Named for legendary Hawaiian waterman Duke Kahanamoku — five-time Olympic swimming medalist and the father of modern surfing — Duke's Waikiki sits directly on the sand at the Outrigger Waikiki Beach Resort, with Diamond Head framing the horizon. Open since 1994, it has become a rite-of-passage stop for visitors and a steady haunt for kama'aina who slide into the open-air Barefoot Bar for mai tais, fresh-catch fish, and the famous Hula Pie — a mountain of macadamia nut ice cream on a chocolate cookie crust drowned in hot fudge. Live Hawaiian music plays daily, and the legendary "Duke's on Sunday" afternoon concerts on the beach (headlined for years by Henry Kapono) draw a packed mix of surfers, tourists, and locals. It's loud, sunburned, sandy-toed, and unapologetically Waikiki.
"Sunset drinks and Hula Pie absolutely lived up to the hype. The view of Waikiki Beach and Diamond Head is unbeatable, the Barefoot Bar has a great vibe with live Hawaiian music, and the Hula Pie is enormous — easily shared by three people."