People often ask where they can get the best Mai Tai. This list honors the standard menu option at these locations, without any custom rum switches or requests for tweaks. In other words, these are my top Mai Tais made without any rum or ingredient substitutions.

Note that for purposes of the “rating” on this list, it’s only about what’s in the glass and not about the rest of the bar visit experience.

The top 10 Mai Tais that you can have right now.

Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29
The Copper Room
Dr. Funk
Hale Pele
Inside Passage
Maunakea Mai Tai at Skull & Crown Trading Co.
Smuggler’s Cove
San Francisco Mai Tai at Trader Vic’s Emeryville
Sunken Harbor Club
Undertow

List last updated: March 2025

Top 10 Mai Tais

Beachbum Berry’s Latitude 29, New Orleans

When I bumped into Jeff Berry at the Mai Tai Festival in 2019, he couldn’t contain his enthusiasm when I told him his Mai Tai topped our list. This is made with Rhum Clément VSOP or Rhum JM VO Martinique Rhum, Coruba dark Jamaican Rum, and a dash of a secret undisclosed rum, along with Berry’s signature Latitude 29 Formula Orgeat.

The Copper Room, Yucca Valley

Terry’s Mai Tai is the brainchild of Terry Six, former bartender/manager at The Kon-Tiki. The transcendent drink is made with a “secret blend of four rums” and homemade orgeat, offering rich flavors and an amazing mouthfeel that is great to the last drop. Based on Six’s pedigree, I had the highest of expectations coming into this and it topped it in every way.

Dr. Funk, San Jose

Dr. Funk uses Appleton Estate 12 and Smith & Cross Jamaica Rum as the base for their Mai Tai, combining it with house-made Orgeat. The team said they tried several different rum blends, including one featuring a Rhum Agricole, but found that a Jamaica blend was the best. The heavier rums from Jamaica add flavor that truly punches through.

Hale Pele, Portland, OR

Besides being a world-class tiki bar, Hale Pele is also noteworthy for maybe having the best cocktail fire shows anywhere. Yet for us, the highlight of our visits is always their rich and sweet Mai Tai. Made with Coruba Dark and a Jamaican Overproof rum (previously Wray & Nephew, currently Rum Fire), this shows you don’t need to use expensive rums in order to make a great Mai Tai.

Inside Passage, Seattle

Kiki’s Premier Mai Tai is made made with a symphony of rums including house barrel-aged Rivers Royale, Appleton 15, Chairman’s Reserve 1931, Rhum JM Terroir Volcanique, and Saint James 110 – plus two orange liqueurs. I was looking forward to trying this monster and it exceeded my expectations in every way. So rich and flavorful, a Mai Tai that’s worth savoring every sip. A great value even at $26.

Maunakea Mai Tai at Skull & Crown Trading Co., Honolulu

Skull & Crown has three Mai Tais on their menu, but we prefer this traditional 1944 style Mai Tai made with Appleton 12, Clement Select Barrel, Smith & Cross Jamaican Rum, Dry Curacao, Lime, Orgeat, and Demerara Syrup. The three-rum blend works great alongside the fresh juice and sweeteners. Creamy and very flavorful.

Smuggler’s Cove, San Francisco

The Mai Tai has been stellar at Smuggler’s Cove for years, except for a brief period in 2019 when they switched their Orange Curacao. Always good, usually great, the SC Mai Tai is made with Denizen Merchant’s Reserve rum and homemade orgeat and a custom rich simple syrup. Smuggler’s Cove took the top two spots in my Top Mai Tais of 2021.

Sunken Harbor Club, Brooklyn

Developed by famed bartender Garret Richard, this Mai Tai has garnered an impressive reputation and is a blend of three rums. There are a couple unusual adjustments to the preparation of this cocktail. Firstly, a few drops of saline solution are added to bring out the flavors of the ingredients. Next, a lime wedge is placed in the glass and combined with the the shaken cocktail. In addition to a gigantic bouquet of mint, a lime peel is expressed and then wrapped around the straw.

San Francisco Mai Tai at Trader Vic’s, Emeryville

The SF Mai Tai is a standard Vic’s Mai Tai with a float of 151 rum. I love the flavors of the Trader Vic’s Mai Tai, including the freshly squeezed lime on top, but the the 151 rum adds additional complexity and flavor to the cocktail, besides being extra boozy. So while I do enjoy the standard 1944 Mai Tai, the SF Mai Tai is now my go-to at the seminal Bay Area tiki bar.

Undertow, Phoenix

The drinks at Undertow were all outstanding, including their Mai Tai with creamy orgeat. The spirits in this Mai Tai include Smith & Cross Rum, Rhum JM VSOP, and Cointreau Noir, a combination that we loved.