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Kava bars, explained

WTF is a
kava bar?

It looks like a bar. There's a bar top, a kavatender and regulars who know each other's names. But nobody's drinking beer. They're throwing back kava, a root from the South Pacific, out of a shell. Here's what the f*ck is going on in there.

Find a kava bar near meYour first time
Three shells of kava raised together at a kava bar
Insomnia ISG Kava Bar and Lounge
Insomnia ISG Kava Bar and Lounge, Temple Terrace, FL
DRIP Tampa Botanical Tea/Kava Bar & More
DRIP Tampa Botanical Tea/Kava Bar & More, Tampa, FL
860kava bars listed
357cities
42states
2,478five-star reviews from first-timers

So what is it?

A kava bar is a bar that pours kava instead of booze. Kava is a social root drink: the ground root of Piper methysticum, kneaded in water and strained. In Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa, people have been drinking it together for thousands of years. The kava bar is the island kava house, the nakamal, with a bar top and a playlist.

It won't get you drunk. Kava is calm and clear: your body relaxes and your head stays clear, so you can actually talk to the person next to you. That's kind of the point.

Kava bars are open all day. Regulars come by in the morning, after work, between errands, whenever. Most also pour kratom tea, coffee and mocktails, and almost every one has a shelf of board games.

What's inside
a kava bar

Every bar is its own thing, but walk into most of them and you'll find this.

A kava bar from above: the bar top with stools, the kavatender, the kava, chasers, a stage, a pool table, game tables, couches and darts.Door123456789
  1. The bar top. Sit here.
  2. The kavatender
  3. The kava, mixed fresh
  4. Chasers and water
  5. Stage: open mic, live music
  6. Pool table
  7. Board games and chess
  8. Couches. Talanoa.
  9. Darts and bar games

Kava bar vs.
a regular bar

WhatKava barRegular bar
What's pouredKava, kratom tea, mocktails, coffeeBeer, wine, liquor
You drink fromA shellA glass
How you drink itAll at once, then a chaserSip, or shoot it
The toast“Shells up!” then “Bula!”“Cheers!”
Behind the barA kavatenderA bartender
Had too muchRooted: not drunk, maybe a little nauseousDrunk
OpenAll day, morning to lateMostly after dark
The crowdRegulars, gamers, artists, people who don't drinkWhoever's drinking

What the f*ck
am I drinking?

The eight things every first-timer should know.

  1. 01

    It's a root. A social one.

    Kava is the root of Piper methysticum, a plant from Fiji, Vanuatu, Tonga and Samoa. People there have been drinking it together for thousands of years. It was always meant to be shared.

  2. 02

    Calm and clear.

    Your body relaxes. Your head stays clear. That's the whole thing.

  3. 03

    It tastes like bitter earth.

    Nobody drinks kava for the flavor. Don't sip it: gulp the whole shell at once, then hit a chaser. Pineapple, mango, sour candy, chocolate, water or apple juice.

  4. 04

    Numb tongue? Good.

    Your tongue and lips go a little numb. That's the kavalactones working. You're fine.

  5. 05

    Felt nothing? Also normal.

    Kava has reverse tolerance. Plenty of people feel nothing the first time or two. Come back.

  6. 06

    Come in on an empty stomach.

    Kava works best 3 to 4 hours after a meal. A full stomach just gets in the way.

  7. 07

    Drink a big glass of water.

    Kava is a diuretic. You will pee. Get a bottle of water with your shell.

  8. 08

    Never mix it with alcohol.

    Not before, not after, not in the same cup. And skip kava if you're pregnant, nursing or have liver issues.

PineappleMangoSour candyChocolateWaterApple juice

Strains. Some bars pour more than one kava. Ask the kavatender about their strains: some are heady, some are heavier in the body, some are balanced. Not sure? Ask for a flight, a few small shells side by side.

Heady clear, chatty, up in your headBalanced a bit of bothHeavy in the body, couch-ready

How to drink a shell

  1. Order a shell

    And a bottle of water. Always the water.

  2. Pick a chaser

    Pineapple, mango, sour candy, chocolate. Have it ready.

  3. “Shells up!”

    Someone, usually the kavatender, calls it. Raise your shell.

  4. “Bula!”

    The lead says it. The whole room says it back.

  5. Gulp it all

    One go. No sipping. Bitter earth, gone.

  6. Chaser. Numb lips.

    That tingle is the kavalactones. Welcome in.

The ritual

Shells up!Bula!

WTF is a shell? It's the bowl kava comes in, and it's how you order: one shell, two shells, a round of shells for the table.

When the shells go out, someone (usually the kavatender) calls “Shells up!” Everybody raises their shell. Then the lead says “Bula!” and the whole room says it back. Then you drink. All of it, at once. Chaser. Done. Bula is Fijian for life.

Rooted is what you are when you've had too much. You're not drunk, but you might feel a little nauseous. Slow down, drink some water and know your number.

What do you do at a kava bar?

Hang out. Seriously. Nobody's there to get wasted, so people talk to each other, and most kava bars keep something going:

  • Board games (almost always)
  • Chess
  • Trivia
  • Bingo
  • Open mic
  • Live music
  • Pool tournaments
  • Poker nights
  • Darts
  • Bar games
  • Video games and tournaments

Going on at kava bars right now · 38 deals and events

Come alone. You'll leave knowing the kavatender's name.

Wait, what's kratom?

Most kava bars pour kratom too. Kratom is the leaf of a tree from Southeast Asia, in the coffee family, brewed into a tea that's served hot or iced, and usually sweetened or flavored. It comes in three main kinds, named for the color of the leaf's vein:

  • White

    The heady one.

  • Red

    The body one. Relaxed and laid back. Often used for pain relief.

  • Green

    Balanced. A bit of both.

Some bars mix kava and kratom into one drink. Heads up: kratom can be habit-forming.

Your first time

  1. Walk up to the bar and tell the kavatender it's your first time. They love that.
  2. Order a shell of kava, a kratom tea, or both. Getting kava? Get a bottle of water with it.
  3. Ask which kavas they pour. Skip the double. Pick a chaser.
  4. Wait for “Shells up!”, shout “Bula!” back, and gulp.
  5. Grab a seat at the bar or a board game, and give it twenty minutes.
  6. Felt nothing? Reverse tolerance. Come back.

Lots of kava bars have a First Time Guide: scan the code on the window or on the bar and it walks you through your first shell, step by step. Some bars put a first-time deal in it.

Find a bar near meSee the First Time Guide
The First Time Guide's first page: First time at a kava bar? Good. Pull up a stool.

Talk like a regular

The words you'll hear, and what they mean.

BulaBOO-lah
Fijian for life. It's hello, it's cheers, it's what the room shouts back.
Shell
The bowl kava comes in, and how you order it. “Two shells, please.”
Shells up!
The call before a round. Raise your shell, wait for “Bula!”, drink.
Kavatender
The person behind the bar. Ask them anything. They've heard it all.
Chaser
What you eat or drink right after the shell to kill the taste.
Rooted
You had too much. Not drunk, maybe a little nauseous. Water and a seat.
Double
A shell made with twice the root. Stronger, not bigger. Not a first-timer order.
Flight
A few small shells of different kavas side by side, to find yours.
Traditional
Just root and water, the way the islands pour it.
Mix
Kava blended with fruit or tea to tame the taste. Same root, easier start.
Noble kava
The kava varieties grown for everyday drinking. Vanuatu's Kava Act limits its exports to noble kava.
Kavalactoneskah-vuh-LAK-tones
What's in the root that does the work, and numbs your lips.
Grog
Fiji slang for kava. You'll hear it from the old-timers.
Yaqonayang-GO-nah
Kava's name in Fiji.
Nakamalnah-kah-MAHL
A kava house in Vanuatu. The original kava bar.
Tanoatah-NO-ah
The big wooden bowl kava is mixed in, in Fiji.
Talanoatah-lah-NO-ah
Fijian and Tongan for hanging out and talking. What a kava bar is for.
Reverse tolerance
Why you might feel nothing the first time or two.

Three thousand years
of shells up

Kava started on a few Pacific islands. Here's how it got to a strip mall near you.

Map of the Pacific: kava was probably first grown in Vanuatu and spread to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Hawai'i and Pohnpei.20°SEquator20°NVanuatukava · nakamalFijiyaqona · grogTongakava · faikavaSamoa‘avaHawai‘i‘awaPohnpeisakauProbably where it started

  1. Kava is born in Vanuatu

    Islanders in northern Vanuatu probably first grew kava from wild plants. It spread across the Pacific with them: yaqona in Fiji, kava in Tonga, ‘ava in Samoa, ‘awa in Hawai‘i, sakau in Pohnpei.

  2. The drink of the village

    Ground root, kneaded in water, strained into a big shared bowl. Kava welcomed visitors, marked the big moments and closed out the day. In Vanuatu people drank it in the nakamal; in Fiji, around the tanoa.

  3. Captain Cook's crews meet kava

    Europeans first wrote about kava on Captain Cook's Pacific voyages.

  4. It gets a Latin name

    Naturalist Georg Forster names it Piper methysticum. Roughly: intoxicating pepper. Kava is in the pepper family.

  5. Kava bars land in the US

    Hale Noa opens in Honolulu, one of the first kava bars in the US.

  6. The mainland gets one

    The Nakamal opens in Boca Raton, Florida, often called the first kava bar on the US mainland. The same year Vanuatu passes its Kava Act, which limits its kava exports to noble kava.

  7. Europe bans it, then courts lift the ban

    Germany and other countries restrict kava over liver concerns in 2002. German courts overturn the ban in 2014, and an appeal court agrees in 2015.

  8. The UN takes a look

    The FAO and WHO publish a review of kava as a traditional and recreational drink.

  9. Kava gets a food standard

    Codex Alimentarius adopts a regional standard for kava drinks made with water.

  10. 860 kava bars and counting

    HappyKava lists 860 kava bars in 42 states, and Florida has the most: 486.

What first-timers say

Real reviews from people's first visit. 2,478 five-star reviews on HappyKava mention a first time; here are a few.

  • ★★★★★
    “First time going to The Kava Denver . Gianna the Kava tender was awesome. She was very helpful and patient with explaining to me what the difference was between Kava and Kratom. Very friendly ,professional, and great attitude. I'll definitely come back. Thanks Gianna. Bula 😀”

    Anthony W. on KavaDen, Lakewood, CO

  • ★★★★★
    “Great atmosphere and the staff are very knowledgeable and friendly. Highly recommend if you have not tried Kava before. Our kava tender Valerie explained everything and walked us through the information which was great as first timers.”

    Royce B. on Colorado Mountain Kava Company, Longmont, CO

  • ★★★★★
    “First time on a Kava bar. Great place to hang out. I had the pleasure to meet the Kavatender Karla. She was very knowledgeable and explain to me everything. Very sweet ! Thank you Karla for making my first Kava experience unforgettable”

    Laura on Botanical Brewing Taproom, Cape Coral, FL

  • ★★★★★
    “First time visit and I will definitely be back. The Kava tender was super nice and took her time to explain the menu and make recommendations. Their Kratom options were delicious and the vibe is super chill and welcoming”

    Hayden B. on Sodo Kava Longwood, Longwood, FL

  • ★★★★★
    “Wonderful first time experience. The kavatender was very knowledgeable and great at explaining their different drinks. Delicious and so much variety, def try the flight of 4.”

    J on Kava Culture Kava Bar Frisco, Frisco, TX

  • ★★★★★
    “Loved my first experience at Kava Kulture! The first time bula’s were a sweet gesture and eased us into our first time trying kava and crushed leaf elixir. Kylee was knowledgeable and helpful with picking out my drink. Loved the Fijian Sunset with green elixir.”

    Trinity Y. on Kava Culture North Fort Worth, Fort Worth, TX

  • ★★★★★
    “I had never tried kava before and the owner was extremely kind and knowledgeable. He walked us through the products and we enjoyed our drinks immensely. This place has a cool atmosphere and comfortable couches and I would recommend checking it out if you are in the area.”

    Luke R. on Swamp Cow Kava Lounge, Seattle, WA

  • ★★★★★
    “Stopped in at MaI Kai Kava for the first time this week and AJ the owner was patient with newby’s in explaining what the product was all about and suggested what to have. We had a great time and left with a great feeling and product to take home. It’s the only Kava bar in Athens. This is a must go to place! 10 ⭐️’s”

    Mark K. on MaiKai Kava Lounge, Athens, GA

  • ★★★★★
    “My first time trying Kava. Winfield was our server and he was welcoming and knowledgeable. The atmosphere is cozy and loved the furniture. Very nice time and would definitely stop in again!!”

    Tammy R. on Passage Kava Lounge, Madison, TN

Kava bars people love

Every kava bar

Find a kava bar near you

Every kava bar

Every dot is a kava bar on HappyKava: 860 in 42 states. These are the cities with the most.

Tampa 30Seattle 10Austin 7Denver 7Phoenix 7Asheville 5Albuquerque 4
Kava bars near me

Play it safe

  • Never with alcoholNot before, not after, not mixed. Kava or booze, pick one.
  • Skip it ifYou're pregnant, nursing or have liver issues.
  • On medication?Ask your doctor before your first shell.
  • Feeling rooted?Stop, drink water and sit for a while. Don't drive until you feel right.

Don't drink?

Kava bars are some of the best sober bars around: a real bar, real regulars, no booze. Whether kava fits your recovery is your call, and your program's.

Sober bars by city

Questions

What is a kava bar?

A bar that pours kava instead of alcohol. Kava is a social root drink from the South Pacific that relaxes your body and keeps your head clear. There's a bar top, a kavatender, regulars, games and music. Most kava bars also pour kratom tea.

What does kava bar mean?

It means a bar built around kava: you sit at the bar, order a shell (a small bowl of kava) and hang out with the people around you. It's a bar in every way except the booze. The idea comes from the nakamal, Vanuatu's village kava house.

What do you do at a kava bar?

Hang out, talk and play. Most bars have board games, and many run chess, trivia, bingo, open mic, live music, pool tournaments, poker nights, darts, bar games and video game tournaments. When the shells go out, someone calls "Shells up!", everyone raises their shell, the lead says "Bula!", the room says it back, and you drink it all at once.

Does kava get you drunk?

No. Kava isn't alcohol. You feel calm and clear: a relaxed body and a clear mind. Have too much and you're "rooted": not drunk, but maybe a little nauseous.

What does kava taste like?

Bitter earth. That's why you gulp the whole shell at once and follow it with a chaser: pineapple, mango, sour candy, chocolate, water or apple juice. If you can't take it, ask for a mix: kava blended with fruit or tea.

Why are my tongue and lips numb?

That's the kavalactones working. It's normal, and it fades.

I didn't feel anything. Did I do it wrong?

Probably not. Kava has reverse tolerance, so lots of people feel little or nothing the first time or two. Come in 3 to 4 hours after a meal, and give it another visit.

What should I order the first time?

A shell of kava, a kratom tea, or both. Tell the kavatender it's your first time. If you get kava, get a bottle of water too. Skip the double. Some bars pour more than one kava, so ask about their strains: some are heady, some are heavier in the body, some are balanced.

What's a shell?

The bowl kava is served in, and the way you order it: one shell, two shells.

What does Bula mean?

It's Fijian for life. At a kava bar it's hello and cheers: after "Shells up!" the lead says "Bula!" and everyone says it back before drinking.

What is kratom?

The leaf of a tree from Southeast Asia, in the coffee family, brewed into a tea that's served hot or iced and usually sweetened or flavored. White is the heady one, red is the body one (relaxed, often used for pain relief) and green is balanced. Some bars mix kava and kratom drinks. Kratom can be habit-forming.

Where does kava come from?

The South Pacific. It was probably first grown in northern Vanuatu around 3,000 years ago and spread to Fiji, Tonga, Samoa, Hawai'i and Pohnpei. The first kava bars in the US opened in Honolulu in 1998 and Boca Raton, Florida, in 2002.

Who should skip kava?

Anyone who's pregnant, nursing or has liver issues. Never mix kava with alcohol. If you take medication, ask your doctor first.

Do kava bars serve alcohol?

Most don't, and kava and alcohol shouldn't be mixed anyway. If you don't drink, HappyKava's sober bars pages list the kava bars that don't list alcohol.

When are kava bars open?

All day. Plenty open in the morning and plenty stay open late. Regulars come by for a shell after work, between errands or on a Sunday afternoon.

Can I go alone?

Yes, and lots of people do. Sit at the bar, tell the kavatender it's your first time, and you'll be talking to someone by your second shell.

Where can I find a kava bar?

HappyKava lists 860 kava bars across the US. Search by city on happykava.app/kava-bars, or open the HappyKava app to see which ones are open now.

Ready for your
first shell?

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