Quietest tiki destinations in SoCal?

I live in SoCal, and I've been to a fair few tiki locales, but...

I have misophonia, very sensitive hearing, and synesthesia.

Loud noises can be physically painful (yes, really), excessive background noise equals overload, and to top it off, sounds also register as color and texture. I've had to stop going to Trader Sam's (which I love) because that damn shipwreck bell gives me splitting headaches and makes me see sparks.

Earplugs don't help. I just want to get my tiki on without my weird brain giving me grief.

I love the Tonga Hut in Palm Springs (up until the disco music kicks in), but I don't venture to PS that often.

Any suggestions?

Damon's is pretty mellow

Damon's is usually mellow. My nephew has synesthesia too, he sees words in different colors.

Thanks, guys. Looks like a trip to Glendale is in my near future...

Don't get the clam chowder. We had food poisoning from Damon's clam chowder... The drinks are pretty horrible as well. Sorry to be a downer, but it's not a hang out where one would go all the time.

It depends on what you on what time of day you go. The Purple Orchid (El Segundo) is pretty calm in the afternoons. We stop in on our way back from tiki marketplaces

Royal hawaiian in Laguna Beach has been fairly un-noisy unless you go at “prime time” on a Sat or Fri night. I typically go on Sundays. It’s not tiki, but I’ve been taking a shine to the bar at Napa Rose at Disney’s Grand californian Hotel. Drinks are excellent and they can make some great drinks off-menu but it’s significantly quieter than Trader Sam’s (which has been my “local” for a long time). I love their Happy Hungarian.
I haven’t been in a while, but I was at Hatch at the Tustin District a couple years ago and it wasn’t loud, but I’ve never been there on a Sat or Fri night either.
Cheers
:drink:

Yes, the Royal Hawaiian is a good choice when they don't have live music. The mileage may vary with respect to off-menu cocktails; when we ere there last week I asked for a "1944 Mai Tai" and the bartender said "uh, wha... I dunno..." before I cut him off and said it's okay I'll have a on-menu cocktail.

We visited Pacific Seas and for the first 30 minutes they had no music playing. I will tell you that was the quietest bar I've ever been in - and it was weird.

On 2019-01-04 14:32, Kiwi Steve wrote:
Don't get the clam chowder. We had food poisoning from Damon's clam chowder... The drinks are pretty horrible as well. Sorry to be a downer, but it's not a hang out where one would go all the time.

I have 11 food allergies (yes, really), so chowder's out anyway. It's a bit far away to be a regular hangout, but I'll try it and see.

On 2019-01-07 11:41, Tele295 wrote:
It depends on what you on what time of day you go. The Purple Orchid (El Segundo) is pretty calm in the afternoons. We stop in on our way back from tiki marketplaces

Good to know!

On 2019-01-10 09:12, kevincrossman wrote:
Yes, the Royal Hawaiian is a good choice when they don't have live music.

VERY good to know. It was busy (and noisy) the one time I went...but to be fair it was a Saturday in the middle of summer and there was something going on in the bar. I'll try going early on a Sunday sometime.

Bars aren’t normally quiet except early Sunday or mondays. Wear earplugs or look at the tiki places from the outside.

Bars aren’t normally quiet except early Sunday or mondays. Wear earplugs or look at the tiki places from the outside.

Skip Royal Hawaiian by any means!

I'd point you to Ventiki in Ventura at opening. I typically go during the week at 11am sharp and it's a tame environment. Only on my last visit did things actually fill up at the bar, complete with conch horn, but even that didn't last but maybe an hour and change. I love being there when it's slow.

I missed this thread the 1st time around, but I'd say even Tiki Ti and Tonga Hut can be quiet early. They both generally have some recorded music playing, but I haven't found it loud at tbose times and like to go then for that reason. You'd want to avoid prime time Fri/Sat night, but I've even found Tiki Ti very quiet around 10pm on a Thursday after driving up. Unfortunately it's hard to know in advance how busy it might be that day.

Bali Hai in San Diego is also nice and quiet for early dinner - we go a lot around 5 pm Sat or Sun. Weekend afternoons can be OK, too. I'd avoid the busier Fri/Sat dinner hours, the volume of people can make it noisy. They sometimes have a singer in the lounge a few nights a week for Happy Hour; that can be loud if you're close, so maybe try a non-entertainment night.

Unfortunately, False Idol and Grass Skirt both occasionally do the loud thunder thing, which can be disturbing even to someone without your condition.

Good luck!