Seattle-Tacoma

The Seattle-Tacoma area is home a nice group of tiki bars and places that are inspired by tiki or Hawaiiana. The star on this list is Devil’s Reef, which one of my highest rated tiki bars in the nation (see Tiki Bar Ratings). 

Devil’s Reef (1)
706 Court C, Tacoma, WA 98402

Hula Hula (2)
1501 E Olive Way, Seattle, WA 98122

Inside Passage (3)
1108 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Lava Lounge (4) Permanently Closed
2226 2nd Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

Navy Strength (5)
2505 2nd Ave #102, Seattle, WA 98121

North Shore Lagoon (6)
9815 NE 188th St, Bothell, WA 98011

Ohana (7)
2207 1st Ave, Seattle, WA 98121

The Old Hangout (1)
565 Broadway, Tacoma, WA 98402

Rumba (3)
1112 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101

Three 9 Lounge (9)
4505 39th Ave SW, Seattle, WA 98116

Must-Sees

These are the destinations that every tikiphile needs to experience and your visit to the area would not be complete without seeing these. These venues are generally the most immersive tiki experiences, with cocktails being a particular emphasis at Devil’s Reef and Navy Strength.

  • Devil’s Reef
  • Inside Passage
  • Navy Strength
  • North Shore Lagoon
  • The Old Hangout

Additionally, we think that every tikiphile needs to make time for a visit to Rumba. Rumba is a rum bar with over 700 cane-based spirits. And they have the best Mai Tai in the Pacific Northwest.

  • Rumba

Worth a Look

These destinations have something interesting to offer, and are sometimes great for locals and for those tikiphiles looking for “extra credit” destinations.

  • Hula Hula

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.

  • Ohana
  • Three 9 Lounge

Visitors Guide

Devil’s Reef – “The Top Tiki Bar in Seattle is in Tacoma”
One of the strongest tiki bars you’ll ever find in terms of thematic decor and also cocktail execution, Devil’s Reef is the gem on this list. Owner Jason Alexander’s cocktail recipes have a great reputation and for good reason; they’re layered cocktails with a variety of flavors. The cocktail menu is vast. The signature drink “The Devil Reef” is excellent and we also recommend the Captain Obed’s Grog. Their food offerings continue to improve. Nitpickers will decry the lack of an extensive rum list (it’s lots of Plantation and RumFire here), but you won’t mind with a great cocktail, immersive “dark nautical” theme and lovely exotica music. There are several huts, as well as a nice space upstairs.

Devil’s Reef in Tacoma

 

Hula Hula – Karoake Bar with Tiki Theme
Locals say the decor and staff are nice, but that the cocktails aren’t very inspiring. There are some nice Polynesian inspired bites here, and Karoke nightly.

Inside Passage – They Say it Isn’t a Tiki Bar but it Basically Is
This is a nautical themed bar next to Rumba and run by the same outstanding team, featuring immersive decor by Notch Gonzales. The sea monster inside is named “Kiki” and is a focal point of the detailed experience. Cocktails are amazing and include elaborate garnishes and clever custom mugs. The entrance is from inside Rumba, and due to the small size of the venue reservations are recommended.

The team has disassociated themselves from “tiki” and even have a curiously worded essay on the matter on their website. While it is true there are no tiki idols, Inside Passage does contain elements common in many tiki bars and the booths feature non-nautical elements like bamboo and jade titles. Inside Passage has decor inspired by tiki bars, cocktails inspired by tiki bars, and their mascot is name “Kiki.” But it isn’t a tiki bar? If you say so. In any case, Inside Passage is still totally worth seeing out.

Lava Lounge – Dive Bar in Belltown
Now permanently closed.

Navy Strength – Yes, it’s a Tiki Bar. And it’s great.
Cocktail fans love Navy Strength’s internationally inspired menu that changes with the seasons. Tiki classics are also available and they’re really well done. It’s a large room with a nice bar, but the decor leans into “tiki modern” and the large windows will turn off purists. There are plenty of tiki themed elements here, though, and a few legit tikis. Music is groovy and exotic but generally from contemporary artists.

North Shore Lagoon – Impressive Artwork
This restaurant and bar is part of the McMenamins Anderson School complex. The ground floor houses a tropically themed indoor swimming pool, while the North Shore Lagoon restaurant is upstairs. The artwork is amazing and exotic. We enjoyed the drinks and food here, which are pretty good and inspired by classic tiki restaurants. There are lots of interesting details and cozy spaces in this restaurant.

North Shore Lagoon overlooking the indoor pool

Ohana – Hawaiian Kitsch
Located in Belltown, Ohana is a Hawaiian/Japanese restaurant that serves tiki drinks. It’s a great place to load up for a downtown tiki crawl, as the drinks here are not so great but the food is pretty good. There are lots of interesting things to look at, some of which are inspired and authentic, and others that lean on pop culture from Asia.

The Old Hangout – Hotel Basement Tiki Bar
This is a large and immersive restaurant on the lowest level of the McMenamins Elk’s Temple complex. The food menu has interesting choices but does lean toward spicy options and the menu itself is not expansive. The drinks are also a bit less impressive than you’d want (example: the Mai Tai is batched). Service here is always friendly and efficient and boy are there a million things to look at. There is an impressive water feature and plenty of booths for cozy conversations.

Rumba – Seattle’s Best Rum Bar
Rum is the focus at Rumba, and the cocktails are delightful as well. Because this is a rum bar, there are of course a number of tiki classics on the menu. They go all-in for Tiki Night on Wednesdays. We thoroughly enjoyed our Mai Tai, which we consider one of the best anywhere. Their Rum Society is a great option for locals. And anyone should be able to appreciate a bar with more than 700 rums and sugar cane spirits. Don’t miss Rumba.

The Mai Tai at Rumba is Yummy!

Three 9 Lounge – West Seattle Beach Bar with Tiki Touch
If you’re looking for a bright destination to stay away from the cloudy gloom, Three 9 Lounge is the place. Cocktails are okay, and the tiki-inspired decor goes bright rather than dark. We’ve been told by locals that Three 9 Lounge is it okay if you’re in the area, but not worth going out of your way for.