(Photo courtesy The HONU)
The Good Page features positive LGBTQ+ news in Central Florida and Tampa Bay, uplifting and inspiring stories highlighting locals in our community. In this issue, we celebrate the lei’d back legacy of the HONU in Dunedin.
The Restaurant and Tiki Bar celebrated 10 years in February. What began as a small Hawaiian diner tucked slightly off Dunedin’s main drag has since grown into one of the most welcoming queer spaces in Pinellas County, opened and operated by Kimberly and Lisa Platt.
The wives opened the venue with a deep love for Hawaiian culture, one shaped by extensive travel. Kimberly reflects on the last decade with gratitude, humor and the grounded aloha spirit that has guided their every decision.
“It means everything,” she says of the milestone. “We started off with four tables and have morphed into 150 seats, a full tiki bar, a full-on private rum bar inside and we just are so grateful that the community has embraced us and support us every day.”
HONU’s identity as a queer‑owned business is not a footnote. It is central to its heartbeat.
“We fly our rainbow flag every day out front and we are one of the few businesses in Dunedin to do that,” Kimberly says. “It is not just because it is who we are, but because we want everybody to know this is a safe space and that this is a place where you can come no matter who you are and be welcomed.”
That sense of safety grew naturally from their own lived experience, authenticity that became a beacon.
“We had an onslaught of LGBTQ people come and apply to work here when we first opened. I mean, it was every interview I was doing,” Kimberly recalls. She always responded the same way: “I love that you came here and that you are willing to be out like we are.”
Over time, the community embraced HONU in return. “People have called us the tiki bar, the lesbian zone,” she says laughing. “I am okay with that.”
HONU’s evolution has been shaped by opportunity, creativity and a willingness to follow the energy of the space, which has evolved over the years.
The Platts’ connection to Hawaii is personal and long‑standing, something that’s helped shape the menu. It blends Hawaiian staples with fresh, vibrant flavors.
Sourcing ingredients has become more challenging, but Kimberly remains committed to quality. “We do still source our Hawaiian fish and our Hawaiian coffee straight from Hawaii,” she explains. “It is really tough out there these days for restaurants, but we try and we do the best we can.”
When asked what dish best represents HONU today, Kimberly doesn’t hesitate.
“My personal favorite menu item for sure is the sesame chili shrimp bowl,” she says. “But also I think that as simple as the musubi (rice, spam and nori) is, that really represents us and what we want to do, because that is the most traditional thing you could probably ever make from Hawaii.”
She loves watching guests try musubi for the first time. “Nine times out of 10 people are like, ‘I cannot believe I actually like this.’”
HONU’s Ka Pakele Rum Bar was born from one of Lisa’s late‑night inspirations.
“All of a sudden, Lisa got the rum bug,” Kimberly says. “She literally did not sleep for like six months and did all the research.” Today, Ka Pakele holds more than 350 bottles of rum and has become a destination in its own right.
HONU is also known for being one of the most dog‑friendly restaurants in the region, thanks in part to Lisa’s background as a vet tech. A dog menu, dog tacos, dog Easter egg hunts and even a dog wedding have become part of HONU’s lore.
“Nobody’s doing pineapple carving. Nobody’s had a dog wedding. We’ve had a dog wedding here,” Kimberly says. “Almost every single charity thing we do is for either an LGBTQ group, mostly PFLAG, or for dog rescues.”
The next chapter of HONU includes a summer menu refresh with more traditional Hawaiian dishes, but Kimberly and Lisa are also stepping into new roles leading Dunedin’s LGBTQ+ community. Along with two other business owners, they’ll be taking over Dunedin Pride.
Dunedin Pride Inc. has already formed and Kimberly calls it the “next step in our legacy.” You can read more soon from Watermark Out News.
For more information about the HONU, visit TheHONUrestaurant.com.
Interested in being featured in The Good Page? Email Editor-in-Chief Ryan Williams-Jent at Ryan@WatermarkOutNews.com in Tampa Bay or Central Florida Bureau Chief Bellanee Plaza at Bellanee@WatermarkOutNews.com in Central Florida.
