In the mood for a different kind of happy hour — one that feels healthy, as well as happy? Check out Mud Hen Water, where the experience is practically virtuous. Chef Ed Kenney’s newish venture in Kaimuki is fresh and funky, dedicated to island ingredients with an extra punch of taste. With an extensive bar menu, this cafe-style restaurant offers all the pleasures of imbibing, but the atmosphere’s cheery enough to give a buzz of happiness to teetotalers, too.

The Experience

Pau hana at Mud Hen Water is quite different than at most spots in Honolulu, particularly because there is so much natural light. You enter at a door on the corner of Waialae and 9th avenues. We sat behind the bar, in an alcove to the right of the entry; here, the entire glass wall slides back to expose the seating area to an outside patio, where diners sit at picnic tables.

The tables and chairs are semi-rustic — dinged-up wood and steel base, part homesteader, part steam-punk. The overall effect is hip and welcoming.

On our visit, it was slightly damp and blustery, and that was great — a fresh, cool wind occasionally swirled through the room, clearing the air and our taste buds. Happy hour here can feel like a catered picnic, and that’s pretty nice. On a warm, breezy day, you might prefer to sit outside.

On a hot afternoon, the experience might be different; but seats around the bar itself are well-shaded, if shelter from the elements is what you seek or need.

The Food

Food at Mud Hen Water seems to polarize diners. My friends seem to be split down the middle — half love it with a passion, half are unimpressed. Based on the small plates that I’ve sampled so far, I’m in the “I could live here” camp.

The fish sandwich offered at happy hour, hebi with olive-ume tartar sauce, lettuce and tomato on a buttered, fresh bun, is $13 outside of pau hana, and $10 during that golden hour, complete with a pint. If your appetite’s light, that’s an inexpensive dinner with friends.

My friend enticed me here by raving about the Ulu ($7) — a small plate of breadfruit served in delicious, fried, potato-like chunks and garnished with fermented black beans and a sour orange sauce (sweet-sour, really). If you’re a carb-lover, and appreciative of intensified local tastes, this may impress you dearly, too.

I also loved the Beets ($8) — a deconstructed poke made with big, hunkin’ pieces of the vegetable, avocado, gorilla ogo and smoked macadamia nuts. Excellent with beer!

On the other hand, I ate up but didn’t relish a Cold Ginger Rabbit Terrine ($11) in the style of cold ginger chicken. It shifted the Chinese dish in a way I didn’t find necessary.

For some, the tastes may seem odd, as Kenney’s vision isn’t replicated in other Oahu restaurants. But just about anybody can enjoy the fish-and-beer combo.

The Drink

This joint has an extensive drinks menu, and I could use up several visits just working my way through the cocktail options. The Grapefruit Snap, made with Ocean vodka, grapefruit, ginger syrup, mint and soda, is especially refreshing.

On my first round, I went with the pint of Maui Bikini Blonde that’s offered as part of the happy hour special, and it was a light, perky choice, pairing well with the fish sandwich and other small plates.

Beer lovers will be happy here. If you really need a kick, check out Gigantic Brewery’s Ume Umai, a fruit beer at 7.6 percent alcohol ($7), or Knee Deep Brewing’s Hoptologist, a double IPA at 9 percent buzz ($9). You’ll find wines from Europe, South Africa and California on Mud Hen Water’s list, too.

It’s also worth mentioning that despite the bounty of cocktail, beer and wine options, drinking doesn’t feel necessary at Mud Hen Water — there are several tea selections, and Hawaii’s water tastes delicious with the other local ingredients. That’s good news for the designated driver.

The Verdict

Count me among Mud Hen Water’s admirers. With its abundant natural light and open-air feel, friendly servers, exciting drinks menu and savvy presentation of local ingredients, the restaurant beckons me to return.