Hidden behind unassuming doors and tucked away in Honolulu’s nightlife neighborhoods, a collection of speakeasies offers a taste of vintage charm fused with modern flair. These semi-secret spots are more than just bars—they’re immersive experiences, each with its own unique blend of chic and edgy vibes. From swanky, upscale lounges to raw, artistic spaces, every venue showcases inventive cocktails crafted by master mixologists. The design visions range from sleek and sophisticated to quirky and avant-garde, making each stop a playful journey through Honolulu’s dynamic nightlife. For those in the know, these secret bars are a must-visit destination.

Blink, and you’ll miss this mysterious Waikīkī watering hole. Just beyond the bustle of a classic retro restaurant, in one of Honolulu’s garden-patio hotels that harken back to yesteryear, hides the Green Lady Cocktail Room. Without a guide, you’re sure to stroll right past it but ask (surreptitiously is best) for room 8, and you’ll find yourself before a hidden bamboo door that will open into an atmospheric space like a portal to another era. Step inside, and you’ll have the dreamy sensation of being transported to a moody jazz bar from a bygone time, where the air hums with mystery and quiet allure.

The ambiance here is intimate: soft velvet furnishings, dim lighting and a sense of seclusion in every dark corner, making every guest feel part of something exclusive. With only 20 seats, the space is designed for quiet conversation and slow indulgence, expanding into a tropical courtyard that adds a botanical touch to the enigmatic experience.

The menu features one inventive nod after another to Old Hawai‘i and vintage South Pacific, with cocktails like the Three Times a Lady, a bright and tropical blend of gin, coconut and citrus, and the 1819 Trading Station, a smooth, rich combination of bourbon and coffee with an unexpected touch of pandan. The absinthe program, with its personal drips and group fountains, adds a theatrical flair to each drink, elevating the experience into something rare and memorable. Here, every moment feels like stepping into a secret world where the past lingers, and the present is full of surprises.

Green Lady Cocktail Room; located in the White Sands Hotel; 431 Nohonani St., Honolulu; (808) 475-6864; greenladycocktailroom.com; Open daily from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m.—no reservations.

At first glance, what you see at Yours Truly is simply what you get. Located beneath the AC Hotel in Honolulu’s financial district, this classy lounge has a sleek and pulled-together veneer that perfectly fits its professional location. The space is a former post office and print shop, a history memorialized in the playful name and the row of brass-colored former post office boxes lining the back wall, now a keystone decorative piece.

Or is it just a decorative piece, after all? While the bar’s front area offers a polished, modern atmosphere, obtaining a key and password from the host stand and gently pushing what looks like the wall of postboxes reveals a hidden passage to a speakeasy experience worlds away. The Yours Truly backroom is an explosion of tiki kitsch, including a ceiling of thatched bamboo, glowing lanterns and a striking mural with a vintage tropical postcard feel.

And while the front room’s drinks tend toward the modern and upscale, the speakeasy side commits to the theme with classic tiki offerings (and house recipes unmistakably tiki-inspired) served in flashy, tropical glassware. Essential to it all is the ever-important key that each guest is given: Use it to unlock your table’s very own postal box, slip your order card inside and send it off. Later, find your drinks placed there in return—a functional DIY-service experience meets tongue-in-cheek game: truly one of the most fun things you’ll ever receive in the mail.

Yours Truly; AC Hotel by Marriott Honolulu, 1111 Bishop St., Honolulu; (808) 726-5779; yourstrulyhawaii.com; Open Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

It's time to pivot. Drop the glam and elegance, the moody, romantic mystery and the sumptuous sleekness. To get to Wild Orange, you’ll need to go on a bit of an adventure. Start at Hawaiian Brian’s Social Club, an unpretentious, down-to-earth pool bar-meets-concert venue in the Kapi‘olani area. To get to the speakeasy, you'll have to weave through the maze of warehouse-like nooks until you find the door. But, like all these speakeasies, that’s easier said than done. Wild Orange’s door is hidden behind a glowing ... soda machine? The unassuming Aloha Maid juice machine is more than a nostalgic prop piece. You'll even need a nickel to get this door to swing open, revealing a dimly neon-lit wonderland that feels like one giant, interactive art exhibit—a playful, chaotic mix of street art, Japanese design, glowing graffiti and quirky installations. A giant faux orange tree stretches across the room while a hidden maneki neko peeks from behind a chain-link fence. Every corner is filled with artistic whimsy, making the space feel like the most eccentric art gallery you’ve ever wandered into.
The drinks are just as audacious, with names like Grass Hapa, Hold the Boba and Like Cracks, with ingredients ranging from ghost pepper mezcal to koshō and umeshu. If you’re craving something different, Wild Orange serves up a punk-infused drinking experience where the unexpected is the only thing you can count on.

Wild Orange; 1680 Kapi‘olani Blvd, Honolulu, 2nd floor of parking garage inside Brian’s Social Club; 808-892-6966; wildorangehi.com; Visit their website for required reservations.