When I first came here a couple of years ago, I was a bit skeptical. It was a tiny bar felt a bit claustrophobic. But, I guess you gotta love it for what it is. That's what makes this bar so special. It's a tropical, lights-down-low-kind-of-feeling bar. At first glance, the prices seem kind of high, but once you receive your drinks, you are definitely paying for what you are getting! The drinks are huge and very, very delicious, to say the least. The staff are super-friendly and they will assist you on anything. They are very aware of their customers and they make you feel very welcome. On top of it, they have a beautiful garden with tables and chairs that works as their "patio" for the summer nights if you want to drink outside rather than being inside. It's a good place to visit if you're with a group of girlfriends or if you're looking for a date night. It's a chill place and romantic at the same time. I give it four stars because they do not offer any food, whatsoever. Drinkers get a bit hungry at times and even a tiny menu would be convenient. Other than, this is a great place to try if you are ever around River Grove.
Review Source:I had a drink from the Ice cream drink selection called the Snow Goddess made with rum, Kahlua, chocolate syrup topped with whipped cream. We went there after dinner for drinks. This drink was awesome!!! It was my dessert and boy did it fill me up and satisfied my sweet tooth. The atmosphere was darkly lit and cozy I liked the Hawaiian touches and decorations I will go back again and again. They have an outdoor area too and cant wait for it to open for the summer. This place is just for drinks and I am glad! Affordable and not watered down . Very friendly!
Review Source:My god this place is wonderful.
The drinks are BIG, the alcohol content is BIG (none of that watered down sadness), and the prices are GREAT. $6 for a giant margarita or $11 for a ridiculously strong (and giant) martini?! I'll get that all day long.
Also, free unlimited bowls of pretzels...in case I hadn't convinced you that this place is awesome yet.
You have to just accept that H-K is what it is and roll with it. Â Went here last weekend with another couple just for kicks at the last minute and had a good time. Â They now have two kinds of chips and two salsas on the menu, but neither are anything exciting. The place still smells musty and is totaly dark (likely to mask the dirt and grime on the 1970's decor) but the waitstaff is very friendly and if you can't find something on this menu of what seems like endless offerings, you have a serious problem. Â I like the Chi Chi or the KoKoMo, husband tried a few of the beers (LongBoard and Coconut Brown Ale). Â They are a little heavy on ice, but two hours and four people only ran about $90 with tip, which is nothing for a night out.
Still love the gift shop!!
Do you like getting crazy drunk at a low price in a neat, tropical location? Then Hala Kahiki is the place for you! My friends go all the time and I was finally free on a night that they were planning to go. The drive was about 45 minutes away, and I started getting kind of nervous because it looked totally shady on the outside, like a little shack and I thought I was being deceived by my friends. Oh, how appearances can be deceiving!
You walk in and the place is huge! Tropical music is playing, like Don Ho, Elvis, and a lot of instrumental tropical music. It's a little dark, but it's so nicely themed. There are palm trees, fruit lights, tiki torches, waterfalls, you name it! The waitresses wear leis and sarongs and they seem to love their jobs. The drink menu is enormous, bigger than the food menu at most restaurants and there is something for everyone. I started basic, with a strawberry margarita (my favorite drink!) with salt on the rim. The drink was HUGE! It tasted really good, not the best margarita, but delicious! My second drink was a Tiger Shark Martini, which is a watermelon-flavored martini with a gummy shark on the bottom. Tasted just like a watermelon Jolly Rancher! My third drink was a French Martini, pineapple, Chombard, and vodka. This one, I did not like. Very strong, too much alcohol in it. Three drinks was definitely strong enough to give me a nice buzz, we were all feeling pretty good. The servers bring you pretzels if you ask them, and they don't serve food except for chips and salsa.
Overall, it was about $28/person for three people, which was not too bad for strong drinks with lots of alcohol. Very good service, GREAT atmosphere, excellent experience, AND it is within walking distance from Gene and Jude's hot dog stand, some delicious drunk (and sober) food if I've ever had any!
What an awesome place. I've been wanting to visit for a while, but thought what better opportunity then my birthday. We tried the tiki bowl (wow), Miami vice, and the Lava Flo. All were really good and incredibly strong. They do not skimp on the alcohol. The place itself was cutely decorated. There was just one waitress, but she was attentive and friendly. There's a patio in the back and we will be back to visit it.
Review Source:On a cold Chicago winter evening, I needed a quickie getaway. Hala Kahiki is your remedy for a staycation on a budget. Drinks are plentiful, flavorful and large. Guests range from young to young at heart.
It's not Hawaii, but it will definitely spark some talks of the islands amongst your drinking mates and ensure talks with dinners at neighboring tables.
The Aloha spirit all in the city of....River Grove :)
This is one of those "hole" in the wall places... but it's relatively big and it's totally worth stopping at just to experience this place. In the evening, it's not well lit so it's easy to miss. Inside you'll find the whole place is decorated with tiki décor and very dim lighting. The staff is also dressed in theme.
I have been here previously and remember a better experience then I just recently had. The drinks I ordered were bad. I did not like that the prices are not listed on the menus. Also, I didn't think the service was great. Also, in the past they used to give a bowl full of unlimited pretzels and they didn't even offer it this time around.
If you do come here it would be good to eat beforehand because they do not offer a food options. They offer a mini selection of snacks.
They were on the last nights of their Groupon but we got there moments before the line got out of control. Â They know how to mix some drinks, boy... except for a mai-tai. Â Hooray for not using a bogus mai-tai mix but I'm still afraid the bar tender didn't hit the mark. Â Everything else was strong and delicious...
Review Source:You had me at "drinks the size of your head"...
A few co-workers and I were looking for a place to have a few drinks before heading up the street to see a Wolves game at the All-State Arena. I'm honestly not sure how we decided on Hala Kahiki out of all places, but it did the trick; we had a blast. I couldn't leave there without ordering the Volcano, which comes in a glass the size of my head and contains a flaming shot of 151 in the middle of it.
The atmosphere felt sort of like an old chinese opium den, but with tiki decorations. The lighting is extremely dim which made us those annoying people in the corner taking pictures with their flashes on (I hate those people). The drinks were good and I thought they were reasonably priced for the size. It was definitely fun for the experience of the place alone. If you're looking for something different than the usual sports bar, this place isn't bad. My only complaint is that the service was a bit slow, especially since the place was basically empty.
Oh, also don't go here if you're hungry. I think the appetizer menu only consists of chips and salsa.
Redeemed a Living Social...I paid $15 for $30 worth of drinks...I have been here before years ago, thinking it was more of a club....i was wrong but this time going in there i knew what to expect. We went on a Friday night probably around 10:30pm. It was packed, assuming because people were redeeming their Groupon/Living Social. huge menu-DRINKS ONLY--a couple appetizers. Place is old/dark/hawaiian themed, It has been around forever...almost a River Grove landmark. Definately good for a date night...or to go when you actually want to talk to your company...waitress recommended the pumpkin ice cream martini....soooo good...too good....i also had another martini because i was overloaded with the sugar/cream....martini's SUPER STRONG!!! (says it right on the menu) My boyfriend had a Pina Colada and Zombie(Everyone told us to try the Zombie) They were good...definately cannot have more than 2 just because of the sugary-ness of them...i didnt know if i was drunk or slipping into a sugar coma. haha But...it was a cute little place...no music? but we were talking so no big deal...plus idono what kind of music they would even get away with playing if not some tropical slow music, so i didnt mind anyways.
However, ALL of he drinks did not list ingredients. A good amount do, but they should make sure ALL are listed because they have hawaiian names-doesnt tell if the flavor is cherry/raspberry/chocolate etc (on some)
And-waitresses may need a new uniform.
Otherwise we had fun! Drinks arent too overpriced-i mean, they are higher but they put a lot of booze in them, and personally a 10$ martini is notttt expensive at all. Our bill after the living social was 9.00--Soooo, average drink probably 10-15$ Not bad. :)
Hala Kahiki is one of the rare, last meccas of Hawaiian kitsch. Every time I take a new person here, this is my description: "Tiki bar in the middle of an industrial strip. Amazing drinks, pretzels from a clam bowl and a gift shop which is your grandma's closet circa 1973, complete with a vast array of mumus".
I frequented the bar years ago while living in Oak Park, but still drive the hour on occasion from the north side of the city because there simply isn't another place like it. I agree with the other reviewers - the drinks are consistently good/strong, the pretzels out of a clam bowl are epic, the decor clearly came from the owners winning both Hawaiian showcases on "The Price is Right" back in the 70's and the people are so nice and chill.
I truly hope this place never changes - it's one in a million!
The exotic Polynesian imaginations of the Tiki heyday have certainly come and gone, but the River Grove oasis of Hala Kahiki stands strong as a curious and eclectic study in mid-century pop culture.
All at once vulgar and fantastical, with a 78% confidence interval of a Vincent Price cameo as Professor Hubert Whitehead. One would do well to turn a blind eye to the dank and dark, and the oft-obnoxious patrons AND servers.
The post-WWII tropical cocktail menu is a frank assault to modern mixology. Genre-apropos, but these are definitely not the artisan drinks of the California Tiki scene. Inexplicably, given the borderline bottom shelf liquors and pasteurized juices, no prices are listed. Generally in the $6 - $13 range.
Clam shell-bowled pretzels and fruit garnishes are the only edibles. No mahalo.
Hala Kahiki provides a bit of questionable escapism in a village otherwise known for two things: Gene's & Jude's Depression dogs, and the Guinness World Record for having more dead bodies than living residents. Fare thee well, dear guests.
If I could give this place 10 stars, I would. I've heard this called the best Tiki bar/lounge in the US, and possibly the world, and I tend to agree. If you "get" Tiki bars, or cocktails, you will love this place.
The building looks incredible. I bet it has not been remodeled in 60 years. There are tikis everywhere, thatch, carved wood.... in every room. It looks like a restaurant, but the only thing on the menu is BOOZE BOOZE BOOZE ! Every tropical drink you can think of. You sit at small, low cocktail tables, and order drinks from a menu. (Mainly you will socialize with the group you showed up with, and sit with.) Â The prices are very reasonable for tropical drinks.. which are really strong.
The drinks are great, and I've never had one that was less than perfection. I've never found the wait staff to be anything but excellent, but I'm always so happy to just be inside this place... they could probably spill a flaming zombie on me and I'd just laugh.
Someday I'll hear that it has closed and turned into a chain restaurant like Islands. A little window into how people had fun when my parents were young will be lost. Enjoy it while you can !
Went here at 4:15 pm and didn't even get to sit down because they insisted my ID was fake. Â I am 24 years old, offered up another school ID with my birth date, and credit cards to prove this is me and the server was extremely rude insisting my ID was not real. Â I don't know what else I could have done to prove my age, but at that point I didn't even want to give them my business anymore because she was so rude about it! Â Needless to say we left and gave our business elsewhere.
*If owner would have looked at my school ID they would have clearly seen a birthdate, and the server did not take my credit cards when I offered. The point of this post is not to continue to try to prove my identity but to express my disappointment in the way I was treated.
This place has major potential. The actual lounge is huge, not that you would know it by how compartmentalized it is. Decor is very hawaiian (duh!) but feels very outdated. The tables are smushed (not a word, I know) together, and there's barely any parking, but that's as far as my list of cons goes.
As for the pros, I only have one, but the most important: The drinks were fabulous. I believe the waitress said the menu had over 100 drinks, and although it was hard to sift through the variety and pick one..or two, or multiple, I'd rather have too many to choose from than none at all.
Obviously struggling to choose a drink, the waitress listened to my girlfriend and I as we described the types of drinks we like, and her suggestions were on point. My drink was sweeeeeeet and fruity, just the way I like it and my gal pal's was sweet but tart.
Staff was friendly enough, although the wait for a table was 20 minutes, with 30 people crammed alongside a very very narrow hallway. The waitress did say that this was unusual, apparently their groupon deal was ending.
Overall, it's a cute and very reasonably priced spot for grabbing a drink with a girlfriend or two, but the decor could use a major update.
One of my favorite places to go for drinks.
Hala is a great little spot right off of River Road that is a true jem. It's great for girls night out or even a date. I come here often with a friend of mine. Sunday nights are the best, considering it's very quiet.
Recommendation: Tiger Shark Martini (tasty, but strong)
I think I found my type of lounge! Reminds me of my hometown at night(Philippines, the quiter part). It's a chill and quite place where you can bring your friends to catch up. It's a perfect place to bring a new friend too! The place gives off a vibe where it somewhat distresses you from awkward moment.
Love :
Cute patio
Drink to share
Tips :
I wish they still serve appetizer after kitchen hours. I appreciate the free pretzel but it's fun to have some other stuff to munch on while drinking.
I went to Hala Kahiki on a double date. Â I lived in the area for four years and always wanted to check this place out. Â Now that I no longer live locally, I finally did!
The menu is huge and a little overwhelming. Â Everything looked delicious and I wanted to try one of everything. Â I did get to try a bunch of the drinks since everyone I was out with shared sips of beverages. Â I had the Zombie and the Frozen Cherry Lemonade. Â To be honest, the Frozen Cherry Lemonade was my favorrite of the night. Â It had blended pieces of real cherries in it. Â It was sweet, delicious and fairly strong.
We were seated towards the back of the building whcih was a little sad since it is not as cute back there. Â I never realized how big this place really was. Â I was also a little sad that they do not serve food here. But, the salty pretzels at the table went well with the sweet drinks!
Service was super friendly and prompt. I cannot wait to go back and try out more of their cutesy drinks!
I just wish they would remodel the bathroom and maybe add another. Â There is only one two stall ladies room in the front that was occupied by a young girl vomitting while her friend held her hair when I had to tinkle. Â Come on girls... the drinks are not that strong!
::prepare for Wayne's World interlude::
Muka laka hickey. Come on, you wanna lay me. Pass the poi. Mahalo.
::interlude end::
First and foremost, this place is a total trip! The words tiki bar are just a plain 'ol understatement when it comes to describing this Maui masterpiece. Hala is a scene straight out of the Brady Family's Hawaiian vacation. You know, the one where Bobby finds the evil tiki and Greg has the surfing accident and.... well, I digress....
It's kitch, retro, tiki, hula, flora and fauna all rolled into one. Grass skirt covered everything, plastic bamboo chairs, coconut bra lamps... even a nothing-short-of-amazing outdoor patio Shangri La that, too, is decorated to the hilt! Appropriately themed décor is in no shortage here, but you know what is?
1. Service
2. Food
// service // I've got to agree with my girl Candice G. here, the staff sucks. Rude, dismissive, at times downright argumentative. I get it, they get big groups here. Said groups can be annoying. However, it's the nature of your business. If you don't want bachelorette parties, birthday parties, divorce parties, etc., then don't create a Hawaiian oasis with huge flaming, fruity cocktails in the middle of suburban wasteland. Be nice to your customers. Acting like you want to kick me in the face anytime I ask you a question doesn't earn you tips. Or nice Yelp reviews.
// food // So, yeah, 20 pages of drinks and 0 pages of edible items. Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink. Or eat, for that matter. Don't give me an enormous (and, if I'm being honest, foul tasting) brandy-laden Volcano bowl of liquor and then expect me to climb in my car empty-bellied and wastoid.
FAIL.
I remember the first time my man told me he wanted to take me to a "Tiki bar" - I cringed and thought, 'I'll NEVER like something so cheesy'.
BUT, Hala Kahiki is not a tiki bar.. it's so so much better than a tiki bar. Think more "bar found along the beach near you're favorite tropical tanning spot" and less "plastic palm trees and goofy totem poles"
I love that the owners went all.the.way. with the decor- it's not so much a theme as it is like stepping out of Illinois and into Hawaii. The drinks are good and a fair price (neither of us have ever finished more than 2 rounds..they're strong!), waitresses are friendly, and they have a great outdoor patio.
It's never been too loud when I've been there, but there always seems to be a good sized crowed. Even if you're like me and themed bars aren't your first choice, once you make the trip there once you'll be glad you did.
The weather was great last night so after years of driving past this place on the way to Gene and Jude's, I finally tried it out.
We arrived fairly early in the evening but the place was packed already and we had to wait about 15 mins for outside seating so we looked over the menu and I ordered a Zombie while the wife ordered the Tonga Trader. My Zombie was nice and strong and I caught a buzz about halfway through even though my stomach was not empty. I tried the wife's Tonga Trader and thought it was a great froo froo drink. Nice and creamy and sweet with just the slightest hint of alcohol on the back end.
After we were moved outdoors, I lit up my cigar and then watched 3 groups around me get up and move. Smoking is permitted in the outdoor area and ashtrays are provided but the stench of a cigar is more offensive than most can handle so I got the stink eye from people. Oh well, the cigar was topped of the experience for me perfectly with the laid back atmosphere and decor.
Next, we ordered a drink for two: the Tiki Bowl. A large bowl of frothy sweetness and seemingly not much alcohol served with two-foot long straws. It was refreshing but didn't have enough kick for my preference but the wife liked it. The idea is great and makes for a corny yet romantic experience rivaling the spaghetti scene in Lady and the Tramp. In fact the entire place is corny but it still made me grin from ear to ear. If you get drunk enough, you can imagine you're not in the filthy urban sprawl of Chicagoland.
We weren't sure how much any of this would cost us since they don't post the prices of anything on the menus so we figured we drank enough and asked for the bill. Not too bad considering the quantity we received. Could the drink have tasted better? Sure, maybe but the ambiance made up for it. It really was a nice escape for us on a nice warm evening like last night. I think drinks average around $8 a piece, or at least that was my impression from our experience.
Service was HORRIBLE to say the least but I guess they were short staffed and drinks were taking about 20 minutes to be made and the servers were spread very thin. Our waitress didn't even come out to us when we were seated outside till 30 minutes after. She was polite but very slow and unapologetic. The table next to us received excellent service from a different waitress so it was either our waitress just lacked skills or she was spread thin with other patrons. Come to think of it, we weren't even greeted when we first walked in. Since it was our first time, we just started walking towards the back looking for help when someone asked us if they could help us. Again, no apologies were given for the disarray the staff seemed to be in which was slightly unprofessional but I figured this was abnormal (hopefully) so I wouldn't have to deal with the same on a future visit.
Since no food is served except for pretzels, we worked up some drunk munchies and decided to head over to Gene and Jude's for some dogs. Hala Kahiki would do great business if they served a limited menu of simple tropical appetizers (even just fruit) to rake in a few extra dollars. Eating and drinking go hand in hand so I thought it a little strange that they didn't have ANY food items.
When we left there was a crowd of people waiting by the front door waiting to be seated. The weather was great so this place was a very popular place to be. When we got to Gene and Jude's we saw many of the same people that were at Hala Kahiki doing the same drunk thing we were doing. All I saw was dollar signs that Hala Kahiki could've pocketed so easily. Oh well, it's a good thing Gene and Jude's employees more staff than Hala Kahiki does!
The late night part of Probably the Most Fun Night I have had in Chicago. Â Its midnight and I'm with two ladies at the bar. Â The Tiki Lounge is good for all- its like Chinese reflexology where the iced booze hits key nerve endings in the belly.
Despite the bartenders warning of the licorice taste, I recommend the good Doctor Funk of Tahiti, as digestive aid.
I've been driving past Hala Kahiki for YEARS on the way to Gene & Jude's, and never ever gone in.
On Friday, I decided to plan a cutesy date night for the BF, something different from the same Friday night routine. Â Enter, glow in the dark mini golf, Gene & Jude's, and Hala Kahiki.
Like many of the other reviews have said, its full-o-kitsch. Â It's full-o-cheese. Â I felt like I walked right into the Very Brady Hawaii special, minus the tarantulas and omens.
The service was prompt, and our waitress was fun. Â The drinks were alright, I ordered a chi chi because I really like coconut and really don't like pineapple (hence, no pina coladas for me) and for some reason, it still tasted pineapple-y. Â The drink menu is so extensive, I'm sure if I ever go back I won't have trouble finding something else to inhibit me.
Also, like many others have said, they don't serve food. Â So... here's whatcha do. Â Go to Gene & Jude's first. Â Get 2 doubles and a tamale. Â Eat one of the doubles, and maybe the tamale. Â Leave the other double in the car. Â When you leave Hala Kahiki, you have something WAY better than the dollar menu to fill your belly.
You're welcome. Â Enjoy.
Aloha! I thought this place was alright I suppose. There is a huge menu of drink to choose from and I am sure they are all good. I had the beachcomber and it was fire...like literally on fire ( Bacardi 151). Really tacky decor inside and EVERYWHERE you turn. I really don't like it. The service was not anything superior and it seemed like they really didn't want to be there serving us.The prices are fair.
Its location is right off of River Road and if you are drinking, the cops are trying to target you, so be careful.
The decoration could be a little for tasteful and a little background music never hurt anybody. The lighting concept needs to be changed. The service should be better. So when you change that Hala Kahiki, gimmie a call.
Otherwise, I will not be returning.
Oiy...Hala Kahiki, what happened to you? (this update alone results in a deduction of a star)
I had a living social deal that I needed to use because it was expiring. Decided to stop here Saturday around midnight. We were seated right away so no problem there. The minute we walked into the place we noticed the music. Usually there is "light" Hawaiian music playing...not this night. It was like we walked into a bad dive bar. And the music was so loud. It was physically impossible to have a conversation at our table so I had to move my seat so I was sitting almost on top of my boyfriend. Geesh. The music was so bad too. I know they let you use the jukebox but I don't really care to listen to the Beatles or Candlebox while sipping on my pineapple daiquiri. I don't think patrons should have free reign of the music.
Oh, and our server was awful as well. I don't know if it was because I had my voucher out on the table and he figured we would tip low but he just blew. When he first came up to our table he didn't even say hello, how are you...nothing. He just stood there. Uhh, ok. Are you here to take our order or just stand there and look pretty? We were starving too so naturally, we polished off our bowl of pretzels. Was it ever refilled?? Nope. Not once during the time we both drank 2 drinks. Cmon! And the drinks?? Ugh, they really stunk this time too. I am pretty easy to please when it comes to tropical drinks. It's almost hard to find a complaint about a frothy, pineapple drink that has rum but our drinks really sucked. They were so watered down...the bartender was using WAY too much ice. They just tasted awful. I barely finished either of my drinks which is a shame.
When we were ready to leave I gave our server our voucher. A few minutes later he just walked over and said we were all set. Ok? Did we use up the full voucher? How much was the total so I know how to tip? Whatever...just threw some money on the table and got the heck out of there. If I stayed any longer the lack of alcohol and the loud music was sure to induce a migraine.
Tip for Hala Kahiki,...hire some decent servers, unplug your jukebox and get bartenders who know how to make a decent drink.
I really hope that this was just an off night for them because I really do like it here.
Ah, Hala Kahiki. Â
This is the best tiki place I've ever found: they serve no food, only drinks.
Strong, tropical drinks. Â Very good drinks, and again, very strong. Â The mai tais are exceptional, the scorpion bowl is a little fruity.
Stepping through the doors is like stepping back in a time machine to the late 1950s-early 1960s when tiki subculture ruled. Â The lighting is dim. Â Every wall is adorned with shell lamps or tiki lamps. Â
And perhaps best of all: they are playing the RIGHT MUSIC. Â Usually when you excavate one of these old tiki joints, they're playing top 40 pop music. Â At Hala Kahini, all I heard was Hawaiian ukulele music and old-school exotica: Martin Denny and Les Baxter and the like.
When weather permits, there is an open-air courtyard in the back that is just as festive and awesome as inside. Â
There is a dress code: jeans are okay. Â Sneakers are okay. Â Sports apparel, baseball caps, and the like is strictly prohibited. Â Acapulco shirts are okay. Â
Every time I go through Chicago, I try to stop here. Â It's my favorite place on earth.
I love this place, EVERY ONE SHOULD COME HERE!!!! I really don't want to see such a precious little hidden gem empty!
During the summer it gets pretty busy but they have an open area in the back. This place looks small but it's actually really big!
I love ALL of their drinks especially their daiquiris. Prepare to come here only for drinks because the only snack they offer are pretzels! Thank goodness too, because you have more room to try the awesome booze! ;)
Their prices are reasonable too, you won't pay over $20 for two to three drinks!!! This place is awesome to come in and catch up with a few good friends!
Aloha!
I heard that HK is an example of the original style tiki bar. Â It is pretty cool, but a little disappointing in a few ways.
First off, I was wearing a hat to get in the spirit a little. Â The hostess told me I had to take it off to enter. Â A sign also indicated undershirts are forbidden (not sure how they check) and a few other fashion rules.
The drink menu is extensive, but they do not have enough copies. Â We got two copies for three people, and those were snatched away rather quick. Â Print some more, folks, it's not that expensive.
Not that the menus have prices. Â The nonalcoholic drinks were around $6, and the booze was $10-12. Â Oddly, the martinis are the same price as the two-person volcano, and both were strong. Â The virgin colada is tasty, but comes with whipped cream on top, which may be an issue for lactose-intolerants and vegans. Â The other virgin drink, the Hawaiian sunrise or something, was basically pineapple juice so don't bother with that.
The tables are wobbly. Â The waitstaff are few and you must flag them down for everything. Â The music is a jukebox from the 90s and I heard no island music at all.
The decor is nice though, and there is plenty to spark conversation. Â It is easy to hear the conversation too, despite the music and chatter.
In the same building is a gift shop that sells tikiana and other island-inspired goods. Â Worth a peep in.
Aloha! Â My husband and I went to Hala Kahiki for a few drinks with friends-to be honest, I was expecting a very slow crowd at a formerly glorious Hawaiian themed bar. Â But, this place was absolutely PACKED and had people waiting outside the building for a table. Â The drinks were creative (as in how did they think of so many juice, vodka, rum combos) and although they don't seem to use the best quality juice, our drinks were pretty delicious. Â The waitress was friendly but not annoyed when two people at our table didn't order drinks because they were driving. Â
You also get a little bowl of pretzels at your table and a fortune cookie (not Hawaiian) with the bill. Â
The one downside in my opion was the place had an odor of cigarette that must be still leftover in all the tiki furniture and animal print from when it was still legal to smoke...it was so hideously decorated that you couldn't help but love it.
We usually go here with some sort of deal so we usually pay $15 for $30 worth of drinks, and it makes it more affordable to come here more often (which we come here quite frequently since it is so close to home!):
This time around we had:
-Ko ko mo- coconut, vodka, amaretto, and creme de cacao. This one tasted great.
-Chiefs calabash. Brandy, creamy-My husband had this one. Thought it was ok.
-Sweet Leilani- rum, almond and creme. This one was great too.
-Coco loco- hot chocolate drink with rum and coconut and tipped with whipped creme. Perfect ending to the night since I was cold and wanted something warm.
They always have pretzels (I ate two bowls worth) I don't know how!
Never even knew about this place and glad I went. Â It's a super chill atmosphere, they play nothing but Hawaiian music in this place. Â And it's not that loud so yo can actually have a conversation with the people you go with. This would be a great place to take a date, probably not that great for a huge crowd. Â
There's a huge drink menu with all sorts of stuff. Â Chocolate drinks, mai tais, martinis, and more. Â Here's a menu - <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fbit.ly%2Fn5eYNT&s=893b3ce249629389af1122956ba4da2ee1dd63f8cc05d19e01d915d2255f6998" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://bit.ly/n5eYNT</a> Â I went with the zombie and tried my friend's blue Hawaii. Â Both were great, strong but great. Â Â We even tried one of those 2 person drinks, the Volcano and that was pretty good too. Â Watch out though because you won't even realize how much you're drinking over here, and these drinks are gigantic too. Â
Service was a bit slow though, it was pretty empty inside but it still seemed like forever waiting for our drinks. Â It didn't bother me too much but Hala could definitely step it up in that area. Â I would definitely go here again for a quiet night out.
TL;DR
-Quiet Hawaiian atmosphere
-Extensive drink menu
-slow service
Hala Kahiki looks like that Brady Bunch episode where the whole family went to Hawaii threw up in here, but I mean that in the best possible way.
The cocktail-only menu boasts hot drinks, ice cream drinks, and literally any tropical drink you can think of, such as a Scorpion, Hurricane, Volcano, Mai Tai, or any flavor daiquiri you can think of. Drinks are strong (at least mine were) and well-priced, and served by waitresses wearing brightly-colored sarongs or muu-muus and leis. It's also hilarious that they all wear gym shoes with these ensembles.
The decor is tacky Polynesian and include current holiday decorations. There were two pilgrims and a turkey amongst the tiki statues, ceramic parrots and palm fronds. So delightfully kitschy. This place is the perfect spot for a date; a gaggle of girls, or a large group. If you can't have fun here, there's something wrong with you.
Beware though: this place serves no food other than a bowl of stale pretzels, so plan accordingly when you're slurping down those fruity concoctions.
And for the love of god, don't do as the guy next to us did and order a Miller Lite. So lame.
4.5 stars.
I'm searching for nice things to say about this place besides that I had heard from friends that it was great.
My experience was not so great, not even okay actually. I'll give them props on the lighting because I look MUCH better in dimly lit places but the wait staff is royally bad. I first walked in and said I was meeting a large group of girls for a bachelorette party and the lady grabbed my I.D. and tossed it right back without any direction. I then followed up with "Do you know where they might be seated?" Lady responds "I don't know" I repeat that it's a large group of girls, the server responds "I don't know, we have a lot of groups" and then turns her back and walks away. Uhm, okay.
I end up finding my table of 12 that only has enough chairs for 8. Apparently there was a whole ordeal before I got there where the group was told a table would be added on but that didn't happen until 2 1/2 hours after the party had arrived so for the most part, the party was in separate rooms. A little further into the night the bar cleared as well as 2 tables near the bar so we asked to close out our tab for the current table so we could move to the bar. The server, while chewing gum responds, "that would actually be impossible"... we all stare in amazement... "there's not enough room for you in the other room and it would actually be even worse for you". Okay, the server just told us we'd have an even worse time in the other room. This was also after she took our orders while flicking her pencil against her notebook with impatience. Fabulous!
The drinks were weak and very sugary. If you LOVE Kool Aid brand, you'll be head over heals for Hala Kahiki. I think if we had gotten the table we initially thought we were getting outside it would have made a big difference but they told the group once they arrived that only tables of 6 or less can sit outside... even though they don't have tables for 6 or more inside. Kinda Bull.
Another thing I don't like is that there aren't any prices. If you get something sugary it'll most likely be 6 ish dollars- not bad but the drinks also aren't very good. If you're tired of the kool aid and switch to beer you can expect to pay $5 for a Miller Lite bottle... tip: Order a Sapporo instead... it's the 22 oz and it's only $6.
Lastly, the servers there, I kid you not, have got to be from some sort of prison release program. More than once did our table have the convo to decide whether the line on the waitress's hanging gut was a C-section scar or the beginning of her pubic hair. NO ONE was a prize on this particular night and every server seemed like they were doing forced community service because the piss poor attitudes were really harshing my buzz.
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