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The Tiki Talk Show

I was pleased to be a guest on the latest episode of The Tiki Talk Show, available on YouTube and on podcast platforms. We had a great discussion with Ellie and Ryley who have recently launched their podcast with a focus on newer tiki bars and what’s happening now rather than a focus on the past.

I think this is a great angle and with their discussions with bar owners such as Jason Alexander from Devil’s Reef this should turn out to be an interesting series and to document what’s happening in the industry. There is also a focus on an artist each episode as well, so I’m looking forward to seeing who will pop up on future shows.

In our session we talked about Mai Tai stuff and my own journey, but also industry trends of within the tiki bar genre. We also discussed rating criteria, cocktail ingredients and ratios, and a comparison of historical tiki bars with modern ones. Check it out on YouTube or your favorite podcast platform.

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Is Zombie Village Making a Comeback?

After a round of cocktails at Smuggler’s Cove we Lyfted over to Zombie Village for more cocktails and to soak in the atmosphere Saturday night. In some past visits over the last couple years the venue hasn’t been that busy even on Saturdays, but we were pleasantly surprised to see that the space was very well attended this week including a large group that seemed to be holding some sort of convention over in the ice cave area. This was Maggie’s first visit and the huge tikis and special effects do continue to amaze guests.

The cocktail menu continues to have a nice selection of cocktails, almost all of which are from the venue’s launch in 2018 (thank you Doc Parks and crew!). We started with our two favorites: a Disco Banana for me and a Coco Pandan for Mrs. Mai Tai. Both were well-prepared, especially the Disco Banana that was frozen and had a great texture. I followed that up with a delicious and fassionola-forward Village Punch that still uses a fragrant gardenia as a garnish.

There were still a few of the amazing Woody Miller mugs for sale, one of which Joe snapped up to take home. There was a great energy and cool music at Zombie Village during our visit, and it was also so nice to see Carlos Jimenez (ex-Kon-Tiki) behind the bar as a new Villager. Things are looking up for this wonderful tropical oasis in San Francisco.

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Smuggler’s Cove Killed It Again

Had a great visit to Smuggler’s Cove on Saturday, arriving at around 7:30 and able to enter right away ahead of a large group that got in line behind us. We were directed to go downstairs to the Boathouse to order but were told we could sit anywhere. That large (and increasingly obnoxious) group followed us into the Boathouse shortly thereafter, so we took our drinks upstairs where it was totally relaxing and quiet enough to have a great conversation.

The cocktail pairing was our usual, a Mai Tai for me and a Fluffy Banana for Mrs. Mai Tai, but the end results were no less impressive with rich and bold flavors that hit all the right notes. The ongoing cocktail quality at Smuggler’s Cove remains truly impressive thanks in part to the experienced bar staff such as Melissa Garcia who has been at the Cove since basically day one and remains a stellar mixologist who made our cocktails perfectly.

With Joe and Maggie
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Menu Changes at The Tonga Room

Our weekend in the city started with dinner at The Tonga Room, right at opening when the crowds are a little lighter and before the band plays on the boat. As always, we received very friendly service from the wait staff and were treated to a little cake since we were celebrating a birthday.

We noticed that while the cocktail menu that was introduced in Fall 2023 still remains in place, the prices for those cocktails were raised again to a very high $24 each. We do like the menu overall including the balanced Mai Tai that’s very approachable for the Tonga Room’s general audience, as well as the Tiki’Meister that’ll appeal to tiki craft cocktail fans. Mrs. Mai Tai loved the Banana Bread Old Fashioned with a mix of rum and bourbon. But these prices are really high and the idea that it serves as a sort of cover charge for the venue is harder to rationalize than it used to be.

The food menu has been revised since our last visit, sadly dropping the Salmon bowl and Poke Tostada that were among our favorites. The entree protein pairings didn’t really interest me, though Mrs. Mai Tai loved the Tiki Noodles with tofu. I stuck to a bunch of appetizers including some very tasty spring roll style Tonga Rolls, the Coconut Calamari, and some fabulous Kalua Pork Sliders.

We really enjoyed the meal, though value decisions remain more of a considerations than many restaurants. We love the vibe inside and everything is really great including the service, decor, and cocktails. But then the bill comes and it feels like it shouldn’t be that high. Something to consider.

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Pagan Idol Friday

We’re in the city for the Brandon Crawford tribute game on Saturday and had a great time meeting up with Maggie and Joe who traveled from San Diego for the game. Pagan Idol was near our hotel and while busy we found a nice corner in the back to socialize amongst the tikis and peppy Latin tracks.

Mrs Mai Tai had an all-time lPagan fave Toucan Dance and I had the delicious Polka Dot Bikini with tequila and watermelon that was a really nice change of pace.

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The Best Mai Tai on Pier 39

After the quick visit into Luau Lounge it was time for our lunch reservation at one of our favorite Pier 39 restaurants, Fog Harbor Fish House. This restaurant is located on the second level, so we had some great views of Fisherman’s Wharf and the San Francisco Bay. Our lunch was enjoyable including some seafood-oriented entrees and some tasty sourdough rolls as a starter, along with great service. The venue was busy but everything came out promptly and correctly, and noice wasn’t an issue.

When I looked at the cocktail list I was pleasantly surprised to see a Mai Tai that features Kuleana Hawaiian rum, lime, orgeat, and orange curaçao. Even better was the finished product that I was so glad I ordered, as this was a rich but still approachable cocktail that was very well balanced and had a great presentation including the float. This was a Mai Tai any bar would be proud to serve, and certainly was the best we’ve ever tried on the pier.

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Foamy Mai Tai at the Luau Lounge

We did a family day in San Francisco and browsed Pier 39 while waiting for our lunch reservation time window. While my wife and son looked at the sea lions I popped in to see how Luau Lounge is doing these days. There’s still a bar/restaurant inside the Players Sports Grill & Arcade, though the greeting area has been overrun by arcade machines and one of the two tiki themed displays is now empty. There’s also a Luau Lounge Tiki Patio that overlooks the bay with Alcatraz views and glass windbreaks.

I’ve had mixed results from Mai Tais over the years here, but I decided to add another to the sample size. The 1944 Mai Tai is made with Mount Gay and Appleton rums, but I wanted it just a little heavier and asked just for Appleton. There are other rums at the bar, but the bartender didn’t seem to have a way to put those into the cocktail.

The Luau Lounge 1944 Mai Tai now comes with Lilikoi Foam, so not really “1944” style but nonetheless a great addition as it adds a ton a sweet tropical passionfruit flavor. The base of the cocktail was also nicely balanced thanks to Appleton Signature rum and Ferrand Dry Curacao. It looks like Monin is the orgeat brand, not my favorite but it didn’t have any ill effects on the final product that was a pretty good refresher on the pier.

We like this location with great views of the bay and overall a nice cocktail list and service at the bar is always friendly here. Luau Lounge isn’t appointment visiting for tiki tourists but regular old SF tourists who like a tiki or Hawaiian vibe won’t be disappointed.