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Drinking in Hawaii
Breaking Down the Aloha State's Liquor Laws
The sign says it all; and there's only one beer by it.
Yes, it's paradise.
Warm weather, palm trees, gorgeous beaches and, of course, tropical drinks with slices of pineapple and umbrellas on the edge of the glass.
But as great as Hawaii is as a place to enjoy such drinks – and even several for those on vacation who want to cut loose and party – the state has some odd, strange and bizarre laws when it comes to drinking.
It's quite usual for tourists to get a puzzled look on their face when a server tells them "you can't do this," or "you can't do that" when ordering a drink. Hawaii calls itself the Aloha State and it certainly is that, but not all of its liquor laws exactly show off its Aloha spirit.
PubClub.com presents a look at these laws to help unsuspecting tourists when they visit the islands.
Three girls, three beers.
• ONE DRINK AT A TIME.
This is the law that confuses tourists the most, the one that has them standing puzzled at the bar staring at the bartender like an Ewok in Star Wars.
Most of the time, they are just getting a beer or cocktail for friends. But the bartender must ask "who is that other drink (or drinks) for," and the customer must point them out. And that person (or persons) may not be holding a drink. Even if they are on the last sips of their adult beverage. And you thought cell phones were the only "devices" to be hands-free by law.
Five girls, five beers.
The bartenders at Duke's Canoe Club, the #1 tourist bar at the #1 spot on Waikiki Beach, is especially strict when it comes to this law. Their reason is a sound one, tho: They don't want people ordering drinks for minors lurking in the background. This popular spot brings in so many people it would be easy for underage people to get access to drinks otherwise.
Having a shot with a drink is legal; now it can even be chilled.
• SHOTS WITH A DRINK ARE OKAY.
Thank goodness there's latitude for shots; imagine the chaos if this were not the case. Customers would have to finish a shot before getting a drink, or vise-versa. And only until recently did the law change to enable the shots to be chilled; previously anything involving ice was considered a second drink.
• SO, TOO, IS HAVING A PITCHER TO ONE'S SELF.
PubClub.com is all for this loophole, but it does beg the question if it's okay for an individual to have his or her own pitcher (which is 3-4 beers) then why cannot they have a back-up beer waiting before the previous one is finished?
It's okay to have a Mai Tai here, but not on the sand.
• NO DRINKS ON THE BEACH.
Most states have what is known as an open container law. But this is Hawaii! So for those who want to take a boat drink or Kona out of, say Duke's, or a Mai Tai from the Royal Hawaiian out to the sand, shelf that thought. Not even guests of the Royal Hawaiian, who are paying at least $250 a night and have their own roped-off area of the beach, can take a drink to their lounge chair (or better yet, have one brought to them).
Of course, you can buy a mini-bottle like is served on airplanes from f convenience stories (in Waikiki Beach, there's an ABC Store on just about every corner) and then a bottle of juice or soda. So...
There's no holding back for this crew on a Waikiki booze cruise.
• IT'S PERFECLY LEGAL TO DRINK ON THE WATER.
For a state that has restrictive rules on dry land, it's interesting to note that there are booze cruises. Those catamarans on the beach take people out on the water; for one price (usually $30) people have an open bar of beers, rum drinks and cheap champagne during a 1 1/2-hour sail.
• THE DRINKING AGE IS 22.
Servers can be 18 but drinkers must be 22. California has a similar law, with the drinking age being 21.
• ALCOHOL SALES END AT 2 A.M., 4 A.M., FOR CLUBS.
Bars and restaurants must stop serving alcohol by 2 a.m. Many of the "tourist" places actually close at midnight (or sometimes 12;30 a.m.), so this is not an issue for those places. This is because they do most of their business in the afternoons and evenings up to that point. Waikiki then turns the party over to the clubs, which have a special "cabaret license" that allows them to stay open until 4.
• THE BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL IS .08%.
Anything above that level is against the law. PubClub.coom is against any drinking and driving and cautions that anything more than extremely moderate drinking should not be followed by driving. A lot of the tropical drinks contain good amounts of rum or vodka and often pack more of a punch than seems initially.
 Related Article: Honolulu Bar Guide
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