Tiki Bars reviews from Reddit
Summary
We analyzed 206 Reddit reviews across 9 subreddits and 35 posts to rank the best Tiki Bars brands recommended by redditors, including communities like r/Tiki, r/sanfrancisco, r/AskChicago, r/maryland, r/kansascity. Top-rated brands include Esotico (4.4/5), Trader Vic's (4.6/5), Hala Kahiki (4.3/5).
Stats
Reviews206
Subreddits9
Posts35
Brands98
Products12
206 reviews from
and
By Brand
/By Product
#1
Esotico
4.4
(10)
"Esotico and then the Koana room."
"Esotico is wonderful, and they have a great happy hour."
"I have not been to Esotico but that seems to be the best in the area."
"Esotica & Koana were both great. We truly enjoyed them both."
"Esotica & Koana were both great. We truly enjoyed them both."
"Esotico is big, bright, and 'tropical' themed (and a fun time)"
"Esotico is great - they have a world class rum collection. I would also vouch for swizzle though that is more of a rum speak easy than a tiki bar!"
"I would try EsoTiko if it’s not too out of the way. It had a nice selection of tiki drinks, and a fun but modern tropical vibe."
"I didn’t mind EsoTiko. It had a nice selection of tiki drinks, and a fun but modern tropical vibe."
"I liked Esotico, but I purposely went as soon as they opened on a Sunday because I wanted to avoid that dance club vibe. The drinks and food were actually decent."
#2
Trader Vic's
4.6
(9)
"The best mai-tai around."
"Trader Vic's is the OG and is world renowned."
"Especially if you like rums."
"Trader Vic's and Laki Kane are both pretty good."
"Can recommend trader Vic's and The Beachcomber - House of Agricole Rhum, both in London and fairly close."
"Trader Vic's in London"
"Trader Vic's!!!"
"May not be the hottest Tiki bar, but it is a classic."
"The old-school Trader Vic's in the Hilton!"
#3
Hala Kahiki
4.3
(9)
"Easily the best. Very authentic to the classic Tiki era, and the drinks are very strong!"
"Hala Kahiki Lounge is one of best tiki bars you’ll fine and it has a massive menu."
"Someone needs to represent this tiki haven over its newer competition."
"Hala Kahiki and Chef Shangri-la are my go-to."
"Best for a chill, classic tiki bar: Hala Kahiki"
"Do Hala Kahiki. If you're looking for a blue hawaiian specifically, HK is more of the classic tiki experience."
"Not in chicago proper but I would recommend Hala Kahiki, has been there since 1964."
"In Chicago, I prefer The Hala Kahiki Lounge."
"The place has been there since the '50s, so it's a good representation of an original tiki bar."
#4
Bamboo Room
4.7
(7)
"Ask the bartender for a copy of their Rum Passport booklet."
"Try to sit at the bar."
"Decor is amazing and we loved our drinks."
"I went to the Bamboo Room late last year. It's one of my favorites."
"Bamboo Room had the best decor / ambience."
"A lot of fun, but I have to admit the drinks weren’t super memorable."
"I love the drinks and the decor is amazing."
#5
Smuggler's Cove
4.7
(6)
"Best overall."
"Smugglers Cove (my work) is the best"
"It's famous. They do classic tiki drinks really well."
"As others have said, Smuggler’s Cove."
"Technically speaking, this is the best in SF."
#6
Inside Passage
3.4
(8)
"The drinks at Inside Passage are on a completely different level."
"Inside Passage... Drinks were good. Decor is top notch."
"Inside Passage is probably the best tiki bar in Seattle, it's inside Rumba which is a fantastic rum bar."
"A speakeasy style tiki-inspired bar inside Rumba."
"Inside passage is worth it for the experience but I liked drinks at rumba more"
"My experience at inner passage was mixed, total tool of a bartender made me a good drink."
"The drinks at Inside Passage and Navy Strength suck. Inside Passage nails the decor and presentation but considering how expens"
"The attached Tiki bar (Inside Passage) less so (kinda smelly, overpriced and subpar drinks, awesome decor)."
#7
False Idol
5.0
(5)
"This is a real-deal tiki bar. Get a reservation, as it only fits 76."
"False Idol is a Martin Cate bar, so drinks are awesome."
"Drinks are awesome."
"False Idol will definitely be the closest to Tonga Hut."
"I love mugs but their cocktail glasses are truly great."
#8
3 Dots and a Dash
4.0
(6)
"Was shocked at how fun and affordable this place is. Drinks aren’t on the over the top side visually but the quality was superb."
"3 dots and dash is my favorite Chicago tiki bar. The ambiance and drinks are great."
"Best for a scene with tiki-esque drinks and decor: Three Dots and a Dash"
"Three dots and a dash. Much better than that old outdated Hala Kahiki."
"Three Dots and a Dash or Hala Kahiki"
"TD does more of the elevated modern tiki cocktail. I actually dont love the vibe of TD anymore."
#9
Trader Sam's
4.8
(5)
"Was always a big fan of Trader Sam's"
"It’s the oldest (i believe third ever) tiki bar in the world"
"There’s always the amazing Trader Sam’s Enchanted Tiki Bar at the Disneyland Hotel."
"Trader Sam's is a huge part of the Tiki Revival. It's amazing."
"It's a vibe."
#10
Pagan Idol
4.2
(5)
"This wins both drinks and ambiance; just an all-around fantastic bar"
"I’ve been going to pagan idol for this sort of thing for a long time."
"Really good and worth a shout."
"Pagan Idol"
#11
Zombie Village
3.8
(5)
"Check out Zombie Village in the Tenderloin. It's weird."
"Really good and worth a shout."
"Some really cozy booths, great drinks and atmosphere."
"Zombie Village, Last Rites. Smugglers wait can be long."
#12
Last Rites
4.8
(4)
"Of all the good to mediocre to great tiki bars in the city, last rites by far has the best made drinks."
"It has the best combination of ambiance + unique drinks."
"Is my number 1 for sure."
"Theming is unique and I like the more interesting drinks."
#13
Devil's Reef
4.8
(4)
"Just go straight to Devil’s Reef in Tacoma. The downtown area around there is actually pretty cool and you can make a night of it."
"Devil's reef in Tacoma ... Drinks are fantastic!!! Decor is great too."
"Seconding coming down to Tacoma! Devil's Reef is amazing, the food and drinks at Da Tiki Hut are top notch"
"If you're willing to travel down to Tacoma, Devil's Reef and the Old Hangout at McMenamins Elks Temple are a 2 minute walk from each other."
#14
Rumba
4.3
(4)
"A must visit for tiki/rum bars."
"Rumba is a great stop."
"Rumba is awesome."
"Personally, I preferred the drinks at Rumba but the decor at Inside Passage is pretty great"
#15
McMenamins
4.0
(4)
"If you are going to be around Bothell McMenamins has a good tiki bar and you can walk to the whiskey shack for other great drinks"
"Bothell also has North Shore Lagoon in the McMenamins."
"North Shore Lagoon--a quirky spot for sure."
"Another vote for Hula Hula. Also North Shore Lagoon at McMenamins in Bothell."
#16
Lei Low
5.0
(3)
"Lei Low was great. Toasted Coconut had solid drinks, and the food we had there really impressed."
"Lei Low. This is the answer."
"Lei Low, end of list. Lots of great bars tho."
#17
Kaona Room
5.0
(3)
"Can’t recommend either of these enough!!!"
"Amazing cocktails and the Kaona room has brilliant decor."
"The Kaona Room which is their tiki speakeasy."
#19
Water Witch
4.7
(3)
"Water Witch and Bamboo Room are definitely must go to spots."
"I still think about the frozen Jungle Bird from Water Witch."
"They had a very tasty clarified milk punch."
#20
Forbidden Island
4.7
(3)
"It's awesome."
"If you feel wild, head to Alameda for the Forbidden Island."
"Forbidden Island is great. They really execute the concept well."
#21
Tiki Bars
3.7
(3)
"Not exhaustive, but this article has some: https://laist.com/news/food/la-county-has-12-tiki-bars and this summer we want to try them all."
"Check out critiki.com - list of bars with reviews and ratings so you can get an idea of each place before going."
"As far as I know, there are no Tiki bars in KC at the moment. But, there's two opening up soon."
#22
Koana
5.0
(2)
"If you ever get a chance and you're back here, give the Koana a try."
"At the Koana, we shared the Aku Aku Lapu & the M"
#23
Foundation
5.0
(2)
"Foundation is amazing, always worth a visit if your in Milwaukee."
"Foundation Milwaukee blows any Chicagoland tiki bar away."
#24
Tonga Room
3.0
(3)
"Tonga and Trad’r Sams."
"For the experience."
#25
Grass Skirt
4.5
(2)
"I love Grass Skirt."
"Very good."
#26
Bali Hai
4.5
(2)
"Bali Hai has the strongest Mai Tai I’ve ever had."
"Killer views with drinks and apps."
#27
Emerald Lounge
4.5
(2)
"Fantastic, still doing Sippin’ Santa through the end of the year."
"Emerald lounge is probably your best bet."
#28
Skull & Crown
4.5
(2)
"Skull & Crown has the best drinks on the island."
"Skull and crown is fun! Would def recommend a reservation."
#29
Tiki Huna
4.5
(2)
"There is exactly 1. Tiki Huna in the iron district in NKC."
"Tiki Huna in the Iron District NKC."
#30
Kona Club
4.5
(2)
"Kona Club hands down."
"The vibes here are great and I love them. Share a scorpion bowl with a friend."
#31
Swizzle
4.0
(2)
"I lived on south beach for about 6 years and loved swizzle. As already said, it’s more of a rum bar than tiki bar but the drinks are great."
"Dallas has Swizzle and Forth Worth has Tarantula Tiki."
#32
Chef Shangri-La
4.0
(2)
"Best sleeper to get you secret lit and surprisingly good food: Chef Shangri-La"
"Chef Shangra-La in North Riverside. They got these Polynesian drinks called a Dr. Fong, you’re only allowed to have 2, before they cut you off."
#33
SOS
4.0
(2)
"SOS is small, hip, modern, more of a 'tropical' bar with some tiki flair, but make absolutely excellent cocktails."
"I went to SOS in Decatur and had a great time."
#34
Nui Nui
4.0
(2)
"Nui Nui is my favorite."
"Mc Menimins Anderson school in Bothel has a bar called Nui Nui. Tiki exotic themed."
#35
Trailer Happiness
4.0
(2)
"Worked with a bartender from trailer happiness haven't been but heard nothing but good stuff, sounds like they take their tiki seriously"
"London has quite a few more than just Trader Vics too, I heard that Trailer Happiness is particularly good, but I've never been myself"
#36
Blossom Bar
4.0
(2)
"It’s not a 'tiki bar' but a hip tropical bar with super creative drinks."
"Has cool drinks and pretty good food."
#37
Porco
4.0
(2)
"As far as actual tiki bars go...Porcos and Tiki Barge, but Tiki Barge went on a ramming mission a few months ago so bring a life jacket and helmet."
"Porco-is the one and only Tiki bar in CLE anywhere near writing home to mom about, let alone other tiki drinkers."
#38
Bamboo Hut
3.5
(2)
"Bamboo Hut"
#39
Archipelago
3.5
(2)
"Archipelago in DC is pretty good."
"Any love for Archipelago in DC?"
#40
Tiki Terrace
3.0
(2)
"Tiki Terrace in Des Plaines had a nice article written about them."
"I’ve heard good things about The Tiki Terrace in Des Plaines."
#41
The Honu
5.0
(1)
"Indoor/outdoor classic style tiki bar, in an intimate home setting."
#42
Bar Tiki
5.0
(1)
"Outdoor classic tiki cocktails along with beach tiki."
#43
The Black Flamingo
5.0
(1)
"A great friend of mine and his wife run a tiki speakeasy in their basement he books up often makes the best cocktails"
#44
Polite Provisions
5.0
(1)
"Polite Provisions is not only my favorite SD bar, but maybe my favorite bar I've ever been to."
#45
Tiki Cat
5.0
(1)
"RIP, TikiCat. It's gonna be hard to top that place."
#46
Last Rights
5.0
(1)
#47
Smugglers Cove
5.0
(1)
"I would recommend the book Smugglers Cove."
#48
Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar
5.0
(1)
"Of course that’s not LA proper but could be worth a drive."
#49
Blue Palm
5.0
(1)
"[Blue Palm] is having a preview night next Friday."
#50
SOS Tiki Bar
5.0
(1)
"S.O.S Tiki Bar is the best hands down."
#51
Tarantula Tiki Lounge
5.0
(1)
"The owners are great guys and the drinks are killer. I recommend the Singapore Sling."
#52
Tiki-Ti
5.0
(1)
"Super small place with a huge drink menu. If you can’t decide there is a wheel of drinks you can spin."
#53
Tonga Hut
5.0
(1)
"I would say Tonga hut is a must hit as it's the oldest tiki bar in LA."
#54
S.O.S
5.0
(1)
"S.O.S in Decatur is awesome too!"
#55
Otto's Shrunken Head
5.0
(1)
"I’m a big fan of the dive bar tiki bars, Otto’s Shrunken Head on 14th and The Zombie Hut in Carrol Gardens are my haunts."
#56
The Polynesian
5.0
(1)
"The cocktails at the Polynesian in Times Square are fantastic."
#57
End of the Century
4.0
(1)
"End of the Century in Forest Hills, Queens has the best tiki drinks."
#58
Morgans Cove
4.0
(1)
"Tiki/pirate themed speakeasy in an intimate setting."
#59
Kon Tiki
4.0
(1)
"Special shout outs to Trader Vic’s in Emeryville and Forbidden Island in Alameda."
#60
Mitch e Amaro
4.0
(1)
"Mitch e Amaro has tiki nights"
#61
Swizzle, Tarantula, 4 Kahunas
4.0
(1)
"They’re very spread out throughout DFW but all worth a stop!"
#62
Tiki
4.0
(1)
"Search Los Angeles in the Tiki thread. There was a post 6ish months back that had them all listed, it’s what I used a couple weeks back."
#63
The Jetty
4.0
(1)
"My favorites are The Jetty in Grasonville and Fish Tales in Ocean City."
#64
Fish Tales
4.0
(1)
"My favorites are The Jetty in Grasonville and Fish Tales in Ocean City."
#65
Uncle's Hawaiian Grindz
4.0
(1)
"Uncles Hawaiian Grindz in Bel Air. It’s a bit up the road from Baltimore."
#66
Big Owl's
4.0
(1)
"Big Owl's on Kent Island."
#67
Forbidden Cove
4.0
(1)
"Kilowatt Brewing in Kearny Mesa just got their liquor license for their Forbidden Cove tiki bar."
#68
Heritage Smokehouse
4.0
(1)
"Heritage and the coral wig have excellent rum and cane spirit selections, and legit high end tropical drinks."
#69
Coral Wig
4.0
(1)
"Heritage and the coral wig have excellent rum and cane spirit selections, and legit high end tropical drinks."
#70
Fairmont
4.0
(1)
"The ambiance can’t be beat."
#71
Hi Tides
4.0
(1)
"Hi Tides has tiki themed lattes and donuts, and we get the occasional pop up."
#72
La Mariana
4.0
(1)
"La Mariana is probably a better match for cheaper and kitschier."
#73
Tern Club
4.0
(1)
"I respect their recommendations as they are very particular about their cocktails."
#74
Evil Eye
4.0
(1)
"Evil Eye in the Mission technically isn’t a Tiki Bar but has good and strong Tiki drinks!"
#75
Read's Sam's
4.0
(1)
"Read’s Sam’s is the OG. Rest are good but expect to pay a lot more."
#76
Kon Tiki Room
4.0
(1)
"However, Kon Tiki Room and Blue Palm are both on the way."
#77
Interchange Tiki Bar
4.0
(1)
"Interchange Tiki Bar and Brewing in Williamsport."
#78
Suffering Bastard
4.0
(1)
"Yep, Suffering Bastard in Sanford (make a reservation) and Aku Aku downtown Orlando."
#79
Wusong Road
4.0
(1)
"Looking forward to this place when it opens in Cambridge. Wusong Road."
#80
Little Nickel
4.0
(1)
"It has the atmosphere and fun drinks."
#81
Sabai
4.0
(1)
"Has a good tiki atmosphere and Thai food."
#82
The Jasper
4.0
(1)
"Usually has a couple tiki drinks on the menu."
#83
Tikitiki
4.0
(1)
"Drinks and food are solid and affordable."
#84
Monkeypod
4.0
(1)
"Awesome Mai Tais and the food is really good."
#85
Shore Leave
4.0
(1)
"Very good if not great."
#86
Kowloon
4.0
(1)
"Kowloon is a staple."
#87
Sweet Polly
4.0
(1)
"Stop by sweet polly. it's not technically a tiki bar, but they do some good tiki drinks."
#88
Royal Hawaiian
4.0
(1)
"Royal Hawaiian would be your best bet."
#89
Nick's Fish House
3.0
(1)
"Not sure it qualifies as tiki bar though."
#90
All The Tiki Bars
3.0
(1)
"This is a good resource for finding tiki bars."
#91
Ponche Bar
3.0
(1)
"Ponche bar was decorated by Bamboo Ben, their drinks were pre-batched on draft and were okay last time I was there."
#92
Three Dots
3.0
(1)
"Three Dots has become kind of clubby in the main room."
#93
PCH
3.0
(1)
#94
Palm House
3.0
(1)
#95
Mauna Loa
3.0
(1)
#96
Jungle Room
3.0
(1)
"Has decent drinks."
#97
Don the Beachcomber
1.0
(1)
"Unfortunately still closed"
#98
Boston
1.0
(1)
"Boston is not a good city for tiki."
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