The Royal Hawaiian's Mai Tai Bar. Toes-near-sand, sunset directly ahead, pink stucco walls catching golden hour. The mai tai was first served in Hawaii here in 1953 — and they're still pouring it under the umbrellas.
This is the mai tai. Trader Vic invented it in Oakland in 1944, then brought it to Hawaii in 1953 and served it first at The Royal Hawaiian. Seventy-plus years later you can still order it at the same bar, at a table whose feet are basically in the sand, watching the sun set behind Waikiki with Diamond Head over your shoulder. Yes, it's $20+. Yes, you should pay it. Once.
An open-air patio facing west onto Waikiki Beach — toes nearly in the sand, sunset directly ahead, pink stucco walls catching golden hour like a movie set. Diamond Head sits dramatically to the left. Crowd is roughly half hotel guests on date night, half tourists who've made the pilgrimage specifically for the mai tai. Service is white-glove. Pours are real. The pink parasol garnish has become its own meme. Live music plays nightly 6-10 PM. If you're going to spend money on one Waikiki sunset cocktail, this is the historically correct place to spend it.
The 3:30-5:00 PM discounted Royal Mai Tai. You get the exact same cocktail, the exact same view, the exact same parasol — at a meaningfully better price — and you're already seated when the sunset crowd arrives.
The historically-significant Mai Tai (first served on Hawaiian soil here in 1953), the pink-parasol photo, and arguably the single most iconic sunset view in Waikiki.
Arrive at 3:30 PM for the start of the discount window and grab a front-row beach-facing table. Stay through sunset (~7:00 PM in May), let the live music start at 6 PM.
Same drink, same view, lower price
If you're really committed to breakfast mai tais
Bring sunglasses
Strongest food review consensus
Iconic approach shot
Live music nightly 6:00 PM – 10:00 PM (Hawaiian and contemporary island, varying artists).
Pulled from Yelp, TripAdvisor, Google, and local Hawaii blogs. We don't sugar-coat.
Curated highlights from each section, last checked 2026-05-20. Prices and items change frequently — always verify with the venue before you go.
Bookmark this page. Show up. Have a night you'll text people about tomorrow.