Here’s to 4 Pop-Up Holiday Bars and a Christmas Bar Crawl

Seriously jolly places with custom cocktails, themed mugs, tinsel galore and Butterbeer, of course.

December 6, 2023

Tracy Chan,

Ho ho ho! Are you looking for a festive way to celebrate the season? Festive meaning with sweet, potent drinks and extravagant Christmas decor? Check out these pop-up holiday bars (and one bar crawl) to get yourself in the spirit of the season.

The Christmas Bar Hawai‘i

Each year, the staff at The Christmas Bar Hawai‘i inside Tiki’s Grill & Bar outdo themselves. The floor-to-ceiling decorations are even more over the top, holiday drinks (including delicious mocktails) range from cool, sweet Butter Beer to the festive Hot Snowflake Mint Mocha and charcuterie plates and desserts abound amid some of the most ebullient holiday spirit around. Step into the magical little bar and be transported—especially with free validated valet parking. Note: This is one of the most popular pop-up holiday bars, and it doesn’t take reservations, so be prepared for a wait in the evenings, especially on weekends.

Open until Dec. 24 from 2 to 11:30 p.m. weekdays and noon to 11:30 p.m. weekends, Tiki’s Grill & Bar at the Twin Fin Hotel (formerly Aston Waikīkī Beach Hotel), 2570 Kalākaua Ave., christmasbarhawaii.com, @thechristmasbarhawaii

Winter Wonderland

christmas decorations at one of honolulu's holiday bars

Photo: Tracy Chan

If you liked this year’s Alpha Video 80s pop-up and the Nightmare Halloween pop-up bar at the Ala Moana Pacific Center, you’ll love Winter Wonderland—it’s produced by the same crew at 17A Productions. These folks love holiday bars and go all out with decorations and custom cocktails, meaning tinseled photo ops everywhere you turn and festive touches in each drink. Be prepared to wait in line during prime evening hours, especially on weekends.

21+ only, nightly until Dec. 30 from 5 p.m. to midnight, Ala Moana Pacific Center, parking available in the building, winterwonderlandhonolulu.com, @winterwonderlandhonolulu

Secret Santa Pop-Up Speakeasy

Photo: Tracy Chan

Hidden behind an unassuming doorway in Chinatown is the Secret Santa pop-up bar, one of the season’s best-kept secrets (shhh!). Enter through The Other Side Diner and you’ll be guided out the back door and through a doorway that appears to be a walk-in freezer. The cleverly disguised speakeasy is dressed to the nines in Christmas decor and serves up a menu of cocktails, both classic and signature, plus holiday food specials.

Open Dec. 6 to 30, Wednesday and Thursday from 5 p.m. to midnight, Friday and Saturday from 5 p.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m. The Walkin Lounge, 40 N. Hotel St., @thewalkinhi

Sippin’ Santa at Prince Waikīkī

cocktail in coconut at one of honolulu's holiday bars

Photo: Tracy Chan

Tiki drinks, tinsel and holiday cheer abound at the third annual Sippin’ Santa pop-up bar at the Prince Waikīkī Hotel, organized by the national Miracle and Sippin’ Santa teams. Patrons familiar with the brand’s collectible tiki mugs will find joy in this year’s adorable new little shark mug, as well as new cocktail offerings. These include the Surf Nut, a rum, lime and coconut libation served in a green coconut tiki mug; and the Merry Spritzmas, a lighter concoction with prosecco, port, fig preserves and cardamom bitters.

Go early for drinks and some charcuterie and catch the Holidaze Makers’ Market, with local art, crafts and small businesses, from 3 to 6 p.m. in the lobby every Friday, or join Stargazers Hawai‘i for Cosmics & Cocktails every Thursday night at 6:30 p.m. on the fifth floor pool deck to view the night sky through large telescopes.

Nightly until Dec. 30 from 4 to 10 p.m. Prince Waikīkī, 100 Holomoana St., validated self- and valet parking. princewaikiki.com/holidaze, @sippinsantaprincewaikiki

12 Bars of Christmas Chinatown Bar Crawl

If you’ve been partying in Honolulu for a while, you might remember the spectacular local pub crawl and fundraiser known as 12 Bars of Christmas. This year, the legendary event returns, organized and produced by the partnership of local Chinatown bars that recently brought you Halloween in Chinatown. Check in at NextDoor and Proof Social Club from 4 to 7 p.m. for a wristband, then jingle and mingle at the following participating bars:

Entry with wristband for music and dancing: