A Polynesian Getaway

It’s not Tahiti, but the drinks are tropical, thatched huts abound and neon blowfish swim on the wall.

Not bad, considering that this funky restaurant and bar is in West Los Angeles. In fact, Kelbo’s, on Pico Boulevard just west of the San Diego Freeway, has been a fixture for more than 40 years.

Kelbo’s--a shrine to the South Pacific--is a good place to escape L.A.’s earthquake troubles. An old deep-sea diving suit welcomes you at the entryway. Nautical lighting fixtures illuminate the tables. Shells and old bottles hang from the rafters.

At the bar, customers sit under a bamboo overhang and sip liquor and fruit-juice drinks bearing such names as Skull & Bones, Hurricane Marj, Scarlet Surf and the infamous Coco Bowl. The menu is not extensive, but Kelbo’s is known for its Hawaiian-style spareribs. The ribs are marinated for more than 10 days and cooked in a wood-chip smoke oven. After dinner, slip into the Coco Bowl, a disco that spins everything from jazz to hip-hop, funk and music from the ‘40s. On weekends, bands play in a room to the right of the bar. There is no cover charge if you show up before 9 p.m. The charge is $7 if you arrive later.

Kelbo’s opened its doors in 1947. The name is derived from the last names of the two San Pedro ship welders who founded the place: Tom Kelly and Jack Bouck. It is still family owned.

“This place has been around forever,” said Venice resident Brett Vadset, who considers himself a regular. “It’s really comfortable and that’s why I always come here.”

Kelbo’s is at 11434 Pico Blvd. (310) 473-3050. Hours are 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday through Sunday. Dinner is served until 10:30 p.m. on Thursday and Sunday, and 11:30 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.