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Red Lion University takes
over Bedroq’s location

When Outrigger Hotels and Resorts decided to spruce up Lewers Street in Waikiki, a number of longtime businesses shut down in order to make way for the $800 million Waikiki Beachwalk development.

Red Lion University Location: 2535 Coyne St. Hours: 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily Call: 949-5466

Besides restaurants like Chuck's Steakhouse, Trattoria, Davey Jones Ribs and Buzz's Steak and Lobster, a number of watering holes were forced to close. The Irish Rose Saloon, Buddha Bar and Charley's Tavern are unlikely to reopen any time soon, but one bar was lucky enough to find a new home within days of vacating its old one.

NOW CALLED Red Lion University, the establishment known for promotions like "Broke Dik Mondays" and "Dollah Ballah Wednesdays" replaces Bedroq Bar and Grill on Coyne Street, across from Puck's Alley.

Gone are the tourists that came with a street-front location in Waikiki, replaced with college students who attend the University of Hawaii at Manoa a little further up University Avenue. And unlike Bedroq before it, Red Lion will cater to the 21-and-over crowd for the time being.

Besides the change in signage above the front entrance, there isn't much different here except for a few cosmetic fixes. It looks like there's a fresh coat of paint on the walls, and a second bar is fully functional upstairs -- a nice change from the storage room appearance that the space used to have.

Much like its cousin Pipeline Cafe (the new owner of Red Lion also has an interest in the Halekauwila Street nightclub), there's quite a bit of room on two levels to enjoy a drink with friends. Take away the Climaxxx Lounge and main dance floor at Pipeline, and you've got pretty much the same layout that Red Lion does.

Downstairs is the spot for live music, with an open area on the Ewa side of the room set up for bands to perform. If you're looking for something to do, head upstairs and play a game of pool or throw some darts.

Another nice touch is the upstairs lanai, which offers a handful of tables for customers to sit at while they enjoy a brew outside. With indoor and outdoor seating, more to do than just drink and watch television, a full kitchen and the capability for live entertainment, this joint has just about everything you could want in a bar.

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JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO@STARBULLETIN.COM Bryce Davis of Kihei, Maui, and Ryan McTaggart and Stephanie Chang of Makiki ham it up between drinks at Red Lion University. The bar opened about two months ago and has two floors, pool tables and plenty of room.

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LAST WEEK'S Cinco de Mayo celebration was pretty subdued at Red Lion, with most people opting to chill upstairs and play pool. A few others occupied barstools at the downstairs bar, and one group sat outside with their drinks.

While there was no band performing that night, management says they're in negotiations with an outside promoter to offer live entertainment on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. While the upcoming summer months might be kind of quiet, expect things to pick up a bit once the fall semester begins.

For the time being, be sure to visit Red Lion on an empty stomach.

The pupus here are excellent, and you can order fancy dishes like spicy ahi spring rolls ($7), crab-stuffed grilled mushrooms ($6) and hamburgers made with Kobe beef ($6.50) along with more traditional bar fare. Sushi is also offered on Fridays and Saturdays after 9 p.m.

How much for a Bud Light?
Bud Light bottles will set you back $3; opt for draft beer instead and you'll spend $6.50 for a pitcher.

Get things to do?
Two plasma screens over both the upstairs and downstairs Bars allow for customers to watch sporting events while having a drink, and another two televisions are located near the pool tables upstairs. Two dart machines complement three more downstairs, and three Megatouch game machines are available.

What about the grinds?
The Kobe cheeseburger ($7) I ordered was incredible, as was the crab and artichoke dip ($7). Most dishes range from $6 to $10, and there are a variety of pizzas ($6 to $8) on the menu. Oyster shooters ($1.50) are served on the half shell, and the Mo' Betta Kalbi ($9) was recommended by a number of employees.

And the help?
Even though it wasn't very crowded, we found ourselves waiting for a server once the upstairs bar closed and all orders had to be placed downstairs. Why make the effort to set up another bar, only to have it close once a crowd starts to show up?

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