2 Best Bars in Kauai, Hawaii

Background Illustration for Nightlife

For every new venue that opens on Kauai, another one closes, mainly because most island residents tend to retire early. It is, after all, a rural island. But still, there are a number of places to shake your booty, hear local music, and simply enjoy a drink. Nightclubs that stay open until the wee hours are rare on Kauai, and the bar scene is limited. The major resorts generally host their own live entertainment and happy hours. All bars and clubs that serve alcohol must close at 2 am, except those with a cabaret license, which allows them to close at 4 am.

Happy Talk Lounge

Fodor's Choice

You can sip an umbrella cocktail while you gaze at the original "Bali Hai" from this lounge, open on two sides and offering breezy views across Hanalei Bay to plush emerald mountains. If you think the scene looks familiar, maybe you’ve seen the classic movie South Pacific, filmed here. "Bali Hai" is actually Kauai’s Mt. Makana. Order a tropical cocktail and pupu and enjoy a truly enchanted evening as the sun sets over the sparkling waters. Local musicians entertain guests Thursday through Monday. Nearby Tunnels Beach (aka Haena Beach and Makua) is often called Nurses' Beach, where Mitzi Gaynor sang about washing that man right outta her hair; Hanalei Bay is where Bloody Mary sang “Bali Hai.”

Wally's Lobby Bar at Hukilau Lanai

Fodor's Choice

Trade winds waft through Wally's Lobby Bar, a modest little open-air bar situated in Hukilau Lanai that looks out onto a coconut grove. Sit at the cozy bar or recline in big comfortable chairs while listening to Hawaiian slack-key guitar. Live music plays from Wednesday through Saturday evenings. Poolside happy hour runs from 3 to 5 pm. Try one of the freshly infused tropical martinis or Kauai-made mead, or choose from a good selection of wines and sake by the glass.