On my recent visit to Oahu, I had the opportunity to have dinner at the brand new Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber in Waikiki. This family-friendly restaurant and adjacent Honolulu Surfing Museum, had only been open a couple of days and already it was buzzing with customers and enthusiastic staff.
Knowing that Jimmy Buffett is usually thought to be more closely connected to the Caribbean Islands, Florida and the South, I wondered how his new restaurant would “fit in” in Hawaii. I discovered that it “fit in” nicely. Everywhere you looked there was a custom design that connected to what makes Hawaii unique — it’s scenery and volcanic history. There were sections of the dining rooms that were made to look like lava flows. There were areas that made you feel like you were underwater and diving around reefs. There were areas that made you feel like you were surfing in a big North shore wave. I especially liked the “windows” showing various video scenes from Hawaii. (See the photo below.) The decor was so creative and so well done that I would put it on par with something Disney would design.
The menu had connections to Hawaii as well the Caribbean. There were volcano nachos and a satay style of poke. The dinner menu had lots of variety – burgers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, and of course fresh seafood. Portions were very generous and the prices were fairly reasonable. Andy and I both had salads that were much bigger than we could finish. The cocktail menu offered some enticing drinks, though one unique non-alcoholic beverage that I really liked is a sweetened, iced green tea. Every Southern girl loves her “sweet tea”, you know! 🙂
Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber is at the same space where the renowned Don Ho Theater used to reside. The restaurant offers live entertainment and the entertainment stage is in the very same spot where Don Ho’s stage was.
Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber is located on the second (lobby) level of the Ohana Waikiki Beachcomber. The hotel’s pool is sandwiched between the poolside outdoor tables of the restaurant and the Honolulu Surfing Museum. This unique museum and bar displays surfing memorabilia from Jimmy Buffett’s private collection. A visit is well worth your time and the admission is free. Here, you’ll find a surfboard used in the filming of the movie Apocalypse Now that is valued at approximately $500,000. You’ll also see Gidget and Elvis memorabilia. I especially liked the section of cases displaying vintage ukuleles that were designed to be played while surfing. Now that’s a scene I’d like to see. One very unique aspect of the bar is that there are no seats. I was told that the bar was intentionally designed that way to encourage guest to admire the museum displays. I think that’s cool!
Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber is open from 7:00am to 1:30am. It serves a breakfast buffet from 7:00am to 10:30am. Lunch and dinner are served from 11:00am until midnight.
Overall, we thought dining at Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber was a fun experience. Have you dined here? What did you think? You can see more photos we snapped while we here.
Sheila Beal
2 comments
Looks like a fun time, and I’m glad to see the article.
To be honest, I had snooped your Flickr photos when you got back and was trying to figure out where the Disney-esque dining experience was located.
@ kjb – Ha! I never thought of our photos being snoop-worthy.
The dining room was very Disney-esque, as you described. Normally we like sitting outdoors when we dine in Hawaii, but this is one place that I think the indoor seating is more interesting than the outdoor seating. Jimmy Buffett’s at the Beachcomber is one of those places that’s perfect for a rainy day – where you escape from troubles into a Disney-esque fantasy scene.