Since its original introduction to pop culture in the 1930s, the tiki bar has remained a popular American nightlife theme. From resorts and vacation destinations to small town nightclubs and restaurants, tiki bars find a place to delight patrons.
Why are Tiki Bars so Popular?
Tiki bars appeal to our basic human desire to "get back to basics." There's something inside each of us that would love to forget our responsibilities (perhaps escape that mortgage or the just dullness of everyday life) and be marooned on a secluded island. It's a chance to cast all of our cares away and simply have a good time.
While no two tiki bars are exactly the same, there are a few things all great tiki bars seem to have in common:
- Island-themed tiki decor.This can include nets, boating and scuba gear, shells, starfish, driftwood, and anything else that might wash up on the beach. The lighting in a tiki bar is often moody and mysterious, like the inside of a jungle hut. A tiki bar also sometimes has a thatched roof, bamboo accents, and vases or garlands of tropical flowers. Paintings and other art created by native islanders are often displayed on the walls.
- To be a true tiki bar, of course, it has to have at least one tiki! Whether it's authentic or reproduced, a small mask or a large wooden statue, the tiki is a great symbol of the primitive way of life that the tiki bar makes so attractive.
- Tropical drinks. Anything fruity and colorful is a great fit at a tiki bar, especially those drinks made with rum and/or pineapple. Many flaming drinks have found their way to fame in a tiki bar and several tiki bars have even created their own signature island-themed drinks.
- Unique food. Tiki bars often serve grilled food with South Pacific flair, like kabobs, fruit-glazed meats, and anything flavored with coconut. Fire roasted flavor and fresh ingredients give tiki bar food an authentic taste.
- Island-themed music. Traditional Hawaiian music is a natural choice for further setting the mood in a tiki bar. Other popular tiki bar music includes compilations of the original tiki lounge music, which was popular in the original tiki bar craze of the 1930s and 1940s.
