New Daily Happy Hour at Merriman’s Honolulu Offers Deep-Fried Shrimp, Poke, Taro Hummus and Signature Cocktails

Photo: Courtesy of Merriman’s Honolulu

Kaka‘ako is already the ‘hood to beat when it comes to outdoor dining. You can trust we had a tough time narrowing down our mid-pandemic list of the best places to eat and drink al fresco style to just five spots.  

But as of the first week of May, Merriman’s Honolulu took the top spot for me—easily. 

The gorgeous half-lānai and half-indoor restaurant and bar in Ward Village’s Anaha complex just simplified its happy hour. Now it’s daily, an hour long and full of popular menu items. We were hosted for a preview on the lānai—with our four-legged pooch—one sunny Monday afternoon. 

The time: 3 to 4 p.m., daily happy hour 

The place: Merriman’s Honolulu 

The deal: Drink prices range from $6 to $8 and food prices from $3 to $13 

SEE ALSO: Merriman’s Honolulu Opens a New Outdoor Street Burger and Beer Garden

The Snacks 

Photo: Courtesy of Merriman’s Honolulu

Poke  

Happy hour $9, regular $17 

Organic taro hummus 

Happy hour $9, regular $12 

Poke and hummus: perfect midday snacks if you ask me. And now that the days are only getting sunnier, hotter and longer, we know we’ll be back all summer for that light yet flavorful hummus with grilled pita. 

SEE ALSO: What You’ll Eat at Frolic’s 2021 Poke Fest Presented by Fresh Island Fish

The Meals 

Photo: Courtesy of Merriman’s Honolulu

Pacific Shrimp and Chips 

Happy hour: $13 

Fresh Fish and Chips 

Happy hour: $9 

Typically, these two happy hour-only dishes come combined as “fish and shrimp and chips” for $24. I recently tried the regular meal and fell hard for the addition of large and lightly battered shrimp to a common fish and chips plate. While I do enjoy the daily local selection of fish that Merriman’s offers, I can’t help but yearn for the half-off shrimp-only version. 

SEE ALSO: Taste Flavors from Turkey at the New Istanbul Restaurant in Kaka‘ako

The Drinks 

Photo: Courtesy of Merriman’s Honolulu / James and Jess Photography

Merriman’s Mai Tai 

Happy hour $8, regular $14 

Boozy Liliko‘i Tea  

Happy hour $8, regular $14 

I’m not a cocktail person (give me wine and beer all day every day) but boy are these two drinks worth the sweetness. If you know Merriman’s mai tai, then you know to sip it slowly and perhaps just stick to one. But the boozy liliko‘i tea is a bit of a different story: Made with Buffalo Trace bourbon, fresh liliko‘i and Hawaiian Natural tea, this cocktail is the perfect Afternoon Tea replacement.   

SEE ALSO: Luxe Japanese Beef Elevates Yakiniku Grilling at Kaka‘ako’s Han no Daidokoro

Off Menu 

Photo: Courtesy of Merriman’s Honolulu

I couldn’t come to Merriman’s without ordering the tako and country bread ($18). Since everything is so decently priced for one hour, I am well within my pandemic dining budget, so I go ahead and add a full-priced item to the bill. 

Open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., 1108 Auahi St., (808) 215-0022, merrimanshawaii.com/honolulu, @merrimanshonolulu