5 O‘ahu Valentine’s Day Dates for Every Couple: Frugal, Fun and Flirty

Be a budget baller on your next date.

February 13, 2019

Marisa Hartzell,

Photo: Courtesy of Tripadvisor

Start the evening off with a slow drive up Tantalus to the Pu‘u ‘Ualaka‘a State Wayside park, where you will veer off toward the sign signaling the lookout parking lot. Gather your wine, reusable cups and blankets and take a seat below the lookout on a grassy field with a 180-degree view of O‘ahu’s south shore, from Mānoa Valley to Diamond Head to the towering buildings in Waikīkī.

Clay Pot Biryani

Photo: Katrina Valcourt

After the sun goes down and the appetite sets in, make your way down to Rangoon Burmese Kitchen in Downtown. With Burmese cuisine having flavor profiles similar to Thai and Indian cuisines, indulge in Rangoon’s extensive lineup of savory curries, colorful stews and fresh ingredients. Its earthy fermented tea leaf salad, clay pot biryani rice topped with a flaky pastry crust, and traditional Burmese lamb curry might be the can’t-miss dishes here. Since the portion sizes tend to be on the larger side, share a couple of dishes and enjoy your favorite wine (this place is currently BYOB) for a cultural dining experience on a budget.

Photo: Courtesy of The Tchin Tchin! Bar

Post-dinner, sneak up to The Tchin Tchin! Bar, which is located between Bar 35 and Nextdoor up a flight of unmarked stairs. The rustic lounge offers wines on tap, whiskies and more from all over the world with more than a few Instagrammable spots, namely the ivy-lined roof-top lānai. Share a wine flight or enjoy one of the craft cocktails (gin enthusiasts, try the Blanc de Blanc for a lavender-and lemon-infused libation) and enjoy a hideaway in the middle of bustling Chinatown for an intimate and fairly inexpensive evening.

Pu‘u ‘Ualaka‘a State Wayside park, closes at 6:45 p.m., Nutridge Street off of Round Top Drive.
Rangoon Burmese Kitchen, 1131 Nu‘uanu Ave., (808) 367-0645, rangoon-burmese-kitchen.com.
The Tchin Tchin! Bar, 39 N. Hotel St., (808) 528-1888, thetchintchinbar.com.