Post #7078 by Sabina on Thu, Aug 29, 2002 1:36 AM

I debated where to put this, but it's of a little broader interest than for just us locals of those of us doing the DC/MD/VA get together. So here goes-

A quick review of Honolulu, Alexandria, VA since some of us are headed that a way. (I need to go back more often to write a more in depth anything!)

Last week I rounded up my partner and a friend and checked out Honolulu, and were very pleasantly surprised! If you're expecting a Mai Kai or Kahiki, don't- BUT if you're expecting a Tiki bar built with a great love of all things Tiki and a fluency in all that we love about Tiki bars, objects and otherwise, you may enjoy the place a lot (Just my opinion, you may hate it, I don't know!)

A word of consideration, though. Here in the DC area, we don't have a Mai Kai or such in our backyard (that I know of- YET!), so we're mighty happy for any Tiki we get! Californians and Floridians may be unimpressed- then again, they may find it a welcome hint of home if ever stranded in the DC area.

I haven't checked out Politiki or other Tiki things on the Virginia side, so this is not about comparison, just about Honolulu itself.

As a final word of warning, the place is not terribly big, and the parking may get crowded on a weekend, (we were there on a Tuesday). There is more parking in the back, though.

From the outside you may wonder quite what you've gotten yourself into, but if you've read the Tiki-bar review pages description, you've probably anticipated this apprehension.

Decor-

Similar to my fond remembrances of Kahiki, the differences between outside and inside are vast- not quite night and day, but Honolulu is more than you'd expect if only judged from the outside. In the entrance room there's a small fountain, a mood setter- not a work of great art, pass on into the restaurant itself. Inside immediately to the left is the bar and the large glass backlit 'sunset' painting mentioned on the review page. At the bar we immediately recognized the familiar faces of Tiki mugs.

The restaurant itself is one large room, (the kitchen is of course, separate), but the space has been subdivided with large bamboo structures. There are booths that actually feel semi-private due to the use of tied back bamboo curtains. As a side note, the booths are a similar red vinyl to the booths of the late Kahiki- so it felt strangely familiar.

On the walls there's palm matting and small fish floats (mostly small) everywhere, some of which are backlit. The ceiling has been painted black to make the various lamps and objects stand out a bit more. Buddhas and El Diablos and painted Tikis (be forewarned!) All of the tables have their own individual little 'sun god' Tiki lamps. Towards the back is another section with longer tables, and 'thrones', but we didn't get a very good look back there. There were pufferfish, fishnets, and lamps that no doubt some of you would recognize immediately (perhaps Trader Vics?) which I can't describe and would have to take pictures of.

Be forewarned though, there are also plastic Leis which had perhaps seen better days and plastic grapes- yes I said grapes, hanging from the ceiling for reasons unknown.

Above all, one gets the impression that unlike the 'orderliness' (amidst chaos) one finds, or found, in some Tiki palaces, Honolulu is more evocative of an assemblage, sort of like a home Tiki bar or collection on some serious steroids- but also with 'orderly components'. I don't know if that makes sense to anyone else, but I can't quite find any other way to describe it. If feels very comfortable, almost more like a clubhouse with a carefully preserved collection of all the elements of Tiki-ness- the happy clutter that makes it home- but without the formality.

Perhaps this is what the Tiki-bar review page was getting at.

None-the-less it still has distinct areas to it, is a very real restaurant, and is bigger than most clubhouses I've run across.

Music/mood-

Best of all- there was soft Hawaiian music on in the background, not too loud, just perfectly there- we didn't hear any Denny, Lyman, or Baxter, but it certainly was a refreshing change of pace from some what I've seen- wonderful! Nor did we see a TV anywhere! Hooray!

The lighting is dim other than the shaded candle lamps on the tables, the backlit walls with floats and the mural/painting at the bar end of the room, and the occasional flaming entree or volcano. As some of the reviews have mentioned, the place is windowless- and that WORKS, I'll bet it's atmospheric even for lunch on a weekday afternoon!

Drinks-

The drinks were potent and some were served in orchids mugs. My friend and I shared a Flaming Volcano whose taste took me way back, which I followed by an excellent Mai Tai (not in a mug). My friends also tried a suffering bastard (also in plain glass) and a fogcutter (mermaid mug)- all of which got good reviews.

Food-

Good neighborhood Polynesian and Szechwan- emphasis on the Szechwan :). All the requisite appetizers- Pupu platters, fried crab Rangoon, shrimp toasts, etc.

Crowd-

It being a Tuesday night it was a little hard to tell, but obviously there were regulars, a pretty young crowd and the occasional take out. The bar did a steady business all night- yes even with the few beer drinkers.

The main feeling that one walks out of Honolulu with, though is that it's a 'Tiki bar love built' (well, aren't they all?)- it's obviously an homage to an era gone by, yet still alive and well in a little corner of Alexandria. For us, at least, a place well worth the drive, and one we intend to frequent!

I'd be really interested in what other folks who have been there have to say about it. Feel free to compltely dissagree...