Dining Review: Area Tiki bars serve as portals to paradise
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Recently I went to a party in Palm Springs where many guests knew each other from Tiki Caliente, an event dedicated to tiki culture. I’ve always been into Polynesian motifs — our yard has tiki carvings and waterfalls — but these people are hard core. It got me wondering where one can go in our part of the sea to satisfy a craving for the sultry sensations of the classic Polynesian-Pop lifestyle, as the Tiki Caliente folks say. Turns out there’s a surprising concentration of tiki spots in North Hollywood and a smattering of others nearby.
Cocktails are of course a central part of tiki culture; cocktails with rums, juices and spices of the islands. The following list is heavy on places that serve luau libations and one restaurant that does a good job of creating aloha spirit without spirits. Dip your toe in one of these tropical tiki paradises and you’ll find the worries of your day just wash away.
Tonga Hut, 12808 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 769-0708
The lights are so low at this venerable bar, it takes more than a minute to get your tiki eyes on. As things slowly come into focus you see one tropical amusement after the next. Reputedly L.A.’s oldest tiki bar still in operation, the thatched walls and animal print rugs are curling at the edges, but it’s all part of the primitive experience. There’s a killer juke box with a playlist like no other: Arthur Lyman, the Black Keyes and Patsy Cline to name a few. Hanging on the wall over the lava rock fountain is a plaque honoring the Royal Order of the Drooling Bastard, a group of patrons who have completed every drink on the Grog Log. Presumably not all in one night.
Tiki-No, 4657 Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 766-0116
Tiki-No is a little newer and cleaner than Tonga Hut but the decor is appropriately vintage-looking. I especially love the ‘50s TVs with weird old footage playing. They’ve got the requisite puffer fish and colored orbs in nets. They’ve also got a lobster trap held by a boar’s head, African masks, and a fireplace encased in a rock wall shared with a patio. Drinks with kooky names cite their origins. There’s the Chief Lapu Lapu from the Royal Hawaiian, the Zombie from Don the Beachcomber, the Eastern Sour from Trader Vic’s and, from the Luau in Beverly Hills, the dangerous Scorpion Bowl ($28) for no fewer than two people.
Kahuna Tiki, 11026 Magnolia Blvd., North Hollywood, (818) 853-7447
The folks at Kahuna Tiki say their liquor license is “coming by pony from Sacramento in the next two weeks” but I’ll believe that when I see it. Don’t let that stop you from going there though. It’s a weird and wondrous place serving fresh sushi, sashimi and tiki-inspired sandwiches, salads and soft drinks. Working around eight or so full-grown trees, the new owners transformed a hookah lounge into an enchanting outdoor tiki world with waterfalls, caves, turtles, torches and faux rock work delineating various gathering areas. The loud sound system plays Frank Sinatra and Don McClean. Lounge Exotica might make this place a bit more authentic, but as it is, it’s fun for adults and kids.
Damon’s, 317 N. Brand Blvd., Glendale, (818) 507-1510
If you live in the area and haven’t been to Damon’s, I’d be shocked. The question is would you call yourself a “chi chi” or a “mai tai”? Both drinks are great. The decor at Damon’s is less tiki and more South Seas with impressive aquariums, a suspended outrigger, palapa palms and stunning island murals by Bettina Byrne. I only wish they still had the old neon sign with the windblown palm tree from their days on Central Avenue (1937-1980).
RELATED: Damon’s takes diners from the South Seas to out of this world
Islands, 101 East Orange Grove Ave., Burbank, (818) 566-7744
Let’s not forget Islands, the ubiquitous franchise dedicated to surf, sand and sun. Their mai tais with a 3-ounce pour of light and dark rums mixed with fresh juices are not only respectable, at Happy Hour, they’re a bargain ($4.35). The Beachside Sliders totally shred the gnar, especially during Late Night Happy Hour (9 p.m. to close). And who doesn’t love their Island Fries?
Tiki-Tuesdays at Sonny’s Hideaway, 5137 York Blvd., Highland Park (323) 255-2000
Not a tiki bar in any sense of the word but still a cool place to hang out. Tiki-Tuesdays see a lineup of reimagined tiki cocktails crafted with exotic rums, spiced syrups, freshly squeezed juices and extravagant garnishes. Braised pork cheek in spiced coconut broth and puffed rice is their one Tiki Eats offering, but the restaurant serves other refined plates if your stomach rumbles like Mauna Loa.
Tiki-Ti, 4427 W. Sunset Blvd, Los Angeles, (323) 669-9381
No tiki article would be complete without mention of the classic Tiki-Ti on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. It’s the size of a postage stamp and filled to the bamboo rafters with Polynesian paraphernalia. Tiki elder statesman Trader Vic Bergeron believed paraphernalia on the walls fueled conversation and conversation sold drinks. Needless to say the conversation at Tiki-Ti is spirited. The 92-item drink menu is so famous that people wear it on T-shirts. It’s not my favorite Tiki bar, however, because the owner-operated facility is often filled with tobacco smoke. But after 53 years in business, Michael Buhen should be able to do whatever he wants.
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LISA DUPUY welcomes comments at LDupuy@aol.com.