I only come here when Bambu and Prometheous Brown come around to town. Â They usually have their shows here or at the Loft or just somewhere around Chinatown. Â They always kill it and know how to put on a show for the local hiphop crowd and community. Â As far as the venue goes, I can see why they call it Next Door because it's pretty much next door to a bunch of places that are within the vicinity of Hotel St. Â I know that they have other and different kinds of events down here but as far as local hiphop concerts go it's way better than the Loft for sure. Â There's a bar way in the back of the room. Â The stage area is right in front and it is right next to the entrance as you walk in. Â There's a lot of space so you are pretty much Ok with whatever and wherever you are standing and even way back in the bar. Â There is not too much of it but there is some seating on the side of the venue as well as by the bar area with a seating lounge. Â They have a large projector mounted up on the wall as a background for the stage and I guess it does add to the effect of the stage and show. Â The sound and acoustics is pretty good too.
Review Source:HELICOPTER - Art & Flea After Party at Next Door
Lately, I've felt like a zombie & lost my zest for life, because I've been working + focusing all my energy into projects. People underestimate the importance of having fun on a regular basis (I'm guilty of this) & when I turn into a zombie, I HAVE to make time for myself. Something that makes me feel 1,000x better is dancing & even though my dance moves will make you laugh; it doesn't matter cause I'm not dancing to impress anyone.
You have no idea just how excited I was to finally go dancing (after talking about it for weeks) & to dance at Next Door (my favorite venue) on a weekday was the cherry on the top! It was a special edition of Helicopter since it was the Art & Flea After party & CD Release for local band Vice Vicarious + their last show.
It was bittersweet to watch Vice Vicarious, this was my first time seeing the band perform & it was their last show. However, my sadness was temporary cause after Vice Vicarious' amazing performance, all I could think about was dancing. I can't thank DJ Matt Ratt enough for playing, "Hello" by Martin Solvieg ft. Dragonette, this song brought me back from my zombie existence. It also made me realize, I need new dance moves; good thing I'll have plenty of time to practice since it's summer.
After paying a $10 cover, walking in, looking around, and listening for a moment, I walked back out to have a chat. Â Surely, I was on the wrong end of some joke. Â I'm not always a subtle man, so perhaps pointing out that there were fewer people dancing/at the bar than dollars I paid for cover was harsh, if true. Â While I'd like to now tell you that an hour later things got way better--I won't--because they didn't.
I don't know how to transition into this, so I'll just say that the music was awful. Â I've seen lots of DJs have bad shows, try something new that didn't work out, or get too fucked up on stage to have any concept of beat and flow left, but this was something else entirely. Â It was like watching a self-proclaimed high school freshman DJ stumbling through his first time in garage band. Â At least he looked like he was having fun. Â It's reasonable to say that this could have been an isolated, bad DJ, well, two actually, but it's also reasonable to say that a bar who would feature such a DJ does not warrant a second visit.
To end on a somewhat positive note, the bartender was attentive, polite, and fast. Â Also, there's lots of space to dance, even if the DJ tries to thwart you with every botched beat match.
The first real stop on a night at First Friday and was an interesting place.
They had live rock music which was pretty cool, but obviously a local band trying to break through (mad props to them).
So me and a friend were "lured" into this place when a lady gave us two $3 drink tickets near the door, so we walked in. After ordering 2 drinks inside, the bartender goes "Oh sorry, that special just ended." I told her look you're lady outside just gave us these tickets not even 5 minutes ago etc. etc. so basically she finally budged but an odd experience overall.
I think if I was friends with a band member or something I would come out here to support the band. Somewhat crowded, easily felt like greater than 90 degrees in there, but walk around and you will find some cooler areas for sure.
365 Challenge: #62/365
Alright well this review is based on two nights of Kina Grannis' concerts (Sunday, and Monday) so in fairness I should probably update this later, and in fairness this could be a three or four star review really it's sort of in the middle.
I think I was expecting this place to be worst than it was. I was expecting something super small and crowded and grungy. When I arrived for the concert I was pleased with the inside, it was really simple with a long bar, some back seating, a wide open floor and a stage with a large screen. There's also some artwork on the wall and a random door that I have no idea what is for.
For a concert I thought the sound was adequate for the venue size and it was deceptively a little bigger than you'd think, you don't need to be near the front of the line to still get a decent view of the stage.
The first night I was about five people back on the right side near the speakers, and the second night I was all the way in the front smack on the stage. The second night was a lot less hot than the first night -- or maybe I just got used to it. I didn't have problems feeling cramped by others at all BUT I must annotate that by saying I'm pretty in love with Kina Grannis so there probably could have been a bear slashing at my back and a couple snakes biting my legs and I'd probably still be memorized and focused on her haha.
Didn't get a chance to explore the bar much because I didn't want to have to take bathroom breaks once I got my place for the show. The security guard the big local guy is pretty cool and down to earth if you chat with him.
I went to the Kina Grannis concert here...and yes, it was my fault for standing RIGHT by the speakers, but ....I was standing right by the speakers the whole show. So I couldn't really enjoy it. I wish they had seats....the stadium kine where it's elevated towards the back...so that everyone can see. Yes, in a dream world.
The bathroom situation totally threw me off. It's coed. And there's small pukas that people can look inside to see if anyone is inside....and there's no locks. But I guess that makes sense since this is a bar...and perhaps someone could be stuck inside there totally drunk...
Yelp 365 Challenge #299/365
I went here to see Kina Grannis in concert the other night. This is a terrible venue to have a concert at. It was way too packed and super hot. Although I enjoyed to concert, I didn't enjoy having teenage girl flick their hair in my face through the whole concert. There were a couple times during the concert where I nearly fainted from the heat too. I couldn't even move my arms since the place was overly packed. There were a lot of under age kids at the concert so I didn't think they should have sold alcohol. The kids next to me could have easily took a sip of their friends alcoholic beverage without the bouncers seeing it.
As far as the bar... I've been here before during regular bar hours. Its an alternative on First Friday if you don't want to wait in line to get into Bar 35. The restroom is weird because its unisex. If you need to take a dump and don't want the other sex to know... I suggest you use the restroom somewhere else. The bar is either too big or they don't have enough alcohol on their shelves. It looks empty compared to any other bar I've been to. They should at least fill the shelves with something to fill up the empty space.
I have never heard of this bar until yesterday. Â My 2 visiting friends and I decided to check out this place since the line was short and there was no cover fee. Â As stated in previous reviews, the bouncers are not rude. But, I would not try to pick a fight with them because they are big dudes. Â
Anyway, when we walked in, it felt like a sauna. Â Fans were blowing everywhere to cool down the front area of the building, but was not most people comfortable. Â If you were going to dance, you would leave with a soaked shirt and weight a few pounds less. Â
The major positive was the drumming performers that played along with the music chosen by the DJ. Music was on point and had smoothed transitions and they keep the volume higher than most bars. Â The drinks were not pricey. Â
One feature that stood out was the arrangement of the restrooms. Â The restrooms were separated by a velvet rope. Â There were no male or female signs. Â When I waited in line for the restroom, I was entertained by other restroom seekers, who would try to enter the ladies' side of the restroom.
Overall, I would come back to the bar but in board shorts and a tank top. Â Is there an air conditioner that they can turn on next time?
Chinatown bars are always a hit or miss. Most weekends you can expect crowds, granted the off days make it a nice place to get a drink. I went St. Patrick's Day weekend for the block party. I am not too sure who the Chef is the but the Irish Potato Pancakes were awesome.
Shake and Pop nights is fun, but keep in mind if it gets packed be ready to pay cover to get in. the drink are about what you would expect to be in a neighborhood with so many different bars.
First Friday Madness...kinda
SURROUNDINGS: We got here around 8pm & needless to say there weren't a lot of people there which is totally understandable since it was kind of early. Â First thing I notice is that it's really dark. Â The kind of dark that vampires & rave kids like. Â From what I could actually see the crowd ended up being a very strange mix of people of all ages & styles. Â But that's kind of expected since this was First Friday. Â
There's really no seating here unless you're one of those special VIP people who have a small section across the bar. Â Be prepared to stand. Â The bathrooms are a bit strange: one large, open unisex bathroom. Â I'm kind of used to the boys & girls having a separate potty but it wasn't that big of a deal since it wasn't that busy.
I also notice is this very large, weird triangular contraption with a long curtain/cloth hanging from the middle placed on the entire dance floor...not sure if this is a regular thing or not but we quickly found out that they were having a special event where people were going to do some Cirque de Soliel-type acrobatics (which was actually pretty cool, but not what we went there for). Â We assumed the dance music would start after 9p so we figured since we were there we should consume some alcohol...
ALCOHOL: We had to settle for the regular "green bottle" beer since they did not serve a certain "light" version...but that was fine. Â However, it was pretty pricey ($6 for import bottle) considering this bar has no where to sit, lackluster decor & a no-privacy unisex bathroom. Â The bartender was very friendly & apologetic about the beer situation which was nice.
ENTRANCE: During the artsy performance we took a break, left & came back when the DJ music started (around 9:30ish). Â It was nice that we didn't have to pay cover since we were there earlier (I think the cover is $10 on weekends or First Fridays). Â Luckily the line wasn't bad either, maybe about 5 people. Â The bouncer & employee at the front door were nice, too. Â
MUSIC: It was ok, mostly house/trance with a little bit of old school hip-hop/pop mixed in there. Â The songs didn't transition well, though...once in a while the beats would double up or slow down too quickly where you find yourself trying to figure out your groove again. Â As another reviewer said, the soundsystem is not great. Â It was a little too loud & didn't sound good. Â Still, those ailments didn't stop us from acting like fools on the dance floor. Â But...after about 10 minutes of being on that dance floor you'll have to find the large floor fan they have blasting near the entrance...there is barely any air circulation & it gets really stuffy & hot...REALLY stuffy & hot. Â I think the AC system could use a tune-up...
OVERALL(S): if you're wandering around on First Friday & want to check out new places (which is what we were doing), check this place out anyway. Â Normally our First Fridays only consist of alcohol & dancing. Â Thanks to NextDoor we can now say we experienced an ACTUAL art performance, you know, one of the main reasons First Friday exists in the first place...
I'm a fan of Chinatown. I live there, I eat there, I work there and I go to school there....and Nextdoor has easily become my favorite place.
After hearing reviews from friends "that it wasn't that great." I still dragged my roommate there and we LOVE it.
First the service: I have yet to meet bouncers and bartenders as nice and funny as the staff at Nextdoor. They are all great! And they'll laugh at my lame jokes once I have a buzz going.
For those of you who classified this bar as "full of hipsters," let's be honest.... this is Hawaii... even our hippiest of hipsters are mundane compared to my hometown of Portland.
Drink prices here rock, music may be loud but if you dance you can really enjoy it.
Can't wait to hit Nextdoor up tonight for 1/2 happy hour from 9pm to 10:30!
**New** Happy Happy Hour! 1/2 OFF EVERYTHING! [900pm - 1030pm] **New**
Mondays: Motown on Mondays [M.O.M] No Cover!
Wednesdays: Golden Era
Thursdays: Broadcast Thursdays
Fridays: WORKIT!
Saturdays: Live Events!
Check it out! <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nextdoorhnl.com&s=40f1c747443528c74afe05b3051bceac6c1eb1898389c903ff767a79228980ad" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.nextdoorhnl.c…</a>
One star for the permanent ear damage from their wack sound system- every time I go to an event there it the same M.O.!. Â there are plenty things to like about next door and big up for supporting live music in hawaii. Â BUT every time the sound system is either too distorted loud and ear damaging or too soft...and too often the acts on stage performing are complaining, frustrated, not happy with the sound so are unhappy frustrated performers...like last night four calls out to "turn it up
Please" Â This has been going on for years! Â Lame my ear is still ringing from last nights midrange distortion freak out..Give a warning and pass out earplugs or get your act together and do somethting....
We came here last night to check out 808 Speakerbox and instantly I fell in love with the venue. Â This is my type of low-key dive bar. The brick walls have a few pieces of cool artwork and the crowd is super chill. Â The venue is a basic rectangle, with a stage area set up in the front near the entrance. Â As you walk back you see a VIP area upstairs, a bar to your left, and some comfy seating to your right. Â I wonder how often they have actual concerts here. Â Also, I believe I saw Blue Moon on tap here. Â This just may be my replacement for the Continental Room in Fullerton :)
Review Source:Loners, nerds, and geeks: I've been here, lads. I've been into the shire of hipsters and on First Friday, nonetheless (Day of Hipsterdom).
It really wasn't my intention to. I was looking for an event called 808 Speakerbox. I have this tendency to go to places without knowing A) Where it is, B) What it's called, and C) Why I'm going there in the first place. Makes the trip altogether more fun and normally it works out for me in the end. Tonight, it didn't though. The event didn't take place there, but after walking a couple of rounds on the block, I decided to settle at Nextdoor and have a beer.
Didn't have to pay any cover charge when I got in around 7:30 pm. It's dark and artsy like an emo kid's soul, but without the acne. Big room to dance in but only a few comfy seats. There were some stools in the back, so me and my $6 glass of Blue Moon decided to mosey on over into that area and watch the scene.
That didn't really happen as planned. It was a meat factory in the back. Oscar Myer would've felt some competition. All I could see were men huddling in small groups, glancing around. Having a vagina was immediately made apparent to me and I started to feel kind of awkward about that.
After a couple of minutes of being in the trenches of testosterone, I decided to walk towards the only spot were I could find a bit of estrogen: The dance floor. The dance floor was a bit sparse, but it was still pretty fun to throw in my nerd moves. DJ was playing alright songs. Nothing bold or new.
Not sure if it was because I was solo, but it got "meh" after a while. Left shortly afterwards. I think it would definitely be a cool place to see some kind of show or event. If you're a loner, nerd, or geek, I'd advise to save a solo trip somewhere else or wait until they put on something other than a sausage fest.
Nextdoor Breakdown
Music - This is by far the best venue we have in town for a life performance of both DJ and a Band. Â The elevation of the stage gives a lot of presence to the act and gives those dancing a great place to do so. Â The only issue with this place on the sound side would be the acoustics are sub par and there seems to be an issue from time to time with getting a good soundcheck pre show but that blame can't always fall on the venue. Â There has been a great run of motown as well in the upstairs area on mondays. Â It is somewhat low on attendance but its nice having a small intimate area to take someone and enjoy good music that you may not hear on a regular basis
Drinks - drinks here are at a reasonable price, the service is relatively quick for the number of people and they do a decent job staffing to ensure your not waiting too long. Â It wouldn't be the best place to come if you are expecting a extensive selection of beers or a serious mixologist clinic but you wont be unhappy with brews or liquor. Â
Atmosphere - I get a great feel walking into this place when there is a good lineup for the night and the energy level is high and still find that I enjoy myself when there is only a small show and the attendees are more subdued. Â There are seats by the bar and a few bar tables along with a small slightly elevated more VIP area towards the back. Â It is one of the few places that gives me the feeling that I could be at a real music venue, not just a bar with a few people playing music floor level. The bathrooms have a somewhat unique feel as you could become confused which is men's and which is women's.
I feel that nextdoor is something special for those who frequent downtown and offers a very unique experience. Â It deserves a little bit better then 4 stars but not quite 5 and so I had to settle at 4
First of all, where the hell is this place?
If someone put a gun to my head and said "i'm going to kill you if you don't take me to Nextdoor" I'd say pull the trigger because I have no idea! Â I've been twice. Â Once for the Honolulu Film Festival and my roommate drove and the second because I was out, pretty wasted, and there was no line during first friday. Â I'm pretty sure it's in chinatown, and if I had to guess, it's around hotel street.
Things I do remember: Â It's WAY LOUD! Â Like, way way loud. Â This is kind of a pet peeve of mine so if you don't mind literally shouting at your friends, this place is for you.
The bathrooms are probably the dirtiest in the city. Â I've been in cleaner bathrooms in Iraq or Thailand.
One cool thing they show movies on this huge brick wall. Â Nice touch. Â but PS, this doesn't cut down on the NOISE!
AHHHHHHHH! Â It's SO NOISY!!!!
My favorite venue to take photos at by far. The brick wall does wonders!
The drinks are awesome and the bartenders are very nice and attentive. Always great entertainment here. There's an upstairs room but I haven't been there (I NO RATE!).
Sound, their projector and the images they display are always very trippy and fun to look at.
Saw my favorite artists here Murs & Flying Lotus :) They always know who to bring down!
+no cover
+great music
+they've got some beers on tap and fully stocked bar
---first time coming to Next Door and to my luck they had a live band playing DEADBEATS, which btw they sounded awesome! this is my kinda scene chill atmosphere with good music...sometimes it's better than your average booty music type of club scene
Next Door is hands down the best bar in Chinatown to catch live shows. This place does an impressive job of recruiting real talent to their stage (both undiscovered artists and known acts alike). Both the staff and crowd are friendly, laid back, and there to have a good time.
Check out ND on wednesdays for LiveBroadCast, where local artists put on an amazing show, have it streamed over the internet and usually have demos of their stuff available. Fridays and Saturdays are always a safe bet as well (renowned DJS, fashion shows, etc).
Bottom line- Next Door sets the standard for everything up and coming in Chinatown and continues to stay on top of the music and arts world without losing their authentic old school feel.
Headed to Next Door to play a gig and as we walked past the colorful characters of Chinatown (homeless guy, crackhead lady, drunken dude) I thought to myself, why does it have to be like this? Why does the life of a singer/songwriter in Hawaii have to involve the dirty streets of Chinatown? Why can't my gig be at Neiman Marcus or at least somewhere that I'm not afraid I'll catch syphilis if I sit down without spraying Lysol. Oh yeah, because that's where Indie music in Hawaii lives...in Chinatown. (Sigh) The things we do for art and music!
My fellow yelper Eric A had invited me to play at Next Door for their weekly Wednesday live music show "Broadcast," which features all local musicians playing original tunes. Very cool, I thought, and I was stoked to play. I entered Next Door after the gigantic, although very sweet Samoan door guy checked my ID to make sure I was 21. Trust me when I say that I am waaaay past 21, but I'm totally fine with the fact that I still look like I need to be carded. Just keep lying to me door guy, I love it.
Next Door is one of those venues that could be so amazing if someone had enough money to bring it up to snuff. Its walls are beautiful red brick that you can only find in old Chinatown buildings and they are decorated with wonderful art. There is one long bar and the furniture is a hodge podge of random pieces. The bathrooms are a bit odd as they are unisex, or I hoped to God they were unisex or else I was in the Men's room! But alas that's probably one of those features that is meant to make it cool and hipster, but as I'm not cool or hipster I would really like a bathroom that is girls only. There was a bouncer sitting outside of the bathroom and I couldn't help but wonder if he was there to watch the back door or to watch the bathroom. Either way, him being there made me feel better about the whole thing.
Went on stage to do my sound check with the stoned sound guy (is there any other kind?) and listened to several deafening tones of feedback. I couldn't tell what he was doing and just hoped that I wasn't the one causing the mess which just made everyone more irritable and didn't do anything to build me a more loyal fan club. It was very sweet though when the stoned sound guy told me that I was an angel that had just landed on stage. Either I sounded really good, or he had just dropped a few tabs and really thought that I had sprouted a halo and some wings.
So if you're in the mood to hang out with men who wear plaid shirts, American Apparel and skin tight jeans then mosey down to Next Door with your posse of hipsters. You're most likely not going to like this place if you don't enjoy hanging with college kids and think Chinatown is awesomely eclectic. Wonderful venue for live music but if you're not used to the live and very loud Indie music scene be sure to bring your earplugs. I'm no hipster so I definitely needed some earplugs because man was the music LOUD! Is this a sign of good hearing or just old age? Perhaps both...
Red brick, decent sized stage and HUGE room. Today was also the first time I got to see inside during a daytime setting. Had to take advantage of the photo op. Looks prettier but a lot more chic, come evening time.
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DWE594V97G20&s=5b2970bf0c277ea3633e99b891f2189c6d19b516251afd5279e5e415a06933f3" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3Dg5xwZtOEgwM&s=fd36be55d3192b8dbf010889448eafd96be195a2fcacbd342583bf56629eaa78" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
Haven't been since Halloween '09 for a show and tonight it was great! Clones of the Queen (ambient electronica, female vocals) and Grlfriends (80's dancy ala The Killers) killed it! Other bands on the bill were Fittedoar and Painted Highways, who also performed exceptionally well. I also noticed that since it went past the scheduled show time, different crowds of people began to trickle in. It was after all, an all ages shindig. Perhaps their first?
During the set of Grlfriends:
<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DyUBUzlmk7tQ&s=8c1e590f118a6a6353e0fc3893389e9f1c097383352aca4115a718e3ac7e6d06" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/w…</a>
Can't wait till the next show. Hopefully, my new band will be playing. Eric is uploading photos/videos (the main reason for the review update) and writing this review drunk. Also talking in the third person while trying not to be obnoxious. Yay, 3-Day weekend, mofos!
BTW vid clips are short cause Youtube won't upload them if the file size is any longer/bigger. Yes, agreed = Doo-Doo!
4 stars
Next Door on Hotel Street
Bottom line: Â How savvy are you? Â If your idea of a great night out includes overpriced drinks, a fake "Las Vegas" style club experience (go to Vegas for the real deal), crappy music and even crappier DJs, snobby local asian girls who work retail, live with mommy and daddy and want to pretend they're rich for the night, and 5 million local dudes in "Affliction" t-shirts, then Nextdoor just isn't your shit.
But. Â If you actually appreciate the craft of DJing (you cringe when the DJ misses a beatmatch and laugh at badly crafted crossfades), love indie/good music, want to avoid the fake pretentiousness of the Waikiki "glam" club scene, and could go home perfectly happy if none of the hot garbage on the top 40 hip hop charts gets any play...then Nextdoor just might be your shit.
It's a definitive local venue, with previous guest DJs to include: Z-trip, Zita, Africa Bambaata, Diplo....we're talking world class talent. Â And too many amazing indie hip hop / rock acts to mention, really. Â Nobody, and I mean nobody, else gets talent of this level on stage and on the 1s and 2s. Â Even the resident DJ talent here is the upper echelon of DJ talent in the state.
As a former SF resident I can say that this place reminds me of a few of my favorite old haunts in the city...its a great looking, comfy venue that takes the typical party setting and elevates it into a semi-cultural experience with good music. Â It's music, while still being super fun rager party music, is crafted for a more sophisticated audience. Â Yeah it gets hot and yeah the bathrooms can get a little dirty but it's worth it.
A lot of people in HI just don't "get it" but....we live on a small rock and like any small town, many of the clubs here are super, super, behind the times. Â In any other major city in the US, the DJ and music culture is just that....a culture. Â Something enjoyed for the love of music. Â Here, its oftentimes a backdrop for a bunch of single people who don't really give a rip about art or music, they just want to meet folks and hook up. Â Honolulu can be a shitty town to go clubbing in if you actually like good music. Â Frankly a lot of local kids aren't very sophisticated musically and that's obvious when you see what most of them have on their iPods. Â What did you think was going to be playing at the clubs they like partying at? Â The most bass-ackwards crappy dive bars I can remember from Jersey played better music than many of the "popular" clubs here. *ahem* Pearl *ahem*.
Anyway, this isn't meant to be a rant...just know that if you've been to every other club in Honolulu and didn't like it...then maybe Nextdoor just might be your shit.
I heart NEXTDOOR!
I was the resident gogo dancer for Nextdoor 2007 & 2008 while living in Hawaii and pretty much lived there on Friday nights.
Nextdoor was my favorite place to gogo dance and my favorite place to party at when not working.... I loved First Fridays!
If you love house music... you'll love Nextdoor. Friday nights are my favorite nights and I did attend Acid Wash Wednesdays once or twice to show some love to Vegas Mike.
What's so special about Nextdoor is that they bring in DJs from all over the globe! Guest Djs from Jay Tripwire, J. Scott G., Jojo Flores, Fred Everything, Kaskade, Bassbin Twins, Dj dan and Niguel Richards to name a few... I have many great memories rockin the gogo's to the sickiest music! Lucky me! My friends/ resident Djs in 2007/2008 Dj: Willis Haltom, Nick, Ira/G spot/ Vegas Mike/ Akio rocked ND! I loved dancing to their music! (^_^)
Yes parking is an issue... either street or paid parking lot, there can be a long line, it gets crowded, hot and sweaty because of no a.c. but with 2 dance floors upstairs/downstairs, a full bar and awesome house music... you can't help but deal with the people and heat... and head to ND and dance the night away with great drinks and people. Come in heels or kicks...
They even have special events here... like performances, fashion shows and local fashion designer sales.
When I think about Hawaii... I play back many great times at ND! I miss ND and the great vibe! I had many nights rockin the gogos/ dancing on the dance floor and vibing off all the amazing dancers in the crowd! fun!
I haven't been to ND in ages since I moved away from Hawaii... I wouldn't mind stopping by this month before I leave the islands. Don't know what it's like now days... I haven't seen the place since they reopened.
If you haven't been to ND or visiting Oahu... stop by Nextdoor on a Friday night, get a drink, lounge on the sofas or dance to house beats! In the heart of Chinatown in a warehouse like building... great bartenders and Chris the sound guy if he is still there is cool! Nextdoor is the place to be!
Lots of xoxo's to ND! I miss u!
This was my hangout before I turned 21! Kiddos like me are probably the main reason they closed down for a while. I love going to shows here- notable faves: Matt Costa and Citizen Cope (dude was angry with the dumb sound ppl though).
I haven't been back since they re-opened because... well, to be honest because no one will go with me! I really liked it here but no one else did. Maybe it's the lack of seating, freaky bathrooms, or weirdy owners but I always try to steer everyone in the direction of Next Door. People avoid this place like the plague. I welcome it. Is it still dancy, drunky, fun? The legal me may never know :(
Probably the ONLY place I'll go to if I want to have a fun night, I don't do the whole club Zanzabar/Fashions thing but I do really enjoy Next Door, the decor is great and I love that they have the SMART bar. Â I love the mix of people who come here and that you don't have to be so dressed up to fit in... It does get pretty hot in there, so dress a little more comfortably and you'll be fine :)
WEDNESDAY NIGHTS are the best :p
I met my bf here on Halloween! :) That's the only reason for the 5 star rating. Â haha.
I actually think the place is pretty ghetto but I do like the music and mixed crowd. I like the fact that you can dress comfortably and casually and not feel out of place. Â You're definitely going to sweat here and you don't want to do so in "dry clean only".
Gotta love "Next Door".
My first time there, I ran into everyone I knew in town there. How is it that everyone knew about this place but me?
So now I'm telling you. Go to Next Door. Go to their 80's night on Wednesday nights. You WILL have a good time. Unless you're THAT person. Don't be THAT person.
I absolutely, positively HATE this club. Â As a resident of downtown who thoroughly enjoys the bar scene here, I'm always thrown for a loop when people invite me to this club.
Admittedly, this review might be skewed considering I generally have a distaste for clubs, but this club is one of my LEAST favorite places to go downtown.
It's basically a glorified warehouse space with a dance floor. Â Their drink specials are usually REALLY crappy. Â There's oftentimes a cover which is rarely advertised. Â The bathrooms, though, are pretty cool and generally not as dirty as they could be. Â They do host an 80's night which is also pretty cool, but it gets so busy that it's difficult to get drinks at the bar. Â There are a few couches but they are always taken and in weird dark corners so you're sort of separated from the fold. Â
Expect lots of house music, except for nights with live bands which are sometimes on the more rock-ish side of the music scene. Â The Cherry Blossom Cabaret is known to perform here but I've seen them and wasn't all that impressed. Â The girls are pretty and the numbers are.... unique. Â
Also, there's a mysterious room upstairs which I think may be the VIP,but I've never seen anyone enter or exit... only sometimes loiter and look down which is SUPER annoying because I want to know what's going on up there... why is it SO secretive!!!!! Â
Anyway, if you enjoy bad or maybe fair music that's WAY too loud, dark warehouse-inspired clubs and pricey beverages, this is definitely the place for you. Â If you're looking for more of a fun or relaxed BAR experience, stop off at 39 Hotel or Bar 35 instead.
Helllooo Hotel Street!!
At first I was unsure about this spot, being on Hotel St. and all...but it's actually a nice little gem in the heart of Chinatown..
I really do love this place...and that's a lot coming from a gal that does NOT drink. =D
I saw Carlos D. of Interpol at NextDoor, spinning music...how cool is that!??
Great atmosphere, interesting people, and friendly djs....just an awesome place to go and dance the night away.
I have yet to find a nightspot here in the Bay Area that comes close to the NextDoor experience....I sure do miss Hawaii!
R.I.P. CLUB HUBBA HUBBA
My my...how Hotel Street has changed. Â I remember going to Hotel Street every day after school to make a bus transfer and crossing the street so I didn't have to walk in front of Club Hubba Hubba. Â What a difference a few decades, good music, and a swarm of well-dressed 20-somethings can make. Â The DJs are good and even made 80's night bearable.
Another great thing about Next Door is that it's adjacent to Bar 35. Â When Next Door gets too packed and you start to feel like you're in a a sauna, get your hand stamped and duck in to Bar 35 for some breathing room and more affordable drinks.
First Fridays or guest DJ appearances always finds me outside basking in the hipster glow of it all, debating with black clad anti-glams whether this is the new that or if the Malaysian place down the street is SO.
And at some point, while slurring rejection stories with some homies, I will inquire about the time and be absolutely blown away that it's only 11:30pm. It's like clockwork.
So we head back inside to roam amidst chill genuine party people. Do make your way to the front of the dance floor and watch the craziness. Do explore the "flexible" unisex bathrooms. Do not take the candles ensconsced ever so creatively in the wall. Do position yourself in front of the industrial sized fans and strut with hair all up there. DO lose yourself in beats.
Ups for way cool security and totally agreeable bar service. All in all, big ups for this place for spinning bangin HOUSE music and bangin vibe.
It's no secret that living the party lifestyle can take a serious toll on the human body.
Now, one local nightspot is offering a healthier way to imbibe alcohol and providing easy-access alternatives in an effort to introduce customers to an alternative drinking experience.
Lacy Matsumoto and Chris Kahunahana introduced the SMARTbar concept at NextDoor in May, with four new cocktails and a wide variety of non-alcoholic smoothies and juices.
"We'd been talking about having smoothies because I'm not really a big drinker," said Matsumoto. "But when you're at a bar, you tend to just drink what's available."
That got her thinking about bringing in a few blenders and setting them up, Jamba Juice-style, behind the bar.
But the cost of ingredients, noise factor and time it would take to make the smoothies from scratch seemed to sink the idea.
So she simplified things instead, opting for bottled Naked Juice and Sambazon organic smoothies.
Matsumoto's regular visits to the farmers market at Kapiolani Community College resulted in a partnership with Pacific Kool Ginger to provide homemade ginger ale for NextDoor. Big Island Organics Agave Lemonade is also on the menu.
Other healthy options include Kombucha Asian Pear Ginger Blend, which Matsumoto describes as a liver-cleanser, and three different flavors of Zico Coconut Water, which Kahunahana says it his own personal favorite. And Matsumoto insists that Yerba Matte is her new energy drink of choice.
"It makes you more buzzed than a Red Bull," she said. "My security (staff), they split it ... they don't even drink a whole bottle. It's amazing."
For those who must have some alcohol in their cup when they're in the club, NextDoor's SMARTbar features four cocktails that utilize healthy ingredients. The menu will change periodically.
It was so refreshing to find a place like this after I moved back to the islands a couple years ago.
The venue is spacious, and has a kinda "underground" feel too it. Â For these reasons, I think that it has made it both a trendy and 'have-fun" atmosphere. Â For the same reasons, it has made the venue very versatile to housing many diverse, and wildly popular, events. Â These venue has everything from indie bands, electronic music DJs, hip-hop acts, reggae events, and even houses some cinema/performance art events. Â I would go so far as saying that it's the closest thing we've had since the old After Dark; which used to be out on Nimitz.
Besides being a great versatile venue, the club brings in some notable talent from across the nation. Â Every week has a new act coming down.
I love love this spot. Â I have come to terms with the fact that many of my photos from the weekends will have a brick backdrop (from the brick walls at Nextdoor)
Come here for the vibe, stay 'cause you're sloshed on Chernobyls.
While I'm sure this place didn't invent Chernobyls, they might as well have 'cause that's the only place that actually knows what they are and I discovered them here. Â They are dangerous as they sound. Â And they glow in blacklight! Fun!
I've come here for a variety of different events, from cool indie bands to slammin techno DJs, this is the place to go in Hawaii. Â Parking can be challenging if you're new to the Chinatown scene, but if you plan to leave before 12, then park in municipal parking. Â If you want more time freedom, then park at Mark's Garage or next to Mark's Garage in the open air parking lot. Â Bring cash for that and for your entry fee.
check the website for info, as the cover charge changes depending on what night it is and the event. Â Usually weeknight's it's free before a certain time (like 10) and is around $5 after that. Â On weekends it can vary from $5 all the way up to around $30 depending on who it's for. Â The drinks are decently priced, you can get those Chernobyls for about $8 which is great 'cause they're pretty strong. Â Tip the bartenders well, they're awesome people!
If you're there on a crowded night it'll be hard to get a seat, but if you go with a few people it's possible to wait around and kinda pounce your way onto the corner couches in the front (comfortable couches!!!)
The decor is great, it's an old warehouse where the second floor has been removed to give it greater space (which is awesome 'cause it's never too hot in there, plus there's a door that's eerily high off the ground) . Â Exposed brick walls, and in the spots where there's bricks missing they've put little tealight candles. Â So cute. Â Yea, i said cute.
The bathrooms can be a little offsetting, they're usually set up to be unisex, so you'll walk in and have a guy walk out...not so great if you want complete privacy (of course there are doors on the stalls so it's not like you're doing that in front of others). Â Plus there's not always soap, so check on the other side if they have any. Â If not I recommend bringing hand sanitizer. Â
The music here is so diverse but it's awesome every single time I come. Â If you're visiting Hawaii and want something that's not touristy at all, come check this place out. Â But leave the socks & sandals in the hotel, okay?
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