Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk
13 June 2023
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.
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Tiki Bar
Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk
Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Opened in October of 2022.
Hubba Hubba Tiki Tonk describes themselves as: "a bit tonk, a bit tiki and a lot of rock n roll."
This is accurate.
It is not a tiki bar in the strictest sense, but it does have some tiki decor, including their logo (which is based on a mass-produced 5' tall fiberglass Ku with glowing eyes who oversees a special corner inside). There are also a bunch of tiny pufferfish hung over the main bar. They do serve tiki cocktails (but only 5 classics on the menu, including the Mai Tai, Planters Punch, Blue Hawaiian, Painkiller, and Jungle Bird).
The majority of the bar is dedicated to kitsch of all kinds, including many velvet paintings of rock stars and pop figures like Elvis, Eddie Van Halen, Alf, ET, etc...
The overall take-away is of a vintage rumpus room/dive bar that's exploded with pop culture art and collectibles.
So, if you are there drinking a mai-tai while a surf rock track is playing and you are seated in a corner across from the Ku, you might find yourself having a very "tiki" experience. However, if loud hard rock is playing while you and your friends are slamming back shots under the movie poster for Terminator II, you may find yourself wondering how this could remotely be considered "tiki" at all.
Mileage will vary...