The 20 Best Tiki Bars In The US

Uniquely American and rooted in tropical escapism, tiki bars hold a distinct space in the pantheon of cocktail lore. With origins dating back to the 19th century, when Americans began chasing interests in the South Pacific and adventure tales by the likes of Robert Louis Stevenson (via Smithsonian Magazine), tiki culture has seen more ebbs and flows than the tide. Remember, most tiki bars are not accurate depictions of South Pacific culture; they're more of a vessel for escapism from corporate America and the mundane aspects of life. Whereas once realms of nautical kitsch, popularized at pioneering spots like Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber, according to Men's Journal, the past several years have seen a slew of innovative novelties, with inventive variations popping up in cities and towns across the U.S.

Nowadays, the tiki trend has proven evergreen, constantly adapting to the times and bracing for modern resurgences, per Bespoke Post. They're temples of rum, bastions of escapism, and places that innately feel like a vacation. They're bars where classic American cocktails, like the Mai Tai, share menu space with exciting novelties and whimsical riffs on Polynesian fare. Whether clad in hot pink or shrouded in speakeasy-like darkness, they also come in all colors, aesthetics, and experiences, making tiki bars one of the most dynamic potable genres in the world. From an immersive underground oasis in Phoenix to a veritable pizza paradise on the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, these are the best tiki bars in the U.S.

It bodes well that there's a tiki-inspired bar located above a barbecue restaurant that just so happens to serve one of the best frozen cocktails in America. Indeed, Lagoon is a self-described tropical "leisure bar" perched upstairs from Lawrence BBQ in Durham's Boxyard RTP, a hip shipping container park populated by eateries and cafes. Inspired by the mid-century modern vibe and Americana of the barbecue restaurant, owner Jake Wood and beverage director Zack Thomas have created a lush and sunny haven that felt — and tasted — innately like a leisurely vacation.

With its sprawling patio and refreshing beverages, its leisure aesthetic is a mission accomplished. Up here, guests can order a variety of tropical tipples, like gin & mandarin sours and umbrella-clad mezcal palomas, along with beers, micheladas, dark & stormies, and other classic drinks.

Getting entangled in a pirate ship battle at sea is not typically part of the itinerary in a desert city like Phoenix, but that's all part of the allure at UnderTow. A tiny speakeasy-style bar hidden underneath Sip Coffee and Beer Garage (via a basement-looking staircase in the middle of the cafe), this is one of the most surprising and delightfully immersive tiki experiences in the country, with an atmosphere that immediately makes guests feel like they're in the hull of a vintage ship.

Dark and cozy, the bar is decorated with faux portholes that peer out to the "sea," with periodic pirate battles that really round out the transportive ambiance. Don't be too distracted from the menu, though, because it's massive and meticulous. Presented in an intricately designed and illustrated book, the menu runs the gamut from perfectly balanced classics to dazzling inventions — some of which, like the El Robusta billowing with cinnamon "fog" — are just as theatrical as the pirate showdowns.

Typified by chic umbrellas, surf culture, crystal-blue waters, and sandy shores as far as the eye can see, Hawaii is the quintessential destination for tropical bars and tiki drinks. And although the Mai Tai wasn't actually invented at the aptly dubbed Mai Tai Bar in Honolulu (that honor belongs to Trader Vic in Sa Francisco, per the Ultimate Mai Tai), you'd be hard-pressed to find a more picture-perfect setting for one.

Located at the Royal Hawaiian hotel on the edge of Waikiki Beach, the oceanfront spot is loaded with outdoor tables shaded by pretty-in-pink umbrellas, and cocktails adorned with their own tiny umbrellas. The Royal Hawaiian Mai Tai is a requisite blend of fresh pineapple and orange juices, orange Curacao, orgeat, and rums from Maui's Old Lahaina distillery. This is joined by a bevy of other options, including the bourbon-based Okolemaluna Itch, the guava-splashed Pink Casa, and the Hawaii 78 with vodka, St-Germaine Elderflower liqueur, fresh lemon juice, and rosé. Pair it all with some ahi tuna poké, Thai beef salad, and pan-roasted Mahi, and you've got a match made in Hawaiian heaven.

Brimming with bamboo, tiki idols, palms, mermaid lamps, and shark-shaped mugs, Archipelago is a splashy bar that feels like an island getaway on U Street. Massive in scope, the bi-level bar pulses with Hawaiian music and vintage beachy movies projected onto the wall, with a vibrant drink list loaded with shareable punches, minty garnishes, and pineapples filled with rum and "secrets," as with the Pineapple of Hospitality.

Among the bar's most playful potables are the Papa Oom Mow Mow, a medley of dark rum and Oaxacan rum, amaro, hibiscus, lime, and orange juice served in a gaping shark mug, as well as the Misunderstood Vitamin Swizzle, with its curious combo of Trinidadian rum, pandan, lime, and Malört, a wormwood-based spirit that originated in Chicago. Food-wise, look for quirky riffs on Chinese-American food, like deviled Chinese tea eggs, sausage fried rice, and Sichuan pork nachos. Adding to the overall immersion of it all is The Lost Island Room. Open only on Fridays and Saturdays, it's an intimate bamboo-clad nook decorated with thatched roofs and huge tiki totems.

The folks behind Ramen Tatsu-ya, a mini-empire of buzzy noodle joints in Austin and Houston, branched out in a big way with one of the more immersive and creative tiki bars in Texas — and well beyond. Situated discreetly behind the South Lamar location of Ramen Tatsu-ya, with an entrance found in the back of the building (don't worry, the inevitable line makes it easy to spot), Tiki Tatsu-ya is an in-demand watering hole has the look and feel of a dark sea cave, complete with sea grasses strung from the ceiling, huge wooden totems, thatched chairs, and old-timey lanterns that look like they were pillaged from a pirate ship.

The space is mesmerizing on its own, but the drinks and food are just as captivating. The menu pays homage to vintage tiki recipes like a Suffering Bastard riff called the Slurping Bastard, and the gin- and shochu-based Strip 'N Go Naked, inspired by a drink invented at Kon-Tiki in Tucson. Some of the most dazzling drinks here are those made for couples or groups, like the flaming Rum Barrel, or the epic Skeleton Cruise, a mix of Japanese whisky, rum, chartreuse, guava, lemon, pineapple, and pomegranate served in a ship. The food is just as fun, from the crispy taro tots with fermented coconut ranch and the mango on the half shell to the foie gras musubi with honey umeboshi (aka pickled plums).

It's a taste of the Caribbean in the Mile High City at Adrift, a tiki haunt whose modest facade belies a transportive realm of far-flung libations, party-starting shots, group-friendly punch bowls, and some seriously exciting bar food.

Inside, the Polynesian and Caribbean enclave feels like a beachside alcove, decked out with dimly lit nooks, pufferfish lamps, bamboo walls, and eccentric add-ons like disco balls and a canoe hanging from the ceiling. Then there's the ornate, lustrous bar, lined with custom-made tiki mugs and stocked with robust punches, frozen cocktails, and reimagined classics, like a Mai Tai infused with house-made orgeat (some say it's the new bitters!), and a Singapore Sling with house-made grenadine and rose water. Other cool picks include tropical limoncello shots, and the hulking Jolly Ranch Water punch bowl, brimming with Mexican rum, blanco tequila, watermelon seltzer, lemon juice, guava, grenadine, and Demerara sugar. The food is also exemplary, with Caribbean-inspired snacks like jerk chicken plates, coconut shrimp, and key lime mousse with passion fruit puree and toasted coconut.

If it weren't for the row of flickering tiki torches lining the way down a back alley in River North, you'd never know that one of Chicago's most popular bars is just underneath your feet. Hidden behind — and underneath — Bub City, Three Dots and a Dash reigns as a true pioneer of the tiki revival on a national scale, commanding huge in-the-know crowds since its debut in 2013. Nearly a decade in, it's still just as enduring and influential, with top-tier cocktails to back it up.

Once past the torches and through a discreet door, guests wander down a hallway lined with glowing skulls, before entering a vast cavern-like room glowing with soft lights, lined with bamboo, and bumping with beachy tunes. An homage to the classic Three Dots and a Dash drink, the namesake cocktail is a masterful mix of aged Martinique rhum agricole, aged Guyana rum, lime, orange, Falernum, and allspice, while other originals include the Lower Wacker (bonded bourbon, Guyana rum, Maraschino, red vermouth, honey, lime, and grapefruit), and Get Rich Quick (London dry gin, Armagnac, vermouth, lemon, and horchata orgeat). There are also a few Mai Tai riffs, group-friendly drinks like a series of rum-based Shotstapus shots served in tentacles, and crowd-pleasing Polynesian plates like pu-pu platters, spring rolls, and crab rangoon. Added bonus: The Bamboo Room is an offshoot bar-inside-a-bar, offering a quieter alcove for sipping drinks made with rare, high-end spirits.

The folks behind beloved neighborhood cornerstones like Picasso Cafe, OSO Paseo, and FRIDA Southwest have stretched their wings with yet another crowd-pleasing hit in the Paseo Arts District — a beautiful boozy oasis called Flamingo TIKI.

Perched just above OSO Paseo, the bar stands out with its entirely hot-pink facade, which gives way to a sultry room draped with velvety curtains, lush plants, flamingos strung from the ceiling, and royal-green stools surrounding a gilded central bar. The illustrated drink list is huge, with a handful of original creations adjoined by a miscellany of classics, from the Three Dots and a Dash to a bracing Zombie. Some drinks come frozen, some come ablaze, but all are vibrant, fun, and layered with tropical flavors. Sip your way through the menu while watching Gilligan's Island on the TV behind the bar, and lean into the vibe.

One of the original pioneering tiki bars in the heyday of America's tiki renaissance, Tiki Ti is still going strong in Los Angeles. Seemingly preserved in time, this kitschy oasis still looks the way it did when it opened in 1961, with the vibe of a frills-free windowless beach shack, filled to the brim with palms, pufferfish, quirky mugs, and ships strung up along the ceiling.

While most of the O.G. tiki bars have long since closed, Tiki Ti is a beloved relic of yesteryear, still clamoring with thirsty barflies and tiki connoisseurs who come from near and far to sample the boozy wares. With most drinks served in standard, modest glassware, the emphasis is on the pithy atmosphere — and the intoxicating tipples, like the Pain Killer, made with Navy rum, coconut, pineapple, orange, nutmeg, and cinnamon, and Ray's Mistake, a drink named after the bar's founder, Ray Buhen, featuring a punch of passion fruit, lime, gin, dar Jamaican rum, and vanilla.

From the pufferfish mugs to the pufferfish lamps, every element of the bar is diligently and whimsically tended to at Portland's hallowed Hale Pele. The perfect blend of kitsch and class, this is the kind of bar that's overloaded with Polynesian paraphernalia in a luminous space anchored by huge totems, barrels, and colorful lamps strung up by ropes. Amping up the vibe, the bar also occasionally sets off thunderstorm and volcano effects, so guests can feel like they're sailing the South Seas whilst imbibing.

And much imbibing will be done, considering the drink list is 50 cocktails deep, spotlighting timeworn staples like Swizzles, Jet Pilots, and Suffering Bastards. Considering the bar's name means "House of the Volcano Goddess," the group-sized Volcano Bowl is a must-order — a flaming medley of rum, citrus, pineapple, and tropical spices. There are also several Polynesian-flavored small plates, like lumpia spring rolls, Kalbi short ribs, buttered and grilled Hawaiian bread, and mini pineapple upside-down cakes.