Bahi Hut Lounge
1 Dec 2024
Fantastic! Genuine vintage atmosphere; not much has changed aesthetically since the late 50s or early 60s. Still possesses the spirit of a dark lounge bar and restaurant of that mid-century golden era, complete with old fashioned exotica tunes (a la Martin Denny, etc.), wood panel walls, and south asian masks. The drink menu selection is impressive and the cocktails are well-done, but it's clear that their food offerings are a distant second thought. It's small and intimate, and is some place I'd regularly visit if I lived in the area.
Tiki Bar
Bahi Hut Lounge
Sarasota, Florida, United States
Bahi Hut was opened in 1954 by Bill Johnson, and remains a beloved neighborhood bar and local landmark. For many years it operated as more of a beer bar, although some tropical drinks were available.
In 2018 it underwent a grand restoration and by all accounts was quite successful.
Two new tiki poles grace the front exterior, Mai and Tai, carved by Jeff Chouinard.
They kept a couple of their previous cocktails on the menu (especially their version of a "mai tai" which was beloved by locals for being strong...even if considered unbalanced and inauthentic by most tikifiles used to Trader Vic standards) but have revamped the rest of their cocktail menu and have climbed back from being just a beer bar.
It is part of the Golden Host Resort, a vintage roadside motel.