As much as I love the experience and flavors of dining in the Keaaumoku area, “skeezy” is the word that comes to mind when talking about its bar scene.

Lola’s Grill & Pupu Bar, which opened in December in the old Champions sports bar between Young and South Beretania streets, is working to change that. Operated by Jed Roa, of the defunct Pipeline Cafe in Kakaako, and partners, Lola’s is on track to establish itself as a respectable local hangout and pau hana hot spot — if they can remedy one major shortcoming.

Read on.

The experience

The high-ceilinged lounge has been revamped into a welcoming space with a clean, open feel and ample air conditioning. The mellow-yellow walls in the main seating area are filled with oversize, spotlighted portraits of Hawaii entertainment and sports greats past and present, from Rap Reiplinger and BJ Penn to Keola Beamer and Laird Hamilton. Off to one side of the main area is a game room in warm, red tones, with a single pool table and electronic darts.

Pick your choice of booth or table seating, and there are stools aplenty at the backlit bar; a private karaoke room is also available. There are flat-screen TVs for every sight line, plus a small dance floor and a platform for the impressive entertainment schedule at Lola’s that includes shows by island stars like Brother Noland, pop-up concerts, open-mic nights and more — none of it happening during happy hour.

But that’s OK, since pau hana is about kicking back and shooting the breeze with your pals. So we were happy tapping along to the Rolling Stones and other classic rock playing in the background while bartender Keith provided friendly, attentive service.

The food

As much as I like the room and the atmosphere, this is where it gets a little rough. There’s no escaping the fact that Lola’s is looking for a new chef, so the current menu keeps it real and doesn’t overreach.

There are eight happy hour items — mostly your essential grease-based bar grinds — for $5 to $7. We ordered the ground beef sliders, which were served on a nice, soft bun with melted cheddar and sauteed mushrooms and onions. The plate of two burgers came with a serving of fries and was clearly a meal in itself for $7. For another $7 we got a plate of seven wings that were hot and meaty, but the sticky-sweet barbecue sauce was applied a little too liberally. If ordered again, I would ask for sauce on the side.

The glistening fried rice ($6), our favorite, came with chunks of Portuguese sausage, bacon, carrots and green onions and was large enough to serve two with healthy appetites. The Caesar salad ($5) made with cold, crisp romaine, croutons and shredded Parmesan, cut through the heaviness of the other dishes.

None was special, all were tasty enough for the price. With good company and a cold beer, maybe that’s enough for most.

Since this is Pau Hana Patrol, we stuck to the happy hour menu, but it should be noted that Lola’s offers grilled meat served pupu style as well as full meals for $13 to $18.

The drink

For the early session, 3 to 6 p.m., it’s half price off everything — draft beer, pitchers, wine, cocktails — except bottled beer. There are a dozen selections on tap, including four varieties from Kona Brewing Co.

The later happy hour, 9 p.m. to midnight, offers well drinks, Kona Big Wave and Coors Light for $3, Crown Royal Apple, Patron and Vegas Bombs, a potent combo of Crown Royal, peach schnapps and Red Bull, for $5.

My late-afternoon pint of Sierra Nevada Torpedo, a hoppy, bitter IPA, was $2.50 — less than the $3 ice tea ordered by my designated driver.

The verdict

There’s nothing wrong with Lola’s Grill & Pupu Bar that a good chef can’t fix, and Roa said that should happen soon. In the meantime, I’d still pop in to catch the game. Stay tuned. …