Tropics Ale House taps into Kakaako beer culture

Tropics Tap House was a lively gathering spot for the college crowd at Puck’s Alley in Moiliili until it closed in March. The bar resurfaced as Tropics Ale House Kakaako in October at the corner of Queen and Cooke streets.

Kakaako has become a center of beer culture in Honolulu, and there are at least five brewpubs and beer-centric bars — soon to be six with Real a gastropub opening at Keauhou Lane — within walking distance of Tropics. So how does it stack up?

THE EXPERIENCE

Relocating to a dank, windowless space formerly occupied by a succession of karaoke and hostess lounges required some renovations. The interior walls have been removed to create a large, open room adorned with assorted beer signs and banners. The varied seating options include a long row of stools at the bar, dining tables, high, narrow tables that seat eight and an outdoor patio with umbrellas.

A single pool table is available, and other diversions include foosball and electronic darts. Ten large-screen TVs are visible no matter where you sit inside, and when the big game is on, Tropics becomes a full-blown sports bar.

When we visited on a quiet Friday afternoon, it was dark inside, and water was dripping from the ceiling near the entrance. Still, the place had a casual, friendly vibe. When we returned the following Monday, during the college football title game, the interior was more brightly lit and gave off a warm glow. The vocal crowd was a mix of professionals and patrons who could have come straight from the beach.

A familiar face from the old Tropics is operations manager Chad Rufenacht, who was behind the bar during our first visit.

Limited parking is available on-site or you can cruise for street stalls, but pay heed to rush-hour tow-away zones.

THE FOOD

Tropics is no match for the inventive fare offered at most brewpubs. The happy-hour menu is limited to four run-of-the-mill items. We tried three of them:

The Ale House sliders ($6) provided a pair of thick ground-beef patties on soft rolls that tasted of a greasy grill. Better were the hot and crisp shoestring fries ($5), offered with salt, furikake or truffle Parmesan cheese toppings. A little truffle flavor goes a long way, and I appreciated the light touch here.

The Greek salad ($6) was basic, made with chopped romaine, red onions, Kalamata olives, hearts of palm, tomatoes, pepperoncini, feta cheese and balsamic vinegar dressing.

The fourth option: salt, garlic or “angry” edamame ($4).

Or skip the happy-hour menu and order Tropics’ hand-tossed pizza, $10 to $16. Also on the regular menu are burgers, bowls, wings, tacos and more.

Consider stopping by on Taco Tuesdays, which supplants the usual happy-hour deals. Starting at 3 p.m., margaritas and bottles of Dos Equis and Corona are $3; from 4 to 8 p.m. the drink specials are complemented by $2 tacos.

THE DRINKS

Tropics does have an advantage over the brewpubs in providing a wide selection of beers on tap — 24 when we visited. Four are offered at happy-hour pricing of $4 to $5: Bavik Super Pils, Guiness Nitro Stout, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale and Ballast Point Big Eye IPA.

I went with the Bavik and was rewarded with a cold, refreshing pint of the German-style pilsner.

A video screen over the bar lists the beers on tap with the alcohol content and other pertinent information, and you can check the TapHunter mobile app to see what Tropics is serving. The bar also serves a long list of beer in cans and bottles at regular prices, including Bud Light ($4) and Corona and Heineken ($5).

Substantial discounts were offered on three specialty cocktails: the lilikoi margarita and Peach Palmer (Ciroc peach vodka, fresh lemonade and iced tea) for $5, and the Hawaii Tai (Cointreau triple sec, guava nectar, pineapple juice and Whaler’s dark rum) for $6, normally $11.

THE VERDICT

The Tropics Ale House will appeal to those who find Kakaako’s other beer houses a little too pretentious, sports bar regulars and anyone with a hankering for craft beer who is looking to disappear into a nondescript lounge for a cold one or three. Longer hours — 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday, opening 8 a.m. Sundays — ensure the taps are flowing whenever the thirst strikes.