Mike L.
Yelp
I can only imagine how different it was before, but over the last few decades, parts of Waikiki seem to have changed so much. Gone are the likes of the original International Market Place and so many of the older hotels have been renovated and/or replaced. So, amidst all of those changes, it's great how Duke's has remained ever constant. Not only is this place one of the last vestiges of years past, but it's also a Waikiki institution!
Truth be told, our meal here wasn't actually the first time I've been to Duke's. Rather, that happened during my first trip Honolulu with friends, but since we only stayed long enough to grab a couple of rounds of drinks before moving on for the night, there wasn't much to say. As such, ever since, I've felt almost compelled to come back to get a real experience. Sadly, we couldn't make it work to check out one of their famed buffets (breakfast or prime rib, which I definitely wanted to try), but their dinner menu still looked great. While it may not be all that extensive, it still has an appealing variety of apps, entrees, and burgers to choose from.
-- POG COCKTAIL - 100% Hawai'l Grown Fruit Juice Slushie with Ocean Vodka
Admittedly, most of the other cocktails were far more unique, but I couldn't resist some nice, refreshing POG. Thankfully, this turned out to be pretty solid - the juice wasn't super sweet and the pour of vodka wasn't super heavy (though, i wouldn't have minded more).
-- BLUEBERRY LAVENDER YUZU LEMONADE - Tito's Vodka, Yuzu Sake, Blueberry Lavender Syrup, Fresh Lime, and Soda
Of the two, I definitely liked this cocktail a lot better. The mix of flavors was really interesting - slightly floral, slightly fruity, slightly tart - and they complemented each other really well. Plus, the amount of vodka in this one was perfect.
-- CHILLED SHRIMP SALAD - Local Greens, Maui Onions, Citrus Avocado, Yuzu 1000 Dressing, Tomato, Cucumber, Hard Boiled Egg, Lemon Vinaigrette...$25
Maybe it's because we hadn't eaten a lot of veggies to this point on our trip, but this felt well worth the money. Even with the surprisingly tart dressing, this was so refreshing. I especially liked the Maui onions and avocado, but the shrimp were the star - so good!
-- RIB & CHICKEN PLATE - Compart Family Farms Pork Ribs, Mango BBQ Sauce, All-Natural Huli Huli Chicken, Macaroni Salad, Steamed Rice, Pickled Cucumbers...$31
Ehh...not bad, but hardly amazing. On the one hand, both the ribs and the chicken were really moist and tender. On the other, the sauces on each was a little sweet/sugary. The acidity of the pickled cucumbers helped to cut it, though, and the macaroni salad wasn't too shabby.
Much like with our food and drinks, the atmosphere and vibe at Duke's felt a little uneven as well. While our server was decently friendly, their open seating format by the bar can make it chaotic as people compete for a free table and how some will loiter/stalk groups that may or may not be leaving soon. Similarly, the those lines, the ambiance can also be really good or really meh. When my friends and I came here years ago for drinks, we sat at a corner inside that was really loud. This time, however, we lucked out with a table outside by the live music, which felt a lot more peaceful and not nearly as hot.
Given how long it has been around and it's near institutional status in Waikiki, coming to Duke's almost feels like a necessity, even if it's more than a little touristy (they even have a gift shop outside). So, in that sense, I'm more than happy to have been able to check them off of my list, despite how we weren't overwhelmed. However, the one thing I would definitely recommend is to make a reservation if you can. At the very least, it'll make securing a table a whole lot more relaxing, especially if you can get one outside!