Hy’s Steak House is a fine dining institution in Honolulu, and rightfully so — it’s been serving up its classic steaks for more than 45 years.
Its happy hour menu, offered nightly in the bar and lounge area, was recently revamped to include more dishes. The eatery brought back its happy hour menu last October, but it was a limited selection.
Hy’s happy hour is only available in the bar and lounge area, which seats 20 to 24 people. However, you can make reservations for happy hour via OpenTable, so at least it’s not walk-in only.
Happy hour beverages include sommelier selected red and white wines by the glass ($13 each), along with classic cocktails — a bartender’s choice, martini, Manhattan and daiquiri ($13 each). Guests are also welcome to order off the restaurant’s drink menu.
Shrimp cocktail ($14) — along with oysters on the half shell ($16) — is one of the newer additions to the happy hour menu. It’s served with pineapple relish and cocktail sauce. The oyster selection changes, but they come with yuzu mignonette, tobiko and microgreens.
Other newer happy hour dishes include the black garlic burger ($24) — a savory concoction with bacon jam, Gorgonzola cheese and Gherkins pickles — and the A5 steak and potatoes ($35), served with sauteed mushrooms and caramelized onions. While the burger sounded appealing — bacon jam and Gorgonzola cheese, need I say more? — I opted to save that for a return visit.
This chopped salad — refreshing iceberg lettuce topped with double-smoked bacon, eggs, tomatoes and blue cheese dressing — is like a mini version of the eatery’s wedge salad. It’s a substantial portion for the price.
The beef wellington is a fixture on Hy’s regular menu, so of course the mini version is one of the most popular happy hour options. The filet mignon is prepared medium rare, wrapped with mushroom duxelle and prosciutto, and served with mashed potatoes and a truffle-demi glace. It’s rich, hearty, and honestly, the perfect size — the regular entrée features a 7-ounce filet, while the mini (happy hour) portion is a 2- to 3-ounce filet. It’s just right, especially since we had ordered several appetizers — and had our hearts set on getting dessert.
The dessert selection includes a seasonal cobbler, brownie lava cake, and tiramisu ($13 each). I was about to choose the brownie lava cake with Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream, when our server said the tiramisu is her favorite of the three. Consider me influenced.
This is not your typical tiramisu — it’s made with Kahlua coffee liqueur, espresso anglaise and mascarpone, but it’s served on a bed of cookie crumbles that truly elevates it. The added crunch contrasts nicely with the fluffy, creamy tiramisu. I now understand our server’s sentiment toward it … and will just have to try that lava cake (and burger) another time.
CONTACT
Hy’s Steak House
2440 Kūhiō Ave., Honolulu
808-922-5555
Hyswaikiki.com
Instagram: @hyshawaii
Happy hour is daily in the bar and lounge from 5-6:30 p.m.
Complimentary valet parking available
Kelli Shiroma Braiotta can be reached at kelli@alohastatedaily.com.
