Nawiliwili Tavern

Nawiliwili Tavern – Serving Up Pizza, Drinks, and a Whole Lot of Fun
Local Expert's Rating:
4 / 5
The Bottom Line:

When you just want to shoot some pool while noshing on tasty food and drinks, Nawiliwili Tavern is definitely the place to go in East Side Kauai. Their imaginative libations and artisan fire-baked pizza promises to tantalize your tastebuds well into the night. Plus, you can catch live musical acts and enjoy karaoke more often than not, making it well worth regular trips to this chill eatery   

- The HawaiianIslands.com Local Expert Team

A classic dive bar through and through, Nawiliwili Tavern offers all you need to have a fantastic night out: Creative food, strong drinks, and plenty of fun. Free pool, karaoke, TV, and live music performances promise to keep you well-entertained as you wait for the kitchen to whip up your orders.

Immediately upon walking through the doors, it becomes quite clear that this quaint tavern was built by locals for locals. The awesome island décor, welcoming atmosphere, and friendly greetings all set the stage for an amazing time. Wall to wall, upbeat chatter floats through the air, letting you know that it’ll be easy to make fast friends in just one visit. Along with all that, the bartenders’ friendly smiles and Alohas help you feel right at home as you sidle up to the bar to order your first drink.

After that, take a moment to take in all the imaginative menu items and decide what food you’ll like to eat while you’re there. Although it’s tempting to get right to the fun and games, it’s best to get your selections into the kitchen right away. They often run on their own time schedule, taking up to an hour to fulfill large orders.

You likely won’t mind, however, since you can watch what’s playing on TV, belt out your favorite karaoke tunes, or join a game of pool once a table opens up. At least one night per week, they bring in local musicians to put on an excellent show and entertain the crowd.  

Fan favorites on the menu:

Light Saber
When you need a big pick-me-up, the Light Saber promises to give you a lift. This iconic drink starts with blueberry vodka elevated by fresh lemon and ginger. Then, it gets an additional kick from the addition of a ginger beer float.  

Good Vs. Evil
If you’re unable to decide between both sides of the coin, the Good Vs. Evil can help sort you out. To begin creating this drink, they begin by adding Bulleit bourbon to the glass before adding ginger and fresh lemon to the mix. After that, it gets cherry Heering liquor plus a tidal wave splash of lemonade.

Blimey
People come in from far and wide for the Blimey wings, and for good reason. These decadent wings start with a dip in the garlic sauce and red pepper to deeply marinate the meat. After a bit, they roll in the seasoned flour before landing in the fryer to reach a golden brown. You can get them flying solo or paired with tater tots if you wish.

The Pig & Fig
Like all of their specialty pizzas, The Pig & Fig pairs rich flavors that you wouldn’t expect on a pizza but end up welcoming with open arms. Starting with a thin crust dough, this pizza gets mozzarella galore plus smoked bacon and sweet figs. After it toasts up to perfection in the oven, a port wine drizzle goes over the top to finish it off right.

Although their tavern always serves as an excellent place to kick back and relax, you’re also mere steps from the serene Kalapaki Beach. So, when you want to enjoy your pizza creation in quiet solitude, just walk over to the sandy shoreline and plunk down in the grass under the trees. From there, you can enjoy phenomenal views of the tavern’s namesake, Nawiliwili Bay, and watch all the beachgoers have a blast. Then, once you’re full up, you can join in on all the fun before heading back to the tavern for even more refreshments.

Insider Tips:
-Want their karaoke song list? Scan the QR code on their Facebook page for an inside look at the tunes that await your arrival.
-Their fashionably late happy hour runs from 5 pm to 9 pm every day.
-They offer takeout but expect to pay an extra fee to get your meal boxed up and ready to hit the road.