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Tiki Central / General Tiki / Opening a new Tiki bar restaurant? What do you look for in a Tiki bar?

Post #792726 by Prikli Pear on Sun, Jan 27, 2019 8:22 PM

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The Wife and I have learned that most bars leave us feeling "meh." The new ones around here have that high ceiling, concrete floor aesthetic, which means they're so loud you can't hear anyone talk and a headache isn't too far off. Tiki bars are the opposite. Even loud ones have irregular, textured surfaces that break up the sound before it becomes unbearable. We have a great time with the whole immersion effect. Trader Sam's was mentioned above. We visited Grog Grotto last year. The drinks were okay. They were a little too sweet, bordering on boat drink territory, because most visitors didn't know tiki from taki and expected everything to be super fruity and sweet. But the immersive theatricality of the place won us over. The bartenders, er, "Skippers," didn't know squat about tiki (one had no idea what the Mai Kai was) but they were witty and entertaining and put on a show. Every good bar needs a distinct identity. Shameful Tiki Room has theirs with the hula and burlesque performances. The Mai Kai is legendary for its hugeness and Polynesian dance shows. Sip N Dip has mermaids. Hale Pele has more fire per drink than anyone else. Tiki bars are inherently fun. Other bars can be fun, but I think tiki is predisposed for fun.