On Stage Drinks and Grinds

Super awesome hidden gem bar! Great music and service! Haha i never know whos gonna be playing which is awesome. Great prices on beer, and they have pool tables which is dope too! Definitely recommend to my friends

I’ve gone here a few times and On stage drinks and grinds could be best described as a dive bar. As most dive bars it is a good time with a nice happy hour and different live music acts during the week. They used to have some very tasty Mexican food here but the lady who used to make the food has departed so they now have typical bar pupus, nothing too special. What I enjoy most about this place is the live music and the crowd, I especially enjoy Wednesday nights blues music, the lead singer is so passionate about the music and performs a variety of blues styles. The crowd on these nights tends to be older but they love to show their dancing skills, after a few drinks I joined in the dancing fun and got spun around a few times by my dance partner. The other patrons are regulars and most are very good pool players, they have two pool tables near the bar and will play any people that want to test their skills, I will report they have no problem putting a beat down on lesser skilled challengers, but it’s all in good fun. The beer selection is a bit limited to bottles and Bud/​bud light drafts… my friend and I ordered corona and fire rock, which was good enough for is, if you come early enough they have a nice drink special on pitchers of bud and bud light. They have street parking which can be a little challenging on that section of Kapahulu. The bartender/​owner is a great guy and will talk story to the regulars and new comers alike. Overall a fun dive bar with good music and fun people, I will continue to visit whenever I feel like earring some blues or shooting some pool.

This bar has no respect for neighboring homes. How can management staff show respect for potential patrons when they have absolutely zero respect for the community?
Loud disrespectful regulars that urinate, smoke, drink & do bumps outside the bar near neighboring homes & front areas during business hours & after hours. Illegal parking, blocking neighboring driveways & driving on neighboring lawn. All this occurs on a weekly basis. The guy who runs the bar is responsible for at least one of these actions. He & his management staff do not educate their patrons that Winam Ave is a residential neighborhood.
RODENTS have been seen at 802 Kapahulu Ave, and this issue has been reported to the city. Hoarding of junk in back area of On Stage Bar which may contribute to rats in or near kitchen area. They may not be addressing this problem on a regular basis. Regardless of food service or not, I wouldn’t eat or drink anything from this establishment.
Even though at times the music is inviting, the rest of this establishment is repelling.
Establishment rating is zero. Respect for neighboring homes is zero. It’s difficult to run an «honest business» when it’s dishonest in practice.

Best bar for the blues. Beer is really cheap (Bud/​Bud Light) before 7pm.
Great music. Pau Hana Blues Band on Mondays and Kevin Coleman and the Flat Five on Wednesdays. Makes up for the lack of variety on the food menu. Miss the Mexican Food.

Been here before about a year ago to see an open mic night. This time around I came to see Voodoo Skunk. I think the Mexican Grill is history as I didn’t see anything resembling food being served. Not really a bad seat in the house — it’s a small place. Couple of pool tables by the bar. I was downing Beck’s most of the night. Voodoo Skunk played a lot of covers by bands like The Cure, Gin Blossoms, Beatles, George Thorogood — basically good olé time rock and roll. Parking sucks though. I did follow someone’s suggestion to park at the Pizza Hut parking lot. 3 bucks for the night and you can pay by the CallToPark app — I used the app but still got a 40 dollar ticket. Luckily I called Diamond Parking the first thing Monday morning and got it cleared up. Your mileage may vary. Nice to have a venue like this to see live music that’s pretty chill/​laid back.

Onstage is a great little ‘on the corner little dive bar’ kinda spot that features live music and a friendly atmosphere.
It is funny, as I drove by this place for about 5 years before finally going in, and now I regret being the sheepish slacker as I missed out on a lot of fun.
I hang out here every week or two and come to hear and play music and enjoy good company. Jet, the owner, is doing a great job keeping live music alive in Honolulu.
Lulu is gone but the menu has been reborn and everything is quite tasty. I especially like the Portabello Sliders. Very tasty.
The patrons and staff are very cool people, and I never have had any trouble from anyone at Onstage. It has a good vibe. It looks rough around the edges and to be sure it could use some renovating and sprucing up here and there (as any good dive bar can) but the place is a friendly neighborhood watering hole. They have pool tables, and a fun dartboard. All in all a great spot to bring your crew and dance and get smashed.
And did I mention the live music? I am fortunate to be able to play there with my band on a fairly regular basis. I have seen some great music at Onstage! There is a wide selection form blues-country-rock-reggae-funk…and I have never had to pay a cover.
Parking: no biggie! I have found a spot on the street or the inexpensive pay lot behind Pizza Hut (across the street). Never had any problems getting a spot and the meters are free after 6pm.
Usually this place gets rocking at about 8−9pm.

Live music saves the day! As others have noted, this is really a dive bar (grimy, cafeteria feel, craptastic beer selection — two taps, Bud and BudLight — gack). I like a dive bar from time to time — I really do! OnStage (at least the twice I went) crowd seemed mostly stage hands and industry types, nice sound system, nice, welcoming people serving, a kind of libertine vibe. This is a nice bar with a neighborhood feel and a great commitment to live music — bravo! I did like it, but it could tighten up the basics a bit. I dangle a +1 star!
I really do count on a bartender, even in a dive bar, to know what basic booze types are. Or be able to read a bottle. Rum and coke is a simple drink, the person behind the bar looked puzzled, gestured vaguely toward the bourbon asking, is this it? Yikes, and for $ 7.50 I felt like I did most of the work! A bit of advice: To get more people (esp. women) in there: 1. Close for a day and just clean. Seriously get in there and scrub everything, including underneath the tables and behind the booths. 2. Set some roach traps. I killed a giant B-​52 cockroach that glided over my arm — yargh! Its Hawaii, it happens, but it can at least be minimized. 3. Establish a quick test to ensure you have a minimally capable bar staff who can read and identify major types of alcohol. Finally, 4. Set aside one of your two taps for a craft beer. Bud drinkers could give a rip about on draft or not — why give them both taps? Cheers!

Not a bad hole in the wall spot on Kapahulu.
I used to go to this spot when I was living near Chaminade. It’s location is perfect and just around the corner from Safeway. They have drink specials (beer mostly), pool tables, and on occasion, live music. They have some pretty good local performers. Guy Cruz was one of them. He can play pretty good. I recently went to see a friend’s band play (only acoustics) but they played solid cover songs. Delayed Resistance was the band.
Overall, the place is small, but good for a spot just on the corner. Parking on the street is a little difficult (with a neighborhood nearby) but once you find parking and step in, its a chill spot. Sometimes beats going to other spots in Waikiki or Downtown.

The place is pretty meh. It’s dark, not very clean, the beer selection is minimal (bud light, Budweiser, and Heineken on tap and maybe 5 – 10 others in bottles from a normal walmart cooler), prices are a bit high (5.75 for the bottle of beer I had)
There is live music, which is cool, but it would be a lot better if they could lighten up the place so you don’t feel like you are in a lousy dive bar.
The only reason they got 3 stars is because their service is also really good, so that is a plus.

originally… i was going to give this place 3 stars. BUT, what changed my mind was:
#1 — damn good burritos from super nice Lulu…
#2 — no nonsense bartender who doesn’t take sh*t from anyone…
i should say up front however — without LULU… this place would def be a 3 star…
operating INSIDE On Stage is «Lulu’s Mexican Grill».

I’m not sure if Lulu serves food out of anywhere else, but right now, she’s pumping out some dope eats from this place… if she ever leaves, i’m following her! read my review of her eats here:

also, on the night i went, the bartender had to deal with some bratty college guys who were giving her some major attitude = she promptly kicked them out… and believe me, they deserved to be kicked out… she don’t take your sh*t, so don’t mess with her!
while LULU’s food is dope, and the bartenders are tough, there are 2 things i really don’t like about this place…
#1: the parking. the parking is terrible!!! you’ll circle around for nearly an hour looking for parking, UNLESS, you want to pay $ 3. there is a pay lot behind Pizza Hut nearby. other than that, you’ll be trying to find street parking, or parking in the residential areas.
and, #2: the band that plays here is good, but begs for tips after each set… the begging is what is kind of off-​putting. and b/​c it is a very small bar, and b/​c the speakers are kinda loud, its gets REALLY LOUD in there when they’re playing… i mean, they’re good, but damn my ear drums… also, seriously… the begging… geez O_​O i might be inclined to give them tips if they weren’t literally begging for them… damn.

I’m giving On Stage 3 stars because they have local music, and open mic, and that’s somewhat of a rarity in Hawaii. The place itself, needs a serious cleaning. Next time I go here, I’ll take a picture of the bathroom, that’ll explain it. It’s not even that it’s a terrible building, I mean, I think if they cleaned it inside, it would be better. They painted the interior red which makes it look darker than it actually is, but they definitely didn’t use a professional painter. The paint on the wall looks good, but there is also paint on the floor, pipes, sink, everywhere. I haven’t seen any roaches (surprisingly), but I wouldn’t be surprised if I did. They have pretty much nothing in the way of a beer selection, bud, bud light, and heiniken I think. That said, the beer they have is cheap.
The good? You can order food from LuLu’s mexican grill next door. Kind of hard to review On Stage without reviewing LuLu’s, but being able to get food from there is nice. There are two pool tables, and people seem to be playing every time I go there. Some people are bringing their own cue’s, and some people are using the house one’s and can barely break, so it’s ok for everyone. There is a dartboard, but I don’t know if I’ve ever seen anyone use it. Customer service is completely adequate, almost good. There is ample parking in a dark open lot across the street.
If you’re coming here, it should be for the live music. Without that, I’d give On Stage a 2, and without Lulu’s I’d give them a 1.

OK if you have even just walked by this place you know it is a tad bit of a dive. I know don’t be shocked or offended — I call it like I see it — it reminds me of a bar in the early 80s where the lighting is just dim enough to make you feel like going outside would be a better option.
The walls are painted red and the kitchen — well that just plain looks scary! I did try the nachos and I have to say they were good — but then I had to pass the kitchen on the way to the restroom and decided never to order anything again,
I go here to support my coworker Chad Blair who has a band that plays there the first and third Saturday of the month — I love their sets and — well this is where they play. I do not go here my choice.
The set up is a little disjointed too — you have three pool tables in the back with people that basically hustle one another. OK that may be an exaggeration — but they do bring their own cues which makes me at least think they are seriously ready to take someones money! Then there are random booths that fit well 2 — against the right wall — the stage is a decent size though.
Again I go to support — but if you dare to try it one night — wear shorts and a t-​shirt to keep cool — there is no ventilation so it gets hot in there! :)

This is a decent dive bar that I would have avoided due to the atmosphere and appearance from outside. Once inside, the open mic and live music, along with darts and a pool table make it more attractive for the younger crowd. There was a nice mix of male and female patrons on a Saturday night, so I am guessing that it must be a fairly successful bar. Their ages ranged from early twenties to late thirties.
I would a little disappointed with their drink menu, and only Bud or Bud light on draft. I found it strange that they were serving beer in Coors light pint glasses. The bartender did promise that the bottle beers were iced cold, and she was right! Nothing like an icy cold Long boarder beer (Kona Brewing) on a warm Saturday evening!
We will return for the Mexican food on our next trip, we were still full from dinner.
31 Unilocal Review Challenge: #2/​31

I love that this place looks like a biker bar but its very California style inside. Lulu’s Mexican Grille is inside, certainly, they need to hire some waiters, however, the food is delicious and the vibe is always Bob Marley. It’s less biker than you think. I love it, I love the Don Miguel Wet Burrrito. It’s the best.
The only reason why I don’t give it a 5 is the parking and the fact that its a little grungy.

On Stage features Lulu’s Mexican Grill and that alone is a reason to LOVE IT! Lulu has an amazing sense for flavorful food. You must try everything on her menu TWICE just to be brought up to speed on how REAL Mexican is supposed to taste like. She is the real deal people.
The location itself ‘On Stage’ is in a really great corner pub. All the UH students totally hit it up and enjoy the LIVE MUSIC they have on a daily. Great little place to shoot the cruise and stuff your face with drinks and grindz :)
PS– Try «Don Miguel’s» Wet Burrito Especial! ITS AMAAAAAZE!

Tuesday Open Mic Night review.
Whew, D-​I-​V-​E is an appropriate word for this place. I lived not a block this place for almost a year and never set foot in this place. Flash forward a few years and we’re here for the first time on a friend’s whim to try out singing live, on stage for the first time.
I never bothered to come here before because frankly, it almost looks scary from the outside. Like if I walked in a bunch of guys wearing leather vests and burly mustaches would glare at me. But in REALITY (the place I like to visit sometimes), the staff and people in there were nothing but friendly and supportive of our musician friends. It was our first time but I feel like we were treated like regulars. The mexican food was yums (sorry, strictly mexican style food, no fries our chicken wings here) and at $ 12 for a mixed platter if quesadillas, nachos, and tostadas, the four of us were content on pupus. Beer on taps were easy to remember as its strictly Bud and Bud Light for $ 9 a pitcher. But I did see people drinking bottles of other stuff, so I’m sure there are other beers available.
The stage has two mics and a drum set with a snare, toms, bass, and high hat — you need to bring your own cymbals. Keep in mind on the two mics only, so if you play an acoustic that doesn’t plug into an amp, you would need one mic on the guitar, the other to sing with, and if you have other people playing with you, they would need an additional mic. Or if you have a ton of backup singers you would need extra mics too: D
There was Dave, who is called the other owner in other reviews, but when we asked him if he was the owner he only smiled and said «no, I just mop the floors» haha. He was super friendly and helped to kind of «move» things along (like let people know to start closing up the set, or encouraging others to get on stage). He also helps with the mixer and sound set-​up when you first get on stage. There was also music playing in between/​before sets over the system.
There are also a couple of pool tables with some guys that got loud and into their game during people’s sets, but its expected and part of the atmosphere. Don’t let it discourage you if you play!
If you play, or have a friend (s) that play, then check out open mic night! Or just go anyways and help cheer on other brave musicians!

On Stage is a dive. There’s no way around it. The service is pretty meh, which is too bad because with some hustle, they could really move some drinks. There have been far too many times when I gave up and just went to the bar to get a drink. They have pretty good food, but it’s a matter of the planets aligning to get a server and actually having the kitchen still be open.
My whole point in going here is to hear Jeff Said No! on the first Saturday of every month. They may be expanding that JSN! schedule, so keep your ears open.
The usual bar patrons playing pool generally don’t talk to the folks who are there for the music, so it feels a little split in there. There’s always a TV on showing sports and once the bands are pau, the karaōke kicks in. Usually I bag out of there then and head for other venues…

Not the trendiest bar on the block, but this place has a great vibe!!! The staff is friendly & inviting, even when the place is packed! If you want to find a great place to hang out & listen to great music this is the place to be!!!
PS NEVER GO TO 9TH AVE ROCKHOUSE!!!

On Stage brings to mind a love child between an old school local bar (think Shin-​Sho-​Tei) and a bar featuring live music (ala Mai Tai’s). Which kinda bums me out, because I was looking for an old school local bar (you know, the place where all the seats have a old local man ass imprint and all they serve is Bud, Bud lite, and poke).
My friend and I were actually on our way to Gazen or Anasia but I spotted this place and there happened to be street parking so we headed in at around 8:30 p.m. I don’t think there is any parking otherwise and I saw a lot of people cabbing it
At 8:30 p.m. the place was EMPTY. Seems like the place is only staffed by a bartender and a waitress. No one greeted us but they took our cash when we sauntered up to the bar to order a pitcher. Old school style, all they had on tap was bud and bud light. I ordered a pitcher of bud for $ 10 and took a seat.
I did not see any food menus, but I did walk past a large kitchen on my way to the bathroom. The women’s bathroom was nasty – complete with vomit clogged toilet.
About one and a half pitchers into our visit a band started setting up. Now the place started to get packed. It was standing room only by the time we left and I’d say 65% of the patrons were female. One of the most favorable female to male ratios I’ve ever seen.
To sum it up, if you’re looking for a quiet place with cheap beer, these are not the droids you are looking for. If you want to hear live music, or pick up a chick, I think you’re good to go at On Stage.

I went to On Stage one night to play at their Tuesday open mic night. Yes we songwriters will play anywhere as long as we know that someone with a pulse will be listening! On Stage is not new, it’s not pretty and it’s not a place to take a date unless she’s the kind of date you purchase on a street corner. They’ve got pool tables, which is its main draw, and an odd cast of characters. As a plus the bartender was really nice! But that’s kind of where the pluses end.
I went on stage and played a set, and it wasn’t the most horrible experience of my life, but I can’t say it was in my top ten. I had an older local guy sitting in front of me the whole time and it appeared as though he was having a conversation with himself. Oh well at least he stayed to listen to my music! (sigh)