"Building a Tiki Experience - What's important, and how to do it?" - General Tiki

M mikehooker Grand Member (3 years) Austin Joined: Jul 17, 2014 Posts: 1211	M mikehooker Posted posted on Fri, Mar 10, 2017 12:41 PM A good tiki bar is all encompassing. I don't think you can skimp on any one factor and be a success. And if "Cocktail Strength" is one of your criteria, perhaps a tiki bar isn't the right venture for you. Certainly there should be some potent drinks on the menu but you don't want your patrons getting belligerent and disturbing other guests or hammered so quickly they don't order a second drink. It's about having well balanced, delicious cocktails that justify the $12-15 price tag and encourage folks to spent time and money there and make them eager to keep coming back to explore that awesome menu. Especially if you're an upstart and don't have a several decade long legacy behind you, there's no excuse for not making drinks as good or better than us tikiphiles can make at home. One's that will blow away newcomers. To get us out of the house and into your bar, we need more than just great drinks, we need the complete experience. To that point, a tiki bar should offer something memorable. An escape from the mundane work a day world. Poorly made drinks, unknowledgeable or unfriendly staff, half-assed decor and improper music all take away from the fantasy you should be projecting. The Smuggler's book was encouraging to me as well. But Martin had a looong path that led to Forbidden Island and Smuggler's Cove, including time at Trader Vic's where he learned the in's and out's of the industry, plus he has an extensive knowledge of rum and a complete understanding of how to craft cocktails. Do you have any experience bartending or running a business? What city are you looking to open your bar? [ Edited by: mikehooker 2017-03-10 12:42 ]

A good tiki bar is all encompassing. I don't think you can skimp on any one factor and be a success. And if "Cocktail Strength" is one of your criteria, perhaps a tiki bar isn't the right venture for you. Certainly there should be some potent drinks on the menu but you don't want your patrons getting belligerent and disturbing other guests or hammered so quickly they don't order a second drink. It's about having well balanced, delicious cocktails that justify the $12-15 price tag and encourage folks to spent time and money there and make them eager to keep coming back to explore that awesome menu. Especially if you're an upstart and don't have a several decade long legacy behind you, there's no excuse for not making drinks as good or better than us tikiphiles can make at home. One's that will blow away newcomers. To get us out of the house and into your bar, we need more than just great drinks, we need the complete experience.

To that point, a tiki bar should offer something memorable. An escape from the mundane work a day world. Poorly made drinks, unknowledgeable or unfriendly staff, half-assed decor and improper music all take away from the fantasy you should be projecting.

The Smuggler's book was encouraging to me as well. But Martin had a looong path that led to Forbidden Island and Smuggler's Cove, including time at Trader Vic's where he learned the in's and out's of the industry, plus he has an extensive knowledge of rum and a complete understanding of how to craft cocktails.

Do you have any experience bartending or running a business?

What city are you looking to open your bar?

[ Edited by: mikehooker 2017-03-10 12:42 ]

Post #773907 by mikehooker on Fri, Mar 10, 2017 12:41 PM