For sure, this longtime watering hole is far more Mr. Bing's than Smuggler's Cove. I'm sure it was once a legitimate tiki bar, but I'm guessing it's seen better days. When Jamie W. and I dropped by, there was a rustic tiki statue and a tropical cocktail menu, but the rest of the decor was more vintage....an Elvis photo, a provocative boudoir blow-up, glossies of who knows who. It felt kinda dark and empty on a Sunday afternoon, but the bartender was attentive when we ordered a couple of $12 tiki cocktails. Jamie went for the Pina Colada, which was already pre-mixed with rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice. I ordered the Hawaiian Volcano which blended vodka, Southern Comfort, orange, and pineapple juice (photo: Both drinks were serviceably tiki, though they were missing the fruity accoutrements we had come to expect. I think it was all part of the laissez faire approach they take here with the faux-leather couch, the pool table, and the pointless rock wall covered by a jukebox that I'm not sure works. But who cares if it's shabby? There's a tiki heart in here somewhere. DRINKS - 3 stars...not the best but I like the who-cares approach AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...not really tiki, more like garage sale SERVICE - 3.5 stars...kinda respect the been-there, done-that attitude TOTAL - 3 stars...not sure if it's Hawai'i West...more like Hawai'i U-Turn RELATED - Exploring North Beach? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed:
Evan Y.
Mele Kalikimaka. This is a dumpster fire of a dive bar that probably hasn't been renovated since the first edition of that Bing Crosby Christmas album came out in 1945. That being said, that's why I love it. Sunny makes a strong drink, keeps the late night chaos down to an acceptable level, all while making me contemplate why I came in here? Free pool, sometimes food, and a guaranteed travel back through time to when bars were nothing more than bars.
Skott C.
I walked in - there is one person sitting at the bar . I politely ask "are you the bartender? " she says "yeah" then we stare at each other for 3 seconds and I make my exit.
rudy gelenter
Place is a throwback. Good bar to get the night started in North Beach. The lady behind the bar has been there for over 20 years and she just keeps getting saltier but in a good way! Only con is that they don't serve Guinness anymore. If they still did I'd live there. Oh well, pass the beer nuts.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
Cassandra J.
We stopped in here on a total whim as we were looking for a nice quiet place without a lot of people so we could relax for a bit before moving on to some other things we were doing in Chinatown. This small hole in the wall is unassuming and won't grab your attention easily but we'd passed by a few times before and decided to check it out.It's small, dingy, grubby, and dark, there's one person working who chats with you a bit but really just wants you to order something. My partner got a mai tai and I ordered the "Jungle A** Juice" because why the heck not? These are not your fancy tiki drinks (seriously what do you expect out of a place that serves "*** juice"??) but holy this is an absolute gem of a find. Prices are good, drinks are strong, and the place is relatively quiet.... outside of the three social media influencers that showed up, ordered a shot of fireball each, then recorded themselves belting out "Livin' On A Prayer" that they loaded onto the jukebox... and then immediately left?? That was amusing and hilarious and we chuckled to ourselves while continuing to work on our drinks.I like this place and it's going on our bar-hopping rotation through Chinatown/North Beach.
Joe J.
Five stars for Sonny (Sunny?) the Bartender! Backing up a bit, this place is a dingy, dark and thoroughly musty joint. There are a lot of hip cool new tiki bars popping up but this one is not that. Instead it is the legit remnants from before tiki bars went out of fashion and long before they came back in. This place is a DIVE. So if you like that sort of thing you'll love it. If you don't you won't.My recommendation is late night. Y'know, like how we popped in the first time close to 2am after a show, concert, or club. Right before hoping in my car parked in the garage next door to use the restroom before the drive. The plan being to order a coke and drink so we aren't jerks just going in for the restroom. Well we noticed a food menu...and it changed our lives forever.Spam burger(!), kimchi fried rice (with spam of course) and the star chef and bartender with an (awesome ornery) attitude - Sonny. Doesn't matter what time you come in; if they're open and she's there, she'll fry you up some delicious, salty, amazing late-night guilty pleasures and might also serve you up some trash talk. Seriously try a spam burger. Spam on a toasted bun with melted american cheese. Life changer. We have been a handful of times since and lucked out with Sonny every time. Anytime we hit the city we try and fit in a visit now. You should too.PS - we love you Sonny, if that wasn't obvious :)PSS - don't play Sunny by Bobby Hebb on the jukebox (like I did). She hates that
Eleanor Ozer
Great owners, fun vibe. Super duper dive. Coin permanently stuck in the juke box. Couches. I love it
Will Manidis
Perfect bar. Drinks are 99% liquor, it smells like perfection, the locals are kind, deeply holy
Samuel S.
This is the epitome of a wall in a hole bive dar and strangely cozy. Have a "scotchy" or a kick @$$ jungle juice, it all feels like where you would come to laugh and enjoy the end of the world.
Justin Balenzuela
Not gonna lie. It's gross. Walk in and smells like a convalescent home with smokers. Kitchen smokey and no customers because they smoking darts back there. Music stops and staff don't care to put it back on. Order a drink, barkeep walks to wall to read what's in it, the glass comes with specs of something foreign in rim. I stuck to bottled beer. Was cold but never know what they charge if you do a big order.
Not a dive bar, simply a dive. The owner/bartender lit up a cigarette inside, watching an Asian soap loudly from her phone. Bad-to-average bottled beer selection. Advertises pool table but doesn't have one. Bar stools are occupied by various (functioning) addicts.
Purrrfect 1.
I've been coming here for years so I don't know why I haven't left a review. This is an old school bar dark dingy and just to much stuff BUT Nolan the owner is very nice and the food especially spam kimche fried rice is great.
Aaron Reuben
Great neighborhood spot. 60 years strong.
Ika L.
Came here after a concert around 12am. Ordered from Postmates, 2 loco moco with requests (extra gravy and no mushrooms). None of the requests were fulfilled. There was no gravy at all, my boyfriend said the burger tasted like plain oil, it was alright for me but the rice is what threw me off. I don't know if it was the kimchi but it STANK so bad, it smelled like a dog that hasn't showered in weeks.
Brad W.
This was our destination spot after seeing the article by Broke-Ass-Stuart. We wanted to support the local dive bar scene but we were very disappointed. We were there on Sat early evening and they didn't serve food. My drink was completely watered down, the bartender was more concerned with money than service and of course the bar was empty. We were really bummed that it didn't turn out how we expected. There are much better Tiki bars out there and maybe it's just time for Hawaii West to retire into the dive bar sunset. Change isn't always bad. Btw, there are a ton of local dive bars within blocks of Hawaii West. So no loss.
For sure, this longtime watering hole is far more Mr. Bing's than Smuggler's Cove. I'm sure it was once a legitimate tiki bar, but I'm guessing it's seen better days. When Jamie W. and I dropped by, there was a rustic tiki statue and a tropical cocktail menu, but the rest of the decor was more vintage....an Elvis photo, a provocative boudoir blow-up, glossies of who knows who. It felt kinda dark and empty on a Sunday afternoon, but the bartender was attentive when we ordered a couple of $12 tiki cocktails. Jamie went for the Pina Colada, which was already pre-mixed with rum, coconut milk, and pineapple juice. I ordered the Hawaiian Volcano which blended vodka, Southern Comfort, orange, and pineapple juice (photo: Both drinks were serviceably tiki, though they were missing the fruity accoutrements we had come to expect. I think it was all part of the laissez faire approach they take here with the faux-leather couch, the pool table, and the pointless rock wall covered by a jukebox that I'm not sure works. But who cares if it's shabby? There's a tiki heart in here somewhere. DRINKS - 3 stars...not the best but I like the who-cares approach AMBIANCE - 3.5 stars...not really tiki, more like garage sale SERVICE - 3.5 stars...kinda respect the been-there, done-that attitude TOTAL - 3 stars...not sure if it's Hawai'i West...more like Hawai'i U-Turn RELATED - Exploring North Beach? Here's a collection of places I've visited and reviewed:
Mele Kalikimaka. This is a dumpster fire of a dive bar that probably hasn't been renovated since the first edition of that Bing Crosby Christmas album came out in 1945. That being said, that's why I love it. Sunny makes a strong drink, keeps the late night chaos down to an acceptable level, all while making me contemplate why I came in here? Free pool, sometimes food, and a guaranteed travel back through time to when bars were nothing more than bars.
I walked in - there is one person sitting at the bar . I politely ask "are you the bartender? " she says "yeah" then we stare at each other for 3 seconds and I make my exit.
Place is a throwback. Good bar to get the night started in North Beach. The lady behind the bar has been there for over 20 years and she just keeps getting saltier but in a good way! Only con is that they don't serve Guinness anymore. If they still did I'd live there. Oh well, pass the beer nuts.
Atmosphere: 5
Service: 4
We stopped in here on a total whim as we were looking for a nice quiet place without a lot of people so we could relax for a bit before moving on to some other things we were doing in Chinatown. This small hole in the wall is unassuming and won't grab your attention easily but we'd passed by a few times before and decided to check it out.It's small, dingy, grubby, and dark, there's one person working who chats with you a bit but really just wants you to order something. My partner got a mai tai and I ordered the "Jungle A** Juice" because why the heck not? These are not your fancy tiki drinks (seriously what do you expect out of a place that serves "*** juice"??) but holy this is an absolute gem of a find. Prices are good, drinks are strong, and the place is relatively quiet.... outside of the three social media influencers that showed up, ordered a shot of fireball each, then recorded themselves belting out "Livin' On A Prayer" that they loaded onto the jukebox... and then immediately left?? That was amusing and hilarious and we chuckled to ourselves while continuing to work on our drinks.I like this place and it's going on our bar-hopping rotation through Chinatown/North Beach.
Five stars for Sonny (Sunny?) the Bartender! Backing up a bit, this place is a dingy, dark and thoroughly musty joint. There are a lot of hip cool new tiki bars popping up but this one is not that. Instead it is the legit remnants from before tiki bars went out of fashion and long before they came back in. This place is a DIVE. So if you like that sort of thing you'll love it. If you don't you won't.My recommendation is late night. Y'know, like how we popped in the first time close to 2am after a show, concert, or club. Right before hoping in my car parked in the garage next door to use the restroom before the drive. The plan being to order a coke and drink so we aren't jerks just going in for the restroom. Well we noticed a food menu...and it changed our lives forever.Spam burger(!), kimchi fried rice (with spam of course) and the star chef and bartender with an (awesome ornery) attitude - Sonny. Doesn't matter what time you come in; if they're open and she's there, she'll fry you up some delicious, salty, amazing late-night guilty pleasures and might also serve you up some trash talk. Seriously try a spam burger. Spam on a toasted bun with melted american cheese. Life changer. We have been a handful of times since and lucked out with Sonny every time. Anytime we hit the city we try and fit in a visit now. You should too.PS - we love you Sonny, if that wasn't obvious :)PSS - don't play Sunny by Bobby Hebb on the jukebox (like I did). She hates that
Great owners, fun vibe. Super duper dive. Coin permanently stuck in the juke box. Couches. I love it
Perfect bar. Drinks are 99% liquor, it smells like perfection, the locals are kind, deeply holy
This is the epitome of a wall in a hole bive dar and strangely cozy. Have a "scotchy" or a kick @$$ jungle juice, it all feels like where you would come to laugh and enjoy the end of the world.
Not gonna lie. It's gross. Walk in and smells like a convalescent home with smokers. Kitchen smokey and no customers because they smoking darts back there. Music stops and staff don't care to put it back on. Order a drink, barkeep walks to wall to read what's in it, the glass comes with specs of something foreign in rim. I stuck to bottled beer. Was cold but never know what they charge if you do a big order.
Restaurantji Recommends
Not a dive bar, simply a dive. The owner/bartender lit up a cigarette inside, watching an Asian soap loudly from her phone. Bad-to-average bottled beer selection. Advertises pool table but doesn't have one. Bar stools are occupied by various (functioning) addicts.
I've been coming here for years so I don't know why I haven't left a review. This is an old school bar dark dingy and just to much stuff BUT Nolan the owner is very nice and the food especially spam kimche fried rice is great.
Great neighborhood spot. 60 years strong.
Came here after a concert around 12am. Ordered from Postmates, 2 loco moco with requests (extra gravy and no mushrooms). None of the requests were fulfilled. There was no gravy at all, my boyfriend said the burger tasted like plain oil, it was alright for me but the rice is what threw me off. I don't know if it was the kimchi but it STANK so bad, it smelled like a dog that hasn't showered in weeks.
This was our destination spot after seeing the article by Broke-Ass-Stuart. We wanted to support the local dive bar scene but we were very disappointed. We were there on Sat early evening and they didn't serve food. My drink was completely watered down, the bartender was more concerned with money than service and of course the bar was empty. We were really bummed that it didn't turn out how we expected. There are much better Tiki bars out there and maybe it's just time for Hawaii West to retire into the dive bar sunset. Change isn't always bad. Btw, there are a ton of local dive bars within blocks of Hawaii West. So no loss.