Waikiki has no shortage of bars. Walk down Kalakaua Avenue and you'll pass dozens — hotel lounges, tiki bars, rooftop cocktail spots. But if you're looking for a real sports bar where you can watch the game with sound on, cold beer in hand, and food worth ordering, the options narrow fast. Skybox Taphouse is the one that keeps locals coming back and visitors wishing they'd found it sooner.
A Sports Bar Actually Built for Watching Sports
That sounds obvious, but most "sports bars" in Waikiki are really restaurants that happen to have a TV in the corner. Skybox is different. The entire venue is designed around the viewing experience — over 20 televisions with state-of-the-art picture and sound, clear sightlines from every seat, and game-day audio for major events. Whether it's NFL Sunday, an NBA playoff series, a UFC fight card, March Madness, Premier League, NHL, or MLB — it's on, and it's loud when it matters.
Located on the third-floor Grand Lanai of International Market Place, Skybox seats 275 guests across indoor and outdoor areas with two full-size bars. The open-air layout gives you panoramic views of Waikiki while you watch — something you're not going to find at a mainland sports bar. And if the game you want isn't already on a screen near you, just ask. The staff will switch it over.
The Food Goes Way Beyond Basic Bar Fare
A lot of sports bars treat the kitchen as an afterthought. Skybox doesn't. The full menu reads like a real restaurant — hand-crafted pizzas, Upper-Cut jumbo wings tossed in Buffalo, Honey Sriracha, or Hawaiian BBQ sauce, All-Star fish tacos with scratch taco sauce, loaded Triple Play nachos, calamari, Wisconsin golden cheese curds, and more. The fan favorites are marked on the menu for a reason: people keep coming back for them.
If you're here with a group, start with the Monster Pretzel — it's the biggest Bavarian pretzel they could find, brushed with butter, sprinkled with pretzel salt, and served with Wisconsin cheese sauce. Then move on to the Quarterback Quesadilla or Kalua smoked pork sliders. Everything is made to share, which is exactly what you want on game day.
Skybox also has a dedicated breakfast menu for early games. Living on Hawaii time means East Coast NFL kickoffs start at 7 AM, and Skybox opens early on weekends during football season so you can eat while you watch. That's a detail that separates a sports bar from a place that just has TVs.
Two House Brews and a Serious Tap List
The "Taphouse" in the name isn't just branding. Skybox has its own house beers on tap — the Skybox Blonde, a crisp pale gold ale with caramel malt sweetness, and the Skybox Hazy IPA with orange, mango, and guava notes. Beyond those, the draft list features local Hawaii breweries like Kona Brewing (Longboard Lager, Big Wave, Lavaman Red Ale), Maui Brewing (Big Swell IPA, Pineapple Mana Wheat), and Ola Brew's Dragonfruit Lemonade.
On the cocktail side, the signature drinks lean tropical without being gimmicky. The All Tai'd Up is a proper Mai Tai with silver rum, spiced rum, and a dark rum float. The Goddess Pele brings pineapple, strawberry, and habanero vodka together. And the Overtime Buzz — vanilla vodka, espresso, and Kahlúa — is the move for late games. There are also spirit-free cocktails if you're keeping it light.
Karaoke, Trivia, and a Full Events Calendar
The screens aren't the only draw. Skybox runs karaoke every single night from 9 PM to 2 AM — not just on weekends, every night. Wednesday is trivia night at 7 PM, which has become a regular thing for locals who want to compete for bragging rights and bar tabs.
For bigger events — birthdays, corporate outings, group watch parties — Skybox offers private event packages with custom menus and AV setups. The 275-seat capacity and two bars mean they can handle large groups without it feeling cramped.
Open Late, Every Night
Skybox is open daily from 11 AM to 2 AM. The kitchen stays running until 1 AM — every single night. In Waikiki, where most restaurants close their kitchens well before midnight, that matters. Whether you're catching a late West Coast game or coming in after a night out, you can still get real food here when most other places have shut down.
Happy hour runs Monday through Friday, 3 PM to 6 PM, with $5 domestic pints, $7 local drafts, and $11 signature cocktails. It's one of the better happy hour deals in Waikiki, and a big reason the after-work crowd keeps showing up.
How to Get Here
Skybox Taphouse is at 2330 Kalakaua Ave #302, on the third floor of International Market Place in the heart of Waikiki. It's easy to find — take the escalators up from the main floor and follow the sound of whatever game is on. Walk-ins are always welcome, or you can save a table ahead of time if you're coming for a big game or have a large group.
Whether you live down the street or you're visiting for the week, Skybox is where Waikiki watches sports. Come see why.