Tiki Ti ranked 23rd!

Did anyone see the current issue of Los Angeles Magazine? It ranks the top 25 bars in LA and Tiki Ti comes in at 23! How lame is that. At least my local haunt, Joe Jost's, came ia at a respectable #12.

I like it for the reason it will help keep the crowds away. In fact, it would have been better not to be mentioned at all.

Tiki Riviera,

I too am a big fan of Joe Jost's. Love the pretzel, hardboiled egg, chili pepper combo!

JOE JOSTs best special in town!

Ditto on the pretzel and hard boiled egg combo. Last year I went to San Diego to watch a Chargers game and I saw at least ten people wearing Joe Jost's shirts. Someday I want my picture on the wall of fame, hopefully it's of me on the beach in Tahiti.

Next time you're at Joe's check out my picture in back, i'm the one at the world's largest therometer!

I love the Ti, but I am not a fan of the classic rock that they always seem to be playing when I am there.

Cheers,

KT

classic rock?, all I hear is the trader boys and martin denny. But last night some steely dan did squeeze in......

Hey T-R,

I did see that issue and pick it up at the airport. I especially liked the full page feature for Trader Vic's! It was those Menehunes that caught my eye. The magazine officially referred to Trader Vic's as a "destination" for best drinks. But I don't think we need worry much about people flocking to Tiki Ti or Trader Vic's. Most of the people who pick up that magazine just don't get it, anyhoo.

Maybe the writer is into roasted peanuts instead of really good drinks??

Last Wednesday I ended up having four Ti's. I only intended on having three, but one of my companions did not want the "Ray's Mistake" that I bought for her. So, what's a guy to do? Anyway the point is, that as we all said our farewell's, I realized that I was feeling more loaded that I wanted to, considering that I have an almost two hour drive to get home. So, I ducked into the Mexican joint next door for a couple quick tomales before I hit the road. The food was good, and the place was a trip. The thing that shock me up a bit was, as I headed for the door I saw the health department rating of "C" posted. What does that mean? I felt kind of sick, I have seen a few "B's" before, but a "C"!

Cheers,

KT

On 2003-09-28 21:48, Kreaky Tiki wrote:
I saw the health department rating of "C" posted. What does that mean?
Cheers,
KT

Casa Crapola

Hey Kreaky-Tiki,

I run a restaurant and am very familiar with the health dept. Let me put it this way, if I recieved "C" at my store, I would be fired. A "C" means your on the verge of being shut down. Hope your not dead by the time you see this.

I guess the Rum must have saved me!

Cheers,

KT

I own a bar. I don't know how it's even possible to get a "C" from the Health Department without serving food. They start with 100 points and deduct for violations. I will have to see the C with my own eyes. Mike is great and I refuse to believe it.

Oh yeah, I saw a "C" rating there a couple of months ago. I was telling my cousin and wife how the food was supposed to be good there and all. We drive over there and there it is.......C! (dry heaving my way back to the other side of the street) and just headed over to Acapulco's.

*On 2003-10-02 20:28, Wersmo Derinc wrote:*I own a bar. I don't know how it's even possible to get a "C" from the Health Department without serving food. They start with 100 points and deduct for violations. I will have to see the C with my own eyes. Mike is great and I refuse to believe it.

he was talking about the mexican restaurant next door - which i think must be El Chavo at 4441 W. Sunset. I have been there (on the insistence of a gang o friends) and it was the worst food i ever had - and they only had a B at that time.

here's the restaurant rating explanation page:
http://www.lapublichealth.org/rating/

[ Edited by: Futura Girl on 2003-10-02 20:49 ]

Yes, it was El Chavo, that had the "C" rating. Thye have probably made a business out of feeding the "Ti" patrons that are to loaded to go any further for food! I know that next time I will better prepaired. Hopefully, I will be able to make it to one of the exotic Thai restaurants down the street.

Cheers,

KT

Oh! Oh! Hit the Thai Palm (or Palms) on Hollywood Blvd, right in the middle of Little Thailand (in a strip mall). Here's a write-up I did of an earlier trip there:

Partook in the MOTHER of all Elvis evenings here in LA. Robert Lopez, aka El Vez, took me to this amazing Thai restaurant (Thai Palm or Palms, on Hollywood between Western and Normandy) where they had an Elvis impersonator. But that's not all - before the Thai impersonator (Kevin Phuongsong, I think), Ghassan, the Lebanese Elvis impersonator, went on. Kevin was red jumpsuit, HEINous glasses, big platform shoes, great voice - WITH Thai accent.

Ghassan opted for the casual look: no costume, save flipping up the collar, but he did MOVE, and I mean including every great clichéd Elvis hand movement, even when he did Tom Jones or Neil Diamond songs. His singing was impeccable. Both posed like pros when I whipped out the camera, which I did with squealing delight every few minutes. Ghassan gave me several "knowing" looks. It was surreal: sitting with the Mexican Elvis, watching a Lebanese Elvis/Tom Jones and a Thai Elvis, all while eating the best Thai food I've ever had. We had wild boar, morning glory stems in garlic, some kinda Thai beef tartar – you name it, it was cheap and delicious. (We ordered anything and everything we wanted, but no cocktails, and spent $20 a piece!). We were almost the only Anglos in there, too. Apparently, Thai people go see Elvis impersonators on their own time, too. Robert whispered insightful running commentary, e.g., "Oh! Moment of tension - he had to choose between posing for your camera and looking at the words that he couldn't remember." I was in pain stifling my laughter the entire meal, which I had to, as we were THE front row center table.

We decided that Ghassan probably ought to mine the unexplored field of Tom Jones impersonators. Needs: poodle-permed dark hair, tight tight pants, bulge, open shirt, chains. Simple! For the do-it-yourselfer like these guys (karaoke machine) a pop-up panty projectile device would be great.

[ Edited by: susane on 2004-01-20 06:52 ]

On 2003-10-03 09:52, Formikahini wrote:
Oh! Oh! Hit the Thai Palm (or Palms) on Hollywood Blvd, right in the middle of Little Thailand (in a strip mall). Here's a write-up I did of an earlier trip there:

Is that the place next to Jumbo's Clown Room? I never ate there even though I lived just up the street several times.

Another really-good-but-cheap place is the food court above the Thai supermarket on Hollywood Blvd. Several of the food booths are the second location for top restaurants in Bangcock, so you can order from say a 1/2 dozen good Thai places & have the food delivered to your table at 1ce. I don't know how late they're open though.

Trader Vic's also received some love, by having 2 fruit-laden cocktails pictured on page 23.

I found this today by accident.

http://losangeles.citysearch.com/best/results/188/

A great Mexican restaurant close to Tki Ti is Mexico City. I think it's on Vermont? Very good food, and an "A" in the window.

Another great Mexican food place in the general area is El Coyote, which has been there since the 30's.

This was the last place Sharon Tate ate before Charlie's girls came a calling that fateful Summer night...

Hey Freddie,

No the place next to jumbo is something Tedd. That place is really good. I recomend the papaya salad. And while you're there, you have to stop by The Cloun Room.

tiki ti getting 23rd???

that is SO LAME! oh well...you gotta figure that a mag like LA magazine is produced by farts that are too highbrow to yell "toro" at the thought of consuming a tequila drink...as far as i am concerned it is the ONLY place worth going out to for a drink because anything else you can make yourself at home with an 8th grade chemistry kit and a lemon...BLINDFOLDED!

what got number one watering hole in LA in that mag review?

the Standard? Bar Marmont? frggin Skybar?

are we talking mexican food too??? how about Alegria on Sunset east of the Tiki ti???... El Coyote (no offense) is my dad's hole...thanks no thanks...AMAZING sign...lousy food!

if i can't hit Alegria because of crowds...then i go elsewhere to get the fresh fish in my burito...

poquito mas rules in that dept unless of course we are talking sushi...apples and oranges though huh...

the TIKI TI or nada para mi!

Tell it, brutha! Hallelujah!

Tiki Ti transcends ratings, especially after a couple of blue hawaiians...

a couple of visits ago i was sitting at the bar and i heard Mike saying how Meyer's dark and fresh OJ was known as "the Good Stuff"(note: this is NOT a drink listed on the menu)...i've not tried it since but last i was there young Mike answered after i inquired about the "good stuff" that i'd most likely be happier with my usual...CHI-CHI...i had four that night and man my name was SUPERMUD...i took a few slow steps out the bar's exit and hit the vista theater and took in "Kill Bill"...high as SH*T!

thanks Mikes!!!

those guys are going to hang a painting up in there as soon as i finish it up and frame it...i LOVE that place...whenever i hear this or that about tiki it's hard to feel like anything else is authentic comparatively ...we as angelenos are SPOILED!

#23???

screw Los Angeles f*cking magazine! right?

Yeah! Let's get em! Rawr!

The Mikes are too kind, and supportive of all quality tiki endeavours.

Ever seen the outside torches all lit up? They do it every new years eve and it is a sight to behold.

Tiki Ti, I salute you.

nice mugs evil master...am digging and will sip from my new mug ...shold i say your new mug? ...at your launch fiesta...my new chi chi holder

tiki ti is it...imitators bow...KNEEL! TORO UGA BOOGA!

saturday night tiki venture is on the weekend horizon...SLURP...SLEEP!

Looks like Tiki Ti's is slipping. LA Weekly's 'Best of' issue came out today, and the Best Tiki Bar . . .
Tonga Hut

thats a joke, i just posted a reply on a thread about the tonga hut recently. yes, a cool looking place, though when i went it looked like most of the "artifacts" had been left to rot. the bartender did not know how to make a tropical drink, we just had a beer.
we should start a thread about "how many tiki ti drinks it took to get you that wasted!" man they are potent!
the most i have had in an evening, the number recounted to me by a friend, was seven. i started with my favorite, the blue hawaiian, the follow up, blue wave, next the rum swizzle, after that the order gets a little foggy. i wandered out of the bar at closing, stumbled to a friends, and crashed on her hardwood floor. how i walked i will not know, but the sense of euphoria and blur of the street lights have imbedded themselves in my memory. on the contrary, the one other time i had seven, i fed the bushes next to tiki ti with my dinner.
mike and mike are the greatest. my favorite times are when you can sit and talk tiki and bartending history with mike sr., and hear stories of how ray started out.
long live tiki ti!

the tonga hut?...yeah that 's been there since the tiki ti invented the tiki drink!

chichi para mimi

i hope this fucking code works right...if not... follow my link to see what i really think of the tiki ti...

[ Edited by: kooche on 2003-10-18 00:25 ]

[ Edited by: kooche on 2003-10-18 00:26 ]

Miles was FRAMED!

Best Tiki Bar
Tonga Hut

By: JEFFREY VALLANCE

Have you noticed Tiki is in again? Even Martha Stewart has a chapter in her book on “Throwing a Tiki Party.” Finding the Tonga Hut is like discovering a rare jewel. Like the Bishop Museum in Hawaii, it has Tiki carvings, masks, and artifacts from every far-flung archipelago. The bar’s facade features a huge Easter Island head carving (moai). And objects from the Kingdom of Tonga include an antique tapa cloth fan and the royal coat of arms of Tonga.Like an authentic Polynesian hut, the walls are covered in woven mats, while the ceiling is covered in bamboo. And that’s not all—there are waterfalls, dart boards, and of all things a stuffed crow--the emblematic bird of prophecy with power to foresee the future. These original Tiki cocktail lounges are becoming rare, and the Tonga Hut may be ground zero of local Polynesian pop culture. It should be preserved as a historical monument. As Mr. Otto von Stroheim, publisher of ,says, “When you go to a place like the Tonga Hut in North Hollywood, you’ll notice details like the hand-made lighting fixtures, a kidney-shaped dropped ceiling—the place is artistic and it was all built by the owners.” Go on in—order a Zombie.

Mmm :)

[ Edited by: Bora Boris 2008-03-25 16:01 ]

I notice the Tonga Hut article doesn't say anything about the drinks.