House Without a Key: Sunset Under the Kiawe Tree

Hours, dress code and reservation policy from halekulani.com; menu prices from the hotel’s dinner and cocktail menus. Checked Sep 27, 2026. Hours are subject to change.

Best for

• CouplesGreatSunset cocktails and hula on an oceanfront lawn.
• FamiliesGoodA keiki menu and beach attire, but the bar is 21 and over.
• FriendsGreatA walk-in lawn and low-ABV and spirit-free drinks.
• SoloGoodWalk-ins welcome on the lawn and at the pool bar.
• GroupsGoodDinner books by phone; the lawn can’t be held.

Start with the Halekulani Mai Tai ($24), then compare it with our favorite mai tais on Oahu. The Under the Kiawe Tree cocktail pairs gin with guava and jasmine tea ($24), and Sunset on the Lawn is a low-ABV spritz ($20). To eat, the HWAK Trio of shoyu ahi, hamachi and aʻu ($30) and the tempura Lawaiʻa Roll ($29) both run on the sunset menu. At dinner, the steamed local fresh catch ($48) is the Halekulani signature, and the brick-oven Margherita ($28) is the kid-friendly call. Lunch brings a Big Island loco moco ($34).

Prices from the hotel’s menus (cocktails updated Aug 31, 2026; food Dec 2025), before tax and tip.

The restaurant is an open-sided room that spills onto a lawn beside the Orchid Pool, facing the ocean and Diamond Head. The Hawaiian trio starts at 5:30 PM, and a hula dancer performs from 6:30 to 8:30 PM under the kiawe tree. The lawn is first come, first served; dinner tables take reservations. Earl’s, the pool bar, is walk-in only from 9 AM.

Timing matters by season. In summer the sun sets after 7 and the hula overlaps it. On Nov 2 it sets at 5:55, so fall and winter bring sunset first and hula after dark. Want the sunset from the water instead? See our Waikiki sunset cruise guide.

Breakfast buffet 7 to 10:30 AM, lunch 11:30 AM to 4 PM, dinner 5 to 9:30 PM (last seating 8:30). Dinner plates run $45 to $69, wine by the glass $16 to $25. Parties of six or more pay a 20% service charge. The menus mark vegan and gluten-free dishes.

It is about 7 minutes on foot from the Royal Hawaiian Center and 13 from the Duke statue. The hotel validates its valet or self-parking for restaurant and bar guests (hours not published), and the Hale Koa garage next door charges the public $10 for the first hour. Our Waikiki parking guide has the rest. Staying here? Read our Halekulani review.

• Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian is the central Waikiki version: a $22 Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai steps from the sand, Diamond Head in view and music nightly 6 to 10 PM. It also takes no reservations, so arrive before 5 PM.
• Duke’s Waikiki suits families and groups that want a table they can book: a keiki menu at $13 to $18 for 10 and under, reservations for the Dining Room, and live music every afternoon and night.
• Hau Tree is the sunset table you can reserve: oceanfront on Kaimana Beach, bookable on OpenTable, with daily pau hana from 2 to 5 PM and free valet for diners.

• Arrive before 5:30 PM. Lawn seats are first come, and the music starts at 5:30.
• Pick your season. In summer the hula overlaps the sunset; from October to March it follows it.
• Book dinner for a sure seat. Call (808) 518-2019; the last dinner seating is 8:30 PM.
• Bring a card. Mobile payments are not accepted.
• Validate your parking. Restaurant and bar guests qualify; ask your server.
• Kids are welcome, not at the bar. Earl’s bar seats are 21 and over.