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Barfly Jason Genegabus |
‘Last chance’
bar worth a tryONE OF THE first bars I was told to go visit when this column started almost one year ago was Chez Monique in Aiea.
Widely recognized as the only establishment in that part of town with a 4 a.m. liquor license (other than a hostess bar nearby), residents from all over Leeward Oahu often make a stop there on their way home for the night.
CHEZ MONIQUE
BAR AND GRILL
Hours: 2 p.m. to 4 a.m. Daily
Location: 98-150 Kaonohi St.
(Westridge Shopping Center, Second Floor)
Phone: 488-2439
For the longest time, I tried to stay away from the place -- but not because I didn't like the bar or didn't want to be seen drinking there. Chez Monique was popular enough on its own; from what I understood, they didn't need any help drawing a crowd.
Persistent rumors that the establishment would be closing down had gotten me worried, however, so I decided to stop by earlier this week and see for myself if there were any changes in store.
GEORGE F. LEE / GLEE@STARBULLETIN.COM
Kaimuki HIgh School classmates Marsha Rodrigues, left, of Hawaii Kai, Joanne Jones of Makiki, Irmagard Mahoe of Palolo and Carol Nobriga-Borges enjoy a round of drinks at Chez Monique Tuesday.
LUCKY FOR YOU, and even luckier for the regulars who drink there, Chez Monique is in no danger -- I repeat, no danger -- of shutting down. According to one of the bartenders on duty the night I stopped by, the rumors were started when Westridge Shopping Center ownership began to have financial troubles.
Although there was some legal wrangling going on above their heads, Chez Monique's lease was never an issue, and customers can rest assured that the bar will remain open after more than five years in business.
Another pleasant surprise is the amount of money being put in to refurbishing their space in the building. Chez Monique's layout is the same -- a circular bar occupies one end of the L-shaped room, while a number of tables and a dance floor take up the side closest to Kaonohi Street. Folding chairs and card tables that I remember being used here have been replaced with restaurant-quality equipment, and a second set of beer taps was recently installed closer to the dance floor.
It's easy to understand why this place is so popular among residents in the area, especially on weekends. Unless you're willing to drive in to town, or in the other direction out to Kapolei or Wahiawa, Chez Monique is pretty much the only place to go for drinks and dancing. Other bars might offer live entertainment and beer specials, but the layout here is closer to a nightclub than a neighborhood bar, as evidenced by a full-fledged DJ booth that's built into a corner of the room.
On weekends, live music is the norm at Chez Monique, with a deejay spinning dance tunes once the band gets off stage around 12:30 a.m.; expect to pay five bucks cover on Fridays and Saturdays after 9:30 p.m. Kawika Regidor is scheduled to play tonight, with the Ka'ala Boys on deck for tomorrow and Koa'uka and Backyard Pa'ina in line for next weekend.
DRINKING A BEER and watching "Sportscenter" on one of the nearby televisions, the one thing that really stood out during my visit to Chez Monique was how diverse the crowd of regulars drinking at the bar actually was. For a slow night, over a dozen regulars were spread throughout the room, ranging in age from their mid-20s and 30s to a military veteran in his 80s who, as I was told, visits every night to drink a few beers and flirt with the servers before going home.
But if the drinks are cold and everyone is having a good time, does age really matter? The next time you're out for a few drinks on the Leeward side, stop by Chez Monique and find out why it ranks as one of the top establishments in the area.
How much for a Bud Light?
The Barfly and his Drinking Buddy drank a $13.25 pitcher of Bud Light when we landed at Chez Monique. Kind of pricey, but at least you have a choice between pitchers or mugs, and bottled beers are available as well.
Get things to do?
Three Megatouch game machines and four dart machines offer the regular distractions here, and there's no shortage of televisions for those looking for something to watch other than the people drinking at the bar. On the night we visited, the jukebox played music by Nelly, Usher and the Eagles; and don't forget about the live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays.
What about the grinds?
While normal bar offerings like french fries ($5), shrimp shumai ($6.25) and ahi poke ($8.25) are available, be sure to try the barbecue beef, kim chee chicken and pork katsu sticks ($1 each) when you visit. All are served kabob-style, and the stick platter ($10) provides a sample of everything if you can't make up your mind.
And the help?
There were no problems finding a place to sit or getting a pitcher of beer when we visited Chez Monique, but the Drinking Buddy had to resort to Jedi mind tricks in order to get our server to come and take a food order. It wasn't until he picked up the menu and started to re-examine it (long after we had made up our minds and were waiting to place our order) that she came back and asked if we wanted anything to eat. "Works every time," the Drinking Buddy remarked after she left, referring to his freaky mind-control powers.
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend.
E-mail Jason Genegabus at jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.
