Traveling to San Fran, San Jose, Reno tomorrow - Suggestions?

Hi Everyone!

I just wanted to get some local advice for my visit to the Bay Area and points in-between there and Reno. My wife and I will be staying in San Jose with her brother for 11 days, so I should be able to pack in a pretty good amount of Tiki goodness. Plus, a couple of friends live in Reno, so a trip to Dick's will be in order as well.

Tiki Bars are the #1 priority (Of course!), but shops and other interesting places would be great. I have been re-reading Tiki Magazine, Critiki, and obviously TC, but like I said, getting some local opinions and options about where and when to go would help a lot!

Some places I have on the list so far: TV Emeryville and Palo Alto (any others around?), Tonga Room, Foridden Island, Martini Monkey (I heard they have great drinks), Hawaii West, Bamboo Hut, Hukilau...

Thanks for your input, maybe i will see you there!!! :drink:

• Jason

[ Edited by: Jawa 2006-08-08 06:55 ]

Martini Monkey is tops, When Jay is working is the priority. He's usually there week nights. Smoke Tiki is okay, nicley appointed, it's by the Greyhound station downtown.

In Japantown (Taylor and Jackson streets between 4th and 10th) are some cool places. Kuboda is a fantastic restaurant for japanese fusion. There is also Hukilau, which is a hawaiian theme. It's hit and miss for friendlyness, but it's worth going to. They have fresh leachi vodka drinks (sp?)that are the specialty of the house.

There are also some interesting stone sculptors in that area to perooze the art works of. A few blocks away is Santos Market which seems like it fell out of 1970's Kauai. (strange mix of Hawaiian and Japanese)

The Island Grill and Bamboo Lounge is on N-4th street by the airport in a hotel (Raddison I think)...corporate and dull, but pleasant.

Good eats at E&O Trading downtown...pricy but quite fun, and exotic.

Trader Vic's is up the road about 16 miles, but not a bad stop if you have time (and money)

Cheers

This has all the hot tiki spots in the bay area - just follow the crawl ...

http://www.tikicentral.com/misc/locations.php

Also Minnies in Modesto (1 hour east of Oakland near I-5/ 580) is great if you're passing by there.

Be sure to post under California Events when you're in town and Bay Area TC'ers will meet you for a drink (or three)~

Also, a splendid place in San Jose is the Rosecrution Museum. It would be a fantastic outdoor bar, unfortunately they don't serve booze...so bring a flask.

The collection of antiquities is impressive inside...however I quite like the Garden.

It too Egyptian theme (mostly) and is a nice spot to spend a summer day, reading by a fountain. (Don't sit under the Monkeypuzzles) There is really nice deli/grocery with-in walking distance called Zenatto's where you can stock up on tucker.

Also if you want to shop for quirky stuff, go to "Pacific Blue Traders" by the shark-tank on Montgomery. I think they are consolidating and moving to Sonoma, so call first. (Lot's of carved stone pieces, huge river oars from India, a hut on stilts from Java...)

There are not so many quirky business' left as it's so expensive here, but there is the odd gem still around. If you like a proper fry-up after a night on the grog, the "Grand Dell Saloon" in Campbell is where you need to stop.

It's an old-man's bar, and looks like a cell-block, but the owners who is Irish, makes fantastic Irish Brekkie's on Sunday only. (Fried Tomato, Beans, Irish Sausages, Rashers, Black and white pudding, potatoes, and soda bread) It's like 7.95 or some such....goes well with an On-Tap Guinness.

Thank you so much Dangergirl and Gigantalope!
Now I can do my own crawl over the next few days :drink: