Best Tiki bars in Los Angeles

The Tonga HutOpened in 1958 when Tiki madness was peaking, The Tonga Hut currently holds claim as the oldest Tiki bar in Los Angeles.Not much has changed in 65 years – vintage booths, Hollywood 50's era décor and atmosphere, and no shortage of bamboo and fountains. The entire gorgeous setting is frosted by dimly colored illumination. When Tonga isn't flooded with live music the jukebox gets a workout. There's a lofty tropical drink list - And ambitious patrons can gain membership in The Loyal Order of the Drooling Bastard...simply consume all 75 cocktails on The Grog Log (at one's own pace).Open  Daily 4pm-2am 12808 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, 91606 818-769-0708Bahooka Restaurant “Oh the humanity!” After four decades of delighting families in the San Gabriel Valley, Bahooka will shut its doors on March 10. The Rosemead landmark stuns first-time customers with its enormous labyrinth of saltwater aquariums, giant South Seas tortoise shells, port holes, turn-of-the-century nautical lanterns, and preserved debris from a wrecked Spanish galleon.An uncommon destination for multiple generations that surrendered to shifting demographic realities.Owner Suzanne Scheider recently told L.A. Magazine, “They don't want tiki around here, they want Asian...The new owner just wants the building, the liquor license and the fish.”Run, don't walk. 4501 N. Rosemead Blvd.Rosemead, CA 91770626-285-1241 Tiki-TiIn the 1930's when Marlene Dietrich, Howard Hughes and Charlie Chaplin sipped Zombies at Don the Beachcomber, it's likely the drinks were mixed by Don's legendary “Four Boys,” the Filipinos who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the kitchen squeezing fruit and shaving ice. One of these boys...was Ray Buhen.During the 40's and 50's Ray mixed cocktails in most of the Polynesian-themed celebrity hangouts in Los Angeles. In 1961 he launched his own South Seas bar - Tiki Ti. Ray passed in 1999, but son Michael and grandsons Mike Jr. and Mark (Tiki-Ti's only employees) keep the Tiki torch gloriously burning.There are 92 tropical drinks to choose from, and no beer or wine is served. If you can't decide what to order, let the Tiki gods choose and spin “The Wheel of Tiki Drinks.”Only open Wednesday thru Saturday, their weekends are busy. It's a tiny bar with limited seating so there's often a line outside. But the wait is worth it because this institution in East Hollywood is the real deal.4427 Sunset Blvd.Los Angeles 90027323-669-9381  View the list »
Tiki in Los Angeles

Restaurants newsletter

The year was 1933. Prohibition had just been repealed. A New Orleans transplant named Ernest Gantt, in search of a trade to replace his bootlegging ventures, built a small bar on North McCadden Place just above Hollywood Blvd. Gantt adorned the bar with Polynesian artifacts; boat parts and fish nets, bamboo furniture, palm trees and real flowered leis. Customers were served exotic rum-based drinks, poured over shaved ice and garnished with fresh tropical fruits.

Related topics

Advertisement

The bar, named Don the Beachcomber, soon moved to a larger space across the street and became a favorite watering hole for Hollywood notables. Ernest Gantt changed his name to Donn Beach. He told his customers, “If you can’t get to paradise, I’ll bring it to you.”

By 1940 the grip of the Depression had loosened and Hollywood nightclubs embraced the South Pacific-fantasy theme. Hollywood Blvd was the setting for glamorous, dimly-lit clubs such as 'The Jade Cafe,' 'The Tropics,' and 'The Seven Seas.' A few of the nightclubs featured fabricated rain...inviting patrons to escape the stark Los Angeles desert climate. Immigrants from the Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia were hired to staff the kitchens and dining rooms. Customers relaxed in high-backed rattan peacock chairs perched under the fronds of fan palms and soaked up potent Mai Tais.

After WWII the love for Polynesian culture continued to grow as soldiers returned home with island mementos and memories of tropical lore. In 1949 Rodgers and Hammerstein released the popular musical South Pacific, based on Michener's equally celebrated book, Tales of the South Pacific. Affection continued to grow for all things tropical.

By the 1950s, as the middle class flourished, Island pop culture was king, and Americans flocked to Polynesian-themed restaurants and lounges across the country. By the 1970's 'Tiki' culture had run its course. Today, with the exception of a few franchised restaurant efforts, Polynesian pop continues to suffer a sad persistent decline. Here is a list of noteworthy Los Angeles area 'Tiki' bars/restaurants that have survived:

View the list
  • Tiki-TiIn the 1930's when Marlene Dietrich, Howard Hughes and Charlie Chaplin sipped Zombies at Don the Beachcomber, it's likely the drinks were mixed by Don's legendary “Four Boys,” the Filipinos who worked tirelessly behind the scenes in the kitchen squeezing fruit and shaving ice. One of these boys...was Ray Buhen.During the 40's and 50's Ray mixed cocktails in most of the Polynesian-themed celebrity hangouts in Los Angeles. In 1961 he launched his own South Seas bar - Tiki Ti. Ray passed in 1999, but son Michael and grandsons Mike Jr. and Mark (Tiki-Ti's only employees) keep the Tiki torch gloriously burning.There are 92 tropical drinks to choose from, and no beer or wine is served. If you can't decide what to order, let the Tiki gods choose and spin “The Wheel of Tiki Drinks.”Only open Wednesday thru Saturday, their weekends are busy. It's a tiny bar with limited seating so there's often a line outside. But the wait is worth it because this institution in East Hollywood is the real deal.4427 Sunset Blvd.Los Angeles 90027323-669-9381  
  • Bahooka Restaurant “Oh the humanity!” After four decades of delighting families in the San Gabriel Valley, Bahooka will shut its doors on March 10. The Rosemead landmark stuns first-time customers with its enormous labyrinth of saltwater aquariums, giant South Seas tortoise shells, port holes, turn-of-the-century nautical lanterns, and preserved debris from a wrecked Spanish galleon.An uncommon destination for multiple generations that surrendered to shifting demographic realities.Owner Suzanne Scheider recently told L.A. Magazine, “They don't want tiki around here, they want Asian...The new owner just wants the building, the liquor license and the fish.”Run, don't walk. 4501 N. Rosemead Blvd.Rosemead, CA 91770626-285-1241 
  • The Tonga HutOpened in 1958 when Tiki madness was peaking, The Tonga Hut currently holds claim as the oldest Tiki bar in Los Angeles.Not much has changed in 65 years – vintage booths, Hollywood 50's era décor and atmosphere, and no shortage of bamboo and fountains. The entire gorgeous setting is frosted by dimly colored illumination. When Tonga isn't flooded with live music the jukebox gets a workout. There's a lofty tropical drink list - And ambitious patrons can gain membership in The Loyal Order of the Drooling Bastard...simply consume all 75 cocktails on The Grog Log (at one's own pace).Open  Daily 4pm-2am 12808 Victory Blvd., North Hollywood, 91606 818-769-0708
  • The Galley RestaurantCall it more nautical/maritime than Tiki. Nevertheless, Santa Monica's oldest restaurant, set in the heart of Main Street offers enough tropical ambiance to cheer even the most discriminating Westsider (with a few exceptions). Your host Captain Ron serves up traditional seafood dishes, buckets of steamed shellfish, and enormous steaks in a candle-lit, seafaring setting. Bamboo and rattan furnishings, as well as memorabilia from 1934's Mutiny on the Bounty. Happy hour at the Galley's charming South Seas Bar is a great value - Jumbo Shrimp Cocktails for $7.50. Hit the bar at the right time and you may be swapping tales with a salty, dead-eyed character on an adjacent stool.2442 Main StreetSanta Monica 90405310- 452-1934
  • Tiki NoOnly a few years old - Setting is not the most glamorous in the valley – mostly car dealers and body shops, but step within the bar's dark walls and you'll be pleased with an unpretentious authenticity that' ll have you returning again and again. Tasty tropical drinks to go with a short list of beers. Grab a comfortable thatch-roofed booth and you're set for a relaxed evening. Smoking patio out back. Frequent food truck events in front organized by the bar help complete one's evening.4657 Lankershim BlvdNorth Hollywood 91602818-766-0116
  • Damon'sA landmark in Glendale since 1937. Famous for their steaks and slowly-smoked ribs. Devoted local families have regarded Damon's as their go-to spot for generations. Signature tropical drinks are the Mai Tai and the Chi Chi, served by amiable, matronly waitresses who know their way around the dimly-lit, bamboo-paneled walls and soft leather booths. Some will swear the steaks are the tastiest in metropolitan L.A. Clientele typically leans a bit longer in the tooth, but the place still maintains a festive vibe. A great choice for a Polynesian escape in downtown Glendale.Try the Mai Tai Brunch on Sundays from 11am to 3pmHappy Hour Mon - Fri 3 – 7pmFind the parking in the rear.317 North Brand Blvd.Glendale 91203818-507-1510 
View the list
Suggested by the author:

, LA Ethnic Restaurants Examiner

Brab urges his readers to explore the flavors of the city. Try Salvadoran pupusas in the Westlake District, lamb kaftas in Little Armenia, or even bird's nest soup in Monterery Park, a region that's possibly the center of the largest Chinese-speaking population outside of China. Brab's wife and...

Advertisement

Today's top buzz...