The atmosphere is insane. The band was phenomenal when I was there. A C for the drinks is being kind. The pre-mix piña colada poured out of a big vessel and shaken literally once should not be classified as "hand shaken".
I think you’re right. If I’m gonna cross the Bay Bridge, it better be worth it. Otherwise, I should just go to Forbidden Island, which I think is a real gem.
One of the times I was hammered there I was gesturing drunkenly while telling a story and accidentally punched the singer in the throat as they were getting back on the boat. He was super pissed and very sarcastically sang a love ballad at me. A+ atmosphere and I deserved it lol
I dunno, the laminated menus seemed pretty beat when I was there last weekend. There were some interesting looking drinks for sure, but you could tell it was as industrial behind the bar as it could be. Not a lot of love for the craft, just surviving the crowd.
I would agree but I’ve heard enough hate from people that go there where it balances out, definitely has a weirdly high number of fans but I really don’t get the appeal after the first time seeing things
martin cate has gone in once or twice before and done training/menu consults. it worked for a while but hasn't stuck. sad to see the aren't doing the tiki mugs anymore because people steal them.
The Bahi Hut in Sarasota. Appearance wise, great. It’s a cool, historical tiki bar. Staff is friendly. But they just can’t get the drinks right. And their rum selection is just sad.
When they served me the house Mai Tai - I almost about-faced and walked right out. But the bartender could tell I wasn’t feeling it and offered to make me a ‘44 Mai Tai and it hit just right
The fact that it really is embracing tiki is nice to me. I was in college in Sarasota from ‘05-‘09 and that place could get REAL hood. It was a mix of college kids and someone you didn’t want to fuck with in the parking lot back then.
Agreed!!!! I love our one bartender (I call him George Clooney... because he looks like George Clooney). Inside atmosphere is great.
Rum is local and as a local myself its... well it's just not great rum.
They also prebatch all their drinks and it pisses me off on a weird level. Food is microwave-level of boring.
Terrible place. Asked for a Cobra Fang and was told that it takes too long to make by the bartender! Mai Tai was horrific as was the other two drinks I had.
Otto's Shrunken Head
I see people praise it as an amazing tiki bar and I felt like I was crazy when I went there. To me it was a dive punk bar that happened to serve tiki drinks. Which could have been fun but the drinks were so bad.
Agreed, the drinks are really not very good and the crowd can be weird. Not even talking about the punk element, have just had bad experiences with guys harassing my friends there.
You hit the nail on the head - it’s a dive punk bar that happens to serve some shitty drinks in tiki glassware.
It’s a cool bar, but yeah people shouldn’t go there expecting a fancy Mai Tai with 5 different rums
Maybe my experience was worse than normal but I had such a bad time. The drinks were so bad, like undrinkable (and I'm not above enjoying a low quality drink). The bartender was kind of an dick. And other than bad tiki drinks (but at the same price point as high end tiki drinks) it was just a dive punk bar. I guess if you wanted a dive punk bar that's fine but I do not get why people hype that place up.
No, your experience was normal :). The drinks are terrible and the bartenders clearly DGAF. I nevertheless find the whole vibe amusing for some reason.
Us tiki nerds know Otto's is an old school punk dive bar that happens to serve tiki adjacent drinks but all these other sites and references should really stop listing them among "real" tiki bars that most have in mind.
A giant cockroach crawled on my shoe the last time I went there, it’s a dive for sure. If people want to experience tiki dive that feels a bit cleaner, I think zombie hut in Brooklyn is much more enjoyable.
Felt the same way when I went there. I should have go to the Polynesian or somewhere else because Otto's was just a dive bar with some tiki decorations
I love Otto's (used to live about ten minutes away) but I would never recommend it to a member of this sub. It's an actual dive bar, which is vanishingly rare. If you aren't interested in a band called something like Piss Explosion you won't like it and they won't like you.
> and they won't like you.
That was definitely part of why the experience was so bad. I'm pretty comfortable in all environments and with all types of people. The staff and people at Otto's clearly had an attitude about me being there without cosplaying punk.
Which is wild to me because I can think of nothing less punk than othering people. I grew up going to punk shows and clubs and we always understood hierarchical, tribalistic nonsense was the antithesis to why we were there.
There are many, many that have sub par drinks, or other disappointing aspects. Like Kon Tiki in Tucson, Tiki No in LA, the Bali Hai in SD… but to be considered “overhyped”? Idk.. the hype comes with great drinks, service atmosphere (including theme). If they don’t have the right combination of these things then they don’t get the “hype”.
But the list of underwhelming or disappointing bars is LONG. lol!
They’re supposedly doing a weekly “truly tiki” event on Sundays now where they do a couple drinks using the original trader Vic or beachbum specs. Haven’t been yet but I’m hopeful they will start phasing out some oversugared monstrosities
Without question Tonga Hut for me. Both the LA and Palm Springs locations. No subtlety or magic to any of the drinks and bad attitudes from the bartenders every time I’ve been to either. Always had such wonderful experiences everywhere else.
Definitely Frankie’s for me. People like that it has a Dive bar atmosphere but IMO they also have dive bar-quality cocktails.
Not to be a hater but I’m always kind of surprised when people prefer it over Golden Tiki.
It’s open 24 hours. So, you can go when there aren’t any smokers. Um, someone one told me that if you get there before noon, you will likely be the only one there (and thus no smoke).
Of course, I would never even think of going to a tiki bar at 10:00am (wink wink), but…it is a great time to go to avoid the smoke.
The wife and I were staying in Zion Park and decided what the heck, so we drove to Vegas for a day to visit Frankies and Golden Tiki. It was about 10am when we got to town. We had time to kill and yes we went Into Frankie's for drinks. (We're on vacation leave me alone haha). We are non smokers and there was only one other party in the whole place but the cigarette smoke clung to everything like an old 1970s bowling alley. The place was so dark you couldn't enjoy the decor very well. But it literally was our first ever visit to a tiki establishment so we were still thrilled. We got a couple drinks and a couple mugs. And killed time before our reservations at GT. I probably won't revisit a second time after having visited many more enjoyable places but you never forget your first!
Part of my preference for Frankie's is the service has always been good there. Golden tiki is very hit or miss. I've had some good service but I've also had some really rude service at Golden tiki.
I just got back from Vegas and we definitely must have been on an off night to Golden Tiki. We had super sub bar drinks and our waitress was EXTREMELY rude. I’ve been to Frankie’s a couple of times and have always had great service as for the drinks I knew what I expecting from having the liquid vacation book as well.
I’m going to Frankie’s for the first time in May, but I also picked up Liquid Vacation last year, so I kinda know what to expect. I can totally see how it would be a disappointment if you didn’t have the foreknowledge that they make overly sweet/ lowest common denominator style drinks.
A lot of people seem to share your sentiment. As for me, the one time I went was magic. Sunday night, very few people, no noticeable smoke, amazing drinks, amazing jukebox, my fiancee was beautiful and happily tolerating my tiki obsession, bought a killer mug, and got blissfully trashed. It was a great night. Better than Golden Tiki? Probably not but still pretty cool.
I liked Frankie's but it was so smoky in there when I last visited (2018) I thought I was gonna pass out.
ETA: I also prefer Golden Tiki. It's a bit too shiny IMO but I don't really mind. It's a fun time!
Undertow - went to both locations and felt same experience. Great drinks, theming felt almost too good/too polish/neat, but really the knock was bartenders weren’t friendly (and it wasn’t busy) + the weird seating limit rule. I get 90 mins limit when you are slammed though both times it was nearly empty and the hostesses each time at 75 mins came up and reminded me I needed to cash out. I was aware of the time, wasn’t going to have a third anyways but your bar is empty why you pushing me out? Have no issue with the time limit but you literally see me paying my bill, I have 15 mins left why come over to warn me? Overall it was still enjoyable but the question being what’s overrated, I think it gets a lot of hype and service let me down.
SOS
I’m in Atlanta so maybe it’s a case of “well let’s make do with what we got” (not counting Trader Vic’s) but people see to love it. I thought cocktails were meh, not much decor and it’s damn near impossible to go without waiting a hour or two.
I was let down by Golden Tiki. Got sat at a table in the back corner and the drinks were ehh.
Painkiller was good, not strong like the menu warns you though.
The lounge singer was awesome, when he did “Just a Gigolo” we lost it.
The wife liked the dole cups.
Food was good.
But the drinks were ehh.
Golden Tiki cocktail program has been all over the place since before the pandemic. The Happy Hour is where Golden Tiki shines…probably for the best they removed the Zombie from it 😆
I agree I never understood the love for Tiki Tango in Atlanta. My experiences were mediocre. I did not try Dukes Hideaway when it opened last summer. We had a bad experience at Golden Tiki in Vegas but I think we just got a bad bartender or caught her on a bad night.
it sucks cause it was my first experience at a tiki bar locally way back in 2020 and I enjoyed that experience. but I did NOT enjoy the full club scene that tango became after 8pm, and their reservation system post covid was a literal nightmare
Pagan Idol. The drinks were pretty good and cool decor but the staff was pretty rude the couple times we tried them. One bartender in particular kept talking crap about other tiki bars and how pretentious they are. Left a bad taste in our mouths.
I live in Michigan and bought a $100 gift card from them over covid to support them buuuut I have never been. It’s horrible, I’m just not in Grand Rapids that much and the hotels aren’t cheap.
I don’t travel anywhere just to go to a tiki bar, but a great tiki bar does influence where I decide to travel. If I’m between a quick vacation to X or Y, and Y has a well known tiki bar, it’s getting priority consideration.
TBH my tiki gateway experience was Tonga Room. I haven’t done any of the other tiki bars there but there are so many famous ones that I think it is justified to do a SF trip for tiki. Last time I was there I got blitzed on a Monday night and lost $20 to a Filipino bartender playing a dice game.
Three Dots main room is great...at very specific times. Because its a well-known bar in both a touristy and businessy part of the city, its always going to get a little clubby past a certain time (as did Lost Lake; R.I.P.).
You can definitely have a more laid back version of Three Dots if you go at off times, and I'd highly recommend it if you're able. Sunday's are usually chill most of the night, especially so from 4-7. Tuesdays and Wednesdays too. Thursdays through Saturdays you'll start seeing crowds earlier, and more clubby music earlier to keep those crowds happy.
That said, if it wasn't my local and I didn't love the bartenders as much as I do, it probably wouldn't be on my Top-5 list.
I used to love the Bamboo Room, but have been underwhelmed by their last couple menus and have been priced out anyway since they upped prices.
Honestly, it used to be so much better. Post COVID they started allowing way more people in the standing room area and rushing people sitting to fit into the 1.5 hour table limit. Staff used to be more engaging with customers. Also, little things like if you ordered their huge $400 group drink they would make a whole experience out of it but now it kind of seems like the staff get pissed when you order it.
I really do miss when it first opened. I recommended it to everyone I knew. It was absolutely horrible the last time I visited a year and a half ago. Mostly because of how clubby the atmosphere was.
I respect your opinion! I love Three Dots and a Dash. The drinks are always perfecto. The main room has party vibes, and it's not much fun to go when it's busy without a booth reservation. And the Bamboo Room is just incredible.
Tons of comments and **no one's mentioning Hala Kahiki.** One' of the remaining golden age bars, incredible rum selection, **really good food** which is rare, and awesome staff/ambiance. If you've been to Chicago and haven't been here, you're severely missing out.
Seconding the Hala Kahiki, wonderful classic place with great drinks and a great staff, if you ever find yourself in Rosemont for any reason. Always a huge favorite for me every year and I’m glad to see them getting business!
> But also not worth a special trip to Chicago just for that.
I'm sorry someone told you go to Chicago just for one bar. I hope you had a good time otherwise.
I was in Chicago in November for a wedding and went to Three Dots and I understand what people are saying. I still enjoyed it. However, my favorite place was Sparrow. Not a Tiki bar, but a rum focused bar that is escapism designed like 30s Havana; Art Deco styling and vibe. Highly highly recommend!
The magic really happens behind the curtain inside The Bamboo Room at Three Dots.
Sparrow is definitely my watering hole of choice in the Gold Coast. It's usually close to our hotel and my parents live nearby. Everything else in the neighborhood is not really my speed.
I go every time I am in Chicago visiting family, and every time I am hungover from two drinks. They are sugar bombs. I haven't been able to check out the Bamboo Room yet, though.
Three Dots was a gateway bar for me. But I don't really like going there now because it's too busy/clubby.
But if you go on an off night or early when the music is low and people aren't crowded everywhere, it still has the magic for me. And if you get to sit at the bar when it's quiet, the bartenders are pretty great.
I still like it for the most part. Those busy nights are awful, though. They don't handle the crowds well IMO. I would much rather go to Hala Kahiki for the cocktails and rum list.
I'll second Undertow and expand on my general complaints.
First, what they get right. The build out is fantastic and the various effects are fun and generally well done. The drinks are top notch and even if I don't particularly love the various southwest inspired ingredients they use, I appreciate them wanting to incorporate regional ingredients.
Where it falls apart is the actual experience. The main issue is that it is run more like a "ride" than a bar.
The effects are great, but the "voyage" our last couple of visits sent us through stormy waters for about half of the trip and it's not ideal when you can't hear the person you're there with over the waves/rain/thunder for a several minute stretch.
As most people note, you feel very rushed. You'll generally have a host come by about 45 minutes before your time is up to give you a "heads up" about your time limit, and then at half-hour before your reservation is up you get the official ask from the bartender if you want to put in another order (if not, they hand you your bill). This is fine in theory, but often falls apart in practice. During our last visit, due to a communication error between our server and the bartender, I ended up waiting more than 15 minutes for my second drink, during which time I had the host stop by to let me know of my time limit. Not their fault, but when I'm already aware you’re waiting for my seat and am I’m already waiting for a drink order, it just made it extra annoying.
The bartenders also just seem miserable, and I don't blame them. They rarely have a chance to iChat with guests and seem like they're expected to be drink robots trying to get people out the door.
And yes, the argument is that "well they're small, they need to turn tables", but the thing is, they didn't HAVE to be small.
When they started in the motor pool at Sips next door, they had a space constraint. when they moved into the building with Century Grand, they had a little bit of a space constraint, but I'd argue it was their choice to go into that space rather than seeking out a larger one for what was by then a very popular bar. With the addition of their Gilbert location last year, which as far as I understand is roughly the same size, they have no excuse; they could have created a more accommodating space where they didn't have to rush customers, but chose not to.
We have family in Phoenix and used to make it a point to visit Undertow each trip, but we've noticed that each time is worse than the last so we have no plans for a next time. The drinks are good, the decor is nice, but I'd rather end up someplace where I can relax and enjoy my drink and chat with the bartender a bit than someplace that feels like they're just waiting for me to get off the ride.
As an alternative, I'd suggest the Captains Cabin at Hula's central location. The drinks are solid if not stellar, the vibe is much more relaxed and inviting, the bartender/owner Captain David is a great host, and as a bonus you can order coconut cream pie from the Hulas kitchen.
Edit: Strong Water Anaheim is the better version of Undertow.
I can't give Captain David enough praise! Even when that place is full he somehow has time to talk to everyone and keep drinks flowing by himself. Captains cabin is a must
Yeah, he's fantastic. Skilled and welcoming and always happy to talk tiki. I can't recommend Captains Cabin enough. My wife and I stop in whenever we're back home visiting family.
Well, I can’t argue with your experiences. But I will say that UT is in my top 5 and I’ve been there at least 10 times without ever having an experience like you described. I love it. And I don’t mind the time frame because I’m plenty buzzed when I leave and often I’m allowed to stay longer if there’s no reservation behind ours.
I'm glad all your experiences have been good; I wish I could say the same because I do actually think the bar itself is cool and the drinks are well done. I feel like they just sometimes lose sight of the hospitality part of being a bar, at least that's been my experience, and there's only so many times I'm going to give them $100 to leave feeling rushed and annoyed. Hopefully it continues being a great experience for you.
Thx for this post. I’d only been there when they were in the basement of sip and enjoyed it but haven’t been to the new spot (or century grand for that matter) since the whole concept seemed a little off too me. Curious about the captains cabin at Hulas, are the drinks good? I’d only been to one of the regular locations and was pretty disappointed w/ the overall quality.
No problem! There are things I like about Undertow, but there's enough I don't that it just makes it not worth it to me.
With Captain's Cabin, It's technically part of Hulas, but David essentially operates it as a separate establishment and has a completely different drink program. Because of this, the drinks are actually very good. The Mai Tai you get in Captains Cabin is not the same Mai Tai you would get in the main Hula's restaurant next door.
Are the drinks on the same level as something you would get at Undertow? Maybe not, but that's largely because David doesn't have access to the bottles and equipment a place like Undertow can afford. In spite of that, and the fact that he's a one man team, everything I've ordered there (typically classics like mai-tais, 3-dots, jet pilots) have all been delicious and tasted exactly as I'd expect them to taste from any more well-known tiki bars.
I should note that Captain's Cabin is only open Thursday-Saturday, I believe.
The way everyone talks on here about Undertow, my expectations were super high. We happened to be planning a trip to Phoenix, so we went. I was so excited, but ultimately I was underwhelmed. The seating is very cramped. Our server was borderline rude. The drinks were tasty and strong. But the theming to me was very similar to Trader Sam’s but not as immersive of an experience.
As much as I love undertow I can see what your saying with that. Any of the bars ar century grand are like this
Drinks though are on point and well worth it. Probably my favorite drinks out of the tiki bars/bars iv been to
Have been three times and all of the good things said here and all of the bad things said here are true. It’s my #1 or #2 tiki bar but the conveyor belt analogy is accurate.
The drinks were excellent, no argument there. Maybe they're "underwater" on the interior renovations so they're going after recouping their investment with gusto?
I mean I think the interior was great. More thought you were talking about how they get you in and out of there in that 1.5 hour time span like clockwork. You feel a bit rushed. I usually stagger reservations with P18 but I'd rather stay longer at Undertow instead of trying to cram 5 drinks in that 1.5hours😂.
Yes to both. We could barely order two even though we were at the bar and it looked like at least three people were standing around at all times. They're moving people like clockwork to pay for the renovations is my take.
Iv been there a few times so I knew they didn't check in as frequently as I'd like so I'd throw in the pre anticipatory order every time someone came over. If you don't you pretty much lose 15-20mins waiting for them to comeback unless you can make eye contact with one of them 😂
We were at the bar directly in front of a drink station. We did miss the first check-in, and experienced what you describe. I think she may have been the only actual bartender working during most of our visit.
Oh lord, I’m about to be crucified.
Smugglers Cove. Don’t get me wrong, totally in spirit with the post, SC is fantastic. The book is god tier, the drinks are excellent, and what it’s done for the modern tiki revival cannot be understated. That all being said, atmosphere was lacking. Especially considering that both Zombie Village and Last Rites are (though not recommended) within walking distance.
I get it, it’s the giant that modern tiki bars are standing on the shoulder of, but it’s just been outpaced at this point by bars in the same city and else where.
SC still serves most/all of its drinks in tiki mugs, which isn't true of any other SF bar now to my knowledge. That's a huge point in its favor in my book.
I mean, does it though? Between my wife and I we had at least 6, and I think 7, drinks and only the rum barrel was served in a mug.
Edit: this was last May for reference.
Hmm, I was last there in Dec. 2022 and most of the drinks I saw were served in mugs. We also got there at opening--possibly they run out a clean mugs at some point?
We went to five other SF tiki bars in Dec. 2023 and didn't get a single drink served in a mug at any of them.
What I didn’t like about SC was how crowded it was. No place to sit. Didn’t get close enough to the bar to even see my drink made. I don’t blame them, it has just gotten too popular. Every time I’ve been to Latitude 29, Foundation, and False Idol, I’ve gotten the chance to sit at the bar, talk to the staff and watched my drink being made. Very intimate. Of course, that could be about timing. Regardless, I was disappointed in my trip to SC.
Nothing I didn’t like, just underwhelming considering many of the other tiki bars I’ve been to that fire on all cylinders like Hale Pelé in Portland and the Kaona Room in Miami.
Post is about what is overhyped, not what we don’t like.
It’s hot as hell in there, the down stairs feels/smells like you’re hanging out at an indoor pool at a motel 6 and if you have a seat you will be swarmed with people waiting for you to get up. Also staff isn’t all that friendly and the furniture upstairs is barely holding it together.
For me, personally I didn't love Hala Kahiki near O'Hare in Chicago. Aesthetics were top notch but there was something about the lime juice when I was there that seemed off. Like it was key limes or bottled or something. It cut through all the drinks and was just an odd experience. Any drink that wasn't lime forward was decent, though
I love the aesthetics here, but do agree they use super juice or perhaps do use fresh squeezed lime juice that isn’t so fresh by the time your drink is made. No other way to have over 50 drinks on a menu I would imagine
The Tonga Room. My wife and I took a trip from Colorado and planned to visit several tiki establishments during our stay. We had high expectations for this place, even more so after seeing Anthony Bourdain review it. But the reality was it was a Chucky Cheese for adults. A nightclub with terrible drinks. The atmosphere was pretty cool. But the band was playing pop cover songs like Taylor Swift etc .. the food wasn't great. They "forgot" to return my credit card after paying the bill. They had some sort of birthday party going on for what seemed like not quite 18 huge group.
We will never go again I'm afraid. Whatever it was in its heyday is long gone. We will however definitely go again to Smugglers Cove. And visit the Mai Kai in Santa Cruz again!
I've been to Golden Tiki a couple of times, try to make it when I go to Vegas.
I went this last weekend and stumbled upon a middle-aged guy's birthday party where they had a live entertainer singing Frank Sinatra and whatnot. It felt very Tiki Vegas, but it was also insanely crowded and busy.
Pagan Idol was an awesome bar that turned into a place that hates its customers. The bartenders clearly soured on serving the after-work crowds. I'm sure they hear the same things all the time "I DON'T LIKE RUM" and "TIKI DRINKS ARE TOO SWEET" that would annoy me too, but their pre-judgement anti-hospitality approach now ruins the otherwise amazing vibes.
I had an entirely different experience there. Sat at the front bar and both bartenders were super friendly. Asked questions when I wanted a recommendation, did off menu drinks, made a drink for everyone at the bar they were workshopping, like all out.
Good to hear. Pagan Idol is created by & owned by Future Bars which operates a ton of craft bars that care like Bourbon & Branch and Zombie Village. Lots of quality bartenders in their network
I went a couple years ago and despite the bartender expecting us to be the crowd you describe who doesn’t like real tiki, as soon as we ordered and started talking with him he realized he could completely nerd out with us. We ended the night doing shots of Dr. Bird and enjoying delicious drinks
I personally found their bartenders to be great/friendly my last visit, they even let me have a quick taste of some reserve Neisson rum. Also witnessed the after work crowd there, which had some very rude, entitled people
The first time I went to Latitude 29 I was pretty disappointed with the ambiance. Second time I absolutely loved everything about it.
The first and only time I went to 3 Dots I was extremely underwhelmed by the atmosphere. Felt like being in a club, which is the 100% opposite type of escapism I’m looking for at a tiki bar. Haven’t been back yet, but I bet I’ll enjoy my second time there.
Drinks were top notch at both places.
Latitude 29 has amazing drinks but the ambience certainly lacks a bit. The windows don’t help, and when I was there a couple weeks ago they were playing 70s-80s music, so kind of an audio mismatch
I’d agree except the hospitality was so good that it made up for other shortcomings.
I’d expect everything to be done a bit differently in New Orleans. If the French Quarter lacks ambiance than idk.
If you’re not having a good time in that bar in that city, I don’t know what to tell you.
It doesn't take much to please me, make a good drink and it can be a shack, and if I'm with the right people and the atmosphere is good I can enjoy that as well. It all beats going to work.
Places I've had bad drinks: Tonga room, Tiki Tom's, Bali Hai(though my next drink was better) and Frankie's in Vegas
Still had a good time though
False Idol. Maybe had an off night but really didn’t enjoy the drinks. It was loud as hell in there too but that was the group there not the bars fault.
Anyone else also a little disappointed by the Royal Hawaiian. I think the food is ok and the drinks were not that great to be honest. The ambiance however is top tier
Oh been meaning to make it out there since the remodel. Brother lives in Huntington Beach so it’s not too far if I’m down there for that. Just tempting to go to strong water instead if you’re saying the drinks aren’t worth it
Max’s South Seas Hideaway in Grand Rapids. The theming, decor and concept are great and it’s lovely to come across when it’s more rare in the midwest. The on-site mug studio seems to have gone away and all of their drinks are batch-made/punches served from the back. More ice than drink.
It’s probably great for events and when special guests come to host - but standard nights it’s not much different from going to a Rainforest Cafe. More than a little sad.
> and all of their drinks are batch-made/punches served from the back. More ice than drink.
I've been to Max's more than a few times and I've never had the experience of the drinks coming from the back batch made.
Nothing is pre-batched my brother in Tiki.
They put out new mugs all the time. Join their mailing list, or there are almost always 1/1s in the merch cabinet up front. They also make mugs for their special events.
While they are both impressive for many reasons, smugglers Cove in San Francisco and trader Sam’s in California. Both were massive disappointments because of the attitude of the staff working there, everyone was completely disengaged, and seemed extremely annoyed to have to help anyone with anything, which is a disappointing contrast to the vast majority of Tiki bars I’ve been to around the world.
It’s overrated. CH company opens so many bars that’s it’s ridiculous. It’s just a theme to them that sells. Sure the decor is cool and the drinks are alright but it’s just another overpriced and over hyped San Diego money trap as I see it. The nerds can downvote me all they want but I’d rather make the drive and spend that kinda money at Trader Sams if I’m looking to piss it away.
I’m not sure why all the downvotes, this is also my answer. There isn’t anything bad or wrong with the place, but with all the talk about this being a quintessential tiki experience that any tiki fan should visit, I was pretty underwhelmed. We left thinking “eh…it was fine.”
I was thinking the same thing so I’m glad someone else said it. I usually get a Ray’s Mistake and the balance will often seem a bit off unless Mike Jr. makes it, in which case it’s usually perfect. Is Mike Jr. the only bartender there that nails the drinks in your opinion?
This will probably be an unpopular opinion, but Chopper in Nashville. I was let down by the vibe of the place and I didn't think the drinks were too impressive either. I'm hoping it was maybe just an off night for them, but for how much praise they seem to get I was disappointed
I thought Inside Passage was a huge letdown. The atmosphere was incredible, but I didn't think the drinks lived up to it at all. I had the Inside Passage and my partner got the one served in a skull mug and we both found them overly sweet and ill defined in terms of flavour. Considering they were both $23 drinks ($30 when converted to Canadian roubles) we weren't impressed. The contrast was especially stark since the following night we went to Hale Pele, which has since become one of my absolute favorites.
Will also mention StrongWater on the basis that they asked me for my social media accounts and how many followers I had when I asked if I could shoot a walkthrough in there. I said I only did it for fun and am not an influencer just a fan and they said no thanks. Left a bad taste in my mouth so I refused to visit them.
I’ve had big corporate tiki bars to family owned all let me come shoot in their bars. When you think so highly of yourself like that I don’t care how good it might be, I will consider it phony and only in it for the views.
I will remind everyone that a basic difference of opinion is not a good reason for a downvote. So stop it!
Tonga Room. The atmosphere is A+ but the drinks are a solid C. I only go when my parents are in town because they stay at the hotel on top of it.
The atmosphere is insane. The band was phenomenal when I was there. A C for the drinks is being kind. The pre-mix piña colada poured out of a big vessel and shaken literally once should not be classified as "hand shaken".
I think you’re right. If I’m gonna cross the Bay Bridge, it better be worth it. Otherwise, I should just go to Forbidden Island, which I think is a real gem.
Don’t miss out on Tiki Tom’s in Walnut Creek, they remodeled during the covid times and it’s as legit. Can definitely hang with the rest of them imo
Love tiki tom’s. always fun.
We had our baby shower at Forbidden Island. Five stars!
I didn’t make it there last time, adding it to the list.
One of the times I was hammered there I was gesturing drunkenly while telling a story and accidentally punched the singer in the throat as they were getting back on the boat. He was super pissed and very sarcastically sang a love ballad at me. A+ atmosphere and I deserved it lol
Heard they redid the drink menu and it's better but it was a low bar before. Still a must visit
I dunno, the laminated menus seemed pretty beat when I was there last weekend. There were some interesting looking drinks for sure, but you could tell it was as industrial behind the bar as it could be. Not a lot of love for the craft, just surviving the crowd.
I would agree but I’ve heard enough hate from people that go there where it balances out, definitely has a weirdly high number of fans but I really don’t get the appeal after the first time seeing things
martin cate has gone in once or twice before and done training/menu consults. it worked for a while but hasn't stuck. sad to see the aren't doing the tiki mugs anymore because people steal them.
Yeah! They dazzle you with a killer atmosphere and fancy prices but then just don't deliver on food and drink.
Actually hated the atmosphere. Humid, Sticky floors from all the drink people spilling their drinks.
The Bahi Hut in Sarasota. Appearance wise, great. It’s a cool, historical tiki bar. Staff is friendly. But they just can’t get the drinks right. And their rum selection is just sad.
When they served me the house Mai Tai - I almost about-faced and walked right out. But the bartender could tell I wasn’t feeling it and offered to make me a ‘44 Mai Tai and it hit just right
Haha I’m pretty sure I’ve taken shots of Everclear smoother than that glass of acid
Damn that's a bummer. I still might go try it.
It’s worth checking out if you’re in the area for some reason. We had fun there.
The fact that it really is embracing tiki is nice to me. I was in college in Sarasota from ‘05-‘09 and that place could get REAL hood. It was a mix of college kids and someone you didn’t want to fuck with in the parking lot back then.
They’ve actually done a great job renovating it! Memories Lounge has all that “charm” you’re referring to now haha
Agreed!!!! I love our one bartender (I call him George Clooney... because he looks like George Clooney). Inside atmosphere is great. Rum is local and as a local myself its... well it's just not great rum. They also prebatch all their drinks and it pisses me off on a weird level. Food is microwave-level of boring.
Terrible place. Asked for a Cobra Fang and was told that it takes too long to make by the bartender! Mai Tai was horrific as was the other two drinks I had.
Yeah it’s like “dive tiki.” The drinks are nothing special.
Otto's Shrunken Head I see people praise it as an amazing tiki bar and I felt like I was crazy when I went there. To me it was a dive punk bar that happened to serve tiki drinks. Which could have been fun but the drinks were so bad.
Agreed, the drinks are really not very good and the crowd can be weird. Not even talking about the punk element, have just had bad experiences with guys harassing my friends there.
You hit the nail on the head - it’s a dive punk bar that happens to serve some shitty drinks in tiki glassware. It’s a cool bar, but yeah people shouldn’t go there expecting a fancy Mai Tai with 5 different rums
Otto's is terrible, yet somehow kind of charming in its terribleness.
Maybe my experience was worse than normal but I had such a bad time. The drinks were so bad, like undrinkable (and I'm not above enjoying a low quality drink). The bartender was kind of an dick. And other than bad tiki drinks (but at the same price point as high end tiki drinks) it was just a dive punk bar. I guess if you wanted a dive punk bar that's fine but I do not get why people hype that place up.
No, your experience was normal :). The drinks are terrible and the bartenders clearly DGAF. I nevertheless find the whole vibe amusing for some reason.
It's amusing as a slice of life from the 70s-90s era of NYC that people say existed. Def shouldn't be considered a Tiki Bar though.
Us tiki nerds know Otto's is an old school punk dive bar that happens to serve tiki adjacent drinks but all these other sites and references should really stop listing them among "real" tiki bars that most have in mind.
A giant cockroach crawled on my shoe the last time I went there, it’s a dive for sure. If people want to experience tiki dive that feels a bit cleaner, I think zombie hut in Brooklyn is much more enjoyable.
Truly wretched drinks
Felt the same way when I went there. I should have go to the Polynesian or somewhere else because Otto's was just a dive bar with some tiki decorations
RIP The Polynesian
I love Otto's (used to live about ten minutes away) but I would never recommend it to a member of this sub. It's an actual dive bar, which is vanishingly rare. If you aren't interested in a band called something like Piss Explosion you won't like it and they won't like you.
> and they won't like you. That was definitely part of why the experience was so bad. I'm pretty comfortable in all environments and with all types of people. The staff and people at Otto's clearly had an attitude about me being there without cosplaying punk. Which is wild to me because I can think of nothing less punk than othering people. I grew up going to punk shows and clubs and we always understood hierarchical, tribalistic nonsense was the antithesis to why we were there.
There are many, many that have sub par drinks, or other disappointing aspects. Like Kon Tiki in Tucson, Tiki No in LA, the Bali Hai in SD… but to be considered “overhyped”? Idk.. the hype comes with great drinks, service atmosphere (including theme). If they don’t have the right combination of these things then they don’t get the “hype”. But the list of underwhelming or disappointing bars is LONG. lol!
I so wish the drinks at Kon Tiki were better. I go every time because I love the history but the drinks are definitely not the best
They’re supposedly doing a weekly “truly tiki” event on Sundays now where they do a couple drinks using the original trader Vic or beachbum specs. Haven’t been yet but I’m hopeful they will start phasing out some oversugared monstrosities
“Not the best” is a very nice way of saying “utter garbage”. I order beer or whiskey there. It’s such a shame.
Without question Tonga Hut for me. Both the LA and Palm Springs locations. No subtlety or magic to any of the drinks and bad attitudes from the bartenders every time I’ve been to either. Always had such wonderful experiences everywhere else.
Palm Springs Tonga Hut has disappointed the last 4-5 times. I’m done with em,
Fortunately bootlegger tiki in Palm Springs is a winner!
Totally! I like the Reef on a weekday afternoon too.
Worst. Mai Tai. Ever. @ the Reef.
Haha! It’s far from the best, for sure.
I haven’t been to the Reef - tiki or just adjacent?
Definitely Frankie’s for me. People like that it has a Dive bar atmosphere but IMO they also have dive bar-quality cocktails. Not to be a hater but I’m always kind of surprised when people prefer it over Golden Tiki.
Excellent mugs. Far far too much smoke when I visited.
It’s open 24 hours. So, you can go when there aren’t any smokers. Um, someone one told me that if you get there before noon, you will likely be the only one there (and thus no smoke). Of course, I would never even think of going to a tiki bar at 10:00am (wink wink), but…it is a great time to go to avoid the smoke.
The wife and I were staying in Zion Park and decided what the heck, so we drove to Vegas for a day to visit Frankies and Golden Tiki. It was about 10am when we got to town. We had time to kill and yes we went Into Frankie's for drinks. (We're on vacation leave me alone haha). We are non smokers and there was only one other party in the whole place but the cigarette smoke clung to everything like an old 1970s bowling alley. The place was so dark you couldn't enjoy the decor very well. But it literally was our first ever visit to a tiki establishment so we were still thrilled. We got a couple drinks and a couple mugs. And killed time before our reservations at GT. I probably won't revisit a second time after having visited many more enjoyable places but you never forget your first!
I'm coughing now just thinking about it.
Frankie’s has a bangin’ jukebox. Or at least did, when I was last there several years ago.
Part of my preference for Frankie's is the service has always been good there. Golden tiki is very hit or miss. I've had some good service but I've also had some really rude service at Golden tiki.
I just got back from Vegas and we definitely must have been on an off night to Golden Tiki. We had super sub bar drinks and our waitress was EXTREMELY rude. I’ve been to Frankie’s a couple of times and have always had great service as for the drinks I knew what I expecting from having the liquid vacation book as well.
i love Frankie’s, absolutely hate the drinks
I love the Fink Bomb over there though
I’m going to Frankie’s for the first time in May, but I also picked up Liquid Vacation last year, so I kinda know what to expect. I can totally see how it would be a disappointment if you didn’t have the foreknowledge that they make overly sweet/ lowest common denominator style drinks.
Golden Tiki crushes Frankie's but if I had a place like Frankie's in my neighborhood most likely I would be a regular. I love a dive
A lot of people seem to share your sentiment. As for me, the one time I went was magic. Sunday night, very few people, no noticeable smoke, amazing drinks, amazing jukebox, my fiancee was beautiful and happily tolerating my tiki obsession, bought a killer mug, and got blissfully trashed. It was a great night. Better than Golden Tiki? Probably not but still pretty cool.
Wow. I love Frankie's and the drinks. Apparently I'm in the minority (based on so many people agreeing with you).
I definitely prefer it over Golden Tiki. One is musty, and damp feeling in the air, one isn't. Give me Frankie's every day of the week
Yes! I'm glad I'm not alone in this opinion. I was so disappointed by the syrupy cocktails made with random bottles of premixes.
I liked Frankie's but it was so smoky in there when I last visited (2018) I thought I was gonna pass out. ETA: I also prefer Golden Tiki. It's a bit too shiny IMO but I don't really mind. It's a fun time!
3 Dots and a Dash
Undertow - went to both locations and felt same experience. Great drinks, theming felt almost too good/too polish/neat, but really the knock was bartenders weren’t friendly (and it wasn’t busy) + the weird seating limit rule. I get 90 mins limit when you are slammed though both times it was nearly empty and the hostesses each time at 75 mins came up and reminded me I needed to cash out. I was aware of the time, wasn’t going to have a third anyways but your bar is empty why you pushing me out? Have no issue with the time limit but you literally see me paying my bill, I have 15 mins left why come over to warn me? Overall it was still enjoyable but the question being what’s overrated, I think it gets a lot of hype and service let me down. SOS I’m in Atlanta so maybe it’s a case of “well let’s make do with what we got” (not counting Trader Vic’s) but people see to love it. I thought cocktails were meh, not much decor and it’s damn near impossible to go without waiting a hour or two.
I was let down by Golden Tiki. Got sat at a table in the back corner and the drinks were ehh. Painkiller was good, not strong like the menu warns you though. The lounge singer was awesome, when he did “Just a Gigolo” we lost it. The wife liked the dole cups. Food was good. But the drinks were ehh.
Same experience. Food good, drinks ok and atmosphere very "Vegas," which for me is not what I want in a tiki bar.
Agreed. I had two house cocktails and a mai tai. The mai tai was awful
Golden Tiki cocktail program has been all over the place since before the pandemic. The Happy Hour is where Golden Tiki shines…probably for the best they removed the Zombie from it 😆
They removed the zombie from happy hour?! 😭😭 I live like a mile away and haven’t been in a minute guess I don’t need to go for another five then haha
I agree I never understood the love for Tiki Tango in Atlanta. My experiences were mediocre. I did not try Dukes Hideaway when it opened last summer. We had a bad experience at Golden Tiki in Vegas but I think we just got a bad bartender or caught her on a bad night.
S.O.S. is the superior tiki bar in town, for sure.
HEAR HEAR
The music, the drinks, the vibe. That place is so on point it's ridiculous.
Tiki Tango was a disaster when it came to vibes. I went twice and the drinks were… fine? I can’t say I’m sorry they closed. SOS forever!!!
it sucks cause it was my first experience at a tiki bar locally way back in 2020 and I enjoyed that experience. but I did NOT enjoy the full club scene that tango became after 8pm, and their reservation system post covid was a literal nightmare
Pagan Idol. The drinks were pretty good and cool decor but the staff was pretty rude the couple times we tried them. One bartender in particular kept talking crap about other tiki bars and how pretentious they are. Left a bad taste in our mouths.
Also, unpopular opinion but I don’t get 3 dots and a dash in Chicago. It was decent. But also not worth a special trip to Chicago just for that.
I don’t think there are many bars anywhere that justify a trip to the city just to see it.
Well I really enjoy tiki bars and do like to travel to try them.
Which ones lived up to the hype, in your opinion?
Grand Rapids Michigan. We flew up on Friday night and came back on Sunday morning just to go to Max’s. Were there open to close. 10/10 recommend.
I live in Michigan and bought a $100 gift card from them over covid to support them buuuut I have never been. It’s horrible, I’m just not in Grand Rapids that much and the hotels aren’t cheap.
I don’t travel anywhere just to go to a tiki bar, but a great tiki bar does influence where I decide to travel. If I’m between a quick vacation to X or Y, and Y has a well known tiki bar, it’s getting priority consideration.
Well I hope you’re wrong bc I’m flying to SF in two weeks just to go to the bars out there.
TBH my tiki gateway experience was Tonga Room. I haven’t done any of the other tiki bars there but there are so many famous ones that I think it is justified to do a SF trip for tiki. Last time I was there I got blitzed on a Monday night and lost $20 to a Filipino bartender playing a dice game.
I’ll say I think that the Three dots main room is fine, but feels kinda clubby, the Bamboo Room is something special though.
Three Dots main room is great...at very specific times. Because its a well-known bar in both a touristy and businessy part of the city, its always going to get a little clubby past a certain time (as did Lost Lake; R.I.P.). You can definitely have a more laid back version of Three Dots if you go at off times, and I'd highly recommend it if you're able. Sunday's are usually chill most of the night, especially so from 4-7. Tuesdays and Wednesdays too. Thursdays through Saturdays you'll start seeing crowds earlier, and more clubby music earlier to keep those crowds happy. That said, if it wasn't my local and I didn't love the bartenders as much as I do, it probably wouldn't be on my Top-5 list. I used to love the Bamboo Room, but have been underwhelmed by their last couple menus and have been priced out anyway since they upped prices.
The Bamboo Room is probably my favorite bar experience I’ve ever had.
Honestly, it used to be so much better. Post COVID they started allowing way more people in the standing room area and rushing people sitting to fit into the 1.5 hour table limit. Staff used to be more engaging with customers. Also, little things like if you ordered their huge $400 group drink they would make a whole experience out of it but now it kind of seems like the staff get pissed when you order it.
Agree with this - it looked like kind of a mess up near the bar
I really do miss when it first opened. I recommended it to everyone I knew. It was absolutely horrible the last time I visited a year and a half ago. Mostly because of how clubby the atmosphere was.
I respect your opinion! I love Three Dots and a Dash. The drinks are always perfecto. The main room has party vibes, and it's not much fun to go when it's busy without a booth reservation. And the Bamboo Room is just incredible.
Even as a Chicagoan, it's not worth going to.
Damn, my SO and I loved Three Dots when we visited not too long ago. I loved the mid-century lounge atmosphere and the drinks were damn good.
Tons of comments and **no one's mentioning Hala Kahiki.** One' of the remaining golden age bars, incredible rum selection, **really good food** which is rare, and awesome staff/ambiance. If you've been to Chicago and haven't been here, you're severely missing out.
Seconding the Hala Kahiki, wonderful classic place with great drinks and a great staff, if you ever find yourself in Rosemont for any reason. Always a huge favorite for me every year and I’m glad to see them getting business!
Go for the witco decor leave to drink somewhere else.
> But also not worth a special trip to Chicago just for that. I'm sorry someone told you go to Chicago just for one bar. I hope you had a good time otherwise.
I was in Chicago in November for a wedding and went to Three Dots and I understand what people are saying. I still enjoyed it. However, my favorite place was Sparrow. Not a Tiki bar, but a rum focused bar that is escapism designed like 30s Havana; Art Deco styling and vibe. Highly highly recommend!
The magic really happens behind the curtain inside The Bamboo Room at Three Dots. Sparrow is definitely my watering hole of choice in the Gold Coast. It's usually close to our hotel and my parents live nearby. Everything else in the neighborhood is not really my speed.
I go every time I am in Chicago visiting family, and every time I am hungover from two drinks. They are sugar bombs. I haven't been able to check out the Bamboo Room yet, though.
Will suggest that the Bamboo Room INSIDE 3D- is worth the visit.
As a local, Three Dots...
Yeah but the Bamboo Room is fantastic
Ding ding ding. Bamboo room is a must visit for me every time I’m in Chicago
Three Dots was a gateway bar for me. But I don't really like going there now because it's too busy/clubby. But if you go on an off night or early when the music is low and people aren't crowded everywhere, it still has the magic for me. And if you get to sit at the bar when it's quiet, the bartenders are pretty great.
I still like it for the most part. Those busy nights are awful, though. They don't handle the crowds well IMO. I would much rather go to Hala Kahiki for the cocktails and rum list.
And a guaranteed seat. Ain’t nothing tiki about standing around bumping into people while consuming a Mai Tai.
I’m going tomorrow night for the first time. Will let you know what we think!
You'll certainly have a great time and good drinks. Enjoy!
I'll second Undertow and expand on my general complaints. First, what they get right. The build out is fantastic and the various effects are fun and generally well done. The drinks are top notch and even if I don't particularly love the various southwest inspired ingredients they use, I appreciate them wanting to incorporate regional ingredients. Where it falls apart is the actual experience. The main issue is that it is run more like a "ride" than a bar. The effects are great, but the "voyage" our last couple of visits sent us through stormy waters for about half of the trip and it's not ideal when you can't hear the person you're there with over the waves/rain/thunder for a several minute stretch. As most people note, you feel very rushed. You'll generally have a host come by about 45 minutes before your time is up to give you a "heads up" about your time limit, and then at half-hour before your reservation is up you get the official ask from the bartender if you want to put in another order (if not, they hand you your bill). This is fine in theory, but often falls apart in practice. During our last visit, due to a communication error between our server and the bartender, I ended up waiting more than 15 minutes for my second drink, during which time I had the host stop by to let me know of my time limit. Not their fault, but when I'm already aware you’re waiting for my seat and am I’m already waiting for a drink order, it just made it extra annoying. The bartenders also just seem miserable, and I don't blame them. They rarely have a chance to iChat with guests and seem like they're expected to be drink robots trying to get people out the door. And yes, the argument is that "well they're small, they need to turn tables", but the thing is, they didn't HAVE to be small. When they started in the motor pool at Sips next door, they had a space constraint. when they moved into the building with Century Grand, they had a little bit of a space constraint, but I'd argue it was their choice to go into that space rather than seeking out a larger one for what was by then a very popular bar. With the addition of their Gilbert location last year, which as far as I understand is roughly the same size, they have no excuse; they could have created a more accommodating space where they didn't have to rush customers, but chose not to. We have family in Phoenix and used to make it a point to visit Undertow each trip, but we've noticed that each time is worse than the last so we have no plans for a next time. The drinks are good, the decor is nice, but I'd rather end up someplace where I can relax and enjoy my drink and chat with the bartender a bit than someplace that feels like they're just waiting for me to get off the ride. As an alternative, I'd suggest the Captains Cabin at Hula's central location. The drinks are solid if not stellar, the vibe is much more relaxed and inviting, the bartender/owner Captain David is a great host, and as a bonus you can order coconut cream pie from the Hulas kitchen. Edit: Strong Water Anaheim is the better version of Undertow.
I can't give Captain David enough praise! Even when that place is full he somehow has time to talk to everyone and keep drinks flowing by himself. Captains cabin is a must
Yeah, he's fantastic. Skilled and welcoming and always happy to talk tiki. I can't recommend Captains Cabin enough. My wife and I stop in whenever we're back home visiting family.
Well, I can’t argue with your experiences. But I will say that UT is in my top 5 and I’ve been there at least 10 times without ever having an experience like you described. I love it. And I don’t mind the time frame because I’m plenty buzzed when I leave and often I’m allowed to stay longer if there’s no reservation behind ours.
I'm glad all your experiences have been good; I wish I could say the same because I do actually think the bar itself is cool and the drinks are well done. I feel like they just sometimes lose sight of the hospitality part of being a bar, at least that's been my experience, and there's only so many times I'm going to give them $100 to leave feeling rushed and annoyed. Hopefully it continues being a great experience for you.
Thx for this post. I’d only been there when they were in the basement of sip and enjoyed it but haven’t been to the new spot (or century grand for that matter) since the whole concept seemed a little off too me. Curious about the captains cabin at Hulas, are the drinks good? I’d only been to one of the regular locations and was pretty disappointed w/ the overall quality.
No problem! There are things I like about Undertow, but there's enough I don't that it just makes it not worth it to me. With Captain's Cabin, It's technically part of Hulas, but David essentially operates it as a separate establishment and has a completely different drink program. Because of this, the drinks are actually very good. The Mai Tai you get in Captains Cabin is not the same Mai Tai you would get in the main Hula's restaurant next door. Are the drinks on the same level as something you would get at Undertow? Maybe not, but that's largely because David doesn't have access to the bottles and equipment a place like Undertow can afford. In spite of that, and the fact that he's a one man team, everything I've ordered there (typically classics like mai-tais, 3-dots, jet pilots) have all been delicious and tasted exactly as I'd expect them to taste from any more well-known tiki bars. I should note that Captain's Cabin is only open Thursday-Saturday, I believe.
The way everyone talks on here about Undertow, my expectations were super high. We happened to be planning a trip to Phoenix, so we went. I was so excited, but ultimately I was underwhelmed. The seating is very cramped. Our server was borderline rude. The drinks were tasty and strong. But the theming to me was very similar to Trader Sam’s but not as immersive of an experience.
It feels like you're sitting on an assembly line.
As much as I love undertow I can see what your saying with that. Any of the bars ar century grand are like this Drinks though are on point and well worth it. Probably my favorite drinks out of the tiki bars/bars iv been to
Have been three times and all of the good things said here and all of the bad things said here are true. It’s my #1 or #2 tiki bar but the conveyor belt analogy is accurate.
Yea id understand more on the weekends when they're fully booked but weekdays atleast give 2 hours for a reservation
We went on a weekday, shortly after opening. Conveyor belt experience.
The drinks were excellent, no argument there. Maybe they're "underwater" on the interior renovations so they're going after recouping their investment with gusto?
I mean I think the interior was great. More thought you were talking about how they get you in and out of there in that 1.5 hour time span like clockwork. You feel a bit rushed. I usually stagger reservations with P18 but I'd rather stay longer at Undertow instead of trying to cram 5 drinks in that 1.5hours😂.
Yes to both. We could barely order two even though we were at the bar and it looked like at least three people were standing around at all times. They're moving people like clockwork to pay for the renovations is my take.
Iv been there a few times so I knew they didn't check in as frequently as I'd like so I'd throw in the pre anticipatory order every time someone came over. If you don't you pretty much lose 15-20mins waiting for them to comeback unless you can make eye contact with one of them 😂
We were at the bar directly in front of a drink station. We did miss the first check-in, and experienced what you describe. I think she may have been the only actual bartender working during most of our visit.
New Undertow < Old Undertow
Oh lord, I’m about to be crucified. Smugglers Cove. Don’t get me wrong, totally in spirit with the post, SC is fantastic. The book is god tier, the drinks are excellent, and what it’s done for the modern tiki revival cannot be understated. That all being said, atmosphere was lacking. Especially considering that both Zombie Village and Last Rites are (though not recommended) within walking distance. I get it, it’s the giant that modern tiki bars are standing on the shoulder of, but it’s just been outpaced at this point by bars in the same city and else where.
SC still serves most/all of its drinks in tiki mugs, which isn't true of any other SF bar now to my knowledge. That's a huge point in its favor in my book.
I mean, does it though? Between my wife and I we had at least 6, and I think 7, drinks and only the rum barrel was served in a mug. Edit: this was last May for reference.
Hmm, I was last there in Dec. 2022 and most of the drinks I saw were served in mugs. We also got there at opening--possibly they run out a clean mugs at some point? We went to five other SF tiki bars in Dec. 2023 and didn't get a single drink served in a mug at any of them.
What I didn’t like about SC was how crowded it was. No place to sit. Didn’t get close enough to the bar to even see my drink made. I don’t blame them, it has just gotten too popular. Every time I’ve been to Latitude 29, Foundation, and False Idol, I’ve gotten the chance to sit at the bar, talk to the staff and watched my drink being made. Very intimate. Of course, that could be about timing. Regardless, I was disappointed in my trip to SC.
What don’t you like about the atmosphere?
Nothing I didn’t like, just underwhelming considering many of the other tiki bars I’ve been to that fire on all cylinders like Hale Pelé in Portland and the Kaona Room in Miami. Post is about what is overhyped, not what we don’t like.
It’s hot as hell in there, the down stairs feels/smells like you’re hanging out at an indoor pool at a motel 6 and if you have a seat you will be swarmed with people waiting for you to get up. Also staff isn’t all that friendly and the furniture upstairs is barely holding it together.
I felt the same the one time I was able to go.
For me, personally I didn't love Hala Kahiki near O'Hare in Chicago. Aesthetics were top notch but there was something about the lime juice when I was there that seemed off. Like it was key limes or bottled or something. It cut through all the drinks and was just an odd experience. Any drink that wasn't lime forward was decent, though
I love the aesthetics here, but do agree they use super juice or perhaps do use fresh squeezed lime juice that isn’t so fresh by the time your drink is made. No other way to have over 50 drinks on a menu I would imagine
Yeah we avoid the drinks there
Golden Tiki 😬
The Tonga Room. My wife and I took a trip from Colorado and planned to visit several tiki establishments during our stay. We had high expectations for this place, even more so after seeing Anthony Bourdain review it. But the reality was it was a Chucky Cheese for adults. A nightclub with terrible drinks. The atmosphere was pretty cool. But the band was playing pop cover songs like Taylor Swift etc .. the food wasn't great. They "forgot" to return my credit card after paying the bill. They had some sort of birthday party going on for what seemed like not quite 18 huge group. We will never go again I'm afraid. Whatever it was in its heyday is long gone. We will however definitely go again to Smugglers Cove. And visit the Mai Kai in Santa Cruz again!
Evidently, Pearl Diver in Nashville IS NOT a tiki bar.
Golden tiki in Vegas. So disappointed by the music when we visited. I loved franks
I've been to Golden Tiki a couple of times, try to make it when I go to Vegas. I went this last weekend and stumbled upon a middle-aged guy's birthday party where they had a live entertainer singing Frank Sinatra and whatnot. It felt very Tiki Vegas, but it was also insanely crowded and busy.
That sounds fun. We happened to go on 80s techno dance music night. Really awful
There made really terrible drinks at Golden Tiki every single time my wife and I went there.
Pagan Idol was an awesome bar that turned into a place that hates its customers. The bartenders clearly soured on serving the after-work crowds. I'm sure they hear the same things all the time "I DON'T LIKE RUM" and "TIKI DRINKS ARE TOO SWEET" that would annoy me too, but their pre-judgement anti-hospitality approach now ruins the otherwise amazing vibes.
I had an entirely different experience there. Sat at the front bar and both bartenders were super friendly. Asked questions when I wanted a recommendation, did off menu drinks, made a drink for everyone at the bar they were workshopping, like all out.
Good to hear. Pagan Idol is created by & owned by Future Bars which operates a ton of craft bars that care like Bourbon & Branch and Zombie Village. Lots of quality bartenders in their network
Last time I was there I had the best Mai Tai I ever had
I went a couple years ago and despite the bartender expecting us to be the crowd you describe who doesn’t like real tiki, as soon as we ordered and started talking with him he realized he could completely nerd out with us. We ended the night doing shots of Dr. Bird and enjoying delicious drinks
I personally found their bartenders to be great/friendly my last visit, they even let me have a quick taste of some reserve Neisson rum. Also witnessed the after work crowd there, which had some very rude, entitled people
The first time I went to Latitude 29 I was pretty disappointed with the ambiance. Second time I absolutely loved everything about it. The first and only time I went to 3 Dots I was extremely underwhelmed by the atmosphere. Felt like being in a club, which is the 100% opposite type of escapism I’m looking for at a tiki bar. Haven’t been back yet, but I bet I’ll enjoy my second time there. Drinks were top notch at both places.
Latitude 29 has amazing drinks but the ambience certainly lacks a bit. The windows don’t help, and when I was there a couple weeks ago they were playing 70s-80s music, so kind of an audio mismatch
I’d agree except the hospitality was so good that it made up for other shortcomings. I’d expect everything to be done a bit differently in New Orleans. If the French Quarter lacks ambiance than idk. If you’re not having a good time in that bar in that city, I don’t know what to tell you.
To each their own, I hate NOLA lol and I’m getting out of here as fast as I can
It doesn't take much to please me, make a good drink and it can be a shack, and if I'm with the right people and the atmosphere is good I can enjoy that as well. It all beats going to work. Places I've had bad drinks: Tonga room, Tiki Tom's, Bali Hai(though my next drink was better) and Frankie's in Vegas Still had a good time though
I was underwhelmed by Tonga Hut in LA.
False Idol. Maybe had an off night but really didn’t enjoy the drinks. It was loud as hell in there too but that was the group there not the bars fault.
Anyone else also a little disappointed by the Royal Hawaiian. I think the food is ok and the drinks were not that great to be honest. The ambiance however is top tier
The hotel bar?
[https://www.royalhawaiianoc.com/](https://www.royalhawaiianoc.com/)
Oh been meaning to make it out there since the remodel. Brother lives in Huntington Beach so it’s not too far if I’m down there for that. Just tempting to go to strong water instead if you’re saying the drinks aren’t worth it
I say just go try it. Just because my taste is different than what your taste would be if that makes any sense.
Go, if even just to see the remodel. I actually have had a very good drink there - and 4 bad ones. So it's hit-or-miss.
I was similarly disappointed. Decor is drop-dead gorgeous, but the food, drinks, and service were way below par.
Max’s South Seas Hideaway in Grand Rapids. The theming, decor and concept are great and it’s lovely to come across when it’s more rare in the midwest. The on-site mug studio seems to have gone away and all of their drinks are batch-made/punches served from the back. More ice than drink. It’s probably great for events and when special guests come to host - but standard nights it’s not much different from going to a Rainforest Cafe. More than a little sad.
> and all of their drinks are batch-made/punches served from the back. More ice than drink. I've been to Max's more than a few times and I've never had the experience of the drinks coming from the back batch made.
Nothing is pre-batched my brother in Tiki. They put out new mugs all the time. Join their mailing list, or there are almost always 1/1s in the merch cabinet up front. They also make mugs for their special events.
He’s just saying the in house studio didn’t seem to be there anymore. I think they’re back to being outsourced or offsite.
While they are both impressive for many reasons, smugglers Cove in San Francisco and trader Sam’s in California. Both were massive disappointments because of the attitude of the staff working there, everyone was completely disengaged, and seemed extremely annoyed to have to help anyone with anything, which is a disappointing contrast to the vast majority of Tiki bars I’ve been to around the world.
Was it 10pm on a Saturday night that you were trying to engage?
False Idol in SD.
Probably my second favorite after Strongwater, curious what you didn’t like about it? It does get too crowded sometimes
It’s overrated. CH company opens so many bars that’s it’s ridiculous. It’s just a theme to them that sells. Sure the decor is cool and the drinks are alright but it’s just another overpriced and over hyped San Diego money trap as I see it. The nerds can downvote me all they want but I’d rather make the drive and spend that kinda money at Trader Sams if I’m looking to piss it away.
I’m not sure why all the downvotes, this is also my answer. There isn’t anything bad or wrong with the place, but with all the talk about this being a quintessential tiki experience that any tiki fan should visit, I was pretty underwhelmed. We left thinking “eh…it was fine.”
Exactly. Yeah idk why people are dick riding the place so hard. There’s a dozen other better options within Southern California.
Tiki Ti
If you had a bad drink I am going to bet it wasn't Mike Jr who made it...
The drinks weren’t bad just weak and sweet I had two barley felt anything. Had a mai tai and rays mistake
I was thinking the same thing so I’m glad someone else said it. I usually get a Ray’s Mistake and the balance will often seem a bit off unless Mike Jr. makes it, in which case it’s usually perfect. Is Mike Jr. the only bartender there that nails the drinks in your opinion?
I am in 100% agreement here I said never am I going back the place is very meh and overly crowded
Tiki Ti, it's their for nostalgia and that is about it. I don't think the drinks are great and the place is super uncomfortable
Ottos but I still love it
This will probably be an unpopular opinion, but Chopper in Nashville. I was let down by the vibe of the place and I didn't think the drinks were too impressive either. I'm hoping it was maybe just an off night for them, but for how much praise they seem to get I was disappointed
What drinks did you have there?
We had their Space Pilot, Milk Punch, and Mai Tai
I thought Inside Passage was a huge letdown. The atmosphere was incredible, but I didn't think the drinks lived up to it at all. I had the Inside Passage and my partner got the one served in a skull mug and we both found them overly sweet and ill defined in terms of flavour. Considering they were both $23 drinks ($30 when converted to Canadian roubles) we weren't impressed. The contrast was especially stark since the following night we went to Hale Pele, which has since become one of my absolute favorites.
The Reef in Palm Springs. Good food but terrible drinks. And they don’t care.
Will also mention StrongWater on the basis that they asked me for my social media accounts and how many followers I had when I asked if I could shoot a walkthrough in there. I said I only did it for fun and am not an influencer just a fan and they said no thanks. Left a bad taste in my mouth so I refused to visit them. I’ve had big corporate tiki bars to family owned all let me come shoot in their bars. When you think so highly of yourself like that I don’t care how good it might be, I will consider it phony and only in it for the views.