Sharkeez: "Ghost World"-esque tiki moment

I finally got up the nerve to Sharkeez here in Santa Barbara on State St. Lile every other bar on State St., I had been avoiding it at all costs, despite the fact that I knew that it had somewhat of a tiki theme. Then, one of my friends said that Mondays are Brazilian Nights. Thinking the place would be filled with the strains of Antonio Carlos Jobim and Walter Wanderley, my girlfriend and I ventured forth. While I did find some tikis in the joint, the music was the same loud, bass-heavy dance music that every other State St. bar plays, and the crowd was the typical UCSB crowd with fake IDs. Not sure what exactly was Brazilian about it other than some of the clientele. We used the bathroom and then quickly moved on.

My question is twofold: is Sharkeez a chain? I thought I remembered someone mentioning a Sharkeez around LA. If so, is it to be avoided like the one here?

Also, I couldn't help but think of the scene in "Ghost World" where they go to Wowsville (the authentic fifties theme restaraunt that plays all your favoritite rap music from the fifties and is located, like any authentic fifties diner, in a strip mall). Going to Sharkeez is something like going to Wowsville. Anyone have any godawful experience at what they thought would be a cool tiki bar? Besides the Taboo Cove in Las Vegas, that is, which I guess is getting better.

[ Edited by: Trader_Rick on 2002-11-12 04:41 ]

There are two Sharkeez here in LA that I know of, one in Manhattan Beach and one in Hermosa Beach. The Hermosa Sharkeez is located at the end of Pier Avenue, which lately is party central for the beach cities and usually has a line to get into the place. It has tikis, but is a lot like you describe the Santa Barbara. Both are more surf themed than tiki themed, have poorly made tropical drinks, all of which taste like a margarita. Hermosa gets the younger fake-ID crowd, Manhattan the older crowd. The food is pretty decent, such as the lobster burritos which are quite tasty. The drinks are mediocre, and despite the tikis at Hermosa I would not describe either as "tiki". A decent place to go to lunch by the beach in the middle of a stressful workday, though, if you can afford the time.