Golden Tiki, Las Vegas, NV (bar)

Nice to see that Golden Tiki is really interested in everyone's input here. Thanks Branden. Ventiki in Ventura went through a very similar opening. Hostess was so drunk she was carried out to a cab 2 hours after opening, people were ignored over friends of staff, bad drinks and food, slow service, etc. Their first year was very rough, and we kept going back to see if they improved. I was feeling they were going the direction of Trader Vic's L.A. but they weathered the storm and with a new partner, chef, and staff they have made a complete turn around. We look forward to visiting The Golden Tiki. I write the "South Seas Drive In Theater" movie reviews for Tiki Magazine and have provided lost film for Forbidden Island, Frankie's Tiki Room, and Ventiki. If you need some rare film for your screen, let me know...... Ron the Beachcomber

Branden and the golden tiki -

I apologize if the review of the soft opening came off "brutally honest" I would not want to crush the spirit of anybody that was obviously showing so much passion on what they were doing as you and you team clearly were.....

As has already been said by others since you posted a response - I think it's awesome how much you paid attention to everything being said - I also think it's great that it sounds like most of what I thought were issues you already were concerned with or making changes to correct.

I did not take any of your explanations as "excuses" and everything you explained really makes sense to what I was seeing.....I honestly came down for the soft opening to avoid any craziness and thought I was coming right at open so I could check it out before it got crazy for the night....now knowing that there had been a private party going since 6 puts everything in perspective. I did not expect everything to be perfect being a soft opening and was understanding on that part but was confused how it got so behind at exactly opening time. I now understand.

A few explanations that were not needed, and to clarify for anybody that has not been there -- the quality of the design and the build and the attention to detail in the overall space is amazing.....when I say I walk in and feel like the hostess station looks straight out of jungle cruise I meant that 100% as a compliment to the detail that was put into it.....and everything that was completed I felt was fully up to a Disney level of showmanship. I would say that gambling screen is a detail I would omit and it sounds like you agree, but I also understand that you are in Vegas. I had nothing bad to say about the quality of the space (of what was completed) I was just a bit bummed I couldn't check it all out with it being so crazy.

Also I had a bit of a hidden compliment on the people in there which I want to pull out a little bit....everyone we interacted with was nice, when I went to cancel my order and told our serving we were leaving she did not brush us off, she was very apologetic....everybody I saw was working hard and seemed like good people. To still come off positive in that situation says a lot about them, I said I felt bad for them and I did but only because I could tell they were trying so hard and it wasn't working out, I would have not complained about anybody's service that night....and that's with still not having a drink at my table after an hour and a half.

Sounds like in hind site you would have like to have waited to open until you were 100% complete and could put on the whole show so I really can't say more about that....first impressions.....can't really ever change those, you can however tinker and adjust to make sure the 2nd impression makes up for the first, it seems like you are going in that direction.....you already have the two important parts, a beautifully designed and built space and great people.

I will at some point be giving you that second chance for sure (and I'm excited to hear you were working on a house mug) and I would encourage anybody else that makes it to Vegas to check it out as well.
I did not spend anything at your place so no refund is necessary (she was running a tab for me but had not cashed anything out before we left) but I appreciate that offer. Unfortunately I will not be able to cross paths with you at tiki oasis as I am only being able to make it to the kick off tomorrow at Bali Hai due to work events and does not look like I will be able to check out your grand opening, as much as I really want to, as it's looking I will most likely have other work travel plans. I will however take you up on a round of drinks when I am able to back to Vegas, can't promise when it will be as getting the time off to get out there for the soft opening was a rarity, but I promise I will at some point.

Thanks again for your attention and passion I wish everybody running a business was this dedicated.

Just wanted to say that I am glad to see such heart and soul being put into the Golden Tiki. I am looking forward to making the trip down there to experience it. Cant wait to see the space!

Has anyone been recently? Have things settled down?

Critiki has an entry for The Golden Tiki now, but it's in dire need of photos. Please share if you've got some!
http://critiki.com/location/the-golden-tiki-las-vegas-854/

Article in the Las Vegas RJ on 10/02/2015.
http://www.reviewjournal.com/view/golden-tiki-goes-all-set-polynesian-mood

Deadbolt is playing at Golden Tiki on Halloween Eve (All Hallows Eve Eve?)

Awesome. I love deadbolt.

I finally made it to the Golden Tiki. Danny did an outstanding job. I will post some pictures below and try not to duplicate ones already posted.
I had a nice chat with Jim, the manager. All their drinks are handcrafted and made from their freshly squeezed juices, homemade syrups and other ingredients. I had their twist on the Mai Tai. It was tasty but I prefer the Original44 Mai Tai. I had their Pain Killer. It was very good. Next time I will order it on the rocks. Theirs is made slushy (frozen).
Whenever I get to Vegas I have two mandatory stops, Frankies and the Golden Tiki.

I'll be playing records tomorrow night at the Golden Tiki with Rex Dart.

I am here often. Other than the lack of custom Mugs, this place has yet to disappoint. Love it!

[ Edited by: Kraken007 2015-11-19 07:31 ]

I'll be in Vegas next month for the first time in quite a few years. Really looking forward to checking this place out.

Does anyone have any word on their Mug situation? I want to get some MUGS! :wink:

when I was there earlier this month, the bartender said she heard February for a mug.

They just told me, from their Instagram, that their new mugs are on the way.

Hopefully I can snag one when we're there in two weeks!

Coming this February:

Has anyone seen what their new mug is going to look like?

we're working on the new mug now and it will be based of my interpretation of the logo tiki.

Awesome Diablo! Any word on if it's a "set" of mugs (like Frankie's) or just one mug?

This sounds like its still pretty early on in the process....So I guess if I go to Vegas to try out Golden Tiki Again for my birthday the first week of Feb. I won't be able to get a signature mug? :(

We had a chance to visit Golden Tiki this past Weekend, so figured I'd add a few more pictures and our 2 cents.

We really liked the room and the overall look of the place. We'd heard some reviews about it being too large and a bit sparse. There are different areas, but we thought it all tied together pretty well. We like places with separate nooks and crannies, so that wasn't a negative. It looks like they're still working on filling it up more; there was a guy there (owner? I should've asked!) adding some cool new pieces during our visit. The music was a mix of Hawaiiany stuff, 50s stuff, etc. I wasn't crazy about the Reggae numbers, but overall it was unoffensive.

We tried 5 different drinks between us, but unfortunately were disappointed. The menu had several appealing options but the execution was a little off. The Mai Tai was overly sweet and somehow the lime flavor didn't taste quite real; it really reminded me of a lime Popsicle. I think our bartender may have been new - when we asked about mugs, she brought a tray of about 10 different ones over. We were surprised to see so many and asked if they were all exclusive to Golden Tiki, she said she had no idea. It also took a bit longer than expected for our drinks to be made since we were the only customers and ordered duplicates. So maybe still getting up to speed (we did later recognize some of the mugs but I don't recall whether their own mug was actually there yet; sorry.) Certainly not the worst drinks we've ever had, but not nearly the best either.

The employees were very friendly and it was good to visit (bonus: it was darn near smoke free in there during our early afternoon stop.)
We'll give them another visit next time, but with the hope that the drinks have improved.

We visited a couple weeks back, here's what I posted on /r/tiki(if there's any redditors on here):

From the get-go, the decor was on point.

The drinks were great too, but my girlfriend and I agreed we still prefer Frankie's for the originality in their drinks and the intimacy.

The Golden Tiki is still a sight to see. As you walk in, you're greet with a dark waterfall and Yo Ho. It definitely puts you in the right mood.
Now tonight, to me anyway, the music was ok. Wasn't really what you'd expect for a tiki bar, as their DJ played mostly 80s and 90s hip hop.
I like the music, but again, not what I had in mind for a tiki bar.

For a Sunday night these folks were still slammed.
We chatted with the bar back briefly, but only because he didn't stop running around the entire time we were there.

I tried The Golden Tiki, which was delicious! And their Navy Grog, which they claim, on their menu, that it comes with the ice cone but mine didn't and the drink left something to be desired.
And their Painkiller with the Dole Whip, which was one of the best Painkillers I've had the pleasure of drinking.

I was disappointed to see they didn't have their signature mugs yet, so I left here empty handed.
But I snagged all the swizzle sticks from my drinks, so those will be a nice addition to my growing collection.

Overall we enjoyed The Golden Tiki, but Frankie's is still our #1.

http://www.facebook.com/thephantmatics

[ Edited by: davidphantomatic 2016-02-21 10:09 ]

Hey Guys this is Branden with The Golden Tiki . Thank you all for your reviews.

I am a little perplexed as we never spin 80's or 90's music unless it was a guest Dj like Daniel Ash of Love and Rockets. It could also be my resident Dj Rex Dart sometimes does spin a little different on Sundays' so maybe it was one of those days. I am a hardcore purest having been a lounge and exotica record collector and Dj since 1992. I have over 15,000 records in that genre. So , music is very important to us and well thought out. My employees do like to mix a little reggae into the mix as our place is quit large and they try to keep the energy up. If we were smaller and more intimate lounge , exotica and sleepy music works better. I personally think we offer the best , most knowledgeable Dj's in Las Vegas. Our guys spin real vinyl even on 45's. You won't find better music anywhere in Vegas I guarantee. Occasionally we experiment. We have recently brought in Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls, Matt Tong of Bloc Party, Daniel Ash of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets. I have Marky Ramone of the Ramones coming out in a few weeks for my birthday. I'm also working on Jerry of Devo , Jello Biafra and Capt Sensible of the Damned to do guest spots. So know although we may not play the continual Martin Denny , Les Baxter, and Lyman hits over and over like so many other bars do to be safe we will definitely take you on a musical journey. As far as drinks go, yes we are 4000 sq feet. Yes we sometimes do 1000+ people in a night. So consistency has been an issue. If you came during the day its been hard to keep quality bartenders when business is a lot slower so there may be a consistency issue there and for that I apologize. We are working on it. We are actually working on something really top secret that will put this whole Drink thing to rest once and for all. We are still very young in our first year of business. We are working tirelessly to move into the forefront of the tiki world in Cocktails . We want to be the best. We aren't some corporate non caring bar. We are very much a mom and pop operation and are very proud of our hundreds of 5 star reviews and being named one of the hottest new bars in the world by Barchick.com . I am looking at expanding an additional 2,500 sq feet next door to add a bigger LIVE venue, a full retail (with shirts, hats, trinkets and of course mugs..finally) Plus we are adding a sideshow where you can see a REAL 10 foot tall Cyclops skeleton discovered on Flaming Skull Island by Lord Baltimore in 1923. And, within the next 6 months we are working on a adding a fully animatronic talking bird show. Just like the Enchanted Tiki Room. So lots of surprises. I welcome you all to explore. If for some reason your experience isn't 5 stars please text me direct and I'll make sure it is. My cell is 7028093636 . Mahalo - Branden

Branden, keep up the good and hard work! Your place is on my list for my next trip out to Vegas. I don't care what happens, I know I'll have a good time at your place.

Cheers!

I am also looking forward to visiting your place in the near future, see you soon I hope.

We were thinking of circumnavigating the Grand Canyon next year, flying in and out of Vegas. But with our dollar being the way it is, we might have to hold off. That doesn't sound so bad though, if it means seeing all the stuff that you guys have in store! Singing birds? Cyclops skeletons? Sign me up! :D

On 2016-03-14 10:55, The Golden Tiki wrote:
Hey Guys this is Branden with The Golden Tiki . Thank you all for your reviews.

I am a little perplexed as we never spin 80's or 90's music unless it was a guest Dj like Daniel Ash of Love and Rockets. It could also be my resident Dj Rex Dart sometimes does spin a little different on Sundays' so maybe it was one of those days. I am a hardcore purest having been a lounge and exotica record collector and Dj since 1992. I have over 15,000 records in that genre. So , music is very important to us and well thought out. My employees do like to mix a little reggae into the mix as our place is quit large and they try to keep the energy up. If we were smaller and more intimate lounge , exotica and sleepy music works better. I personally think we offer the best , most knowledgeable Dj's in Las Vegas. Our guys spin real vinyl even on 45's. You won't find better music anywhere in Vegas I guarantee. Occasionally we experiment. We have recently brought in Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls, Matt Tong of Bloc Party, Daniel Ash of Bauhaus and Love and Rockets. I have Marky Ramone of the Ramones coming out in a few weeks for my birthday. I'm also working on Jerry of Devo , Jello Biafra and Capt Sensible of the Damned to do guest spots. So know although we may not play the continual Martin Denny , Les Baxter, and Lyman hits over and over like so many other bars do to be safe we will definitely take you on a musical journey. As far as drinks go, yes we are 4000 sq feet. Yes we sometimes do 1000+ people in a night. So consistency has been an issue. If you came during the day its been hard to keep quality bartenders when business is a lot slower so there may be a consistency issue there and for that I apologize. We are working on it. We are actually working on something really top secret that will put this whole Drink thing to rest once and for all. We are still very young in our first year of business. We are working tirelessly to move into the forefront of the tiki world in Cocktails . We want to be the best. We aren't some corporate non caring bar. We are very much a mom and pop operation and are very proud of our hundreds of 5 star reviews and being named one of the hottest new bars in the world by Barchick.com . I am looking at expanding an additional 2,500 sq feet next door to add a bigger LIVE venue, a full retail (with shirts, hats, trinkets and of course mugs..finally) Plus we are adding a sideshow where you can see a REAL 10 foot tall Cyclops skeleton discovered on Flaming Skull Island by Lord Baltimore in 1923. And, within the next 6 months we are working on a adding a fully animatronic talking bird show. Just like the Enchanted Tiki Room. So lots of surprises. I welcome you all to explore. If for some reason your experience isn't 5 stars please text me direct and I'll make sure it is. My cell is 7028093636 . Mahalo - Branden

We're not done with y'all yet.
We're heading back for VLV and plan on stopping for another go 'round.

I'll be returning to the Golden Tiki October 6th, spinning 50's and 60's 45s for all of your dancing pleasure.

Visited the Golden Tiki twice last week whilst on holiday from the UK. First time visted and have to say it was more than I expected. Got taxi from my hotel on the strip there and back on both occasions without any problems. The decoration was really impressive and I have 'borrowed' at least four or five ideas for my small bar back home. (Not many bars in the UK to get inspiration from) The drinks were very varied, very reasonably priced and good quality. Staff was also very pleasant and very friendly, but I got the impression it was more of a job rather than a vocation. Was disappointed on first visit to only have one mug to buy but was overjoyed on my second visit with a very good selection which had just come in.

I bought six, and would have bought more but was already overstocked with buys from 'Frankies' and carry on luggage was already at its max. No swizzles sticks with any drinks (very, very disappointd as this was one of the things I really wanted). It would of also have been nice to have matchbooks, fliers etc to collect for my home bar. Again being in the UK we do not get a huge opportunity to see Tiki Bars. Next time in Vegas you must give it a try. I will not compare to 'Frankies' as they are very different and of course both are excellent. I will be back again next year and can't wait to visit again. Chris

BTW Couldn't wait to try the 'Dole Whip with Rum' as I had heard so much about it on this site. All I can say is 'It's different'.....

[ Edited by: uk_chris123 2017-09-14 01:56 ]

[ Edited by: uk_chris123 2017-09-14 06:21 ]

[ Edited by: uk_chris123 2017-09-14 06:22 ]

Reading my initial post from 2016, my girlfriend and I left feeling a lot was to be desired.
However, having been quite frequently since then, we love it.
I still love Frankie's originals, but if you want tiki classics, Golden Tiki is the spot!

If you haven't been, you need to try the Banana Batida!

Las Vegas bar plans party to honor the founder of Don the Beachcomber. Flaming drinks and Spam skewers will be served.
Los Angeles Times, February 21, 2018

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-tr-las-vegas-tiki-celebration-20180220-htmlstory.html

In honor of Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt (aka Don the Beachcomber), born February 22, 1907.

Author Sven Kirsten argues against Don being called the “Founder of Tiki Culture” in his book, The Art of Tiki (see page 87).

Got to visit last summer, and I'm looking forward to going again.

TinyUmbrella You can also record your visits on https://mytiki.life/tiki-bars/the-golden-tiki

[ Edited by leevigraham on 2024-06-04 20:53:49 ]

My last visit there (late March 2024) was probably my last. It did improve some over time - when Brandan was there he did attempt to address concerns, added better rums, etc. I see I never really updated after subsequent visits, but it was never my favorite place. I only went back when the Swank Bastards were playing, but the service was so bad last time, even that likely won't get me back. My suggestion is pay as you go - don't open a tab. Despite how difficult it was to even order a drink, we ended up with tons of extra food and cocktails added to our bill and it too an eternity to get them to correct it. We still ended up being overcharged for some of the rum we had, but gave up.

Next time I'll just have to plan things so I get my Swank Bastards fix at Red Dwarf on Sunday.

@leevigraham, Gotcha, thanks!

@Bamalamalu - I've only been the once, and was there in the early afternoon, so it wasn't too busy yet. The food was middling, but fine, and the server was very nice about it when I had to exchange my drink (I had ordered their house special bloody mary which had kimchi in it, I think? It was a bit weird, and not to my taste, but they were cool about it when I asked to switch. The rum-based cocktail I had instead was good.)

I really, really, liked the ambience. When I'll be back in Vegas next month I'm going to go later in the evening so I'll get to see it at a busier time.