Post #728930 by TorchGuy on Fri, Oct 3, 2014 2:13 AM

Heading to Portland next weekend with a buddy, who's relatively new to craft cocktail bars and has never been to any sort of tiki bar. I'm taking him to the Driftwood Room (I've been before, love it!) and to Hale Pele, which-- by all accounts I've seen-- looks and is wonderful. In this thread alone, the photos make me go a bit glassy-eyed. That's how a real tiki bar should look! Grass thatch, mat on the walls, old artifacts, glass floats, multi-colored light mysteriously glowing from hidden corners. A far cry from the only big tiki to hit Seattle in my adult lifetime: the short-lived and extremely ultra-modern Bellevue Trader Vic's (I suspect it didn't survive because it wasn't 'hip' and 'urban' enough for swanky Bellevue!)

I have some questions:

--First, assuming I'm there on a Friday or Saturday evening, how long should I expect to wait for two seats at the bar? And can I call ahead and reserve a couple an hour or two before I arrive? Most bars won't do so, but it doesn't hurt to ask. I love direct connection with the bartender, and though I'm sure all the waitstaff are wonderful and helpful, if possible I'd like to see the tenders at work. We get to see what everyone else is ordering, too!

--Second, though I know this is very subjective, what are the favorite drinks of posters here who've been there, and why? I know I can just order a Mai Tai, and when made well (as I'm sure they do) it's a stellar drink. But I'd like to branch out. I love seeing unusual glassware, garnishes and drinks with some extra flair, hallmarks that I think make the tiki realm of cocktails extraordinary-- things I won't find at, say, the Driftwood Room, good as it is (though the tender there in 2011 did make me an eight-layer Pousse Cafe!) so I'd love to order some fire or some special glassware... Saw a photo on here of a beautiful frosty metal cup drink!

~ (Tiki) Torch Guy