New Players has potential
PLAYERS SPORTS AND
ENTERTAINMENT CLUB
Hours: Open 11:30 to 4 a.m. Monday through Friday;
7 a.m. to 4 a.m. Saturday;
7:30 a.m. to 4 a.m. Sunday
Location: 1270 Queen Emma St.
(across St. Andrew's Cathedral)
Phone: 566-6693
A LONGTIME favorite for the aloha-shirt army, Players Downtown has always been known for its high energy, good-looking servers and almost nonexistent parking. But among all the hustle and bustle of this year's holiday season, the Barfly completely forgot about Players' new location.
There's definitely a lot of potential for the new Players Downtown, which now occupies the second floor of an office building across St. Andrew's Cathedral. The space held a bunch of offices before getting remodeled; now beer taps, video games, pool tables and a ton of dart machines are spread out through the bar. I'd guess that the new space is at least twice as big as the old Alakea location.
With so much space to spread out and enjoy a cold beer, you'd be surprised how easy it remains to catch a game on one of the televisions in the bar. Five big screens are strategically located, with another half-dozen smaller televisions to provide customers a good view of what's on, no matter which direction you look. It's also pretty dark inside, making it even easier to see what's on the screens across the room. This would be a great place to watch two or three different NFL games on a Sunday without losing track of any of the action.
Most of the problems the Barfly has with the new Players Downtown are easily fixed, and management is working hard to get things up to speed. On the night we visited, the bartender was the only employee in the place serving customers. While he was obviously hustling to keep everyone happy, there needs to be more servers on duty in a bar as large as this one.
FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@ STARBULLETIN.COM
Monday Night Football is always a hit at Players Downtown sports bar. From left, Liz Ota, Lorie Del Mundo, Chip Hall and Kevin Kurosu check out the game.
Pupu selections are another disappointment at the new location, something that surprised the Barfly at first. The Players in Manoa and Aiea have always served ono food, and it was odd to see the cook at the new restaurant working out on the lanai with what looked like a really basic setup. Things were cleared up when we asked for menus, however; our bartender explained that the kitchen the bar is planning to share with a restaurant downstairs hasn't been finished yet. Expect an expanded pupu menu early next year.
Although there may be cheaper beer prices down the street at Aloha Tower and more games to play at Dave & Buster's, Players Downtown holds its own for those who are looking for room to kick back in a more relaxed atmosphere. Another plus is the bar's 4 a.m. liquor license, making it one of the few places worth going to for a nightcap without having to worry about a mama-san bullying you into buying drinks. Give them a few more weeks to get it all together, and the staff at Players Downtown should be well on their way to success at the new location.
How much for a Bud Light?
If you've been to any of Players' three locations, then you know how steep beer prices can be. Bud Light is on tap for $10.50 a pitcher; domestic bottles are also available for $3.50. The good news: Players Downtown runs significantly more taps. Michelob, Coors, Moosehead, Kona Brewing Company's Golden Ale, Heineken, Newcastle Brown Ale, Bass Ale, Amstel Light and a few other brews are also served.
Get things to do?
Nearly 30 dart machines, two pool tables and a row of video games that take up one wall of the bar all provide distractions if the games on television aren't worth watching. On the other hand, a couple of televisions over the row of video games are a nice touch for those who don't want to miss any action.
What about the grinds?
While the food we tried earlier this week was okay, the Barfly recommends waiting for the kitchen to get finished before passing judgment on their pupu menu. With no deep-fryer and apparently no rice cooker, the only sides served are tossed salad or chips and salsa. Stick to the boiled peanuts ($3.25), poke ($7.25) or nachos ($4.95 for a 1/2 order, $7.50 for a full order). The burgers ($4.75 to $6.25) are good too, but with chips and salsa? The Barfly needs french fries!
And the help?
If you don't see any Playerettes when you walk in, be prepared to wait a bit for service. The bartender on duty when the Barfly visited worked hard to keep up, but it's hard to cover such a large area without neglecting a few customers here and there. Hopefully management will address this as they work out the kinks at Players Downtown's new location.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend.
E-mail Jason Genegabus at jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.
