Tiki Bar – Page 63 – The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai

August 10, 2022March 30, 2025

Strong Water Anaheim: Orange County’s Best Mai Tai

We tried to go here back in January, but our reservation was cancelled at the height of the omicron surge. So we tried again for a reservation at opening last Friday. Thankfully, we were able to make it in.

Strong Water is a nautical themed tiki bar, which made three nautical bars in a row for us, after The Sinking Ship and The Warehouse. Strong Water’s decor is more set decorated and leans a little more Victorian in style, but it is still quite impressive. We were sat in the Captain’s Quarters in the back, and thanks to our 5:00 reservation we shared the space with only one couple on the other side. This deep immersion was a complete “leave the outside world behind” scenario including music that was was on point, including some 40’s era standards.

There is a strong bar and food program here, and we enjoyed the meal (I had the Loco Moco Burger). We also indulged with the Thai Tea Cheesecake and Caramel Ice Cream. So decadent.

Our cocktails were also quite excellent, including Orange County’s finest Mai Tai featuring Hamilton 86 and Pot Still Black rums. I also enjoyed the Tales from the Black Lagoon which combined butterscotch and banana flavors so well. Mrs. Mai Tai like the Meihana and the Taro Colada.

Staff were super friendly and we did have a few moments to talk to our bartenders, always nice if it happens. The destination is popular, so reservations are essential to be seated indoors. There’s a parklet outside, but isn’t nearly as immersive.

So glad we finally got to visit Strong Water Anaheim.

August 7, 2022August 7, 2022

Cocktails at The Sinking Ship

We’d had great experiences with the cocktails at Tiki-Ko in the past, so had high expectations for the ones at their newish downstairs sister-bar, The Sinking Ship. The cocktails were great, and the attention to detail from bartenders @bell_uh_sorry_hoe, @_spongibob, and another bartender who’s name I didn’t catch was outstanding.

My Mai Tai was totally “out of this world,” using Denizen Merchant’s Reserve for the rum. I followed up with a Navy Grog that was nearly as good, and I appreciated the additional honey upon request.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Mai Tai started with the “Mary Ann” cocktail, which is Tiki Ko’s version of the Tradewinds. I’ve had this before and it’s still really great. She followed it up with the top-notch El Duderino, with rum, vodka, coffee liqueur, and coconut cream.

We wanted to stay longer but were driving so we did two “virgin sacrifices,” Julie liked The Chai-Lite, with a non-alcoholic cane spirit and chai tea concentrate. While I had the tart but still tasty Peachy Keene featuring peach nectar. Both of these were quite wonderful.

As far as I can tell the cocktail program at The Sinking Ship is the same as upstairs at Tiki-Ko, which in my mind is sort of a bummer but not really an issue. With 18 cocktails including some made for tiki newbies (Pina Colada and Blue Hawaii) but also some for savvy craft cocktail fans (Three Dots and a Dash, 151 Swizzle), there’s enough choice but doesn’t lead to analysis paralysis. I only wish they’d have a few more original recipes to try, but there ain’t nothing wrong with what’s being offered. The back bar offers some additional spirts choices, but a vast rum collection isn’t really a focus. There are some beer choices and a monthly rotation of slushy cocktails, so there’s something for everyone.

With fabulous decor, great music, impressive service and also some great cocktails, The Sinking Ship ranks amongst the best tiki bars I’ve visited. Totally worth making a trip to Bakersfield to check it out – along with Tiki-Ko upstairs of course. We’ve heard the nearby Padre Hotel is a good option that’s walking distance away. Be sure to check current hours before visiting, as there are some days where either Tiki-Ko or The Sinking Ship are open. Or go on a weekend when both are open.

August 6, 2022August 7, 2022

The Sinking Ship at Tiki-Ko

We finally made it down to Bakersfield to see the basement addition/expansion/sister bar to longtime local heroes at Tiki-Ko.

The Sinking Ship features an immersive nautical and trader design with different sections and booths. Really amazing work from @tikidiablo and @_spongibob. The ceiling is a map and there are so many elements to look at, including masks, crates, nautical equipment, and displays of artifacts.

A notable element is how you order drinks at the bar, complete with a roped off line, though there a few seats at the bar, too. The chairs feel like vintage pieces even though we know they’re new. The music was top notch, including exotica, surf, and Hawaiian. It all feels organic and well-put together, without feeling like it is a movie set.

The entrance is just a couple doors down from Tiki-Ko and leads you down a staircase with inspired decor. So while the staff and menu are the same, this truly is a separate space.

We’ll discuss the drinks in tomorrow’s post, but suffice to say that The Sinking Ship is one of the finest spaces in any tiki bar anywhere.

August 4, 2022August 4, 2022

Star Trek Thursdays at The Kon-Tiki Room

The outpost location next Palmetto has been doing things a little differently than the original Kon-Tiki across town. One of these is their Star Trek Thursdays, with episodes shown on a screen (without audio) and some drink specials. Not classic tiki by any means, but “The Room” has been stretching the boundaries with music already, so … sure, why not?

I wanted to check Star Trek night out and visited last Thursday with some drink specials featuring Copalli rum from Belize. I had a pour of their Barrel Rested Rum, and it had some nice flavors including some pleasant spice notes.

The drink specials are pretty good for these Star Trek nights, alongside the rest of The Kon-Tiki Room’s excellent cocktail menu.

Tonight’s Star Trek Thursday pays tribute to the recently passed Nichelle Nichols, Lt. Uhura from Star Trek: The Original Series. I’m sure they’ll pick some of the best episodes with Nichols, a true icon.

July 24, 2022July 24, 2022

Trader Vic’s Hawaiian Bazaar & Brunch

We skipped brunch but it is always fun to check out the vendors at the Hawaiian Bazaar at Trader Vic’s Emeryville, one of the few tiki marketplace events that take place in Northern California.

We caught up with some local favorites who we’ve purchased from before, including Woody Miller, B-Rex, Sweet Siren Designs, and Tiki Lounge Lights. All had some great stuff, though we were most impressed by the Greg’s amazingly cool peacock chair lamps.

There were some new vendors at this event. Rob and Jeanine Allspaw brought their Mischief Motu carvings up from Southern California for the first time that I can remember, and we scored a few items for our bedroom walls. Oakland artist Kelly Jo Mullaney had some interesting shirts and paintings – and many of the designs have hidden elements. Tiki Makaio was showing off some wood coasters and bottle openers that have vintage designs – and he does custom work too. Check them out.

Can’t go to Vic’s and skip a Mai Tai. Mrs. Mai Tai had been meaning to try the Guava Tai, a sweet variant that for sure you’re not going to miss the guava in. I went my favorite, the San Francisco Mai Tai – the standard Mai Tai with 151 float.

Nice to catch up with some folks out on the back patio and in the marketplace. It was a beautiful sunny day in Emeryville.

July 12, 2022July 12, 2022

False Idol – San Diego’s Best Tiki Bar

We skipped False Idol last year since we weren’t doing much indoor bar crawling, but we were sure to make it this trip by making a reservation. Having visited Smuggler’s Cove and Hale Pele in the last ten days this completed the trio of Martin Cate’s bars on the west coast.

A rare moment when standing room cleared

You enter False Idol via the host stand inside Craft & Commerce. With reservations you’re seated at a table and get to avoid the crush of patrons in standing room or trying to get to the bar seating that is first come, first seated. The reservation for four at 8 pm on a Friday was for two and half hours and we used nearly every minute. Our server Jordan did a great job checking in with drink orders and such, and since we were seated by the exit door we also saw him play bouncer when people tried to sneak in.

The decor here is so cool, with a ceiling filled with floats and carvings on the fall walls from local legend Bosko. Thunder roars when flaming bowl drinks are served. This was our first time seeing the new entrance, replacing the old speakeasy style freezer entrance with one framed by scary shrunken heads and skulls.

The cocktail menu is vast, offering both a classic tropical cocktail as well as a modern riff. I thought the Mai Tai was just fine, and the Mai Sho Roa Na riff was a great excursion for a version using Banana rather than Orange liqueur and then adding Madiera. Our group tried some of the other cocktails including the Polynesian Forty-Niner (using Gardenia mix), Coronado Luau Special, Mac Nut Chi Chi, and Ube Bae. Really great cocktails overall at False Idol.

I attempted to not over-indulge by only having two drinks. But the group was really interested in ending the night with a flaming bowl drink, so we settled on the Alkala the Fierce, featuring Dons Spices #2, Orgeat, rum, and Chai-infused Bourbon. I really liked this cocktail, and Jordon flamed it up real good for us. Though, afterwards there was a clear cloud of cinnamon that settled on the table.

A really fantastic evening at False Idol.

False Idol Entrance inside Craft & Commerce

July 11, 2022July 11, 2022

Bali Hai – Spectacular Views in San Diego

On our free day between Giants/Padres games this weekend we visited Old Town in the morning for some shopping and cultural activities. Then we went to Shelter Island’s Bali Hai for a late lunch.

Seating is solely indoors now, and we were seated by one of the myriad water-facing windows. The windows are so clear that we weren’t sure there were actually windows present! Kudos to whoever cleans these.

We had evening plans at False Idol so we went modest for the drinks at lunch. Which means there was no way I was ordering Bali Hai’s infamous Mai Tai with 5 oz of rum! I decided on a pour of the El Dorado Port Mourant Rum special release. The current version of Mr Bali Hai cocktail was a hit by those at our table.

Food and service were right up there with the high standards we expect at Bali Hai and it was so relaxing to have lunch on a clear day with the views of San Diego Bay.