The Modern Evolution of the Tiki Bar

In our July/August issue, Mixopedia columnist Wayne Curtis tackles the topic of tiki. From the early days of Don the Beachcomber to the category’s reckoning with cultural appropriation and racist tropes, to the rebirth of the tropical genre within the craft cocktail renaissance, there is no denying the continuing allure of tiki-brand escapism. Today, bars across the country are crafting a more intentional approach to the category, or even completely reimagining the tiki narrative.

False Idol (San Diego)

San Diego bar False Idol, opened jointly by Martin Cate (Smuggler’s Cove) and the prolific CH Projects team in 2016, leans more traditional tiki with modern sensibility. The immersive environment manages both escapism and authenticity, featuring the artwork of renowned tiki carver Bosko Hrnjak. And on a nearly 40-page drink menu, you can find all the classics along with plenty of their creative originals, like Ube Bae (rums, coconut, pineapple, taro, ube, toasted rice). “In form, the drinks are both classic and modern,” explains Anthony Schmidt, CH Projects beverage director. “Half the menu is devoted to time-tested tiki drinks. The other half is devoted to reconfiguring the classics in unique new ways, in an attempt to add to the conversation of what’s relevant in an environment like False Idol. It’s a gathering place where those enjoying it have the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in a rich environment.”

Latitude 29 (New Orleans)

Much of tiki’s modern resurgence can be credited to Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, whose personal interest in the category led him down a rabbit hole where he rediscovered many of the genre’s classic recipes. Built upon the 80-plus-year history of tiki drinks, Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29 (or L29 for those in the know) has become a pillar of the New Orleans cocktail scene since opening in 2014. Drink your way through the classics on the bar’s expansive menu, or try their creative house riffs, like the Pandan Painkiller or the Pontchartrain Pearl Diver, an iced buttered rum made with Jamaican rum, house-made honey butter, passion fruit, and fresh lime. As Berry puts it: “Our guiding philosophy at Latitude 29 is mea ho’okipa, the Hawaiian custom of total hospitality—of unselfishly extending to guests the best we have to give.”

Mothership (San Diego)

Following the adventure of a space exploration crew that has crash landed on strange yet intoxicating planet, Mothership evolved from a six-year weekly pop-up called Permanent Vacation at San Diego bar Kindred. “We’ve always liked calling Mothership a ‘tropical space adventure bar,” says Kory Stetina, owner of Kindred and Mothership, in partnership with CH Projects. “The inspiration from tiki is deliberate and undeniable, but we also aim not to dilute or confuse the meaning of the word. Put another way, we have fun summoning the same tropical escapism, but in a different, non-earthly way: retro-futurism, cosmic-space exploration, and science fiction.”

Some of the cocktails riff on the classics, such as the Dive Simulation with a blend of rums, cultured cashew butter gardenia mix, orange, lime, and bitters, while others aim for a different planet entirely like the Wormhole (mezcal, rum, licor de elote, coconut cream, caramel butter, lemon, lime, candied orange).

Navy Strength (Seattle)

While the aesthetics of Seattle spot Navy Strength could be considered downright minimalist in contrast to the world-building approach of other locales, the Belltown bar is no less a tiki destination worth seeking out. Concepted by Seattle industry vets Anu Apte and Chris Elford, the menu unsurprisingly displays some impressive cocktail chops. While you can still order a classic Mai Tai or Daiquiri, the adventure is found in their creative house originals like the Fortress of Solid Dudes (chile liqueur, Campari, apricot, lemon, coconut, bitters) and the Mister Babadook (Scotch whisky, ginger beer, apple cider, lemon, Marmite, black tea syrup).

“With Navy Strength we created a space for creativity, curiosity, and escapism,” says Apte. “The name perhaps implies there might be a strong drink—or two!—on the menu. The people who work at Navy Strength guide guests away from staring at their devices all day toward a little mini vacation.”

Paradise Lost (New York City)

Opened in 2023 in the East Village, Imbibe 75 alum Paradise Lost fully reimagines the tiki narrative with a punk aesthetic well suited to the neighborhood’s roots. The bar team followed a core set of principles: lean into extreme escapism by creating a spot removed from time and place; hype a sense of danger—think strong, flaming drinks and the risk of demonic possession; embrace eclectic maximalism; create a compelling mythos; offer merch—because who doesn’t want a souvenir? “Our goal with PL was to do all of the above while shedding tiki’s sordid past of appropriation and cultural erasure and having a good time doing it,” explains Kavé Pourzanjani, co-owner and general manager.

“We chose to swap out the Polynesian gods with demonology and black magicks, to skip on the Polynesian pop for an Americana motif, and to create a story about a little watering hole frequented by misfits and maniacs.” Try a house original like Sunset Over the River Styx (six-rum blend, vanilla-anise liqueur, cantaloupe, gardenia, and cream) or Tanuki’s Bag of Tricks (shochu, overproof tequila, yuzu kosho, serrano pepper, citrus, and hay liqueur).

Shore Leave (Boston)

In a subterranean space in Boston’s South End, Shore Leave aims for all the pleasure of a tropical escape without the baggage. “We wanted to honor the best of tiki culture while pushing the genre forward,” explains Ryan Lotz, partner and beverage director. “We quickly realized that the pieces we loved were easy to keep respectfully, and the outdated, problematic tropes were even easier to leave behind.” What remains is a chic and welcoming tropical atmosphere, with a menu that leans toward seasonal offerings and originals, like fresh and fizzy You’re No Daisy (dark rums, lemon, Galliano, pineapple and cinnamon syrup, sparkling wine) or the spiritous Vote For Mango (rum, sake, mango two ways, and a mezcal rinse). “Our guiding principle is simple: highlight gorgeous, well-made rums, draw inspiration from the places they’re crafted, and create a transportive cocktail experience that offers a true escape from the everyday,” says Lotz.

Smuggler’s Cove (San Francisco)

Closing in on two decades, Smuggler’s Cove in San Francisco has served as a bridge from the classic tiki category into its contemporary iteration. “Smuggler’s Cove was born in 2009 from a desire to elevate the rum category, support artists, and build community,” says owner and creator Martin Cate. Having since amassed a heap of recognition and awards, as well as one of the largest collections of rum in North America, Smuggler’s Cove continues to lead with intention. “Learning from rum’s past helps guide us toward a brighter future for the spirit, and to advocate for transparency in production and labor standards,” says Cate.

This respect for the spirit translates to the decor, which has long been the hallmark of the tiki category, as well as one of its more historically problematic facets. “We partner with artists from around the world to proudly display exceptional works that broaden understanding while providing atmosphere and inspiration,” explains Cate. In Smuggler’s Cove, the result is an immersive but welcoming space focused just as much on community as shaking up killer tiki classics and house originals like The Undead Gentleman (rum, absinthe, fresh lime, fresh grapefruit, cinnamon, falernum, bitters). Or join the hundreds of members in the Rumbustion Society to explore the bar’s expansive collection.

Strong Water (Anaheim, California)

“For us, tiki has never been about copying the past. It’s about capturing the feeling that made people fall in love with it in the first place,” explains Ying Chang, the “fleet commander” and co-owner of Strong Water Anaheim with her husband Robert Adamson. The concept grew out of the couple’s Mahalo Monday popups at their speakeasy bar The Blind Rabbit, and Strong Water opened in 2019, having since collected multiple James Beard Award nominations. Guests enter the hull of a decaying sunken ship, The Clementine, constructed entirely from thrifted finds and upcycled items—think old bed frames, library tables, and vintage artwork.

The menu is split between classics, modern tiki, and house originals, with a section devoted to drinks made with their own house rum, Lost Voyage, crafted with Ed Hamilton. “We believe tiki has room to evolve. We have tremendous respect for the bartenders and creators who built this category. And we see ourselves as caretakers of that legacy rather than trying to reinvent it,” says Chang. “At the end of the day, we’re not trying to recreate the past. We’re trying to create a sense of wonder.”

Sunken Harbor Club (Brooklyn, New York)

Tucked upstairs from historic Brooklyn chophouse Gage & Tollner, Sunken Harbor Club finds inspiration in the full history of tropical drinks, from its early roots in the seafaring age, to traditional tiki, and up through the contemporary cocktail renaissance. The resulting menu features familiar offerings but with an elevated twist, like the Daiquiri with shiso, or the Bronze Swizzle with rhum agricole, amaro, and falernum. The immersive aesthetics of the bar follow a similar journey of exploration. “The ship bar goes through three sequences that mirror the sections of our menu,” explains Garret Richard, chief cocktail officer.

“We start the night ‘In the Shallows’ with a cast off of the boat. Further into service we descend into ‘The Twilight Zone’ that features a laser light show and, finally, the boat hits ‘The Abyss’ during last call with a red alert. The room transforms every time we do one of these scripted sequences with lighting and soundtrack changes. The room feels like a living and breathing entity outside of the average transactions between the guest and the service staff.”

UnderTow (Phoenix, Arizona)

Masters of the immersive bar concept, Phoenix-based bar group Barter & Shake created UnderTow as part of their Century Grand cocktail destination, which also houses the award-winning, train-themed Platform 18. At UnderTow, guests step into the hull of an 1860s spice ship, complete with “creaking wooden planks, errant ocean birds and a slow-building squall off the starboard side,” describes Mat Snapp, Barter & Shake’s COO.

Beyond the bar’s atmospheric qualities, the menu celebrates classic cocktails from the ’30s and ’40s “done as accurately as possible—tiki folk are sticklers for history!” notes Snapp, along with modern originals from the bar team, like Slice of Paradise (rum, green banana, falernum, cream sherry, coca leaf tincture, orgeat, yuzu, lemon. “We’re excited to keep the torches lit as tiki makes its way into the hearts of new generations,” says Snapp. “Our hope is that in the years to come we’ll see a new crop of 20-somethings arguing over the correct ratio in homemade orgeat.”