Tiki Bars

Tiki Bar Review #25 The Monkeypod Wailea, Maui

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars
The Monkeypod Kitchen
The Monkeypod Kitchen

Myth: There are tons of Tiki bars in Hawaii!

Reality: Well, not really…

The main appeal of a Tiki bar is to create the illusion that you are in a tropical paradise. When you’re actually in Hawaii, why would you need the illusion? You’re actually there! What’s tough is finding a bar that actually makes good drinks. All Mai Tais are not created equal in Hawaii and good luck finding a place that makes a good one. Well folks, if you happen to find yourself on the island of Maui you’re in luck. Head the directly to the Monkeypod!

Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #25 The Monkeypod Wailea, Maui” →

Tiki Bar Review #24 The Waldorf Vancouver, BC

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars 1 Comment

Tiki Bar At The Waldorf Vancouver B.C.

If there is any Tiki bar that should get honorable mention, it should be the Waldorf Hotel in Vancouver, BC. The place is essentially a dance club. I can assure you, electronic dance music will be pumping out of the speakers—not Martin Denny. When I visited the Waldorf, I didn’t even have a drink. In fact, I don’t know if they even serve any Tiki cocktails at all.

So why am I writing about this place? Two reasons. Well, maybe three.

Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #24 The Waldorf Vancouver, BC” →

A Pop-Up Tiki Bar! The Low Tide Lounge Seattle, WA

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars, Tiki Lifestyle
Lowtide Lounge at The Piranha
Lowtide Lounge at The Piranha

You should start a Tiki bar!

If I had a nickel for every time someone said this to me, I would be rich! Okay, well maybe I would have enough to buy a cup of coffee, but I digress.

Yes, starting a Tiki bar is a dream of mine, but it’s not easy and it’s not cheap. You need to find a place that’s in a good location and somewhere you can afford the rent. You also need a license to serve alcohol AND a license to sell it. I haven’t even talked about the money needed for décor.

One idea I thought of was doing a “pop-up” bar. I was down in Los Angeles and they got pop-ups for everything including food, clothing, music, and of course, booze. The idea is to rent a space out for a week, a month, or even a day. I thought a Tiki pop-up bar would be a great idea. Well, great minds think alike. Duffy De Armas made my a dream a reality! He opened the Tiki pop-up bar: the Low Tide Lounge.

Alison, Harvey, Ali and Duffy
Alison, Harvey, Ali and Duffy

Here is his story…

Continue reading “A Pop-Up Tiki Bar! The Low Tide Lounge Seattle, WA” →

Tiki Bar Review #22 The Mai Kai Fort Lauderdale FL

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars 4 Comments
Mai Kai sign
Mai Kai sign

I live in Seattle. I booked a flight and flew six hours across the country to go to the Mai Kai. Why? Because when it comes to Tiki bars, the Mai Kai is it! My visit to the Mai Kai lasted five hours and I could have stayed longer. What is so special about the Mai Kai you may ask? Well, let’s start from the beginning…

Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #22 The Mai Kai Fort Lauderdale FL” →

Tiki Bar Review #20 Lee’s Hawaiian Islander Lyndhurst, NJ

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars

Lee's Hawaiian Islander

Lyndhurst, New Jersey.

It’s a city that’s a 45-minute train ride from downtown Manhattan. It has no claim to fame and I can’t see anyone needing to or wanting to go there—unless you happen to be my buddy Matt who lives there.

I was in Pennsylvania visiting my parents and long story short, I missed my connecting flight that would get me back to Seattle. I asked the man at the flight desk what my options were. He said I could come back the next day and fly out at 5:00 AM (no, I wasn’t doing that!) or I could fly down to Newark right then and fly out from there the next morning at 8:00 (okay, that’s much better). So that’s what I did.

Matt picked me up at the Newark airport and started heading back to his place. “Are you hungry?” Matt asked. “If so, there’s someplace you need to see.”

Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #20 Lee’s Hawaiian Islander Lyndhurst, NJ” →

Tiki Bar Review #18 Tiki No North Hollywood, CA

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars
Tiki No
Tiki No

The San Fernando Valley has many names. Some people refer to it as “the Valley.” Others may call it “North Hollywood.” The “No” in Tiki No is a reference to North Hollywood. The Valley has the oldest Tiki bar in So-Cal, which is the Tonga Hut. Now the Valley has the newest one with Tiki No. Visiting two great Tiki bars is totally worth the trip to North Hollywood!

Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #18 Tiki No North Hollywood, CA” →

Tiki Bar Review #17 Tonga Hut North Hollywood, CA

Posted by Ray on in Tiki Bars 1 Comment
The Tonga Hut North Hollywood
The Tonga Hut North Hollywood

The Tonga Hut is a Tiki bar that turned into a dive bar, then turned into a Tiki bar again. It’s the oldest Tiki bar in Los Angeles, opening for business in 1958. Tiki was very popular back in the ’50s, but by the time the late ’60s rolled around, people had moved on to other things like polyester pants and underpowered automobiles.

Continue reading “Tiki Bar Review #17 Tonga Hut North Hollywood, CA” →