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Diamond Head Grill offers
variety of drinks, music

Love 'em or hate 'em, there are certain parties in this town you just have to respect. Diamond Head Grill's "Wonderlounge" is one such weekly happening.

Diamond Head Grill Location: 2885 Kalakaua Ave. (in the W Honolulu) Hours: 5:30 p.m. to midnight Sundays through Thursdays, 5:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays Call: 922-3734 2 1/2 mugs

Make that two weekly happenings -- there's Friday's "New Chapter" with Matty Hazelgrove, while Komo Low joins forces with Complete Industries and Flipside to host "The Goodness" every Saturday. Weekend crowds will undoubtedly swell next month, when "Wonderlounge" celebrates its fifth birthday.

But you don't have to wait until August, or even the weekend for that matter, to toss a few back at the restaurant inside the W Honolulu.

THE BEST reason to check out Diamond Head Grill during the week is all the extra space you have to relax, either at the main bar or on a couch near the dining area.

Stop by on a Friday or Saturday night, on the other hand, and you'll find yourself catching elbows from an otherwise innocent-looking 22-year-old who's also jockeying for position in front of a bartender. And why bother taking the time to examine the restaurant's decor, when eye candy of a different variety fills two rooms with women who wiggle and the men who enjoy watching them?

A recent Thursday visit, however, had me feeling completely different. Rather than worry about how long it would take to get a drink or where I could post up among the crowd to avoid getting bumped into, I found myself lounging at the end of the bar and contemplating my next choice off the extensive martini menu.

When I'm among a crowd, I'll usually go for a bottle of beer since it keeps potential spillage to a minimum. Weekdays at DHG allow for a different strategy.

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FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM Pua Millare, left, and Nikki Kerney enjoy a drink during Bouvier Productions' "The Vanity Affaire" at Diamond Head Grill last month.

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Start off with a Lychee Passion ($8), a refreshing mix of Finlandia mango-infused vodka and lychee juice, or be a little daring and try a Tootsie Roll ($8). I'm not sure I'd enjoy Kahlua with orange juice, and didn't want to pay that kind of money to find out.

The Orange Drop ($8) I ordered next was nothing like a typical Screwdriver, with fresh-squeezed orange juice instead of frozen concentrate and Grey Goose substituted for well vodka. A dash of Cointreau and a sugar-rimmed martini glass give the drink a twist of sophistication, and it goes down smoothly without much bite.

Rather ball on a budget? Save money by ordering $5 standard martinis on Wednesdays, Thursdays, Sundays and Mondays. There are also three beer taps, with $3 drafts available on Sundays and Mondays.

BACK TO Thursdays, which feature Zanuck Lindsey and his eclectic mix of music from the '70s and '80s. Joined by buddies Mike Times and Bobo Butires, Lindsey played hits from the Stylistics and Paul Simon while we were there, even tossing in a couple of Kalapana classics at the audience's request.

Instead of blocking the restaurant's entrance, a performance space is set up towards the center of DHG's dining room, with couches forming a "U" around the band. That leaves a makeshift dancefloor behind them, and allows for easy access to the bar and bathrooms without being a distraction.

Called "Z.TV," the Thursday jam session attracts a much older crowd than "Wonderlounge" does on the weekend. If you're tired of the club scene and want a classy place to drink at during the week, don't dismiss the idea of venturing to this side of Waikiki for a couple of cocktails.

How much for a Bud Light?
Skip the domestic brew and opt for a pint of Bass, Guinness or Harp, especially on Sundays and Mondays when they cost just $3 each. You can't go wrong with something off the martini menu, either.

Get things to do?
Amazingly, there are actual board games on the tables at Diamond Head Grill. Challenge a friend to Tic-Tac-Toe, Chess or Chinese Checkers, or just kick back and people watch.

What about the grinds?
There was no way we could leave without ordering the Wagyu Kobe Beef Burger ($18), a giant slab of meat served with a choice of three cheeses on a fresh roll and accompanied by french fries. But $18 for a cheeseburger? At least now I can say that I've tried it.

And the help?
For the first time in a while, I got a personal introduction from my bartender upon arrival. "If you need anything else, my name's Joey," he said, before proceeding to keep our glasses filled all night. It's an entirely different experience from drinking here on a weekend.