Walked here after the NYC premiere of the Donn Beach documentary: The Donn of Tiki at the Dances with Films festival at Regal Union Square (which was awesome and definitely a must see for Tiki fans if you can find it).

It was pretty empty at first, but filled up with NYC Tiki dignitaries from the film. I met some people at the bar who had traveled from out of state to see the film.

I don't have much to add about Otto's, the music was Billie Jean by Michael Jackson, the drinks were free pour, and the mugs require a deposit. Seemed like a good industry bar more than a Tikiphile destination.

I was in NYC for The Hold Stead Massive Nights in Brooklyn, but came over to Manhattan to cross a bunch of Tiki things off the bucket list.

Got here at 4:50pm (opens at 5pm) and was first in line. A line of about 10 formed behind me in the next 10 minutes.

The entrance is really cool and sets the stage for the Tiki Hell theme. I thought the dark and red decor was immersive, unique, and on brand. I like a unique spin on traditional Tiki if you're opening a newer bar!

Great Mai Tai but you're paying for it ($25). I also got the tator tots and they were really good. Service was great. The music was Rockabilly and Punk, which fit the vibe well. Watch out for the shark on the way down to the bathrooms!

This is one of my favorite Tiki adventures. Was in Sitka, Alaska for work and flying back to New Orleans with a 7 hour! layover in Seattle. So I decided to take the light rail from the airport to downtown, dropped off my bags at the Hyatt Regency, and walked up the hill to Rumba/Inside Passage.

I arrived shortly after 5pm on a Thursday and the bar was about half full. The Inside Passage space is small, so I would def recommend a reservation if not getting their right at opening. Overall, it was an outstanding experience - Decor, Music, Drink quality, Drink selection, Food, and service. It was an awesome place to spend 3 hours of my 7 hour layover.

Drinks I ordered: 1. Premier Mai Tai - Excellent but pricy. One of the best I've had post-pandemic. 2. One Eyed Willy - Amazing presentation, but way too sweet for me. Something seemed off.

1. Jet Pilot = My favorite drink and this might have been one of the best I've ever had. The bartender let me taste the rum blend before I ordered and it was on point.

2. Camera Shy = Cool bigfoot mug and interesting northwest inspired flavor combination. A little lighter than the rest of the drinks.

Definitely a must see modern/post-pandemic Tiki bar with outstanding aspects whatever brings you to a Tiki bar.

Stopped for a drink with a friend after walking the Beltline. You can sit and people watch all the action below, which is nice. Being an open air Tiki bar is obviously a little different than most experiences, but what you lose in escapism you get uniqueness. If you hate the feeling of coming out of a dark tiki bar into the daylight on a nice day then this is a great place to hang out for a while.

The Mai Tai was similar to my Tiki Tango memories. Solid/Good, but not great.

Went to Clearwater Beach for a weekend. Had low expectations for this place, but it was actually a fun time. We went on a Saturday at 8:30pm and it wasn't crowded. I had the zombie and thought it was pretty good. We had a lot of fun playing cornhole on the large artificial turf surface overlooking the water and it was a great spot to catch fireworks as well.

It's very much on brand for most Tiki bars I've visited that have opened post-pandemic. The drinks are ok, and there is an attempt to create a Tiki/Tropical environment, but the focus is more on partying and having fun (they had a DJ).

If you were going to build the Ultimate Modern Tiki bar from scratch this would be it! The decor, drink/food quality and quantity and immersive environment is all on point. The servers are professional and competent. I went two days in a row. The first day to the bar on the lower floor and the second day to the second floor. Both locations are amazing to be a part of. You can sit and look for hours at all the design touches.

The major downside is the location. It is very Michigan culturally - nobody seems to care at all that it is this shining exemplar of a modern Tiki temple. Not the other patrons, not the employees. I mostly overheard people talking about the bar that used to be in the space, which was apparently a college favorite to get cheap drinks and puke in the bathrooms and stairwells.

That aside, there is a nearby hotel within walking distance and there are several good breweries and restaurants also in the downtown area. So it is a great anchor for a weekend trip to Grand Rapids. Definitely a must see Tiki stop!

Was in Barcelona for a conference and very excited to cross my first non-US "Important" (https://punchdrink.com/articles/15-most-important-best-tiki-bars-chicago-london-sf/) Tiki bar off.

The entrance and ambiance were amazing. I went around 8pm on a Sunday night and it was still very quiet. The bartender was very gracious and told me a lot about the history and his hopes to improve the quality of the cocktails (they are similar to other Tiki temples from this era). When I mentioned I lived near New Orleans he told me that Beachbum berry and others from the modern Tiki craft cocktail revival had come to Kahala for research before opening their places, which I thought was interesting.

All in all a great visit for people interested in Tiki history when in Barcelona.

Something different, but very New Orleans - a courtyard (outside) Tiki bar. Dress accordingly.

You enter (and exit) by walking down a dramatic red lit hallway full of mirrors. Definitely memorable. Drinks were pretty good, somewhere between Tiki Tolteca and Latitude 29 IMO. One of the few places that I've been to recently that still serves the drinks in really cool mugs! Plus you're at the base of Frenchman street, so a great place to start the night and then go and hear some live music.

I personally love when someone is opening up a new Tiki bar they put a unique spin on it, especially when it reflects the local culture. Hubba Hubba Tiki honk is a great East Nashville expression of a Tiki bar.

There are some traditional Tiki elements, but it is more of a pop culture kitsch overload in a really fun way.

The drinks are strong rum and fruit juice more than craft. Service was good and fellow bar patrons were friendly and welcoming.

There is also a fully immersive Christmas bathroom (I went in June so it was jarring) and a Tron themed bathroom. I think it is worth coming for a drink just to see those.

Had a fun time here having dinner and drinks. Both were pretty good, but I don't remember specifics.

I remember they had a Kentucky Tiki section on the menu with bourbon forward tropical drinks, which was a cool addition.

When I visited (2023) Decor was more mid-century modern than Tiki, but was nicely done. The mini golf wasn't added yet, but that sounds like a great post-drink activity.

Was looking forward to visiting Hale Pele for at least 5 years before I ended up in Portland for a conference. Loved the bridge entrance and the overall decor. Met a friendly couple at the bar and the vibe was great. Had 3 drinks that were all very good. My favorite was the Polestar, the Duke was my second favorite (lemony but balanced), the Signal Fire was my least favorite (too creamy for me, but does come on fire).

Definitely a must see Tiki bar nationally. Can't wait to go back.

This was one of my favorite modern Tiki finds. Very small and dark. Limited menu, but enough to get through a night. Very chill from the blue lighting to the Erykah Badu/Lauryn Hill soundtrack (I normally hate non classic Tiki soundtracks, but this just worked). Everyone I was with had a great time. Service was awesome. Decor was fun and unique, but noteworthy for such a small space.

Drink notes: 1)Planter's Passion - Flor de cana, Jamaican rum, rum agrichole, orgeat, lime, bitters. Awesome drink. 2) Maui Mockingbird - Tequila tiki - great Tiki style drink for a tequila fan.

Was able to stop in only long enough to place an order for a round of to-go drinks, but was really impressed with everything. The decor and ambiance were top notch.

The drinks were also great. Can't wait to go back and give it a longer look. Definitely worth the trip!

Found myself nearby for a conference, so stopped in for a couple Happy Hour drinks. The vibe is modern, upbeat and fun (Bad Bunny playing on the soundsystem), but definitely still a Tiki bar and worth a visit because it was close to Archipelago (now closed) and Tiny Tiki.

The Happy Hour was $9 from 4-7, which seemed like a good deal for the area.

Drink Notes: 1. Rum Barrel: 7.5/10 - decent strength; balanced with some honey, classic tiki mix of flavors 2. Mai Tai: 7/10 - classic recipe, but light 3. Bodi Hai: 9/10 - pineapple and coffee

Lotus lounge is a very solid option for a city like Baton Rouge. The drink are always pretty good and the decor and visual elements are well done. I'm proud to bring people from out of town to "our" Tiki bar in BR.

My big complaint is they play loud pop music and even sometimes have a DJ, so it is not as immersive as it could be. It's a college town - I get it.

The drink selection is very good with classics and originals. Lotus lounge has hosted the closing party of the Louisiana Tiki Festival during its two year run.

Went to Bootlegger after a long hot day of June hiking in Joshua Tree, and a gigantic Reuben at Sherman's so was pretty dead.

Decor is dark and immersive.

We were seated in a booth and I wish we were at the bar because we were seemingly forgotten about (even though it is a small place with maybe 3 booths). When the drinks finally did come they were excellent, but the horrible service cut the visit shorter than I wanted. I would definitely try to sit at the bar at a future visit, because the bartender seemed much more engaged with customers then the table server.

Had a really fun date night here with my wife. We started with the Pu Pu platter, which was pretty good. The Poke & Wonton had so much Tuna! Look for the secret room in the phone booth and the secret lanai!

Drink notes:

1. Mai Tai - 8/10 - My wife said "best my tai I've had since before Covid"
2. Pi Ya - 9/10 - Boozy punch served in a full pineapple!
3. Cobras Fang - 8/10 - Strong but in a good way
4. 3 Dots and a Dash - 8/10 - standard, well made version
5. Zombie - 2/10 - barely drinkable - tasted like cherry cough syrup
6. Navy Grog - 5/10 - didn't care for - very pimento heavy, and bitter

Stopped in for a quick drink on our first day in Palm Springs when drove by the Caliente Tropics and recognized it.

Good decor, good music, didn't like the drinks. Love the way the fun pool scene blends into the bar and the surrounding hotel has a lot of awesome history and architecture. They had Exotica Moderne for sale behind the bar, which was handy and I picked up a copy that I had forgot to order from the website that quarter.

Went after a wedding rehearsal dinner at a brewery down the street. Whole wedding group pretty much followed. Loved the decor and drinks were good, although I was busy talking so didn't pay much attention. Would love to go back again.

Met up with a Tiki fan that I originally met at the Mai Kai. I thought Lei Low had an awesome vibe - I could hang out there all the time, I wish it was closer.

The first drink I had was good, but didn't take any special note of it. The second drink I had (pictured) was really bad and I couldn't finish it.

Overall, it was a great vibe and the decor was awesome. I would love to go back and try more of their drinks. I'm guessing the bad one I had was an outlier.

A completely fine place overall, but felt like a T(iki) G. I. Fridays to me. A lot of WITCO style art, but the place is very bright and has more of a sports bar feel. Nobody there working or drinking at the bar seemed to care about Tiki bars or drinks. If you were really craving a tropical drink then it would be good, but any Tiki purist can skip without regrets.

I enjoyed the Jamaican jerk pork sandwich a lot.

The Hula's Mai Tai has pineapple juice and dark rum in it. It's advertised as not sweet, but it is. Not terrible tasting, but not a classic Mai Tai or really a Hawaiian style either. 7/10

Came here after trying Hula's high street. Very similar experience [A completely fine place overall, but felt like a T(iki) G. I. Fridays to me. A lot of WITCO style art, but the place is very bright and has more of a sports bar feel. Nobody there working or drinking at the bar seemed to care about Tiki bars or drinks. If you were really craving a tropical drink then it would be good, but any Tiki purist can skip without regrets.] Only this time I noticed the music more: Lust to Love by the Go-Go's was playing. Good song, but if you want an immersive Tiki experience this isn't it.

Tried the zombie at this Hula's. 6/10 - too sweet and fruity juicy - none of the classic Zombie spice and depth. Rums were bland and couldn't cut through the other ingredients, which is probably what most people want who come here. I think they used Bacardi.

Didn't have high expectations, but this is probably the worst bar I ever visited that was on Critiki. It's probably a fun place to get drunk late night, but when I visited at 8pm it was dead. Definitely don't bother if you are looking for Tiki bars.

No tiki drinks on menu, weird vibe, no tiki music, lots of Tvs blaring. Only tiki decor was a tropical woman print and a mermaid on the womens room door.

Had one drink that seemed the most tropical: Banana rum punch. Disgustingly sweet and full of crap rum. Horrible.

My favorite modern tiki bar despite the need for a reservation pretty much all the time and the reticent staff (they are busy). This was my 3rd visit (first since 2017) and first to the Century Grand location (next to the original).

Even though it was the last reservation on a Sunday night it was still full.

My drinks were amazing even with my high expectations: 1. In Search of Sanctum - 10/10 old fashioned format, super strong, amazing mouthfeel, great aroma 2. Land Locked Elixer - 8/10 "amaro mai tai" - doubly sweet orgeat balanced well by bitter amari 3. Land to Starboard - 9/10 "UT zombie" - first note hits like a zombie, then mid notes of benedictine

Came back in January 2023 and had a similar experience.

Was excited to find a Tiki Bar on a trip to Puerto Rico. I really liked the use of neon throughout. Overall, it was pretty mid-level experience if you are a Tiki fan, probably better for casual fans looking for something different. Drinks were ok - there were 6 "Tiki" drinks one side of the menu and 6 "Tropical" on the other.

Waterworks was an awesome dive bar with great late night food. It was the first place I walked to when I moved to Tallahassee in 2008. Definitely a service industry favorite in midtown Tallahassee. The tiki drinks were never consistent - more of a cheap rum and fruit juice no matter what you ordered. So sad to hear it closed abruptly.

Went here on a busy Saturday night when I was in Atlanta for a conference. Had 6 people so got very lucky to have an awesome half circle booth overlooking the bar. The drinks on the menu were good not great, but I asked for a Jet Pilot (not on menu) and they made a really nice one. The whole group had a really fun night and although they weren't Tikiphiles they enjoyed the drinks.

I was in Miami Beach for a conference, and knew I had to get to the Mai Kai. Took a bus to the brightline station, the brightline to a bus station, and then a bus to the Mai Kai to add a little more adventure.

Started at the Molokai bar where I met a friendly couple who insisted I go for the dinner show if I could. Was able to get a table for 1 and the show and dinner were amazing. The server I had was amazing - he took me out to the gardens to take pictures on my phone.

It really was a magical night and the best dining experience of my life. Impossible to put into words.

I had 5 drinks over the course of the whole night and all were absolutely fantastic. 1. Jet Pilot 2. Barrel of Rum 3. Bora Bora 4. Planter's Punch 5. Hot Buttered Rum

I like the Robot Tiki concept. When I went in 2019 it was quiet and pretty empty. I went back in 2023 and it was crowded and tough to get a seat with a popular food truck outside.

Drinks I had in 2019: 1) Jet Pilot - great taste overall, not strong, cinnamon very pleasant, nice clean finish 2) Robo Zombie - bright, also not strong, pleasing

Was in DC for a work event. Went at happy hour time on a Monday and sat at the bar, while I waited for my friend to get out of work. Very large, open, and bright so definitely has a unique look among Tiki bars. On the harbor and there is outdoor seating and a view of the water near the wharf.

Drink notes I took at the time: 1) Mai Tai - too sour, can't taste the rum, just one mint leaf - no nose, felt it though eventually 2) 3 Dots & a Dash - Pretty balanced, a little lite. 2nd best 3 dots I've had but far from the 3 dots in chicago version 3) What I want you to be drinking - "rum manhattan w/ grapefruit", very good cocktail.

Had the Tiki Tots, and Happy hour pizza - very mediocre for the price

Went 3 times over a 2 day period while here for a conference in 2019 and then went back two days in a row in March 2022 for a different conference.

Adrift is in a neighborhood with a lot other interesting options. The escapsim between the size, decor, and music is really good (8/10). During my 2022 visit the music was more upbeat - I called it TIki Techno. Not my favorite for a tiki bar, but it worked. The outdoor area has way less Tikiness, so sit inside if you can.

Drink notes: 1. Mai Tai - made with 3 rums, serviceable, a little light 2. 3 Dots (off menu) - fireball candy after taste, orange juice flavor too prominent, did like the rhum agricole "gets better as you drink it" 3. Shared drink (can't remember name) - fun theatrics impressed my group of mostly tiki novices and tasted good. 4. Navy Grog - "Not good" 5. Jet Pilot - "good!"

In Denver for a conference when they dropped all the Lyft scooters everywhere. I rented a scooter from Adrift to Hidden Idol and it was a wonderful ride mostly through a big park.

Had a really cool vibe, and I had high hopes based on Critiki. Bartenders were very nice and I loved the vintage shows playing on the wall.

Drinks were not my favorite. This is what I wrote at the time: 1)1934 Zombie - 1st sip unpleasant, nice grapefruit peel garnish, everything else sucks 2) Mai Tai - Gross, way too sweet

Went early afternoon on a Saturday with 6 people and had to wait for about an hour for a table. Atmosphere is amazing, vintage decor everywhere you look and you can walk around the place for a while - it is bigger than it looks from the outside.

Drinks were not my favorite, but still had a great time because of the living museum feel and music.

Drink notes: 1) Zombie: more like fruit punch 2) Navy grog: don't know what this but it's horrible 3) Pieces of 8 - (favorite drink of the day) 4) Rum flights were good

Stop by Gene and Judd's after for a snappy dog and greasy fries.

Visited with 2 friends on a quiet Tuesday night as part of a mini Florida Tiki and Spring Training Trip. Was very excited to check it out based on Critiki Ratings; however when we got there we were told the usual bartender was gone that day and the fill in didn't really know Tiki drinks.

We still had a fun time drinking something strong, but it definitely wasn't an ideal time to get a feel for the place. I loved the general vibe and the giant Moai in the corner is one of my favorite decorative pieces in a smallish Tiki bar I've seen.

Drinks were better than I expected (if not a little weaker than standard Tiki). Lots of fun stuff if you're a disney person. No reservations so get there when they open.

Was excited to check out Florida's oldest Tiki bar, so drove down with 2 friends and stayed at the Golden Key Resort to get the full vintage experience. The hotel had seen better days, but you can't beat staying walking distance from a Tiki bar.

The drinks including the infamous Mai Tai were strong, free pour rum and fruit juice types. Emphasis on the strong because I brought my good camera and none of the pictures came out., only a few iphone memories.

The experience on this particular Monday night was a real tour de force. The bartender was friendly and happy to have me look around and tell me about the history. A lot of the original decorations were still there all these years later. On the other hand, the music was hip hop and at one point the only other group in the bar involved a woman twerking on the bar for her companion.

All in all, I think it would be an awesome local place to be a regular at. It's also great if you love Tiki Bar history.

Love the alley entrance and skullwall as you descend down the stairs. Was warned that it gets crowded at night, so have always gone on the earlier side and haven't had a problem getting a table or seat at the bar. Consistently have had some of my favorite drinks, I think they lean toward sweeter palates.

Drink notes: 1) 3 dots and a Dash: mild, great crowd pleaser. Pineapple and orange (tangerine to get needed sweetness), rummy spice, amazing 2) Saturn + Negroni: gin/lemon/passionfruit, clean finish, light 3) Zombie: great cinnamon flavor, balanced, strength well concealed

Another visit (3/27/19): 1) Camp Anawana - overproof rum with toasted marshmallows yet somehow not too sweet, strong in every way, not for tiki novices 2) Mai Tai - Rum forward but balanced, homemade orgeat, overproof float, unique but also traditional enough to be good

Lost Lake was walking distance from my sister's house so I went several times with this being the first. I really liked the tropical wallpaper and the garnishes were fantastic, but the drinks were never my favorite despite being acclaimed.

Drink notes: 1) Navy Grog - too heavy on OJ, no rum forward punch, no spice 2) Jet Pilot - stronger, better spice, grapefruit well integrated 3) Puka Puka Punch - good strength, sour there but not overpowering, really clean finish

Ended up in Washington D.C. a lot for work conferences and this was a fun place to bring people who hadn't been to a Tiki bar.

Was usually busy, but the vibe was pretty chill either at the beginning or the end of the night. I didn't care for their standard drink menu (my first visit notes: 1) Mai Tai: first sip tastes like burning; 2) Truck Bed Funeral: tastes like smoke; 3) Jungle Room Experience: light, cool parrot mug), but my wife found out they had a "secret" menu of TIki classics that were better and I stuck to those on future visits.

The overall experience was always very good, not great, but it was in a good location near public transit and Ben's Chili bowl, so I have a ton of great memories there and will definitely miss it.

Went with a friend and sat at the bar before a concert (Jawbreaker) at Hollywood Palladium. Met fun people at the bar. Took the following drink notes:

1. Mai Tai - 8/10 - balanced, clean finish, 1/2 almond 1/2 cashew orgeat
2. Navy Grog - almost too lite, super clean finish; burnt cinnamon stick
3. Zombie - super flavorful, clean finish
4. Curse of Lono - awesome fire garnish, very lite mouthfeel, complex but clean finish

Have been here a few times and I really like the description from the commenter below - "It's not a tiki bar, it's a tiki restaurant with a bar and it's beautiful". I'd that it's also a "hotel bar" so there are corporate bartenders more than knowledgable tikiphiles. There's also a TV at the bar, which is jarring after the amazing entrance, but apparently the hotel guests requested it. With that being said, definitely worth it for the history and decor. The Mai Tai's (shaken with limes so bitter) were not good compared to the Emeryville location. I liked the Navy Grog a lot more than the Mai Tai. Love the Chinese Ovens. A must visit, but you might have to get lucky to get amazing drinks that night.

In town for a conference and convinced a bunch of people to check it out. Drinks and decor were definitely Tiki-lite and not memorable. There was an awesome surf/rockabilly band playing though

Was here for a conference and made sure to get a reservation. All around amazing place: ambience, decor, and drinks were all among the best I've had.

Was surprised to see such an elaborate Tiki bar in a strip mall. Right away the antechamber grabs you with a water feature and Pirates of the Caribbean music. The whole place is PACKED with things to look at. Definitely a great place to look around at all the Tiki "artifacts" and art. Lots of photo opportunities. The drinks on this visit were pretty good - I'd give them a 7/10.

Went at 3pm on a weekday. Decent crowd for that time, but was able to sit at the bar no problem. Frankie's had been recommended to me by a a lot of people for the 24 hour novelty, amazing neighborhood tiki bar atmosphere, and the great tiki mugs. I had been warned about the smoking. I ordered the Navy Grog and Fink Bomb. I was disappointed that they just came in normal glasses not even the famous Tiki mugs. Did not care for either drink, even in a divey rum drink way. This was probably a victim of too high pre-visit expectations - I had a fun time (very friendly locals), but almost everything was disappointing.

Did a L29 and TIki Tolteca doubleheader with Tiki Tolteca second. I appreciated they had a darker more immersive feel than L29 had. The drinks were good, but none of our group thought they could compare to L29 that night.

Was flying from New Orleans to Los Angeles for a friends UCLA graduation, so decided to try and pull off a fun tiki double header. Went to Latitude 29 at 1:30pm then flew to Los Angeles later that same day. Got to Tiki-Ti around 9pm local time. There was a line, but it went pretty fast (~15 mins). Bar was very crowded and not a lot of great places to stand and not be in the way. The bartenders at L29 had told me to get a Tora Tora and a Blood and Sand. Drinks had the fun theatrics but were not noteworthy in terms of taste, just strong and sour. Appreciated all the tiki history, but the people I was with didn't so it was a pretty short visit. I knew I needed to come back earlier next time.

3/8/18

For my second visit I wanted to do it right, so I went right at opening. Got a seat at the bar. Regulars were super friendly and got a kick out of how excited I was to be there. Mike Sr. came over and told me all about the history. Mike Jr. hooked me up with some swizzle sticks and postcards. It was an awesome experience. Drinks are clearly pre-craft cocktail revolution, but were really good - much better than my first visit. Notes: 1) Navy Grog - really classic and bold; 2) Puka Punch - pineapple and honey flavors with sense of mystery; 3) The Last Drop - super strong and awesome!

I definitely recommend going closer to opening for the tiki fan experience.