Family-friendly Applebee’s might not be front of mind when you think “pau hana,” but its full name really is Applebee’s Grill + Bar, so give it a thought.
It’s the kind of place you can bring the kids along for some steep discount pupu in the late afternoon, where the parking is plentiful and there’s a mall to cruise before or after.
THE EXPERIENCE
Applebee’s, which originated in Atlanta, has 2,000 locations across the country. Two are in Hawaii, at Ka Makana Ali‘i mall in Kapolei and Pearlridge Center.
Happy hour runs from 3 to 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to closing.
The Kapolei restaurant is a big, open space with rows of booths and few high-tops, and with oversized TV screens broadcasting all manner of sporting events hung in every line of sight.
In the earlier hours, soft light fills the space from huge windows that stretch along the parking-lot wall.
And in case you need orientation, the word “Bar” hangs in lit-up letters in the watering-hole corner, where colorful signboards list the day’s draft beers and featured shots.
THE FOOD
Applebee’s happy hour is not noted on the menu, so ask first, to be sure you order from the right part of the menu. The prices make it worth the query.
The appetizer menu is half-off at happy hour, a dozen items mostly along the lines of standard bar food, from chicken wings to nachos.
Chicken Wonton Tacos ($6.50, regularly $12.99) is the most distinctive item, grilled chicken served in crisped-up wonton shells. Despite being fried, the shells were light and crunchy and the chicken carried just a enough sweet chili sauce to complete the Chinese-Mexican crossover.
Quesadillas come filled with chipotle-lime chicken ($7, regularly $13.99) and beef brisket ($7.50, regularly $14.99). These had a cheesy charm, a good choice if you’re ducking fried food. A nice pico de gallo inside and chipotle-lime salsa for dipping outside made it satisfying finger food.
We watched Neighborhood Nachos ($7.50 to $8.50, with ground beef regularly $14.99, chicken $16.99) going to other tables, a generous bed of chips piled high with toppings of queso blanco, cheddar, sour cream and salsa. Plenty to feed a family.
Mozzarella sticks, onion rings and a spinach-artichoke dip with tortilla chips are other choices, averaging about $5 after the half-price discount.
Just don’t be indecisive: The Classic Combo, a sampler of four apps ($16.99) is not discounted.
THE DRINK
Specials vary by day. On our Saturday visit, the deal was $3 on draft beer pints and a choice of three Long Island iced teas — regular, AMF (with blue curacao) and Tokyo Tea (with green curacao).
The draft list was a respectable 10 beers deep, with the standard Guinness and Heineken bolstered by two Kona Brewing Co. choices (Longboard Island Lager and Big Wave Golden Ale) and a mango-flavored brew from Golden Road Brewing.
The cocktails were potent — I’d stick with the basic Long Island, though, as the others were overly sweet.
Specials on other days: Sundays, beer pitchers for $12 (domestic) and $14 (imported); Mondays and Thursdays, $12 buckets (six bottles of select beers); Tuesdays, $5 for bombs (specialty shots); Wednesdays, $5 whiskeys; Fridays, $5 Kona Brewing pours.
THE VERDICT
You won’t get fancy craft cocktails or sophisticated bites, but at $6 to $8 per large, shareable plate, you can feed a table full of people for a good price.
APPLEBEE’S GRILL + BAR
Ka Makana Ali‘i mall, Kapolei, 670-2562; Pearlridge Center, 200-7440; applebees.com
Happy hour: 3-6 p.m. and 9-closing daily
>> Chicken Wonton Tacos, $6.50
>> Quesadillas, $7
Correction: Applebee’s has two locations on Oahu: An earlier version of this story referred only to the Kapolei Applebee’s location. There is also an Applebee’s in Pearlridge Center.
