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Entertainment & Nightlife in Oahu

Good to know

Good to Know

  • Waikiki's nightlife is concentrated along Kalakaua and Kuhio Avenues, making most bars, rooftop venues, and clubs walkable from typical nomad accommodation without needing a car.
  • Chinatown/Downtown Honolulu is a distinct, less touristy nightlife pocket (Bar Leather Apron, The Dragon Upstairs, The Manifest, Tchin Tchin!) that's a short rideshare or bus from Waikiki, but exercise normal city-center caution walking around there late at night.
  • Cash is commonly required for cover charges at clubs like The District — bring cash rather than assuming card entry.
  • Rooftop bars in Waikiki (SKY, Buho, Hideout) tend to be busiest and best for sunset in the 5-7pm happy-hour window before shifting to a DJ/club mood later.
  • Zanzabar, a formerly well-known Waikiki dance club, has closed — double-check current status of any specific club before planning a night around it, as Waikiki's club lineup changes.
  • The Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa and most of Oʻahu's headline cultural-music festivals (Aloha Festivals, Honolulu Festival) are completely free and don't require tickets — arrive early for street-party events since Kalākaua Avenue gets closed off and crowded.
  • Oʻahu's biggest dedicated reggae and EDM festivals have moved venues and dates from year to year (Aloha Stadium, Waikīkī Shell, Wet'n'Wild), so confirm current-year dates and location directly with the promoter close to your travel dates rather than relying on last year's schedule.
  • Some EDM festival venues (like Wet'n'Wild in Kapolei) are a 30–40 minute drive from Waikīkī/downtown, so factor in transport if you don't have a rental car.

Karaoke

  • Wang Chung's
    Area
    Koa Avenue, Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age crowd
    Description
    Karaoke bar with a welcoming vibe, known for its cocktails alongside sing-along nights.

Dive Bars

  • Suzie Wong's Hideaway
    Area
    Near Ilikai Hotel / Hilton Hawaiian Village, Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age locals and in-the-know visitors
    Description
    Unmarked, hard-to-find dive bar packed with kitschy signage, surfboards, and sports on TV; a local favorite precisely because it isn't on the main strip.
  • Royal Arcade Bar
    Area
    Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, casual local crowd
    Price Note
    $5.00
    Description
    Casual billiards-and-arcade-games bar with no cover charge.
  • Bar 35
    Area
    Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age adult crowd
    Description
    Laid-back beer-focused bar with a large craft and specialty beer list on tap.

Dance Clubs

  • The District Nightclub
    Area
    Near Ala Moana Center, a few minutes from Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Adult crowd skewing young (20s-30s), not documented as majority under-25
    Price Note
    $20
    Description
    21+ two-room nightclub with resident DJs, bottle service, and late-night pizza; cash-only cover.
  • Scarlet Honolulu
    Area
    Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed crowd, described as drawing a broad range of ages
    Description
    LGBTQ+ nightclub open Friday and Saturday nights, home to a regular drag/cabaret stage show and an EDM/pop DJ set.
  • Play Bar
    Area
    Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Not specifically documented by age; marketed toward a party-oriented crowd
    Description
    Small, high-energy nightclub with a colorfully lit dance floor, positioned as a late/after-hours stop for club-hoppers.
  • Nextdoor
    Area
    Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Not specifically documented by age
    Description
    Chinatown dance/lounge venue that is part of the district's cluster of nightlife spots alongside Manifest and Bar 35.

LGBTQ Venues

  • Hula's Bar & Lei Stand
    Area
    Second floor, Waikiki Grand Hotel, Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, described as a welcoming space for all visitors
    Description
    Long-running LGBTQ+ bar and lounge with drag shows, live entertainment, pool tables, and views of Kapiolani Park.
    Historical Note
    Hula's has served Hawaii's LGBTQ+ community for over 45 years, making it one of the city's oldest continuously operating gay venues.

Rooftop Bars

  • SKY Waikiki
    Area
    Waikiki, Kalakaua Avenue
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, DJ nights draw a younger dance-oriented crowd later in the evening
    Description
    19th-floor open-air rooftop with sweeping views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach, DJs at night, and a happy hour running to 5pm.
  • Buho Cocina Y Cantina
    Area
    Waikiki Shopping Plaza
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age tourist crowd
    Description
    Mexican-themed rooftop restaurant/bar with fire pits, margarita and taco specials, and daily live music from 9pm to midnight.
  • Hideout at the Laylow
    Area
    Above Kuhio Avenue, Waikiki (Laylow Hotel)
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, design/boutique-hotel crowd
    Description
    Lush, plant-filled rooftop restaurant/bar serving Hawaiian-Asian-American food with live music, open both day and night.
  • Tommy Bahama Rooftop Bar
    Area
    Corner of Kalakaua Avenue and Beach Walk, Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age tourist crowd
    Description
    Multi-story rooftop above the Tommy Bahama restaurant with sand, fire pits, and ocean views over Honolulu.

Live Music Venues

  • Duke's Waikiki
    Area
    Waikiki Beach
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, tourist and local crowd
    Description
    Beachfront restaurant-bar with nightly live music, tropical drinks, and classic Hawaiian food; a long-standing Waikiki fixture.
  • The Dragon Upstairs
    Area
    Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age music-focused crowd
    Description
    Small Chinatown venue built around live jazz, with house and techno DJ sets on weekends.
  • The Manifest
    Area
    Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, arts/creative crowd
    Description
    Multi-cultural bar/gallery space with live music nights, specialty cocktails, and rotating art.
  • The Gallery Waikiki
    Area
    Kalakaua Avenue, Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age crowd
    Price Note
    $10
    Description
    Live-music venue on Kalakaua Avenue with a cover charge.

After Hours Late Night

  • Play Bar
    Area
    Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Not specifically documented by age
    Description
    Positioned by local guides as a place to continue the night after other clubs close, with a small dance floor running late.
  • The District Nightclub
    Area
    Near Ala Moana Center
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Adult crowd skewing young (20s-30s)
    Description
    Runs late with DJs across two rooms and offers late-night pizza service for guests staying until close.

Cocktail Bars And Lounges

  • Mai Tai Bar
    Area
    Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, tourist-heavy, upscale hotel-bar crowd
    Price Note
    $20
    Description
    Oceanfront lounge at the pink Royal Hawaiian Hotel known for its signature Mai Tai and beachfront ambiance.
  • Bar Leather Apron
    Area
    Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, cocktail-enthusiast crowd
    Description
    Reservation-driven, high-end craft cocktail bar frequently cited as one of the city's top speakeasy-style cocktail spots.
  • The Blind Ox
    Area
    Downtown/Kaka'ako area
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age adult crowd
    Description
    Speakeasy-style cocktail bar with an unconventional entry process (via a disguised pay phone) and eclectic decor.
  • RumFire
    Area
    Sheraton Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age tourist and local crowd, trending younger on Club Nights
    Description
    Beachfront lounge known for a large rum selection, tropical cocktails, nightly live music, and dedicated Club Nights on Friday/Saturday.
  • Tchin Tchin! Bar
    Area
    Chinatown, Downtown Honolulu
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age adult crowd
    Description
    Compact wine and rooftop-adjacent bar with exposed brick, an urban-cool feel, and a rotating wine/cocktail list.
  • The Bar (The Modern Honolulu)
    Area
    Waikiki
    Youth Dominated
    No
    Verified Age Skew
    Mixed-age, skews slightly older/professional
    Description
    Refined hotel cocktail bar with a quiet, design-forward lounge feel, aimed at guests wanting a calmer alternative to the strip.

Festivals And Regulated Nightlife

Music Festivals

  • Aloha Festivals — Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa
    Cost
    $0.00
    Genre
    Hawaiian music, hula, contemporary island sounds
    Location
    Kalākaua Avenue, Waikīkī (city-center location)
    Attendance
    Statewide Aloha Festivals draw more than 100,000 attendees annually; the Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa block party itself typically draws thousands
    Typical Dates
    September (part of a month-long statewide Aloha Festivals program)
    Description
    The Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa is a free, ticketless block party that is the signature Oʻahu event of the wider Aloha Festivals, featuring live Hawaiian music and hula on multiple street stages.
    Date Note 2026
    Waikīkī Hoʻolauleʻa street party confirmed for Saturday, September 19, 2026
  • Honolulu Festival
    Cost
    $0.00
    Genre
    Pan-Pacific/Asian cultural music, dance, taiko drumming
    Location
    Waikīkī and downtown Honolulu waterfront (city center)
    Attendance
    Draws thousands of spectators and performers each year
    Typical Dates
    March
    Description
    A three-day celebration blending Hawaiian, Japanese, Korean, Chinese and other Pacific Rim music and dance traditions, culminating in a grand parade down Kalākaua Avenue.
  • The MayJah RayJah
    Genre
    Reggae, island/roots music
    Location
    Has been staged at Aloha Stadium (Halawa, ~15–20 min from Waikīkī) and at the Waikīkī Shell/Neal S. Blaisdell Center in past years
    Attendance
    Not publicly disclosed; described as Hawaii's largest and most popular reggae festival
    Typical Dates
    Historically held in the June–July window; a 2-day event
    Description
    Hawaii's premier reggae and island-music gathering, running since 2010, historically featuring international headliners such as SOJA and Sublime with Rome alongside local acts.
  • EDM Waterpark Festivals (Wet'n'Wild Hawaii)
    Genre
    EDM, house, trance, bass music
    Location
    Wet'n'Wild Hawaii waterpark, Kapolei (roughly 30–40 min from Waikīkī by car — outside the usual city-center radius)
    Attendance
    Not independently confirmed
    Typical Dates
    Various dates, mainly spring–fall
    Description
    A recurring series of one-day electronic-music events held inside the Wet'n'Wild waterpark, combining touring DJ sets with the park's rides and pools.
  • Hawaiian Slack Key Festival
    Genre
    Traditional Hawaiian slack-key guitar (kī hōʻalu)
    Location
    Oʻahu (venue varies by year)
    Attendance
    Not independently confirmed
    Typical Dates
    Varies by year, typically a single day
    Description
    A single-day, multi-hour showcase of Hawaiian slack-key guitar musicians performing back-to-back sets.

Strong nightlife

Scene Character Justification

Waikiki and Chinatown/Downtown support a genuinely varied multi-venue scene — oceanfront cocktail bars like Duke's and Mai Tai Bar, rooftop lounges like SKY and Buho, dance clubs like The District, and a long-running LGBTQ+ anchor in Hula's Bar & Lei Stand — but nightlife is not the primary reason travelers come to Oahu, so it doesn't rise to a party-destination level.

AI-generated estimateData refreshed September 2026

This section has no cited sources.

More About Oahu

Data last updated September 2026 · Verify anything important.