Tiki Bar Review #41 Tiki Terrace Des Plaines, IL

Tiki Terrace Des Plaines IL

Sometimes the action isn’t happening in the middle of a city. Instead, sometimes it’s happening in a strip mall far out in a town called Des Plaines.

Tiki Terrace is located in an unassuming shopping center. It doesn’t look like much from the outside, but head on in and you’ll find yourself in a full-on Hawaiian luau!

Tiki Terrace Des Plaines IL

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Tiki Bar Review #40 Three Dots and a Dash Chicago, IL

Three Dots And A Dash Chicago IL

Imagine if Studio 54 had a Tiki bar…

“Canned Heat” from Jamiroquai is pumping through the speakers at Three Dots and a Dash as I sip my 1944 Mai-Tai. I love Jamiroquai, but as a punk rocker I’ve always considered them to be a “guilty pleasure.” But I digress. My Mai-Tai is top-notch, but am I cool with dance music at a Tiki bar? Let’ see…

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Tiki Bar Review #35 The Jungle Bird Sacramento, CA

The Jungle Bird
The Jungle Bird

When I arrived at the Jungle Bird in downtown Sacramento, I didn’t know if I was at the right place…

Jungle Bird entrance
Jungle Bird entrance

I checked and re-checked the address: 2516 J Street. Yes, the address was correct, but where was the Tiki bar? I could hear that something was going on behind the door. People were inside. I could hear talking and laughing. Then I heard the theme song to Gilligan’s Island. Yes indeed, I had arrived at the Jungle Bird…

The bar at the Jungle Bird

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Hula Hula Grand Re-Opening! Capitol Hill Seattle, WA

Hula Hula Capitol Hill Seattle WA

My how time flies…

It was one year ago, almost to the week. I was at Hula Hula chatting with the bartender. She had good news and bad news.

The bad news was that Hula Hula was closing because the building was getting leveled for new development. The good news was that Hula Hula would live again in a new location. The owners just needed to find the right place…

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Tiki Bar Review #30 Trader Vic’s Emeryville, CA

Trader Vic's

And then there were two…

As I write this post, there are only two remaining Trader Vic’s locations in America. One in Atlanta, GA and the other in Emeryville, CA. Back in the ’50s/’60s during the height of Tiki popularity, there were around 25! What happened? Well, tastes changed. But if there is one word to describe a Trader Vic’s restaurant, that word would be HUGE! Imagine trying to maintain a large space with many rooms filled with various Tiki artifacts. It’s a miracle such a place is still around! That’s why visiting Trader Vic’s in Emeryville, CA was a big deal for me. It could all be gone tomorrow…

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