Pau Hana Patrol last visited d.k Steak House for Pau Hana Patrol more than four years ago, and I’d been looking forward to a repeat visit. This time around, the bar and service remain as choice as ever, but the food seemed rather fry-happy.

The experience

This steakhouse inside the Waikiki Beach Marriott does so much right. It has the wood trim and comfortable seating of a classic haven, and it always feels good to walk in to the restaurant, which has a friendly, casual vibe.

Happy hour is available only at the bar, where you’ll be served by knowledgeable and laid-back bartenders who can serve up some fine cocktails. It could take a while to go through the drinks menu. And the wine list is truly impressive.

Since the bar area is small and self-contained, d.k’s happy hour is amenable to making conversation with your fellow pau hana patrons. That’s another plus.

The food

Chef and d.k Steak House namesake D.K. Kodama is a veteran of the Hawaii dining scene, and made his mark by inventing crowd-pleasing dishes that appeal to locals and world travelers alike. He has been in the vanguard of local chefs who utilize Hawaii ingredients, and his menu is strong. However, the happy hour menu offered at d.k Steak House isn’t completely my cup of tea.

In a previous incarnation, d.k’s happy hour was a meat-lover’s delight, offering $5 filet mignon sliders (melt in your mouth!) and cheese steak egg rolls, among other offerings. But in happy hour’s current incarnation, prices have risen for some items.

D.k now offers cheese and shishito pepper-stuffed egg rolls and crunchy, waffle-cut fries loaded with baked-potato toppings such as sour cream and bacon for $5. That’s a bargain offer for beer-friendly appetizers, but the fried food is a bit too fat- and calorie-laden for me.

The appealing choice for me was d.k steak house sliders at $6, with miniburgers served on toasted brioche buns and a small side of fries. One plate of two sliders is slightly too small for a meal, but three orders between two people should hit the spot. Still, though, when I can get juicy sliders made with island-raised beef at Osoyami during happy hour, this isn’t the main attraction.

At $7, d.k also offers a fish-and-chips plate made with the day’s fresh catch (fried, natch) and served with waffle-cut fries.

The drinks

I tried the Aloha Nola (regularly $9.50), made with Jim Beam bourbon, angostura bitters, ginger beer, mint and fresh pineapple, and I loved it. The bartenders at d.k are partial to angostura bitters this year; you’ll find many a featured cocktail mixed with this tangy ingredient, from the Aloha Nola to the Backyard Pau Hana ($11), made with Jim Beam, bitters, house-made lime sour and a portion of Bikini Blonde Lager.

Martinis (regularly $8 and up) and cocktails flavored with coconut and lychee are also plentiful, and classic cocktails such as the Sazerac, Manhattan and Moscow Mule (all regularly $11) are also on the menu. I can vouch for the Sazerac, a heady drink made with a dose of (legal) absinthe, which provides a licoricelike tone.

During happy hour, you’ll get $2 off all cocktails, wine and beer orders — pretty nice when it comes to wine, with glasses that regularly start as low at $7 for wines such as Benvolio’s 2014 pinot grigio. The $2 discount continues to hold over from years past, giving it plenty of value.

The verdict

On this return visit to d.k, I’ve come to believe that the true reason to visit this bar is just that — the bar. The steakhouse has long been an establishment with high standards of preparation and service, and that continues. With its great reputation, d.k also gets enough business so that it doesn’t need to offer a highly discounted food selection at happy hour. However, the entirety of the extensive cocktail menu and reasonably priced and carefully curated wine list are available to pau hana patrons, and that’s highly attractive. My personal plan is to return, making my way through d.k’s wine list and enjoying the chill vibe of d.k’s bar, again and again.