New Tiki Bar to hit Chicago

Just heard this today and will watch closely. Hopefully they'll get this "right" and Chicago proper will hold its own, Tiki-wise: http://chicagoist.com/2012/02/10/tikiphiles_rejoice_paul_mcgee_to_op.php

Paul McGee is a great mixologist with a passion for tropical drinks, and an awareness of tiki history.

The location worries me though.
It is four blocks north of city hall and the financial district, and less then two blocks from the tourist zone by Hard Rock Cafe and Rainforest Cafe.
McGee's partners are big-time trendy club-owners.

This is not going to be "Smuggler's Cove east"... but if McGee is working, I will slurp up what he is mixing; no doubt about it... especially since it is walking distance from my day-job!

From Time Out Chicago

" For example, McGee was just on the West Coast where he visited an old-school tiki bar that shall remain unnamed. The creators of tiki would be "rolling in their graves" if they could have seen what McGee saw. "It was a pretty sad state of affairs," he says. The drinks were poor, and accordingly, "nobody was having any fun in that place."

The Mcgee-Melman tiki bar will be laid back and fun, the guys say. But it will maybe not have the kitsch. "It doesn't have to be pirate themed for it to be tiki and to be fun. I think we can do a modern interpretation of tiki."

Have any "Modern Interpretation non Kitsch" tiki bars made it
yet? Gonna keep my eye on this one.

Sounds like their concept takes its cue from the success of the Vegas Trader Vic's.

Is that an ironic statement? :wink:

Whatever it is gonna be like, it must be better than this!:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-tiki-bar-chicago

"A good friend had the in on Ray's Tiki Bar, and I am so glad I tagged along! In the midst of the Wicker Park streets, all of the sudden I felt like I was in Key West. Chill, down to earth, Jimmy Buffet & Bob Marley playing - nickel beers - what fun."

If you had a choice between "Key West Tiki" and "Las Vegas Trader Vic's Tiki", which would you choose? :D

On 2012-02-15 11:59, bigbrotiki wrote:
Is that an ironic statement? :wink:

Whatever it is gonna be like, it must be better than this!:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/rays-tiki-bar-chicago

"A good friend had the in on Ray's Tiki Bar, and I am so glad I tagged along! In the midst of the Wicker Park streets, all of the sudden I felt like I was in Key West. Chill, down to earth, Jimmy Buffet & Bob Marley playing - nickel beers - what fun."

If you had a choice between "Key West Tiki" and "Las Vegas Trader Vic's Tiki", which would you choose? :D

With Wicker Park being such a "hipster" neighborhood (I lived in Bucktown for a few years). Its a shame they resorted to settling for a Jimmy Buffet style of tiki bar. Hopefully the new place can be more of a resemblance of Chicago's now defunct Trader Vic's.

[ Edited by: tipsy mcstagger 2013-06-25 11:01 ]

it's on the move.... new tiki bar to open in wicker park instead of river north.....

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2012/03/12/is-lettuce-entertain-you-opening-two-new-spots.php

in the basement of an all glass office building structure.... just the place i would want to drink a mai tai.....

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2012-05-23 04:51 ]

On 2012-05-23 04:49, Tipsy McStagger wrote:
it's on the move.... new tiki bar to open in wicker park instead of river north.....

http://chicago.eater.com/archives/2012/03/12/is-lettuce-entertain-you-opening-two-new-spots.php

in the basement of an all glass office building structure.... just the place i would want to drink a mai tai.....

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2012-05-23 04:51 ]

Just FYI I think you mis-read that...the article mentions Bub City / the tiki bar and then talks about how they're ALSO working on two new properties in Wicker Park. The Bub City / tiki thing is still happening in River North.

here's an update article - doesn't say much but offers a little more insight into paul Mcgee's new tiki bar.....

http://timeoutchicago.com/restaurants-bars/15624701/fall-preview-paul-mcgee?package=15628081

Mr. McGee needs a tailor his sleeves are too long.
Hope the bar works out.