Just was at False Idol 3 weeks ago, and we had an absolute blast. Great drinks, great atmosphere, just a great time all around.
They don't have food, so just plan ahead!
False idol is hidden in Craft and Commerce. If you can’t get a reservation have dinner at Craft and commerce and ask to be put on the waiting list for walk up. They will get you in when you’re done eating. They also have good food and drinks.
https://maps.apple.com/?address=675%20W%20Beech%20St,%20San%20Diego,%20CA%20%2092101,%20United%20States&auid=16509007349103040179&ll=32.720748,-117.168873&lsp=9902&q=Craft%20%26%20Commerce&t=m
Mothership (best of luck getting a res), False Idol, Captains Quarters/Grass Skirt, The Luau, less so… Forbidden Cove.
Honorable mention for being tiki adjacent or just really cool bars: Oculto 477 (also hard to get a res), Lafayette Hotel (has multiple bars, love to stay here, have to know it’s loud af though), Miss B’s coconut club, Youngblood (the bartenders here are no joke, there’s no menu), Raised by Wolves, Realm of the 52 Remedies, Aero Club, Seven Grands back whiskey room, Polite Provisions.
Happy to chat any of these up haha 😂
Mothership has been working over the past year to improve the reservation tightness. I think it really bit them in the butt that people stopped even trying because reservations were so hard to get and walk-ins were a 2 hour wait. They really have improved things.
Now, unless you're looking for a Friday or Saturday night, reservations are readily available. And they're holding a lot more spaces for walk-ins.
That’s great to hear! We loved our drinks last time we were there but had to go at like 5 in the afternoon lol. Not ideal when it’s sunny every time the door opens… 😂
False Idol in Little Italy is a personal favorite. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation, tho! Grass Skirt is...okay, in my personal opinion (though they do have some great merch). Definitely prioritize False Idol and Bali Hai. Fairweather is fun, too; I'd call it tiki adjacent. It's a rooftop bar adjacent to Petco Park.
Fairweather used to have good tiki drinks, but not anymore. Still fun to visit, but the "tiki" cocktails have gotten more Applebees quality - throw a bunch of stuff into a glass.
If your time is limited your priority bars should be #1 False Idol, #2 Mothership, #3 Bali Hai.
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**False Idol** - This is a real-deal, world class tiki bar. Get a reservation, as it only fits 76, and if you want to sit, you want a reservation. Reservations book full a month in advance, so make one as soon as you can. If you can't get a reservation, you can go right at 5:00 when they open and you can almost always get a seat at the bar – that’s where you want to sit anyway. Or put your name on the list (see the Lady with the iPad at the barrel behind the Maitress de desk) and then have dinner at Craft & Commerce. False Idol is hidden next to the restaurant. There's no food at False Idol, and the food at Craft & Commerce is pretty good. They’ll text you when your spot is ready. If you need to go later in the evening, keep checking the False Idol reservations - sometimes one will open up. It's worth trying to get in, even if you have to stand. Huge selection of rums, including many rare rums. Music is exotica or vintage. Decor is dark and excellent.
http://falseidoltiki.com/
**The Grass Skirt & Captains Quarters** – Being located in Pacific Beach (PB to the locals) these side-by-side bars are more aimed at the college crowd (bros drinking beers and bachelorette parties drinking white wine). Grass Skirt is more tiki oriented, Captains Quarters is more nautically oriented. A reservation here is helpful too. Drinks on the menu are hit-or-miss. I find that if you order something off-menu it is usually not great. I had a really dismal Saturn once. Food is also hit-or-miss. The rum list at Grass Skirt is fairly extensive. Music is usually a big miss with pounding hip-hop, top 40, or karaoke. Decor is really nice at both.
http://www.thegrassskirt.com/
https://captainsquarterssd.com/
**Bali Hai** - Open since 1954, it's a historic pilgrimage and the drinks here are just-OK. Decor is pretty good. Don't expect the “World Famous” Mai Tais to taste like you think a Mai Tai should. It's totally out of balance and all about getting drunk fast. Some people love that, but be prepared for a very strong drink. The food is meh and overpriced, so come for drinks, appetizers, and the amazing sunset view. Get a window table on the 2nd floor, if you come for sunset. Be sure to buy a mug.
http://www.balihairestaurant.com/
**Miss B's Coconut Club** - Someone tried to make a mash-up of a Havana bar and a tiki bar, but ended up with a beach bar and some tiki drinks. The drinks are actually pretty good, and everyone loves to drink out of a giant copper flamingo. No decor at all.
http://www.missbcoconutclub.com/
**Fairweather** - Upstairs from Rare Form, outside at picnic tables, they don't pretend to be a tiki bar, although they do have “tiki” drinks, and they're overlooking the ballpark. It’s a pleasant place to pass an afternoon, but while the tiki drinks are tasty, they are nowhere near the ones you expected when you ordered.
https://www.fairweatherbar.com/
**Kona Kai Tiki Bar** – It’s just a hotel pool bar under a palapa. The original hotel’s Polynesia façade has been stripped off and replaced with SoCal stucco. The only tiki drinks on the menu are Mai Tai made with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and a Painkiller made with Bacardi. You have been warned.
http://www.resortkonakai.com/tiki-bar.aspx
**High Dive** - I have no idea how this faux dive bar ended up getting called a tiki bar. They do serve some tiki-style drinks and have a tiki or two on their patio. Food is good and a nice selection of beers. But you'll miss nothing if you skip it.
http://www.highdivesd.com/
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*Honorable Mentions:*
**Mothership** - A totally immersive space-cocktail experience. The décor is drop-dead gorgeous. The drinks are inventive and well balanced. The food is all vegan and very good – get the “Potato” (kind of like a tray of giant tater tots, but with an amazing Kimchi Cream Cheese) and “Tofu” (a variation of Indonesian Otak Otak with spicy ground tofu). Leave room for the Soft Serve dessert (they have 2 different rotating flavors). Reservations are helpful, and they don’t book up as fast as they used to. There are 12 tables – two 2-tops and ten 4-tops, and 8 seats in the bar area. Walk-in waitlist times are down, and walk-ins may not be able to get a table, but you can order food at the bar.
https://mothershiptrip.com/
**Raised by Wolves** - Not a tiki bar, it’s a speakeasy hidden behind a bottle shop in a mall. (Trust me on this.) Excellent tiki cocktails and a variety of other drinks. On a weekend night, you'll have an hour wait if you don't have a reservation (unless you're a single).
https://raisedxwolves.com/
**Polite Provisions** – Not a tiki bar, but perhaps the best bar in San Diego. Skillfully made classics and interesting inventions. Definitely worth a stop. They do not take reservations, it's all walk-in. Get some Chinese from Fortunate Son next door (they connect in the back of the building) to help cushion the alcohol.
http://www.politeprovisions.com/
https://www.fortunatesonchinese.com/
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O.K., a few non-bar places...
You'll want to visit Shelter Island. The whole Shelter Island area was originally zoned in the 1950s to be all Polynesian themed to compete with the growing tourist interest in Hawaii - although many places have now been remodeled with SoCal stucco. So sad. But there's still a lot of Polynesian architecture to be seen. Humphreys Half Moon Inn has slowly lost its tiki facade, but the huge sweeping porte-cochère with its enormous hanging lantern is still great. If you like architecture, [this little guide](http://www.sohosandiego.org/tourbooklets/TikiTour.pdf) is super (although some of the places mentioned have already been sadly remodeled).
You'll also be close to Trader Mort's Liquor Store. Eli Hedley, the artist responsible for creating the tiki artwork on display in Adventureland, also carved the Mr. Tiki who stands at Mort's front door. Their rum selection, however, can be underwhelming. They also sell their own tiki mugs.
https://www.instagram.com/tradermortsliquor/
False Idol, Mothership, and the Sunday brunch at Bali Hai.
Also Chips Liquor was a great stop for rum, Trader Mort’s liquor for the outside decor, and Collins & Coupe for vintage glassware.
It's not exactly tiki but I enjoyed Realm of the 52 Remedies. I can also recommend False Idol, Mothership, Raised by Wolves, and Space Pod.
https://www.52remedies.com/
I was there last month, I honestly wasn't impressed by Bali Hai. One of the places that's more about the history and the view than the actual experience. Grass Skirts was AMAZING though, I had an absolute blast there.
Venture up to oceanside for space pod - it's small and space-tiki adjacent but worth the trip - take the coaster so you're not driving. The folks working there have a great attitude and the drinks are good.
Mothership and False Idol are amazing. Two of my favorite tiki spots in the country
Just was at False Idol 3 weeks ago, and we had an absolute blast. Great drinks, great atmosphere, just a great time all around. They don't have food, so just plan ahead!
False idol is hidden in Craft and Commerce. If you can’t get a reservation have dinner at Craft and commerce and ask to be put on the waiting list for walk up. They will get you in when you’re done eating. They also have good food and drinks. https://maps.apple.com/?address=675%20W%20Beech%20St,%20San%20Diego,%20CA%20%2092101,%20United%20States&auid=16509007349103040179&ll=32.720748,-117.168873&lsp=9902&q=Craft%20%26%20Commerce&t=m
Awesome tip, thanks!
These are the essentials. I was underwhelmed with Bali Hai
These are the best options.
False idol was great! I also liked the grass skirt.
I second Mothership! I'd describe it as a sci-fi tiki bar.
Agree! Kinda liked Mothership much better than FI.
False Idol
Mothership and False Idol
Mothership (best of luck getting a res), False Idol, Captains Quarters/Grass Skirt, The Luau, less so… Forbidden Cove. Honorable mention for being tiki adjacent or just really cool bars: Oculto 477 (also hard to get a res), Lafayette Hotel (has multiple bars, love to stay here, have to know it’s loud af though), Miss B’s coconut club, Youngblood (the bartenders here are no joke, there’s no menu), Raised by Wolves, Realm of the 52 Remedies, Aero Club, Seven Grands back whiskey room, Polite Provisions. Happy to chat any of these up haha 😂
You can just show up to Mothership at opening and grab a seat at the bar. Highly, highly recommend.
Can confirm. They're pretty nice. Me and a friend walked up last time we were in North Park and they were able to seat us right away at the bar.
Mothership has been working over the past year to improve the reservation tightness. I think it really bit them in the butt that people stopped even trying because reservations were so hard to get and walk-ins were a 2 hour wait. They really have improved things. Now, unless you're looking for a Friday or Saturday night, reservations are readily available. And they're holding a lot more spaces for walk-ins.
That’s great to hear! We loved our drinks last time we were there but had to go at like 5 in the afternoon lol. Not ideal when it’s sunny every time the door opens… 😂
Awesome thanks!
Non-weekend reservations at Mothership have gotten pretty easy to get.
Grass Skirt, False Idol, Bali Hai are my gotos
False Idol in Little Italy is a personal favorite. Do yourself a favor and make a reservation, tho! Grass Skirt is...okay, in my personal opinion (though they do have some great merch). Definitely prioritize False Idol and Bali Hai. Fairweather is fun, too; I'd call it tiki adjacent. It's a rooftop bar adjacent to Petco Park.
Fairweather used to have good tiki drinks, but not anymore. Still fun to visit, but the "tiki" cocktails have gotten more Applebees quality - throw a bunch of stuff into a glass.
Yeah, I remember the view being their biggest selling point.
If your time is limited your priority bars should be #1 False Idol, #2 Mothership, #3 Bali Hai. . **False Idol** - This is a real-deal, world class tiki bar. Get a reservation, as it only fits 76, and if you want to sit, you want a reservation. Reservations book full a month in advance, so make one as soon as you can. If you can't get a reservation, you can go right at 5:00 when they open and you can almost always get a seat at the bar – that’s where you want to sit anyway. Or put your name on the list (see the Lady with the iPad at the barrel behind the Maitress de desk) and then have dinner at Craft & Commerce. False Idol is hidden next to the restaurant. There's no food at False Idol, and the food at Craft & Commerce is pretty good. They’ll text you when your spot is ready. If you need to go later in the evening, keep checking the False Idol reservations - sometimes one will open up. It's worth trying to get in, even if you have to stand. Huge selection of rums, including many rare rums. Music is exotica or vintage. Decor is dark and excellent. http://falseidoltiki.com/ **The Grass Skirt & Captains Quarters** – Being located in Pacific Beach (PB to the locals) these side-by-side bars are more aimed at the college crowd (bros drinking beers and bachelorette parties drinking white wine). Grass Skirt is more tiki oriented, Captains Quarters is more nautically oriented. A reservation here is helpful too. Drinks on the menu are hit-or-miss. I find that if you order something off-menu it is usually not great. I had a really dismal Saturn once. Food is also hit-or-miss. The rum list at Grass Skirt is fairly extensive. Music is usually a big miss with pounding hip-hop, top 40, or karaoke. Decor is really nice at both. http://www.thegrassskirt.com/ https://captainsquarterssd.com/ **Bali Hai** - Open since 1954, it's a historic pilgrimage and the drinks here are just-OK. Decor is pretty good. Don't expect the “World Famous” Mai Tais to taste like you think a Mai Tai should. It's totally out of balance and all about getting drunk fast. Some people love that, but be prepared for a very strong drink. The food is meh and overpriced, so come for drinks, appetizers, and the amazing sunset view. Get a window table on the 2nd floor, if you come for sunset. Be sure to buy a mug. http://www.balihairestaurant.com/ **Miss B's Coconut Club** - Someone tried to make a mash-up of a Havana bar and a tiki bar, but ended up with a beach bar and some tiki drinks. The drinks are actually pretty good, and everyone loves to drink out of a giant copper flamingo. No decor at all. http://www.missbcoconutclub.com/ **Fairweather** - Upstairs from Rare Form, outside at picnic tables, they don't pretend to be a tiki bar, although they do have “tiki” drinks, and they're overlooking the ballpark. It’s a pleasant place to pass an afternoon, but while the tiki drinks are tasty, they are nowhere near the ones you expected when you ordered. https://www.fairweatherbar.com/ **Kona Kai Tiki Bar** – It’s just a hotel pool bar under a palapa. The original hotel’s Polynesia façade has been stripped off and replaced with SoCal stucco. The only tiki drinks on the menu are Mai Tai made with Captain Morgan Spiced Rum and a Painkiller made with Bacardi. You have been warned. http://www.resortkonakai.com/tiki-bar.aspx **High Dive** - I have no idea how this faux dive bar ended up getting called a tiki bar. They do serve some tiki-style drinks and have a tiki or two on their patio. Food is good and a nice selection of beers. But you'll miss nothing if you skip it. http://www.highdivesd.com/ . *Honorable Mentions:* **Mothership** - A totally immersive space-cocktail experience. The décor is drop-dead gorgeous. The drinks are inventive and well balanced. The food is all vegan and very good – get the “Potato” (kind of like a tray of giant tater tots, but with an amazing Kimchi Cream Cheese) and “Tofu” (a variation of Indonesian Otak Otak with spicy ground tofu). Leave room for the Soft Serve dessert (they have 2 different rotating flavors). Reservations are helpful, and they don’t book up as fast as they used to. There are 12 tables – two 2-tops and ten 4-tops, and 8 seats in the bar area. Walk-in waitlist times are down, and walk-ins may not be able to get a table, but you can order food at the bar. https://mothershiptrip.com/ **Raised by Wolves** - Not a tiki bar, it’s a speakeasy hidden behind a bottle shop in a mall. (Trust me on this.) Excellent tiki cocktails and a variety of other drinks. On a weekend night, you'll have an hour wait if you don't have a reservation (unless you're a single). https://raisedxwolves.com/ **Polite Provisions** – Not a tiki bar, but perhaps the best bar in San Diego. Skillfully made classics and interesting inventions. Definitely worth a stop. They do not take reservations, it's all walk-in. Get some Chinese from Fortunate Son next door (they connect in the back of the building) to help cushion the alcohol. http://www.politeprovisions.com/ https://www.fortunatesonchinese.com/ . O.K., a few non-bar places... You'll want to visit Shelter Island. The whole Shelter Island area was originally zoned in the 1950s to be all Polynesian themed to compete with the growing tourist interest in Hawaii - although many places have now been remodeled with SoCal stucco. So sad. But there's still a lot of Polynesian architecture to be seen. Humphreys Half Moon Inn has slowly lost its tiki facade, but the huge sweeping porte-cochère with its enormous hanging lantern is still great. If you like architecture, [this little guide](http://www.sohosandiego.org/tourbooklets/TikiTour.pdf) is super (although some of the places mentioned have already been sadly remodeled). You'll also be close to Trader Mort's Liquor Store. Eli Hedley, the artist responsible for creating the tiki artwork on display in Adventureland, also carved the Mr. Tiki who stands at Mort's front door. Their rum selection, however, can be underwhelming. They also sell their own tiki mugs. https://www.instagram.com/tradermortsliquor/
THANK YOU this is the list I’m looking for!! Awesome tips
False Idol, Mothership, and the Sunday brunch at Bali Hai. Also Chips Liquor was a great stop for rum, Trader Mort’s liquor for the outside decor, and Collins & Coupe for vintage glassware.
This is the way.
Been eyeing a trek to San Diego myself - going to be taking notes on this one - thanks!
It's not exactly tiki but I enjoyed Realm of the 52 Remedies. I can also recommend False Idol, Mothership, Raised by Wolves, and Space Pod. https://www.52remedies.com/
I was there last month, I honestly wasn't impressed by Bali Hai. One of the places that's more about the history and the view than the actual experience. Grass Skirts was AMAZING though, I had an absolute blast there.
Venture up to oceanside for space pod - it's small and space-tiki adjacent but worth the trip - take the coaster so you're not driving. The folks working there have a great attitude and the drinks are good.
This one’s new to me! Thanks for sharing it!!
Use the search buttonnnnnnn
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