Finding the Right Bar in Waikiki
After a long day in the sun, every Waikiki visitor eventually asks the same question: where do we go for a drink? Kalakaua Avenue is packed with options, from glossy hotel lounges to tiny dive bars, and many of them either charge resort prices or feel like they were designed for a brochure rather than a good time.
After comparing reviews, digging through menus and reading what travelers and locals say, one spot kept rising to the top. Lulu’s Waikiki is the bar in Waikiki that brings together the things people actually want from a Hawaii night out: a view, cold drinks, live music and a crowd that is there to have fun.
A View That Is Hard to Beat
Location is where Lulu’s wins before you even order. The bar sits on the second floor of the Park Shore Waikiki hotel, with wraparound views across Kalakaua Avenue, the beach, the zoo and Kapahulu. It is on the Diamond Head end of Waikiki, right across from Kapiolani Park and Kuhio Beach Park.
The open-air dining room and retro surf atmosphere are a big part of the appeal, and reviewers regularly mention the sunset. Grab a seat by the railing in the late afternoon and you have one of the best seats in Waikiki for watching the sky change color over the water.
Drinks With a Local Twist
A great bar needs a great Mai Tai, and Lulu’s takes its signature seriously. The house Mai Tai uses Koloa rums from Kauai, along with orange curaçao, orgeat and lime, and is garnished with organic mint from Ko Farms. Supporting island producers gives the drink a genuine sense of place.
Beer drinkers will find local draft beers on tap, and diners on OpenTable highlight the creative cocktails. And if you want to stretch your budget, Lulu’s runs a daily happy hour, which one hotel guest singled out as a highlight, pairing the drinks with a view of the beach.
Live Music and Game Day Energy
Lulu’s is not a quiet hotel lounge, and that is the point. Reviewers describe it as lively, casual and surf-bar style, with live local music, sports on the TVs and plenty of people enjoying the beach view. Big screens make it a go-to for catching a game, so it is a solid choice whether you want island tunes or a playoff matchup.
Food That Goes Beyond Bar Snacks
Many bars treat food as an afterthought. Lulu’s is a full restaurant, serving classic American dishes all day alongside drinks. Guests rave about dishes like the pulled pork breakfast burrito and the loco moco, and local Airbnb hosts point visitors to breakfast favorites like corned beef hash and pancakes with a view of the beach. There are also good gluten-free options.
That makes Lulu’s an easy all-day stop: breakfast before the beach, lunch between swims and drinks once the sun goes down.
Friendly Service and Real Aloha
The staff is a big reason people keep coming back. According to a bar manager, Lulu’s prefers a low-key approach that encourages more interaction between customers and the bar team. Reviews frequently praise the friendly staff and phenomenal service.
The ratings back that up. Lulu’s holds a 4.7-star rating from more than 1,300 OpenTable diners.
Make a Day of It: Surf in the Morning, Lulu’s at Sunset
Lulu’s retro surf vibe fits right in on this end of Waikiki, and it makes the perfect finish to a day on the water. The gentle, rolling waves near the Diamond Head end of the beach are some of the friendliest in Hawaii for beginners, so if you have ever wanted to learn to surf, this is the place to try it. Book a morning lesson, spend a couple of hours catching your first waves, and by happy hour you will have earned a Mai Tai and a seat overlooking the very beach where you stood up on a board.
Tips for Your Visit
Lulu’s is at 2586 Kalakaua Ave. If you are driving, there is hourly parking at the Honolulu Zoo lot across the street, free parking at the Waikiki Shell a block away, and valet at the Park Shore Waikiki.
Visiting with kids or hoping for a quieter evening? Evenings with live music or big games can get noisy, so an early seating is the calmer option for families with young children.
My Advice for Your Trip
If you want a bar with sweeping beach views, locally made drinks, live music, solid food and genuinely friendly service, Lulu’s Waikiki is the one I would put at the top of my list. Come for happy hour, stay for the sunset and settle in for the music.
