Diners' Choice: Lively restaurants in Hawaii

OpenTable

Updated December 05, 2024

Looking for restaurants that have the most vibrant bar scenes in Hawaii? You’re in the right place. Each month, OpenTable analyzes nearly 2 million global diner reviews from the past four months. We sort the results by location and category to help you discover new favorite restaurants. It's a great partnership: you reserve, eat, and review. We listen...and deliver the results for all to benefit. Enjoy!

Beach Tree Restaurant, Bar and Lounge

4.8

4.8 (879)

$30 and under

Bar / Lounge / Bottle Service

Kailua-Kona

About the restaurant

Beach Tree Bar & Lounge at Four Seasons Resort Hualalai is a casual dining option set along the sand and overlooking the ocean, perfect for sundowner cocktails. Toast the sunset with unforgettable views, local flavours, creative cocktails and more.

Top review

JillVIP

Dined 2 days ago

Not a better spot on the Big Island to enjoy good food and great service!

Discover more

Popular dish

Spaghetti "Cacio e Pepe"

Experience

Tide to Table Amalfi Under the Stars

Off the Wall Craft Beer & Wine

4.8

4.8 (57)

$30 and under

Gastro Pub

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Indulge in a unique fusion of local craft beer, wine, and delectable cuisine at Off The Wall Hawaii. Located in the heart of Kaka’ako, our tap house offers an unforgettable experience of local flavors, artfully crafted beverages, and mouth watering dishes.

Complementing our beverage selection is our restaurant menu, crafted with a focus on locally sourced ingredients and latin flavors. Join us for live music events and weekly specials, immersing yourself in the dynamic local culture.

If you're interested in hosting a private event, visit our homepage and watch the video under the private events tab. Whether you're planning a wedding, corporate function, graduation party, birthday celebration, or any other special event, choose us to host your event for an evening packed with artisanal brews and lasting memories.

Top review

HarryVIP

Dined 3 days ago

Wife and I took a couple friends who had never been. The pork adobo tacos were delicious. Enjoyed the Chimicurri Wings, Paps Bravas and Chop Salad. We'll be back!

Wolfgang Puck's Spago in the Four Seasons Resort Maui

4.7

4.7 (3077)

$50 and over

Hawaiian

Wailea

About the restaurant

Spago offers many locally inspired dishes along with his classics created by Master Chef Wolfgang Puck.

Top review

Robert

Dined 3 days ago

Fantastic food. Great Birthday experience for my wife. View, service were 5 star!

Gyu-Kaku Japanese BBQ - Honolulu, HI | Waikiki

4.7

4.7 (884)

$31 to $50

Japanese

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Founded in Tokyo in 1996, Gyu-Kaku has become the world’s #1 Japanese BBQ brand! Thanks to our devoted fans we have reached over 700 locations worldwide. Each day, hundreds of thousands of people gather around the table-top smokeless grill, a centerpiece of our dining concept, enjoying selections of premium meats, just off the grill, and other freshly prepared foods from our kitchens, inspiring laughter, conversation, and a magical dining experience.

Our authentic yakiniku (grilled barbeque) dining experience crowns you the chef. Share a variety of delicious appetizers and premium cooked meats over a flaming grill, paired with Japanese sake, frosty cold beers, or other alcoholic and non-alcoholic options of your choice. We're the perfect spot to enjoy time with friends and family, organize an office party, or to spend quality time with your significant other!

Before you go, don't forget to taste our best-seller Harami Skirt Steak or Prime Kalbi Short Rib among other must-try dishes!

Top review

Nora

Dined 4 days ago

The two person combo had nice choices with many variations.. and service was excellent!

Discover more

Experience

Prix-Fixe BBQ Courses for Everyone: Starting at...

Kani Ka Pila Grille at OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort

4.7

4.7 (473)

$30 and under

American

Waikiki

About the restaurant

Honolulu’s top restaurant venue for Hawaiian music located at OUTRIGGER Reef Waikiki Beach Resort is one of the island’s favorite gathering places for casual drinks and tasty pupu appetizers, from kalua pork nachos to ahi poke. Kani Ka Pila means “a gathering around music,” and you’ll find Hawaii’s most beloved musicians performing contemporary and traditional Hawaiian music nightly from 6pm to 9pm.

Top review

Louise

Dined 2 days ago

Always awesome, service is fantastic, Live music great, very relaxed and great value for money

Discover more

Popular dish

Pineapple Crème Brûlée

Popular dish

Fish & Chips

Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman - Whalers Village

4.6

4.6 (3370)

$31 to $50

Hawaii Regional Cuisine

Kaanapali

About the restaurant

WALK-INS ALWAYS WELCOME!
Our chef driven concept is lead by the classically trained, award winning chef, Peter Merriman. Peter is a culinary pioneer and one of the founders of Hawaii Regional Cuisine. He has always been inspired by the people and products around him and this spirit has lead the movement to look at food in Hawaii in a new light. Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman embraces this passion! Each item on the menu demonstrates our commitment to craft and showcases high quality, socially conscious ingredients, creative preparations, and perfect execution. Our dedication to craft also extends to our beverage program. Our 36 beers on tap are the coldest on Maui. You can also enjoy one of our culinary cocktails, made with fresh ingredients and lots of Aloha. At Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman, you can enjoy Peter's Hawaii Regional Cuisine in a fun, casual environment and come to know what it means to be "Lucky Live Hawaii"! We can't wait to see you at Monkeypod Kitchen.

Top review

kim

Dined 1 day ago

great choices on menu, great service, nice location with ocean views.

Maui Brewing Co. Kihei

4.6

4.6 (659)

$30 and under

Beer Garden

Kihei

About the restaurant

- HANDCRAFTED WITH ALOHA -

Maui Brewing Co. proudly presents island inspired cuisine crafted with the same passion and care as we put into every one of our beers. Fiercely local, we are uncompromising in sourcing the best ingredients from the best sources. In typical Maui style, if you’re a guest in one of our brewpubs or restaurants then you’re a welcomed guest in our home. Enjoy our take on Hawaiian comfort food and raise a pint of the freshest beer in town.

We are open daily from 11:00 - 10:00, with happy hour from 3pm-5pm and live music from 6pm-8pm! We proudly offer table side service in our dining room and lanai. Have a large party? No worries! Our picnic table area is the perfect setting for larger groups, with self service and QR code ordering. We look forward to having you in!

Cheers, Prost, Kampai!

Cheers!

Top review

Jennifer

Dined 3 days ago

We had a great time. Sat outside for dinner and then played corn hole in the biergarden.

Hana Koa Brewing Co.

4.6

4.6 (987)

$30 and under

Comfort Food

Honolulu

About the restaurant

Hana Koa is a full production brewery in the heart of Kaka’ako. We have a full kitchen with daily and monthly specials. Featuring two full bars including beer, wine, spirits and cocktails.

We ask all our guests to abide by time limits so we can accommodate as many guests as possible each evening.
1-4 guests = 90 minutes
5 or more = 120 minutes

RESERVATION POLICIES:
-All parties larger than 15 will be asked to place a deposit. Please contact the host stand or email events@hanakoabrewing.com for more information.
-Deposits will be forfeited if party does not show up, is incomplete, or cancels less than 24 hours before reservation time.
-Majority of the party must be present before being sat.
-Guests have a 15 minute grace period. After 15 minutes your table will be surrendered to other guests.
-Auto Gratuity of 20% will be added to large parties of 6 or more.
-Due to the fast level of service we provide, we may not split checks more than 2 ways.

Top review

Carol

Dined on Nov 30, 2024

Good drinks! The Moon Room upstairs has a fun vibe and good service. Check out the moon at the top of the stairs.

The LookOut

4.6

4.6 (193)

$31 to $50

American

Kapolei

About the restaurant

Enjoy ono(delicious) food, unique cocktails, and live music at The LookOut Food & Drink, where you can watch surfers shredding, paddlers on the Wai Kai Lagoon, and vistas of the Pacific Ocean.

Top review

JONATHAN

Dined 2 days ago

Celebrated a Birthday. Everything was Great. Enviornment, Food, and Service!

HAPA KAUAI Ramen & Whiskey

4.5

4.5 (88)

$30 and under

Japanese

Koloa

About the restaurant

E Komo Mai welcome to Ramen & Whiskey Kauai

Our signature dishes included the award winning G special ramen, Ahi Poke Nachos and Karaage Japanese fried chicken. Ingredients are sourced locally from small growers and farmers including Koloa Farms free range organic brown eggs.

Ramen & Whiskey was founded in Portland Oregon 2013 where its sister restaurant has received numerous accolades and recognition as one of Portland’s top ramen shops.” We are humbled and blessed to share our style ramen and Japanese/Hawaiian inspired cuisine with locals and visitors to the Garden Isle.”

Please join us for signature cocktails whiskey sake ramen and much more.

Private Dining Events

Celebrate your special occasion with us in our air conditioned private VIP dining room. We have seating up to 25 persons; please contact us at haparamenkauai@gmail.com for more information.

Aloha

Top review

SusanVIP

Dined on Dec 10, 2024

We’ve dined here twice in the last week and plan to work our way through the menu before we head home. It’s that good. The first night we went for happy hour…enjoyed the edamame , ahi poke with wonton chips, the pork belly banh mi & chicken karaage…all delicious!!! We returned and had the curry ramen…also excellent! Service by Anne and Nigel was attentive, friendly and helpful. Highly recommend 👍🏻

Discover more

Popular dish

Pork Belly

Explore Diners' Choice best of Hawaii

Explore more Diners' Choice lists