The Kon Tiki, Oakland, CA (bar) - Locating Tiki

K kevincrossman Tiki Socialite Fremont, CA Joined: Jun 19, 2017 Posts: 261	K kevincrossman Posted posted on Sun, Nov 19, 2017 10:51 AM We visited the Kon-Tiki during a soft-open prior to their official grand opening. As such, the bar (on a Wednesday evening) was not overly crowded but there was a lively vibe. We sat at the bar and the service was outstanding. When our drinks were low we were politely asked if there was anything else we’d like. We tried an off-menu Mai Tai (made with Denizen’s Merchant Reserve and so very fine), their Navy Grog (strong but good), and the Somaoan Fogcutter (tasted great with brandy). The best drink was the Tropical Itch which comes with a small backscratcher and tasted great; complex and fruity. The decor here borrows from the former Longitude but is definitely more traditional Tiki. Music was on point with a number of Exotica classics, some surf-tinged songs, and a few lounge songs. For sure the music and decor here are right down the middle in terms of what you want in a tiki bar. There’s room for more immersive or elaborate elements but for sure this is a great start. The upstairs wasn’t open when we visited. We ordered the Pupu Platter which included their excellent Crab Rangoon Dip, Texas Toast, fried Prawns, BBQ ribs, Macaroni Salad, Mushroom, and Fried Pork Belly. I really loved the Crab Rangoon Dip, but thought to Ribs were not too meaty (more bones and fat) and the pork belly was pretty fatty too (I’ve never had pork belly before, though). My wife liked the Macaroni Salad and the mushrooms. Definitely want to try their fried chicken sandwich and burger next time. It was kind of funny watching the bartender prep the drinks, referring to a cheat sheet about the drink ingredients and garnishes for the drinks, but the drink menu seems like a great place to start (and the fact that my off-menu Mai Tai used Denizens is a great indicator). They seem to have a large rum collection and am looking forward to a rum club that surely seems probable. The owners and staff are very personable. This seems like a great start for a new tiki bar and I certainly hope this grows into a formidable player in the Bay Area tiki bar scene. The location is two blocks from the 12th St. BART station so for many of us this is a very convenient tiki bar location.

We visited the Kon-Tiki during a soft-open prior to their official grand opening. As such, the bar (on a Wednesday evening) was not overly crowded but there was a lively vibe. We sat at the bar and the service was outstanding. When our drinks were low we were politely asked if there was anything else we’d like. We tried an off-menu Mai Tai (made with Denizen’s Merchant Reserve and so very fine), their Navy Grog (strong but good), and the Somaoan Fogcutter (tasted great with brandy). The best drink was the Tropical Itch which comes with a small backscratcher and tasted great; complex and fruity.

The decor here borrows from the former Longitude but is definitely more traditional Tiki. Music was on point with a number of Exotica classics, some surf-tinged songs, and a few lounge songs. For sure the music and decor here are right down the middle in terms of what you want in a tiki bar. There’s room for more immersive or elaborate elements but for sure this is a great start. The upstairs wasn’t open when we visited.

We ordered the Pupu Platter which included their excellent Crab Rangoon Dip, Texas Toast, fried Prawns, BBQ ribs, Macaroni Salad, Mushroom, and Fried Pork Belly. I really loved the Crab Rangoon Dip, but thought to Ribs were not too meaty (more bones and fat) and the pork belly was pretty fatty too (I’ve never had pork belly before, though). My wife liked the Macaroni Salad and the mushrooms. Definitely want to try their fried chicken sandwich and burger next time.

It was kind of funny watching the bartender prep the drinks, referring to a cheat sheet about the drink ingredients and garnishes for the drinks, but the drink menu seems like a great place to start (and the fact that my off-menu Mai Tai used Denizens is a great indicator). They seem to have a large rum collection and am looking forward to a rum club that surely seems probable.

The owners and staff are very personable. This seems like a great start for a new tiki bar and I certainly hope this grows into a formidable player in the Bay Area tiki bar scene. The location is two blocks from the 12th St. BART station so for many of us this is a very convenient tiki bar location.

Post #781680 by kevincrossman on Sun, Nov 19, 2017 10:51 AM