Transparency: I went for one hh drink. Funsies. A little speakeasy action. You think you're walking into like a thrift store but the back is this fun sort of hipster haven-y cocktail bar. Sofa seating (with sofa from a thrift store seemingly), a long bar and even a little outdoor area. The HH cocktail menu was nice. I think about $10 and had some great options and the drink was solid. They had little pupus, but we didn't eat as we were heading to dinner. W/O happy hour, i think cocktails were closer to that $16+ mark. Overall, a fun little spot in Chinatown for a drink. Definitly more of a "locals" vibe vs touristy, but I'm here for it. read more

OMG this place is SO cute! This used to be the former Leis Stand but they made this space their own and it's working! The atmosphere is calm, intimate, and feels like a hidden little escape. I came for drinks but immediately wanted to come back and try the food because everything around me looked incredible. I tried the Carajillo Mai'a Espresso Martini and the Bright Days Espresso Martini. The banana bread flavor in the first one was subtle and I personally would've loved a little more, but both drinks were still delicious! The indoor and outdoor spaces are beautiful and there are so many cute little corners that make you want to stay awhile. Definitely a spot I can't wait to return to! read more

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The great escape... That's exactly how I felt the moment I walked through the hanging aloha shirts like entering a secret spot only for it to emerge a full comforting lounge. There I see Terry K as we met for the evening this had been on my list and I'm so glad that I was able to check it off as it sure didn't disappoint for how I was hoping to enjoy a bit of pau hana after a long day at work as I did manage to get there by Happy Hour which is 2pm-5pm which had a generous food options from $8 to $12 so we ordered a bunch...Calamari, Sliders and Parmesan Fries all was delicious though I was starving then it was the chicken wings which had the yuzu citrus glaze that really made it delicious. I don't drink very much so I asked the bartender for a mocktail which he did make a yummy and refreshing sip while I enjoyed the bites the vibe here is just to nice and relaxing with various seating options from a sofa to bar top to the outside area. The service is nice and friendly always checking on us though parking is always challenging for the area it's worth the search to relax and enjoy this vibe. Thank you! read more

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Such a cute spot and a great place to meet up with friends for a pau hana! We ordered the Hunneh Girl margarita along with a few small bites to share. The margarita definitely packed a punch--they clearly want you to have a good time! One of my favorite dishes was the Brussels sprouts. They had a delicious balance of flavors with a subtle sweetness that made them hard to stop eating. The atmosphere was fun and inviting, and our server was incredibly kind and attentive, making the experience even better. Looking forward to coming back! read more

Pewa - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Coffee in Downtown Honolulu, Hawaii... I searched for breakfast and this new place popped up: Pewa Located across from the Hawaii Theater, next to C-Mui Center, Pewa is in the place where The Lei Stand was. Wow... the interior has three parts: 1. Reception area - walk through the Aloha Shirt closet to enter 2. Inside - dimly lit... like a living room ambiance 3. Covered patio area - bright and clean The decor is vintage trendy. Examples include palaka fabric on the sofa cushions, a koa wood table, Hawaiian quilts, etc. Service was friendly and efficient. I ordered a Mānoa Mocha Latte with almond milk. I don't think it had any added sugar. It was a nice pick-me-up! I was lucky to get metered street parking right in front of the shop! Thank you! read more

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Please don't visit this place because I always want to be able to get in! Love Pewa! First, the vibe. Local, artsy, chill, and trendy. Perfect for a night out with friends. Lighting was perfect--not bright, warm tone, relaxing. Service was excellent. Wait staff smiled a lot, friendly, genuine, and attentive. Cocktails were delicious and made well. Also, used quality ingredients. Food: Brussels were delicious. Seasoned perfectly. Spaghetti olio: wouldn't order it again. Very bland. Cheeseburger was on point and served with shoestring fries. Loved it! Will be making plans to do brunch there sometime soon. Well done, Pewa! read more

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PEWA by Pono Potions has the BEST cocktail lounge atmosphere for pau hana or dinner with your date, family, or friends. I would highly recommend PEWA to anyone looking for somewhere special that's different from other bars or restaurants on island. We got a few of their cocktails, all of which were beautiful and yummy. The Red Palaka and Crown Flower were both photogenic and delicious, but probably our favorites. The Yuzu Citrus Glaze Chicken Wings was crispy and a perfect balance of sweet, tangy, and citrusy. The Mediterranean Board was a nice appetizer that would be great for girl dinner with your friends. Vibe: The one thing that stood out most was their outstanding staff. Every server was so friendly, attentive, and fun, which made the dining experience unforgettable. Normally I prefer dining inside even if a restaurant has an outdoor space, but PEWA's outdoor space is breathtaking, cozy, and unique. They also have a small, separate room with a bar in the back of their restaurant, which can be used for hosting a party. They also have two nice single-stall bathrooms. Parking: There's plenty of paid parking lots throughout downtown, but we found metered street parking right in front of the restaurant. read more

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Food: 4/5 Drinks: 5/5 Service: 5/5 Ambiance: 5/5 I love Pono Potions! I recently stopped in at Po'ai (a couple blocks from Pewa) and immediately loved the vibes so I knew I was going to love Pewa. Pewa is located directly across the Hawaii Theater and is a couple doors down from Fighting Eel. We parked in an uncovered paid lot called Liberty Lot which is next to Mark's Garage. I initially missed the entrance because there is no hanging sign yet but found their labeled door. Upon entering it just feels very cool and reminded me of historic Hawaii: koa wood, signs, aloha shirt entrance. I felt intimidated since it was empty but that quickly went away when I was greeted by someone. There's indoor and outdoor seating but we opted to sit outside. It's a covered area toward the back but the tables were a bit small for what my friend and I ordered. We ordered the smoked salmon board which looked amazing and enough to share between the 2 of us. I was hungry so I ordered the cheeseburger, which was mid but I loved that the fries were skinny and tasted great. For cocktails, we enjoyed the Just Vanilla espresso martini, Crown Flower crafted cocktail, and Hunneh Girl Marg. I got the Punch Monkey but personally I wasn't expecting it to be rum heavy but it was. I am not sure if this place is a dog friendly, but a lady brought her dog and sat next to us outside. Overall, I really enjoyed this place. I want to come again and try different cocktails and different food items. I think their cocktails are good because they use syrup that they make in-house, which is the same syrups they use in the drinks they make at Po'ai. I love the ambiance here and the service is also amazing. Everyone is so friendly and fast and they check on you frequently. read more

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super cute location! *cries* Pewa by Pono Potions took over the lei stand and they had the cutest ambiance before, so i'm glad everything was pretty much kept the same. I love Pono Potions so it was a no brainer to make this a must go list. I did double check beforehand if dogs are allowed on the patio area and they said yes! Whoo hoo!!! i was so happy and because of that it got bumped up higher on my list! My GPS took me the wrong way (using the walking feature). I dont know why i even thought it would be towards Aloha Tower to begin with since in the past the lei stand seemed like a downtown nightlife thats more central. It was a nice stroll anyway! You'll have to enter through their door (there is one step up) so its a little fun with the stroller. LOL. you then walk through all the clothes and into a indoor bar area. The patio is right past it and has a few more steps down. HAHA! going down was easy but not going back up. I got the cute seating in the far back which was perfect since i was crazy enough to bring both weens with me that day. It was a hot day but luckily i stole their stroller fan for myself. I ordered a iced latte and a burger which came to about $30 something with tip. The burger came with a side of roasted potatos too which was super yummy! The burger was pretty good, but im sure the other things on the menu is good too. The drink cooled me down a little and they also brought me some water just in case. Service was great! i forgot the guys name tho :( but he was really nice and always checked up on us (and even helped me back up with the stroller). The baby was starting to be a little protective for some reason so it was a sign for me to get my food packed up and go. Next time i'm leaving him at home. Otherwise great place and so cute! read more

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Located at the old Lei Stand in Chinatown, Pewa still gives the relaxed, trendy vibes to enjoy a coffee, cocktail, lunch, or dinner. Our server was super nice and attentive, giving us a great experience. The lunch menu is very good for whatever occasion you're there for -- whether it's a quick stop or just lounging around. The group I was with had the Mediterranean and Smoked Salmon Boards. Although boards like this are pretty standard, Pewa's boards offer a slight twist to them. For the Smoked Salmon board, the pickled onions were done differently offering almost like a crack seed type of twist and they have a whipped goat cheese instead of cream cheese -- giving you a lighter, easily spreadable offering. The Ribeye Sando comes with shoestring fries and is perfectly balanced in seasoning and portions. We also got to try the cocktails, which feature Pono Potions syrups. The espresso martinis were delicious, while the Waialua Ginger spritz was very refreshing. Overall, this is a great brunch spot and I'll be going back again. read more

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Talk about a hidden gem. This is the old lei stand location but with a cute speak easy undercover vibe once you walk in. The server Mona Lisa was great to chat with and yes that's her name :) the food for happy hour hit the spot. The waterfall monkeypod communal table was gorgeous. Great gathering spot with friends and I'm sure for date night later. Loved the drinks red Palaka and zoo Liliko'i spritz. This was enough food for 4 to share... was great since was before the rush for dinner. 4:30pm was perfect! read more

Pewa - Brussel sprouts - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

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I came here with coworkers to celebrate Professional Assistants' Day. The cocktails and appetizers were delicious. We were lucky to sit on the sofas since we had six of us, so it was also very cozy. PEWA is located where the Lei Stand was downtown. The one negative for me was that it got very warm. It may have been more comfortable outside since there is no air conditioning. But it was fun to try a new place and a great place to go after work! read more

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Came here on a Saturday afternoon for a late brunch. Service was great and the ambiance was lovely - we sat on the outside patio area. Ordered the breakfast sandwich, Caesar salad with prawns, and calamari from the happy hour menu (starts at 2pm). The coffee was also really good. Will be back to try dinner! read more

Pewa - Caesar salad with prawns, breakfast sandwich, iced Americano - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Excited to see the old The Lei Stand space come back to life with Pewa by Pono Potions, and if you haven't been yet, go. We stopped in late on a Saturday, walk-in only so plan ahead, and were lucky to grab seats at the bar. The space keeps that familiar Lei Stand vibe but feels refreshed, chill, and perfect for a night out with friends or someone special. I started with the Punch Monkey, a rum-based old fashioned that surprised me with a banana bread aroma and flavor that just worked. It was so good I asked for a second drink closer to a classic old fashioned with a touch of that same syrup, and it completely changed the profile in the best way. My wife had an espresso martini and another off-menu mix that's hard to describe other than, I want it again. Drinks looked as good as they tasted, bright, clean, and well put together, and prices felt solid for the quality. The yuzu citrus chicken wings came out hot and crispy with a light panko crunch and a bright citrus finish, and the shoestring fries were exactly what you want late night. Service was friendly, easygoing, and dialed in. Even better, the owner brought out our food, we first met him five years ago when he was just getting Pono Potions off the ground, and seeing him here now says everything about this place. No music the night we were there, just good conversation and a relaxed vibe. We don't give out five stars often, especially to a new spot, but this one earned it. We'll be back. New spot, real craft, and a team that already has it figured out. read more

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Went for an event and had such a great time. The space is perfect for a good-sized group, the espresso martinis were excellent, and the staff made it so fun. I also really enjoyed the grazing boards--the grilled vegetables and spreads were delicious and beautifully presented. Definitely coming back for happy hour! read more

I went here last night for a drink. This used to be the old Lei Stand bar in Chinatown. This bar has a cool vibe showcasing Hawaiian vintage stuffs and Aloha shirts. They have food here and drinks. During the day they serve coffee and brunch. I tried their espresso martini that has a hint of banana bread flavor. This place was popping last night. Good vibes great bar. read more

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Always an enjoyable time with the crew at Pewa. Great food, an extensive drink list (3 different espresso martinis?!), and a great venue for hanging out no matter the time of day. I love bringing my laptop and having a working lunch. It does get a bit crowded for wine Wednesdays, but that's because it's half off wine bottles! read more

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Visited as part of a pau Hana event and fell in love with the space, the staff and the food/drinks. They put out a great spread, I especially liked the chicken wings, the shoestring fries and the charcuterie board offerings. The drink were done right and I can't wait to bring my co-workers to enjoy. read more

I absolutely love the vibe here! The staff was so friendly and welcoming, and both the food and cocktails were amazing. I ordered the Hot Sausage Vodka Rigatoni and it was absolutely delicious. I also tried the Red Palaka, which normally wouldn't be my go-to, but it ended up being really good. My favorite drink of the night was definitely the Hunneh Girl Marg! Would definitely recommend this spot and can't wait to come back! read more

Pewa - Coffee & Tea Near Me - Honolulu, Hawaii

Stopped into Pewa's soft opening in Downtown and it already feels like one of those spots I'll be sending friends to for coffee and brunchy bites. The space has that modern, chill cafe vibe that fits right into Bethel Street, and you can tell they're putting just as much thought into the drinks as the food. We shared the lox plate and it was such a nice, light start: good quality salmon, fresh accompaniments, and everything plated with a little more care than your average cafe breakfast. The shakshuka was the star for me though - rich tomato base, perfectly cooked eggs, and just enough spice to keep each bite interesting without blowing out your palate. The sauce was great for scooping up with the bread, and it's exactly the kind of comforting dish I'd come back for on a weekend morning. I also grabbed an iced latte and it was balanced and smooth, no burnt espresso notes and not overly sweet, which I really appreciate. You can tell coffee is a focus here, and it makes Pewa feel like both a legit coffee bar and a place you'd linger with food. Service was genuinely friendly and on top of things even though they're still in soft-opening mode, and that gives me confidence it's only going to get better as they settle in. Overall, really promising soft opening - great shakshuka, solid lox, and a very drinkable iced latte in a stylish Downtown spot. I'm excited to see what the full menu looks like once they officially launch, but even right now it's already worth a visit. read more

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Warm, relaxing vibe. I was there in the morning. Friendly service and great coffee and cheesecake!

When you first walk in, there's a fun entrance! You just have to go to find out :) but it does give very local speakeasy vibes. ALL of the food was so good. The shoestring fries were like McDonald's fries but better because it doesn't have all those chemicals in it. The vodka pasta was sooo bomb. Salad was standard but the portion was big! Drinks were yummy and unique. The servers were so so nice and welcoming. We switched from outside to inside, but they had no problem with it and made sure it was a spot that we were most comfortable at. They brought us extra chairs, made sure our water was topped off, and checked in often at the perfect times to make sure we were ok. We even got a free drink because they made one by accident. Love supporting local, would come here again and again for any special occasion! read more