To Tiki or Not to Tiki? That is the question.

Last night I was emailing a fellow TC member and asked him this question and thought it might make an interesting topic.

Picture if you will... a new tiki bar has it's grand opening but the owner totally misses the mark.

My question is ..is it better to have a half assed version of a Tiki Bar or just no Tiki Bar at all?
I mean, isn't my or your version of the perfect polynesian restaurant/bar experience going to be different than most everyone else's.
Can one of these factors be off and you still enjoy your experience there? The vibe, lighting, music, service, drinks, food, the type of clientele, the tiki factor?
Or do you have to have all these elements carefully blended together before you can really enjoy yourself?
Because I know for some, if just one of these elements is off, then their whole experience is bad.
Don't we all have different ideas of what perfection is anyway.
How can one place be the end all be all for everyone?
What might ruin my experience (like bad music) might only enhance someone else's. I guess that's where the home lounge comes into play.
A place where we have 100 percent control over our own ideas of what perfection could/should be.
We have control over who we invite, what we serve, the atmosphere, lighting, music, maybe not the quality of drinks :P (I can't mix a good drink if my life depended on it) But then again, my home bar is constantly evolving and morphing into a better/different version of what I began with. Doesn't your home reflect your current tastes, likes and dislikes? As they change don't your surroundings change too? I'd like to think thats how "missed the mark" Tiki bars are too. The potential for improvement is always there. Personally, I say...To Tiki half assed is better than to not have Tiki'd at all. I'm really interested in where my TC brethren stand. Thank you for your time :D

[ Edited by: DawnTiki on 2004-10-27 11:22 ]

Half a tiki is better than none.

I recently had dinner at a new restaurant in town. It's called The Reef and features Caribbean food. While not tiki at all, they have done a lot as far as decorating goes. They have beautiful lobster trap like lights hanging from the ceiling, and the bathrooms are done completely in bamboo and matting. Rum punch for $8 a pitcher and Johnny cakes served before each meal. No where near tiki, but still tropical and cool. I loved it. However, they weren't trying to be tiki. I think that thought and effort go a long way to attract admirers. If I visited a tiki or tropical establishment that had lots of fake plastic leis, plastic tikis and parrots, as well as lots of Bali made 'tribal' masks, I would probably turn tail and run. To me, it seems, it's the thought that counts.

On 2004-10-27 10:50, Satan's Sin wrote:
Half a tiki is better than none.

Agreed, and if you are lucky, you get a owner or manager that is open to making it better. When you live somewhere that has no clue what a tiki is most of the time, something is better then nothing.

sure, it's optimal if all of the tiki bar ingredients are there, but strength in one area (e.g., super strong drinks) can compensate for weakness in another area (e.g., I drink a super strong drink and become too tipsy to be annoyed by the sports game on tv in the bar).

would this analysis include home bars as well? I have a tv within several steps of my tiki "bar" (which is really a dining room table covered with bottles of alcohol and tiki stuff, topped by a poorly designed shelf which contains "top shelf" alcohol and more tiki stuff).

wrings hands nervously

i wouldn't judge any new bar/restaurant by it's opening day ~ tensions and expectations run high. it takes a while to shake out the bugs, establish a clientele and a vibe.

theres a difference between "totally missing the mark" and missing one of the elements you listed (lighting, music, service, drinks, food) ~ although i'd weigh bad food & service as "totally missing the mark" if it were incredibly bad!

better half a bar, than none at all ~

elicia

To me, it depends entirely on the intentions. If the place isn't intending to be a tiki bar (i.e., a plate lunch place), then I don't feel its fair to impose my expectations on the place, and I don't have a problem with it. If it's a place that's trying to be a "tiki bar" and misses a bit in execution, but still is obviously inspired by the same things that inspire me (that is, midcentury ideas of polynesia), then I'm on board 100% and will happily support them until they get it figured out. My biggest problem is with places that purport to be tiki, but don't have the heart of it--Tiki Bob's Cantina leaps to mind. Or places that talk about being tiki or Polynesian, but clearly are more Carribbean influenced. I'd rather those places didn't exist--they perpetuate a very wrong idea of what Polynesian Pop is all about, and confuse the whole thing.

With the exceptions of bad staff, high prices, or absolute filth, one element doesn't usually throw me off a joint.

However, if the place is mostly known for a particular thing, say really crispy celery sticks, and the reason I go there is for these famously crunchy veggie snacks but I find their celery to be about as good as the stuff in my crisper back home then I'm pretty much riding on a bummer.

Outside of the reasons listed bove I'll overlook a fair amount. The Islander here in Seattle has lousy drinks and spotty staff, but on a winter's eve it's a nice low light Polynesian environment to drink beer in. Noodles at the Bellagio in Vegas is a bright light blond wood and glass sorta irritating place but has the best tropical drinks I've ever bought. The Alibi in Portland, OR plays the oldies, has so-so drinks, and lotsa smokers* but its perpetual twilight, untouched Poly Pop decor, and Royal Reuben sandwich calls to me even as I write this. (My favorite Jet City pizza place, Stellar Pizza, doesn't even make pizza I'm that crazy about. But they've got cheapo Pabst on tap, a great staff, friendly decor, a tiny little pool room only big enough for one group, and a great jukebox.)

And though I'll ignore a lot of imperfections in a joint, it's still fun to do the "You Call THIS A Tiki Bar?" rant dance.

*For the record: On occasion one of the smokers has been me with a cigar.

I have to agree - if the intention is there and the owner is willing to continue to try and improve the "tiki-ness", then by all means give him some support. If the place has a pleasant atmosphere and you are comfortable with the surroundings then you've found a potential hang-out. If it rate's a marginal tiki-ness factor... give them time. Make suggestions to help. If the place looks like it's trying to be a parrot-head bar, the guy is beyond hope....

Half a tiki...but then, I'm in Kansas.

As far as businesses around the country that I've seen, for me, I guess it's the hype/reality quotiant that matters.

On 2004-10-27 11:30, Tiki-Toa wrote:

On 2004-10-27 10:50, Satan's Sin wrote:
Half a tiki is better than none.

Agreed, and if you are lucky, you get a owner or manager that is open to making it better. When you live somewhere that has no clue what a tiki is most of the time, something is better then nothing.

I disagree completely! Trust me if all the elements are there but the music is top forty shit then it just doesn't work. It just pisses you off. Trust me I know this from experience.

I gotta say none. There's a place near me. The decor is on, but that's as far as it gets. The drinks suck, must of them contain some kind of Puckyer Up, and the food is, well, good for what it is, but not polynesian. More like americanized chinese hawaiian, that would pass for a TV dinner, a la chicken with pineapple and mango. So none. I go, and everytime I am just disappointed that I went there. Then again, I guess it depends on the place, and what part of it is half assed.
ALoha!

On 2004-10-27 16:47, FLOUNDERart wrote:

I disagree completely! Trust me if all the elements are there but the music is top forty shit then it just doesn't work. It just pisses you off. Trust me I know this from experience.

One thing you can do is to ask the bartender to change the CD, but you can't ask him or her to change the decor. Perhaps the first bartender you ask is an a$$hole, but sooner or later you'll get someone enthusiastic and open behind the bar who you can mold to your own evil Tiki needs.

Trader Woody

In Maryland there is a tendency to label any bar situated near a body of water a "tiki bar" and it drives me crazy. At least if the tiki bar label wasn't thrown around with such reckless abandon I wouldn't get my hopes up. If it's intended to be tiki than damnit, make it tiki!

Also - Tikiwahine has a good point...I'm fine if it's not labeled a tiki bar and has a tropical theme! People just need to stop abusing Tiki's good name!

To quote Sven; "If it says Tiki on it, it should have Tiki in it!" Words to live by.

JohnTiki

Aloha from the enchanted Pi Yi Grotto in exotic Bel Air Maryland!

[ Edited by: johntiki on 2004-10-27 17:17 ]

Actually, there are hardly any tiki bars that fit the true tradition. So take what you can get an use your aloha spirit and imagination for the rest...

(being Mr. Positive Post Nice Nice makes me want to vomit)

The Venus bar in Las Vegas has the coolest tiki bar, artwork by Shag & Bosko, but plays TECHNO music. The bartenders will serve drinks in a tiki mug on request, but they have no control over the music. Takes more than a strong drink or two to relax to high-energy dance beats.

You have to remember that a bar is a business. The Purple Orchid comes to mind. Some people knock it because of the Top 40 on the Juke Box (though there is some really cool music too), the pool tables and the Big screen TV. I love that bar. I understand that they have to cater to the crowd that hangs out there, the majority of which isn't us Tikiphiles. I think the good far outweighs the bad in this case. Again, it's a business.

To me the atmosphere is the most important thing. A new tiki bar opened up here and it's got the look down pat, it's got the drinks and food down sort of, but it's not a tiki bar. It just does not have that tiki vibe. It's a downtown get f*cked up on the weekend bar that just happens to have a tiki theme. The decor is awesome but even though it's only probably four miles from me I have no strong desire to go back. I'll probably try it again some day during the week but it's definitely not a priority. The place left me feeling kinda cold. Top 40 music didn't help either.

To me and my megre sense of taste, it's all about whimsey.

if I leave amuzed, I don't care about prices or age, or if it's authentiki. What I usually want is a themevacation for an hour or two.

If I find myself wondering what the connection is, or wondering if they got those glasses for less than 1.00 or most commonly, if I'm forced to listen to blithering fools talk about sitcom charachters the way people with friends who are human speak of them...that's when the place itself is condemed in my mind.

[i]On 2004-10-27 18:26, Tiki Matt wrote:

You have to remember that a bar is a business.

Just so long there is at least one tiki, it's all good.

I do find it disappointing for certain establishments which would be great tiki meccas, like Monsoon in Santa Monica, not to have any tiki, and therefore not be a tiki bar at all.

However, even a bar/restaurant like Damon's in Glendale, with its sole tiki ridiculously obscured by a coon-skin cap, qualifies as a tiki bar because of the tiki (in my opinion).

Maybe I should add a few tikis to my car's trunk (which already has tiki mugs), so whenever I go anywhere I can add the necessary tiki ambience.

On 2004-10-27 18:36, Kono wrote:
To me the atmosphere is the most important thing. A new tiki bar opened up here and it's got the look down pat, it's got the drinks and food down sort of, but it's not a tiki bar. It just does not have that tiki vibe. It's a downtown get f*cked up on the weekend bar that just happens to have a tiki theme. The decor is awesome but even though it's only probably four miles from me I have no strong desire to go back. I'll probably try it again some day during the week but it's definitely not a priority. The place left me feeling kinda cold. Top 40 music didn't help either.

I feel the same way. Even though my art hangs on the walls I have no desire to go back. I't a shame because the decore is awesome.

On 2004-10-27 17:03, Trader Woody wrote:

On 2004-10-27 16:47, FLOUNDERart wrote:

I disagree completely! Trust me if all the elements are there but the music is top forty shit then it just doesn't work. It just pisses you off. Trust me I know this from experience.

One thing you can do is to ask the bartender to change the CD, but you can't ask him or her to change the decor. Perhaps the first bartender you ask is an a$$hole, but sooner or later you'll get someone enthusiastic and open behind the bar who you can mold to your own evil Tiki needs.

Trader Woody

The bartender doesn't really have the authority to change the music. This bar cost $1 and a quarter million to build and they have to make sure they have it packed, hence the top 40 music.

I know that they had a soundtrack of exotica made by someone who really knows his music and it's a shame that I will never get to hear it.

On 2004-10-27 18:26, Tiki Matt wrote:
You have to remember that a bar is a business. The Purple Orchid comes to mind. Some people knock it because of the Top 40 on the Juke Box (though there is some really cool music too), the pool tables and the Big screen TV. I love that bar. I understand that they have to cater to the crowd that hangs out there, the majority of which isn't us Tikiphiles. I think the good far outweighs the bad in this case. Again, it's a business.

I like the Purple Orchid, too. But I'm not sure if I like its looks or personality better!!! :)

On 2004-10-27 18:55, FLOUNDERart wrote:

I feel the same way. Even though my art hangs on the walls I have no desire to go back. I't a shame because the decore is awesome.

It amazes me how close they came but how wildly they missed the mark. How can you put so much effort into the concept and come out sucking so bad? It's hard to put a finger on what was so off-putting about the place. Kind of like The Stepford Wives of tiki bars. Looks good and acts the part but overall coldly creepy. Or creepily cold.

I didn't pee while I was there so I am told that I have to go and check out how they decorated the bathroom walls with pages from the BoT.

I've always wanted to check out the Purple Orchid. SO many people from tiki central seem to have enjoyed it!! I'm always the last to try something out...

sigh

[ Edited by: dangergirl299 on 2004-10-27 19:17 ]

Speaking of creepy...

Tiki Bree hasn't posted here since that evening. That was two months ago. :o

The bathrooms are pretty cool with the walls being covered in pages from BOT.

I don't think it's very hard to put a finger on what's wrong with the place. In my opinion it's the music and the area it's in. To me music makes the mood. The area is a young crowd area.

A feeble attempt, with good intentions, is better than none at all. At least then, there's room for influence and upgrades. You can change music easily if the clientele isn't responding well to it.

There are two empty restaurant spaces that I see regularly that just scream "Build a tiki restaurant & bar here!" One used to be a really popular hot spot, but the owner lost his lease for letting his liquor license expire, and got busted serving to minors, who subsequently got arrested for drunk driving on their way back home. I have to pass it almost every day, and every day I wish I had unlimited funds to turn it into it's "true" calling.

The second restaurant space has a grand bamboo patio entrance, just a structure over the outdoor dining area, but it's really beautiful. That one is a few streets up from something that calls itself a tiki bar, but features live bands playing AC/DC at full volume ("This one goes to eleven!") in a bar the size of a two-car garage. I have nothing against loud, live heavy metal, but in a small tiki bar? Amusingly, they try to serve dinners there. I can't imagine trying to eat in that atmosphere. However, if that tiki bar closed, I would feel bad, as it's one less attempt at tiki out there, bravely attempting to sell scorpion bowls to heavy metal fans.

Why can't they all be the Tiki Ti?

On 2004-10-27 19:16, Kono wrote:

On 2004-10-27 18:55, FLOUNDERart wrote:

I feel the same way. Even though my art hangs on the walls I have no desire to go back. I't a shame because the decore is awesome.

It amazes me how close they came but how wildly they missed the mark. How can you put so much effort into the concept and come out sucking so bad? It's hard to put a finger on what was so off-putting about the place. Kind of like The Stepford Wives of tiki bars. Looks good and acts the part but overall coldly creepy. Or creepily cold.

I didn't pee while I was there so I am told that I have to go and check out how they decorated the bathroom walls with pages from the BoT.

Where is the tiki love for a gorgeous, extremely well decorated tiki bar which pays homage to the Martin Denny & Co. by having their album covers on the wall?

That tiki mug isn't just 1/2 full, it (to me) appears to be 3/4 full.

Quote:

On 2002-09-03 15:31, PolynesianPop wrote:
SlovakTiki,

I think you missed the whole point of my argument. I was responding to the general tone that tikiphiles nowadays believe that building/opening a tiki bar should be done right (authentic) or not done at all. However, as I said before, "I would LOVE to have it running the way an authentic tiki bar should but hey, you can't blame them for wanting to turn their investment into a profit. It is a business after all." . . .

. . .

I think aquarj explained it best by saying:
"Sometimes it seems we're all so thrifty when it comes to our own money, but not when it comes to the money of someone else who actually invests in a place like that. Like they're supposed to cater to a handful of tiki nuts who show up all the way from Timbuktu once in a while hoping for tiki nirvana, and who might be back to buy a couple drinks maybe once or twice a year. And the owners are supposed to perpetually maintain the place in pristine, authentic form (whatever authentic is) out of a pure love of the soul of the tiki experience. Yeah, I think that's a little unreasonable expectation."

I would not settle for a half assed one so the answer is no tiki bar at all. Why bother.

I think it's fascist bullshit what you are putting Tiki Bong through. He's the only reason I come here. welcome to the Ubernet, see ya'. ( Insert Republican response, and no, I am not drunk...)

I was at the Bamboo Hut in San Francisco recently. Very very nice tiki interior, floats on ceiling, giganto tiki mask on wall with red lightbulb eyes, rattan walls, masks, even an outrigger hanging above ... and pounding, driving late 80s dance music. Bartender said there was absolutely nothing he could do about it. World would come to an end if it changed. This, after I had tipped him generously.

I love dance music. I love tiki. I also love steak, and I also love chocolate. This place was like having steak covered with chocolate sauce.

The only good thing was that I had dragged three business associates along. They had not thought about tiki much before, but were totally and instantly enchanted. And even more so when I told them that there was a form, a theme, a history to this thing called tiki. So three new converts.
Plus, the Mai Tais were just outstanding. But the Scorpian was not as good as a 7/11 Slurpee, and the straws were scandalously short.

In the end -- half a tiki was better than none.

On 2004-10-27 23:25, christiki295 wrote:
Where is the tiki love for a gorgeous, extremely well decorated tiki bar which pays homage to the Martin Denny & Co. by having their album covers on the wall?

That tiki mug isn't just 1/2 full, it (to me) appears to be 3/4 full.

Most of you are talking in theory, we're talking about a specific bar that we don't care for. Wai Tiki in downtown Orlando.

I can ignore the Top 40 music if I have to. It doesn't help but it doesn't kill the place for me. I don't mind a younger crowd either. I'm pretty immature myself.

I guess for me it was in part the attitude of the staff (which is backed up by the experience Joe Vitale had) which was superficially friendly, aloof and very "professionial." This staff would be right at home in a beach bar during Spring Break in Lauderdale or Daytona dealing with all the assholes. Which segues nicely into another reason Wai Tiki fails: Orlando's downtown crowd are primarily a bunch of assholes. I'm pretty lenient when it comes to assholes since I've been one most of my adult life myself. Orlando's assholes are particularly odious though. When I moved here about four years ago I noticed fairly quickly that the club crowd was pretty obnoxious. Kind of rich kid wannabe obnoxious if that makes any sense to you (watch a few 80s spring break/ski resort flicks, pick out the rich kids and you'll see what I'm getting at). My theory was/is that Orlando is too safe a town. I lived over in Tampa for years and there's plenty of assholes in Ybor City on a Saturday night but that's usually because they're just too drunk. The Orlando asshole is an asshole drunk or sober. Tampa is a more dangerous city with some very dangerous areas. Ybor can be somewhat rough, people do get knifed and mugged and shot there on occasion (haven't been in four years so its probably continually getting better) and my little theory is that this somewhat keeps people a tad more courteous to each other than in a place like...say, Orlando where the streets are very safe downtown (99%) and people are free to nurture and allow their assholiness to bloom to its full glory. Anyways, sorry for the rant but I guess what I don't like about Wai Tiki is that it doesn't just tolerate this asshole crowd it actually caters to it. I can deal with the downtown scene even if I'm not particularly enamored of it but it just doesn't work with Wai Tiki. It's just not a tiki bar to me. I'm usually pretty open minded and lenient but I went there and to quote the horse on Ren and Stimpy: "Mmmmmm, didn't like it."

Kono --

Lived in Tampa for awhile when I was a little kid. No white man would dare go into Ybor City after dark. Imagine my surprise when I went there recently and it's been turned into this cutesy-wootsey kinda-like Melrose Ave sort of place. Glad to hear, in a strange sort of way, that people are still getting shot and stabbed there.

Orlando. Man. That whole city is very strange, in my opinion. Sort of like Berlin in 1938, only with Mickey Mouse in charge instead of Hitler. No offense, Orlando tiki friends. But I am native-born Floridian, and have every right.

On 2004-10-28 08:29, Satan's Sin wrote:
Kono --

Lived in Tampa for awhile when I was a little kid. No white man would dare go into Ybor City after dark. Imagine my surprise when I went there recently and it's been turned into this cutesy-wootsey kinda-like Melrose Ave sort of place. Glad to hear, in a strange sort of way, that people are still getting shot and stabbed there.

Orlando. Man. That whole city is very strange, in my opinion. Sort of like Berlin in 1938, only with Mickey Mouse in charge instead of Hitler. No offense, Orlando tiki friends. But I am native-born Floridian, and have every right.

Well, Ybor is still just a few blocks away from the shipyards and a few blocks from College Hill (worst area in Tampa) so there is always a little bleed over from these other areas. In the late 80s, the only things in Ybor at night were a gay club and a punk club just a few doors down from each other and the Columbia restaurant. Slowly, artsy people started moving in and more funky bars and restaurants and shops. Then more corporate type places started coming in and then they built the hockey arena and the Channelside area and really started cleaning things up down there. Since I've left they've even put up video cameras on most of the street corners in Ybor to combat crime. It's a completely different place than it was back in 89 when I first went there to go to the punk club (that I forgot the name of but its still there).

I will defend Orlando somewhat though. My gripe above is just with the weekend downtown crowd, not the city overall. I think people get the wrong impression of Orlando thinking its all about Disney. I've been here four years and Disney and the attractions aren't even a blip on my radar screen. I rarely go over that way, I don't hear that much about the attractions. Yeah, some people work there and people sometimes go there on the weekends but, like the beach it just there. Doesn't effect my life. Most of that tourist crap is in Kissimmee anyway. Orlando's a small southern city with brick lined streets downtown. Very safe and pretty clean until the damn hurricanes. Great radio station in WPRK Rollins College. A couple universities, some museums, nice shopping areas. No really good record stores though. And then out west, just outside of the city are a bunch of amusement parks. People are overall friendly in Orlando, one of the first things I noticed when I moved here is the lack of road rage which was rampant in Tampa when I lived there (but possibly dropped quite a bit when I left :wink: ). I like the town overall but just can't stand the downtown club crowd.

I went to Kissimmee a couple months ago to check out their antique shops and I hadn't been there in 2 or 3 years. It's like going back in time. All these bizarre tourist trap roadside attractions. Shell stores, Holy Bible Land, Great Wall of China Land, King Arthur Land (I'm not getting the names right cuz I don't remember them), tacky souvenir shops everywhere. It's actually kind of cool if you don't see it too often. Like a downtrodden low rent Las Vegas strip minus the gambling.

I ate soup in Orlando once.

I ate soup in Orlando once.

On 2004-10-28 09:40, FLOUNDERart wrote:
I ate soup in Orlando once.

I met Soup once. She was a nice girl.

(sorry, that was just rude)

Again, I get around to posting after the thread has morphed into conversation about Florida and soup.

Anyway, I know where you are coming from with the question, and we have always been very generous and forgiving with vintage Tiki bars. I mean, if they are a shadow of their former selves, well, at least they are still there. It's the new "Tiki" bars that we hold to a much higher standard. I think that is because they are making a conscious choice to create a Tiki bar and are obviously aware of the revival of Tiki. When they clearly have (and are looking at) resources such as The Book of Tiki as well as other books, magazines and websites they should be able to put together a place that at least in part captures the spirit and mood of a proper Tiki temple. It's crass restaurant developers who slap something together and try to cash in on the Tiki "fad" that we object to and suggest we'd be better off without. I mean, even if we had no other vintage alternative, we'd NEVER go to a place like the Bamboo Room in Schaumburg. This place has been discussed in other threads, but since you posted this question and there was just recently an article in the Chicago Tribune about the place I thought I should share it. Let me just say that we have never gotten our "club on," but perhaps we are boring. Without any further delay I give you... my nightmare:

Terry Armour The Bamboo Room proves Schaumburg can party too

Published October 22, 2004, Chicago Tribune

A show of hands if you've ever complained about people from Schaumburg invading the city on weekends to get their club on.
Now, how about a show of hands if you've ever made the trek to Schaumburg to get your club on.
I usually fall into the first category. But last weekend, I found myself in the latter.
Yes, there are places to party in Schaumburg and, no, they don't complain when we invade their spaces for some party action in a town better known for its giant mall and a certain Swedish furniture store.
A club that rivals Chicago's finest is the last thing you would expect to come across Schaumburg. But there the Bamboo Room sits, an inviting monstrosity that takes up the corner of a strip mall, just past the plethora of dealerships that sprinkle Golf Road.
Our concept is a little bit of Chicago and a little bit of Vegas combined," said Bamboo Room general manager Justin Metze, raising his voice to be heard above the thumping bass bouncing off the walls and echoing from the high ceilings of the club's main dance floor. "We're trying to provide something so people don't feel that they have to drive 40 minutes into the city."
What the Bamboo Room provides also happens to have many nightlifers from the big city reversing that same 40-minute trek to Schaumburg on Fridays and Saturdays, perhaps reasoning that they are getting away from the suburbanites who on those same days travel to places like the White Star Lounge, Sound-Bar and Crobar. "It's the same class of people," said 25-year-old Chicagoan Paul Combs, who usually hangs out at places like the aforementioned clubs. "It's definitely got that city vibe."
Actually, the Bamboo Room encompasses three--make that four--spots for its $10 cover charge. There is the main room, a restaurant featuring fresh seafood and Asian cuisine--which after 10 p.m. weekends (9 p.m. Thursday) transforms into a mega-nightclub within the giant palm trees that circle the room. There, you'll find Chicago deejays, including Rick Hype and Bobby D, keeping the dance floor packed until 3 a.m. Friday and Saturday (1 a.m. Thursday). There are also drummers perched above the floor of dancers, pounding along with the beats emanating from the state-of-the-art sound system.
Then there's the Koko Cafe, which offers a late-night menu of sandwiches, salads and Hawaiian bar food, including pizza slices from Johnny D's, which used to occupy most of the space before club owner David Townsend relegated it to part of the party scene.
But the jewel of the business, which opened last December, is the upstairs Tiki Lounge, sort of a mini-Trader Vic's, with its affordable island drinks ($4.75 to $6.75, including the potent Bamboo Mai Tai for $5.75) and casual, Polynesian vibe. It's the main reason Courtney Moy, 25, has made three trips from Ukrainian Village to Schaumburg in the last two months to check it out.
"It's just a really cool place," said Moy, a waitress at Wicker Park's Salud Tequila Lounge. "In here [the Tiki Lounge] it's chill and relax. Out there [The Bamboo Room], it's clubby. The crowd's a little different and the music is a little different. I have to admit, it's a good break from the city."
And after midnight, it's as though you wandered into a spring break celebration or a "Girls Gone Wild" video, with women readily baring their breasts for sets of cheap beads (it could have something to do with the Mai Tais).
For suburbia, it's become quite the party spot.
"The atmosphere is as close as you can get to a downtown club in the suburbs," said 30-year-old Will Slagel of Wheaton, who was hanging out with Moy in the Tiki Lounge. "I've been to the clubs out here and nothing compares to this."
Not many clubs in Chicago compare to it either.
The Bamboo Room and Tiki Lounge Where: 616 E. Golf Rd., Schaumburg; 847-592-5959 What's hot: Just try to find a comparable place in the city with a $10 cover charge and $4 valet parking. What's not: You may as well valet, since the parking lot gets as jammed as Ikea's on a Saturday morning. Terry's tip: Pop in on Thursdays, when the bar offers drink specials, including $1.75 domestic beers, $2.75 imports and $3.75 martinis.

On 2004-10-28 09:58, boutiki wrote:
And after midnight, it's as though you wandered into a spring break celebration or a "Girls Gone Wild" video, with women readily baring their breasts for sets of cheap beads (it could have something to do with the Mai Tais).

That place don't sound so bad!

On 2004-10-28 02:35, Stratiki wrote:
I think it's fascist bullshit what you are putting Tiki Bong through. He's the only reason I come here. welcome to the Ubernet, see ya'. ( Insert Republican response, and no, I am not drunk...)

Hey! I think I like this Statiki guy. Speaking of Strats - I've got a '79 maple neck, USA made, upgraded with Seymore-Duncuns if you're interested in buying it.

On 2004-10-27 14:51, tikijackalope wrote:
Half a tiki...but then, I'm in Kansas.

I would agree that location is a big factor. Living in California, we have so many original tiki spots. So, if I want to have the experience I'm going to choose the Tonga Room or Trader Vic's over the Bamboo Hut or Conga Lounge. And when in LA, I'm going to make a point of visiting the Tiki Ti or the Bahooka over the Lava Lounge or Purple Orchid. Given the choice I would rather have the original.

But if I were in Kansas I would be thrilled if a place like the Conga Lounge opened there.

So I can see how it must be difficult for places like the Purple Orchid to compete for business. I appreciate their committment and passion so I try to visit each new place once in a while to support them.

I was dissapointed when I walked into the Tonga Lounge in SF and they had the baseball game on over the bar with the volume turned way up. The only person watching was the bartender. It really kills the exerience. Once we got away from the bar it was great.

Why would anyone want a tiki with no head?

On 2004-10-28 11:39, Swamp Fire wrote:
I was dissapointed when I walked into the Tonga Lounge in SF and they had the baseball game on over the bar with the volume turned way up.

Do you mean the Tonga Room? In any case, I agree that TVs have no place in the ideal tiki bar.

On 2004-10-28 11:39, Swamp Fire wrote:
Why would anyone want a tiki with no head?

Well......
Oh, I'm sorry. I thought you meant something else.
Never Mind. :)

On 2004-10-28 11:43, thejab wrote:

On 2004-10-28 11:39, Swamp Fire wrote:
I was dissapointed when I walked into the Tonga Lounge in SF and they had the baseball game on over the bar with the volume turned way up.

Do you mean the Tonga Room? In any case, I agree that TVs have no place in the ideal tiki bar.

The only TV that belongs in a tiki bar is Trader Vic! tee hee