Look, I REALLY wanted to love La Mariana Sailing Club. On paper, it’s exactly the kind of place I get excited about… a classic tiki bar that’s been around since 1955, dripping with vintage decor, with views of the water. 

If you’re a tiki bar enthusiast (and I very much am), this place has to be on your radar. It often comes up in conversations about Honolulu’s best “hidden gems.” So I finally made the trek out here, and unfortunately… it did not deliver.

Let me set the scene first. La Mariana Sailing Co the oldest remaining tiki bar in Hawaii (but if you know anything about tiki bars, you’ll know they didn’t actually start in Hawaii). 

The decor is fantastic. We’re talking pufferfish lamps, vintage nautical knick-knacks, the whole nine yards. Walking in, I was immediately charmed. For about five minutes.

Who This Restaurant Is Perfect For…

If visiting tiki bars is a priority for you when you travel, this SHOULD be on your list. It’s one of those places that exists almost as a piece of living history and die-hard tiki enthusiasts are going to want to check it off. I get it. I wanted to check it off too.

BUT… and this is a big but… the location alone is going to be a dealbreaker for a lot of people. La Mariana Sailing Co is tucked into an industrial area of Honolulu, about a 20 minute drive from Waikiki. If you don’t have a rental car, I really don’t think it’s worth the Uber fare out and back. And if you DO have a car, just know that parking is pretty limited.

This is NOT the place for a nice dinner out, a fun happy hour close to your resort, or a spot where you’re going to have a breezy, relaxing experience. It’s more of a “I specifically drove here for this” situation.

Extra Details

Okay so here’s where things really went sideways for me. The service on the day I visited was… not good. Like, almost laughably bad. Our hostess ended up being our server and she was pretty hostile from the jump…like, very irritated that we were there. It made for one of the more genuinely awkward dining experiences I’ve had. The only reason we stayed was because we’d already made the drive and dealt with the parking situation.

The drinks and food are unfortunately pretty forgettable too. Which is the story with a lot of classic old tiki bars if I’m being honest. The mai tais are fine. Nothing is going to blow you away.

Now, if you snag a table with a water view, it IS pretty. And the ambiance of the vintage decor is genuinely fun and special. I’ll give it that.

One more thing… I’ve seen this place described as a “locals spot” but I’d push back on that a little. The vibe definitely skews more toward retired transplants than actual locals.

If you want a tiki bar where the drinks and food are great AND actual locals are hanging out, do yourself a favor and head to Skull and Crown Trading Co in Chinatown instead. That place delivers.

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