Maxim is on the hunt for the country’s best watering holes. This month we hit America’s capital
city in Paradise, Honolulu. Mahalo!
1 p.m.
La Mariana Sailing Club
This boozy hideaway is Hawaii’s last classic tiki bar, a legendary spot opened in 1957. Be sure to get the Lava Flow, a piña colada, strawberry daiquiri combo so good it’ll make you weep into your tiny guitar.
3 p.m.
Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian
This beachside hut was one of the first places to serve mai tais back in 1953. Down a few while telling bikini-clad surf girls about the 70-footer you tamed yesterday.
5 p.m.
Lobby Bar at the Edition
The Edition is Waikiki’s newest hotel, a sleek, modern oasis. Cozy up with tourists and locals on plush white couches while sipping mind-erasing cocktails. Careful, don’t spill!
7 p.m.
Bar 35
This pizza-and-beer mecca boasts more than 150 brews from 21 different countries, almost all of them displayed behind the bar. Take one down, pass it around, repeat.
9 p.m.
Thirtyninehotel
On an average night at this bar/gallery, a DJ spins as patrons flow to the outdoor patio. Ask locals about its history as a place for sex shows in the ’40s…then prepare to get slapped.
11 p.m.
Mercury Bar
Located in a Chinatown back alley, this grungy yet sexy lounge-slash-dive bar attracts a young crowd and hipster bands.
1 a.m.
Smith’s Union Bar
Allegedly the oldest bar in Hawaii, Smith’s Union just might be the best dive in America.Grab a stool amid a motley crew of regulars, and keep some Purell handy. Aloha!
To see our favorites bars in other cities--including New York, Dallas, Austin, and Atlanta--check out more Great American Bar Search.