The Best Wine Bars in Oahu

When you envisage yourself drinking in Oahu , the first thing that comes to mind is credibly a confect - colored tropic drink – almost certainly garnished with a hibiscus . But if you live here , Mai Tais can get old – sometimes you ’d rather have a gracious looking glass ( or OK , let ’s be honorable : bottleful ) of wine . So we assault up a collection of our favorite wine establishments across the island – establishments where your glass always appear half - full .

Amuse Wine Bar

Ca n’t determine between the tempranillo or a Cabernet Sauvignon ? Or a Pinot grape noir or zinfandel ? At this wine-coloured - bar - insert - inside - a - design - center , you do n’t have to . With over 80 labels to peruse and rain buckets at your leisure , all you do is satiate up your Amuse Wine Card ( mentally arrange a pecuniary limit before you start try is likely a good idea ) , circle the pouring dispensers like a marauder stalking its fair game , and sip all the 2 oz tastings you maledict well please .

Formaggio Wine Bar

If you call yourself an enophile ( it means wine connoisseur , you sickos ) , you probably come up to this informal Market City taproom on a steady fundament . Maybe you ’re here for the classical , European - trend wine cellar atmosphere , or possibly for the great happy hour wine list and food specials , but you ’re definitely here to enjoy one of the most extensive survival of the fittest of French , Italian and fine wine on the island . Even if you ’re a casual sipper of wine-colored and ca n’t smell the deviation between an oaky methamphetamine hydrochloride or a peppery pour , the lettered faculty at this twelve - year one-time eating place are sure to help you regain the correct flavor to become your palate .

Vino

When this Restaurant Row restaurant shuttered its door after 15 age of business , wine-coloured enthusiast across the island symbolically decant one out in retention of the rustic Italian tappa bark restaurant with the cautiously curated wine-colored tilt . fortunately , the mourning period did n’t last long : Master Sommelier Chuck Furuya resurrected the restaurant in 2015 , maintaining the fine wine repute they ’re know for . His sensibly succinct wine list go on , with eclectic wine from around the Earth available by the looking glass .

Greens & Vines Gourmet

A raw vegan restaurant might be the last spot you ’d expect to find a top - pass wine-colored list , but at Greens & Vines Gourmet , you could pair your Living Lasagna or Kaffir Miso Pad Thai with biodynamic , constituent , sustainable , and/or vegan vino . Depending on the weather , you’re able to relax in their indoor seating area or on their outside patio , bask a coolheaded repast and a chalk of wine-colored the next clock time you feel like going temporary vegetarian .

Il Buco Wine Bar

To get to this self - trace hole - in - the - wall wine bar ( Il buco is Italian for “ jam ” ) , you ’ll not only have to drive into Waikiki , but also burn your smartphone battery by GPS - ing your path to the Waikiki Sand Villa hotel – without getting distracted by their glowing pool . Alas , your quest will not be in vain when you recover the inner , loose - melody wine-colored bar and their rotating menu of Mediterranean bites and all-encompassing 120 - plus label wine-colored list , furnish vino by the glassful , carafe , and bottle . The alternative include grappa , which – combined with the dark wooden ceilings and wax light wax drip down the gray brick walls – makes it wanton to dissemble you ’re in a dusty , one-time Italian wine-coloured root cellar . Minus the dust , of line .

HASR Wine Co.

Before there was a HASR Bistro , there was a boutique wine store , specialise in hard - to - find oneself wine-colored from around the world . These days , the wine shop class and bistro share the out-of-door terrace as well as their wine collection , with select label available by the drinking glass , so you do n’t have to commit to a whole bottle – although you ’ll probably desire to . As an append fillip , wines purchased at their vino dress shop can be open in the restaurant sans corkage fee , and as a treble , extra bonus : every Tuesday and Friday , you may terminate by the wine-colored shop for complimentary tastings startle at 5 post-mortem examination .

Bread + Butter

Part coffee shop , part café , part catch , and go deli , part lounge , this all - in - one eating place also moonlights as a Pinot bar by night , with a single - tending dedication to all things Pinot . Why Pinot ? Because it ’s owner Hide Sakurai ’s favourite type of wine . While they ’ll sell you a chalk of Prosecco , you do n’t come to a place that has “ PINOT BAR ” spelled in wine corks mounted behind their bar . But if you ’re a fan of the wine made famed in Sideways , you ’ll likely incur happiness with a glassful of Pinot blanc , grigo , or noir .

Il Lupino Trattoria and Wine Bar

Whether you ’re in the market for a drinking glass , a $ 30 bottle , or a $ 1,000 splurge , you’re able to sunniness to a successful day of shopping and beach - exit over a massive selection of feeding bottle at this Italian restaurant , located on the bottom floor of the Royal Hawaiian Center . The wine list is so gravid it needs a table of subject , which you might detect intimidating at first – but it ’s at long last helpful when you ’re specialize down what part of the world you want your liquidity turn grapes to herald from , we promise .

Vintage 1901

Start your night off more elegantly than common in the Moana Surfrider ’s lounge . you’re able to taste alien flights of wine in their - subject zephyr patio while the firm pianist tinkles the ivories until 9:30pm every night . Plus : views of their iconic , 75 ft marvelous banyan tree come gratis .

contract up herefor our daily Honolulu email and be the first to get all the intellectual nourishment / swallow / fun in town .

summertime Nakaishiis a free-lance writer for Thrillist , and like manchego tall mallow with her wine .

Wine counter at Amuse