The Mai Tai Bar: Ala Moana
1450 Ala Moana Blvd # 3247
Honolulu, HI 96814-4629
(808) 947-2900
Honolulu, HI 96814-4629
(808) 947-2900
Local Music, Local Flavor, Mai Tai Bar no ka oi
The Mai Tai Bar is one of the best bars in all of Oahu. This is the best place to go to relax after a long day of work. It is located right outside of Waikiki, on the third level of the Ala Moana Shopping Center. The bar has consistently been voted “best” in bar, outdoor bar and live music categories. The Mai Tai Bar is packed every day with a good mix of locals and tourists. With an award winning happy hour and live local music scene, the Mai Tai Bar is the place to be.
The design of the bar is open on all sides only blocked by railings and the bar. It is surrounded with bamboo and comfy rattan couches and tables which is perfect for large parties and friends. There are live sporting events and surf videos playing on flat screen televisions all around the bar. There is a full bar available with drink specials and local favorites like the “Lychee Mai Tai”, the “Cucumber Melon Crush” the “Eye Opener” which is a twist on the Bloody Mary and many other drinks. There is also a small pupu menu with appetizers that will rock your taste buds.
The Hang Ten Happy Hour at Mai Tais is untouchable. It is seven days a week from 4pm to 7pm. It offers $5 pupus, $4 drinks, $9 pitchers and specials on all types of beers. Then check out what Hawaii has to offer with live music every night. This is what puts itself apart from other bars.
There is a small stage in the corner of the bar. But small doesn’t reflect the type of talent that plays. Every day, the first musical act of the night (usually a solo or duo) performs from 4pm to 7pm. This creates the perfect atmosphere for mingling with the friendly people that find their way there. After 7pm, a DJ plays nice, groovy old school jams. The place gets filled, I mean wall to wall and at 9:30pm, it is time for the band of the night to pump up the place. If you want solid, pure reggae or jawaiian music, Mai Tais is the place to be. They feature popular bands like Typical Hawaiians, Kawao, Kapena, Beach 5 and up and coming bands like Local Uprising, Guidance, One Drop and many more. In the middle of each group’s set, the DJ pumps some hip hop to get the girls on the floor dancing. So if you like old school music, hip hop and some island reggae music, Mai Tais got it all every night.
If you haven’t been to the Mai Tai Bar, check it out. This bar has it all. Live music every single night, a bar that is open with the trade winds blowing in, flatscreen TVs playing all the sports channels, great tropical drinks, $9 pitchers, and some of the best looking people on the island. What more can you ask for? There is something there for everybody and with unlimited parking stalls at Ala Moana, how can you go wrong? The Mai Tai Bar is packed from Thursday – Saturday nights but every night is a good one there.
The Mai Tai Rumble
This by far is the busiest time for the Mai Tai Bar. Every year during October, they throw a huge battle of the bands called the Mai Tai Rumble. The hottest up and coming bands from all over the island compete for the grand prize of $16,000. There is an open category for genres like rap, acoustic, rock, disco and acapella groups but the Mai Tai Rumble is all about the reggae category. The bar is always overly packed for this event to see who the new Mai Tai Rumble winners will be. After the competition, there is an Aftershock concert with some of Hawaii’s hottest bands like Nesian Nine, Rebel Souljahs, Fiji and more.
