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Barfly
Jason Genegabus
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E Lounge and Sports Bar is an oasis in Kapalama
In a neighborhood better known for its hostess bars, E Lounge and Sports Bar is a diamond in the rough.
Nestled in a back corner of the Kapalama Shopping Center in Kalihi, the establishment hasn't done much advertising in the three months its been open. But you can't tell on the weekends, or during the weekly live broadcast of "Monday Night Football."
E Lounge And Sports Bar
Location: 1210 Dillingham Blvd. (Kapalama Shopping Center)
Hours: 2 p.m. to 4 a.m. daily
Call: 841-7412
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THE BEST way to describe E Lounge and Sports Bar is by repeating something I overheard while drinking there last week.
"If you don't face the parking lot," one person said, "you wouldn't even know you were drinking in Kalihi!"
It's not a knock on the neighborhood. Rather, the combination of an upgraded interior, inexpensive drink prices and customers much younger than those you'd typically find in a hostess bar all make you feel like you're drinking somewhere in town, not across the street from Grocery Outlet.
Walk in the front door, and you'll find a comfortably sized room filled with the same kind of couches that decorate "ultra lounge" nightspots like Maharaja and The O Lounge.
It's a much better setup than the typical restaurant-style tables and chairs, or those uncomfortable, high-backed booths. Kicking back on one of the couches makes you feel more like you're in someone's living room instead of a bar.
Just past the couches, three dart machines occupy an open corner of the room that doubles as a stage for live entertainment on Wednesdays. A handful of Megatouch machines are also set up here, with one more located at the bar itself.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COM
Waitress Terri Inouye serves up a steaming platter straight from the kitchen to a customer's table during "Monday Night Football" at E Lounge and Sports Bar.
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WHILE THE interior alone might be enough to win some customers over, there's more to like than just the comfortable couches.
Let's start with happy hour, which lasts from 2 to 7 p.m. every day. Domestic brews are just $2 during this time, with imports going for $1 more.
Can't get there until after happy hour is pau? Chill out, because prices only jump another $1 afterward, to $3 for domestics and $4 for imports. Head down anytime on Sunday, and you'll enjoy happy hour prices all night long.
Another reason to keep E Lounge in mind is its 4 a.m. closing time. This makes it a haven for bar workers who close up shop at 2 a.m. The late last call means they can still make it in for a nightcap here before heading home.
A NICE interior, cheap drinks and a 4 a.m. closing time should be enough to persuade someone to pay a visit, right?
But the knockout blow this place hides is in the kitchen, where a killer menu awaits those with an empty stomach. Try something simple, like the spring rolls ($7), mozzarella cheese sticks ($7) or gyoza ($7), and you won't be disappointed.
Those with heartier appetites, on the other hand, will probably opt for bigger items like a sizzling ribeye steak platter ($12) or the E Lounge Hawaiian Short Ribs ($10). Even those trying to live healthy can enjoy themselves at E Lounge. A variety of salads ($5 to $14) are on the menu. Side orders of french fries ($5) and bowls of rice with furikake ($1) are sold separately.
MY ONLY concern (if you could even call it that) with E Lounge has to do with its televisions. For a typical watering hole, they've done well with a smattering of flat screens around the room.
What I'm hoping will happen, however, is that the owners will add more screens as their customer base grows. You visit a "sports bar" to watch a game, not the back of somebody else's head.
Crowds aren't a problem yet, but viewing angles will be affected when more people begin to show up.
How much for a Bud Light?
The Barfly drank $2 bottles of Bud Light at E Lounge and Sports Bar.
Get things to do?
Megatouch, darts and karaoke are all available here, along with a number of televisions to watch the latest sporting action.
What about the grinds?
Both of our visits to E Lounge were with hungry friends, and we weren't disappointed. We loved the E Lounge Pork Chops ($10) smothered in country gravy, as well as the Dynamite Chicken ($9) and 10-ounce ribeye steak ($12). Be sure to check for more specials on the dry-erase board next to the bar!
And the help?
We had no problems getting drinks or food at E Lounge, even during a busy Monday afternoon visit. Servers were attentive and cheerful, and even the bartender and cook made an effort to walk around and chat with customers.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend. E-mail Jason Genegabus at
jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.