’ll rarely find tourists here, but there are always locals, especially on karaoke nights…

Hidden away in a strip mall is 'the Mask,' one of Kailua-Kona's dedicated gay bars. In a town where drinking options run from tourist traps to sports bars…

Find your inner 'om' in a teahouse hidden within a clothing boutique. Done in deep colors and Asian motifs, the New Age-y space offers ample seating and a…

Just over 2 miles north of the harbor turnoff along Hwy 19, this farm-grown coffee roaster's retail shop and coffee bar also stocks baked goodies and…

This lounge is mainstream but has good evening entertainment on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Among the cocktails, the Luella, made with…

If you're curious about kava (ʻawa in Hawaiian), try a cup at this minimalist bar. Friendly bar staff serve freshly brewed, locally grown kava root in…

Life is too short for bad coffee: head here for award-winning 100% Kona coffee grown on sustainable farms. Freshly roasted beans and toothsome macadamia…

While My Bar is one of the few dedicated gay bars on the island, it's also just a fun bar – it's neither locals' dive or a crazy club, but occupies a…

Find this coffee truck bathed in a little ray of sunshine on the front lawn of the United Methodist Church just two days a week (sadly), serving 100% Kaʻu…

Huggo’s is as adjacent to the water as you can get in Kailua-Kona without swimming (ordinances now prevent other bars from getting this close to the waves…