I heard you have to pay to go on the pier now, is that even if you are going to a restaurant on the pier?

I was there recently and did not have to pay. I did go to Rikki Tiki Tavern for food and drinks, but it felt like I could have wandered around a bit to take in the views without any issues. You could certainly browse the shops for free, but to actually go out to the part of the pier that is out over the water, it is a private restaurant and I imagine if you hung out there for more than 5-10 minutes, you might be asked to sit down and order something or move on. All that to say - there is no cover charge to access the pier! 😊

I was there Thursday around sunset did not have to pay to get on the pier.