I was a bit unsure about going "off-campus" to visit at the end of our Disneyland vacation, but I had heard and seen such good things about it, I decided to sacrifice a few nighttime hours in the park to check it out. I had a reservation for one at the Captain's Bar, and got there early (was bored at the hotel with my husband and daughter going to bed), and spent some time outside waiting to get in. That's where I had their exquisite coconut cheesecake, and discovered that I was in for something incredible. And indeed, I was. This might be one of the most perfect tiki bars I've ever visited. Back story? In the menu! Decor? Themed and dressed up into an immersive wonderland with beauty and whimsy all striking the right notes! An impressive mug collection paying homage to other bars around the country! A piece of decor I have in my own bar that made me feel special! Friendly, engaging bartenders! Fabulous drinks! Cozy bar chairs! Swizzle sticks! Custom umbrella garnishes! I mean, I've been debating if this takes the spot in my heart from Hale Pele, but.... my god, it might. It really really might. I had the time of my life here, and would have stayed for another drink, but I did have a flight to catch. I really hope I can go back, and soon.

Finally, so many years and designing my whole home tiki bar in its style later, I made it to the other side of the Esplanade and visited Trader Sam's! I sat at the very end of the bar (not the best spot, but at least I got inside), and ordered a Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Tiki Rum as well as a Dole Whip float with dark rum (they also offer it with coconut rum...eww.) The TTTTTR was much better than I thought a theme park drink would be, well balanced and not too sweet. The decor was great, so many beautiful flower arrangements, and I loved spotting both the references that Trader Brandon noted in his book I used to help create my bar, as well as a bunch of Tiki Tony's Disneyland-inspired mugs. You could feel that southern California tiki spirit strong here. My only gripe was that there was just something distinctly theme-parky about it. Maybe it was the way you couldn't chat with the bartenders because they were so slammed, working for a theme park. Or the slight artificiality of the walls and ceilings, just that feeling that you can't quite escape that you're in Disneyland. And I love Disneyland, but I don't know, it sort of messes with my head. Maybe because I visit other tiki bars (or at least I started to) to feel like I'm somewhere like Disneyland? I don't know, but I had a lovely time and I am so glad I walked over there.

Came over as part of a work trip to Boston. A fun little twinkle light-guided descent down into the underground bar area, with a very friendly and talented bartender and delicious food. My only letdown was this leans into the more modern, minimalist sort of tiki trope, without a real story or theme to the bar, and only a sparse (some would say tasteful, haha) hint at tiki in the decor. Nevertheless, the talent in making drinks and entertaining patrons was definitely present, and I had a fantastic night. Ordered the Morale and Welfare (it had mole in it!!) and a Shore Leave, and they brought out a daquiri boat for me and the few other Wednesday visitors as a surprise. All of the drinks were complex, creative, and beautifully presented. I'm so glad I came and would visit again, even if I do wish there was more junk on the walls like the tacky old tiki bird I am.

Went on a work trip to Tucson. The decor was outstanding. Clearly original, with lots of the banquet spaces (plus the aviary) making it feel truly original. Loved the lights and the large scale tikis. Unfortunately there was no tiki "feeling" in the vibes, with other guests that seemed mostly interested in watching the games on TV, and drinks that were on the really sweet side. I've never been in a tiki bar where I felt weird and out-of-place for wearing a caftan and flowers, but this definitely was the case here, unfortunately. It was kind of a bummer, I was hoping to have some conversations about the place, but there seemed to be no interest from the staff or patrons in discussing. Glad I could stop in for some pictures and to say that I've been there, but sadly, that's about all that's left at the moment.

Visited on our trip to Waikiki. Had to Uber over from the hotel; not a great area to get dumped out on when you're dressed head-to-toe like a super dumb tourist, but it was honestly worth it for the best drinks of the trip, plus the fantastic decor (very "antiquities and curiosities," which is one of my favorite tiki bar variants). Bartenders were very friendly and met some other Tiki people that I'll hopefully bump into at Tiki-Kon. The Taboo was probably my favorite drink of the night, but the Dagger Mai Tai was a close runner-up. Such a great part of the vacation!

Stayed here for 5 nights on our Hawaiian vacation. Stayed in the historic wing overlooking the front entrance. We spent almost every night at the Mai Tai Bar, developing increasing heartburn from their not-so-great drinks. I did try the $40 Mai Tai once, which was the best of the bunch, but definitely not worth the tab. But watching the beach was incredible and the live music was always lovely. I'll always remember the feeling of staying in somewhere that felt so special, like every day is another unique occasion. The free activities they offered were a fantastic perk. We did the lei-making and kukui nut bracelets. Spent most of our time at the Sheraton pool, since the Royal Hawaiian one unfortunately doesn't have any of the charm or ambiance of the past. Seeing the historic photos and menus around the (very regal) bathrooms was an added bonus.

I was in El Paso this week for work, and last night I got to stop into The Tiki Room! What a fantastic space. I love the comfortable bamboo furnishings, the glowing idol eyes, and the thoughtful textures all around. Oh yeah, and the drinks! I had a perfectly sweet and refreshing The Floor is Guava along with a solid Mai Tai. I brought some non-tiki coworkers along for the ride, and they were impressed as well. Something for everyone!

We thought we were done after all the bars we went to on Friday, but we kept hearing about Last Rites, so we decided to make it our "last" stop of the tiki crawl. Not a great neighborhood at night, but such a good space! Extreme Indiana Jones decor, with pops of orchids and hanging skulls from the ceiling. Everything seemed very thoughtful and intentional, and it felt different while still being markedly tiki. We only had one drink, but it was the best drink I had on the trip. We could have stayed in our little skull corner all night, with the thunderstorms rolling through. It will remain one of my top recommendations for the Bay Area.

This won our favorite bar of the night! All-around excellent. Warm, immersive, magical-looking decor. Traditional tiki bar feel. True neighborhood, laid-back vibe. A lovely server. Well-made drinks. We were tipped off about this place by a few different people during our crawl, and they told us not to miss the pineapple-flavored smashburger. OMG one of the best things I ate in the Bay for sure. They seated us in a raised little hut, which gave us a perfect vantage over the space. I could have stayed there until last call, although by that point, I was about to fall over. I went home with one of their very limited mugs, which is a lovely souvenir. I'd fly in just for this.

After becoming a true Tiki Person after being gifted the Smuggler's Cove book, being able to visit in-person was like arriving in Mecca. We got there on a Friday evening, and it was BUSY. We didn't have to wait to get inside, but once we were in, there wasn't anywhere to really go. I was able to snag a seat at the main floor bar, which was wonderful for watching the master bartender make a dozen extremely complicated drinks at a time without breaking a sweat. The decor was cool but not the most memorable, but it might be easier to appreciate the details without the massive crowd. This won for the best drinks we had that night, but Last Rites was a major contender for 2nd place. If (I mean, when!) I visit again, I'll try to hit it on an off day or time. Still it gave me shivers to be in such an iconic part of modern tiki culture, and you can't skip it.

As soon as we walked into the doors, it was clear that this place was special. The projection mapping is Disneyland quality, with the showstopping stars across the ceiling like the best door you can go through on Indiana Jones and the Temple of the Forbidden Eye. We didn't have a reservation, and even though we were almost the only ones there, we couldn't sit in one of the cute little huts. That's okay, though. We sat at the bar and the bartender was really sweet and friendly. The drinks were well done, and they had one of the nicest swizzle sticks I've ever gotten. From the bar we had a great view of the projection show, with battling pirate ships and an octopus attack. I'd 100% visit again, probably with a reservation so that we could comfortably stay longer.

We got to this bar right when it first opened, so we were the first ones in there for a little bit. The doorman gave me some serious side-eye for my Chinatown dim sum bag, and I had to promise that we wouldn't eat it inside. Which was weird, because there wasn't any food on the menu. The bar was really pretty with the stained glass and dark wood and all of the plants, but the octopus/nautical thing wasn't my favorite interpretation. We ordered a scorpion bowl and it was just okay. Then some FinTech bros came in and started loudly talking at the bar, and the vibes were totally off. Decided to leave without spending too much time here. Honestly wasn't much memorable about it.

The first tiki bar in my tour of the Bay Area. Although there were a few telltale tiki signs on the exterior, it was quite unassuming, and blended in with the neighborhood. It's the kind of place you could drive by for weeks before noticing that there's a secret inside, and there's definitely something to be said for that. We got seated in one of the hut booths, which gave us a nice view of all the cool floats, lights, and some giant pufferfish. The staff was cordial--not overly friendly or interested, but service was good and the drinks were well done. We also liked the special tots, which had sriracha mayo and hoisin sauce. I got the signature mug, which was currently in the chartreuse variant. The music was appropriate and nothing was too loud, so you could actually hold a conversation with those around you. A rare treat for a bar.

I made reservations for the Marketing ladies night during the Miami Sales Conference. Luckily I have awesome coworkers who indulge my need to seek out any and all tiki bars in a given city. The space was very laid back and the service was very friendly. They seemed very happy to have "real tiki people" visit and were more than happy to take pictures, hand out coasters, and go the extra mile to make the presentation look outstanding. The trays with dry ice and fire were extremely fun and photogenic. The food was also a highlight, with a large menu and a memorable octopus bowl.

I was on my work trip to Boston and Toronto, and got to visit The Shameful Tiki Room on my birthday. It was a little sketch to get there; the Uber made me get out not super close to the door, and since it's not very visible anyway, I had to do some quick Google Street Viewing to figure it out. Which I guess is the sign of a great tiki bar, but not so great for a woman alone at night in an area of the city that doesn't seem the nicest. I kept myself to only 2 drinks because I was trying to be a Responsible Adult on a Work Trip. BOO. Ordered crab rangoon and it looked gorgeous but was cold in the middle, so I had to chew on raw cream cheese. The drinks were very good, though. The staff was friendly and told each other to be sure and check out the pics of my bar, which is a good birthday present. I decided I wasn't crazy about the mug for sale (had a menu printed on it), but I left with some nice swizzle sticks.

Went right after I dropped my stuff off at the Gaylord Hotel for my Nashville vacation during QuadA. I was really impressed with how long the fires remained lit in the drinks. Unfortunately their spring seasonal menu was too intriguing and I ordered four, plus the bartenders did shots with me. This did not end well later at the hotel. But at the time it was amazing. They had a drink with a garam masala or something similar that was one of the most interesting tiki drinks I've ever had. I got the little head mug and dropped it at the hotel atrium trying to take a selfie with a waterfall. It now sits in the Enchanted Tibby Room as a reminder of the dangers that these drinks hold.

Drove to Astoria on the freaky heat dome day in order to escape the Willamette Valley. Sophie and I visited Munktiki and I bought two mugs. It was pandemic times so I had to call ahead.

Not my first visit, but probably the most memorable. Wearing the Enchanted Tiki Dress to the Enchanted Tiki Room. One of my favorite Disneyland trips of all time (although... is there really a bad one??).

Went with Vince and his then-girlfriend while we were living in Tucson. It was part of our crawl on 4th Street. I loved the Moai and played some fun table hockey, but I don't think they had any good cocktails really. It was just beer mostly. I still really liked it and always wanted to go again, but never made it before we moved back.

Me and Christian went here and had a nice conversation in a booth. The drinks were great, but the bartenders were your typical pandemic non-friendly. They were out of mugs and had no swizzles, so there's really no evidence I was ever there. Ask Christian though.

Yelp! threw a party for Elite members to celebrate the opening of Trader Vic's. I took Lisa and we had a scorpion bowl. I got pretty wasted. Matt showed up to pick us up and brought me the Anthropologie Tabitha coat as my Birthday gift. It was super sweet. Went one additional time with Susan DeFreitas and her husband, and then it was gone :(

Visited after my hair appt. Got the delicious Hawaiian bread with guava jam and made a little more progress on my Water Bearer's card. This was when the cops came in on a Wednesday to respond to a burglary that happened on Sunday.