Years ago, Frankie’s Tiki Room was the only game in town but there’s now a burgeoning group of tiki and tiki-adjacent bars now operating in Las Vegas. This is an overview of those destinations along with a couple that fans of rum and Mai Tais should also strongly consider.
Frankie’s Tiki Room (1)
1712 W Charleston Blvd, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge (2)
111 Resorts World Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89109
The Golden Tiki (3)
3939 Spring Mountain Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89102
Jammyland Cocktail Bar & Reggae Kitchen (4)
1121 S Main St, Las Vegas, NV 89104
Red Dwarf (5)
1305 Vegas Valley Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89169
Rhumbar Tropical Ultra Lounge (6)
3400 Las Vegas Blvd S, Las Vegas, NV 89109
Starboard Tack (7)
2601 Atlantic St, Las Vegas, NV 89121
Stray Pirate (8)
1321 S Commerce St, Las Vegas, NV 89102
Tiki Di Amore (9)
2850 E Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89121
Coming Soon:
- Glitter Gulch Tiki Bar in downtown Las Vegas off Fremont Street, build by Bamboo Ben. Slated to open in Spring 2024.
- Bamboo Ben also teased that a tiki venue is going to replace the Margaritaville at Flamingo after it closes on April 15.
Must-Sees
These are the destinations that every tikiphile or Mai Tai fan needs to experience and your visit to the area would not be complete without seeing these. These venues are generally the most immersive experiences and/or the highest quality cocktails.
- Frankie’s Tiki Room
- The Golden Tiki
- Red Dwarf
- Starboard Tack
- Stray Pirate
Worth a Look
These destinations have something interesting to offer, and are sometimes great for locals and for those tourists looking for “extra credit” destinations.
- Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge
- Jammyland
- Rhumbar Tropical Ultra Lounge
Only for Completists
If you’re one of the crazy people who like to visit every possible tiki bar around, like I am, then here’s the list. These are further away from a full tiki theme and cocktails will probably be lower quality.
- Tiki Di Amore
Top 3 Mai Tais in Las Vegas
For those looking for the best Mai Tai in Las Vegas, this is the cream of the crop. We found all three of these to compare favorably with the best Mai Tais we’ve had in any destination.
Number One: Starboard Tack (off-menu)
Runner Up: Stray Pirate
Honorable Mention: Jammyland
Tiki Bar Ratings
This is the ratings for the tiki and tiki-adjacent bars using the rating system for tiki bars for our site. Note that the highest rated may not be your favorite, as we greatly prefer visiting Red Dwarf more than any others on this list.
The Ultimate Mai Tai rating system for Tiki Bars based on the following four criteria:
Drinks: Quality, variety, price, consistency
Ambiance: Decor, immersiveness, seating, special features
Service: Hours, ease of service, friendliness
Tiki Aesthetic: totems, Polynesian and/or nautical theme, music
| Drinks | Ambiance | Service | Tiki Aesthetic | Total | |
| The Golden Tiki | 5 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 7 |
| Frankie’s Tiki Room | 4 | 6 | 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Red Dwarf | 6 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 6 |
| Stray Pirate | 7 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 5.75 |
| Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 5.25 |
| Tiki Di Amore | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 4.5 |
A few notes:
- Golden Tiki and Red Dwarf got a boost for their food offerings in the Service category
- Note that Stray Pirate does not position themselves as a Tiki Bar
- Subtract points from Frankie’s if smoke is a problem and from Golden Tiki if mature content offends
Visitors Guide
Frankie’s Tiki Room – Dark and Smoky Tiki Bar
Opened in 2008, Frankie’s is now the grandfather of currently operating Vegas tiki bars. The dark bar features immersive and elaborate traditional tiki decor by Bamboo Ben and gaming at the bar. Cocktails here can be hit or miss and service is done from the bar, so sometimes can take a while. Music is on point and there’s a great selection in the jukebox. All of the above means that Frankie’s is a must-do, but the decade plus of smoking and continued allowance of smoking means that it can be very unpleasant inside even during off-hours. The book Liquid Vacation includes many of Frankie’s favorite cocktails including the Bearded Clam and the Rum Rum Rudolf and is for sale along with mugs and merch. Frankie’s is open 24 hrs every day.
Golden Monkey Tiki Lounge – Modern Tiki at Resorts World
This new-ish tiki bar leans into a clean modern design that fits in well with the clean modern Asian theme of the Resorts World complex. There aren’t signs directing you but Golden Monkey is located next to the Genting Palace restaurant off the main casino floor on the way to Hilton Porte Cochere. The cocktail menu includes some tiki classics and some modern riffs and we found them to be pretty good, except for the Mai Tai made with Thai Basil Syrup which was tart and kind of flavorless. With some food court tenants being closed and light attendance on two Saturday visits, we’re not sure how long Golden Monkey will last.
The Golden Tiki – Best Tiki Bar for Newbies
Located in the Chinatown complex off-strip, The Golden Tiki combines traditional tiki bar elements, a touch of Disney, and more than a little raunch to be considered the best overall tiki bar in town. There’s a pretty good food menu that includes traditional Hawaiian and Polynesian-inspired dishes, a special menu for brunch, and some good Happy Hour deals. The cocktail menu is huge with something for everyone, though in our experience the drinks can be quite hit or miss. Sitting at the bar and asking for something custom might help in obtaining a freshly made rather than batched cocktail.
The bar is so popular that reservations are strongly encouraged, despite the fact that this is a fairly large space with a lounge area in the back. We love the eye candy in the bar and on the wallpaper in the restrooms, plus the raunchy bird show and sound effects. Be sure to check out the display of shrunken heads that includes celebrities such as Trader Vic, Tiki with Ray, and Walt Disney. This is a great place to take tiki newbies and is open 24 hrs every day.
Jammyland Cocktail Bar & Reggae Kitchen – Elevated Cocktails
A very strong cocktail program is the draw for this Arts District bar and restaurant. It is less “reggae” than the name implies and features a brutalist warehouse design and a large patio. Unfortunately, that patio is directly in the sun and we don’t love that direct light hits the bottles on the back bar either. But we can’t complain about the cocktails which we thought were really great. Chief among these is the excellent Mai Tai made with Appleton 12 and Clement VSOP rums with house-made orgeat.
Red Dwarf – Our Favorite Tiki Bar in Las Vegas
A dive bar and tiki bar had a baby with a large beer selection and cocktails that are way better than you’d expect. That’s the headline for our favorite tiki bar in Vegas, Red Dwarf. This neighborhood bar opened a couple years ago and is gaining momentum thanks to frequent live music acts including a surf band every Sunday for Brunch. We found the music to be a perfect volume – not too loud to have a conversation with your party. Detroit-style Pizza is the food item of note, and it’s done perfectly with light and fluffy crust, toppings, cheese, and sauce in that order. There’s a large selection of beer here, including the $4 “Dwarf Piss” lager.
Most of the cocktails are $10, including a light-leaning Mai Tai with four rums. Don’t let the low price fool you, though, we found most of the cocktails to be great and they’re always freshly prepared and made with fresh juices. There’s even a strong selection of excellent rums you can use to elevate the standard Mai Tai. The decor inside has a few tiki elements plus retro and horror nods, contained within a dive bar aesthetic. Look for eclectic videos on the TV screens, not sports.
Rhumbar Tropical Ultra Lounge – Good Mai Tai and Strong Rum Selection
We’re not sure how long anything will last at The Mirage in its transformation to the Hard Rock Resort, but for now the Rhumbar remains a really great option on the Strip. Indeed there’s a fine selection of rums here, plus other spirts, and a pretty nice set of cocktails. The decor has a retro theme with a nicely appointed patio that includes lounge chairs and breeze blocks to set the mood. The Mai Tai has a touch of pineapple juice but is still quite good, and we’ve asked for Mai Tais using substitute rums that were even better. Staff has been friendly and helpful in our visits, but the one downside is that Rhumbar also offers cigars and sometimes you’ll be caught with a smoker in the midst.
Starboard Tack – The Best Mai Tai in Las Vegas
Just about the best 1970s nautical bar that we’ve ever visited, the strong seafood and cocktail offerings will draw attention for those seeking out something different off the Strip. We had a grand time here admiring the rum offerings and enjoying our food and cocktails. Even better was an off-menu Mai Tai that was one of the best we’ve ever tried, something we’ve heard from others too. We hear that this place can be rowdy during sporting events and that smoking is still allowed, but it didn’t stink of smoke during our Monday lunch visit.
Stray Pirate – An Fun and Immersive Dog-themed Pirate Bar
The theme of this Arts District bar is pirate dogs, and if that doesn’t immediately make you want to visit you should still visit anyway. There’s a wonderfully cohesive theme and decor inside, including porthole “windows” as if you’re in a sunken ship. There aren’t any tiki idols, but this is otherwise just what you want from a good tiki bar including friendly staff, a chill vibe, and relaxing music. The bar opened in fall 2023 with a small cocktail menu, though we hear an expanded offering is coming soon. Meanwhile, the Mai Tai made with Rhum Clement Blanc and Smith & Cross is absolutely fantastic. We love the vibe and the nearby Arts District shops means this could be a great stop for those with retro sensibilities.
Tiki Di Amore – Tiki Patio Experience
The tiki patio is connected to the classic Italian restaurant Casa Di Amore and operates seasonally on the weekends. The cocktails are reasonable and the decor sets a good mood, including two Moai from the old Aku-Aku at the Stardust. Worth checking out for sure in the Spring and Fall when it’s not 120° out.
Gone But Not Forgotten
Trader Vic’s (2007-2009)
This Trader Vic’s franchise location was located at the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino from Fall 2007 to summer 2009, making this one of the shortest lived Vic’s locations. Patrons noted an emphasis on vodka drinks, though we stuck to the classics such as the Mai Tai that were wonderful. The location is now Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantino. Learn more about Trader Vic’s Las Vegas.
