# KAUA’I ISLAND BREWERY & GRILL **Source:** Pinball News Website **Type:** article **Published:** 2017-02-01 **Beat:** Pinball **URL:** https://www.pinballnews.com/site/2017/02/01/kauai-island-brewery-grill --- ## Analysis A January 2017 venue review of Kauai Island Brewery & Grill in Eleele, Hawaii, documenting a location-based pinball arcade with six games in excellent condition. The article highlights the rarity of pinball machines in Hawaii due to service challenges, humidity, and lack of trained mechanics, positioning this venue as one of the last remaining pinball locations in the islands. ### Key Claims - [HIGH] Kauai Island Brewery & Grill hosts six pinball machines in immaculate condition, with one undergoing service during the visit — _Direct observation during venue visit in January 2017; machines listed by name and designer_ - [HIGH] Pinball machines are rare in Hawaii due to lack of trained mechanics, service difficulty, and parts availability — _Article states: 'Due to many factors – not the least of which is lack of trained pinball mechanics – the pinball machine is a rare sight indeed in the 50th of the United States.'_ - [MEDIUM] An arcade chain on Oahu removed all pinball games within the past year due to service and parts difficulties — _Secondhand report: 'We were told that an arcade chain on O'ahu removed all of the pinball games that they had within the last year due to difficulty with service and obtaining parts.'_ - [MEDIUM] High humidity and ocean proximity in Hawaii negatively impact mechanical pinball machine components — _Article states: 'The high humidity and proximity to the ocean probably plays havoc with mechanical parts of games also.'_ - [HIGH] Game pricing at the venue ranges from 50 cents (Creature from the Black Lagoon, Monopoly) to $1 (Indiana Jones, Star Trek), with X-Men at 75 cents — _Pricing clearly documented in article and photo captions_ ### Notable Quotes > "Where are the games?" > — **Reviewer (after asking server)**, During venue visit > _Highlights that pinball games were hidden in a darkened loft area and not visibly advertised, raising questions about casual customer discovery_ > "I wondered if the average person 'off-the-street' would know where the power switches was on a pinball?" > — **Reviewer**, During venue visit > _Notes operational friction: machines required manual power-on by customers, creating usability barrier for casual players_ > "Last Beer Before Tomorrow" > — **Kauai Island Brewery Company (slogan)**, Documented at venue > _Brewery's marketing slogan referencing Hawaii's proximity to the international date line_ > "There is little to say about these games other than they are in immaculate condition and play like brand new." > — **Reviewer**, After gameplay experience > _Assessment of mechanical condition and maintenance quality at the venue_ > "Our visit to Kauai Island Brewery and Grill was a glimpse at one of the last of a handful of sites in the Hawai'ian islands still offering pinball." > — **Reviewer**, Concluding observation > _Contextualizes the venue as a rare pinball location in a region experiencing pinball decline_ ### Entities | Name | Type | Context | |------|------|---------| | Kauai Island Brewery & Grill | organization | Bar/grill venue in Eleele, Hawaii (4350 Waialo Rd) hosting six pinball machines in a loft game room | | Creature from the Black Lagoon | game | 1992 Bally/Midway pinball machine designed by John Trudeau; 1950s drive-in movie theme; located at venue; 50 cents per play | | Monopoly | game | 2001 Stern pinball machine designed by Pat Lawlor; board game themed; located at venue; 50 cents per play | | X-Men | game | 2012 Stern pinball machine designed by John Borg; Marvel comic/movie themed; located at venue; 75 cents per play or 3 games for $2 | | Indiana Jones | game | 1993 Williams pinball machine designed by Mark Ritchie; themes from first three theatrical movies; optional shaker; $1 per play | | The Wizard of Oz | game | 2013 Jersey Jack pinball machine; undergoing service during visit; described as newest game in house | | Star Trek | game | 2013 Stern pinball machine designed by Steve Ritchie; based on recent Star Trek movie reboot; $1 per play | | John Trudeau | person | Designer of Creature from the Black Lagoon (1992) | | Pat Lawlor | person | Legendary pinball designer; designed Monopoly (2001) | | John Borg | person | Pinball designer; designed X-Men (2012) | | Mark Ritchie | person | Pinball designer; designed Indiana Jones (1993) | | Steve Ritchie | person | Pinball designer; designed Star Trek (2013) | | Stern Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer; produced Monopoly (2001), X-Men (2012), Star Trek (2013) | | Williams | company | Pinball manufacturer; produced Indiana Jones (1993) | | Bally/Midway | company | Pinball manufacturer; produced Creature from the Black Lagoon (1992) | | Jersey Jack Pinball | company | Pinball manufacturer; produced The Wizard of Oz (2013) | | Oahu | location | Hawaiian island where an arcade chain removed all pinball games within the past year due to service difficulties | | Hawaii | location | State where pinball machines are rare due to lack of mechanics, service challenges, humidity, and ocean proximity | ### Topics - **Primary:** Location-based pinball operations in geographically remote areas, Pinball machine scarcity and decline in Hawaii, Venue maintenance and game condition management - **Secondary:** Pinball pricing and revenue models at locations, Service infrastructure challenges for pinball operators, Environmental factors (humidity, ocean proximity) affecting pinball machines - **Mentioned:** Casual player accessibility and machine discoverability ### Sentiment **Positive** (0.75) — Reviewer expresses appreciation for the venue's food, beverage selection, and excellent game maintenance. Concern is expressed about the rarity of pinball in Hawaii and operational friction (hidden location, manual power-on requirement), but overall tone is encouraging and recommends visiting. ### Signals - **[community_signal]** Venue maintains six pinball machines in excellent condition, positioning it as a rare community hub for pinball play in Hawaii (confidence: high) — Direct observation: 'There is little to say about these games other than they are in immaculate condition and play like brand new.' - **[market_signal]** Pinball machine scarcity in Hawaii attributed to service infrastructure collapse; arcade chain reportedly removed all machines due to maintenance difficulty (confidence: high) — Article documents: 'Due to many factors – not the least of which is lack of trained pinball mechanics – the pinball machine is a rare sight indeed in the 50th of the United States' and 'We were told that an arcade chain on O'ahu removed all of the pinball games that they had within the last year due to difficulty with service and obtaining parts.' - **[technology_signal]** Environmental factors (high humidity, ocean proximity) negatively impact mechanical components of pinball machines in Hawaii (confidence: medium) — Article states: 'The high humidity and proximity to the ocean probably plays havoc with mechanical parts of games also.' --- ## Transcript **Date:** January 2017 **Location:** 4350 Waialo Rd, Eleele, HI 96705, USA You could possibly be forgiven if you mistook the low-profile building in the off-harbor area of Port Allen for a warehouse of some sort, but at most times of the day, the number of autos parked along Waialo Rd. tell a different story. [![The front view](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/8.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/8.jpg) The front view Approaching a doorway near the nearly half-story high “Kaua’i Island Brewery & Grill” sign it is easy to see the neon sign in the window brightly proclaiming ‘Game Room’. [![The sign at the front](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/14.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/14.jpg) The sign at the front [![The 'game room' sign](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/9.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/9.jpg) The ‘game room’ sign But wait- entering the bar/dining area, there is no sign of a ‘game room’ either visual or auditory, so we took the sensible route and asked for a menu and ordered a brew to better assess the situation. Choosing your drink might be the most difficult, but at the same time easiest, decision you make during your visit to Kauai Island Brewery and Grill. The far wall above the grill shows the beverages of the day – selections the day we visited included Lilikoi Ale, Leiani Light, South Pacific Brown, Captain Cook’s IPA and Cane Fire Red, to name but a few. [![Today's beers](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/18.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/18.jpg) Today’s beers The printed beer menus on each table list their Kauai Island Brewery’s house made beers with a full description. Can’t decide? 5.5 Oz “sampler sizes” are available for any and all beers. [![The beer menu](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/6.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/hires6a.jpg) The beer menu Kauai Island Brewing Company’s slogan is ‘Last Beer Before Tomorrow’ which is a reference to the Hawai’ian Islands proximity to the international date line. [![Pair your beer with a whiskey and then get some swag](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/16.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/hires16a.jpg) Pair your beer with a whiskey and then get some swag The luncheon menu has a lot of great choices; Terri ordered the Kalua Pork sandwich topped with provolone cheese and BBQ sauce, while I had the house made veggie burger, which I must comment was unlike any that I have ever had anywhere. [![Page one of the food menu](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/11.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/hires11a.jpg) Page one of the food menu Our sandwiches came with french fried potatoes which appeared to be ‘double fried’. Waffle fries are apparently available also but we did not see them on the menu. Sandwiches also come with ‘Java Slaw’ which had a unique flavor and texture. [![Page two of the food menu](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/12.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/hires12a.jpg) Page two of the food menu After our lunch we asked the server “*Where are the games?*” to which he pointed up into a darkened loft area. Intrepid investigation found a change machine and the pinball tables – all turned off. We learned that they are normally ‘off’ and customers are asked to turn them on and off as needed. I wondered if the average person ‘off-the-street’ would know where the power switches was on a pinball? The upstairs loft area overlooks Waialo Road and had a scenic view of the harbor if you were standing in just the right location. I could imagine the locals using this as their Saturday night command centre while enjoying a brew or five. Now on to the games. There were six on site when we visited, one of which was being repaired, which left more pins available to play than any other site that we found during our Hawai’i travels. [![Four of the pinballs](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/5.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/5.jpg) Four of the pinballs The games at Kauai Island Brewery and Grill were: * *Creature from the Black Lagoon* (1992, Bally/Midway) which was designed by John Trudeau and has a 1950s drive-in movie theme. I have never seen this game before in-the-wild and it was a pleasure to be able to play it for 50 cents per game. [![Only 50c a game for Creature](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/7.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/7.jpg) Only 50c a game for Creature * *Monopoly* (2001, Stern) which was designed by Pat Lawlor and as you might expect, is based on the board game of the same name. It was 50 cents per game also. * *X-Men* (2012, Stern) was designed by John Borg and has visual as well as play aspects from the Marvel comic books and the movies that were based on the comic characters. It is 75 cents per play or 3 games for $2. [![75c for X-Men](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/19.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/19.jpg) 75c for X-Men * *Indiana Hilton Jones* (1993, Williams) was a Mark Ritchie design with themes from the first three theatrical movies. This machine has an optional shaker. It is set at $1 per game. [![Pricing for Indiana Hilton Jones](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/10.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/10.jpg) Pricing for Indiana Hilton Jones * *The Wizard of Oz* (2013, Jersey Jack) was being serviced so we were not able to play or examine it for condition. We were told it is the newest game in the house so I would expect it would play like a new game. * *Star Trek* (2013, Stern) was designed by Steve Ritchie and is based on characters and themes from the recent movie ‘reboot’ of the Star Trek television series franchise. It is set at $1 per game. [![Star Trek](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/15.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/15.jpg) Star Trek As briefly mentioned above, there is a dollar bill change machine near the games for those that only accept quarters. There is little to say about these games other than they are in immaculate condition and play like brand new. It is obvious that they have been cared for very well and are maintained to be in tip-top shape. [![Terri enjoying Creature](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/17.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/17.jpg) Terri enjoying Creature Due to many factors – not the least of which is lack of trained pinball mechanics – the pinball machine is a rare sight indeed in the 50th of the United States. We were told that an arcade chain on O’ahu removed all of the pinball games that they had within the last year due to difficulty with service and obtaining parts. The high humidity and proximity to the ocean probably plays havoc with mechanical parts of games also. [![The Wizard of Oz gets some TLC](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/13.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/13.jpg) The Wizard of Oz gets some TLC Our visit to Kauai Island Brewery and Grill was a glimpse at one of the last of a handful of sites in the Hawai’ian islands still offering pinball. [![Players enjoying the games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/1.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/1.jpg) Players enjoying the games [![Players enjoying the games](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/4.jpg)](https://www.pinballnews.com/site/wp-content/uploads/sites/kauai-island-brewery/4.jpg) Players enjoying the games If you are in the area I would encourage you to visit Kauai Island Brewery and Grill; if not for the games, then for the refreshments. _(Acquisition: raw_text, Enrichment: v1)_ --- *Exported from Journalist Tool on 2026-04-13 | Item ID: f4409b71-6283-4488-ac75-4ed01289019f*