Best Bites: The Social Honolulu is Bar Food Done Right
(Partner Content) Enjoy picture-perfect hamachi slices, creamy uni mentaiko pasta and more at this Ward Village bar-meets-restaurant.
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At first glance, The Social Honolulu—with its moody lighting, black-on-black color scheme and music that’s the perfect volume for dancing (intimate conversation, not so much)—might seem like a typical bar catered to 20-somethings. But since it first opened on King Street in 2015, HONOLULU’s 2023 Hale ‘Aina silver winner for Best Bar Food has earned a loyal following of foodies across the age spectrum who have followed them to their new location (with much better parking) at Ward Village. Proof that you don’t need to like the bar scene to love bar food.
Like its name suggests, The Social is about gathering, which means dishes are served family style and portions are generous. Starting the meal off with ponzu oyster shooters ($20) is always a guaranteed winner. Each order comes with six servings of oyster, tobiko and grated daikon, delicately presented on Chinese soup spoons with a tangy soy vinaigrette. Next up is the picture-perfect hamachi jalapeño crudo (25%), featuring alternating layers of thick-sliced raw fish and jalapeño and cucumber slices. You’ll want to dredge each piece with the accompanying sweet, slightly tangy yuzu soy vinaigrette before biting in.
Next up is the uni mentaiko spaghetti ($24), one of The Social’s most popular dishes, and for good reason. Cream and uni are a naturally rich, complementary combo and, with the added brininess of mentaiko and nori, it’s a fusion dish that shines. Like any pasta with cream-based sauce, this one is best enjoyed as soon as it hits the table, as the sauce will thicken over time. The kim chee fried rice ($19) hits all the notes of the familiar comfort food locals love with garlic bacon fried rice, kim chee, bi bim bap sauce and two eggs sunny side up. The first thing you’ll notice about this dish is the impressive portion, which could easily feed a group of four. At under $20, it’s a dish that’s equally delicious and easy on the wallet. Finally, the dynamite chicken ($19), another of the restaurant’s fan favorites. Bite-size pieces of chicken are floured, fried and topped with a sweet chili drizzle that packs a comfortable amount of heat. It’s a dish we especially love to eat in tandem with rice lagers such as Echigo or Orion, both of which you can find at The Social.
The Social Honolulu, 1170 Auahi St. Suite 250, (808) 892-1112, @thesocialhnl
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