Art's Hideaway

Nestled on Bishop Street in bustling Downtown Honolulu is quite literally a hole in the wall called Art's Hideaway.

Going downstairs I felt as if I was entering an underground fight club (the first rule of Fight Club is yadda yadda yadda... that joke was old five minutes after the movie came out... and I'm talking about it... wanna fight?) rather than a quick lunchtime grab-n-go.

The interior was what you would expect from a basement establishment: dark. Simple chairs and tables filled the tiny space. But I wasn't here for the view. The proprietor (Art himself perhaps?) seemed rather frantic which was off-putting since the joint was half empty - oddly enough during the lunch rush. Not 30 seconds in the door he asked me what I wanted to order. Well let me see a menu and I will let you know, kind yet pushy sir.

After being given the luxury of 60 seconds to peruse the selections he asked me again what my order was. Feeling pressured at this point I opted for the New York steak, wagering it was a safe option for a place I was unfamiliar with. Besides, you can tell a lot about a bar/grill by their steak. A side of garlic mash & tossed salad and I was good to go.

Let me tell you this was more than a safe option. Walking back to the office the aroma of the butter and garlic from the mash potatoes teased me the entire way. They turned out to be fluffy, rich and smooth. Almost too rich and buttery, but that might have something to do with me eating healthier for the past few months.

The tossed salad was served with a tangy red vinaigrette and the greens were crisp and fresh.

The steak was nicely done. Tender and moist. And topped with sauteed onions and mushrooms. You had me at sauteed mushrooms... you had me at sauteed mushrooms. I'm told that the Chicken Picatta is excellent, and I will gladly take one for the team during my next foray there.

All in all a very decent meal for $10.00. It's the kind of place that I would enjoy having some beer and pupu downtown while avoiding the yuppie scum that seem to have overtaken Bar 35. Unless you work downtown however, forget about lunch. Street parking might be easier to find as the sun goes down and the Hotel Street crackheads wake up for the night shift.

Art's Hideaway.
1110 Bishop St
Honolulu, HI 96813
(808) 531-1775