The next bar we ventured into was Rock Bottoms Bar & Grill which is located on Coyne St. It is on the affordable end of the spectrum with the pricing for food and drinks. They have mini pitchers for $5 which are very popular. Our group ordered AMFs and Tokyo Teas. They are very affordable with their $5 food specials like soybeans, fries, wings, gyoza, and many other things. They have regular food as well like stead and salad. The alcoholic beverages they have include draft beers, bottled beers, shoots & shots, as well as their pitchers. The downside to this place is that it is a little dirty and grungy. But, since it is located so close to the University it is very convenient for college students on a budget.
Beer Lab Hawai’i
If you’re looking for a local brewery here in Hawai’i, Beer Lab is the place. Beer Lab is located on University Avenue across from Study Hall Bar and Grill. The drink prices are moderate/fair. This brewery is a BYOF which means bring your own food or they have a small limited menu of pupus to order. Many people love this feature about this place, but it is a preference. The overall service here is helpful, friendly, and very knowledgeable of their beers. The atmosphere is chill and casual, and would be a great place to catch up with friends, or wind down after a long week. A cool feature is their web page that list what beers they have on tap each day since they are constantly changing up their selections. A unique beer they have here is the Saison de Citron which is similar to a Blue Moon because of the subtle notes of fruit and citrus. So, if you’re ever in the area and want to try something unique in the beer world this place is perfect!
Dave & Busters
The next bar adventure we went on was to Dave & Busters. Most of us had already been to D&B’s a couple or more than a couple of times. This time, we went on a Wednesday night because all drink prices are half off which is great if you’re on a budget or a college student. The atmosphere is a high energy fun venue with lots of arcade games, air conditioning, and a pretty good-sized place. The pricing is moderate when it is not Wednesdays. They also have food menus where you can order entrees or appetizers. But, be aware that the food is hit or miss as some things on their menu are great while other things on their menu are just average. Overall, the atmosphere is great if you want somewhere that is high energy with lots of games. Since Wednesdays are half off, it attracts a lot of students and a younger crowd which is great for catching up with people in one place.
Cafe Anasia
This is yet another bar that is nearby the university. It is on the closer side to Long’s and Teddy’s Bigger Burgers. Looking for the place wasn’t too hard but parking was an issue at first. Since our group went earlier throughout the day, we were lucky to find parking but it was a very small parking lot. I wonder where people park when the parking lot is full? There was a bank right next to the bar but we weren’t too sure if we could park there as well. Entering the bar, it was a different scene. It almost felt like it was very homey compared to the other places that we visited. There were dart boards and pool tables and there was even a private room where people can hosts birthdays or special occasions. Rini, Jahdi and I decided to sit in one of the booths. Rini got an ichiko oolong, I got a STP and Jahdi got an Irish Car Bomb. To top it off, we also got a couple shots of Jameson. The food was very delicious and we got Garlic Fries, Poke Fries, and Fish and Chips. Overall, we really liked this place because the drink prices are cheaper than normal and they had good bar food as well!
Champs
Champs! The bar for champions, of course. This bar was one of our team’s favorite because they had tons of games that were overly sized, such as Jenga and Connect Four. The only weird layout was that there was a pool table right by the entrance. It seemed to be that they just put the pool table there to say they have one. Jahdi got a drink called the Graveyard, Rini got a Vodka Pineapple, and Angie got a White Gummy. The drinks were decent priced but what won our hearts was the game of the huge Jenga! It made our drinking experience more fun because we were having an awesome time playing the game. There was renovations going in the back but no construction workers during the time they were open. Apparently, Champs is opening a second bar at the back of the bar so they can bring more customers. For food, we happened to go on a Tuesday so it was Taco Tuesday’s! They had a guy set up his station and people could order tacos from him. We thought this was super cool because tacos and drinks sound so ono!
Study Hall
Study hall is a bar & grill located on University Avenue and is very popular amongst students at UH because of its convenience. This place gets pretty packed and crowded at night time on Fridays and the weekends. Our first thoughts about this place was that their food pricing and drink pricing were moderate, but we wouldn’t say it is cheap pricing when comparing it to other more affordable bars we have been to. One thing that stood out to us was that there is no air conditioning and only large fans which does not do much when this place is crowded with people. The food selection is pretty large compared to other bars that mainly have bar food. Study Hall has a weekly special menu such as Thirsty Thursdays where they a special on certain types of beer and Fireball. We thought the service here was pretty slow since we only had ordered a few drinks and that the workers worked without urgency which was a downside to this place. We ordered a few drinks such as Rum and Coke, Midori Sour, and a Vodka Spritzer. Overall, it’s a convenient place to have a drink with other students during the weekends.
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Osoyami’s
Continuing our journey, the next stop is Osoyami’s. This bar is located in the heart of a neighborhood right at McCully, Moiliili. Like Mānoa Gardens, this bar was hidden too. We didn’t expect the bar to be so close to people’s houses. Our initial thoughts were that if the people in this neighborhood wanted a place to drink at, this bar would be walking distance to their homes. This would lead to a people drinking safer and a less chance of drinking and driving. Entering the bar, we saw five dart boards, Super Smash Bros, and other arcade games. This made us like the place even more because who doesn’t love to play games?! Looking at the menu it was a bit expensive for burgers and bar food but for happy hour prices, it was worth coming down to check out. Jahdi got a Jameson Peach Smash, Angie got a Coor’s Lite, Rini decided to get a Cranberry Orange Spritz, and Kelly got a Lady of Liberty, which is Osoyami’s version of an Old Fashion. We were a little hungry and decided to get the sliders and sriracha cheese balls, which was delicious! Overall, we decided that we would come back because this bar is unique and fun to drink at.
Mānoa Gardens
To begin our drinking journey, our group decided that the first bar we should stop by is UH’s bar in Bale. Mānoa Gardens is an easy commute and accessibility because it’s right on campus. After a long day from school or if you bombed an exam, a beer or shot is right at a walking distance. The bar is hidden in Bale and if a simple bystander were to pass by it, most wouldn’t notice. We liked how the bar was very incognito. If you needed a meal or snack with your drinks, Bale is right there as well! We knew the bartender and this was an extra bonus because we got a lot of drinks at a discounted price. Rini got a vodka with cranberry juice, Jahdi got a Jameson with ginger ale and Angie got a Jameson shot with a coke back. After the first round, we received couple shots of Jameson, courtesy to the bartender. Thanks for hooking it up, James! For couple rounds of drinks, our bill was very affordable and perfect for the typical broke college student. Definitely would come back to this establishment!
TIM 302 Best Bars 