Post #173973 by Geeky Tiki on Fri, Jul 22, 2005 10:05 AM

It's really kind of a sad state of affairs here in Sin City.

The list of low key "atmo" Tiki experiences is near zero.

Taboo Cove was Tiki for one day, then they installed the PA system and created a Hip Hop hybrid that made conversation impossible but did help keep people away, so at least we had that "lost way station" feel when we drank there.

Another relatively recent loss was Tut's Hut, in Luxor under the giant pyramid. They used to stock and pour a wide variety of Tiki beverages with a pretty cool array of mugs. It was not Tiki in appearance, but it had the best feature of what is Tiki for me - a place that was kind of outside the timeline of the present, where the clock lost all significance during a fine binge.

The pool area at the Tropicanna used to be "Tiki Casual," with a cool meandering pool and dirt cheap libations. For some reason, they had spectacularly good Pina Coladas and (gasp) Margaritas. The PA system was understated and very evenly distributed, with exotica and "Esquivel" style tunes. The outside bars had cool ceiling fans, too. It was definitely another "outside time and space" experience. Now it has not been kept up as well as it should have been, and has morphed into more of a snide grin with a wink rather than a pleasant smile and wave.

The Hawaiian Village thing is about as Tiki as the cheapest knick knack pavilion on Waikiki. A non-starter for me.

The pool bar at Hard Rock can feel Tiki, just because of the cool landscaping, but a Tiki crowd is not usually as self-congratulatory as the Hard Rock clientele, no offense.

Mandalay Bay has some Tiki feeling areas in the pool and beach areas, but lacks that certain je ne sais qua that makes one feel the line into Tiki has been crossed. Maybe it deserves more opportunity.

In general, good Tiki seems to spontaneously occur when a certain mix of aesthetics, mood, atmosphere, and product meet. It's hard to do pre-fab.

The hunt for vital Tiki in Vegas will continue.