USA Today's 10 Best Tiki Bars Around the USA - General Tiki

B bigbrotiki Tiki Socialite Tiki Island, above the Silverlake Joined: Mar 25, 2002 Posts: 11621	B bigbrotiki Posted posted on Mon, Dec 1, 2014 10:48 AM Right on, Pete! Thank you for taking the time to write such a heartfelt, well-informed, yet self-reflective ode to the classic urban watering hole! Having had the privilege of accompanying Pete Moruzzi on his road trips for his books "Havana Before Castro" and "Classic Dining" http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Dining-Discovering-Mid-Century-Restaurants/dp/1423607406 ,I greatly regret to have missed out on some of Chicago's classic dives and eateries because they did not fit his "fine dining" requirements. But I commend you on getting the spirit of urban archeology, the sense of adventure as opposed to the consumerist "I deserve my craft cocktail here now!" notion. And I want to highlight your musings with some quotes that I feel that I, and others here like John-O, Tikicoma, and DustyCajun can subscribe to: " The vibe at 3 Dots is pseudo-kinda-vaguely-tiki but is mostly douchey, trendy club atmosphere 90% of the time, and when it's not hip hop DJ time, it has a new, almost personality-less chain restaurant feel to it. Their drinks are absolutely fantastic - there's no arguing that, and the presentation of their drinks is outstanding, bordering on fairy tale-esque. They have cool ephemera with the coasters and swizzles and mugs... but outside of that, it' has WAY more in common with any number of other somewhat character-less modern craft cocktail bars, than it does a vintage Tiki bar." That is because that is ALL they know: The Beachbum Berry books. And none of mine that show all that Tiki can be. Believe me, this is not a jealousy thing. Me and the bum are blood brothers for life, and I am truly happy for all his successes. I just think it is a crying shame that so many people nowadays do not know Tiki beyond the rim of their Fogcutter glass. Great cocktails are GREAT - but they are just ONE facet of the Tiki experience! "We go to Hala Kahiki as often as possible, usually about once a week, which is about an hour and a half round-trip from where we are on the north side of the city. The drinks not being "craft" doesn't really matter; I can do that at home, and really... anyone can with enough patience, cash, and willingness to learn. You go to Hala Kahiki because it's great, and for the history and the feeling of the place. Same can be said of Chef Shangri-La, which I also love dearly. " The Hala Kahiki ! - Off course, what a PERFECT example of classic Tiki! And where is it on on any of those lists? NOT THERE because as you rightly observe: "Most of these lists seem to fall victim to lazy journalism and just cobble together their lists from other "best of" lists, whose research may or may not have also been originally based entirely in Google…... I am suspicious in that the same places seem to come up again and again on these "Best of" lists, while a lot of new Tiki bars doing it right with both drinks/food AND atmosphere rarely seem to crop up." Internet journalism is not paid well, and thus is based more than before purely on Internet info, and not on personal experience.

Right on, Pete! Thank you for taking the time to write such a heartfelt, well-informed, yet self-reflective ode to the classic urban watering hole!

Having had the privilege of accompanying Pete Moruzzi on his road trips for his books "Havana Before Castro" and "Classic Dining" http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Dining-Discovering-Mid-Century-Restaurants/dp/1423607406
,I greatly regret to have missed out on some of Chicago's classic dives and eateries because they did not fit his "fine dining" requirements.

But I commend you on getting the spirit of urban archeology, the sense of adventure as opposed to the consumerist "I deserve my craft cocktail here now!" notion. And I want to highlight your musings with some quotes that I feel that I, and others here like John-O, Tikicoma, and DustyCajun can subscribe to:

" The vibe at 3 Dots is pseudo-kinda-vaguely-tiki but is mostly douchey, trendy club atmosphere 90% of the time, and when it's not hip hop DJ time, it has a new, almost personality-less chain restaurant feel to it. Their drinks are absolutely fantastic - there's no arguing that, and the presentation of their drinks is outstanding, bordering on fairy tale-esque. They have cool ephemera with the coasters and swizzles and mugs... but outside of that, it' has WAY more in common with any number of other somewhat character-less modern craft cocktail bars, than it does a vintage Tiki bar."

That is because that is ALL they know: The Beachbum Berry books. And none of mine that show all that Tiki can be. Believe me, this is not a jealousy thing. Me and the bum are blood brothers for life, and I am truly happy for all his successes. I just think it is a crying shame that so many people nowadays do not know Tiki beyond the rim of their Fogcutter glass. Great cocktails are GREAT - but they are just ONE facet of the Tiki experience!

"We go to Hala Kahiki as often as possible, usually about once a week, which is about an hour and a half round-trip from where we are on the north side of the city. The drinks not being "craft" doesn't really matter; I can do that at home, and really... anyone can with enough patience, cash, and willingness to learn. You go to Hala Kahiki because it's great, and for the history and the feeling of the place. Same can be said of Chef Shangri-La, which I also love dearly. "

The Hala Kahiki ! - Off course, what a PERFECT example of classic Tiki! And where is it on on any of those lists? NOT THERE because as you rightly observe:

"Most of these lists seem to fall victim to lazy journalism and just cobble together their lists from other "best of" lists, whose research may or may not have also been originally based entirely in Google…... I am suspicious in that the same places seem to come up again and again on these "Best of" lists, while a lot of new Tiki bars doing it right with both drinks/food AND atmosphere rarely seem to crop up."

Internet journalism is not paid well, and thus is based more than before purely on Internet info, and not on personal experience.

Post #732416 by bigbrotiki on Mon, Dec 1, 2014 10:48 AM