It’s football season and the rivalries are out! Whether you’re following your home team (even in paradise – that’s devotion!) or just looking for a place to kick back with a beer and some grub, we’ve got you covered. Here are just a few of your options for sports bars in Waikiki. Keep in mind that Hawaii Standard Time puts us 2 or 3 hours behind the West Coast and 5 or 6 hours behind the East Coast (depending on daylight savings) so you’ll probably be getting up a bit earlier to watch the games here.
Giovanni Pastrami – A fusion of three concepts (Pizza, New York Deli, and Sports Bar) brings you this lively restaurant and bar on the revitalized Lewers Street. Breakfast all day, great pizzas (they’re a sister property of Roundtable Pizza), happy hour specials like a free slice of cheese pizza with any drink from 3-5pm, and large screen tvs tuned into your favorite game or UFC fight. What more could you want?
Hours: 8am to midnight daily (6am to midnight during football season). Located at 277 Lewers Street on Waikiki Beachwalk. Telephone: 808-923-2100.
The Shack Waikiki – Famous for their buffalo wings, burgers, plate lunches, and of course, beer. The Shack has four locations on Oahu, Waikiki being the newest kid on the block. On Sunday mornings, you can go in for their NFL Sunday Breakfast, which features a $10 all you can eat breakfast buffet including pancakes, sausage, fried rice, biscuits and gravy, eggs, fruit, and more. Ample TVs to broadcast all the games.
Hours: 11am to 4am daily (plus 7am to 10:30am during football season, Saturdays earlier by request). Located at 2255 Kuhio Avenue in the Waikiki Trade Center. Telephone: 808-921-2255.
Roundtable Pizza – One of the more popular places to watch sports in Waikiki with 29 screens showing various satellite games daily. Normal hours are 11am to 1am, but they do open earlier for games so call ahead if you want to be sure. Pizzas come with a variety of yummy toppings and the beer is always flowing.
Hours: 11am to 1am daily (7am on Saturdays and 8am on Sundays during football season.) Located at: Ohana Waikiki East hotel, 150 Kaiulani Avenue (at Kuhio Ave). Telephone: 808-944-1199.
Yardhouse – Famous for the largest selection of beers on tap, including many that are difficult to find elsewhere. They blast classic rock music, but this can be a positive or a negative for some people because its LOUD so you probably won’t hear much of the game. Yardhouse has excellent food to go along with your beers, including some with a “local” flair. They don’t open early for football games, but you can catch the rebroadcasts or afternoon/night games here.
Hours: 11am to 1am. Location: 226 Lewers Street at Waikiki Beachwalk. Telephone: (808)923-9273.
Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar – Insiders say its best to reserve a table in advance, especially during the big games at this Waikiki sports bar. Mixed reviews about the service here but everyone goes for the wings (of course), beer, and numerous TVs. You may want to call ahead to check if they’re opening early for your favorite games, they usually will serve a limited breakfast menu along with wings if they are open early.
Hours: 11am to 2am daily (1am on Sundays). Location: 1778 Ala Moana Boulevard, across from the Waikiki Edition. Telephone: 808-983-3933.
Ala Moana Shopping Center has both the Mai Tai Bar as well as Pearl Nightclub & Ultralounge where you can watch the games (conveniently, while the women shop!) Mai Tai Bar is one of Hawaii’s busiest bars often with live music and 2 great happy hours daily. Pearl is an upscale nightclub option which hosts Monday night football at 2pm (rebroadcast at 6pm) and dancing til 2am.
Kapahulu Avenue is the main street that runs from the Honolulu Zoo at the Diamond Head end of Waikiki to the H-1 freeway. This area has recently opened a few great bars for local style pupus (appetizers) and drinks. Zenshu is a bar featuring “sushi, sports, and sake”, or if it’s later in the afternoon/evening, head up a few blocks to Uncle Bo’s or the ever popular Side Street Inn‘s new location “on da strip”, which open at 3pm and 5pm, respectively.
You’ll also notice that tailgating is quite popular in Hawaii, especially when UH is playing! Yelp Honolulu’s weekly blog featured this great list of popular spots for tailgaiting food and drinks!
