From an independent home brewer to craft brewery and ultimately Oahu’s first beer garden, owner Geoffrey Seideman wielded his passion into a career and turned his hobby into a booming business. 

Honolulu BeerWorks opened its doors earlier this year after transforming an old warehouse space into a unique, custom brewing operation, complete with bar, restaurant and outdoor beer garden near downtown Honolulu. Oahu is well-known for its beaches, surfing and ukuleles, and Geoffrey is looking to add beer to that list, specifically his beer.

The laidback Hawaiian spirit flows through the second you take a seat on one of the picnic tables inside. The bar’s front windows stay propped open, allowing the sweet island breeze to work its way through, welcoming guests. If you’re visiting the brewery with just one other person, park yourself at the bar and the bartenders will be happy to chat about their favorite beers on tap – a choice of 8 that includes a pale ale, a kolsch, a stout, and an IPA. Geoffrey regularly experiments with his brews and recipes, including a special beer that is aged in a smoked bourbon barrel. If you can’t decide what to order, consider getting the 6-beer taster to sample several until you find a favorite.

Even if we didn’t love the beer (which we do!), we’d still come to Honolulu BeerWorks for the food. The brewery serves a beer cheese mac and cheese for lunch and dinner that is hands down the best we’ve ever tasted, along with other comfort foods like hoagies, chicken salad, miso pork sliders, and meatball subs. It’s a great midday snack between surf sessions and the various other cultural attractions around Honolulu.

Sponsored by Oahu Tourism