History
She’s an icon, a legend.
The Tea
Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand – Waikiki’s Iconic Gathering Spot
Located on the edge of Waikiki, Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand is a legendary cocktail bar & all-day gathering spot for everyone 21+ with unbeatable views of Diamond Head & the sparkling Pacific Ocean. For over 50 years, Hula’s has been one of Waikiki’s most celebrated gay bars, offering a welcoming space for all, with deep roots in the LGBTQ+ community.
Whether you’re sipping on the best Bloody Mary in town to kick off your day or indulging in a perfectly balanced Mai Tai as the sun sets, Hula’s is the go-to spot for delicious handcrafted cocktails & craveable bites. By day, enjoy the laid-back vibes of this tiki bar with a view, & by night, experience the energy of live entertainment, featuring local musicians, Open Mic Nights, & nightly video DJs that will keep you dancing into the early hours.
Hula’s isn’t just a bar; it’s a place where connections are made, stories are shared, & memories are created. Whether you’re looking to relax during the day or immerse yourself in the best nightlife Waikiki has to offer, Hula’s Bar & Lei Stand is always open & ready to welcome you for an unforgettable experience—all day & all night.
Hula’s is more than a unique entertaining gathering place, it’s a state of mind.
The History of Hula’s
“Hula’s is gay history.”
– Jack Law
Birth of an Icon
“Let’s start a bar!
How hard can it be?”
The year was 1974, and Jack Law admits that he and his business partner, Bob Magoon, knew nothing about running a bar. Still, they must have had a good plan, as Hula’s Bar and Lei Stand is still going strong.
Hula’s opened at the corner of Kūhiō Avenue and Kālaimoku Street. Despite their initial optimism, Law and Magoon found that running a bar was not, in fact, easy.
“It took four years of losing money, and I mean a lot of money, before we turned a profit.”
— Jack Law
“People ask if this was the first LGBTQ+ bar, and it was not,” says Law. “Waikīkī has always been a destination for LGBTQ+ people. But Hula’s was unique, open air, and disco was just starting.”
Moving to the current Location
The Gathering Place
for Explorers
Hula’s relocated to it’s now iconic location in the Waikīkī Grand Hotel in 1998.
The new space featured panoramic views of Diamond Head and Waikiki Beach.
HUla’s Today
Paddling together for
50 years
The iconic bar is one of the world’s longest running LGBTQ+ bars, serving aloha for all who come in.
This year Hula’s will be celebrating its 50th Anniversary, marking half a century of being a pillar of the LGBTQ+ community and nightlife scene.
Hula’s in the community
Making waves
The Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival is one of the oldest and most respected LGBTQ+ film festivals in the world.
The Honolulu Gay & Lesbian Cultural Foundation was founded in 1997 as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to educate and raise awareness of the community-at-large about gay & lesbian culture, arts, and lifestyle. HGLCF presents the Honolulu Rainbow Film Festival annually in honor of Hawaiʻi LGBT pioneer Adam Baran.
Reducing harm.
Promoting health.
Creating wellness.
The Hawai’i Health and Harm Reduction Center serves Hawai’i communities by reducing the harm and fighting the stigma of HIV, hepatitis, homelessness, substance use, mental illness, and poverty in our community.
We focus our efforts on those disproportionately affected by social determinants of health, including but not limited to: people living with and/or affected by HIV, hepatitis, substance use, and the transgender, LGBQ and the Native Hawaiian communities. We foster health, wellness, and systemic change in Hawai’i and the Pacific through care services, advocacy, training, prevention, education, and capacity building.
Transforming Lives Through Housing and Support Services
Dedicated to supporting Hawaii’s most vulnerable populations, particularly those living with HIV/AIDS. Through a variety of services including housing assistance, case management, emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent supportive housing, and nutrition services.
The mission of the Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation is to support, empower, educate, unify, and facilitate LGBT organizations and individuals in Hawaiʻi.
The Hawaiʻi LGBT Legacy Foundation produces Honolulu Pride, hosts the LGBTQ+ Center Honolulu and creates educational programs that inform and empower Hawaiʻi’s LGBTQIA+ community. We also provide financial and in-kind support to organizations addressing social, health and economic inequalities in our communities.
Aikāne ʻOhana supports Hawaii’s LGBTQIA+ community through our mission of community organizing, service, and fiscal sponsorship for Hawaii LGBTQ sports leagues and other community-organized events and activities.
The Hawaii Gay Flag Football league (HIGFFL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization that aims to provide a safe and inclusive space for LGBTQ+ folks to compete and connect through flag football. Besides hosting a yearly tournament, 10-week season, and travelling national teams, we also give back to our community. In 2023 we held monthly food drives for Gregory House, collected donations for Maui Community Foundation, and just recently volunteered with Special Olympics Hawaii.