Hawaiian Shack @ 16th Road, Bandra

How to get there: Get to Pali Naka, take the right for Toto's and then the first left. Straight down till you see a blue neon sign on your left and there you are.


Ah, the Shack. I have a sorta love-hate relationship with it. Some good times, some bad times. Some nights of free tequila being poured directly into your mouth (they do this on most public holidays; Independence Day etc), some nights of weird men trying to chat you up (and there are usually loads of weird men.)

Cover to the Shack is about Rs 400 per person, most nights. (A commentor here asked me the difference between entry and cover charge: for a cover charge you get drink coupons worth however much you pay at the gate.) I think this is reasonable, considering we almost always run out of coupons. The music is at two levels--one plays 90s hits, and I mean the really cheesy ones--Ace Of Base, Roxette, MC Hammer etc, and the other plays a mix of popular hip-hop and Bollywood. You can transition between both, but the upper level normally doesn't take credit cards, something you might want to keep in mind before you move.

Except for some weekdays; actually, except for Mondays and Tuesdays; the Shack is normally packed full of people. If you want a table, your best bet is to get there by like 8.30-9. After that, you should be able to find standing room, but nowhere to park your things.

The service at the Shack is pretty good, the waiters are frequent, and if it's a good night, you can coax the DJ into playing your song. It's a fun place to dance as well, AND you don't have to get too dressed up. Most people go straight from work--well, in the lower level, anyway. The hip-hop regulars always appear to be more dressed up.

I take a lot of my out-of-town visitors to the Shack and they LOVE it. Bombay locals, on the other hand, eh, much like me, they have a love/hate thing going on. A lot of people I know have found significant others there, but I wouldn't count on it.

All in all, the Shack makes for a nice, upbeat evening, if crowds and familiar music is your scene.

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