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Barfly Jason Genegabus |
The Shack keeps
its burgers comin’IT WASN'T until I got to college in Los Angeles that I discovered what a quality hamburger tasted like.
Until you've had a Double-Double from In-N-Out Burger, a classic Fatburger or an Original Tommy's Burger (with the famous chili, of course), don't try to tell me that Kua Aina is as good as it gets.
That's not to say I didn't flip out -- in a good way -- when they opened a second restaurant across the street from Ward Centre in town a few years back. And I'm still jonesing to head out to the new North Shore location to grab a burger and watch the winter swells.
Growing up in Kailua also gave me a chance to try another California classic long before I ever got on a plane to visit the mainland. The Shack Kailua was always a favorite because it was the only place I knew where the burgers came with Portuguese sausage on them.
The Original Shack Cheeseburger ($5.95) still headlines the menu here, and I've learned it also comes with one distinct benefit that In-N-Out, Fatburger, Tommy's and Kua Aina can't match -- only at The Shack can you get a pitcher of beer to go with your burger!
The Shack Kailua
Hours: Open 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays
through Thursdays; 11 a.m. to
midnight Fridays and Saturdays
Location: 1051 Keolu Drive (Across from
Enchanted Lake Center)
Phone: 261-1191
LOCATED ACROSS the street from the Enchanted Lake Center, the Kailua location is the oldest of three Shack restaurants on Oahu. Originally established in Playa Del Rey, Calif. in 1972, The Shack also has a restaurant on Kauai and two in Colorado.
Walk into The Shack Kailua and you'll see the same basic layout that's been in place since it opened on May 5, 1989. Five seats are available at the bar, with another dozen tables or so available throughout the room. A covered patio area was added a while back, which adds another 10 tables for customers to sit at. Eight televisions and a big screen are spread throughout the two areas, and all were tuned to sports channels when we stopped by earlier this week.
Take some time to look at the walls here, and you'll find various vintage photos, old Pan-Am and United Airlines promo materials, Super Bowl memoribilia from years past, and even a couple of stories cut out of old Star-Bulletin issues from December 1941. Out on the patio, the walls and ceiling are lined with old license plates from around the world.
There were a mix of local and military families having dinner, as well as a few groups of guys out for a couple of beers on the night the Barfly landed here, but the place was almost empty by the time my drinking partner and I left around 9 p.m. Unless there's a sporting event going on, my guess is that things don't get too rowdy at The Shack Kailua.
RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STAR-BULLETIN.COM
At The Shack in Kailua, bartender Erin Baze pours a cold pitcher of beer behind the bar.
BUT ENOUGH about the building; let's get back to the subject of burgers for a minute. It's been about a year since I reviewed The Shack Hawaii Kai, but I had forgotten about the disappointment I felt over the size of the Shack Cheeseburger.
As I said back then, "maybe things just seemed bigger in my teenage hands at the time." That still holds true, but at least this time around I got a burger that wasn't overcooked and a piece of Portuguese sausage that actually stuck out on both sides of the bun like I remembered.
Other burgers on the menu worth trying include the Swiss and Shroom Burger ($5.95), the Ortega Burger ($5.95) with grilled chiles and jalapeno cheese, the Reuben Burger ($5.95) with grilled pastrami, swiss cheese and thousand island dressing, or the Bacon Blues Burger ($5.95) with bacon and Bleu cheese.
Chicken sandwiches ($5.95-$6.95), hot dogs ($3.50) and salads ($1.95-$7.50) are also available, and you can even get plate lunches ($6.95-$7.50) here. Six taps offer Budweiser, Bud Light, Sam Adams Boston Lager, Gordon Biersch Marzen, Kona Brewing Company Pacific Golden Ale and Red Hook Nut Brown Ale on draft, with a variety of domestic and imported bottles can be purchased as well.
Rather have a frozen drink to go with that burger? Try a Strawberry Shortcake ($5), Electric Lemonade ($5) or Banana Cabana ($5) instead.
SINCE MOST of Kailua's bars operate on the other side of town, The Shack Kailua has long been able to prosper among the residents of Keolu Hills. That's not to say they're kicking back and just riding that success -- $2 draft Tuesdays, $4 Corona/Cuervo Gold Wednesdays and happy hour from 5 to 6 p.m. daily show the business is still interested in getting repeat business from folks in the area.
How much for a Bud Light?
The Barfly spent $7 for a pitcher of Bud Light at The Shack Kailua. The four premium beers will set you back $9 per pitcher.Get things to do?
Besides watching television, a pair of Megatouch games and a Golden Tee video game can be found here, much like any other bar on the island. Again, be sure to take some time and look at the walls of this place -- there's a ton of interesting stuff waiting to be discovered.What about the grinds?
Do yourself a favor and get a burger when you come here. Sure, there's a New York Steak ($8.95) on the menu, and the bowl of chili and rice ($3.95) my drinking parter ordered looked pretty good, but it's The Shack! Get a burger to go with that beer!And the help?
We had no problems ordering a pitcher as soon as we walked into the bar, and our food order came back pretty quick as well. Six employees were on duty the night we visited, which seemed like a lot once the dinner crowd left. But hey, that just meant more people available to bring me another beer, so I'm not complaining!
See the Columnists section for some past articles.
Barfly appears every Friday in Star-Bulletin Weekend.
E-mail Jason Genegabus at jason@starbulletin.com with suggestions of neighborhood bars to visit.
