Luke's Place

User Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

The Tiki Bar at Luke’s Place Hawi, Hawaii

"Relapse Interruptus" by Amelia Ray 4/11/09

First, let’s establish that I have a wee bit of a drinking problem. When I saw the Tiki Lounge Bar I realized that here was the pristine opportune moment to eradicate the problem of sobriety and its attendant side-effects such as tedious self-righteousness, a frozen smile muscle and general arthritis in the funny bone. Yes! I was going to order a pina colada, rather than a beer or glass of wine, that I may slide, nay, tumble joyously into a genteel, rainbow-colored, earth-wobbling intoxication to the slack-key tunes of pineapple and coconut. After all, this was Hawaii.

Of course, Hawaii was supposed to be warm and balmy—it was blowing a gale and the gray skies gave little in the way of warmth. As I waited for my pina colada, it occurred to me that the fact that I was considering getting my sweater might be an omen.

Now, I didn’t know it then, but if I had wanted to achieve sobriety, the Tiki Lounge at Luke’s Place would be the perfect setting. No need to shuffle in to some musty, flourescent-lit cellar at 7:00 p.m. to inhale the remnants of factory outlet perfume worn by born-again Christians who’d used it earlier for their rites of salvation, no need to state my name to a circle of unshaven, cigarette-reeking strangers and proclaim “I am an alcoholic.”

All one has to do at the Tiki Lounge is simply plunk down $7.50 for a pina colada, smell those glorious coconut and pineapple notes and open one’s entire being to the anticipation of instantaneous inebriation, and realize, well maybe I need another. After the second pina colada, it slowly dawns with stunning clarity that one is stone cold sober. Now, had a had even a little start of a glow going on, I might have missed the irony that hey, I am lucky, sort of, in that my liver and my psyche probably didn’t need to get drunk anyhow. I was so damned sober that I didn’t even give credence to the fact that deep down in my soul I wanted to get a good buzz on.

The next day, hangover-free, I did not bother ordering anything to drink, and sober and still freezing my butt off because Hawaii is being a little lolo about springtime, we made our way home, and six days later I am still reeling from the slap-in-the-face coldness of such costly sobriety. I had thought about letting it go and being nice about it, but if I can forgive overpriced alcohol-free pina coladas, then that indicates I have indeed lost my soul, and should be stumbling in to one of these dingey, smelly cellars to ask some reformed Christian drunk to assist me in finding it. I have indeed found my soul, and thus must mention that the food, at least, was great, and the live music satisfying, in a non-alcoholic sort of way.

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel

User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Celebrated our 25th Anniversary here Nov. 2007
Food was great and so was the Mango Mojito.
We had really good service and will definetly be back this year!

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel

User Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Luke's Place is an unexpected shock! Like finding a diamond in your fried Spam musubi.
Great food, a very nice clean interior and a great bar hidden in Hawi. Slightly off the main drag and connected to the hotel.
Luke's has a Modern, Light American menu with an emphasis on clean quality food and something for everyone. Luke's is popular with locals and has events (salsa) and bands (Moemoea) on the weekends.
The Bar is about the only upscale hangout in North Kohala.
On the Mainland this would be just another hotel restaurant, but in remote Hawi this is a real surprise and a big relief to find.

Comment on Review

Y! Updates An Update about your review will be shared via Yahoo! Updates Manage who sees your Updates

Post CommentCancel