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    Manoa Gardens

    3.9 (35 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs
    Closed Closed

    Manoa Gardens Photos

    MANOA GARDENS ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Live music
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups

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    Justin A.

    I don't know about the rest of you, but I usually find that returning to an old haunt is often quite disappointing... like watching an old episode of Mighty Morphin Power Rangers and finally realizing how lame it really was. However, this visitation to the oft-frequented bar during my former university student life reminded me of some really great memories. Let me preface the rest of my review by saying that if this bar went to high school with the other Hawaii bars, it would be in the outcast group and given swirlies every day. The selection of drinks is surprisingly good for a campus bar (besides a standard liquor set-up... rogue dead guy ale, newcastle and kona longboard on tap, and patron/jager machines). However, it's obvious this place was designed as a campus eatery, then, the manager got a permit to serve alcohol. The layout is like a typical (mini) cafeteria except for the half dozen stools at the bar. Also, the pupus aren't great... the best you should expect is so-so fries, onion rings and spring rolls. That being said, this Friday, I had a chance to hang out with some friends until they had to leave... then I hung out with the bar rats and bartenders. Despite the fact that the bar officially closed at 9, the bartenders were nice enough to let me hang out till 10 o'clock reminiscing about the Manoa Gardens of old. I even got a free 24-oz tanqueray tonic, despite the fact that I had only met the bartender an hour prior; definitely some of the nicest bartenders I've ever met. If you ever visit this bar, I would recommend avoiding high expectations... it's nothing fancy or particularly special. However, for former bar rats, it's always reminiscent of good times past. I frequented this place many times after midterms/finals with classmates... and sometimes professors. Although years have passed since I last visited, I still saw students drowning their school-related sorrows in a 32 of beer. I doubt the crowd will ever truly change, which is actually nice to think about. There will always be the 21-year old student celebrating his/her birthday as early in the day as possible, the juniors/seniors drinking away the stress of the semester, the grad students and professors discussing research and scientific theories, and the lonely university individual trying to find good company. Good times.

    #beefcake

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    Great outdoor venue! Probably the best deal for a cold beer on the island!

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    Ask the Community - Manoa Gardens

    Review Highlights - Manoa Gardens

    That's right, amongst UHM's buildings and auditoriums is a bar tucked inside the BaLe over by Sinclair Library.

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    Murphy's Bar & Grill - 10.25.24 Irish-Hawaiian Pub

    Murphy's Bar & Grill

    4.2(609 reviews)
    3.2 miDowntown
    $$

    Murphy's Pub, Chinatown is everything you want an Irish pub to be…read more We dropped in on a Friday afternoon for happy hour and ended up staying until the chairs were on the tables and the lights were out. We had a friend visiting from Scotland and wanted to give him an authentic pub experience, and Murphy's delivered in every way. Fridays after work are especially great here, the place fills up with energy, and for some reason the Guinness just tastes better. We grabbed seats at the bar, always the right move, and were taken care of by bartenders who were friendly, attentive, and genuinely welcoming. My buddy and I stuck with pints of Guinness while my wife enjoyed a dirty martini. The food did not disappoint. Corned beef and cabbage, a breaded pork chop with mashed potatoes, and a salmon Caesar salad all hit the spot. The back bar is packed with memorabilia and old photos, so much history that you could grab a pint and wander for an hour just taking it all in. The shuffleboard was another highlight and quickly turned into a few competitive games. What really stood out was the crowd, so many regulars stopping in, greeting each other, and chatting with the staff, it truly felt like a Cheers-style place where everybody knows your name. Murphy's works just as well for lunch or dinner, and it is perfect for both locals and visitors. Thanks, Murphy's, for making it such a great night for our Scottish buddy.

    Made a reservation to come for dinner with two friends last night since Murphy's isn't open on the…read moreweekends. Good thing we did because after we were seated and ordered by our favorite server, Pepe, because the place filled up real fast. My friends had potato skins with cheese (no meat), open faced turkey sandwich (turkey was a bit dry in places) and I had Murphy's "Big Salad" and a side of fries. I was celebrating a positive resolution to a big problem so I had myself a "Snakebite" (Guiness & hard cider). For desert we had their yummy Pot de Crème, hot Apple Crisp and a chocolate sundae, No leftovers!!! Always a good sign. Love Murphy's.

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    10.25.24 Irish proverb

    Murphy's Bar & Grill - Murphy's "Big Salad"

    Murphy's "Big Salad"

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    Hana Koa Brewing - Taster flight

    Hana Koa Brewing

    4.4(649 reviews)
    2.4 miKaka'ako
    $$

    Came here on a Sunday with some friends and food was good for a brewery. We made reservations…read moreonline but we probably could have just walked in for a party of 4. They have ample seating both up and downstairs. When we were leaving, around 2p the place filled up. They had a big menu with some special Sunday brunch options too. I was craving a burger and it did not disappoint. Service was great- our server kept checking on us and let us chill for a while- we hadn't seen eachother in a while. Parking wise they have a good size lot that was empty on Sunday but I imagine is fills up at night. If not it's just street parking in the area. Overall it was a good experience and plan to be back!

    Came here expecting just a typical brewery, but it ended up being such a great spot. They have a…read morefull bar in addition to their beers, which is perfect if you're with friends who want cocktails or something different. The food was surprisingly good too -- definitely more than just typical bar snacks. Everything we ordered was really tasty and paired well with the drinks. The environment is one of my favorite parts. The space is big, lively, and really well designed, with a nice upstairs area that gives you a great view of the whole place. It's a fun vibe whether you're coming for drinks, food, or just hanging out. Overall a really solid spot with good drinks, yummy food, and a great atmosphere. I'd definitely come back.

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    Hana Koa Brewing - Lime in the Coconut - delicious take on key lime pie flavor!

    Lime in the Coconut - delicious take on key lime pie flavor!

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    Harbor Pub & Pizza - BBQ Chicken Pizza

    Harbor Pub & Pizza

    3.5(752 reviews)
    1.9 miWaikiki
    $$

    This is one of my favorite places back home in Hawaii. My dad lives across the street in Waikiki…read morefor over 35 years and this is our go to for pizza. Omg it's good. I also get the French dip once in a while and got it a few weeks ago and it's always a winner when we're eating at the pub. I'm another night, the pizza was awesome for takeout. It's located at the entrance to the Ala Wai Yacht Harbor with so many hotels around it like the Ilikai so if you're a tourist this is a MUST visit place to get the local experience and a lot of the local sailing scene hangs out here. When I'm dining in I love the cocktails too but they also have a great beer selection. If you're doing take out, be patient. They can get really busy and they'll literally either leave the phone off the hook or just not answer it. It's frustrating but luckily since I live nearby when I'm on Oahu, I just walk over and place my order (or dine at the bar if they get snotty about it - trust me they do sometimes). But this place is the best!!!

    This is the type of place where you feel totally comfortable hanging out with wrinkle clothes and…read morebad hair. Unpretentious, no frills local spot. Don't come expecting designer foods with foam or craft cocktails. Just solid, classic American fare done right. We usually stick to the pizza and beer. The crust is thin and crisp, more of a light, cracker-like crunch than a chewy toothsome bite. They serve beer by the full or mini pitcher. Pro tip: ask for a plastic cup of ice and drop it into the pitcher to keep it cold. No A/C, just open windows and fans. The Ala Wai Harbor definitely lets you know it's there when the wind shifts. Plenty of metered street parking nearby at about $1/hour. Happy eating! 42

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    Harbor Pub & Pizza - Inside Kitchen

    Inside Kitchen

    Harbor Pub & Pizza
    Harbor Pub & Pizza - Bacardi and coke

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    Side Street Inn - Our Poke Combo (Fresh Ahi Poke & Spicy Kajiki Poke) paired with Side Street's Rogue Beer!

    Side Street Inn

    4.1(2.5k reviews)
    1.5 miKaimuki
    $$

    OMG! This was a dining experience! So, the restaurant was closing so my friend said we should eat…read morethere! I didn't know that the servings were group sized!! I found so many things that looked great on the menu, to include fried gizzards, boneless Kal Bi ribs, fully loaded fried rice, Mac salad and other stuff I can't recall! So the TWO of us ordered way too much! We tried to eat as much as we could and ended up taking the rest home! Everything we ordered was delicious, so we knew we were going to eat good leftovers! The restaurant was a great place to go with a group to eat and watch sports! Our Waitress (I have to remember to get names) was a track star, she was running to and from several tables of groups to deliver food! I will go again if they reopen!

    If you're visiting Hawaii with a big group, 100% recommend taking them here…read more We initially were a party of 16, and showed up without a reservation at 6pm on a Saturday. The staff was super nice about it and was able to accommodate us, with only a small request that we be out by 8pm since there was another big party with a reservation coming in. Absolutely reasonable. They sat us right away at three large tables, which gave us plenty of space for food and didn't force us to sit super close together. Menus, waters, plates, napkins, and forks were all brought out immediately, and our waiter was quick to take our order. We started with the prix fixe menu for 8-10 guests and were going to add other items à la carte, but a handful of our group accidentally went to the other Side Street location (make sure your group is all on the same page), so what we ordered ended up being more than enough. We left stuffed and with 5 boxes of food still. Edamame was nice and steamy, and large enough to easily pop the beans out with your mouth. Wish there was a bit more salt though. The farmer's salad had everything going on from citrusy to salty to crispy. Avocado had a little bit of oxidation but the capers, dressing and potato curls provided plenty of reasons to overlook it. The fried rice came in a hefty portion, with sizable pieces of bacon and sausage. The chicken I didn't realize was boneless based on the shape of the deep fry, but it was nice to freely bite into it without worrying about hitting anything with my teeth. Probably a bit too much on fried bits but still good. Pork chops had a better meat to crisp ratio in my opinion, as well as juiciness. They even came with ketchup on the side, which I love as a pairing but don't see much of at restaurants. My favorite meat item was definitely the sizzling boneless kalbi. The presentation on the sizzling plate with a side of kimchi was spectacular, and the meat was full of flavor. We also ordered yakisoba, which wasn't part of the prix fixe. Tasted good but nothing past standard expectations. We let the waiter know we had a 30th birthday at the table, and they brought a couple scoops of vanilla ice cream with a candle, and did a decent job getting the whole room to participate in the singing. It could also be the type of crowd this place attracts, since it seemed that everyone was so friendly and approachable. Thanks to the quick and consistent service, we were out in a little over an hour with no complaints.

    Photos
    Side Street Inn - Our Chef Colin's Classics Menu feeds 3-4 guests for $105.00!

    Our Chef Colin's Classics Menu feeds 3-4 guests for $105.00!

    Side Street Inn - Oodles of Noodles! Try our Yakisoba! You can also add Kim Chee for extra flavor.

    Oodles of Noodles! Try our Yakisoba! You can also add Kim Chee for extra flavor.

    Side Street Inn - Popcorn Chicken & French Fries

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    Popcorn Chicken & French Fries

    Manoa Gardens - pubs - Updated May 2026

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