(tiki-ti vs. dtbc vs. tv) vs. TONGA HUT !!

Initially I was going to add this to an existing thread but I couldn't decide which one.

Here goes.....

This last week I had a chance to have cocktails at Tiki-Ti (10/17), DTBC (10/20), and Trader Vics (10/23). I thought I'd compare them against each other while the drinks were still fresh in my mind.

I have to say that the drinks at DTBC are really top notch. Maybe not as stiff as Tiki-Ti but definitely well mixed and flavorful. I'll rank them as follows:

1. Navy Grog - I might even like this better than Tiki-Ti's. Rating - GREAT.
2. Reverb Crash - Similar to the Navy Grog, yet distinct. Rating - GREAT.
3. Zombie - You can really taste the booze in this one. Nice !! Rating - REALLY GOOD.
4. Mai Tai - Rating - PRETTY GOOD.

I had a chance to talk to Marie, the bar manager. She really takes pride in the tropicals. She plans to expand the selection and so I requested the Suffering Bastard (bourbon & gin version).

Tiki-Ti still remains king based on selection and overall drink quality. Value is another matter. Some of my favorite drinks there are now $18 each. Yikes !! I guess you could argue that 1 Tiki-Ti drink is equal to 2 drinks at other places (but still.....) My Tiki-Ti drink ranking is in another thread - http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10450&forum=10&vpost=488765

The presentation of the drinks at TV is first rate but I think they add too much crushed ice. The first few sips are really good but after a third of the way down, it's hard to taste the booze because of the melting ice. I think in the future I'll request less ice (as I saw someone else do). I still need to try the Puka Puka, one of their stiffer drinks. Currently I am backing away from my prior knee-jerk anti-corporate Tiki bias. TV Downtown LA has erased the painful memories of TV Las Vegas.

Here's my overall opinionated tropical drink ranking.

1. Tiki-Ti - :) :) :)
2. Don the Beachcomber - If value was a factor, it would be #1 especially at Happy Hour. Quality wise they might be gaining fast to tie for #1. I can't believe I was a hater. I love this place. (But I hate that it's beyond the Orange Curtain.)
3. The Galley - Based on their one tropical offering. It's one kick-ass Hawaiian style Mai Tai.
4. Trader Vic's - A distant 4th. (Closer to home but it's located in the abomination which is LA Live.)
5. Tonga Hut - Although I've barely scratched the surface of the drink menu. I must visit more often.
6. Bahooka - Not very refined but the drinks are strong. I assume they use a lower quality of rum.
7. Purple Orchid - I don't know why but to me it feels more natural to drink beer here.

In closing all these places are GREAT and I feel very lucky to have seven (!!) local places to compare against each other (There could even be an 8th but I've not made it yet to the Puka Bar in Long Beach.)

Maybe the best Tiki Bar in the world is the one you happen to be sitting in.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-11-09 16:16 ]

Rub it in, JOHN-O.

"I can't decide which fabulously-decorated, delicious-drink-serving place is slightly better than the many many other fabulously-decorated, delicious-drink-serving places that are all within driving distance of my home." :lol:

No hugs for you,
Formikahini
From Houston, where the nearest fcking tiki bar is 3.5 hours away in fcking DALLAS

Yeah but at least in Texas you can get lots of great BBQ.

It's hard to get good BBQ in LA (other than Korean BBQ). The only place in LA that can compare with Texas is Bludso's in Compton.

I'll trade you a Tiki-Ti Ray's Mistake for a plate of Texas BBQ.

I don't think either one would travel very well, but I'm willing to give it a go!
:D

Hey John-O,

Not to throw this thread off, but when I used to live in LA, I would go to a place in the valley called Doctor Hogly Wogly's Tyler Texas Bar-B-Que. It was pretty damn good.

As for the rating of the drinks.... I have to agree that the Tiki-Ti is still tops. Though it's been a couple of years since I've been there, the selection and quality is over the top.

Dr. Hogly Wogly's, yes I know the place well. The brisket there when it's on, is brisket of the Gods. The last few times I've been there though, it was kind of tough.

Bludso's is now my go-to place for (non-Korean) BBQ even though it's in the CPT.

FYI, there's nothing better than Korean BBQ in K-Town after early evening cocktails at Tiki-Ti. My favorites these days are Park's BBQ and Soowon Galbi. Both are non-Korean friendly.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-10-25 21:51 ]

On 2009-10-25 17:20, Formikahini wrote:
Rub it in, JOHN-O.

"I can't decide which fabulously-decorated, delicious-drink-serving place is slightly better than the many many other fabulously-decorated, delicious-drink-serving places that are all within driving distance of my home." :lol:

No hugs for you,
Formikahini
From Houston, where the nearest fcking tiki bar is 3.5 hours away in fcking DALLAS

Count yourself as lucky. The nearest tiki bar to Cincinnati is an expensive 2 hour plane ride to the Mai Kai. Hell, we can't even buy Demerara rum here!

and here in Colorado the only Tiki Bars are in folks homes.... I have YET to find any decent BBQ and after livin in KCMO the lack of BBQ is hurtin...

Have you guys referenced Critiki or Tiki Road Trip (the book) ?

I see operational Tiki bars for both Colorado and Ohio.

Ohio - http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/destinations.cgi?region_id=6&country_id=1&state_id=13

Colorado - http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/destinations.cgi?region_id=6&country_id=1&state_id=15

TRT lists some operational places not mentioned on Critiki.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-10-27 14:32 ]

I still need to try the Puka Puka, one of their stiffer drinks. (There could even be an 8th but I've not made it yet to the Puka Bar in Long Beach.)

Maybe the best Tiki Bar in the world is the one you happen to be sitting in.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-10-26 00:26 ]

Been to all of the above. The Puka Bar is Tiki - very tiki. The drinks are long beach tiki. You have to go there to understand the statement.

You say "Long Beach Tiki" like it's a bad thing. (Pic related, it's my license plate.)

I'm about a mile away from the Puka Bar right now...but I consider DtB in Huntington (6 miles away) my "home" tiki bar, if that says anything. The drinks at the Puka Bar are..interesting to say the least...if you can pull the bartenders away from pouring beers and Jack and Cokes long enough to make you one that is. The decor and the Crazy Al carved bar are worth going at least once. That is one place that could use a Tiki Central infusion..stat.

Are you sure that's not "British Columbia" Tiki or "Before Christ" Tiki ?

That license plate holder is a good candidate for some Tiki carving :)

Please post the offical Tiki Central night for Puka Bar on Tiki Events. I'll see you there.

On 2009-10-27 14:26, JOHN-O wrote:
Have you guys referenced Critiki or Tiki Road Trip (the book) ?

I see operational Tiki bars for both Colorado and Ohio.

Ohio - http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/destinations.cgi?region_id=6&country_id=1&state_id=13

Colorado - http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/destinations.cgi?region_id=6&country_id=1&state_id=15

TRT lists some operational places not mentioned on Critiki.

Unfortunately all of those Ohio listings are home tiki bars and long closed tiki locations.

On 2009-10-28 14:21, JOHN-O wrote:

Are you sure that's not "British Columbia" Tiki or "Before Christ" Tiki ?

That license plate holder is a good candidate for some Tiki carving :)

Please post the offical Tiki Central night for Puka Bar on Tiki Events. I'll see you there.

Ha! Blame Holden for the "L" in "LBC" being obscured...yeah I should carve about 1/4" off the left side to uncover it. As for a TC night at the Puka Bar, I would be up for it, although we seem to be running out of nights (Mondays DtB, Tuesdays Trader Vics, Wednesdays Tiki-Ti, etc etc.) Anyone else up for it?

Jason im jealous of your license plate, but your "well qualified to represent the LBC!" Puka bar should definately have a small kine TC event if not its own night, i really dont go there enough, i always seem to migrate towards DTB for obvious reasons.

Go to Tonga Hut while Hiphipahula is bartending. Order anything she writes on the board, especially the Hipaliscious or Mugcracker, and you won't be disappointed.

tiki night at Tradr Vics in Downtown is on thurs. now.

so you could do one at Puka Bar, on tues...

but unless there is a band playing I wanna see on a fri. or sat.
I really wouldn't travel over that way mid week.
no offense.
:wink:

Jeff(btd)

On 2009-10-29 08:02, Mongoloid wrote:
Jason im jealous of your license plate, but your "well qualified to represent the LBC!" Puka bar should definately have a small kine TC event if not its own night, i really dont go there enough, i always seem to migrate towards DTB for obvious reasons.

Yeah I agree about a small event to "test the waters"...besides the area is a little too scary to have a weekly night. Would be nice to see maybe an art show similar to the ones at the Tonga Hut. I had been looking into having a Tiki art show in Long Beach sometime next year (after the wedding of course)...I had talked to a gallery owner about having it, but maybe the Puka Bar wouldn't be a bad way to go either. I definitely want to have some kind of Tiki event in L.B. in the near future though!

On 2009-10-28 20:26, CincyTikiCraig wrote:

On 2009-10-27 14:26, JOHN-O wrote:
Have you guys referenced Critiki or Tiki Road Trip (the book) ?

I see operational Tiki bars for both Colorado and Ohio.

Ohio - http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/destinations.cgi?region_id=6&country_id=1&state_id=13

Colorado - http://www.critiki.com/cgi-bin/destinations.cgi?region_id=6&country_id=1&state_id=15

TRT lists some operational places not mentioned on Critiki.

Unfortunately all of those Ohio listings are home tiki bars and long closed tiki locations.

Sad to say the same thing here in Denver too...

At least we do have a couple of Asian places that do serve cocktails.

On 2009-10-29 10:29, GROG wrote:
Go to Tonga Hut while Hiphipahula is bartending. Order anything she writes on the board, especially the Hipaliscious or Mugcracker, and you won't be disappointed.

News flash and update !! The Tonga Hut might very well be the most perfect Tiki Bar in the entire world from 4:00-8:00pm Thu, Sat, & Sun. Here's why:

1. Old-school Tiki history since 1958. This is 3 years older than Tiki-Ti even !!
2. Classic frozen-in-time Tiki atmosphere. Tikis large and small, black-velvet wahines, lime-green vinyl booths, and actual running fountains. Take away the flat screen (which is already pretty discrete) and you could imagine JFK is in the White House.
3. And the best current reason of all, master mixologist Hiphipahula is behind the bar !!

This was only my 2nd visit since the recent changes of the last few years. Yes, I remember the T.H. from 10 years ago when it was the Tonga Dump. Now it's Tiki Nirvana. The drinks from my visit several months ago were pretty good. I'd rank them about the same as Trader Vic's but not in the same class as Tiki-Ti or the recent drinks I've had at DTBC. This all changed however after sampling a couple of Kelly's superb cocktails.

I told her I like 'em stiff and dry. Based on this she mixed me up her own "Shaka Hula Bossa Nova". This was one divine beverage with 3.5 shots of rum (one of them being 151). The stiffness of the drink was well balanced with a fresh citrus flavor (not overly sweet). I could feel the warm glow of Tiki well-being wash over me as I savored this drink. The only thing I disliked was the Daiquiri glass she served it in. She said the drink was too large for a Collins or Old-fashioned glass (my preferred glassware and no I don't do mugs).

I was going to stop with just one since I wanted to visit another mid-century gem nearby, the Fox Fire Room.

I however heard her describe some other cocktails to a woman sitting nearby. I overheard the words "gin","bourbon", and "bastard". What I asked, you mix the Suffering Bastard based on the original Cairo recipe? Not only did she say yes, she gave me my choice of Bourbon. Nice !! When I mentioned that Tiki-Ti and Trader Vics only use rum for that drink, she replied "Shame on them". In fact Kelly's such a purist she strongly stated that if a Mai Tai isn't mixed from the original TV or DTBC recipe, then it has no business calling itself a Mai Tai. I'd hate to be the customer asking for a splash of pineapple juice.

FYI, she recommended requesting the drinks "grog log" style when she isn't tending the bar. That may very well be the secret password to a higher-level tropical drink experience at the Tonga Hut. The drinks have finally caught up with the Tonga Hut's old-school history and vintage decor. Thanks Kelly !! I plan to be back when you're behind the bar.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-11-09 13:28 ]

On 2009-11-09 13:10, JOHN-O wrote:

News flash and update !! The Tonga Hut might very well be the most perfect Tiki Bar in the entire world from 4:00-8:00pm Thu, Sat, & Sun. Here's why:

I wholeheartedly second that emotion! Gotta love the Tonga Hut!
Cheers Kelly, Jeremy, and Co.!

Did you do the velvets there? If so, they're part of what makes the current decor so spot-on. They fit in so well, it's like they've been hanging there for decades. BEAUTIFUL WORK !!

On 2009-11-10 14:45, JOHN-O wrote:

Did you do the velvets there? If so, they're part of what makes the current decor so spot-on. They fit in so well, it's like they've been hanging there for decades. BEAUTIFUL WORK !!

Mahalo JOHN-O! Yep, those are my velvets. Jeremy, the owner, commissioned them
recently and installed them about a month or so ago. Pretty stoked to have them
in there. Glad you think they fit in so well. I was trying for a vintage look.

Velvets by J. Sallin

[ Edited by: Iokona Ki'i 2009-11-10 19:46 ]

Awesome art I have to say again Jason and what other bar has velvets on the wall! It's worth the trip near or far just to have a look at the amazing art at the Tonga Hut!!!!

just barely made it back from Dons. Rum Barrel and Hot Buttered Rum + Barrel Mug, Swizzle, and Napkins.....us Southern Californians are so lucky to have so many great bars around!

Actually I think we might have too many Tiki places. With the top-notch cocktails at authentic mid-century bars like Tiki-Ti, Tonga Hut, and DTBC (which I wish was named Sam's), it's harder to stretch the dollars to patronize post-60's and Tiki revival places like Bahooka, TV, Purple Orchid, and Puka Bar. Some might argue this is a good problem to have, but I still need to make sure I'm supporting non-Tiki historic gems like the struggling Musso & Frank (and that place ain't cheap).

John O, I agree with you regarding Musso and Frank. I try to go there at least once a week, their regular drinks are reasonably priced and they make them pretty strong. It's a small fee to pay for such a fabulous surrounding.

Too many? Los Angeles? NEVER!!

Yes, I hear ya, John - its a bitch to have to pick and choose how to spend disposable income:

Hobbies
Entertainment
Vacation savings
eBay
Personal
Tiki Oasis
Hukilau
etc

-never mind choosing where to spend an evening of social drinkin' - tiki or not. I "go with the flow" when friends are involved - choosing a bar. Spending time with friends is the focus. The flipside? Through experience I know...where NOT to go as well.

The biggest problem I find is driving some distance to visit a special venue, then driving home buzzed. That factor weighs more than all the others.

Usually I'm content making my own joy at home; I'm middle-aged and occasionally paranoid I suppose - but I make a killer Mai Tai :lol:

Cheers!

On 2009-11-12 09:11, hiltiki wrote:
John O, I agree with you regarding Musso and Frank. I try to go there at least once a week, their regular drinks are reasonably priced and they make them pretty strong. It's a small fee to pay for such a fabulous surrounding.

Actually I pay a higher fee by ordering a steak to go with my gin martinis. The food's good but it is kind of expensive. I agree it's an equitable fee to be enjoying a place steeped in so much LA history. It would be a major tragedy to lose it.

On the same note, Clifton's Cafeteria is also in major trouble. Business is down 30%. TC'ers please try to support this place. If you've never been, you really should check it out.

Here's an earlier Clifton's post that was in Bilge of all places - http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26079&forum=13

Maybe we can start a TC Sunday morning hangover event there. :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-11-12 22:21 ]

On 2009-11-12 09:27, TikiG wrote:

The biggest problem I find is driving some distance to visit a special venue, then driving home buzzed.

Yup, this is definitely the dark side of Tiki culture. I've often wondered how many DUIs have resulted from a place like Tiki-Ti. Those drinks are too easy to suck down and then they hit you like a freight train 15-20 minutes later. I've often thought they do last call at 1:20am to avoid having someone slam down an Uga Booga at 1:50am and then jump into their car.

Hiphipahula, please open up a Tiki Bar in Santa Monica or Venice. I will be a regular and loyal customer. :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-11-13 09:16 ]

On 2009-11-12 22:19, JOHN-O wrote:

Here's an earlier Clifton's post that was in Bilge of all places - http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=26079&forum=13

Maybe we can start a TC Sunday morning hangover event there. :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2009-11-12 22:21 ]

that would be cool, then after head over to the Redwood Bar on 2nd street and see the Hillbilly Brunch show.

Jeff(btd)