Night Shift

Sin zen

by Kalani Wilhelm | Aug 3, 2005

Early in the evening, Zen Nightclub is a peaceful Saturday nightspot for the casual clubber looking to dress up, drink up and get down. But when the clock strikes midnight, the monk-chic atmosphere is thrown out the window and the–what else–Asian-themed place fills with movers, groovers and shakers with a few stumblers mixed in for good measure.

Besides the club’s name change (it used to be Reign), the giant kanji letters on the wall, new furniture and a little more roaming room, it’s basically the same club, with the same management team and door guy. Now the back of the club is the front and vice versa, so you enter on Hopaka Street, next to Sidestreet Inn, not the dark-alley ghettoville of Kona Street.

Ladies watch your step as you make your way up the stairs to the VIP entrance–where the women get in free before 11pm compliments of promoter Rick Rock.

Early arrivals cozy up on the plush couches in the center of the club between the VIP section and the booths where wandering eyes have a perfect view of the action on the dance floor and main bar.

‘Call!’ yells a tanned waitress in a tight black Rick Rock Productions King of Clubs T-shirt, to the bartender as she reads off her drink order, while a tube-top clad young thing complains, ‘I’m freezing my ass off. It’s cold in here.’

Things heat up later in the night as sisters T and Miki, celebrating their friend’s birthday, lounge in a reserved section of the club before making their way to the floor, guy in tow, while two go-go dancers bump, thrust and shake high above the crowd to selections played by DJ Wu-Chang and friends.

Rock and Urusai share mic control duties announcing birthday shout-outs, drink plugs, raunchy jokes and anything to keep the party level at its peak.

The stage is for special guests and ladies not afraid to get their freak on in front of hundreds doing the same. If you prefer to perch and people watch, you’re relegated to whatever available space you can find on the immediate outskirts of the dancefloor, where there’s little room to spare by midnight.

Although most of the sinning takes place on Saturday night, Wednesdays feature booze for a buck and Sundays pack ‘em in with an open bar from 10 to 11pm.

Sinsational Saturdays

Zen, 1217 Hopaka St between Pi’ikoi and Pensacola Sts
Getting in: 18+ $12, 21+ $10
Soundtrack: ‘Make Her Feel Good’ by Teairra Mari, Usher’s ‘Simple Things,’ Justin Timberlake’s ‘Rock Your Body’
Dress Code: Ecko Unlimited and Sean Jean polos, tube tops, Apple Bottom jeans
Sightings: Sam Da Man, Taka
Signature Drinks: $3 Crown and Coke

Celebrating Hawaii, nature, culture and wellness for over 35 years!
SURFER, The Bar

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