Best Live Music Venues in Honolulu 2026
Honolulu's Live Music Scene in 2026
Honolulu has a genuine live music culture that most visitors miss because they stay in Waikiki. Hawaiian music, jazz, reggae, and local original acts play multiple nights a week across the city. From intimate hotel bars to outdoor venues to dedicated music clubs, here is where to find live music worth planning your evening around.
Blue Note Hawaii — Waikiki
Blue Note Hawaii in the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort is Honolulu's most prestigious live music venue. As a partner of the legendary Blue Note New York, it books national touring acts alongside top local performers. The venue is intimate — most seats have good sightlines to the stage. Tickets are required for most shows and range from $20-$80 depending on the act. The house music policy (two shows per night, 6:30pm and 9pm most nights) means you can plan around it. Check their calendar for Hawaiian music nights specifically — seeing traditional slack-key guitar or Hawaiian falsetto here is one of the best music experiences in the state.
House Without a Key — Halekulani Hotel
House Without a Key at the Halekulani Hotel on Waikiki Beach has live Hawaiian music every evening at sunset, free with no cover. The setting — an open-air terrace with hula dancing and slack-key guitar against the backdrop of Diamond Head — is genuinely beautiful. It fills up, so arrive 30-45 minutes before sunset. This is the best free Hawaiian music experience in Waikiki and one of the most beautiful spots in Honolulu to watch the sun go down.
Lewers Lounge — Halekulani
Also at the Halekulani, Lewers Lounge has live jazz and contemporary Hawaiian music nightly. More intimate than House Without a Key, with a full bar and sophisticated ambiance. No cover. This is where musicians who play the Halekulani circuit have built serious local followings over decades.
The Republik — Kakaako
The Republik on South Hotel Street is Honolulu's main independent concert venue for rock, pop, and touring national acts. Capacity around 1,500, standing floor with a raised back area. It books everything from mainland touring bands to local Hawaiian reggae to hip-hop. Tickets through the venue website or at the box office. This is the spot for acts that are too large for the hotel venues but not stadium-sized.
Anna O'Brien's — Midtown Honolulu
Anna O'Brien's on Kapahulu Ave is a live music bar with a long history in Honolulu. It runs shows most nights — local cover bands, original acts, karaoke nights, and the occasional special booking. The crowd is a mix of military, locals, and visitors who wandered off the Waikiki strip. No pretension, good sound, cold beer.
Chai's Island Bistro — Aloha Tower
Chai's Island Bistro at Aloha Tower Marketplace hosts live Hawaiian music many evenings, including traditional performances and contemporary Hawaiian acts. The food is good and the setting near the harbor is distinctive. It is a reliable option for Hawaiian music in a dinner-show context without the high cover charges of some hotel venues.
Tips for Live Music in Honolulu
- Hotel lobby bars with no cover charge are the best value — Halekulani (House Without a Key + Lewers Lounge) and the Royal Hawaiian both have good evening music.
- Blue Note Hawaii requires advance tickets for most shows — book online to avoid sellouts, especially for weekend Hawaiian music programs.
- Local Hawaiian music is strongest Thursday through Sunday evenings at hotel venues.
- Check AlohaCalendar for current weekly listings — schedules rotate and one-off shows appear regularly.
- First Friday in Chinatown (last Friday of the month) has live music spilling out of galleries and bars along Nuuanu Ave.
Live Music in Honolulu
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