When Carey Bennett of Happy Hour Pal wanted to meet for drinks, it was a no brainer.

The girl knows her happy hours!

So she suggested thirtyninehotel, a mixed-use venue-slash-bar in Chinatown that I hadn’t been to in years. Last week it launched a new happy hour menu — it’s got a new kitchen, too — that’s complete with a nightly specialty cocktail. (Last night’s cocktail was a tasty concoction with fresh watermelons.)

“I love the vibe of this place,” Bennett says. “It’s really all about the community, art and fashion, which I really appreciate. And Christian (Self) is one of the best bartenders in Hawaii.”

I’d have to agree.

This bar/venue on North Hotel Street oozes cool, with artwork on the walls — and yes, sometimes painted directly on the walls — outdoor seating, free WiFi, live music and other events that keep patrons interested and coming back.

So we went to check out the new happy hour menu last night. Here’s what our meal — and yes, it was a meal! — looked like:

thirtyninehotel

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Last week thirtyninehotel launched a new happy hour menu that sounded so good, I just had to try it. Every night there's a new specialty cocktail, too.

thirtyninehotel, 39 N. Hotel St. in Chinatown. Happy hour, 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. Phone: (808) 599-2552.