Row Bar reopens with fine drinks, ono pupu

Tamura’s is a longtime retailer of fine wine, beer and spirits, island-style pupu and high-end cigars. The family-owned business has branched out into restaurants and bars, first with The Edge in Kaimuki and now with The Row Bar by Tamura’s at Waterfront Plaza, formerly known as Restaurant Row.

I walk past this place on a daily basis, since the newsroom is in the same complex, and when the sandwich board proclaiming happy hour went up, I immediately put in my bid for Pau Hana Patrol.

Everything customers love about Tamura’s is here: high-end alcohol, tasty grinds and, yes, quality smokes — but more on that later.

THE EXPERIENCE

Under new management, The Row Bar looks pretty much the same as before, with some nice upgrades. The large circular bar remains the focal point, with ample seating at the counter, surrounding tables and larger groupings.

Flat-screen TVs keep track of sports action from all angles. In a nice touch, the movable planters that mark the outdoor bar’s boundaries are planted with lemongrass, Thai basil and other herbs.

Happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday; the late-night session runs 10 p.m. to midnight, when the kitchen is closed. The afternoon crowd skews toward well-behaved professionals from nearby offices and government buildings, along with construction workers from adjacent job sites.

If you are at all sensitive to tobacco smoke, this is no place for you. As under previous management, The Row Bar welcomes smokers. In fact, two cigar humidors sit on the counter and, as before, cigar aficionados often congregate at tables, brazenly puffing away in public view. You’ll find cigarette smokers too.

Hawaii prohibits smoking in all enclosed or partially enclosed areas open to the public, including outdoor bars. It should be noted there are a number of indoor bars in Honolulu that flout smoking laws; the stench is enough to keep me away from those places.

I don’t have that problem at The Row Bar, since it’s airy and not enclosed, and perhaps because these guys (and gals) aren’t drawing on cheap stogies. It is possible to position yourself away from prevailing fumes, but chances are you’ll get a whiff at some point.

THE FOOD

The Row Bar doesn’t have its own kitchen, so Tamura’s has taken over the restaurant space formerly occupied by Kissaten. It’s been renamed Tamura’s Tavern and eventually will serve food, but no alcohol, according to General Manager Scott Nakamura. An opening date has not been set.

For now, there are seven happy-hour dishes with a $1 discount from regular prices. The food is brought to the table in sturdy takeout containers since it must be carried out in the open from the kitchen about 30 yards away. We didn’t mind at all, because at the end of our visit, we simply packed up the remaining pupu to enjoy later at home.

The pipikaula poke ($8) was ono and the beer-battered onion rings ($4) light and crispy. On this day, though, the fresh ahi poke ($11) did not live up to its name. Other happy-hour selections include sweet potato fries ($3), Nalo Farms edamame with spicy ponzu ($5), black-pepper dried aku poke ($13) and Tamura’s boiled peanuts ($4).

From the regular menu of Big Island beef loco moco, country-style pork chops and other “shareables,” we ordered pulehu tako ($10) that was tender with a mild smoky flavor.

With just two of us, there was plenty to take home.

THE DRINK

High-end whiskey and spirits ($7 to $13) dominate — all the better to enjoy with a good smoke.

Eleven beers are on tap, with happy-hour discounts on Miller Lite ($3) and Blue Moon Belgian White ($4). Nakamura said that with limited storage space at the bar, the wine selection comprises a few house favorites.

THE VERDICT

I’ve always enjoyed the casual, outdoor setting at The Row Bar, and — takeout containers notwithstanding — Tamura’s has brought a more upscale vibe to the establishment. Your experience will depend on how you feel about smoking.