Hokule’a Bar

Chill relaxing bar at the Ko’olina Resort.
The lounge overlooks the pool and stunning views of the lagoon and ocean (any view of the ocean is amazing though).
They offer a nice selection of appetizers, sushi and burgers.
If you are looking for a lively bar this is not the place. However, if you want a relaxing night cap before bed, then you should definitely come here!

The pre-Hokule’a Bar fiasco…
We can be so last minute… On New Year’s Eve, we decided at 3pm that we should go out for dinner. Fine, I’ll look online to see if any places down in Ko’olina have openings. First try was Chuck’s, that was a no go. Next up was Naupaka Terrace, BINGO! Open Table says there’s openings at 530, SCORE!
So we get there at 530, greeted and get seated, then took a look at the drink menu. Our waiter comes back and we ask about seeing the dinner menu… GONG! We didn’t realize it was a special New Year’s Eve Buffet costing $ 119 per person… Ouch! We explained that we overlooked that small detail and the the manager, Annette, was really nice and offered us a table at the Hokule’a Bar upstairs, informing us they serve dinner options and burgers and pizzas, too. She called up there and had them hold a table for us… Annette is awesome.
Sorry for making you read about our stupidity but here’s the actual review…
The bar is on the lobby level overlooking the lagoon and pool. If you get a seat at one of the open windows, it’s a perfect spot to sip some tropical cocktails and absorb the beauty of Hawaii. We each ordered a drink to start, a margarita, gin martini, Kahuna Colada, and a glass of red. All drinks were delicious.
For dinner I had the 16 oz. ribeye ordered rare. The steak came out medium rare but that was fine with me. It was also kind of fatty which is also VERY fine with me. The steak came with yukon gold potatoes and sauteed veggies. We also ordered a pizza, a bacon cheeseburger w/​fries, and some breaded oysters. All of the food was tasty but I think my steak was the best overall.
We ended the night with a 2^nd round of drinks and a chuckle wondering how big our eyes would’ve been if we had just started eating at the buffet at Naupaka without realizing the price, and then seeing the bill for four people. ;)

Cool bar that overlooks the lagoon view. It’s a little quiet here during the night. Nice for an intimate night if you’re looking for that vibe. Weekday evenings are pretty quiet and empty. Not sure about the weekends.

We joined some friends for cocktails and a light dinner.
ATMOSPHERE:
It’s open air and also climate controlled. The lounge overlooks the pool and has gorgeous views of the lagoon and ocean. There’s a small bar with a TV, along with sofa and regular seating.
MENU:
They offer a nice selection of apps, sushi, burgers, sandwiches, pastas, and meats.
FOOD:
Sushi sampler — The smörgåsbord included the typical fresh selections along with 2 small cups filled with fresh sea urchin and tobiko. I’m not a sushi fan but tasted the sea urchin which was interesting — consistency of foie gras with a medium ocean-​y /​salty flavor.
Quesadilla — It was stuffed with steak and cheese; good but nothing great. On the side were strips of spicy steak slices in a ponzu-​soy tasting sauce and topped with (radish?) sprouts.
SERVICE:
Everyone was very friendly and professional.
ODDITY:
We were in there around 8pm. Apparently the pool is still open but the pool bar is not. There’s a staircase that leads down to the pool so there were a few guests coming in and out of the restaurant wearing towels and swimwear and grabbing drinks. Weird when everyone is wearing resort wear.
OVERALL:
Nice, small lounge to grab a few drinks in and to watch the sunset.

We love Hokulea! Awesome view of the lagoon at sunset. Love the Hukilau pasta and hanging with friends!

It was like a frat house when we came. My wings were soggy and our table was loaded with trash and baskets. Poor waiter was working hard to take care of everyone.
My husband liked his burger.

Great place to have pupus and drinks that are reasonably priced and tasty too. The pupu specials are excellent, and the mixed drinks have a generous pour. To save money, order a ‘well’ drink rather than a tropical.
Wait/​bar staff was attentive and polite.
Ambiance was good – open air, decent view, and live music when we were there.

Mai tais were delicious here. Nice wine selection (they even had wine by Justin something I’ve only seen since dining in California’s wine country). The deserts are incredible… a must try is the warm banana cobbler. Great service too. Definite must if you are staying at the Ihilani.

My husband and I went here for drinks every night and had dinner here one night while we were staying at the Ihilani. The views are terrific, drinks delicious and reasonably priced (for an upscale hotel bar/​lounge), and the food is good too! Our servers were always attentive and friendly. A major plus about this place: I don’t know if this is the norm with all bars or restaurants within hotels, but on the night that we had dinner here and were clearly stuffed and sleepy, but still had our last drinks untouched (after 3 – 4 other drinks) sitting on the table, our waitress told us that we could just take our drinks up to our room. Perfect! I really appreciated that since I didn’t want those drinks going to waste, yet was also too tired and uncomfortable sitting around the lounge any longer.

I have to say that I was actually surprised at how good and reasonably priced my recent dinner was that this location.
It was after 8pm and I was hungry so rather than get in my car, I thought I would just eat at the hotel. Located in the JW Marriott Ko olina, Hokule’a Bar offers some great views as well as a pretty good menu.
I sat at the bar with a few others and asked what everyone’s favorite dishes were. Most said the burgers or the pizza but since I wanted fish– I decided to go with the Fish special of the night which was Ono encrusted with macadamia nuts. Served with asparagus and mashed potatoes, this was a sizable portion and was quite good!
They also make a mean martini– I had to laugh as the bartender said he didn’t get many requests for those, more likely a mai tai or a Pina Colada but he didn’t miss a beat!
Dinner came to about $ 55 with drinks and I was in and out in about an hour– although lingering would have been an option had I wanted it.
A pretty good choice for a hotel restaurant!

Worst food and drink on the island. Do you guys even try to make good food and drinks? WTF!!! I feel like throwing up. Server was nice and view was

Best place in Ko’Olina for taking in the Sunset!
Good food & drink!

This place offered the most alcohol in beverage that I ordered while at the resort. Our server was Josh. He was very helpful in also giving us tips for activities/​events to see on the island. For some reason the bar guy was more helpful than the lady we spoke to at the concierge desk.
The bar also serves a full menu from the adjacent restaurant.
I ordered a crab cakes which were okay.
My friend enjoyed her tomato salad and chicken wings.
They close at midnight so it’s great for the late night munchies.

A very decent and small bar at the Ihilani. It’s a great place to come with a gf or two or to come with your significant other for a pau hana drink. They have a very limited food menu and the food is sufficient for hotel food. Again what’s nice about it is that it’s close to Kapolei, which is nearly devoid of any nice places to hang out and so I’ll come here on occasion instead of going into town.
I recommend this place to locals who want to have a nice drink and look at the sunset and then walk the four lagoons. It’s a great date night.

Service is great. The Old Fashion… not so much.

Located on the 2^nd floor, above Ushio Tei and Naupaka Terrace.
The best Margarita in Ko Olina area!
When the downstairs restaurants are not super busy, you could have food from Ushio Tei and Naupaka Terrace menu. Expect to wait.
Advise: Do not try their fish sampler. We are glad we did not get food poisoned.
Remember, this is a bar!

A bit pricey, however… portions generous… service very friendly. If just driving up for the day, make sure to get validation or you’ll be charged expensive parking fee, no fee if you show dining receipt, and validation.

You can’t see the sunset from Hokule’a (blocked by the hotel tower)…but the colors in the sky… especially with the smoke in the air this week… awesome! The ambiance… the pool… the Lagoon…
Chris, Eddie, and Josh have taken great care of their customers. I’ve intermittently called on this West Oahu oasis since the friendly and hospitable staff at the J.W. Marriott Ihilani Resort & Spa took great care of my colleagues and I in 2009.
The bar only offers beer in bottles (NO DRAFT — keeps beer prices down, cheaper than Waikiki). The staff will graciously pour your beer in a chilled glass. OR, you can pour your own.
Chris, the veteran bartender, if you ask, will share stories of patrons who have forked over copious amounts of $$$ for a shot, or two, or three, or more for Louis XIII de Rémy Martin.
Hokule’a is one of the few establishments on Oahu that serve Louis XIII de Rémy Martin.
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The standard appetizer (pupu) menu at Hokule’a is limited, but you can order any item, from any menu, from any restaurant at the Ihilani, IF they are open on the day they you visit Hokule’a.
From the standard Hokule’a menu… I recommend the Crab Cake item… it’s small, but the flavor is LARGE…
I also recommend the Caesar Salad with Shrimp…
Burgers are mediocre, cooked to order.

We had a large group and our server was great, moving the furniture around in the lounge so we could all squeeze in. Because it is open air, it wasn’t stuffy and we had a great view.

We came up from the pool & hot tub in our swimwear, and we were greeted with the friendliest waitress. She was all smiles and made sure we dried off before lounging. We dropped in for a few Kalua Coladas, and they were heavenly! This bar has a great atmosphere, extremely laid back with the most gorgeous view. We came too late; otherwise the sunset would have been breathtaking! It’s a little hidden gem inside the hotel. Good food, delicious drinks, and friendly staff.