Believe it or not, a trip
to Hotel Street can be
worth the risk

TELL SOMEONE you're heading to Hotel Street for a couple of drinks, and you're bound to be asked if your judgment has been affected by a recent head injury.

That's unless you have friends who really care about you. They'd probably just stage an intervention themselves and dump you in rehab right then and there.

Drinking on Hotel Street? Where the streets are sketchy and people lurking in darkened doorsteps of vacant storefronts even sketchier?

Trust me -- it's now possible, even enjoyable, to knock a few back in the area while listening to old-school Hawaiian music that's more authentic than some of what's being played in Waikiki these days.

Kaspy's 35 N. Hotel St. (near the corner of Smith and Hotel) 6 p.m. to 2 a.m. Mondays through Saturdays 521-0899

THE FIRST time I noticed Kaspy's was right after it opened two months ago. I was in the neighborhood to check out thirtyninehotel, a new "music media space" that occupies a nearby loft.

As I walked out with a friend, I noticed another security-looking type standing stoically on the sidewalk a few doors down. My curiosity getting the better of me, I doubled back and took a quick peek.

Inside the bar was a crowd that I didn't expect to see on Hotel Street, listening to music I would normally associate with a restaurant at Aloha Tower Marketplace or in one of the hotels on Kalakaua Avenue.

With a beautiful-looking bar taking up the majority of the bar's Diamond Head wall, a dozen tables occupy space in front of an elevated stage along the makai side of the room. Soft lighting, fresh flowers and an abundance of wood furniture make the bar appear both elegant and inviting.

Even though I had a couple of other parties to get to that evening, I was surprised to find myself wanting to spend more time at a bar on a street that I normally stay far away from.

Turns out I was getting a taste of Kaea, the Saturday night regulars at Kaspy's. Along with Na Wahine Eha, a trio of tutus who play every Friday, they're what makes this place worth a visit. Expect nothing but sweet, unadulterated nahenahe music with no amplification whatsoever.

And no matter what, don't ask to hear anything Jawaiian here. Try it, and bartender/owner Kevin "Kaspy" Kasparovich will probably escort you to the sidewalk himself.

RICHARD WALKER / RWALKER@STARBULLETIN.COM Kevin "Kaspy" Kasparovich, owner of Kaspy's on Hotel St., sits at the establishment's bar.

THIS WEEK, I had a chance to pay another visit to Kaspy's. The room was empty, and Kasparovich was busy rearranging furniture.

Unfortunately, no cable service meant I couldn't watch the local broadcast of "Monday Night Football" on the pair of televisions hanging above the bar (Kasparovich is hoping to get a satellite dish hooked up in the near future).

But like any good bartender would, he quickly struck up a conversation. After speaking with him for a moment, you realize that Kasparovich himself is a pretty interesting guy. And why not sit down with a beer and talk story for a bit?

Named after his father, Leonard "Kaspy" Kasparovich, Kaspy's gives Kevin a chance to get up close and personal with the neighborhood his father patrolled on foot as a member of the Honolulu Police Department a quarter of a century ago.

He doesn't mince words when you ask him about the "fruit loops" who loiter on the sidewalks outside.

"If your feet are as black as the street, you don't belong here," he says.

A doorman is posted out front three nights a week, and Kasparovich proudly points to the "We Reserve the Right to Refuse Service to Anyone" sign as one of the tools he uses to keep troublemakers from setting up shop.

KASPY'S IS a dream come true for the younger Kasparovich.

"16 years in the making," to be exact, he says. While he enjoys a successful career in the tourism industry, opening a bar is something he's always wanted to do.

Except for a couple of hours on Tuesday nights, he's the only one pouring drinks and talking story as his father looks on in a number of pictures that hang on the wall opposite from the bar itself.

With a three-year lease at his present location, Kasparovich is realistic when asked about the potential for Hotel Street to improve its image among the majority of Oahu residents.

Parking is not a problem, he tells me.

And he's right -- I had no problem finding street parking, and there are a number of paid lots available in the immediate area.

But will people forget what they've heard about the area's problems and venture through his doors, especially after it gets dark outside?

Kasparovich hopes so.

"It's just a matter of time," he says. Word of mouth helps to build the weekend crowd, and he hopes to have enough of a following to support live music on other nights in the near future.

How much for a Bud Light?
The Barfly drank $2.50 bottles of Bud Light during his visit to Kaspy's. Import beers are also available for $1 more.

Get things to do?
Three Megatouch game machines line one wall of the room at Kaspy's, and karaoke is available when live music isn't scheduled. Visit on Friday or Saturday, and a $3 cover charge gives you access to the live entertainment featured on those nights.

What about the grinds?
There's no food menu at Kaspy's, but don't let that stop you from eating something while you're there. Bring some pupu or a plate lunch from your favorite spot, or take a look at the takeout menus from Mini Garden Noodle House and Rosarina Pizza, two neighborhood restaurants that the bar recommends.

And the help?
With just one person serving drinks at Kaspy's, there's a good chance you'll be waiting if there's a crowd in the bar. But I found the experience of drinking here so relaxing, it didn't really matter if I had to wait a little longer to get a drink.