Tiki Bars
Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29
New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Beachbum Berry's Latitude 29 is the much anticipated venture of Jeff "Beachbum" Berry and his wife Annene Kaye. Berry has worked tirelessly for the past two decades (who am I kidding? he's a bum, he got tired now and then), researching the long-lost recipes for classic exotic cocktails from the heyday of Tiki. We all have the Bum (and his publishers!) to thank for the revival of the well-crafted exotic cocktail, via his books The Grog Log, Intoxica!, Taboo Table, Beachbum Berry Remixed, and Potions of the Caribbean.
Latitude 29 opened in November 2014, inside the Bienville House Hotel. The drink menu is a mix of Tiki classics (some of them the Bum has been keeping in his back pocket for just this occasion), and modern inventions by the Bum himself. Latitude 29 follows through on drink presentation, with custom swizzles and just-so garnish and ice touches. The bar team is led by Brad Smith; the Bum himself won't be found behind the bar, but rather playing host, like a Beachbum should.
The food menu, originated by chef Chris Shortall and now under the care of executive chef James Rivard, leaves the sticky-sweet Chinese-meets-pineapple history of Polynesian restaurants behind, and instead has more modern, fresh takes on the ethnic blend of flavors available in Polynesia today.
The decor is not quite the dark, encrusted enclave one might expect from a dyed-in-the-barkcloth tikiphile like Berry, but the windows and hotel location have dictated a brighter approach. There's no mistaking this space for anything but Tiki, though, thanks largely to the work of artisans Bosko and Tiki Diablo. There are large tiki carvings throughout, and behind the bar is a beautiful map depicting the carving styles found throughout the islands of the Pacific. There are many vintage beachcomber lamps and other items from Berry's long-lived Tiki collection.
Tiki Tolteca is located right next door (although they closed on September 27th, 2021 except for private parties).
Revival House - at Blue Sushi Saki Grill
Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Opened December 2nd, 2020.
The rapidly growing mini chain of Blue Sushis (there are 19 and counting open or coming soon across the U.S. as of 2023) now have “pocket bars” next door. Each has a different style, and Des Moines was lucky enough to draw the tiki card.
There is a nice selection of hanging lamps and the interior is nicely trimmed out in bamboo, natural materials, and palm leaf wallpaper. One end has a lava rock wall with the requisite pink neon sign that has sprung up in the age of Instagram to take the obligatory photos with.
They serve tiki cocktails in tiki mugs, although as of this time they do not appear to have original branded barware. The mugs used appear to be the top 10 wholesale mugs made in China (some of them rip-offs of Bosko's or Tiki Farm's mugs). However, the cocktails appear to be dialed in craft-cocktails using good ingredients, by all accounts.
Tikis Bar and Grill
Virginia Beach, Virginia, United States
Began as Auntie's Tiki Bar and then was taken over by new ownership and renamed Tikis Bar and Grill in January of 2020.
Tikis is a small but quaint tiki bar in the heart of Virginia Beach. They specialize in classic tiki cocktails and a Polynesian and Phillipino fusion based menu.
The Islander - Denver
Denver, Colorado, United States (Closed)
Opened in 1964 as the Tiki Kai Supper Club, which was one of two locations, the other located in Albuquerque.
In 1971, the Denver-based Vegas show-band the Glass Menagerie purchased the building and renamed it The Islander. The Islander lasted until 1975, and then it became Herb Wong's New China restaurant (which still served Polynesian drinks in their Kahuna Cocktail Lounge) until being demolished in 1992.
Today this location is the SafeSplash Swim School.
*NOTE: The Islander at this location is not to be confused with the Tommy Wong's Island (circa. 1977 -1983) which was about 11 minutes South of this location. That Tommy Wong's location now appears (as of 2025) to be a parking lot adjacent a kosher deli.
Town and Country
San Diego, California, United States
Originally built in 1953 as a meager 40-room roadside lodge, Town and Country is now a bustling, full-service resort with a nostalgic and playful celebration of its mid-century roots.
It is located 5 miles from the San Diego Zoo and Balboa Park.
The Tiki Hut (aka Tiki Pavilion, Tiki Room) is an event space built on the grounds. The octagonal shake-covered building was designed by Hendrick and Mock (also designers of the Islands Restaurant and Hanalei Hotel -- at the site of the current San Diego Crowne Plaza) as part of a 1962 expansion project that brought 80 more rooms to the hotel complex. The pavilion was topped with a William Westenhaver Witco Mainlander carving named “Riki Tiki.”
On special occasions, Tiki torch flames or fireworks would be set off from his head. Riki caught fire a couple of times even though he was protected from the flames via a sheetmetal dulì (Chinese farmer’s hat).
San Diego Fire Department officials soon put a stop to that, and Riki Tiki was relocated to good ol’ terra firma. The pavilion and Riki Tiki have survived under various names to this day.
Starting in 2021, the Town and Country became host to the growing Tiki Oasis event, previously hosted at the Palm Springs Caliente Tropics (2001-2005), then at the San Diego Crowne Plaza (2006-2019), and briefly at San Diego's Paradise Point (2020).
Hale Hawaii Lounge
Torrance, California, United States
Small old tiki bar, tucked back in a 60s-era strip mall on the Pacific Coast Highway. The decor inside is a mix of great old tiki decorations and horrid modern sports pennants.
Among other items, they have a concrete "Droopy Tiki" just as you enter on the right, also featured on page 229 of The Book of Tiki by Sven Kirsten. Named for the droopy eyelids, less than 10 are still known to have survived in various collections.
The bar keeps irregular hours, but if you do happen to stop by when they are open, their Scorpion Bowl comes highly recommended.
Islander Apartments
Gardena, California, United States
This classic Southern California tiki apartment building has an unusual amount of its Polynesian elements intact. The dramatic A-frame entryway shelters a collection of waterfalls and waterways, lined with nautical chain, and guarded by tiki rail posts. There is one very large old tiki still standing out front, and there are lush, tropical plantings and a cluster of tall palm trees.
Inside, there is a tiki-themed recreation room for tenants to use, which although not a vintage feature, is nonetheless cool.
Featured on page 280 of Sven Kirsten's Tiki Pop book with an early photo of owners admiring the front tiki. The front looks very similar except the early photo shows several fish floats hanging from the front entrance as well.
The Hidden Idol
Denver, Colorado, United States (Closed)
The Hidden Idol was a small tiki bar, that had been a favorite on the craft-cocktail scene, as well as with the Denver Tiki Tribe subculture. It opened as an intimate space on East Colfax Avenue (above the now-closed Southside Bar + Kitchen) in February 2017 before moving to a larger space in Jefferson Park in June 2019. Due to the Covid shutdown, this bar was forced to announce a permanent closing as of Sunday, June 28, 2020.
Pagan Idol
San Francisco, California, United States
Pagan Idol opened in San Francisco's Financial District on February 24th, 2016. The bar is owned by the Future Bars group, which owns a variety of craft cocktail bars around the San Francisco Bay Area.
Pagan Idol has a front bar, which is designed to look like the inside of a wooden ship, complete with porthole views of swimming fish, and blown glass tentacle light fixtures.
Red-lit stairs lead to the back bar, which is where the full-on Polynesian Pop experience can be found. A second bar is lined with zebrawood and backed by lava windows. Overlooking the bar is a massive tiki carved by Crazy Al Evans, and a large outrigger canoe hangs overhead. A tangle of ropes and fishing floats decorates the bar. The walls are lined with Tongan tapa cloth designs.
Just beyond, the room opens up, and a night sky of twinkling stars hangs overhead, with a volcano waterfall and two cozy booths. Looming over this room is a second large tiki, this one carved by Ivan Lee Mora. Periodically, the volcano "erupts" and a fog creeps along the starry sky, adding to the moodiness of the room.
The soundtrack is all Exotica and hapa-haole music. The drink menu is all original tropical drinks, but a full array of classic tiki drinks can be ordered off-menu.
In the 1950s, this same location held Tiki Bob's Mainland Rendezvous.
Longitude
Oakland, California, United States (Closed)
Longitude was opened by Suzanne Long in downtown Oakland in August 2014. Long had previously been bar manager at Alameda's Forbidden Island. The theme here was not strictly tiki, but rather "adventure," with a mix of African and Papua New Guinea elements, but the echoes of golden-era Tiki were still felt, especially in the drink menu.
The buildout was done by Tiki veteran Bamboo Ben. A massively long and wide monkey pod-topped bar anchored the space, while the main attraction was a large, raised African hut with seating inside. There was an upper mezzanine that overlooks the room below. A sophisticated sound system delivered a variety of jungle sound effects and exotic music. Fresh orchids and plenty of greenery added to the jungle feeling. Beautiful drawings of African animals on the menu and adorning the walls to the mezzanine were created by Long's mother.
The food menu was influenced by Africa's colonial past, with familiar British items like Bangers & Mash and Shepherd's Pie. There were plenty of the old traditional Polynesian restaurant appetizers, including a flaming pu-pu platter.
The drink menu was full of Long's own take on Tiki classics, and her own inventions. The Navy Grog could be purchased with a souvenir Longitude rocks glass, while the Black Orchid came with a real black pearl to take home.
Longitude closed on March 5, 2017. The Kon-Tiki opened in this location in November 2017.
Kona Kove
West Covina, California, United States (Closed)
The Kona Kove Lounge was housed within the Stardust Bowl recreation center. It is unclear when it was built or closed, but it was open as late as April of 1970 as there are ads from that time for live music at the venue.
This bar is also mentioned in James Teitlbaum's Tiki Road Trip as part of the Stardust Bowling Alley and in Sven Kirsten's The Book of Tiki on page 198.