Post #758757 by JenTiki on Mon, Feb 8, 2016 12:01 PM

I think "refined tiki" is what the ill-fated Tiki Hideaway here in Charlotte was going for, although he called it "Trader Vic's meets Mad Men." It doesn't work. It's trying to be two different things and succeeding at neither. I think of "refined" and "tiki" as being mutually exclusive, at least when it comes to decor, but not drinks. Tiki bars should be dark, cluttered, mysterious, and have a "collected" feel about them. On the other hand "refined tropical" I can get behind since tropical doesn't necessarily mean tiki. For my tastes, the space is too large and open. I want little nooks and cozy spaces in a tiki bar, not a big hard surfaced warehouse feel. Even at the quite large Trader Vic's in Emeryville, the little nook at the back end of the bar area is the space everyone gravitates to if your party is small enough.

And really, I just can't support a bar that's not making its Mai Tais fresh.