The Republik

Absolutely awful. Been here a few times employees are always sweet until tonight. Thought we were in Hawaii, share the love and Aloha. Recently was here for waka flocka on the 15^th. Used valet and now have a scratch on my new car. Your better off parking on the street. Prior to entrance everyone was metal detected (completely understandable) have to empty out your pockets as well, please note that I was allowed to bring my phone, camera and vape with no problem. 10 min before the show started I took a drag from my vape, and then a bouncer proceeded to push me and rip it out of my hand. Told me I’m not allowed to have it when several others were doing the same thing. So I then left the front row after hours of standing in the front because I wanted to be up close. I went and saw the bouncer who took it, he proceeded to tell me there was no way I could get it back, i asked to speak to manager or his superior he said they weren’t available for the night. After trying to nicely talk to him, he got irritated and got in my face said that he was going to keep it and acted like he was physically going to do something to me. I’ am absolutely disgusted with the professionalism. what I had to deal with was absolutely crazy, ruined the night. I will be perusing this further and will get to the bottom of this.

Just awful. The bouncers made the show feel like a chaperoned middle school dance, the bar was run by some poorly trained teenage boy who couldn’t make a drink, and when I asked to speak to management I was ignored and disrespected. If you’re looking for a place to have a good time at steer clear from the republik.

Best venue in Hawaii for concerts. Not too small. Not too big. Every where you’re at in the venue is a good distance from the stage. If you’re shoulder to shoulder that just means the concert just didn’t that good. So you can’t complain. Bars are everywhere so it’s never hard to get a drink. Sound is awesome. Lighting is top of the line. And it can get hot. But they have a huge fan in the middle of the ceiling and Ac vents everywhere. Only downer is that huge stair case tryna get down all tipsy. :p

I’ve gone to the Republik for three concerts now (Nahko and medicine for the people lyrics/​Mike Love, Hoodie Allen, and Adventure Club). I like the set-​up and that it is AC.
The sound system is loud & there are TVs that people can look at if they can’t see the stage. There are bouncers that actively kick people out/​make sure no one does anything stupid that may endanger anyone’s life.
The only thing I have against the Republik is that they advertised that both Adventure Club DJs would be at the show, but there was only one.

I went for the first time after scoring free tickets for the Big Tease. The reviews here scared me but I went anyways. We did vallet parking for $ 15 rather than look for street parking and risk being broken into or have to walk down the ramp in heels. Some people say they park at Ala Moana or Walmart but some warned they’ve been towed from doing that.
We had absolutely no problems with the security as some people complained about.
We sat down at the bar and was immediately greeted and attended to by Yoozilla. She was freaking awesome, kept my friend’s Coke filled, gave me a free bottle of water after I ordered 2 drinks and fries and was good company when she wasn’t tending on other customers. Both drinks and food were good and well priced.
We saw one wasted chick but security quickly escorted her out without being jerks about it and seemed to genuinely care.
Can’t wait to go back for Thunder from Down Under next month:

This was the first time I had been here since this space was known as the «O Lounge» … oh wait, I lied. I did attempt to come here for a performance, but it was sold out when we arrived so we were turned away #sad
And I can see why. The space is still mostly the same and definitely not any bigger. I’m surprised that they can hold concerts here, but it also explains why the pictures always show the house is packed.
I was fortunate enough to join my friend at a fundraising event during the Lotte Championship weekend here — Michelle Wie was hosting a post-​event ping pong tournament. They were able to fit four ping pong tables in here with a standing table area and also catered pupu stations. So, I guess it wasn’t as small as I originally thought haha.
There are two bar areas. Luckily this event had an open bar, and the bartender who we spoke with was very helpful! We both did not know what we wanted, so he helped my friend out; I asked for a Midori sour, which he was able to whip up at my request! #throwback
Overall, The Republik has a nice, clean and cool atmosphere going on. And in an event setting it was actually very well-​lit, not like the super dark ambiance that the O Lounge used to have. I would definitely love to check out a concert or performance here in the future and see what that’s like :)

OK… so I recently gave this place another chance. Mostly because I really wanted to see Of Monsters and Men. I’ll admit though, this time it seemed nicer. The sound system still sucked, and when we tried to order food they were out of three of the items off the already small list, to include fries (who runs out of fries?!). But the monitors were on this time, the lighting was better (or seemed better from what I remember) and there was one of those huge propeller fans on the ceiling in the middle (not sure if there was there in ’14 or not… but I noticed it this time.) There was hardly a wait at any of the bars and the service was quick. We did not have any issues with the bouncers. They were friendly and courteous to us.
Final note: I hate it when there are ‘bathroom attendants’. I never know if I should tip or not… and then how much? I mean, should I really have to pay a person for literally tearing off a piece of towel from a dispenser I am perfectly capable of operating on my own? And all those soaps and strange perfumes… who uses those? I didn’t tip the first time I used the restroom because my stall had ONE square of toilet paper left. I mean, if you are going to ‘manage’ a restroom then it seems fair that the most fundamental thing to provide would be toilet paper. So I used the restroom 4 times throughout the evening (I may have had a few beers) and then tipped at the end. That seemed to pass the logic test for me at the end of the night.

I love going to concerts and having a great time! The republik is one of honolulu’s popular concert venues. I’ve seen some of my favorite artists here: Fiji, diplo, nervo, rebelution, and so many more. There is also The Safehouse in the back which has awesome food and drinks!
A lot of the times when they have concerts, it gets pretty packed. They oversell their tickets so if it’s a popular artist or band, expect it to be hit and squishy. Personally I feel like the venue is the best for smaller concerts. When there aren’t too many people, it’s a lot more enjoyable because there is more space for dancing and walking around. When it’s packed, it’s like you can barely breath and you’re literally getting shoved all over the place. It also gets pretty hot, but there is a HUGE fan in the venue located in the middle of the dance floor (this is my favorite place to stand when it’s too hot).
Overall the venue is 18+, sometimes 21+. But sometimes they let people under aged go in as long as there is parent with them and depending on the concert.
Overall a great place to have a good time! I always find myself coming here! There’s also the District located right downstairs and V lounge, so there are plenty of options for after the concert ends.

I’ve gone to the Republic several times for shows since Pipeline closed down. Aside from the Blasidell and the Waikiki Shell, the Republik is a decent place to host shows. Plus, it’s indoors with AC.
It’s the same ol’ routine: Safehouse opens at 6P for 21+, doors open at 7PM for general admission, 8P opening act, 9P end of opening act and 30 minute intermission before the the main act comes on. But here’s what I learned during my time at the Republik:
Be prepared to:
— Dress comfortably
— Stand for hours during a show
— A bag check by security
— Bring earplugs if you can’t handle the noise
— Get kicked out of the venue if you do something stupid
Not so great:
— Sound system. I never had a problem with it until recently, where I stood in front of the speakers the whole time and I could not understand what the performer was singing because the sound system makes them sound so muffled! I appreciate that their sound system is loud, but it’s too loud.
— Valet is $ 15 on an event day; free for non-​event days. Otherwise, parking situation isn’t so great either
— Spending $ 4 for a bottle of water. You could buy a whole case of water with $ 4, but desperate times calls for desperate measures. Sneak in a water bottle if you can.

Went here for a Valentine’s day concert and it is probably the the worst bar for a concert venue. First in order to get a drink you have to sit at the bar. They have bottle service if your willing to pay for it. And that’s about the only way your going to get a comfortable seating on one of there couches. The bar it self is pretty small so you have to get in early if you want a good spot and be prepared to stand for the whole concert. The food from what I seen looks pre
tty good although I never tried it. Over all I had a bad experience and probably will not go back.

I’ve never been to another concert venue that had quite so many accessible bars. No matter where you are in this place, even when the show’s sold out, a fresh drink is only a couple minutes away. This is a great venue with good sound and a fairly visible stage. They do let in people under 21, who seem to find their way into the booze and then get crazy outside after the show lets out, but that’s pretty much anywhere.

This is THE worst venue for a concert!!! DO NOT COME HERE FOR ANY CONCERT/​STAND UP. My bf and I have been here twice. One for Chris D’elia (who was awesome and has nothing to do with my rating). First the seating for the stand up was unorganized, half a**ed, and uncomfortable. Second, we went to Chase Rice last night and we were so unhappy with how many people they packed in this small place! For a small venue especially for a concert, you shouldn’t pack it so we feel like sardines.
I’ve been to a lot of concerts and many different venues and this is by far the worst. The location, the drinks are horrible, the service was unsatisfactory, the only good thing is the artists.
We are never coming here again.

Hailing from Seattle, I’ve been to some pretty kick ass venues and seen some kick ass shows. Also traveled to some big cities and seen some shows there as well (Los Angeles, NYC), so my live music venue expectations have been somewhat high.
Moved to Honolulu in August 2012, and took me until April 2014 to finally attend a show here (Rise Against). This venue was a little tricky to find, since it’s upstairs from a parking ramp thing. But you know you’re in the right place with the huge «THE REPUBLIK» sign and awesome mural on the outside of the venue walls.
Considering this is the only «real» venue in Honolulu, it’s not bad. It’s definitely smaller, holding about 1000 people at max capacity. So, comparable to both of the Showbox venues in Seattle. It makes for a more intimate show if a bigger act comes to town, and makes for a fun atmosphere for smaller acts. If your favorite artist or band comes to town, more likely than not, they’ll have their show here at The Republik. Since my favorites don’t come here often (or if at all), I wouldn’t miss the opportunity, so I’d suggest you go and check it out :)
I personally haven’t had any issues with security, management, or the people working here. I know there are plenty of reviews and people who have had trouble with either the door people, ticket people, whatever
*** CASH ONLY IF YOU PLAN TO PAY FOR A TICKET ON THE NIGHT OF A SHOW AT THE VENUE! There is an ATM right outside the ticket booth, but they’ll get you with a $ 3+ fee. Plan ahead and either purchase your tickets in advance (only a $ 2 fee at the box office), or online.

Don’t forget that a 3-​star means A-​OK by Unilocal standards. It’s funny how sensitized we get to anything less than a 4-​star rating but a three-​star is totally OK and that’s how I felt about The Republik.
I almost did not make it to The Republik to see my beloved musical group Above and Beyond solely due to the lukewarm reception and some bad reviews of this place but it wasn’t as bad as I thought and AnB was totally worth it. AnB’s record crowd attendance was ONE MILLION people in Brazil, so I didn’t know how this legendary band would pan out in such a small place.
THE GOOD
— despite the ghetto appearance of the night club outside, the inside is way nicer.
— you can buy food inside. It’s not cheap but it’s pretty tasty but expensive.
— it has air conditioning which was pretty good, despite a whole bunch of people in the club.
— as previous Unilocalers have mentioned, where else would bands play in an indoor venue now that the Pipeline is gone?
— dress code was what the music venue dictated! Normally the dress code is club attire but since AnB is normally an outdoor venue, we got to wear shorts and T shirts… YEAH! Call the Republik guys first if you are not sure.
— attendant in the bathrooms, this could be good or bad, depending on your guilt in needing to tip every time you need to pee.
THE BAD
— ghetto appearance of the night club outside. I was actually getting afraid.
— you have to walk up the ramp or walk up the stairs, no problems, unless you are in a wheelchair, then call the Republik, not sure on this.
— food inside is expensive! So are the drinks. Holy smokes.
— long lines for toilet, the women’s side.
(intermission) — — — — — — — -
We got heckled at the door by a guy that was older than us, saying we were really «young». Lovely.
The doorman stuck his grubby hand into my fanny pack groping and groveling for stuff to inspect the contents which totally turned me off. Yuck. I hope he washed his hand after he went number one and number two… urk. Normally when I go to music venues, they make YOU take YOUR stuff out, you know, just in case you have razor blades or Piranhas hidden in your fanny pack. I snickered and laughed to myself as he totally missed my… well, never mind.
(end of intermission) — — — — — —
THE UGLY
— they grope your fanny… pack.
— the doormen checking your ID are not a discreet bunch.
— a guy was barfing in the parking lot… I guess this is a normal occurrence, as from other’s reviews.
— parking SUCKS — pay the valet price of $ 15 (not including tips as you can see from the pics) or Über it or park at Ala Moana or Wal-​Mart and get towed, or park on the street and get your car broken into.
— If you park valet, you’ll have to drive through swarms of totally oblivious people walking down the ramp (see pictures).
I didn’t take notice of the totally «bad» sound system as others have reported (I’m not an audiophile), nor the mean/​rude bouncers (one of them even helped us move our drinks and plates to another table), or having to tip for a bathroom attendant slathering old Bath and Body Works lotions on your hand (but it sure beat running out of toilet paper).
I felt a little bad for AnB — the atmosphere was very sedate and calm given the absolute legendary, epic band that they are. Of course it’s not the Republik’s fault the crowd was on tranquilizers, the parking is difficult, the doorman heckles you, the cost of the food/​drink is prohibitive, people crush you on the dance floor and folks use the parking lot as a place to yark and speak in Technicolor.
Return factor is a solid maybe… or maybe not. Either way, it would have to be a band of epic proportions, much like AnB, for a return visit.

I think we’re really lucky to have this space and experience in Honolulu. In the past year, I’ve seen Lil Jon, Ghostface Killah, Mike Love, Nahko, & Hannibal Buress perform along with a special event for Tihati productions another time. There were a number of other acts I was unable either because it sold out or I wasn’t free. Either way, stoked to have the option and this venue!
Note: Parking can be a drag so if you live in town, consider taking Über or Lyft. You can then take solace in drinking responsibly and not worry about endangering anyone else. Win, win, win!

My beastie and I saw Bone Thugs the other weekend and had an amazing time. What wasn’t so great was that Bone Thugs did not arrive until 3 hours after they were suppose to go on – bad form. However, the dj’s kept the audience movin’ and groovin’. A lot of beautiful men and women were there that night so I was busy while waiting for the show to start. I do not drink alcohol, but the lounge area is nice and they have multiple bar areas. Again, some of the most beautiful people show up to this venue so dress to impress. I recommend parking at Ala Moana and then walking over – parking can be pricey on the day of an event.

This is one of the only venues that actually brings in decent bands for concerts; it’s really a shame we don’t have more local options, like a Pipeline v.2. The location is great, but the parking situation is nothing short of dreadful. My interactions with the staff haven’t been all that great either, but it’s not like I go here for the customer service anyway.
The place seems a bit bigger on the inside than one would imagine just passing by, but it’s still pretty intimate for a concert. One thing that will forever be a bit unsettling is how the floor trembles and shakes during concerts. There’s always that worry in my mind that one day during a concert, the floor will just cave in and everyone will basically fall three stories to their doom.

I’ve seen Childish Gambino, Prie, Bleachers, Tigers from Niger, Yellowcard, Mayday Parade, DJ’s compete for the Iron DJ title and yes my all time favorite band All Time Low, twice.
I am in love with the Republik mostly because they house the most EPIC concerts BAMP Project puts up. I love live music especially if they’re a band — nothing beats live bands. I can’t tell you what the bar service is like because I’m always right in the front row making sure my ears are ringing and losing my voice the next day from singing along to amazing artists who get the crowd going. Yes. Maybe I’m too young but I have never been to Pipeline but I heard it sucks hard candy.
There is a secret to these concerts and getting to the front row that you can possibly get to if you read my review of the Safehouse which is the Republik’s joining bar. You can score some tickets if you follow any of these venues PLUS BAMP on social media — they’re some great people.
I will have to say though, parking sucks before 6:30 p.m. (unless it’s Sunday). Once you’re past that time you’re free to park on the street.
ROCK OUT. HAVE FUN. Best place for a concert IMO.

Unilocal 100 Review Challenge 2015: ³⁴⁄₁₀₀
I have been to several events hosted at The Republik. My most recent being the Tritonal concert.
The drinks are rather pricey here, it’s hard to reach any live person by calling their telephone and their ticket booth hours are inaccurate as I found myself there during hours of operation and no one was there?
Hawaii doesn’t have many venues to host entertainment so I guess this one would have to do. The parking situation is always a struggle as you either pay $ 15 for limited valet or find street parking along Kapiolani Blvd or the side streets. It’s pretty much a warehouse so it can get very hot and the stage is small with very limited light/​stage effects.
3 stars for efficiently managing people in and out of the venue.

I have been to The Republik on four occasions. Three of them to attend Darin O’s UYEs.
UYE MUSIC MUSIC
UYE IRON DJ MUSIC FINALS
UYE IRON MC FINALS
The UYE events in my opinion was awesome. Both the MUSIC MUSIC (12÷2÷2014) and IRON DJ MUSIC (? forgot the date) showcased the local DJs. The DJs worked their magic on the turntables and got the crowd going when all the favorite tunes were being played. It got me dancing on the spot. Congrats to DJ Technique in getting the IRON DJ title.
The UYE MC FINALS (2÷3÷2015) is similar to the movie 8 Mile only with local contestants on a amateur level. I was stoked when one of the contestants represented the westside of the island and he won the competition. Congrats to Punahele from Makaha.
The other occasion was attending the THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER male revue show back on December 4, 2014.
Yeah what can I say… I’m still single and I don’t have a man in my life so attending a male revue show is one way a female like me can drool over some sexy Aussie eye candy. Approximately 200 people attended the Thursday night show. The ladies sitting in the aisle seats were lucky enough to be pulled up on stage by the dancers. There was even a 85 year old grandma that got pulled up on stage by the emcee of the night. No picture taking during the event… some people got warned by the security. Pay $ 20.00 to have a picture taken with the members of THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER. Yes I did get a picture taken with some of the members. Yes I even got their autographs.
Looking forward to attend other events here at The Republik… hopefully I’ll be free from work to attend.