Dinner-show era lives on in Waikiki and beyond

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

The Brothers Cazimero perform during Wednesday dinners at Chai's Island Bistro in the Aloha Tower Marketplace. Other local performers appear on various nights in a varying roster that currently includes Jerry Santos, Brian Tolentino and Hoku Zuttermeister. Advertiser library photos

Yet it's possible to see a show while having or completing a meal. The fare is not as obvious and grand as in the bygone days when Danny Kaleikini sang for his supper (and yours) at the now-gone Kahala Hilton's Hala Terrace, when Hilo Hattie did her Hilo hop at the Halekulani hotel's beachfront stage, or when the Brothers Cazimero did their melodic harmonies, embellished by exquisite hula, in the Royal Hawaiian's Monarch Room.

Here's a sampling of what's on the menu:

Abracadabra on the side: "Magic of Polynesia," starring John Hirokawa, at the Waikiki Beachcomber hotel. Dinner show, 5 p.m. daily ($52 kama'aina/military adults, $34 ages 4-11; $72 general, $52 for nonkama'aina child). You get a meal plus a production that's loaded with special effects, including a new helicopter illusion and Hirokawa's other daring feats. Second cocktail show also on tap, with seating from 8 p.m. Call 971-4321.

A touch of Las Vegas: Society of Seven Las Vegas, at the Main Showroom of the Outrigger Waikiki, also has two shows a night, at 6:30 and 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays through Sundays. Where you select your dinner option will determine if you have an on-site dinner-with-show experience. An all-you-can-eat buffet, with seating at 5:15 p.m. for the 6:30 p.m. show, is $65 for the on-site Ali'i Buffet ($44 for ages 4-20), with seating in the Main Showroom; at the off-site Pikake Terrace Buffet at the Princess Kai'ulani Hotel, with seating at 6:30 p.m. for the 8:30 p.m. show, it's $69 for adults, $50 and $40 for youths). Ask for kama'aina rates. The show is a savvy mix of pop tunes, impressions and medleys of costumed Broadway production numbers. 922-6408, 923-7469.

Pulse of paradise: Tihati's "Creation" production, at the 'Ainahau Showroom, Sheraton Princess Kai'ulani Hotel, is a grand place for hosting out-of-towners. Showtime is 7:30 p.m. daily except Mondays and Wednesdays; for dinner seating, you need to arrive at 6 p.m.; 7 p.m. for cocktails only. Kama'aina/military admission is $41 for dinner show, $63 for visitors, $25.75 for keiki (get the coupon at www.princess-kaiulani.com/specials/coupon.htm); $24.50 for cocktails only for kama'aina/military, $33 for visitors, $22 for keiki. There's a deluxe dinner package, too — $82.50 for kama'aina/military, $106 for nonkama'aina. 931-4660.

John Hirokawa's magic show at the Waikiki Beachcomber is presented with a dinner package and as a cocktail show.

Fine dining with a view: Orchids/La Mer: Watch Halekulani serenaders from a stone's throw away, at a restaurant perch facing Diamond Head. The Hau Tree Terrace boasts nostalgic Hawaiian melodies, performed with idyllic hula. 923-2311.

Ho biz: Don Ho at the Waikiki Beachcomber Hotel's Hoku Hale showroom remains a visitor magnet; he performs at 8 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays. Dinner is $36 for kama'aina/military, $52 for visitors, $26 for ages 6-12; cocktails only, $25 for kama'aina/military, $32 visitors, $16 for ages 6-20. 923-3981.

Eat with the animals: You could get a bucket of chicken from KFC, a Zip-Pac from Zippy's, a sushi tray from Kozo or a Shirokiya bento and head over to AT&T's Wildest Show in Town every Wednesday, 6-7 p.m. (gates open at 4:35 p.m.) at the Honolulu Zoo. For $1, you'll see an array of local talent ... while you enjoy a twilight picnic supper, with office colleagues or family, plus work in a quickie twilight tour of the zoo inhabitants. Next up musically: Rocky Brown, Wednesday; Noel Okimoto, July 14; Daniel Ho, July 21; Ka'ena, July 28; Audy Kimura, Aug. 4; Jimmy Borges, Aug. 11; Raiatea Helm, Aug. 18; and Jake Shimabukuro, Aug. 25. Wildest Show hot line: 526-6610.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com, 525-8067 or fax 525-8055.