Post #579326 by Okolehao on Mon, Mar 7, 2011 9:37 PM

Check out Hula's in Monterey and in Santa Cruz. They're a restaurant and bar that straddles perfectly the sort-of-tiki nebulous Tommy Bahama, Beachboys, woodies surfer cars, palapas booths, old travel posters, decor that's pretty typical of a lot of places, and combines it with each having a seperate back room that are incredible, spot on, dark, windowless, Witco, Leeteg, Orchids of Hawaii, moody old style Tiki rooms that take your breath away. Their bread and butter is the sunny front room Hodad spot, but their soul is in those back rooms. They do a ton of business just slinging the Bud, but they also do the tropical drinks and let those with more discriminating tastes enjoy the intimate and relaxing lounges, away from the maddening Jaggermister crowds. They are very successful; you need reservations for dinner on the weekends and the bars can be packed. I think they are the model for modern Tiki bar/restaurant success. Old school can't do it alone, but mixing in the new, and honoring the old(which exposes new people to real Tiki)works.

The New: http://www.you3dview.com/video/477/Hulas-Island-Grill--Santa-Cruz-CA
with
The Old: http://www.you3dview.com/video/490/Hulas-Island-Grills-Tiki-Room--Santa-Cruz-CA