question about the Voodoo Room in W. Hollywood

Uh what happened to the Voodoo Room?
I went there for the 1st time this past Sat. at 7 pm and it was locked up
tighter than a drum. No tiki or moais anywhere, out front or on the patio.

I heard they were always busy, what gives?

Jeff(bigtikidude)

I heard that Rob and Deena had a business conflict with the backers of the restaurant. So, they cleared out the restaurant in a hurry and are planning to re-locate once they secure new financing. I heard they were thinking of Maui, though. That would be good for Maui but unfortunate for those of us in LA. I loved their menu and the drinks were great! Hopefully, many of you had a chance to sample The Voodoo Room after seeing the article in the last Tiki Magazine. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and hoping they re-open somewhere close and somewhere soon.

[ Edited by: Trader Tom 2006-09-26 09:34 ]

Bummer....
as I hadn't been there yet. who knew that a place would close so fast.
I hope they do re-open somewehre in So. Cal.

Thanks for the info Tom,
Jeff(bigtikidude)

BOOOOHOOOOOO! The VooDooo is going to missed. :(

Geez! That's 4 tiki bars closed in SoCal this year. Plus the home bars... Maybe there really is something to the Tiki Magazine curse.

On 2006-09-26 20:09, PiPhiRho wrote:
Geez! That's 4 tiki bars closed in SoCal this year. Plus the home bars... Maybe there really is something to the Tiki Magazine curse.

I know this and the Lucky Tiki closed. What are the two others?

On 2006-09-27 09:06, Rob Roy wrote:

On 2006-09-26 20:09, PiPhiRho wrote:
Geez! That's 4 tiki bars closed in SoCal this year. Plus the home bars... Maybe there really is something to the Tiki Magazine curse.

I know this and the Lucky Tiki closed. What are the two others?

I think what Pi Phi Rho meant was the Royal Hawiian and Sams seafood,
both being returaunts and bars in OC. technically both are still open but in very limited or highly changed forms/status.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

On 2006-09-26 09:22, Trader Tom wrote:
I heard that Rob and Deena had a business conflict with the backers of the restaurant. So, they cleared out the restaurant in a hurry . . .

Horrors!

so has anyone been to the 'new' Royal Hawaiian yet? that used to be our MECCA when visiting the Laguna area--greatest Lapu-Lapu EVER. It was ALWAYS busy--why oh WHY do new investors have to F with a SUCCESSFUL thing for the sake of CHANGE?

I drove by today. The sign is outside, and empty frames inside, appear to be all that is left of the Voodoo Room.

The Voodoo Room had all the trappings of a Great tiki bar, excellent drinks, tiki mugs, styling decor. The cuisine was incredible.

However, I do wonder if it had a sufficiently strong following against its operations cost, although I have also wondered that about the Lucky Tiki and the Tonga Hut.

Their location, on Robertson & Santa Monica, with parking should have been a huge asset. Some say that particular location is cursed, and maybe they are right, several restaurants have come and gone at that location.

It was in the heart of boys town, and next to two gay bars, yet it had no gay clientle.
I suggested they have young, cute guys in tapa cloth sarongs out front, but that was not implemented.

A straight bar can excel in Boys Town. Barney's Beanery has been around forever, even though it was openly hostile to gays, having a "NO FAGS" sign.

Moreover, West Hollywood is not all gay. There was a straight bar down the street on Robertson. The LATimes recently published an article about how West Hollywood was becoming less gay and more straight. Such has already occurred in Silverlake, where one gay bar is now straight and another gay bar has closed.

While the young straight crowd appeared on Saturdays, it also was never very full like Purple Orchid can be on the weekends.

The Voodoo Room will be missed, particularly as they did not provide proper notice for a closing party.

However, maybe, with additional financing, it can rise, like a Pheonix, in Lahinia, Maui, by offering tourists a Hawaiian experience to go along with the Jimmy Buffet inspired Hamburger in Paradise.

Hopefully, Lucky Tiki and the Tonga Hut can hang in there.

With the potential demise of Trader Vics, LA & OC will have lost over half of its tiki bars within a year or two.

[ Edited by: christiki295 2006-09-28 21:39 ]

On 2006-09-28 21:30, christiki295 wrote:
It was in the heart of boys town, and next to two gay bars, yet it had no gay clientle.
I suggested they have young, cute guys in tapa cloth sarongs out front, but that was not implemented.

There were actually quite a few gay men the night I was there in August. I would say 70% of the clientele that night were gay. And my gay friend who lives in WeHo has gone back on a few occasions and said he was seeing more and more gays there.

I have several theories as to what might have happened to the Voodoo Room based on my experience there, but no use speculating. Maybe someday we'll get the facts. Either way, I am disappointed that it won't be there the next time I'm in town. I really enjoyed my visit.

[i]On 2006-09-28 22:30, JenTiki wrote:

I have several theories as to what might have happened to the Voodoo Room based on my experience there, but no use speculating. Maybe someday we'll get the facts. Either way, I am disappointed that it won't be there the next time I'm in town. I really enjoyed my visit.

I share your pain.

Interesting insight. Go ahead, speculate. You have been there more recently than I have.

On 2006-09-28 23:19, christiki295 wrote:

Interesting insight. Go ahead, speculate. You have been there more recently than I have.

Nope. Too many speculations on TC are mistaken for fact. I don't want to be the one to start rumors that I don't know to be true, they're just my own personal hunches. So for now, I will keep them to myself unless someone coerces it out of me with massive quantities of rum.

Wow! My man and I are SO BUMMED to hear about this! : (

We live near West Hollywood, and were SO HAPPY to find a tiki bar close to our neighborhood. We had been spreading the word about how great this place was, and had gone to the VooDoo Room 3 times with different sets of friends. It was always a blast, and the staff, especially Rob and Sammy were always so welcoming and friendly. Those drinks were fantastic!

Our first time there happened to be the night Ilene was there doing the article for Tiki Magazine and we had a great time.

Adam will miss those RIBS and the Dirty Rotten Scoundrel. I will miss that amazing Mediterranean cheese that didn't melt and the Mango Monkey.

Goodbye friend. We hardly knew ye. : (

On 2006-09-29 12:12, atomikitty wrote:
I will miss that amazing Mediterranean cheese that didn't melt...

I can't make the Voodoo Room come back, but maybe I can reconnect you with your cheese... was it Halloumi?

Critiki - Ooga-Mooga - Humu Kon Tiki

[ Edited by: Humuhumu 2006-09-29 12:20 ]

I was just there on the 16th. The place was full, the food was great, the drinks were great, the decor was great, the staff was great.....wha-happened?

Whaa??? I was just there!! They mixed a very fine cocktail!! And everyone was sooo nice! I'm so bummed!!