hāpi bar

Tucked within the modern mess hall at MADE, hāpi bar is Hamilton East's headquarters for craft beer, pouring what the team reckon is the best selection in the city, backed by some seriously good cocktails.

With floor-to-ceiling windows gazing over the banks of the mighty Waikato and back towards the city, it's the ideal perch, especially out on the deck as the sun gets low. Inside, things stay in keeping with the wider hall – relaxed yet classy. Pull up at the timber-slatted bar beneath a green neon glow, where strings of hop bines dangle overhead; leather booths welcome families and groups of mates alike, while two large screens ensure you never miss the big game.

Owner Jaden Hatwell's craft credentials date back to co-founding Bootleg Brewery in 2016, and when he caught wind of MADE, he knew just what it needed: hydration. Behind the bar, sixteen taps showcase brewers from across the motu (fitting, given hāpi is the te reo word for hops). There's the house hāpi lager, a rotating cast of IPAs and hazies, tasting paddles for the indecisive, and a fridge of cans declaring that life's too short to drink boring beer. Agreed.

And life's too short to be boring while you drink beer, too. Two aces separate hāpi from your typical watering hole, each with a dedicated room of its own. The Golf Club offers a state-of-the-art GC Hawk simulator, serving ultra-realistic courses and year-round tee times to golfers of every stripe, while Singeasy Karaoke supplies the stage, and you supply the show.

In a vibrant and fast-growing corner of the city, hāpi pulls a proper cross-section through the door. Loyal locals, curious visitors, sports fans, songbirds and ace-hounds alike. Whatever your purpose, hop on in.