The location is beneath the Silly Goose, down the stairs. When you walk down, the ambiance is really nice. It's dimly lit and smells like eucalyptus. It was quite crowded, and we sat by the door for a little while until the bar opened up. Once we got to the bar, a server came behind us and asked what we wanted to drink. After looking over the menu during happy hour, I realized that none of the drinks contained vodka, which is the only thing I drink. She suggested that we could substitute in any of their specialty drinks, and there was quite an extensive list of them. However, I decided to go with something simple, like a cosmopolitan. My husband ordered the Smokey Bear. We arrived at about 7:12 PM, but we did not receive our drinks until 7:30 PM, as there was only one bartender servicing the entire bar and service area. The cosmopolitan wasn't bad, but while she was making the Smokey Bear, she got distracted and left the smoker on my husband's drink for too long, making it taste like burnt wood. It was hard for him to finish, but he did complete his drink. Those were the only two drinks we had there. The slow service and the distraction of the bartender made this place not live up to the wonderful reputation it seems to have. Perhaps if they offered a wider selection of drinks made with other types of liquor, I would have been more interested. However, the price for those two drinks led us to leave and find a place that was more reasonable and had better service. read more

Absolutely amazing! What a cute hidden gem. Came here with friends around the beginning of happy hour. We got seated right away but it did start to fill up. Staff was kind knowledgeable on drinks. We didn't order food since we had dinner plans but saw the charcuterie boards which looked fantastic. The key lime pie drink was like drinking a dessert. So delicious. Great place for locals or tourists passing through! read more

The Hidden Nene - Key lime - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Great place to sneak away from the heat and hussle of downtown Hilo. Get some cool air and real treat! The ambiance is unlike anywhere else on the Big Island. Appreciate the mix of music. Not a pretentious bar from what you may expect upon entering. The drinks are phenomenal and the staff inviting. Loved the app as well. A true hidden gem! read more

The Hidden Nene - El Rey, Caprese app and a Lager - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

OVER THE TOP!! Exceptional food! Best Mai Tai on the island! Cocktails are delicious. Food and cocktail presentations were perfection. Service 11 out of 10! Aulii and Char were the best!! Dont miss this place! read more

Everyone here is very inviting and very kind!! Everyone needs to come find this place to eat in the area. Aullihi was a great bartender and Tara on the Charcuterie board chefs kiss!! Was a great find! Mahalo!! Again! read more

The drinks were amazing, I had no problem with that. Made friends with one of the bartenders on a later night. Just didn't feel welcoming. Just went once. Once back on island maybe I'll give it another try. read more

See all

Jessica would give 10 stars!! Food, drinks, ambiance, service all excellent! Check it out! read more

Local beer is great and a live feed of the Volcano! Awesomeness and thank you and God bless. read more

The Hidden Nene - Location of bar, because it's under this building! - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Service was absolutely horrible, waited over 30 minutes to try to get a bartenders attention after she only took 2 people order out of a 7 person group! Let remind you to even get a drink in the beginning took over 10 Minutes. I was the first person the bartender asked if I was ready to order and I ordered my drink along with asking if I can order food and was told to "wait until the drinks were finished" well drinks were made and she never came back! I had to go to the bar and ask for better service because sitting at a high top wasn't good at all..... This establishment needs more than 1 bartender on a some what busy night. Even the guy sitting next to me ordered ICE CREAM AND HE WAITED OVER 30 MINUTES! Then he canceled his order too with the bartender.... Left a google review and the owner was absolutely horrific!!! Mocked me on a review from 5 years ago about a hotel with fleas.... Nothing to do with restaurant but instead instituted on bashing me thinking I was the problem....... YOU CAN LOOK AT YOUR CAMERAS TO SEE THAT THE BARTENDER DID NOT COME OVER OR HELP OUR GROUP AT ALL.... Only kept service 2 people out the 7. Two people who were serviced were already on the 2nd drink and had food while the other half of our party was still waiting for service and to put in food..... LOOK AT YOUR CAMERAS BEFORE BASHING A CUSTOMER OVER THEIR HORRIBLE EXPERIENCE!!!!!!!!!!!! Awful awful owner. Especially after his comment I WOULD NEVER GO BACK and will tell everyone in the future to not even look at this place. Other places on the island especially with an owner who is an asshole. God forbid if you leave a horrible review the owner will mock and criticize you instead of being a professional business owner and say he's sorry for the horrible service and that they can do better in the future. But sure let's mock and be an asshole to your customers when they have a bad experience. read more

The ambiance is unmatched. It's gorgeous in here! The atmosphere is very chill. The bartender is amazing. They just came out with this new menu today. The drinks are amazing and really fun to watch the bartender make. I highly recommend this place for drinks. read more

See all

Loved the bar. Sarah's the shit. Bathroom would be epic if people just knew how to not make a mess. Maybe management can monitor. But overall awesome experience with drink and food. read more

Delicious drinks and incredible ambiance! Servers were wonderful and kind, though it was quite slow given how packed it was. There was limited seating and we had to wait a while, but it was definitely worth it. read more

BEST BAR EVER. The bartenders are so incredibly nice, efficient, knowledgeable, and provide an excellent atmosphere. This is a speakeasy, so it's a bit hidden down some stairs under a Silly Goose sign in the building above. They have the most extraordinary and delicious cocktails I've ever had. Go for happy hour and try them all. read more

See all

If you want to enjoy some well-designed cocktails from true aficionados, this is the spot! My husband and I stopped in during a hot afternoon stroll around Hilo, and enjoyed the cool basement ambience. Great vibes and excellent service. We subscribed to Shaker & Spoon during the pandemic and thought we had developed some home cocktail skills... nope. This place knows how to craft perfectly balanced beverages. The prices were prohibitive from making it a regular stop during our vacation but we would definitely come back during our next trip. read more

The Hidden Nene - Zombie ($28) - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Fantastic experience with the craft cocktails and the charcuterie board. Love the speakeasy vibe. Music was an added plus to the atmosphere. Highly recommended while in Hilo read more

Fun atmosphere and great drinks! If you're in a hurry this is not the place for you. It's a place to enjoy your company and your drinks

Great atmosphere and super friendly staff. Live music and great cocktails. Best mai tai that I've tried so far. :) read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktails - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Great place to chill and hang out with friends drinks are great ...................... read more

The Hidden Nene - Mai thai - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Funny enough, this place didn't show up in my original planning when I was putting together plans for a trip to Hilo months ago that I just got back from a couple weeks ago - that is because, when I was originally planning it, they hadn't opened yet, as they are pretty brand new! Good thing I did a second check the week before I left, haha. One important thing to note - this really is a locals bar, not just a tourist bar, it's the *only* bar like it in Hilo, and it's not that big, so on Friday and Saturday, it can easily already be full (especially during happy hour). I originally thought I was going to catch the end of happy hour on Friday - nope, it was full with a line out the door. I did catch the end of happy hour on Saturday with slightly more time and only 1 person waiting to get in before me, and it was a madhouse. Then I went back around 6 on Sunday and it was dead, because people who aren't on vacation have jobs, so my point is, it's a very different vibe depend on the time of day and the day of the week it is. I personally much preferred the vibe on Sunday, when I could actually ask the bartender questions (was a great guy and a great bartender!), learn about the bar, try something off-menu, etc. On Saturday things were louder and much more to the point. Drinks always come out slightly better when the bartender's not swamped, too. Anyway, being the highlight of the week as far as cocktails specifically, I did end up trying *quite* a number of them - especially as the majority of them were at happy hour price, being $10 instead of $15 every day from 5-7. That said, I learned the second day when the bartender had time to actually talk to me: the happy hour drinks also all use a cheaper well version of the respective spirit, which was indistinguishable in the "The Tea" gin drink that was all about the tea and not the gin, but went a long way to explain why the smoked/spiced old fashioned I had the first night didn't taste like it had the much higher quality whiskey listed on the menu that my old fashioned did not, in fact, contain. (Having learned that, I did try the Smoky the Bear again with the right whiskey the next day, and it was much better, though they still don't smoke it enough to justify calling out the smoke so much on the menu, or possibly just smoke it too far away or too long before it's served. It's a solid old fashioned, but neither time did it arrive particularly smoked.) Other than the relatively disappointing smoked drink, everything else I tried was great, and I tried a number - the The Tea (gin, tea, citrus, wasabi spritz) was probably my favorite, but the chocolate margarita, the mezcal/blood orange sour, and the gin-swapped cherry brah I tried (gin instead of vodka, luxardo, lime, cherry, black pepper, basil) were all wonderful as well, as was the $10 bartender's choice on Sunday (that Saturday there wasn't one, so despite it being on the menu, there is clearly no guarantee that there will always be one). So was another secret off-menu drink the bartender produced on Sunday, with gin, lilikoi and lavender (it sounds like it's likely going on their next menu.) I didn't try any of the food, though I did *like* the idea of the build your own charcuterie menu. (Bit pricey though. Either way, I didn't have any more room for any more food plans. As I just wrote in another review earlier today, I always have room for drinks. Though I was sad I didn't have room for a *dessert* drink - they make a key lime pie cocktail that looked incredible, but I couldn't quite commit to basically drinking a whole slice of pie.) read more

See all

What a cool spot. Didn't expect this in downtown Hilo. Really has a speak easy pub feel to it. The bartenders were very nice, drinks were all great. Definitely will come back. read more

See all

Only a few of us entered, the rest boycotted. The "bouncer" wasn't very Aloha. He ID'd our 78 year old uncle insisting that they ID everyone, but really isn't a near 80 year old a bit much. It just gave off an unwelcome vibe. read more

It's was my partners and my 8th anniversary and we decided to drop in the Hidden Nene for a pre dinner cocktail. I was really happy to see Austin behind the bar. Always friendly and welcoming. As usual it was busy and we decided to order the deviled eggs (our favorite) and a Mai Tai and the Tea. It was also nice to see Aulli behind the bar as well. Makes me feel at home. The Nene never disappoints. It's the only place I frequent regularly. Do yourself a favor and drop by. You'll be happy you did. read more

Loved this hidden spot, drinks and Chris made it way much better. Must come. Great time!! read more

See all

We loved the drinks, the service (Waylon rocks!) and the charcuterie board. The location and ambience are almost there, the "theme" isn't quite apparent, and the speakeasy element isn't quite there, but close! Moodier lighting, hide the food prep area a bit, and moody music, change the entrance/door so it feels more hidden. The A/C was set too low, and the wine list needs a little help too really accent the amazing charcuterie. If you are headed to Hilo don't miss this gem! read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Hidden gem! Best drinks I've had in Hawaii. Perfect atmosphere! Bartenders were super helpful and knowledgeable.

The cocktails were excellent! I loved the Tarta de Lima and The tea. Waylon, Christina, and Tasha gave excellent service! read more

The Hidden Nene - Tarta de Lima - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all

Amazing service. Incredible drinks. The best server. Thank you Tasha. Hidden Nene is always a vibe. read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

My husband and I went here for my birthday and I had the most amazing experience! I am not a drinker but fell in love with the key lime drink, I had two! The food, the dessert and the drinks were all amazing! The employees treated us like family and were very hospitable! Pro tip: get one of each! Shout out to Austin and Aulii!! read more

See all

The drinks were AMAZING. The Tarta de Lima was one of the best drink I've ever had. The appetizers were delicious. Highly recommend.

HIDDEN GEM IN HILO. We were blown away by the creativity and appearances of all the drinks. Unique ingredients and amazing cocktails. They do fill up quickly so get early there before 8pm if you want to get a spot. Also drinks are $10 during happy hour. What a steal! read more

See all

Excellent service and pleasant atmosphere! Definitely would recommend to everyone...great place to relax enjoy time with fiends read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Award winning mixologist on site, oh yah!! The Hors d'œuvres are exceptional. The location is easy to park and basement ambience very special. read more

Came in one Monday night with a group of friends after work. It wasn't too busy. Everyone was ordering lots of drinks. My friend and I ordered drinks, a beer and a wine, and they were "forgotten" for a while. The bartender apologized and said she'd get them. We waited a while longer. Other people were being served and my friend and I , who happen to be black, were ignored. When my friend calmly tried to get the bartenders attention after having our drinks forgotten twice she yelled at him. Weirdo redhead girl who's clearly racist as she ignored only us the whole night and spent most of it talking to a mid white guy. Won't be coming back. read more

The staff needs more customer service training. They never acknowledge you when you sit down. A simple "hey guys I'll be right with you" goes a long way. We sat down at the bar (party of two) and neither of the bartenders acknowledged us. The man and woman working kept looking over but didn't say a word. They helped the customers on the right and left of us and would walk past us and make eye contact with us but never asked to take our order. After 20 min we ended up leaving and going to temples down the road. This is the second time I've been here and it's happened the first time as well. I thought maybe the staff was having a bad day. I guess that's the regular service here. Second time around I'd rather not spend my money on somewhere I feel unwelcome. Nice place though. read more

This is our favorite speakeasy in all of the land. The drinks and food are perfect. We went multiple times on our short stay in Hilo... and I still dream about it. Don't miss a chance to try it out. It's really amazing. The service is attentive, the space is cozy, and it's just a delightful experience. read more

Cute vibe. They have a nice happy hour for drinks but be prepared to spend at least an hour to get one drink. They have one slow bartender and one server for the entire place. Music is at a nice level to chat but playlist is all over the spectrum . read more

The Hidden Nene - Happy hour November 2024 - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

Walking down the street (actually heading to a different restaurant) when we came upon the building with the brick entrance and wrought iron gating. Beautiful menu of tapas standing on the sidewalk intrigued us. Speak Easy. What!? Let's go here instead! (Sorry, other place lol.). Went down into the dark entrance into a green moody bar with black and white floor tile, dark green walls, and seating for just 35. It was quiet. We were feeling like we were in a NYC 1935 movie. On to the food. Ummmm WOW. Tapas to share. Deviled eggs with a twist, charcuterie, wine, award winning Key Lime Pie drink (get this now!), stacked caprese. Everything was lovingly prepared. So much attention to detail. I think it was the neatest place I've ever been to. If you want a chilled and creative vibe, stop in here. Reasonably priced. read more

See all

Great cocktails and atmosphere!! Really cool vibe and super friendly crowd. Service was great!

Cool vibes, cool people and super cold AC. Give it a try, if you like it, write a review. If you don't like it...keep that to yourself. read more

See all

I found this speakeasy on Google when I was searching up bars in the Hilo area. I am so glad that I found this place since it had a great atmosphere and the drinks were really good. Honestly I don't exactly remember what we ordered but I had an elderberry/flower drink that tasted so good but was stronger than I expected (not necessarily a bad thing). Would definitely go back if I'm ever back in the area. read more

The Hidden Nene - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Hilo, Hawaii

See all