Vancouver Tiki Bar Reopens!!!!

hey all - the legendary Tiki Bar at Vancouver's Waldorf Astoria hotel (Hastings street, minutes from downtown -- and not a terribly glamorous part of town!) is REOPENING this weekend, March 4th, and then will be open for business on weekends to the general public!! This is great news as this bar is in MINT CONDITION, all original stuff from its heyday in the 40's, 50's -- including original and incredible Leetag paintings -- worth zillions!! The people who are owning and running the place are really wonderful and deserve our support as they try to make a go of one of the few still remaining original tiki palaces in north america!

I'm directing a mystery movie there for here!tv at the end of the month, march 31, during the day -- if you are around, have a tux or dinner jacket or cocktail dress (retro style is fine!) and wanna be an extra, come on down....

in the meantime, hope you can make the first weekend opener, and let's really show these brave and lovely folks we appreciate what they're trying to do!!

mahola,
Ron Oliver

ZAZZ, ZAZZ ZAZZ ZAZZ (Repeating!). It is about time. Now for Chin TIki in Detroit to open! :)

Yayyyyy!! This is wonderful news, especially for the annual "Holy Crap! It's a Tiki Event in Vancouver!"

I sure hope it stays open through the Olympics in 2010 - and forever beyond that! As soon as it opens and you make it over there post photos please!!

Wow, sure wish I could make it out for all that! Sounds like great times. The Tikibar TV people should be most happy about this!

That's Amazing News!! Can't wait to see photos of this place. Especially the Leeteegs.

Sabu

Whoa! That's fantastic!

that place is amazing...I remember when they used to do monthly partys in 1999, when I discovered this place...I loved it.

Large thread including pictures from last year's adventures:
Lushy at the Waldorf Hotel, Vancouver - Saturday, July 30th 2005

2 new tiki bars opening in my area, new Trader Vic's opening all over, and now this! Yowza! (well, zazz was already taken) :D

Yipeee!!! We'll see you there this weekend Ron!!

Great news! I've got to get my photos of the Waldorf up one of these days...

Holy frijole!!! I am THRILLED!!!

I wonder if I can bug our Portland friends to take a field trip up there with us when we visit them in a few weeks...they already love the Alibi...

Well, one way or another I am so there. Sounds like an "ultimate tiki experience" in many ways, I mean, think about it: an original 40's-50's tiki bar with NO CRAPPY 80'S REMODEL.

Can't wait. :D

This is definitely very good news!!! Vancouver is such a beautiful place to visit too! So is Victoria Island and the Empress Hotel!! Lots of antiques if I remember correctly! Yee Haw!

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

I just reread my first post on this thread - written at OHMYGOD O'CLOCK yesterday morning before I was awake - and just realized something - did I actually write "MAHOLA?"

good lord...

I guess the first round's on me.

mahalo (ahem),
RO

Maholler back to you lamon!

If anyone gets the chance to make the trip up here and would like to check out Victoria on Vancouver Island(defunct Trader Vic's serving as a B&B 5 minutes from the ferry terminal) Feel free to give me a shout!

I make a wonderful tour guide, and know all the flea market, thrift, and antique spots, as well as the best spots in town for breakfast, etc. For drinks you'll have to visit my place. But the price is right!

Mrs. Pappy and I have already decided on a second honeymoon back to Vancouver. Now I think we should have it sooner! For once some GOOD tiki news.

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well Saturday was certainly interesting! The Polynesian lounge was open so I really can't complain.
Ok, there was five of us sitting at the bar (the Polynesian lounge was ours!). Later, Johnny Johnny (Tiki Bar TV) and some friends made a brief appearance but I think they were a bit disappointed. We still had a great time, we even closed the place down but it was quite clear that they need to work on some things. You know it's serious when you have to instruct the bartender on how to make a Mai Tai!! There's no sound system in the lounge so the only music was from the live band next door (Waldorf -non Tiki- Pub/Sports Bar). Having said that, they did listen to our suggestions and this month is really just a time for trial and error.
We all decided that it will take our support to get the place going. Mustering everyone we know for regular weekend(s) (maybe the first and/or last Saturday?) would be fun. Hell, we've got this great venue available to us so lets start using it. It seems the management is quite open to ideas. The bar tender said they still talk about 'Holy Crap It's a Tiki Event in Vancouver' and how blown away they were that people would come from far & wide to see the place.
So Vancouver (and most certainly, everyone out of town!!), starting in April, I think we need to gather a bunch and take the place over at least one night, if not more per month!!

yes, Pepe it was a slim but lovely night, and while there were only a handful of us, I agree that it could become a "thing"....I'm going to have one of my minions drop a bar guide Tiki style off at the bar so that poor boy can bone up on his Mai Tais and Zombies....but having said that, I think with the right support and provocation we could make this place into something...they are planning to have live jazz starting the end of March, so that's a good start!

I'm going to be in Vancouver with the Missus and some other assorted family members this coming weekend. Anybody know if this place is still up and running on the weekends (i.e. Sunday)?

Hey Josh, I bet Pepe would know! You'll for sure have to stop in at his shop, Funhauser Decor

hey Josh -- I think the Waldorf bar is only open for biz on Fri and Sat nights, but I may be wrong....they are very nice folks, we shot a movie there in April and they were incredible to deal with....certainly worth giving a call to funhauser -- those guys are the best! Ron O.

We've been so busy with work I haven't checked-in on the Waldorf lately! As far as I know, on Fridays, there's a DJ spinning 'House' and Saturdays are hit and miss as they still rent the rooms to private functions. Best to call them before you go!
Here's their site:
http://www.waldorfhotel.com

I heard from a friend in Vancouver that Dr. Tiki and his crew plan to re-open the Waldorf's tiki lounge soon.

Here's a story/profile from the Vancouver Courier:

http://www.vancourier.com/issues06/084206/news/084206nn4.html

I am going to Vancouver tomorrow. Is this place open to the public? I've seen both yes and no. Can someone clarify...

What's up with this place these days? Anyone have an update? I'll be there on June 21 2008. We're lookin for tiki in Vancouver!

Here's the latest scoop on Vancouver... Thanks TabooDan:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=15525&forum=2&start=last&19