Cold beer here
Surrounded by illuminated trees, rental shops and storefronts entirely awash in far too much fluorescent lighting, it’s easy to miss one of Kuhio Avenue’s not-so-polished gems called Spinners. Tucked away behind a gauntlet of rental jeeps, mopeds and mountain bikes is one of the few bars in the area that doesn’t feel the need to throttle you with gimmicks. Boasting ‘the coldest beer in town’ sounds like an easy, unverifiable claim, but we’ll take their word for it, especially in light of the fact that the bar area is so small that temperatures reach sweltering when it’s crowded.
If you had to define the place in one word, the simple copout would be ‘indefinable.’ Walk in during the late afternoon and all you’re likely to see are service industry workers looking for a place where they don’t have to end every sentence with ‘mahalo.’ Aside from the telltale backpacks from those staying at the nearby hostel, you’d think Spinners was a closely-guarded secret spot for unwinding, and because it offers an outdoor barbecue on Wednesdays through Saturdays from 2-9pm, you can unwind for quite a while. During these times, the tiny bar is chock full of loud, boisterous patrons who border on the obscene with their conversations, as they stage mini sing alongs to whatever happens to come out of the juke box. (Be warned–they will tell you if you suck.)
‘It’s a simple, quaint bar,’ says owner Robert (who bought the bar in 2001, and likes to keep things on a first-name basis). ‘A lot of people will say it’s a local bar, or that we cater to the service industry but we also get a lot of tourists, travelers and beach folk–all walks of life.’
The regulars are more than willing to tell you (along with several stories bordering on libel if we repeated them here–know this, people: Bartenders remember everything), come 10pm the place has a completely different atmosphere. Boasting an enormous side room with a huge karaoke setup with several tables and booths for potential talent scouts, or those wanting to hone their rotten fruit-throwing skills, along with a pool table, dartboards and a few arcade games, there’s more than enough for those who feel the need to get away from the creepy guy hanging out near the bathroom.
And just in case that guy gets out of line, the staff and clientele is ready to handle it. ‘It gets crowded, but not crazy,’ he says. ‘Most places around here are more geared toward the club scene but we’re more like a bar, and a bar filled with the right people who have no tolerance for those who want to cause problems.’
Spinners Bar & Grill
2463 Kuhio Ave. 923-5538
Getting In: Open from 1pm-4am 21+, bring ID Dress Code: Cargo shirts, tank tops, slippahs, or whatever you wore to work. Soundtrack: All forms of 80s cheese, rap and reggae, all of which will bring strong opinions from the crowd. Sightings: That guy who just served you that steak dinner down the block. Signature Drink: Jagerbombs, $6.
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