Post #540457 by Tipsy McStagger on Fri, Jul 2, 2010 2:43 PM

being from the midwest, i too have kicked around the idea of opening a tiki bar....i spent many years in the service industry, worked in bars and even built, decorated and designed some along the way....i have the experience and the talent pool to draw upon from friends still in the industry so staffing would not be an issue....i know bartenders, cooks, wait staff and more...even have band connections for live entertainment if it goes that route....i live in a suburb of chicago about 8 miles outside the city and an authentic tiki bar would be perfect in this area. i always figure that that would be the way i retire....open my own tiki bar and grow old hangin round the place bullshitting with the customers in an old skippers hat....

as for drinks, you can pre mix portions of the drink and add the fresh components as ordered....chef shangri-la does this and it seems to save time and keep the drinks true to form.....a modern tiki bar done right should have no trouble making money....it does not have to be rainforest cafe to appeal to folks....it just has to be honest.... most folks have a sense of a place "feelin real" as a opposed to a place that is just tryin to sell some jive assed half baked concept...those are the places that don't last because pretention can be sensed.....places like tiki ti, mai kai, hala kahiki and more last because they are what they are and have always been and they don't pretend to be anything else...

also- i have postcards of old chinese places from the 50's and the decor and look are totally rad...i would not be opposed to that type of establishment either....kinda asian chic/retro cocktail inspired....i also dig the simplicity of the formosa cafe in L.A......great retro asian look and cozy....definately could use a place like that here.

I also think too many people get hung up on the authenticity of food....hala kahiki serves pretzels.....and if they served cheeseburgers, i don't think people would stop going....in fact it would be a draw. i have begged them to sell cheeseburgers there...getting hung up on the food is limiting....be creative. just cause it's tiki, it doesn't have to be chinese food....that was the novelty when tiki bars first arrived on the scene...it was unique to have polynesian inspired asian food and now it's expected because it is par for the course.......keep it honest and real but make sure all the elemets work together.

hey bongo - how about mexican /asian infused food for your tiki bar?? there are thatched roofs in hawaii and mexico !!

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2010-07-02 14:55 ]