Post #466600 by White Devil on Fri, Jul 3, 2009 5:02 AM

Absolutely...I think the darkened room aspect also helps tone down the cheesiness of some of the decor. There've been some great perspectives posted here re: escapism. I just wanted to note that my own take on it excludes the latter-day frantic party atmosphere that has come to prevail at many of the poolside party events. Tiki bars were founded by tired, weary middle-age guys like me who just wanted to mellow out on the delicious cocktails, gaze at the anatomy and not be bothered by all the stuff that folks have said they're trying to escape from. You like to dance and whoop it up? Great, kid. Go do that at the opposite end of the joint: my friend and I were enjoying a quiet meal and good conversation.
For me, I think a large part of the appeal of haunting places like the Atlanta Trader Vic's goes back to my lifelong habit of frequenting restaurants that are almost empty. In college I would study at the nearby buffet restaurant between lunch and dinner when no one but the staff was around. I was a regular like the employees and could've left my study materials on my table from day to day if I'd wanted, almost. I could leisurely sample whatever food was out, drink endless coffee and not be bothered by anyone I didn't want to be bothered by. To this day, I still have dreams about that restaurant (closed from the mall and relocated into a smaller space now), and in the dreams, the buffet line extends into infinity. Perhaps it's just my loner tendencies, but it's tough to reconcile the loud, obnoxious party atmosphere (something I associate with the Ugly American syndrome as depicted in the novel of the same name) with the dark, quiet refuge that a good Tiki bar should be.