Seafood & Cocktail Pairings at Hawaii, Side

At Hawaii Restaurant in Side old town, seafood meets the bar. Because we're a kitchen and a cocktail bar under one roof, we can pair real fish and shellfish with real drinks — a crisp white wine with Grilled Sea Bass, a Mojito with Calamari, a Daiquiri with prawns. Honest pairings, no gimmicks.

Why pairings work better when the bar is in the same room

Most seafood spots hand you a wine list and hope for the best. Hawaii is different: we've been a restaurant and a bar in Side since 2000, so the grill and the cocktail station talk to each other. Our chefs cook fresh fish on a wood-fire and charcoal grill; a few steps away, the bar builds more than 30 cocktails to order. That means when you sit down with a plate of seafood, we can actually match your drink to what's on the fork — not just tick a box.

Below are pairings built entirely from what we really serve. Every dish is on the live menu, and every drink is one we genuinely pour. No invented cocktails, no made-up vintages.

Grilled fish and a glass of white wine

The classics earn their place. Our Grilled Sea Bass and Grilled Black Bream come off the charcoal clean and delicate, and a chilled glass of white wine is the natural companion — the acidity lifts the fish without fighting it. Grilled Trout, a touch earthier, does the same. If you want to lean into local bottles, our Turkish wine guide for Side walks through what pairs well and why. For a leaner, meatier plate, the Salmon Plank and the plain Fish Fillet both hold their own against white wine too.

Calamari, prawns and a proper Mojito

Fried and grilled shellfish love something bright and herbal. A Mojito — mint, lime, that little bit of fizz — cuts straight through the richness of Calamari or a bubbling Calamari Casserole. The same logic makes it a favourite alongside Grilled Prawns and the Shrimps Casserole. If prawns are your thing, we go deeper on how we cook them in grilled prawns and shrimp in Side. Prefer something with more punch? A Daiquiri brings the same citrus lift with a rum backbone that stands up to charred, smoky shellfish.

The big plate, the bigger drink

Our Mixed Sea Plate (For 2) is the table-sharer — grilled fish and shellfish together, best enjoyed slowly. For a spread like this, we like a Long Island Iced Tea: it's bold enough to carry across a variety of flavours without any single one drowning the drink. If you're planning a two-person feast, see what's on the plate in the mixed sea plate for two. And if you'd rather keep it light through a long meal, come back to a white wine or a second Mojito — there's no wrong answer when the bar is right there.

When you'd rather trust the bartender

Not sure what to order? Tell our bar what you're eating and let them build to it. We mix everything to order, and Happy Hour runs 19:00–20:00 if you want to explore a few pairings without overthinking it. Curious what the bar is capable of beyond the classics? Have a look at our best cocktail bar in Side rundown, or the story behind our signature Blue Hawaii cocktail. Full drinks and dishes — with current prices — are always on the live menu.

Good to know before you come

Hawaii sits in Side's old town at 512. Sk., open daily 10:00–02:00. We serve Side, Kumköy, Evrenseki, Çolaklı, Sorgun, Titreyengöl, Gündoğdu, Ilıca and Manavgat, with free hotel pickup from selected hotels and an affordable two-way transfer otherwise. It's a warm, family-friendly place: all our meat and chicken are halal (halal slaughter), pork is only prepared on request in a separate area with dedicated equipment, and — since we're a bar as well — alcohol is served, so the pairings above are part of the experience. There's karaoke most nights and live sport on the screens (football, Premier League, Champions League, Formula 1 and hockey).

Ready to line up a seafood-and-cocktail evening? Book a table or message us on WhatsApp at +90 533 930 12 83, and browse the full menu before you arrive.