USA Today's 10 Best Tiki Bars Around the USA

http://usat.ly/1t8KwWy

What do you think? Does it match YOUR top ten?

How many have you visited? I've only been to four. :(

Actually, not a bad list! I have seen much more misguided attempts. I can subscribe to those I know (7), and most of the ones I don't.

Agreed!

I've been to all 10 on the list & most do, indeed, belong on the list for one reason or many reasons :D , so a MUCH better attempt than met of the published "lists" that have been floating around of late :)

Tiki Tolteca is the only one I take any major exception to - all of the others are solid :)

Funny, I take objection to the Tonga Room - Hale Pele certainly deserves to be on the list. A few others I'm uncertain on given I've never been there nor heard enough of La Mariana Tiki Bar and Restaurant or Sip 'N Dip Mermaid Bar and Tiki Lounge. But then again, its USA Today. They've got the majority at least.

Great comments!

"Sip 'N Dip Mermaid Bar" and "Tiki Tolteca" struck me as being the weakest entries. I've visited neither though so maybe I'm unqualified to judge. The Mermaid Bar has certainly been prominent in recent issues of "Tiki Magazine and More".

Just like kkocka I thought of Hale Pele and I also wondered about the inclusion of not a single Trader Vic's.

I went to Tiki Tolteca in October and I find it hard to rank with the likes of Forbidden Island, Smuggler's, and Frankie's. Drinks = fine. Decor = very good. Modern music BLARING = poke my eyes out with a handful of swizzles!

Maybe it was me, but I didn't get nearly the kind of "tilt" vibe I need to overcome a disruptive factor like the environment in which I imbibe. It can certainly be done, and in some cases, even work for the tiki joint (see someone this list), but in Tiki Tolteca's case, I was pretty disappointed. Made me wish even more so that Berry's place at the Bienville had already opened. but maybe I just needed a few more drinks. :wink:

Maybe it's time for me to re-visit the Tonga Room. Is it true they have improved their mixology? I have been a few times, but not since 2010. The decor itself is unique and definitely worth experiencing once- not to mention the beautifully historic Fairmont- but the vibe was tainted by the overall noise level and so-so food and drinks. But when faced with a choice of "Smuggler's Cove" or "Tonga Room" it's just been too hard NOT to pick Smuggler's the last couple of years.

Cheers!
:drink:

When given the choice of Smuggler's Cove OR Tonga Room, always choose Smuggler's Cove. But Tonga Room has definitely improved the drink quality in the past year or so. They hired a new F&B guy that has completely revamped the cocktail list and ingredients. Gone are the "Finest Call" bottles that used to line the back bar. They even include on their menu a recipe from Martin Cate. As for the food, the happy hour buffet fare remains the same, but my most recent actual dinner there was definitely much better than my only other dinner experience several years ago. I vote for giving it another try for dinner, then leave before the band starts (you'll thank me for that), then head to Smuggler's Cove for the best service, variety, and quality, oh ... and the rum!

*On 2014-11-26 07:40, JenTiki wrote:*Gone are the "Finest Call" bottles that used to line the back bar.

So its not like this abomination then?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VniSESFF9Cs#t=328

On 2014-11-26 10:38, kkocka wrote:
So its not like this abomination then?

Yeah. Wow. Rose's lime juice. I only hope Jeff Berry doesn't click on that link. That will ruin his day.

I feel I need to interject here though in defense of the Tonga Room. Smuggler's Cove and the Tonga Room are both at home on the list, but for different reasons. Comparing them head-to-head isn't really profitable because they are two very different things.

Smuggler's Cove is a newer bar (bar only) and, yes, its cocktail variety and quality are absolutely top notch. Hands down. No question. It is also, however; small, crowded, stuffy, and NOISY!!!

The Tonga Room is more like a time-travel experience to the mid-century tiki heyday because it is a rare survivor from then. The history aspect of it alone should give it a lot of points from us TC'ers. It is an enormous, elegant, full-service restaurant with over-the-top décor. There is a big lagoon INSIDE THE RESTAURANT, where is rains every hour or so INSIDE THE RESTAURANT! It's hard not to smile at it. True enough, neither the cocktails nor the food have been top notch when I've been, but hopefully they are improving that now and, in any case, it's only part of the experience.

I think the rainstorms are the only things that have made the Tonga Room worth noting for a long time. Unfortunately, Jeff Berry already knows of the drinks at least of the quality in that video - he mentions it in Remixed that the drinks are so far gone from the originals to not try anything unless you're already so wasted. :wink:

On 2014-11-26 11:44, kenbo-jitsu wrote:

On 2014-11-26 10:38, kkocka wrote:
So its not like this abomination then?

The Tonga Room is more like a time-travel experience to the mid-century tiki heyday because it is a rare survivor from then. The history aspect of it alone should give it a lot of points from us TC'ers. It is an enormous, elegant, full-service restaurant with over-the-top décor. There is a big lagoon INSIDE THE RESTAURANT, where is rains every hour or so INSIDE THE RESTAURANT! It's hard not to smile at it. True enough, neither the cocktails nor the food have been top notch when I've been, but hopefully they are improving that now and, in any case, it's only part of the experience.

YES! the Tonga Room is all about the history, Great food & drinks is always nice, but this is not the constant
in so many Tiki Bars on the list or even the non listed ones, but to be honest if I want a top notch cocktail
I usually have to find it elsewhere, I go to a Tiki Bar for the atmosphere/escapism/history first & foremost.

First and Second on de list design and build by Bamboo Ben. YES! :wink:

Indeed Ben, well-deserved!

But I am again baffled at the snobbery of those members of the craft cocktail generation that think "Tiki" is a just cocktail genre, and that any place that does not use a grocery shelf full of fresh spices does not deserve the term "Tiki".

Granted, the current craft cocktail movement has, thanks to Jeff Berry's contributions, done much to revive the appreciation of American Tiki culture. But Tiki is so much more than just rum mixology: It's a pervasive art genre that was (and is) expressed in a myriad of forms and concepts - and the Tonga Room is one of the best surviving original examples of it. This place has been around since way before any of the new kids could spell "Falernum", and it has inspired a generation of urban archeologists to seek other lost Tiki temples of its kind.

The Kahiki was one of them, and when I got to visit it and witness its grandeur, the drinks were sweet and red, and certainly not up to par to what we know today. So, would it not make the list, then?

I blame the Hipsters!

I'd rather pay money to (eat and) drink something delicious and well made than be in a fantasy land and be served junk. Now my ideal tiki bar has both - maybe one is more successful than the other, but in my eyes they better be pretty level in quality. You can't tell me you'd be cool with the so called Mai Tai in the video above just because there's an indoor pool and it rains occasionally. That's like getting a McDonald's burger when you're tipping a waiter. Most the photos I've seen of the Tonga Room have DJ's in the middle. So tiki! :P

On 2014-11-27 20:57, kkocka wrote:
I'd rather pay money to (eat and) drink something delicious and well made than be in a fantasy land and be served junk. Now my ideal tiki bar has both - maybe one is more successful than the other, but in my eyes they better be pretty level in quality. You can't tell me you'd be cool with the so called Mai Tai in the video above just because there's an indoor pool and it rains occasionally. That's like getting a McDonald's burger when you're tipping a waiter. Most the photos I've seen of the Tonga Room have DJ's in the middle. So tiki! :P

Hmm... To me urban archeology and "ancestor worship" are the true hearts of the Tiki Revival. I always like to go back to the Bigbro's forewords in "Tiki Road Trip"..."...Humility in the face of the rare few remaining Tiki temples is good attitude. Do not expect epicurean sensations, and if you want friendly family service, go to IHOP. This is urban archeology, and if the carpet is stained and the blowfish lamps are mummified from 40 years of nicotine, appreciate the place as if was King Tut's tomb; it is not supposed to be Starbucks."

:)

I've been to 7 of the 10 on the list and my #1 favorite Tiki bar didn't even make the cut. The Hala Kahiki (outside of Chicago, not to be confused with the defunct Kahiki in Ohio) was the most sublime Tiki time travel that I've experienced to date. The drinks were far from craft but I would've been happy just sipping club soda in that place.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2014-11-27 22:10 ]

On 2014-11-27 10:38, bigbrotiki wrote:

But I am again baffled at the snobbery of those members of the craft cocktail generation that think "Tiki" is a just cocktail genre, and that any place that does not use a grocery shelf full of fresh spices does not deserve the term "Tiki".

Is tiki not a genre/subset of cocktails? Just like a sour, highball, etc... One may say it is a way of life, but by saying that it would mean that a shot of jack poured in a biker bar is inherently different from that same shot pulled in a TGI Fridays.

Though, fresh spices (regardless of the use) should always be used since they lose flavor so fast. At the same time, they most likely did not use the freshest possible items for their products in the 50's onward since the concept wasn't accepted until more recent years.

All due respect Wiz, but no.

Is there a place for "tiki" history and reverence for places like The Tonga Room. Absolutely.
Is the Tonga Room currently one of the 10 best "tiki" bars in the USA? It's debatable; I suppose it seems to vary upon what each of us value most in a "best" tiki bar qualification.

Would Bahooka be a contender for this list if still around?

Cheers!
:drink:

So its not like this abomination then?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VniSESFF9Cs#t=328

Fortunately, no, that is not the mai tai they are currently serving. To start with, the one in the video is non-alcoholic {shiver}. But the mai tai they're serving now is closer to the Trader Vic's recipe. Fresh lime juice, no pineapple juice, and I don't recall any black rum in it either. That video was likely shot before the recent revamp. I've been a fan of the Tonga Room since my parents first took me there in the '70s, but for most of the past 10 years I would tell visitors to "definitely check it out for decor and atmosphere, but you might want to order a beer." Now I feel comfortable recommending they drink a cocktail in that wonderful room. (Although I still recommend leaving before the band starts.)

But I am again baffled at the snobbery of those members of the craft cocktail generation that think "Tiki" is a just cocktail genre, and that any place that does not use a grocery shelf full of fresh spices does not deserve the term "Tiki".

I agree. However, a bad drink can certainly color my experience of an otherwise great tiki bar. For instance, the history and decor at Trad'r Sam's on Geary in San Francisco are pretty cool with the bamboo framed booths and all, but the blended daiquiris with whipped cream on top kinda kill the vibe for me. Whereas a great drink can only enhance what is already there, and make some shortcomings tolerable.

Smuggler's Cove ... is also, however; small, crowded, stuffy, and NOISY!!!

Sure, if you go on a Friday or Saturday night. Any bar in San Francisco will be crowded and noisy on weekends, but if you hit "The Cove" early in the week, say Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday, you'll find it much less crowded and with tolerable noise levels. Other nights, like Thursdays and Sundays are great if you get there early in the evening before the party crowd shows up. A good gauge is whether or not there is a line at the door. If there's a line, it will be crowded, noisy, and stuffy. If there's not, then it's likely that all is good inside. That's why the line is there, to try to keep it comfortable for those inside.

My biggest gripe with the list is the omission of any Trader Vic's, especially the one in Emeryville. It's a classic. It's the standard. The food and drinks may not be great, but they're pretty darned good. And if not for Trader Vic's, would any of the others on the list even exist? Maybe, but maybe not.

On 2014-11-27 23:47, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
All due respect Wiz, but no.

If tiki cocktails are not a subset/genre of cocktails then what are they? Is there some other category that combines spirits, ice and mixers for the purpose of drinking?

Your statement above is correct but just as "Tiki cocktails" (Tropical cocktails really as most of the classics preceded the Tiki era by 2 decades) are a subset of mixology, Tiki cocktails are a subset of "Tiki". Check out some of the other categories on TC, only one of them is focused on the mixology.

Considering this was a discussion about cocktails and the direct comment it was in response to was about cocktails, I would hope it was inferred that it was about cocktails...

Again it depends on where your interests lie and what your criteria for "best" is. Personally if I was in a city for one day and had to choose between visiting a Tiki Revival craft cocktail bar and a vintage de-volved Tiki dive, I'll take the latter in a heartbeat. IMHO, that's what distinguishes true Tikiphiles from "drink snobs". :)

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2014-11-28 11:16 ]

Was this list about places that serve the best Tiki cocktails or was it about the best Tiki bars? I've had great Tiki cocktails in places all over the country from Descarga in LA to Top of the Monk in Ashville NC. Izakaya a hipster Whiskey bar in Eugene Oregon makes a respectful (if small) painkiller.

From my humble perspective, if you are only judging a bar on it's mixology than it doesn't have to be Tiki bar to get a good Tiki drink.

Someone brought up the Bahooka earlier on this thread. The first Tiki bar I ever went to was Tiki Ti and as everyone knows the place is steeped in history and the drinks are outstanding - having said that it wasn't until I went to the Bahooka that I really got enamored with Tiki as a fully immersive experience and got inspired to build a lounge in my own house. My first visit to Bahooka led to finding Oceanic arts, the Tonga Hut, the ITMP and ultimately this forum. Anyone who ever had the pleasure of going to the Bahooka knows the drinks were FAR from craft and the food... I won't even get started, but it was the experience of being in a fully immersive environment, a living diorama that took you into another state of mind. True escapism tied to a very specific artistic/historical aesthetic. I've been lucky enough to go to Smugglers cove and Forbidden Island, but the Tonga room has such history it very much deserves to be on this list regardless of the drink quality. I would never consider the Mai Tai's at Damons "real" Mai Tai's but I still go there because the place feels so good. As much as I enjoy the drinks, it's the history and the adherence to the artistic aesthetic that drew me in to this whole wonderful thing in the first place

The Kahiki food and drinks were not good at the end for sure.
But the best and worst drink came from my favorite bartender at the Kahiki.
Worst because it had so much booze in it I could not drive home after drinking them,
and best because it was so much fun to sit and watch and participate in the mayhem that
went on when he was there.
The best drink came from Jim, but I would much rather have a bad drink from Skip.
So for me when I go to any bar restaurant what I want is a good time and the bartender is key
in this area.

The Navy grog mix at the Kahiki could be at times one year old as they only made it once, maybe twice a year.

I hate the term craft cocktail, just means you will pay too much for your drink made by a "mixologists"
(Read guy who was selling carpet last week)
There are some true mixologists like Jeff Berry, but the term is used way too much just like "chef" is.
But the "craft cocktail" places are most times so stuffy and so busy patting themselves on the back
that they don't have time for pesky customers.

So for me keep it fun, and if you get good food and a good drink at a price that won't break you,
I'm good.

Wiz, John-O did a good job of clarifying my disagreement of your remarks
as the article refers to the "Best Tiki Bars" and not the best drinks.

In a perfect world we would have both, but in reality if you walked into any classic Tiki Bar in the 1950s
the drinks would not be near to today's cocktail standards, and while I always appreciate a great cocktail
this is not why I am interested in the Tiki Revival, it really is all about the history, vintage aspect
of returning to an earlier time, when bars were much cooler.

I concur with SoCal Savage's take on what constitutes a good Tiki Bar, which is in line with what I have already said.
The Bahooka was a magical place that served atrocious cocktails & food, But we jumped on every opportunity to go.

My point was that the Kahiki was a great tiki bar in spite of
the ok food and drinks.
And that Skip Davis was a big part of that greatness.
I think as many people went to Kahiki to see Skip Davis as those who went to
see the Kahiki.

On 2014-11-28 16:29, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Wiz, John-O did a good job of clarifying my disagreement of your remarks
as the article refers to the "Best Tiki Bars" and not the best drinks.

Considering it is about drinking establishments, I would hope that everyone present would consider what they serve to be paramount. Otherwise it would just be a discussion on "Best tiki looking buildings". If a cocktail bar's cocktails are considered almost irrelevant to a discussion on bars then that is weird. At the same time, people do go to hooters... they don't like the food and the drinks are not the main topic. :D

On 2014-11-28 11:10, JOHN-O wrote:
Again it depends on where your interests lie and what your criteria for "best" is. Personally if I was in a city for one day and had to choose between visiting a Tiki Revival craft cocktail bar and a vintage de-volved Tiki dive, I'll take the latter in a heartbeat. IMHO, that's what distinguishes true Tikiphiles from "drink snobs". :)

I'd go for at least one in each :wink:

When in London I always try & make time for one in Trader Vics for the atmosphere - even thought its out of the way & the drinks aren't always that good, it has a great interior.

On 2014-11-29 09:50, wizzard419 wrote:

On 2014-11-28 16:29, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
Wiz, John-O did a good job of clarifying my disagreement of your remarks
as the article refers to the "Best Tiki Bars" and not the best drinks.

Considering it is about drinking establishments, I would hope that everyone present would consider what they serve to be paramount. Otherwise it would just be a discussion on "Best tiki looking buildings". If a cocktail bar's cocktails are considered almost irrelevant to a discussion on bars then that is weird. At the same time, people do go to hooters... they don't like the food and the drinks are not the main topic. :D

Oh no, you didn't! :lol:

I sure hope that 50 years from now, we don't get a "Hooter's Revival"
but you are missing the point of why many of us are into Tiki in the first place
and it is all about the history, invoking a time long passed or recreating it.

That said, we all like excellent cocktails, but I will take a vintage mid century dive bar
full of geriatric drunks as long as it had some classic atmosphere & decor
over the Hipster Bar that has the best cocktails in town, every time!

To be completely honest, we get far better cocktails made in our home bars anyway.

GROG like the chicken breast sandwich at Hooters, but then again, you'd expect good breast at Hooters. It's not very Tiki, though, so GROG not surprised it didn't make the list.

On 2014-11-29 13:35, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:

Oh no, you didn't! :lol:

I sure hope that 50 years from now, we don't get a "Hooter's Revival"
but you are missing the point of why many of us are into Tiki in the first place
and it is all about the history, invoking a time long passed or recreating it.

That said, we all like excellent cocktails, but I will take a vintage mid century dive bar
full of geriatric drunks as long as it had some classic atmosphere & decor
over the Hipster Bar that has the best cocktails in town, every time!

To be completely honest, we get far better cocktails made in our home bars anyway.

You know I did!

It actually would be called a "Brestaurant" Revival(that is the term brought about by their competitor "Twin Peaks").

I'm not missing the point of there being other aspects to tiki, but when the entire conversation and article is on the bars it drives home the subject of the cocktail. If the actual drinks are less relevant to the bar then it would explain the demise as well. If people only went for the décor when it was trendy, then that means the newcomers will likely not be able to carve out a place and vanish as swiftly as they appeared.

There is also nothing wrong with taking pride in the drinks, after all we have an entire section devoted to it. At the same time, the overreliance on premix/bottled stuff from the 50's until the 80's/90's probably did not help the longevity either. One secret that older establishments have is the avoidance of those products.

Of course a good bartender is always appreciated, where ever you go
I can't argue that point.

La Mariana is the real deal

I can only personally attest to the Mai-Kai but that means my bucket list has a lot to look forward to!!
Here are the ten on the list in case you don't remember:

Forbidden Island - Alameda, Calif.

Frankie's Tiki Room - Las Vegas, Nev.

La Mariana Tiki Bar and Restaurant - Honolulu, Hawaii

Mai-Kai - Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Sip 'N Dip Mermaid Bar and Tiki Lounge - Great Falls, Mont.

Smuggler's Cove - San Francisco, Calif.

Three Dots and a Dash - Chicago, Ill.

Tiki Ti - Los Angeles, Calif.

Tiki Tolteca - New Orleans, La.

Tonga Room & Hurricane Bar - San Francisco, Calif.

When you drop the ten best caption and and go with their "old-school hangouts.. kooky institutions and new-wave tiki bars" the list makes more sense. Though the Sip and Dip looks really cool, I've got to go there someday, it's not really a tiki bar but it is a kooky institution. La Mariana's drinks aren't the best I've had but not only is it an old-school hangout but it's collected other vintage tiki bars decor and anytime I'm in honolulu I go there. Drinks? I love a well made drink, feel it's essential to a well rounded tiki bar but when I'm in Portland I'll hit Hale Pele for great drinks (decor also old school and revival), Trader Vics for decor, food and decent drinks (Honi Honi please), and though the food isn't that good and the drinks still need help The Alibi, its old school tiki charm just can't be missed. But if their drinks measured up I'd move in when I'm there. I'll pay for more drinks where they're made well eat more and hangout longer, bad drinks in a vintage joint are just the "admission" fee, have one, savor the view, and done.

aloha, tikicoma
p.s. this makes me think that the people who write the articles still don't get to write the headlines.

[ Edited by: tikicoma 2014-11-30 21:18 ]

John-O & Sven - I couldn't agree more.

I will drive hours for atmosphere... nice drinks just require having the proper ingredients and knowing how to mix them.

I LOVE good cocktails, I really do... but there's a level of pretentiousness with a lot of new "craft" cocktail bars that I find to be
a major turn off. I'm happy to shell out $12 to $15 for a well made drink, but there's gotta be good atmosphere to back it up, and with the exception of places
like Smuggler's Cove... there is usually minimal, if any, atmosphere to be had at most modern trendy craft cocktail places (or what COULD be there is ruined
with crappy music or over filling the place.)

The fact that a place like Hala Kahiki would be left off of any Tiki "best of" list (let alone the fact that either Trader Vic's Emeryville or Atlanta are missing here) while Three Dots & a Dash seems to make the cut on almost ALL of them is something I find somewhat appalling. The vibe at 3 Dots is pseudo-kinda-vaguely-tiki but is mostly douchey, trendy club atmosphere 90% of the time, and when it's not hip hop DJ time, it has a new, almost personality-less chain restaurant feel to it. Their drinks are absolutely fantastic - there's no arguing that, and the presentation of their drinks is outstanding, bordering on fairy tale-esque. They have cool ephemera with the coasters and swizzles and mugs... but outside of that, it' has WAY more in common with any number of other somewhat character-less modern craft cocktail bars, than it does a vintage Tiki bar. Yes, they carve bananas into dolphins to put in one of their drinks, but did any classic-era Tiki bar ever spend the time or resources to do that? Probably not. I get the feeling the people behind 3 Dots read all of the Bum's excellent books, saw the elaborate garnishes in the also-excellent photography in said books and thought "let's do that." There was no plan of "authenticity" behind it - it was sort of the modern interpretation of what Tiki bars may or may not have ever been. But what IS "authenticity" anyway, when we're talking about Tiki? It means different things to different people.

Hala Kahiki is an amazing step back in time, and much like the Tonga Room (which was an fantastic experience when we were there last... my only complaint, truly, was the band... ouch...what a waste of a floating stage; they DID make us leave, ultimately) they are really trying to improve their drink menu, and are working on updating things while keeping the history in tact and their regulars happy. We go to Hala Kahiki as often as possible, usually about once a week, which is about an hour and a half round-trip from where we are on the north side of the city. The drinks not being "craft" doesn't really matter; I can do that at home, and really... anyone can with enough patience, cash, and willingness to learn. You go to Hala Kahiki because it's great, and for the history and the feeling of the place. Same can be said of Chef Shangri-La, which I also love dearly.

The classic Tiki temples that are left from the original era are to be cherished... we still get to have those for the time being, and should enjoy them for their quirky personalities as much as anything else. In line with Tikiskip's memories of the Kahiki... the experience of Tiki is about your bartender, your environment, and the memories and stories you walk away with... it's a package deal. A lot of new places, Tiki or not, seem to forget that it doesn't stop with good service and excellent, meticulously researched food and drinks. There has to be a personality behind the whole thing. Starbucks or Ruby Tuesday's might have good customer service or consistent product, but nobody leaves those places thinking "wow! I gotta come back because that was a great time!"

The experience and the personality of a place is the reason I love old Wisconsin supper clubs and classic places here in Chicago like the Green Mill, the Chicago Brauhaus
or the Italian Village, not to mention countless classic old hole-in-the-wall dive bars that are becoming fewer and further between. You go for the experience, the atmosphere, and the environment... I loved Flo's Algiers Lounge on West Montrose for the Elvis impersonator, Flo's dirty jokes, the bowls of cheese curls on the tables, the stories from the regulars... but you'd have an Old Style and a shot or two of Jim Beam and just take the place in. I love the classic examples of the Tiki for this same reason. Violet Hour, Scofflaw, or Barrelhouse Flat, all here in Chicago, might have great craft cocktails and win awards, but you aren't gonna walk away with any stories. Obviously there are exceptions to the rules, but with most modern craft cocktail bars, it always feels overly market-researched and just a bit too safe. Some old joints, walking in off the streets as an "urban archaeologist," there's a sense of adventure there... hell, sometimes maybe you go because you KNOW the drinks aren't gonna be fancy, but you know you're gonna come away with an experience and a story to tell. Obviously, this is just my two cents on the topic. It's a personal preference what you expect from your dollars spent.

On a slightly different note, my problem with a lot of these recent "best Tiki Bar" lists is that (a.) Tiki seems to be incredibly trendy with the cocktail set these days, and only the trendiest bars get the press (in a lot of cases) and "trendy" absolutely does not directly correlate to "good" amongst those of us who have already been converted to the ways of classic Tiki, and (b.) most of these lists seem to fall victim to lazy journalism and just cobble together their lists from other "best of" lists, whose research may or may not have also been originally based entirely in Google.

I am suspicious in that the same places seem to come up again and again on these "Best of" lists, while a lot of new Tiki bars doing it right with both drinks/food AND atmosphere rarely seem to crop up. The Grass Skirt, Porco's Lounge, Hale Pele, Kona Club, Tonga Hut Palm Springs, let alone classic survivors like Don's/Sam's Seafood and the original Tonga Hut... or take a place like the Foundation in Milwaukee, one of my absolute favorite bars on the planet, Tiki or otherwise. They ARE serving craft cocktails - homemade syrups, spice mixes, fresh mint, etc etc, but they just truly do what they do and it's the least pretentious bar you could imagine. It feels good to be there... we don't even live in Milwaukee and the bartenders always know our drinks. The drinks are always fantastic, the music is right, it's dark, well decorated with plenty of flotsam and jetsam and interesting light fixtures. It's certainly the only Tiki bar I've ever been to where you can sip a perfectly crafted Don the Beachcomber Zombie while eating deviled eggs someone brought in and discussing the virtues of the Halloween novelty song with the bartender. It doesn't have to be just about "drinks" OR just about "atmosphere..." it CAN be both. And yet many places that are and have been DOING both seem to get skipped over for places that have already been written about over and over again, some of which have barely been open long enough to truly stand the test of time.

At the end of the day, I guess I take these list things with a grain of salt, and try to keep in mind that they're making these lists for people who don't have 200 Tiki mugs or a Witco room in their house... it's "news" filler. I just wish more of the people charged with writing them would actually do their due diligence in terms of research.

It IS an interesting debate, though, (cocktails vs. atmosphere vs. both) because less than 10 years ago, there were VERY few places doing the drinks part right, period. The hipster craft cocktail scene kinda only got on the bandwagon a couple years ago. So I guess we should be glad we now have the opportunity to even have this discussion!

--Pete

Right on, Pete! Thank you for taking the time to write such a heartfelt, well-informed, yet self-reflective ode to the classic urban watering hole!

Having had the privilege of accompanying Pete Moruzzi on his road trips for his books "Havana Before Castro" and "Classic Dining" http://www.amazon.com/Classic-Dining-Discovering-Mid-Century-Restaurants/dp/1423607406
,I greatly regret to have missed out on some of Chicago's classic dives and eateries because they did not fit his "fine dining" requirements.

But I commend you on getting the spirit of urban archeology, the sense of adventure as opposed to the consumerist "I deserve my craft cocktail here now!" notion. And I want to highlight your musings with some quotes that I feel that I, and others here like John-O, Tikicoma, and DustyCajun can subscribe to:

" The vibe at 3 Dots is pseudo-kinda-vaguely-tiki but is mostly douchey, trendy club atmosphere 90% of the time, and when it's not hip hop DJ time, it has a new, almost personality-less chain restaurant feel to it. Their drinks are absolutely fantastic - there's no arguing that, and the presentation of their drinks is outstanding, bordering on fairy tale-esque. They have cool ephemera with the coasters and swizzles and mugs... but outside of that, it' has WAY more in common with any number of other somewhat character-less modern craft cocktail bars, than it does a vintage Tiki bar."

That is because that is ALL they know: The Beachbum Berry books. And none of mine that show all that Tiki can be. Believe me, this is not a jealousy thing. Me and the bum are blood brothers for life, and I am truly happy for all his successes. I just think it is a crying shame that so many people nowadays do not know Tiki beyond the rim of their Fogcutter glass. Great cocktails are GREAT - but they are just ONE facet of the Tiki experience!

"We go to Hala Kahiki as often as possible, usually about once a week, which is about an hour and a half round-trip from where we are on the north side of the city. The drinks not being "craft" doesn't really matter; I can do that at home, and really... anyone can with enough patience, cash, and willingness to learn. You go to Hala Kahiki because it's great, and for the history and the feeling of the place. Same can be said of Chef Shangri-La, which I also love dearly. "

The Hala Kahiki ! - Off course, what a PERFECT example of classic Tiki! And where is it on on any of those lists? NOT THERE because as you rightly observe:

"Most of these lists seem to fall victim to lazy journalism and just cobble together their lists from other "best of" lists, whose research may or may not have also been originally based entirely in Google…... I am suspicious in that the same places seem to come up again and again on these "Best of" lists, while a lot of new Tiki bars doing it right with both drinks/food AND atmosphere rarely seem to crop up."

Internet journalism is not paid well, and thus is based more than before purely on Internet info, and not on personal experience.

I agree. Wonderful post, Ragbag Comics. I’ve known of Hala Kahiki and Chef Shangri-La previously, but now I’m putting them on my “be sure to visit” list for next time I make it to Chicago – whenever that should be.

I normally loath all the “Top Ten” baloney filling the news media this time of year (the week between Christmas and New Year being when it will really hit high-gear), but this has been an interesting discussion. Thank you, everyone, for your posts.

Anyone else want to weigh-in on USA Today’s list? Tell us how many of the places you’ve visited.

On 2014-11-30 22:47, Ragbag Comics wrote:
I will drive hours for atmosphere... nice drinks just require having the proper ingredients and knowing how to mix them.

The problem is, your average run-of-the-mill bar doesn't do that. Even those with a so called "cocktail menu" will list their mai tai with pineapple and grenadine.

See now Three Dots & a Dash is the flip side of the Kahiki.
Great drinks, good food but so so on the tiki factor.
So to me it's a great place when we have been, (twice) it has always been fun but then
we do go early so maybe that's the difference and we have not seen the douchey trendy thing.
Will say that we had a great bartender the first time we went named Ted but I think he is
gone now.

The best is the Mai Kai and Hale Kahiki as they have that maze thing going on, plus the décor
is old school cool.
Tiki Ti is great even though it's as big as the Kahiki coat room because of the great vibe from the
people and the great drinks and décor.
For Tiki Ti to be as high ranked as it is nation wide is a hard thing to do as small as it is.

Have been to one place that goes the other way of trendy douche and opt for low brow douche thing.
These are businesses first and not some way to get your personal views across.
But then if these places want to go that way and have so much business that they can drive folks away
this is their choice.

Both trendy douche and low brow douche are a dead tie for last place in my book.

[ Edited by: tikiskip 2014-12-02 11:38 ]

On 2014-12-02 11:00, kkocka wrote:

On 2014-11-30 22:47, Ragbag Comics wrote:
I will drive hours for atmosphere... nice drinks just require having the proper ingredients and knowing how to mix them.

The problem is, your average run-of-the-mill bar doesn't do that. Even those with a so called "cocktail menu" will list their mai tai with pineapple and grenadine.

Here's a list of "Tiki bars" where the sole focus is on mixology...

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/live-the-luau-life-top-c1407378665725.html

I agree, the list is not for most of us that are passionate about the history of Tiki bars. If we could create a list that considered all factors but put more weight on the factors that are more important.
Perhaps to simplify we could not consider anything already gone, that could be another list all on its own

I would have put Trader Vic's in Emeryville down on that list if Forbidden Island made it.

I've been to most the bars on this list and Smuggler's Cove and Tiki Ti could make a top ten list for cocktails alone

I would have also thrown in The Beachcomber if the re was an 11th spot.

-Longboard

On 2014-12-02 14:10, Longboard wrote:
I would have put Trader Vic's in Emeryville down on that list if Forbidden Island made it.

I would have also thrown in The Beachcomber if the re was an 11th spot.

-Longboard

I second that. Trader Vic's Emeryville and Don the Beachcomber Surfside qualify for that list for all of the reasons discussed above.

DC

On 2014-12-02 11:44, JOHN-O wrote:

Here's a list of "Tiki bars" where the sole focus is on mixology...

https://www.yahoo.com/travel/live-the-luau-life-top-c1407378665725.html

A perfect example of the cocktail-centric understanding of "Tiki" that I am talking about: 4 out of 7 on this list simply are NOT Tiki bars. The person who compiled this list simply does not know what Tiki is.

Does Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar deserve a mention?
Lots of Tiki, very good drinks and food and the vibe is always good. The bartenders are also a big part of the show. Not a classic from the 60's but always a good time.