Tampa & St Pete Tiki

Am in Tampa area looking for Tiki spots; I have seen uninspiring photos of Bahi Hut Lounge in Sarasota on Critiki, and want to know if the Outrigger Inn in St Pete is worth visiting. Anyone been there?

Any other Tiki joints to visit in Tampa area?

No one is allowed to mention Shephards (sic) Hotel's Tiki Bar on Clearwater Beach. It is not remotely Tiki inspired, and the Tiki police might consider making an arrest for false advertising of Tiki-ness.

I don't know of any Tiki spots around here. We checked out Shepard's too - the Tiki Police should be notified. There is not a single tiki item in the bar or even in the gift shop.

There is a old run-down motel called Tahitian Resort in Holiday on US 19. They have a tiki lounge with a few cool furnishings.

20 years 2 late ... tiki had it's run in these parts !!!!!!

True, I was around back then but I didn't realize how cool it was.

I used to live about 5 miles from the Outrigger when I was about 7 years old. My folks used to take us there for the Polynesian Show all the time. Ah the memories! =(

Since
you mentioned the Bahi Hut in Sorrysota, I will give you some insight if you want to make the drive down. It's a small dive bar that is infamous for it's potent Mai Tai's. It's a bit seedy at times but draws an eclectic crowd of seasoned old drunks and local art college students with a fair share of enigmatic characters popping in. The place has not changed much in the thirty years I have known it. It's "Tiki-ness" I would rate at about 5-ish. It's somewhat of a local right of passage and most of the people I grew up with in the area have their "Bahia Hut Story" That sadly seems to share the same final result of porcelain worshipping. There are other places to see in SRQ as well and I would suggest a pub crawl that would also include Oleary's Tiki bar at Marina Jacks and the Sneaky Tiki on South Siesta. I have been meaning to post a thread on our local scene with some pics but life keeps getting in the way.

[ Edited by: Bohemiann 2009-02-22 09:04 ]

On 2007-12-29 19:04, UrlScheib wrote:
There is a old run-down motel called Tahitian Resort in Holiday on US 19. They have a tiki lounge with a few cool furnishings.

Is this still around, anybody know? Has "authentic tiki feel" according to someone who posted to Tripadvisor.

I think the Polynesian Putter in St Pete Beach is still there. Ditto for the Porpoise Pub with its one hidden tiki in the underbrush and the neighboring tiki bookstore. But the very name "Treasure Island" evokes images of wrecking balls and gross, brand-new condos.

Anything else left in the area anymore?

tampa used to have "hiwaiian village" a resort that had volcanos and large tiki every where and a luau once a month, but that was a loooonnnngg time ago. more recently we had a kahunaville in the internationasl mall that was very cool and tiki but like all tiki in floriduh, it dissappeared. there is a place on south dale mabry called the tahian inn that has a tiki bar i am told but i have not been there.

There is nothing really Tiki in the area. There is a Green Iguana on Anderson Road just off Veterans Expwy. It has a huge thatched roof bar area where they play live music. The have some large Tikis that is part of a Bacardi display, but overall it is more Jimmy Buffet than Tiki. The bar makes the standard drinks and wouldn't know how to make a decent Mai Tai. In the ST. Pete area there is a store called Hula Hula which normally has Florida Vintage items and some Tiki things. In fact they have a bar on display from the 2003? Hukilau. That is why I had to build my own Tiki lounge on my lanai. I think a big cement Tiki from Tiki Gardens is now part of a minature golf in Indian Rocks Beach. I am sure there are some older apartments with some surviving architecture that I should locate. At least I am only a 3.5 hour drive or 45 min cheap Southwest flight to Fort Lauderdale and the Mai Kai.

[ Edited by: Tonga Tiki 2008-11-01 17:35 ]

I dont know if this place was posted in another part of the forum but it does fit here. i live in the sarasota-bradenton area and anything tiki (with actual tikis) is rare in these parts. florida just isn't Southern California but we try. was up at johns pass in st pete during our recent winter snap and saw this place hidden behind Bubba Gumps restaurant. Its called "The Hut" and its more of a tourist kind of place but still looks like a nice place to over pay for your drinks. i believe i have been there and must have had a good time since i don't remember being there. my wife said we had a drink or two once.........must have been good! lots of nice things to walk around and see near by for the outta towners. lots of shops.

Bohemiann described it perfect in regards to the sarasota bahi hut.......I also use to practically live at the Bahi hut in sarasota in my younger days..........good place TO DRINK but not for anything tiki. might have forgot being there too a few times after having there famous (mess you up) mai tai's.

these images are not great but they give you an idea:

oh well thats my two scents.....