Tapa's Waikiki

The pitch.

Up a flight of stairs on Seaside Avenue you'll find Tapa's — independent, LGBTQ+, and running strong since 2003. It's the rare Waikiki bar that genuinely is what it claims to be: judgment-free, welcoming, and built around a flexible floor plan that swings from karaoke Tuesday afternoon to drag Friday night to packed DJ Saturday. Happy hour stretches 4-8 PM daily, the pool table is free, and you're a 5-minute walk from Bacchus and In Between if you want to keep moving.

What it actually is.

A second-floor walk-up at 407 Seaside Avenue — entrance easy to miss if you don't look up. NOT the "Tapa Bar" at Hilton Hawaiian Village. This Tapa's is independent, friendly, and built around a flexible floor plan: a main lounge with pool table, karaoke setup, small dance floor, DJ booth, and outdoor lanai seating. Programming hits karaoke Tuesdays and Thursdays 4-8 PM, the area's most-praised drag show on the third Friday of each month, and DJ nights every Friday and Saturday. The room is welcoming and judgment-free — a stated commitment of the bar — and the crowd skews 25-45.

Happy hour: what to get.

Outside happy hour, it's known for…

Third-Friday drag shows (locally regarded as best in Hawaii); free pool table; second-floor walk-up energy; one of the longest-running LGBTQ+ venues in Waikiki.

Best time to actually go.

Third Friday of each month for the drag show, or any Saturday after 10 PM for the DJ-and-dance vibe.