Another Round: Speakeasies of Honolulu

Tucked away in our city are hidden bars, speakeasies as they are known, serving embellished craft cocktails in hip, dimly lit retro settings. While open to the public, these Prohibition-era-inspired drinking spots remain at least somewhat on the down low, as speakeasies were during the 1920s and early 1930s when the sale of alcoholic beverages in the country was prohibited. Here are four of our favorites in Honolulu.

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Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino

Yours Truly

Honolulu’s newest speakeasy is in the basement of the city’s latest boutique hotel, located on Bishop Street downtown. Hidden behind a wall of what looks to be mailboxes, the place exudes more of a tiki bar vibe than a typical Prohibition-era speakeasy, with lots of Island-inspired drinks. —Diane Seo

1111 Bishop St. (inside AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu), (808) 599-6006

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Photo: Sean Marrs

Green Lady Cocktail Room

While the White Sands Hotel might be best known for its bamboo swing bar, it’s the speakeasy inside that offers the liveliest atmosphere and most fun. Being here is like crashing your coolest friend’s house party. Imagine cozy, dimly lit tables and a leather-bound menu of throwback cocktails that lean heavily into Prohibition-era favorites but with updated flavors. You can escape into the courtyard for a little more breathing room and order an absinthe drip to experience the Green Fairy—or lady—herself. For entry, ask for Room 8, or find the door flush with the bamboo-covered wall left of the hotel entranceway. —Katrina Valcourt

431 Nohonani St. (inside The White Sands Hotel), greenladycocktailroom.com, @greenladycocktailroom

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The Hi Brau Room

Look for the staircase behind the lantern, then venture upstairs to a secret room with handcrafted cocktails and live music, including vinyl spins by resident DJ Aloha Got Soul. For a Prohibition-era cocktail with an Island twist, try the Mary Pickford made with rum, pineapple juice and grenadine. Open Fridays and Saturdays from 8 p.m. to midnight, the spot also offers Aloha Beer on draft. —DS

700 Queen St. (inside Aloha Beer Co.), alohabeer.com, @thehibrau

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Wild Orange

Imagine inserting a coin into an Aloha Maid vending machine, which then mysteriously opens a door leading to a chic lounge with plant-based bites and cocktails. The walls are lined with vintage slot machine interfaces. Out of a planter erupts an orange tree under which you enjoy a Wild and Dirty (Heart of Oak sake and ume brine) paired with kalbi-style trumpet mushrooms. And that’s just for starters, of course. —James Nakamura

1680 Kapi‘olani Blvd. (inside HB Social Club), (808) 892-6966, wildorangehi.com