Shit street

During my time in Hawaii in the mid 80's, I had many adventures in Hotel street, which was Chinatown, but we called it "shit street". I used to love going down there with my Army buddies to spend money in what we called the "buy me drinkee" bars. I particularly liked the rough bars they had down there, as many still had old WW2 era jukeboxes with Tommy Dorsey and Glen Miller records in them. The ambience of the entire place was dangerous and exotic. Every single bar had Harley belonging to Samoan and Hawiian bikers outside, and Korean bar girls/dancers inside. One bar we used to frequent was called "the harbor lounge" and was run by a Korean dragon lady/madame named Ann. She would cash our military paychecks in advance, and trade us illegal substances and (for my friends) dates with the waitress. We would get in many fights with the local bikers and with Navy guys, and even when really drunk, with each other.
We almost always lost. This was the place where I first got into tropical drinks. One night I remember switching between Mai-tais and singapore slings, one after another, until my face was burning. Most of my buddies never reallt acclimatized, sticking to thier usual: Beer, or "Jack and Coke". I always wore Hawaiian shirts and delved deeply into the local atmosphere, and most of my friends thought I had gone native, or was otherwise crazy. As I recall, there was a large parkinglot somewhere in the middle of Chinatown, where we would park and drink and party, watching all the working girls returning to thier "managers" and cash out.
All in all, an interesting time, but on my last visit to Hawaii, I asked a seemingly knowledgeable taxi driver what had become of the place. He told me the last nasty bars had pretty much closed in the 90's. I did not bother visit, as time was short.

Has any one had similar experiences in that place? If so, I would love to hear about them!

I was a college student a few years after that and while most of my peers went to the upscale hostess bars down Keeaumoku they always seemed too safe and uneventful there for my tastes so I found myself drawn towards the Hotel St. strip. After a few sour experiences including a bar where my drink ended up in a bikers possession every time I made a trip to the restroom and him waiting for me to do something about it. I ended up in a bar Called Club Hubba Hubba. I’ve always admired this place from afar with it’s neon sign and faded black & white photos of girls who may have danced there in the 70s but still had their pinups on the outside often with strategically placed adhesive stars similar to the ones put on a child’s perfect homework assignment.

While the dancers at the gentleman’s clubs on the Keeaumoku strip might have found them face to face with foldout girl visiting from Hollywood the women at Hubba Hubba were long past their prime and one of them was a dead ringer for Rossanne Barr who would often stop in mid-dance to smoke a cigarette. On one occasion I met up with Kitten Natividad and still have a photo of her from the experience that may not be suitable for this forum. She gave me a little trivia about Russ Meyer that was kind of blue.

It couldn’t be beat for atmosphere with its thick red upholstered booth with several of them were divided by wooden beads with a few velvet paintings on the wall all surrounding a stage with glitter on the sides and cardboard cut outs that looked like it was part of a 6th grade production of Oliver. I got beaten up twice there and was even followed to an ATM and nearly robbed by two guys but have no regrets. I blame the demise of this Hotel St. on the crack problem of the area for shutting this and similar places since it upped the ante and forced people to do something about it. Too bad.

Wow these messages are 5 years old but I will reply anyway.
I was in shit street in 1977', a 23 year old Aussie sailor on r&r, this was where we were told the action was.
I went back in April last year (2012) it just wasn't the same, I couldn't even find the theatre where deep throat was showing, but have some vivid memories of fights - drinking and general good times. This wasn't that long after Vietnam so it was very busy, but was mainly sailors cannot remember seeing any army guys. I love Hawaii in general and will come back again