Oahu's 10 Best Brunch Coctails
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What’s the difference between breakfast and brunch? Cocktails. Here are the 10 best craft cocktails to go with the 10 best brunches in Honolulu.
Hau Tree
Hau Tree at the Kaimana Beach Hotel has one of the best brunch locations — it’s right on the beach, the perfect spot to sip frosé and people watch. Even though it’s a hotel bar / restaurant, it doesn’t feel touristy like some of the larger ones in the center of Waikiki. The food is your normal brunch fare (several benedicts, salads, loco moco, frittata, burger and sandwiches) but done really well and plated nicely.
Try the... Ube Pina Colada
When: Daily | 8am - 1:30pm
Where: Diamond Head
Herringbone Waikiki
Herringbone Waikiki is in a cool outdoor space with huge planters floating along the side. It’s upscale, but relaxed. They pride themselves on ocean to table fare. This is where you find brunch with a raw bar and breakfast entrees that include octopus, lobster rolls, and lobster and smoked trout eggs benedict. But don’t worry, there are also plenty of non-seafood options like steak eggs and bone marrow or furikake tater puffs. Definitely order the ricotta mochi pancakes.
Try the... Rosemary Grapefruit Margarita |
When: Saturday and Sunday | 10:30am - 2:30pm
Where: Waikiki
Scratch Kitchen
The menu at Scratch Kitchen is fun and playful. Fruity pebble pancakes sit next to “grandma’s fried pork chop” on the good sized menu, with a good mix of savory and sweet options.. The food is so tasty and inventive and pairs well with their cocktail list which has a little something for everyone.
Try... The Traveling Plum Lilikoi Margarita | Jose Cuervo Tradicional Plata, Liikoi, Sweet & Sour, Li Hing Mui
When: Sat + Sun | 8am - 2pm ; Mon - Fri | 9am - 2pm
Where: Kaka’ako
Koko Head Cafe
Koko Head Cafe serves a legit brunch all day (ar at least until they close at 2) and it’s one of our favorite brunch spots in Hawaii. Celebrity Chef Lee Anne (from Top Chef) puts a twist on traditional breakfast fare. It’s a really casual spot, but the menu is really inventive and delicious. They’re known for dishes like Cornflake French Toast, Breakfast Bibimbap, and Kimchi Bacon Scones.
Try the... Morning Milkshake | Makers Mark, vanilla gelato, maple honey syrup, billionaire’s bacon, granola (The Lilikoi Fizz is also a favorite.)
When: Wed - Mon | 7am-2pm
Where: Kaimuki
Bar Podmore
It’s brunch by day and cocktails by night at Bar Podmore. The craft cocktail spot was opened in 2021, by Chef Anthony Rush and Katherine Nomura, owners of Senia, one of the best restaurants in Oahu. This is the place to go if you want to dress up a little bit. The vibe is cool and upscale, but not stuffy. Think intimate seating in dark green velvet booths that feel more like a lounge than a diner. It’s not touristy at all. Their number one focus is the cocktails, but the food doesn’t disappoint — the smoked souffle pancake is a must.
Try the... Chung Chow | pimm’s no 1, ginger, cucumber, mint, strawberry, orange, lemon
When: Wed - Sun | 9am - 1:30pm
Where: Downtown Honolulu
Hoku's
Hoku’s at The Kahala Hotel and Resort has the best brunch buffet in Honolulu. It’s an upscale spot with food to match — prime rib carving station, sashimi, poke, Dungeness crab, chilled lobster tail, a one of a kind ahi poke musubi… we could go on for a while on this one. The beachside restaurant has panoramic ocean views. Definitely make a reservation.
Try the... Nuthouse | Macadamia nut orgeat serum, Legend bourbon, Ron Zacapa Guatemalan rum
When: Sundays | 9am - 1pm
Where: Kahala
Mud Hen Water
Mud Hen Water is known for taking local favorites and reinventing them. Everything is served small plate style so you can order several things for the table and try a few different things. It’s an airy and bright restaurant created by chef and owner Ed Kenney, who has a dedicated following at each of his restaurants. Sunday brunch is laidback but the food is so inventive (Hello,He’e Roll and Sourdough Banana Pancakes) and the cocktails are solid. If you love a brunch bloody mary, they have four different kinds on the menu.
Try the... Bloody Marys
When: Sundays | 9:30am - 2pm
Where: Kaimuki
Their Brunch Menu
Deck.
Deck is the open air, rooftop bar / restaurant at the Queen Kapiolani Hotel, right on the edge of Waikiki (towards Diamond Head). The best part of their location is the unobstructed views of Diamond Head. The menu is pretty typical breakfast / bar food (like avocado toast, acai bowls, salads, burgers, eggs benedicts, etc) but they’re made well and the cocktails are both tasty and pretty enough for Instagram.
Try the... Lilikoi Margarita | Casamigos tequila, Cointreau, liliko’i, fresh lime
When: Daily | 10am - 2pm
Where: Waikiki
The Surfing Pig
The Surfing Pig is like the big sister to Kono’s Northshore, serving up their famous 12-hour slow-roasted kalua pork in a bunch of new dishes. Comfort food, like street tacos or loco moco, are taken to the next level with a more elevated menu and a handcrafted cocktail list. Their signature cocktail, Smoking Pig, is made with bacon infused bourbon and comes in a glass container filled with smoke, for dramatic effect.
Try the... Smoking Pig | Like an old fashioned but using bacon infused bourbon, smoked and served tableside, topped with crispy bacon.
When: Fri - Sat | 9am - 2pm
Where: Kaimuki
Pint + Jigger
Pint + Jigger, in the Ala Moana Hotel, is know for their whisky selection and craft cocktails. It has a sports bar vibe — the perfect place to watch football on Sundays. It’s definitely a bar first, restaurant second and if we’re being totally honest, their dinner menu has an edge over the brunch one. But the cocktails are great all day long. The food has a bit of a British slant with items like fish and chips, but you’ll also see burgers, eggs and bacon, french toast, and other breakfast staples on the menu.
Try the... Talventi | Rye Whiskey, Campari, their signature house 72 Hour Cold Brew Coffee, topped with delicious vanilla cream
When: Saturday and Sunday | 7am - 3:30pm
Where: Ala Moana