Post #735699 by Ragbag Comics on Wed, Jan 21, 2015 10:04 PM

We made it out to Lost Lake last night and I gotta say...

It's fantastic!

The atmosphere was super laid back and comfortable, the service was top-notch, and the drinks all came in different Tiki mugs (from Tiki Farm, Munktiki, and Dynasty) and were every bit as elaborately garnished and well-crafted as Three Dots (and then some...) We had a couple new drinks (the Lost Lake and the Cocoanut Grove Cooler were both phenomenal, as was the Pool Rules), and one that wandered over from River North (the Poipu Beach Boogie Board, as tasty as ever...) We had a couple appetizers from Thank You, the Chinese takeout counter next door, delivered to our table; both were very very good (the egg rolls were incredible) and they were very reasonably priced and well worth the $4 each they were priced. Drinks were around $12 (which isn't uncommon in Chicago when using quality booze), which adds up fast, but they DO have an $8 daily daiquiri available (and a few different beers around $4), which offers a tropical alternative at a lower price point.

We waited about 15 minutes for a table; It was definitely crowded, but the staff was very careful to not let in so many people waiting for tables that it ever got uncomfortable. I'm not big on crowds (like... I really don't like crowds) but we never felt uncomfortable or in the way, and the time flew by. Also, from the hostess, to the bartenders, to the bus boys and the waitstaff, everybody was incredibly friendly and professional.

The crowd was a mix of younger hipsters and neighborhood people, pretty diverse, and (again) it was super relaxed and everybody seemed to be having a good time. The soundtrack was a spot-on mix of exotica, surf, and all was at an appropriate volume. Even though it was crowded, it never felt loud or overwhelming in any way, and the staff handled it like pros.

I took a few crappy camera phone photos to give you all a little peek inside. It's a cozy, L-shaped bar - the room only holds about 50-some people - which makes for a nice, comfortable, intimate kind of vibe. The decor is tasteful, bamboo/nautical/tropical (pre-Tiki, a la places like Honolulu Harry's Waikiki that was once here in Chicago.... so, no Tikis, which was an active design decision) It's definitely not "stuff-everywhere" like the Mai Kai or Bahooka, but every surface has a texture, with lauhala matting and bamboo on the ceiling, and a rock wall in the furthest-back booth. In fact, even the BATHROOM had lauhala mats and bamboo on the ceiling, and the walls were covered with shells and bamboo... that's the first time I've seen that! The room is cozy enough that, certainly when it's crowded, the less busy decor is actually an advantage, as too much more flotsam and jetsam and it could start to feel claustrophobic. We weren't really able to see much around the corner without being creeps, but it seems like the back booths would be mighty nice, like having your own little oasis within the oasis.

The design on the menu is FANTASTIC classic 60's-style, and the art on the signature drink glassware is great.

I think that since the photos circulating in some of the recent articles were taken during the day (and, obviously, without people), you don't really get a feel for the full ambiance. It's moody-lighting, and with the lauhala and bamboo feels the way it's supposed to...

You can kinda (almost) see the furthest-back rock-wall booth in this photo...

Shell chandelier and LOTS of bamboo in the bathroom...

...obviously THOSE photos aren't very good so... uhhh... GO THERE and see it in person!

I have a sneaking suspicion we're gonna be going there a lot, so I'll try and get some better photos down the road.

I also have a sneaking suspicion it's gonna be really popular for a long time... there was a line most of the time we were there (and it was a Tuesday), but if you're in line indoors, you can order beer or a snack from the Chinese take out joint while you're waiting, which certainly makes the time go by faster. I think we'll be aiming for off hours... if you're in town on a weekend, I'd say aim to get there early for a table. That being said, the bar seats are first-come, first-served (once you've put in your name for a table) and it didn't seem like anyone had to wait TOO long to sit at a table.

It's Chicago... there are a lot of lines.

All in all... they've done a bang-up job. It has a relaxed vibe that feels plenty Tiki for those of us jonesing for a tropical getaway (with killer drinks and tasty food to boot), comfortably free of the...ahem... "downtown element" of 3 Dots, and it's chic and stylish enough to sidle in comfortably amongst Chicago's craftiest of craft cocktail bars.

I can also say, having been to a whole damn mess of Tiki bars, new and old, I can't say I've ever been anywhere that has
the same kind of decor and vibe... I'm sure if places from the 30's pre-Tiki era a la Honolulu Harry's or Don the Beachcomber on McCadden Place were still kickin' today, we might have an apt point of historical reference (at least in terms of design.)

Bravo Paul McGee & Co. ... y'all done mighty good!

Definitely check it out... we just might see ya there!

--Pete