Mountain Munchies Tiki Room, Estes Park, CO (restaurant)

Name:Mountain Munchies Tiki Room
Type:restaurant
Street:189 West Riverside Drive
City:Estes Park
State:CO
Zip:80517
country:USA
Phone:(970) 586-4546
Status:operational

Description:
From the website: http://www.enjoyestespark.com/estespark.php?account=225

"Escape from Paradise at Estes Park's only Tiki Bar! Come sit right next to the Big Thompson river and enjoy made to order food, boat drinks made with real fruit juices, and the most laid back atmosphere in Estes. We have the friendliest staff ready to take your order, and lots of Jimmy Buffet Music, live music on Fridays, and Happy Hour drink specials every day from 3-6pm. Food served until midnight seven days a week. Remember at the worlds highest Tiki Bar, YOU ARE NEVER TOO HIGH TO TIKI!"

I don't know anything about this place. I was just in Estes Park last weekend and didn't see it, but I have some friends and family that live there that have all told me about some "tiki place" in Estes, so has anyone else been here that could fill us in? Denver tikiphiles, I'm looking at you.

There is SOMETHING in that description above that kinda worries me. :)

Escape from Paradise at Estes Park's only Tiki Bar!

From?

I was thinking about the Jimmy Buffett music. shudders

We just drove by this place a couple of hours ago, after a really bitchin' snow hike up near Nymph Lake. They aren't open on Sundays, so we couldn't go in and check it out, but, regardless of the carved wooden bear, there are definitely some big tikis around the side of the building. Plus, lots of bamboo fencing and there appear to be some glass floats hanging inside.
Granted, the Buffett comment is suspect, plus I'm sure it's just standard Chinese restaurant drinks... but here in Colorado, we gotta take what we can get.
So, I think we're gonna check it out in a couple of weeks and see what it's like inside.
Report and pics to come.

I've lived in Estes for a while and drive past the Tiki Room almost every day, but I only just set foot inside a couple of weeks ago.

I can confirm that they pipe the SiriusXM Jimmy Buffett station throughout, but you probably can tell that just by looking at the photos.

It's certainly not the dimly lit, atmospheric establishment most TCers probably prefer. More like island beach bar. It's not completely awful--there are a number of tikis--but to me it has the kitschy 70s/80s vibe I imagine helped contribute to tiki culture's decline. Sitting on the patio by the river was nice, though.

Looking at their drink menu was frightening at first, since it's divided into sections dedicated to margaritas, frozen daiquiris, and "boat drinks." I ended up choosing the Captain Courageous (Myer's dark, coconut rum, 151 float [probably Bacardi]), which was surprisingly enjoyable; my sister got the Mountain Mai Tai ("rum, rum and more rum"), which unsurprisingly wasn't.

If I didn't live here and was only visiting Estes for a short period of time, I probably wouldn't seek this place out (and can't decide if I'll go back), but if you're in town for a few days, you might take an hour to check it out, especially if it's a rainy afternoon.

Thank you for the trip report, Hamo. Even though this particular establishment may not be much, I always enjoy hearing about "tiki" places -- especially with photos. Well done!

I drove past today to discover they've acquired a "tiki bus"!

This place is closed, and things looks awful. The hula bear is gone, the outside has been stripped, and the interior is gutted.

Colorado Department of Transportation is planning to change the highway through downtown Estes to a one-way loop, and this is one of the properties in the way.

Hamo,
OOOHhh man!! I am sssoooo bummed to hear this news. I was really hoping to go when I visited my brother this next year.

Thank you for updating the info and with the pictures. So sad.

Maybe Potato can edit the Status? Is that how it works on the Locating Tiki Forum?....update the top post?

[ Edited by: PineappleWhip 2019-11-17 17:23 ]

This pic is from May 2020. The Tiki Room was torn down sometime the month before. Two years later it still looks like this, dirt parking. In the summer it's always packed with cars trying to avoid the paid downtown lots.