Duke's Waikiki

So today I decided that while D was at work I would try out Duke’s Waikiki for lunch.  The bar/restaurant is located at the On the Sand at the Outrigger Waikiki with great views of the ocean and walking distance from our new hotel, “Miramar at Waikiki”.  (D and I have been here before for late night drinks.  I’ll tell you about that a little later.)  I am not one of those people who usually go to a restaurant alone.  In fact, this is my first time.  I think I’m too much of a “needy person”  for that, but today I decided to step out of my comfort zone and definitely try something new.  It is an odd experience… it reminded me of when Jason Segel’s character (Peter) in “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” (coincidentally filmed here in Oahu) went to the hotel’s restaurant and asked for a table for 1.  The scene was hilarious to watch as everyone looked at him funny and wondered what his story was.  As I sat there I pretty much felt like everyone around me who stared was doing the same.  Wondering why someone would eat alone on vacation or making up different scenarios amongst themselves.  I’m sure that this was not the case, but I think this was an expression of my “first-time eating alone in a public restaurant” paranoia.  

Anyway, once I got over the “holy ba’jesus everyone is staring” jitters I really enjoyed my time at Duke’s.  The atmosphere was really great!  Since it's pretty much right on the beach and all open-air, Duke's has a really 'tropical' feel to it.  It's what you would expect to see in Hawaii.  Duke's is packed during lunch, but the wait does not seem to be over 10 minutes. (Disclaimer:  This guesstimate is for lunch only.  I have not experienced Duke’s for dinner, so the wait may be a little different for you.)  The staff was quick, friendly, and above all attentive! 

I asked the waiter for the drink they call a “Tropical Itch”.  He said that it was good if you like dark rum and that it came with a backscratcher.  I figured he was pulling my leg but no, he was telling truth.  The drink came to the table, low and behold there it was… a backscratcher!  I had to chuckle a little bit to myself.  If you’ve never had it before, it pretty much tastes like a sweeter version of a Mai Tai thanks to the passion fruit juice that they add to the drink.  On a scale from 1 to 10, 1 being the worst and 10 being the best, the drink was a 8.  It does get a 10 for comedic relief though!

Yes, that is the backscratcher.  I kept it!

The food here is overall very tasty!  I ordered the Kalua pork sandwich that came with waffle fries.  If you’ve never had kalua pork, I highly suggest you try it.  It’s the very tasty, Hawaiian version of pulled pork.

Whether you’re on vacation or live here, I do recommend you take a little trip to Duke’s.  It’s a cool place for food and drinks, and it’s reasonably priced.

(Note:  I will add more pictures to this post as soon as my camera decides to stop acting up.)