Had a good Rum Negroni with skull ice cubes in a Tiki Goth Club glass. Not too bad to celebrate Halloween but also laying low because you have a busy weekend ahead.
I used the new Planteray Mister Fogg Mavy Rum Sail n°2. I hypothesized that this rum wouldn’t be great in cocktails and even with cutting the Campari way back the rum doesn’t really push through. Stick to Jamaican rum next time. Sail n°2 is better as a nice sipping rum.
Rum Negroni 1½ oz Sweet Vermouth 1 oz Campari 1½ oz Planteray Mister Fogg Mavy Rum Sail n°2 Stir with ice and strain over large cubes
It’s been a few months since our last visit to Orinda’s small tiki bar, Boo Loo Lounge. Of interest on our latest visit is the new and expanded cocktail menu that launched a couple months back and the first revision since the venue opened in 2023.
The menu format takes inspiration from Boo Loo’s location in the Orinda Theater complex, laying it out like a screenplay with red editorial notes in the margins. It’s a clever way to draw in many of the patrons who are new to tiki and visiting due to the proximity of the theater or the local restaurants and shops. There are 14 cocktails plus three NA options, plus beer and wine, and is a nice mix of classics along with a few originals and some good options for tequila, gin, and whiskey drinkers.
I’d heard the Mai Tai’s rum blend was reformulated but after scanning the menu I couldn’t help but get a Donnie’s Element, a banana/coconut/coffee cocktail with spiced rum that was developed by Chris Day and served at The Kon-Tiki during Day’s tenure there. It’s a truly fantastic cocktail and am so glad to see Boo Loo Lounge serving it. Mrs. Mai Tai ordered the Voodoo Grog that surprisingly is pretty heavy on the Rhum Agricole and so not really to her liking (or mine, really), though she did love the Donnie’s Element.
Those were the only cocktails we tried on this visit, though was interested in the special Halloween menu from Kriss “Cucuy” Gonzalez that’s also movie inspired. Check it out while you can.
Boo Loo Lounge is doing a lot of things right given the confines of their small space and sleepy suburban location. We arrived on Friday well before 5:00 and had the place mostly to ourselves but by the time we left there were several parties inside and there was a lot of great energy from the crowd and surf music playlist.
San Jose’s burgeoning bar scene is really hitting its stride, including social media promotions of the various bars doing Halloween-themed offerings. We heard that Alter Ego Cocktail Club had special menus and decor so we arrived right at opening on Saturday to experience the offerings.
The Dark
Upon entering the speakeasy inside Still O.G. you’ll be told that the entire staff was killed and what you’re witnessing are the ghostly apparitions. You’re provided with a small welcome punch to drink to complete the effect. We were seated at the bar and could see the decor has been transformed with dark elements and a great modern dark wave soundtrack.
We’ve had amazing cocktail experiences here before and the new menu was no exception, presented as a book with elaborate illustrations. A variety of spirits and cocktail styles are presented, with the Heart Stopper shots served from a chest being popular in the venue and on social media.
Isle de las Muñecas
I started with The Dark, an absolutely delightful coffee cocktail with an orange foam and a chocolate pentagram garnish. Meanwhile, Mrs. Mai Tai had the Isle de las Muñecas with tequila, carrot, and ginger – served in a disturbing baby doll’s head mug. This was a really great cocktail and the vegetal notes were interesting and well-balanced.
Our second round started with the Witching Hour which is basically a boozy chocolate milk served in a flute. Perhaps the best overall for me was my Telltale Heart which uses beet and Alchermes for a red color that works fantastically with the mug that’s shaped like a heart. We were truly impressed by the cocktails.
Telltale Heart and Witching Hour
The staff were dressed in costumes related to their untimely deaths and as with previous experiences very knowledgable, professional, and team-oriented. Alter Ego fills up fast so be sure to make a reservation.
Inside Frankenstein’s lab, you’ll find yourself surrounded by mysterious potions, shimmering elixirs, and spine-tingling concoctions. Help our Mad Scientists complete their work by adding the final ingredients to the secret formulas. Together, you’ll unlock the secrets hidden within the simmering beakers and test tubes.
There can only be one Frankenstein — will it be you?
This sounds like common pop-up bar experiences where there’s a storyline and some actors, often with tests and activities that the audience participates in.
Instead, it’s a decorated bar in the basement under the country bar Westwood located in San Francisco with themed cocktails, plus the opportunity to pay for a tarot card reading. In our case the bartenders were not dressed up as scientists or with make-up, however we did find they were very efficient and friendly. The decor is somewhat sparse considering the large space, though an animatronic Monster is a welcome and cool touch. Most attendees were dressed for Halloween in some fashion.
The ticketing system references “interactive cocktails” but these aren’t plot related, it’s things like a glass with cotton candy where you pour the cocktail over it – no great shakes and honestly is misleading in the ticketing system. We went with the $22 general admission which includes entrance and one cocktail ($15 value), so there’s effectively a bit of a cover charge. That said, the ticket says this is for 90 minutes but we stayed well past that timeframe and were in no way asked to leave.
The good news is that we found the cocktails to be pretty good – and suuuuper boozy. So much that several of us were really “feeling it”. Mrs. Mai Tai’s Electric Jolt with cotton candy was really good as was her Spidey Senses. I enjoyed the smoked Monstrosity old fashioned, and we all got to enjoy the Creature of Havic that’s served in the Monster’s skull! I’ve got say this part was pretty cool.
If you set your expectations according, and definitely eat beforehand, I think this concept is executed well enough to be worth checking out.
While attending brunch we saw that Hula Hoops has a couple seasonal offerings and the Witches Brew was recommended. The ingredients are black rum, citrus, and charcoal syrup meaning this leans tart but overall pleasant. It’s served in a little cauldron and contains a little dry ice inside a metal tea bag, so it bubbles ever so subtly as you drink it!
The presentation is pretty interesting and the hanging witches hats throughout the venue make for fun photos. Check it out in South San Francisco while you still can.
Many bars are celebrating Halloween with a specialty cocktail menu and decor, but few have as many interesting cocktail options as Strong Water in Anaheim, no surprise since they already have a stellar reputation for consistent quality. The Halloween menu is a series of nicely designed tarot cards that are also available for purchase.
My first cocktail was the Black Magick, a nod to the Mai Kai’s famous Black Magic, made with Jamaican rum, blackstrap rum, cinnamon, honey, grapefruit, lime, espresso, and bitters. Cruzan’s Blackstrap rum is not my favorite due to its weird maple syrup flavor, and you can taste it in this cocktail – but just a hint. This is a pretty good cocktail and not as coffee forward as some drinks, more of a coffee leaning grog.
Even better for me was the Dead to Port, featuring bourbon, Jamaican rum, and spiced cranberry. The wonderful blend of flavors were highlighted by the cranberry, making this seasonally appropriate and really delicious. Mrs. Mai Tai tried the Devil’s Corn, which reads as a Painkiller with candy corn syrup, but somehow manages to not be sickly sweet and is balanced well. Also delicious, with a fun presentation.
The interior of the bar has some spooky elements but this is a restrained overlay. We made a reservation for Saturday with a large group celebrating a birthday, and I had the pleasure of sitting the Beachbum Berry booth. Strong Water’s food and cocktails remain consistently great, and this Halloween menu is no exception.
We had free time on Saturday and Bamboo Club was already on our short-list but after seeing that the Hardcore Tiki Marketplace was happening we made sure to visit for lunch and some shopping. It is a nice vibe for the marketplace, including a DJ and about 15 vendors, and is set up on the first Saturday of the month. I ended up purchasing a small PNG mask and a Tiki Tolteca mug.
Nightmare in Anaheim Street
Bamboo Club is decorated for Halloween under the moniker Tremble Club and we felt the overall aesthetic was pretty good. The immersive feeling is best if you’re seated in the booths like we were, though the decor on the patio is pretty nice as well.
There’s also a special cocktail menu and I really enjoyed the Nightmare on Anaheim Street, a nod to the horror classic and Bamboo Club’s street address, which is a whiskey sour with amaro and Campari. Our cocktails were balanced very well and I also had burger that was fantastic.
