Very laid back. The music was mellow and low key. Drink prices were average. When we first walked in everyone knew each other, but more people cake in around 12. If you are looking for a place to get crazy, hanks isn't for you. If you are looking for a place to chill with a couple drinks and listen to some soul, look no further. It would be 5 stars if drinks were cheaper.
Review Source:This is exactly the kind of bar that I love. It's small, there is live music and a jukebox, a heavy mix of locals, tourists, college kids, and hipsters. Drinks are moderately priced and they carry a great selection of beverages. My favorite thing on the menu? The pineapple upside down cake shots, hollllyy crap are those things are good, and I don't even like pineapple upside down cake! I put down 4 of these one night and then remarked that  the world was spinning wildly,  to which my husband replied, "Darling, that's because you've put down at least 4 oz of vodka in about 10 minutes." Yeah, that'll do it.
I would never have come here if I hadn't gone to the Yelp Elite Christmas party which was help here and at the Dragon Upstairs. It is now one of my favorite spots.
This place had good music and a friendly staff, always a great combination! The bartenders were very helpful, even though it was a busy night, and my friends and I felt very comfortable there. The only thing I didn't like was that the menu was rather limited. I would suggest expanding on the menu so it feels more like an actual cafe, if you're going to still call it Hank's CAFE.
Review Source:I managed to find myself here on my very short lived St. Patty's Day evening. There were two men  whom I've named Willie Nelson & Kenny Rogers (very appropriate if you saw them) singing and an obviously packed house. I have no idea how we ended up here and it felt like we were slight ushered into this place unknowingly lol. Anyways, there was a fight breaking out in the front of the bar so my partners in crime & I got in without paying the random wtf $10.00 cover and checked the place out. It is so small. Like someone's living room that had a bar in it small. I did like the Nu'uanu sign off to the side. This place is like vintagey, flash back, where's my jack daniels type of bar. I've never felt so out of place in my life. But, Kenny Rogers was making googly eyes at me during his performance which made all my friends laugh. lol. Super dive bar, chill, they even have a nice waitress and live music.
Review Source:Never had a bad experience here. Â It's a dive that is completely eclectic from the decor, music your hear and people who drink here. Â Wed nights are great, there is a 80s duo who play live here usually and are fun as hell. Â If you know the tunes, they will hand over the mic to let you sing along. Â
If you appreciate a solid dive, and aren't uptight, this is the perfect place. Â Cheap drinks, good people and a relaxed place to drink.
This place is quickly becoming a comfort spot for me. Â I had always had intentions to go because of its reputation for bringing in good live and original music. Â However, it took Discord & Rye playing there to reel me in finally.
We've been heading over every other Thursday to catch John and Oliver play some folk rock. Â The place is small but comfortable. Â There's only ever one bartender, but we're always quickly and kindly served. Â The other patrons who come to see the music or hang out are usually nice and chill making the atmosphere, like I said, comfortable. Â
Prices are about the same as most other bars in Chinatown. Â The beer selection isn't as extensive as some other places around the corner. Â But the good service, comfortable setting, and chill atmosphere is good enough to keep me coming back.
In the middle of the hip, bustling arts district of downtown Honolulu, it's nice to know there's still room for a dive bar with no aim to be cool, popular or skew young. Â It is what it is, and they wouldn't have it any other way and neither will their clientele.
It's small, sure, but I think they make good use of the space. Â The service is friendly, and the customers are a varied and eclectic mix. Â Gotta love a place that serves frozen pizzas heated in a toaster oven. Â Okay, well you don't have to love the pizza, but you gotta admit, there's a bit of a kooky charm to that, like an eccentric uncle with no pretensions.
I've passed this place a million times, but haven't gone in until last night, and enjoyed my experience. Â I'll definitely be back.
-r-
Last night, I pulled a David Beckham and made some goals for myself: Go into "solo wolf" mode, drink beer, and listen to a guitar. The challenge, of course, was that I was out on a Friday night with a bohemian wallet. How was I going to pull this off without breaking the bank? After making it through the cool crowd of First Friday, this nerd found the end of the yellow brick road at Hanks Cafe.
Everyone has already covered how small the bar is, so I'll get to the vibe of the place. I think if I went solo in any of the hip bars on N. Hotel Street, I would've gained legitimate social piranha status. At Hanks, no one batted a  judgmental eye and after allowing myself a few minutes of awkwardness, I felt right at home. It's a very friendly, relaxed atmosphere to disappear into; A typical dive bar experience. Here's a few things I picked up from my night:
*** When you sit on a chair at Hanks, you are sitting there to chill the fuck out.They've got some of the best classic rock musicians in town who really light up the place.
*** Very cool/kitschy decor. This place has mannequin legs on the ceiling and Dali-esque beer art on the walls. Tremendous stuff, if you ask me.
*** I ordered two Samuel Adams, $5 a piece. Pretty cheap, if not, standard. I didn't see a wide variety of beer, but they did have the stuff I love drinking (Sam Adams, Guiness) so they're good in my book. I'm not sure if they sell any food, but I didn't see anybody eating.
I'd definitely recommend this place. I think it's one of the few places downtown where you can enjoy live music and drinks on a tight budget. You don't have to stand in any lines to get in and I can say with definite loner expertise that you won't feel sorry if you tried it on your own.
*** PARKING TIPS *** On a First Friday, I was not about to park at the mad house known as Mark's Garage or any place surrounding Nuuanu. If the structures are not hectic enough, trying to get out of the streets will be. I parked my car at the Chinese Cultural Plaza. It's a $3 flat rate after 5 pm, stalls are evenly spaced so you won't be shoulder buddies with the SUV parked next to you, and it's in a pretty secured building. It might take a few minutes to walk to Hank's, but it's nothing that a girl in heels can't handle.
Aloha,
Hanks a great Little dive bar in downtown Honolulu located on nuuanu st. that's NOT an Irish bar, imagine that ?!?!
Don't expect a Las Vegas style nightclub scene. Just a place to pull up to the bar and have a few drinks and socialize with patrons and if you feel like it you can buy some of Hanks art work that cover the walls.
Live music most nights and it varies but mostly classic rock and roll.
I gave hanks 4 stars, heck id give em 5 stars, if dave(the bar-slender) would stock Landshark beer haha......please Dave i beg of ya....
Aloha
Super small bar I never would've thought to go to if I wasn't invited. I went upon invitation of a friend who said there'd be live music. The music was alright, but it was a bit awkward as it was just maybe 5 of us in that little bar. We enjoyed some delicious take out noodles from Mini Garden -- the bartender keeps menus handy for ordering by phone, and he has some chopsticks and utensils and sharing trays on hand if needed.
This place definitely has character.
Hank's is a solid, low key hang-out. You may come across "Halawa" playing their hits, the BBC trying their hand at the Stones. Diverse clientel. Microwaved pizza should you be nearing hypoglycemic shock. Nice ambiance. It is really good at what it is - a no frills bar to have a few beers.
Review Source:Ohhh I love Hanks. Â It's a small little place that I always walk or drive past, and I never gave it a second look. Â However, I went with my friend Annie...and I loved it. Â The atmosphere is so friendly, the people are chatty and they just talk to whoever walks in. That's my kind of place. Â I got to play their little piano, and honestly, I'm not very good. Â But the drunk people at Hanks thought I was amazing. Â The bartender is amazing. Â He's always smiling and talking story with the customers. Â It must be a great job for him. Â The interior is kind of like home for me because there's all kinds of stuff on the walls - kind of like my room. Â It's not a big fancy place, and I really like that. Â I think I'll be hitting up Hanks a lot next semester.
Review Source:Hanks is like "Cheers" but even if everybody DOESN'T know your name they'll at least be nice! Dave at the bar has a welcoming smile. We sat at the bar and instantly talked to everyone near us. It's just one of those places you're instantly comfortable and relaxed. Drinks are reasonable and the music is fun. It's your neighborhood bar in the middle of downtown. People are real and you'll be back!
Review Source:Hank's is as good as it gets when it comes to good, friendly bars. I don't know If I would even call it a dive bar. It has character too be sure, but dive bar? Nah.
I first walked into the on a Wednesday night. After ordering a couple of drinks while the band set up, I had met everyone sitting at the bar. Nice people all.
The prices are excellent on mixed drinks and beer. The bartenders are friendly and the patrons are excellent.
As someone else mentioned, parking can be a pain in the butt. It's all street parking and Chinatown in Oahu is not the easiest place to find an open spot.
Went here with a friend of mine because we read and heard good things.
By the time we left, my friend and I were buzzin' hard and I was asked to play the saxophone when I come back.
Really didn't expect Hank's to have such a nice and chill atmosphere. I'm more used to loud and dirty places where the agenda is usually to get smashed. At Hank's, I feel more inclined to socialize and drink only enough to enjoy myself. Plus the live music they had Tuesday night was great. Beatles hits and an old bearded man who sounded a lot like Johnny Cash.
Also shout-outs to Dave the barman, he's an awesome dude!
Definitely gonna try and come here more often, hope I can find my reeds and mouthpiece :d
ps don't forget to check out the wall of sailor moon stickers in the back, it'll totally trip you out
I've recently been to the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the City Center in the Las Vegas after their 11 BILLION dollar price tag and only gave them a few stars...but this dive bar in the middle-of-nowhere-Chinatown-Oahu gets a five-star??
Hmmmm - curious, given the fact this bar is several things you don't associate with a five star rating but rather a one or two star rating (meaning - bad...it sucks...never come back):
1) no parking. street or municipal lots all the way, baby
2) ambiance - in the middle of Chinatown...drug dealers, crack addicts, prostitutes and other people asking you for money.
3) small tiny bar - I counted six people at the bar, and about five in the live band :-)
4) rats the size of cats...OK i never really SAW them with my own eyes but I know the rats in Chinatown are the size of  Chihuahuas.
Ok, so why the five stars when its obvious there's no parking, the ambience is a tiny dive bar in the middle of the red-light district, its small and there are seen (or unseen) sizes of rats the size of cats?
Here's the pros:
1) the BEST fun I've ever had on a Tuesday night!! My friends took me  to Mei Sum for dinner earlier and we stumbled across this place for some drinks and entertainment.  Live band was there to play tunes as diverse as...uh....Pink Floyd to Santana. I read other reviews and it seems the music venue changes, but the band that night was GREAT!
2) Comfy atmosphere. I was singing at the top of my lungs with the band in the small, Â tiny bar and didn't get weird looks or invitations to fight...and I am a really bad singer.
3) steeeep drinks. Hold onto your hats! I could only drink one and a half drinks. Â I must admit, prior to this we were at a dim sum restaurant and I had a few glasses of wine and one of their cocktails...the second one was too much, so it went to a band member who was taking a break from playing. He jokingly accused me of trying to get him drunk but I wonder if there was some truth to that, especially since he seemed to feeling no pain, whatsoever.
4) relatively cheap drinks - I don't know the actual price of the drinks since I handed my friend a $20 and it seemed to go a long way, including tip for the band members!
The decor is pure kitsch, with half-mannequin legs coming out of the walls clad in skimpy fishnets and tons of beer labels affixed to a ridiculously-high ceiling. We asked how the beer labels got up there, way up, so high but we never got an answer...we were just told it got up there "somehow".
I have heard of Hank's for many years but never had the pleasure of coming to this historical land mark of Hawaii until we stumbled upon it somehow... So glad we did. It took me over ten years to get here and I wish I found it sooner. It's one of Oahu's best, most treasured  hidden gems.
How do I describe Hank's to someone who's never been there? It's like the really eccentric kid in school who was tall and awkward, drove a beat-up VW van, and could invert his eyelids upon demand. He was weird, but somehow everyone liked him because he was who he was and never tried to be anything else.
Hank's is a tiny little cubby hole of a bar which one could easily pass by and not give a second thought. But for those of you who are able to see past it's dive bar exterior, you'll find a special place full of not commonly found charm. Owned by a local guy, named Hank (who knew right?!), this little bar that could is who adorned with Hank's paintings of local scenery and clowns. Yes, clowns scare me too.
I used to go into Hank's for their Saturday night songwriters night. I'd play a couple songs for my friends, two drunks at the bar, the bartender, a meth addict, three old guys, a lost tourist and sometimes Hank himself. It was fantastic for my songwriting because I knew that if I could get the two drunk local guys to listen, then I had a really great song! I fondly remember when I ordered a pizza from Dave, the bartender at Hank's. We laughed when it came to our table because it was a Digiorno's pizza. Hey, it's not delivery! It's Digiorno's!
Hank's is kitchy and tacky and beautiful in the way that a mother loves her crossed eyed child. The world doesn't think that kid is very cute, but to her, that kid is perfection!
the 5 stars does not mean that you and your hipster friends should run out and take up valuable bar stools upon seeing the high rating. Â If you like drink specials, microbrews and a throbbing social scene, this place is not for you. Â Which is exactly why I like it. Â
Laid back atmosphere, wacky decor, friendly and relaxed staff go a long way. Â You'll find all of them at Hanks. Â Coors lite runs 3.50, Primo is 5. Â Hung out here for a couple of hours on Saturday night. Â Two different bands played before we relocated to the Dragon Upstairs. Â Hank's paintings adorn many of the walls and are a definite plus.
We were doing some bar hopping around downtown honolulu. Â We initially tried to go to the dragon lounge upstairs from Hanks but the bartender was so grumpy we left and went down to Hanks. Â Glad we did!! Â We were warmly greeted, there was a piano player and bass player that were taking requests, the bartender was great and there was good company! Â We had a good time! Â Will make it a regular stop when I visit Oahu next time!!
Review Source:This is a great place to take it slow, drink some bottled beer, and listen to good local music. Â The decoration is eclectic and the bar is geared to more of a middle-aged crowd but is welcoming to all. Â The space is small, but that's part of its appeal. Â This is a fun place to wind down after hopping between some of the louder bars in Chinatown.
Review Source:What another neat find in Downtown Honolulu. Â I have passed this place many times and wanted to give it a try but it was either dead or packed inside.
Well, after going to a performance at the Hawaii Theatre, I stopped in here. Â It was very crowded and the bar area is very small. Â There was this band playing, Halawa, and they played classic Hawaiian songs. Â There was three members from the band and they sounded really good. Â It was almost like going back in time...to old Hawaii. Â Back when Downtown was the place to go. Â
I have noticed that many people are finding a new appreciation for Downtown nightlife. Â This is a good thing. Â I am finding new restaurants to go to and new entertainment happenings.
I will soon make my way to The Dragon, upstairs from Hanks, where they have live Jazz mostly on the weekends.
This is a great, tiny, local bar--the type I would totally frequent if I lived in Honolulu.
As mentioned, the bartender, Dave, is great--very friendly and accommodating and I loved that they'll throw a pizza in the oven for you at any time of night.
However, the highlight of my time at Hank's was that my friend, Barefoot Bob, has organized a showcase of original, local singers and songwriters to perform at the bar on Saturday nights. Â He does the opening, closing, and some songs in the middle (all of which are wonderful--ranging from funny to raunchy to wistful and back to funny again) and then gets anywhere from 4-6 local artists to come in and perform. Â The styles and talent level can vary pretty dramatically but it was such a treat to get to experience live, original music in a laid back yet intimate setting.
Check out his myspace page: <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.myspace.com%2Fbarefootbobsmusic&s=e189369404fe298fd191f7b12c24ea4d12432d51456f5dcc5e11935a953b3ccc" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.myspace.com/b…</a>.
Oh yeah, the prices are awesome: I drank all night AND got a pizza and my tab was $31. Â Yes, I'm from San Francisco and so have a totally distorted sense of price inflation but this is VALUE right here people!
Hank's cafe employees Dave, the bartender. Â He's a real laid back fella. Â The venue as a whole has a real laid back feel, and if you're looking for a place that won't jack up the $3.00 beer to $5 (or even $6) at 10:00 PM, then this is your place. Â The beer is always $3.00. Â For $11.00 they'll make you Digiorno pizza - the huge ones. Â
There's live music here every night, and they all play for tips - so if you go, please show some love - the kind that folds. Â
As a side note, the owner of Hanks is the same guy who owns the Dragon Upstairs.
A real-life Hawaii version of "Cheers". Â This is a weird but cool place!!!
Last year I put 3 French presses on Craigslist. Â I had 4, and really only wanted 1. Â Anyway, this guy responds saying he'll take all 3, but could we drop it off because our place was hard to catch the bus to. Â Normally we would say "Um, no...", but the guy says he plays music at "Hank's" on Nu'uanu. Â So since we've passed by the place, were always a little nervous about going in, and thought this would be a good excuse to try a new bar, we agreed.
So we walk into Hank's during the early evening. Â It's a small bar with no women in there, one bartender, and a guy playing guitar. Â When we entered everyone turned and just stared at us as if they were thinking, "Who the Hell are these people?". Â Very awkward... Â "Can we help you?", someone says. Â "Um, we're looking for _____, the musician. Â He's buying our French presses..." Â It was just the WEIRDEST situation and feeling.
So anyway, to make a long story not so long, we settled in for a beer to check out the place (spent all the money we made on the French presses, but oh, well). Â I had a couple Hinano's (Tahitian beer), played Megatouch, and talked to the musician. Â He played and sang the most specific genre of old country music. Â I normally don't like country, but I liked this!
My then-boyfriend, now fiance made friends with a stinking drunk tug-boat captain (seriously!) and some other interesting guys at the bar. Â Everyone seemed to know everybody, and seemed like they were regulars, just like in Cheers!
We both thought it was so crazy funny when the bartender at some point picked up the phone and said, "Hey, I'm going to order Chinese. Â Anybody want anything?" Â Then he ordered his food, and five minutes later actually left the bar unattended to get his food, "OK, I'll be back. Â Watch the bar." Â Also super-funny: Â they have a "swear jar". Â People actually observe this rule in the bar that if you swear, you have to donate a dollar to the swear jar! Â The bartender said that when the jar gets full (it looked pretty full to me, and people were handing over dollar bills the whole night!), the money gets donated to the homeless shelter. Â How nice!
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