No beach and no grill
but still fun
ARNOLD'S BEACH BAR AND GRILL
Hours: Open 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. daily
Location: 339 Saratoga Road
(across frm the Waikiki Post Office)
Phone: 922-6887
IF YOUR IDEA of grabbing a drink in Waikiki is kicking back on the oceanfront with a fruity mai tai in hand, then stay far away from Arnold's Beach Bar and Grill. But if $6 pitchers and a hole-in-the-wall vibe are more your speed, then this tiny hideaway off Saratoga Road is worth a stop.
After spending some time in Arnold's this week, the Barfly is still confused about the establishment's name. Located behind a row of shops and next to a parking lot, the bar is nowhere near a beach. And forget about ordering something from the grill -- it's been almost six months now that the kitchen has been closed, another victim of the slow economy and resulting lack of customers. We were told there may be a chance it could reopen soon with a limited menu, but Arnold's days of serving exotic dishes appear to be over (you used to be able to grab an ostrich burger or alligator ribs here).
DENNIS ODA / DODA@STARBULLETIN.COM
Bert Kawaguchi, bartender/ manager for Arnold's Bar and Grill, extends cheers with a Guinness.
Parking is another issue at Arnold's, one to be expected in Waikiki. While not exactly legal, the Post Office lot across the street offers the easiest solution after it closes in the evening; just take a stroll every half-hour or so to check for tow trucks.
Otherwise, there's metered parking down the street or a paid lot right next to the bar.
All that said, Arnold's is still a pretty good place to grab a beer. There are tables outside the bar that you can sit at, or go indoors and plant yourself on one of the nine bar stools instead. The low ceiling and stacked boxes around the room lend a garagelike feel to Arnold's, like you're just going over to a friend's house for pau hana. There's also live entertainment on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday nights. Different bands rotate, playing anything from blues and rock to Hawaiian and heavy metal.
And in what was probably the highlight of our visit to Arnold's Beach Bar and Grill, the Barfly scored a T-shirt! For the first time in a while, we ordered Coors instead of Bud, and it paid off: A Coors rep paid a visit to the bar as we were sitting there, and we got free shirts and surfboard bottle openers, too. Good times!
How much for a Bud Light?
Domestic beer is on draft for $1.50 a mug or $6 a pitcher. Guinness and Bass Ale is also on tap for $9 a pitcher. Domestic and import bottles are available as well.
Get things to do?
Two televisions sit at either end of the bar, and there's a U-Wink game machine (like a Megatouch machine) near the front door. Walk upstairs to the bar's second floor, and you'll find a pair of dart machines.
What about the grinds?
Do yourself a favor and stop for a bite to eat somewhere else before stopping by Arnold's. With no kitchen for the foreseeable future, it's all about the beer at this joint.
And the help?
Since Arnold's is such a small establishment, the lone bartender on duty had no problems keeping the half-dozen people in the bar taken care of. And getting hooked up with free stuff is always a plus in the Barfly's book.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend.
E-mail Jason Genegabus at jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.
