Owner and proprietor Tom Neijens (co-author of Rum: The Complete Guide) opened The Drifter in April 2014, after many years spent making classic drinks, first at home, and then at a speakeasy-themed bar he co-owned. The Drifter is his full-dive into his passion for tiki drinks and Polynesian Pop history.

The original small space was dominated by a beautiful, undulating mosaic tile bar, and Neijens continued to add more and more tiki to the space over the years, with bamboo seating, carved tikis, and faux palm trees.

However, in 2022, they moved location to 650 meters away from Oudburg, 47, Ghent 9000 Belgium to Steendam, 53, Ghent 9000 Belgium.

The new location is more spacious and has more impressive tiki decor.