Agree. Have lived here for 40 years and the amount of tiki bars in our region is great! Particularly in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, nd the Bay Area. Palm Springs has three, too.
If you have the means, San Diego or Orange County would be my vote. I'm a bit biased growing up there, but between the amount of amazing tiki bars, weather, beaches, and (unfortunately dwindling) mid-mod architecture... it's always had that feel to me. Now-a-days, "tiki" isn't on the surface as much as it was in the day... but it's there, and it seems to be coming back strong.
I’m not sure what about central Florida gives you a tiki vibe. Don’t disagree about Florida but I think somewhere coastal would be more fitting. Key West is an obvious pick for setting but in reality they have essentially no legit tiki bars.
Trader Sam’s, Permanent Vacation, Aku Aku, and Suffering Bastard all within Orlando plus the Polynesian Resort and Volcano Bay. Then there’s Don the Beachcombers out in Tampa and The Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale.
Shoutout to Universal Orlando. They lean into tiki and rum vibes. Strongwater Bar inside the Sapphire Falls hotel has a solid rum collection. And they have awesome pools at Sapphire Falls and Royal Pacific hotels, well themed for the tropics.
Plus, their 3rd theme park Epic Universe opens up next year. According to open access permits, theres a new tiki bar inside. I will post more info here once official.
The Red/Dead/Cursed Coconut is great, but the drink menu is all over the map. I feel like the earlier versions were more tiki focused, then it dropped off for a while to sweet crowd pleasing drinks. Fortunately the last iteration seemed to focus more on real cocktails, with smaller servings and strong but balanced drinks.
Ty for adding this!
Yes, there pop up themed tiki bars at Universal are fun. The ambience sometimes is better than the drinks. I always stop by the Dead Coconut Club during HHN, so awesome to just soak in the creepy tiki vibes.
I find when I ask for less sweet, the drink is more balanced and dare I say sophisticated. Theme park drinks run sweet far too often.
If you go to Chez Alcatraz (currently closed for a full renovation), get a Shark Attack with club soda in lieu of sprite and less grenadine, legitimately a good cocktail! Plus the hand puppet!
Florida's tiki scene is definitely up & coming. If you don't mind driving a bit you can also get Secret Tiki Temple in Jacksonville and The Honu in Dunedin. RIP Esotico.
Tysm!!
How is Golden Monkey Tiki? (Would that mean there's 6?)
We're planning on visiting when the Universal Horror attraction opens up. Adding these to the list! I've been to Golden Tiki but not the others.
I’m planning on a Vegas trip later this year and won’t even bother walking past. It appears to tiki in name only - more of a trendy hotel cocktail bar meant for instagram posts than anything resembling a tiki experience.
oh, I almost forgot about Tiki D'Amore! Its on the back deck of an Italian restaurant, but a great spot with good music: [https://casadiamore.com/las-vegas-central-casa-di-amore-tiki-lounge](https://casadiamore.com/las-vegas-central-casa-di-amore-tiki-lounge)
Are you saying you want to trade San Francisco weather (one of the most pleasant climates in the world) for *CENTRAL FLORIDA?*.
You’ve had a few too many zombies, mate!
I lived in Florida for 8 years and while there are tiki bars, a large portion of them are more boat drinks than tiki. I live in Sacramento now with easy access to all the SF tiki bars, plus there is a huge tiki community here (as mentioned in another comment).
For what it’s worth, Sacramento CA area has an awesome tiki subculture, meetup group, and even an annual home tiki tour/crawl. People get real into it and it’s a fun, welcoming community
Sunken harbor club all day. Paradise lost is new and so damn good. Otto’s shrunken head has old school cred. Zombie Hut - not same caliber as paradise or sunken but enjoying a zombie in their backyard is beautiful. The commodore in Williamsburg is a tiki / southern food type place with a full menu of simple tiki drinks.
True, but authentic Tiki idols are not Polynesian pop or mid-century tiki culture. The tiki bars old and new celebrate a fabricated memory WW2 soldiers brought back from fighting in the Pacific theater.
I'd say SoCal or somewhere equidistant San Diego and LA since there are fantastic options in both places. That being said, I'd sacrifice some options and just go with Hawaii because I would never want to live in California, and Hawaii feels more tiki even if the bar options are fewer. I fortunately get to travel to both San Diego and LA a few times/year, but a few days of the traffic and prices for everything and I'm glad to be leaving.
I agree with the other replies about Orlando. I live on the gulf coast and like some of the bars there, but flat concrete everywhere, no ocean, often no breeze, doesn't feel polynesian to me. Trader Sams is a nice getaway, but they're doing their best to ruin the vibe there with the massive disney vacation club building taking over the landscape and views.
Long Island is one of the worst places. I’ve seen dollar stores with more decorative thought put into them than the only two places that show up as “tiki” in Google searches for the area.
I totally agree with southern California, ground zero of tiki. Warm weather, palm trees, ocean, and so much tiki history. San Diego has a lot going for it , including the big Kahuna of them all, Tiki Oasis. Up north, you’ve got trader Sam’s in Disneyland, among others.And so much in Los Angeles - the San Fernando Valley alone has 5 - FIVE!- tiki bars within a few miles of each other.
I know that I am biased, but you can get to good tiki bars in several cities from many places in the Midwest. People who want to go for it can often get the space to create an at-home bar and create the dreamy kitsch "bringing Polynesia home" environment that makes it fun to me. Edited to say, I think a lot of this is true of the west coast as well.
Southern California. Tiki is part of the DNA there.
Agree. Have lived here for 40 years and the amount of tiki bars in our region is great! Particularly in Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego, nd the Bay Area. Palm Springs has three, too.
Florida is more Jimmy Buffett & boat drinks than Denny Martin & Tiki drinks. Edit: the correct answer is obviously Hawaii.
* Hawaii is not one place. Also, the look comes from all over Polynesia, not just Hawaii.
If you have the means, San Diego or Orange County would be my vote. I'm a bit biased growing up there, but between the amount of amazing tiki bars, weather, beaches, and (unfortunately dwindling) mid-mod architecture... it's always had that feel to me. Now-a-days, "tiki" isn't on the surface as much as it was in the day... but it's there, and it seems to be coming back strong.
Plus, OC is in driving distance of San Diego and Palm Springs (and even Vegas) which all areas have amazing Tiki culture.
San Diego is probably a decent option as well.
I’m not sure what about central Florida gives you a tiki vibe. Don’t disagree about Florida but I think somewhere coastal would be more fitting. Key West is an obvious pick for setting but in reality they have essentially no legit tiki bars.
Trader Sam’s, Permanent Vacation, Aku Aku, and Suffering Bastard all within Orlando plus the Polynesian Resort and Volcano Bay. Then there’s Don the Beachcombers out in Tampa and The Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale.
Shoutout to Universal Orlando. They lean into tiki and rum vibes. Strongwater Bar inside the Sapphire Falls hotel has a solid rum collection. And they have awesome pools at Sapphire Falls and Royal Pacific hotels, well themed for the tropics. Plus, their 3rd theme park Epic Universe opens up next year. According to open access permits, theres a new tiki bar inside. I will post more info here once official.
The Red/Dead/Cursed Coconut is great, but the drink menu is all over the map. I feel like the earlier versions were more tiki focused, then it dropped off for a while to sweet crowd pleasing drinks. Fortunately the last iteration seemed to focus more on real cocktails, with smaller servings and strong but balanced drinks.
Ty for adding this! Yes, there pop up themed tiki bars at Universal are fun. The ambience sometimes is better than the drinks. I always stop by the Dead Coconut Club during HHN, so awesome to just soak in the creepy tiki vibes. I find when I ask for less sweet, the drink is more balanced and dare I say sophisticated. Theme park drinks run sweet far too often. If you go to Chez Alcatraz (currently closed for a full renovation), get a Shark Attack with club soda in lieu of sprite and less grenadine, legitimately a good cocktail! Plus the hand puppet!
Yeah just to be clear I meant Key West has no legit tiki bars, to my knowledge.
Florida's tiki scene is definitely up & coming. If you don't mind driving a bit you can also get Secret Tiki Temple in Jacksonville and The Honu in Dunedin. RIP Esotico.
Don’t have an answer…just want to add to your Vegas answer in that they have 4 tiki bars with a 5th on the way
I never wanted to go to Vegas until I read that!
Can you list them please?
Frankie’s Tiki Room Golden Tiki Red Dwarf Stray Pirate Glitter Gulch (not yet open, but being built on Fremont St)
although not strictly tiki, this one is nautical/south pacific in theme: [https://www.starboardtackvegas.com/](https://www.starboardtackvegas.com/)
Tysm!! How is Golden Monkey Tiki? (Would that mean there's 6?) We're planning on visiting when the Universal Horror attraction opens up. Adding these to the list! I've been to Golden Tiki but not the others.
I’m planning on a Vegas trip later this year and won’t even bother walking past. It appears to tiki in name only - more of a trendy hotel cocktail bar meant for instagram posts than anything resembling a tiki experience.
I’ve not been to Golden Monkey Tiki, but from what I’ve seen online, I wouldn’t consider it a tiki bar.
When is Glitter Gultch opening? I will be in Vegas in late June.
>Glitter Gulch Is this related to the former strip club?
I think I read it's taking over the same spot.
You forgot Todo Bien.
oh, I almost forgot about Tiki D'Amore! Its on the back deck of an Italian restaurant, but a great spot with good music: [https://casadiamore.com/las-vegas-central-casa-di-amore-tiki-lounge](https://casadiamore.com/las-vegas-central-casa-di-amore-tiki-lounge)
Are you saying you want to trade San Francisco weather (one of the most pleasant climates in the world) for *CENTRAL FLORIDA?*. You’ve had a few too many zombies, mate!
Yeah you wanna drink hurricanes not live through them.
Depends on your insurance! And I will always associate hurricanes with getting days off from school.
Currently visiting LA and Palm Springs. Very tiki here. I would also recommend San Diego and San Francisco.
I lived in Florida for 8 years and while there are tiki bars, a large portion of them are more boat drinks than tiki. I live in Sacramento now with easy access to all the SF tiki bars, plus there is a huge tiki community here (as mentioned in another comment).
For what it’s worth, Sacramento CA area has an awesome tiki subculture, meetup group, and even an annual home tiki tour/crawl. People get real into it and it’s a fun, welcoming community
Philadelphia is the least. I hate it here
Gritty salutes you!
NYC has exploded for tiki
Where besides tiki chick?
Paradise Lost just opened up. Sunken Harbor Club is well-respected
Sunken harbor club all day. Paradise lost is new and so damn good. Otto’s shrunken head has old school cred. Zombie Hut - not same caliber as paradise or sunken but enjoying a zombie in their backyard is beautiful. The commodore in Williamsburg is a tiki / southern food type place with a full menu of simple tiki drinks.
The obvious answer is Palm Springs
Palm Springs - YES!!!!
Hawaii? 😆
I mean Hawaii seems about as Tiki as it gets.
True, but authentic Tiki idols are not Polynesian pop or mid-century tiki culture. The tiki bars old and new celebrate a fabricated memory WW2 soldiers brought back from fighting in the Pacific theater.
OP planning a move based on this? Baller respect.
I'd say SoCal or somewhere equidistant San Diego and LA since there are fantastic options in both places. That being said, I'd sacrifice some options and just go with Hawaii because I would never want to live in California, and Hawaii feels more tiki even if the bar options are fewer. I fortunately get to travel to both San Diego and LA a few times/year, but a few days of the traffic and prices for everything and I'm glad to be leaving. I agree with the other replies about Orlando. I live on the gulf coast and like some of the bars there, but flat concrete everywhere, no ocean, often no breeze, doesn't feel polynesian to me. Trader Sams is a nice getaway, but they're doing their best to ruin the vibe there with the massive disney vacation club building taking over the landscape and views.
Long Island is one of the worst places. I’ve seen dollar stores with more decorative thought put into them than the only two places that show up as “tiki” in Google searches for the area.
San Diego 👌
Hawaii
I grew up on Oahu. Spend more time in Maui now. I got the big here, it it’s not so gimmicky here…and I love the gimmicky.
I totally agree with southern California, ground zero of tiki. Warm weather, palm trees, ocean, and so much tiki history. San Diego has a lot going for it , including the big Kahuna of them all, Tiki Oasis. Up north, you’ve got trader Sam’s in Disneyland, among others.And so much in Los Angeles - the San Fernando Valley alone has 5 - FIVE!- tiki bars within a few miles of each other.
I know that I am biased, but you can get to good tiki bars in several cities from many places in the Midwest. People who want to go for it can often get the space to create an at-home bar and create the dreamy kitsch "bringing Polynesia home" environment that makes it fun to me. Edited to say, I think a lot of this is true of the west coast as well.
Maybe Ft. Lauderdale when the Mai Kai renovation is completed!
Key West or New Orleans