While elsewhere in the US tiki bars have fallen out of favor, this popular all-day/all-night lounge is a cathedral of the kitschy cultural niche. It’s decorated with faux Polynesian bric-a-brac, glowing idols, shipwreck detritus, fake human skulls, bamboo-and-thatch walls, Hollywood B-movie tchotchkes (including a Creature from the Black Lagoon figurine) and semi-erotic paintings of topless damsels in lurid tropical settings.
The cocktail menu is authentic and impressive, as well as inventive. Served in commemorative tiki glasses if so desired, drinks range from traditional concoctions like the classic Mai Tai and the venerated Three Dots and a Dash to the avant-garde invention that is the Wilburner, a funky amalgam of pineapple whip and absinthe. Evocative liquors like Velvet Falernum, Pedro Ximénez sherry and Allspice Dram abound – not to mention the many, many varieties of rum. For food, spinning, flaming pupu platters are available on Friday and Saturday to complement a Kahuna Swizzle or two.
If you’re a fervent fan of tiki bar culture, both vintage and modern, do not miss this Chinatown District spot.