The Lounge at Island Sound Studios

There last night 1/18/25 for P3Excellent cocktails. Wife said crab rangoon the best ever!Sound guy is aces. Super hip venue.Love it - we will be back!

Even more cozy and intimate than Blue Note, this local gem, located right on the water in Hawaii Kai, is a lovely venue with great acoustics that provides quality entertainment for locals so you don't have to deal with traffic, parking, or the crazy crowds in Waikiki. There are actually 2 separate spaces in the same locale. The Lounge is the larger of the two with indoor and some outdoor seating. The Velvet Monkey is their "speakeasy", an even tinier and more intimate space tucked away upstairs in the corner. Both offer live music, beautiful cocktails, and delicious food created by Chef Karol. They also claim to have the best recording studios on the island. Tix were $30 for the event which you should order ahead of time especially if you want to get in and sit inside. It was booked so we got outdoor seating which was still nice but we had a semi obstructed view. We had P3 featuring Michael Piranha, a group of local rock musicians with a great sound and sense of humor.You order everything on your phone which is supposed to expedite service, one couple in our party had to wait because their order got lost. The staff was very apologetic and at the end, the chef personally came out to make it up to them. DRINKS: With the trend in creative cocktails these days, I often have difficulty deciding because so many look good and I love trying new things. I finally decided on the coconut mojito which was a new take on this minty favorite. It had toasted shredded coconut which added interesting texture and flavor. A little on the sweet side for me but I enjoyed it and it paired well with the venue. A lot of the drinks were accessorized with fresh flowers and pearl picks that made them IG worthy and very attractive! Loved how they were all different too! Our friend had a pretty pink lychee martini with a turberose garnish whereas mine came with a lavender orchid.FOOD; My friend and I both had the fresh catch, a mahi-mahi served in a butter sauce with asparagus. Fish was a little overcooked but the flavors with the texture with the toasted almonds were great! Our friends had the ahi carpaccio and chef's special flatbread which was like a pizza. DESSERT: Tiramisu was possibly one of the best I've had! It was a nice balance of cake and cream sprinkled with bits of chocolate on top and and served with raspberry and chocolate sauce and some fresh fruits. Pastry Chef's Kiss! SERVICE: Warm, friendly and very personable, they make it a point to check on the guests to make sure everyone is getting the best experience possible. The super chill, relaxed vibe and great sound, combined with perfect weather and a clear view of Venus and Mars in the night sky, made for a lovely evening out ! Will definitely check it out again!

A wonderful new addition to Hawaii Kai community -- intimate lounge and speakeasy to provide a musical escape to the east side...We went to the secret speakeasy called the Velvet Lounge which is located upstairs through a door with a lighted purple V outside. Walk up the stairs and you'll find a small speakeasy that holds about 20 seats inside. You'll be sitting pretty closely to the next person as it's 2 long booths with separate tables. Think Blue Note, but more intimate, classy, and less tourists. Nice lounge where you can dress up if you choose to do so...we really enjoyed the performance by Maui based musician - Anthony Pfluke who plays the ukulele beautifully. It was reggae based which was very different, but I really ended up enjoying it. You order drinks and food through the QR code on your table and they deliver it shortly to you! Small bar in the back. Food is made downstairs. There is a 2 drink per person minimum. The drinks were just okay, but I really enjoyed the poke nachos. Good to share. Prices for drinks/food are pretty similar to Blue Note. I look forward to returning to the speakeasy or check out the lounge downstairs for more shows!

This is an exciting new LIVE MUSIC venue in Hawaii Kai for up and coming local musical artists and bands. They also have an awesome menu of superb drinks and a wonderfully crafted delicious pupus and entrees by European chef Karol! Check out the link below to their website to review their entertainment calendar, food and drink menu, and pics of the intimate mini showroom -- think Blue Note, but smaller and more intimate and with a superior food menu! The space is cool because you get to sit "up close and personal" with the band as they perform. My review: the live bands were excellent and the music sounded great and was not too loud thanks to the excellent female sound engineer. Waitress/table service was prompt and courteous, and the food and drink selection was really great as well. I really enjoyed Chef Karol's dishes, every one was totally delicious. Check out the menu here.https://www.theloungeatislandsound.com

The sleepy bedroom community of Hawaii Kai will have a new nightlife attraction - no need to go to town to enjoy live music shows, The Lounge at Island Sound Studios opens on Saturday April 27 with the first of its weekly lineup of performers that includes Amy Hanaiali'i, Henry Kapono and The Makaha Sons. See the lineup and get tickets at www.theloungeatislandsound.com.I was lucky enough to catch the April 27 debut act, Chadwick and the Elegant Endeavors at the April 20 soft opening - they KILLED a rendition of INXS' Never Tear Us Apart ... including a trumpet solo that lifted the hairs on the back of my neck. It's located in the Hawaii Kai Shopping Center (the one with the Safeway and McDonald's) at the corner of the Long's building, facing the water. As you turn into the center off Keahole, turn right into the Long's parking lot and find a parking spot at the far end. There's a neon sign at the corner of the building, but in daytime it's easy to miss. Parking is free and plentiful. It's very similar to the Blue Note, but a more intimate setting - there's a couch closest to the performers that can sit 6-8, and two tops that line the rest of the space. If you have a small group, I'd opt for that couch; next best seats are the tables right in back of the couch. You order cocktails and drinks, as well as food, via a QR code. Cocktails were free on soft opening night so I don't know how much they cost but they had a great variety; sodas and water were $4.50. When your menu comes up, the popular food options are listed: a vegan Truffle Garlic Pasta ($24), Charcuterie for Two that could easily feed 4 if you're drinking ($42), Classic Ceasar Salad ($16), French Onion Soup ($12) - but there is more on the menu if you scroll down. I had a Spicy Poke Nachos ($24) that I was more than satisfied with. The majority of Hawaii Kai residents are an older demographic on a fixed income so they are typically are cost conscious, and so I don't know how the Waikiki prices are going to go down with them - but this place really is comparable to the Blue Note in terms of the quality of the music and the space.The Lounge opening is actually the first phase of a bigger entertainment space in the works, which will include a speakeasy and dance club accessible by an outdoor spiral staircase, so you should sign up for their newsletter. Not affiliated with these guys at all, just a big fan of this new space, so excited for it to be in my neighborhood!!

....ohhh myyy myyy in Hawaii Kai .... Live Saturday night entertainment featuring comedy, music, & magic shows....now with a top line chef serving up the yums & top notch bartenders creating generous cocktails... ...September 28th ... my charming guest said she had a marvelous Funtime ... tequila drinks were awesome and the poke nachos-mouth watering good!!looking forward to forward to this Saturday's comedy event!!!

First time at this establishment. All I can say, what a night! Checked it out for a karaoke event and really enjoyed my evening of great karaoke! Great singers and a chance to listen to many different genres of karaoke singing. To order was convenient. Drinks on the pricey side but expected. Service for the drinks and food came out quickly via an app/qrf scan you could use. Very nice cozy place. The fee of $15 to enjoy a night of listening to karaoke was a bit interesting. There was a contest to begin at 6:30pm. The karaoke time was overwhelming as many singers wanted to showcase their talent. The contest was announced it started I believe due to many karaoke singers. The KJ was good as he wanted to make certain everyone sang at least one before the contest started. Again, informed it started. It was 745pm and they announced the winners. It was announced that they would extend the karaoke and have a karaoke night. Not disappointed with that news and the again, the talent of singers to listen to made it a great night. Met some people who enjoyed so that was an added bonus. A bit far for me driving from the West side but definitely would come back again. Thank you!

Great place that is on the rise. Small venue that makes every seat intimate and enjoyable. Food was very well done and drinks are pricey but worth it. Admission for practically a front row seat to see an artist is really reasonable, so eat and drink at your will. We hope they find success and continue to operate this gem in Hawaii Kai.

What a wonderful intimate venue .We went to see our favorite Amy H .Great seats , Amys wines , very tasty food and super wait staff .Never knew about this place ! Can't wait to go again for other shows .

What a wonderful bistro with live music. I feel so incredibly fortunate to have seen top musicians here such as Makana, Ledward Kaapana, and Makaha Sons. My favorite dishes are the Poke Nachos, flatbread, and chocolate gelato. The service has improved greatly .What a local treasure!!