Pics from Vegas

I just got back from Las Vegas. After doing some research as to the tiki in Vegas, I thought I'd do some documenting of what I could get to. I was also fortunate enough to meet Hula Hula at Taboo Cove and put a couple of thier cocktails back with him.

Okay, here we go.

This is the cover of the Specialty Drink Menu at Noodles at the Bellagio. They have great tiki drinks and and even better Chinese food there. There is no tiki decor though. Definately worth checking out. Thanks to Judd (Weird Unk) for mentioning this place.

A very cool menu illustrated beautifully.

That's right! Served in a mug. I asked, but no, the mugs are not for sale. I believe this was a Zombie.

This was my desert after my meal. The 'ol reliable scorpion. Maybe it's because I didn't eat all day until my meal or maybe it was because they were so strong but I'll be honest... I felt it after these two drinks.

After my meal I headed over to the Venetian to meet Hula Hula at Taboo Cove. I stopped on the way at the Barbary Coast casino and won thirty bones on an Elvis slot. These are some patrons in the Cove.

Lighting and glass floats at the Cove. I was actually surprised at how small the Cove really is.
The decor is super cool but yes, they were playing the hip hop.

I hung out and had a smoke and a drink while I dealt with the music. I didn't get a very receptive vibe from the bartending staff either. They served me a zombie in a collins glass.

Turns out, these people sitting at the bar were Hula and his girlfriend. I had no idea until I posted this.

This is a view down the bar across from the serving bar. You can see that they really weren't packing them in that night.

Bar stools and Bosko carvings

View of the right side of the bar. The decor really was some of the best that I've seen.

Rows and rows of tiki mugs (old and new)

For some reason, I was, up to this point never really into Bosko's carving style. Then again I also never saw one in person before. There is a reason that Bosko was called upon to design this place. He really is one at the top of his game. I have been converted. He does really great work.

After meeting Hula, he introduced me to a different bartender from the one that had previously not served me well. Collene makes a mean drink and is a super nice girl. If it wasn't for Hula and Collene, I would have come away with a totally different feeling about the place.

I finally met Hula and his girlfriend at bar. I want to thank Hula for the drinks and the hospitality at his local bar. If you make it out to So Cal sometime, I'll introduce you to my bartender, Jeff, at Sam's and return the favor.

Ahhh the friendships of booze and tiki. That is me on the left and Hula on the right.

A little later in the night the bartenders started blowing fire and juggling maltov cocktails. Pretty cool, but these are the same guys that were into putting on the hip hop and club music. I'm just not into that.

Getting ready to blow fire...

and blowing fire! yup......that's pretty much it.

I was much more interested in this stuff. I wish I would have taken more up-close pictures of the shelves but by this time I was drinking pretty heavy and loosing interest in my camera.

Some pics from inside the bathroom. Looks like Sammy and Dino. Not sure about the middle.

Of course an Elvis and Ann-Margret promo pic from Viva Las Vegas.

This is from lunch at Cheeseburger at the Oasis in the Alladin Hotel. There was a hula show going on when I got there. Go for the Cheeseburger - stay for the show.... seriously.

Between dances, one of the girls would give a short speech about the next song and dance. It was kind of like a chronoligcal tour of Polynesian song and dance starting at drum music....to hapa haoli....right on up through Don Ho and Elvis' Rock-a-Hula.

Like I said, Go for the Cheeseburger - stay for the show. While pretty, the drinks were weak and expensive.

This place really tries to merge the tiki/ fez kinda thing, it being in the Alladin and all. Pretty cool decor though, once you walk around and really check it out.

This looked more like a display at a shop than restaurant decor to me. Cool, but we've pretty much seen the stuff on the shelf before. I was into the lamp and the shade though.

Kind of ecectic. For this place, I think that it works. I would by no means call this a tiki bar in the traditional sense.

All in all, I would say that if the Hula Show is going on, this is a great destination for lunch or dinner but I wouldn't hang out drinking here (Much too bright for my tastes, oh yeah and the drinks are weak). And, while the name sucks, the cheeseburger was really good.

I never made it to Tut's Hut at the Luxor or the island of the Aku Aku moai. I figure that last one isn't going anywhere anytime soon. I had a great time and I think Hula and I were talking about getting the group together to rent out the Cove. I don't think that it is that unrealistic. Hope you enjoyed the pics.

Spike

[ Edited by: Luckydesigns on 2003-01-08 03:18 ]

Wow, great pics! We'd like more commentary though (I think you're doing it now).
I had a great time at Taboo in Nov. I got tanked! The bad music didn't start until after 11:00. A cool girl bartender (not the one in your pics) kept giving us her Honeydew shots. They tasted just like the melon at first but burned going down (and I'm used to shooting Jack) The men were spiting fire every 10 minutes. We really didn't spend much, it kept us away from the tables (for a few hours), and we didn't remember getting back to the hotel, zazz.

[ Edited by: laney on 2003-01-08 02:03 ]

Thanks for the pics LuckyDesigns. I'm game for a gathering at Taboo Cove, if the timing is right for us, and I realize it won't be the right time for everyone.

Just saw your place of residence, I lived up on Clay St. in Newport for many years. Used to ride my cruiser down Riverside Dr. and hit Mutt Lynch's after body surfing. Some day I'll return to the beach, it's in my blood.

Lucky-D,
Nice pics. Personally, I love the Cove. I know they don't play Exotica but the place is still a Bosko museum. Lots of tikis, mugs, carvings, etc. I always have a great time there - I mean, its all about who you are with, right? Cool you could hook up with Hula Hula, he's good people! The last 2x we were there, Colleen didn't charge us for drinks (and we had 3 rounds for about 6 people). It's true - ask Hula Hula! Now, how can you complain about a place like that?

Lucky-D,

Cool pictures and color commentary - now get your ass ready to do some jammin' at Tiki Studios!

JungleTrader, ah yes, Mutt Lynches. Killed many a brain cell in that place with the schooners of beer.

Nice pics!
hey pop we only paid for the first round (brian fire blower bartender) served us and was the dude who snubed lucky, once collen arrived, we were good, drinks just keep coming and all I did was tip here good.

Yeah, the only complaining I did was before Hula got there. After that I had a great time and loved the place. Colleene treated us so well.

Spike

[ Edited by: Luckydesigns on 2003-01-08 11:15 ]

Shaka! tanks fo da diplay of da pics! Colleen was lookin' sweeeet. she get some mean papayas! I wish we could get someone pretty like dat here at la mariana.

Always nice to see da faces of TC membaz!

plenny tanks fo da sho

aloha!

Yeah,
Thanks for the pics. I missed Taboo Cove when I was in LV, it wasn't open yet. My friends went there this year, it was closed the night they stopped by. They did go to Cheeseburger, they said I'd like the Tiki stuff but no one had taken pics. It's great that members post these pics for us when we aren't able to see the places first hand. Great job.

Hey Tiki Bong, I used to body surf in Huntington too till I discovered that you didn't have to swim out as far to catch a wave in Newport. Mutt's was my second home when I was single, along with Hoagy Barmichael's. sigh....the good old days.
I'd like to meet you guys sometime. I get down that way once or twice a year. Once to buy "stuff" from Bosko and once to visit relatives. We should get together and partake in some grog log. JT

Those are some fine pics, well done. I noticed they have installed some booths along the wall under Bosko's large carvings. Hmmm, have to say ixnay on the boothays. Bad form.

So, all seems about the same at Taboo COve (the love-hate Tiki Bar), except for the juggling/flame-spewing barkeeps...uggh. What's next, a mime?

Cheeseburger at Oasis is a great place, never saw the floor show. Excellent decor and good burgers, yep. Thanks for the shots from Noodles too, we went by there last visit, but did not stop in a have a cocktail. That will change next month when we return to Vegas.

And yes, even though I am increasingly aggravated/disappointed by Taboo Cove every time I go, we'll be back. What ya gonna do, there ain't a lot of choices. For one drink and a looksee at the decor it is worth putting up with the SOP at Taboo Cove.

In April it's Chicago and Hala Kahiki!
midnite

What I heard the trick is is to go to the Cove in the afternoon when a certain female bartender is there (not Colleen). This other chick plays rockabilly and swing and makes really great drinks. Plus you don't have to deal with the ego- driven flame blowers. It was cool to see once or twice though.

Midnite- what's wrong with mimes? I studdied for eight years leaning to be a mime...