The new location, at 280 Beach Walk, "will benefit from the enhanced pedestrian traffic," said Hamish Dodds, president and CEO of Hard Rock Cafe International, in a statement. "We are looking to rock Waikiki with great live music and our world-class dining experience."

The new two-level restaurant-club won't open until 2009, but will become one of Honolulu's largest dining-entertainment destinations, with more than 11,000 square feet of space, including a 300-seat restaurant, a lanai of 1,625 square feet, plus the usual Rock Shop boasting iconic Hard Rock merchandise.

The Rock Shop space will be accentuated by a grand staircase leading to the main dining hall and plans call for a "feature wall" and "a wave of memorabilia."

The main dining area will include a bar and live stage, angled to take advantage of the views of the expansive lanai dining area.

The Waikiki relocation is one of a handful that Hard Rock has implemented in recent years. In July, Hard Rock moved its Boston cafe form Copley Square to the historic Faneuil Hall zone, preceded by the New York site relocating from 57th Avenue to the heart of Times Square in 2005. San Francisco, Phoenix and Orlando cafes also have been repositioned to more visible sites.