Mr. Vise Grip's Bamboo Bar

Just checked out the grand opening of this cozy new tiki joint in Fairfax, CA, North of SF - sort of like a Hippie "Leave it to Beaver" town, very charming and old-fashioned but the locals look more like Ward and June after a few Dead concerts - and Vise Grip's (he of Neo-Swing fame) new tiki bar adjacent to the popular 19 Broadway nightclub (where Sam Burtera plays when he's in the area) is well worth the trip (at least from the East Bay, but if you're traveling through the Bay Area, definitely try to take the extra time to seek this out). The decor is heavy on bamboo, thatched huts and tiki gods of all sizes, and the drinks are pretty strong. I recommend the "Nite of the Living Dead" which will definitely Zombify you. One stern warning: the cops up there are VERY bored and actually kept a close eye on the large (but hardly rowdy) assemblage of out of town hipsters (there to see Zooma Zooma, a swingin' Louis Prima cover band and Dane's Dames Burlesque, hubba hubba), and I was told they tail people out of town looking for the slightest excuse to pull 'em over and slap a DUI on 'em, just for the notch on their belt. Anyway, see http://www.19broadway.com for details and directions (and I'm sure this info has been posted already but gimme a break, I'm an old timer on the tiki scene but new to these forums.) I also reviewed it for the Fall issue of Atomic Magazine (my write-up on Oakland's Conga Lounge is in the Summer issue, hitting newsstands any day now). A lot of you were probably there too and can offer your own opinions/observations, but there's my 2 cents.

[ Edited by: AquaZombie on 2003-08-03 16:20 ]

On 2003-08-03 16:20, AquaZombie wrote:
I recommend the "Nite of the Living Dead" which will definitely Zombify you.

Be sure to keep your hair away from the tabletop candles after drinking one! 8)

Hey AquaZombie ...

Thanks for the info. Interest in entering this info into the Locating Tiki forum?

~Hanford

The show was fun, but trying to get a drink at the tiki bar side was agonizing. The bartender was in good spirits, but really needed a bar-back. We must'va stood in line for half an hour to get a drink. But the tiki bar space is nicely appointed and a nice addition to the performance space next door. I've never seen so many geriatric, balding & pony-tailed hippies in aloha shirts in one place, but then I've never been to a Buffett concert, either.

I cannot agree more with WtT's assessment of Faifax cops, though. I've driven through there, day and night, dozens of times and you NEVER, EVER want to exceed the speed limit or disobey a sign there. We were luckily incident-free Saturday night, but I've been pulled over for barely crossing over the center yellow line (while totally sober). Why is it that uber-liberal towns (i.e. Berkeley) swing so far over on the pendulum that they are practically facist?

Mahalo to Vise Grip for bringing Tiki north of the gate. The grand opening shindig was a gas, and while the bar lines were long, the drinks (particularly my favorite -- the Missionary's Downfall) did NOT disappoint.

I have a feeling Fairfax will never be the same...but definitely for the better. This could be the start of something big...

On 2003-08-06 00:47, GinAtomic wrote:
Mahalo to Vise Grip for bringing Tiki north of the gate. The grand opening shindig was a gas, and while the bar lines were long, the drinks (particularly my favorite -- the Missionary's Downfall) did NOT disappoint.

Since when is the Missionary's Downfall served there? I didn't see it on the menu. Most of the drinks are heavy on the pineapple juice (including the Mai Tai) so I think the drinks need a little improvement. I had the Night of the Living Dead which is basically a Zombie with lots of 151. It's strong but needs more different rums and juices to be a really good Zombie. That's the only gripe I have about the bar.

As requested, I stuck all this info on the Finding Tiki page as well. Just FYI.

The Missionary's Downfall isn't listed on the table menus...a little acrylic signholder on the bar itself boasted 6 or 7 additional titles (for those who could still see straight), including the MD. Of which I had 3 (that I remember, anyway). Yum.

I also partook of a Nite of the Living Dead there last Monday at the Rev Horton Heat show. Yow! Almost didn't make it to work the next day!

[ Edited by: GinAtomic on 2003-08-07 10:58 ]

Guess I'll have to pay another visit their soon and check out their other drinks!