Anyone can open a bar , throw some Amandine Aurore Lucie Dupin on the reason , put aMai Taion the menu and call it “ tiki . ” But good tiki bars — ones serving authoritative swallow made with quality spirits , homemade syrups and new - stuff juice — are harder to come by . Thanks to tiki ’s late resurgence , though , more and more really heavy tiki saloon are cropping up across the country every mean solar day . Here , the top 12 American bar preserve the tiki custom alive while giving it their own unequaled twirl .

Super Power

Brooklyn, NY

This tiki newcomer not only pass with flying colors the genre ’s tropic smack and blowy esthetic , but also its well-heeled going ethos . For owner Justin Olsen and his faculty , it ’s all about get a good metre . “ We get to dream up some really wild stuff , ” Olsen says . “ And the right-down over - the - top nature of tiki ensure that nobody gets too full of themselves — it is whole unarm . ” Expect a mix of old and new with ingredients like casheworgeatand and an on - tapSangriamade with three types ofvermouthand allspice dram .

Hale Pele

Portland, OR

There ’s no questioning this taproom ’s commitment to tiki . The palely lit hideout is decorated floor to bamboo roof with things like backlit tiki mask , glow pufferfish and other Polynesian gear . And , of grade , there ’s the card pack with 42 tropical cocktails . “ The tiki resurgence is bringing back a unique piece of American history and has revive grand , almost miss cocktail formula , ” mixologist Sierra Kirk says . The menu alone is worth the trip . attractively illustrated , it includes each cocktail ’s birth yr and bar of descent as well as strength stage and an indication of whether or not a potable is on fire . Do yourself a favour and make indisputable at least one of your cocktails isflaming .

Three Dots and a Dash

Chicago, IL

Morse code for the letter “ V ” ( for victory ) , three dots and a flair was the subject matter beam to American troop when WWII add up to an remainder . That substance went on to instigate aclassic tiki drink(Don Beach ’s ode to the soldier who bring Hawaii ’s tropic flavour and Aloha shirts back to the states ) , which in turn inspired this fantastic , transportive Chicago bar . " People just require to have playfulness , ” Three Dots and a Dash beverage music director Julian Cox enounce . “ Tiki affords us that opportunity to get outside of ourselves and loose on an island somewhere . " Settle into a drink served in an elaborate , custom - made tiki mug or bring a crew and dive into a large - data format cocktail like the Bali Bali — a monumental mix of passion fruit , orange , falernum , rummy , Armagnacandginserved in a ocean urchin bowl with dry ice .

Bootlegger Tiki

Palm Springs, CA

Housed in the same space as the original Don the Beachcomber , Bootlegger Tiki uses only fresh - squash juice and homemade syrup for cocktail , both old and Modern . “ My team ’s goal is to maltreat away from the stereotype of everything in a tiki saloon being extremely sweet and unattackable and lean more toward cocktails with a nice balance , ” says bar managing director Chad Austin . you may order classic such as theDaiquiriandPoison Dartor opt for Bootlegger original like the King Slayer — a take on theJungle Birdwith an addition kick from Donn ’s Spices # 2 ( vanilla syrup and allspice dram ) .

Mai-Kai

Fort Lauderdale, FL

“ It ’s nice to see bar and bartenders pose the time and crusade into creating a unique experience with every cocktail , ” Kern Mattei , the coach of Mai - Kai , says of the tiki revival . “ All of this attention to tiki deglutition is helping create a newfangled interview of customers for us . ” Mai - Kai has been serving South Florida a taste of the Polynesian life style since opening in 1956 , and little has changed . The restaurant ’s Molokai Bar serves more than 50 tiki cocktails including the Barrel oxygen ’ Rum and the Moonkist Coconut ( do in a fresh coconut , and liberal to take dwelling house ) . Aside from cocktail andpu - pu platters , the bar also boast every night drum and dance performances .

Tiki-Ti

Los Angeles, CA

The drink bill of fare at this L.A. mainstay is so big ( 94 cocktails , to be exact ) that there is a printable checklist available on the bar ’s web site for those who need an wanton agency to keep track of which ones they ’ve tried . Opened in 1961 by Don the Beachcomber old stager Ray Buhen , Tiki - Ti serves exotic cocktails in a teeny - tiny , tropical knickknack - filled bar . The legal profession attract regular and tourists alike who sipPainkillersandPearl Diversunder strands of Christmas lights and dangling Hawaiian dancing girls . The bar is get it on to keep weird hours , so check theircalendarbefore you go .

Smuggler’s Cove

San Francisco, CA

When you pull up a stool at Smuggler ’s Cove , you get more than acocktail — you get a tiki education . The bill of fare features everything from traditional Caribbean creations to historic colonial libations to lost drunkenness from Prohibition - era Havana . Smuggler ’s Cove has more than 550 different bottles of rummy on hand at a give time , including rare and vintage varieties and spirits made exclusively for them . They ’ve won countless awards since opening in 2009 and are dedicate to using house - made ingredients and novel juice . snaffle a biff board to keep track of the cocktails you ’ve tried — patrons who order all of them experience a gift and merit badge to honor their tiki dedication .

Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29

New Orleans, LA

Jeff “ Beachbum ” Berry has spent the last 20 year unearthing fall behind tropical drink ( we have him to give thanks for bringing back theZombie ) , and now imbibers can taste his favorite at Latitude 29 . The menu features cocktail like the bar ’s namesake beverage — made with eight - year Demerara rum , love fruit purée , homemade Madagascar vanilla syrup , orangish , Ananas comosus and lemon — as well as other classics likeNavy Grog , Mai Tais and , of path , Zombies . Polynesian - exhort snacks like rumaki , pork ribs and a mahi - mahi banh mi are available to serve soak up the strong drink .

Psycho Suzi’s Motor Lounge

Minneapolis, MN

Minneapolis might seem like an unpaired pip for a tiki streak , but during parky Minnesota winters there ’s nothing better than stepping into the affectionate , tropical main bar at Psycho Suzi ’s ( complete with an indoor waterfall ) . Aside from the inviting decor , there ’s also the draw of drinks like the frostyBeachcomberand the Scorpion Sting , served in a tiki mug you could take home for five bucks supererogatory . drench it all up with their take on the pu - pu phonograph record , stack with matter like battered cheese curd ( a Midwestern classic ) and Polynesian - style wings .

Mother of Pearl

New York City, NY

Mother of Pearl is one of the best designed bars in New York City — but it ’s more than a pretty space . The bar features a solid lineup of tiki - inspired libation and a vegan food menu that ’ll make you inquire why you ever need meat in the first spot . Head barkeeper Jane Danger is a seasoned old stager , with an impressive resume that includes NYC cocktail revolutionary like Death & Company , Little Branch and Please Do n’t Tell . She credit those craft stalwart with paving the mode for tiki ’s comeback . “ They educated the drinking world on quality cocktail , ” Danger says . “ Because of them , we can put a honorable drink in a shark head and dash it with simulated rakehell . We can light thing on fire . We can have fun in cocktail streak again . ”

Porco Lounge & Tiki Room

Cleveland, OH

When Cleveland ’s Kon Tiki bar close in 1976 , it go out a hole in the city ’s tropical cocktail landscape . Locals were hard pressed to find their fix until Porco Lounge & Tiki Room opened in 2013 . The legal profession swash one of the most thoughtfulmenu designswe’ve ever put down eyes on , complete with illustration of zombie and ghosts wafting out of tropical drinks . Both the Painkiller and one of their signatures , The Bastards , can be order in three intensity levels depending on your tolerance or mood . The classicScorpion Bowlmakes an appearance along with another large format drink call Tiki Bob ’s Concussion — which , the menu admonish , is “ served ONCE to you before being at once CUT OFF . ”

Hidden Harbor

Pittsburgh, PA

Hidden Harbor is a modern cocktail spot dedicated to preserve tiki custom . The ginmill showcases classical cocktails like Planter ’s Punch and Zombies as well as originals like Josie ’s Faraway holiday — a mixture of arrack , Jamaican rum , lime , curacao , St. Basil the Great , chili , pep , mint and coco . The bar also realise its own home five - rummy blend that ’s feature in several drinks , most notably the Hidden Harbor Rum Barrel , which comes with a “ very strong ” admonition and a one - drink - per - customer point of accumulation .

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Jeff Marini

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Beth Kessler

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Courtesy of Hale Pele

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Anjali Pinto

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Courtesy of Mai-Kai

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Smuggler’s Cove

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Courtesy of Mother of Pearl

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Hidden Harbor