Wisp, in the Lotus Honolulu, has good happy-hour prices

Waikiki’s Gold Coast is not where one would expect to find a convenient, inexpensive happy-hour spot, but Wisp, a new bar/lounge/restaurant, fills the bill on both counts. Even better, it has managed to keep the Gold Coast flavor of the area — elegant and luxurious — intact while adding a friendly, efficient informality as well.

The experience

Wisp is on the second floor of the Lotus Honolulu at Diamond Head. The Lotus is a boutique hotel, and as one might expect from the name, it has a Zen-like sensibility, with the lobby decorated with Buddhist figurines and the smell of incense hanging in the air.

Wisp has some of that sensibility, with elegant, wood-trimmed furnishings and a curved granite bar in the lounge area, which also has a few high tables and chairs.

Happy hour is available here from 4 to 7 p.m. daily, but it’s restricted to the lounge. You might find yourself craning your neck toward the dining room, with its great view of Kapiolani Park and Diamond Head. While the scene can be enjoyed from the lounge, the best view is from the adjacent dining area.

Co-owners Jon Ishimi — you’ll know him as the owner of Kissaten Bar & Lounge, among other eateries he’s been associated with — and Lani Nakamura, a former defense attorney-turned-restaurateur, have also managed to bring an air of informality to the place.

While many of the patrons were hotel guests, dressed in their aloha attire, when we visited, there also were a number of locals, dressed in shorts, tank tops or other beach attire. The friendly staff went a long way toward making this a pleasant experience.

Adding to the ambience is a nice spread of entertainment. There’s music almost every day starting at 6 p.m., early enough for happy-hour patrons to have their snack and enjoy an hour of music as well. There will be comedy, too. Stand-up comic Edwin San Juan is performing there Feb. 11. He’ll go on after happy hour ends, but it never hurts to imbibe a little before a good comedian takes the stage.

The food

Wisp’s happy hour is an exercise in simplicity. Everything is priced at $3, $4 or $5, and both drinks and food are available at those prices. If you’re hungrier, then go for the dinner menu, but if you want a quick, tasty snack, it doesn’t get much more convenient.

It was easy to splurge without splurging and order off the $5 menu. Steamed clams, fried breaded shrimp, breaded oysters and truffle waffle fries all hit the mark, with the shrimp especially tender. The spicy tuna on rice, also $5, was a delight.

If you like fries but are no connoisseur, there’s a $3 serving of waffle fries, without the truffle oil or aioli dip.

From the $4 menu I had the cheesy bread, which comes across as a grilled cheese sandwich without the crust. I liked it that way.

For some places, happy-hour food is merely a cheaper version of their dinner or lunch menus, with smaller but still ample portions. Wisp’s happy-hour food comes in pretty much snack-size servings, but at a fair price. You can enjoy a number of dishes without stuffing yourself or emptying your wallet.

The drink

Drinks are priced at $3 (domestic bottled beer, well cocktails), $4 (draft and imported beer) and $5 (specialty well cocktails). Although it was out the day we visited, it would be nice to enjoy the Stella Artois they typically have on draft, especially at $4. I was perfectly happy having a Coors Lite at $3.

The verdict

The Gold Coast of Waikiki certainly needs a place like Wisp. One can easily imagine surfers coming in for a snack after a session at Publics, or visitors to Kapiolani Park coming over in search of a light late-afternoon snack. No need to spend or eat too much. Just let the food hit the spot, relax and listen to some tunes. As days grow longer, maybe you’ll even want to take another stroll out to the beach before you turn for home.