SoCal Sights | Est. 2022

Tiki Bars in Los Angeles: Where to Sip Rum Drinks in LA

Rum cocktail inside a Los Angeles tiki bar

Los Angeles is one of the best places in the country to drink a Mai Tai under a thatched roof, because tiki culture basically started here. If you only have one night, start with Tiki-Ti in Los Feliz for the tiny, legendary classic, or Tonga Hut in North Hollywood for the oldest surviving tiki bar in town. Below I’ll walk you through the bars worth your time, what each one is like, and how to choose.

Socalsights
Find More Local Southern California Gems
Explore curated recommendations for fun activities, food spots, and unique itineraries across Southern California with SoCal Sights.

TL;DR

  • Want the classic? Tiki-Ti on Sunset Boulevard has been going since 1961 and seats about a dozen people, so expect a squeeze.
  • Want the oldest and the biggest personality? Tonga Hut in North Hollywood opened in 1958 and is LA’s oldest surviving tiki bar.
  • Want something livelier or more modern? Look at The CanTiki, Cha Cha Lounge and the theatrical Lucky Tiki in Highland Park.
  • Go early, bring cash for the tiny spots, and confirm hours before you drive across town. Tiki bars change hours and menus more than you’d think.

Table of Contents

What makes a tiki bar different from a regular cocktail bar

A tiki bar is a themed bar. The décor leans on a romanticized idea of tropical cultures, most often Polynesian, and the menu is built around elaborate, mostly rum-based drinks, according to the general reference entry on tiki bars. Think carved wooden masks, bamboo, fish floats, dim lighting and a drink that arrives with a garnish bigger than your hand.

The drinks are the real difference. The Oxford Companion to Spirits & Cocktails describes tiki drinks as layered, Caribbean-style cocktails that can combine several citrus juices, sweeteners and rum, plus house-made syrups, fresh fruit, spices and herbs. Serious Eats points out that spices like nutmeg and cinnamon are a big part of the layered flavor, along with juices, liqueurs and bitters.

In plain terms: a good tiki drink tastes like several things at once, and it usually hides how strong it is. Pace yourself.

What makes a tiki bar different from a regular cocktail bar — overview diagram

A very short LA origin story

The tiki boom has deep Hollywood roots. Atlas Obscura notes that tiki culture began in California when Don the Beachcomber opened in Hollywood in 1934, and copycats like Trader Vic’s followed. By the 1950s and 60s, tiki bars were all over the country. That history is why LA still has a handful of true survivors, and why the newer bars here feel like they have something to live up to.

The classics you should know first

Tiki-Ti, Los Feliz

If someone says “LA tiki bar,” this is usually the one they mean. Filipino immigrant Ray Buhen opened Tiki-Ti at 4427 Sunset Boulevard in 1961, and the LA Conservancy notes the Buhen family still runs it. It’s a twelve-seat bar in a former violin repair shop, and the exterior has barely changed.

A few things I love about it:

  • It’s small enough that you end up chatting with the people next to you.
  • The Conservancy says that on Wednesday nights at 8:30 p.m. the family rings a bell and leads the room in a toast to the founder. If you can catch it, it’s a memorable moment, though I’d call ahead to make sure the tradition is still going on the night you plan to visit.
  • Atlas Obscura describes it as cramped and cash-only, so hit an ATM first.

The bar’s own listings advertise a new menu and a phone number, (323) 669-9381, so a quick call is the best way to check days and hours. Because of the size, plan for a wait on weekends and don’t show up with a big group.

Tonga Hut, North Hollywood

Tonga Hut is the one I send people to when they want a longer evening. The bar says it’s LA’s oldest surviving tiki bar, established in 1958 by brothers Ace and Ed Libby, at 12808 Victory Blvd. in North Hollywood. It describes itself as the “original” tiki hut, with indoor and outdoor lanai seating.

The bar is famous for the Grog Log challenge. Jeff Berry’s 1998 book collected tropical recipes, and in 2009 the bar started the Order of the Drooling Bastard, a challenge to drink all 78 cocktails from the Log in one calendar year. Finishers get their name immortalized on the wall, which LA Weekly also called out as part of why LA is a tiki capital.

You don’t need to attempt all 78. For a first visit, pick a Mai Tai, look up at Big Mo, the ten-foot tiki by the door, and ask your bartender what they’d make if it were their night off.

Big Mo tiki figure by Tonga Hut entrance

Newer and more playful spots

The CanTiki, North Hollywood

The CanTiki is a good pick when you want options. Its menu lists classic and contemporary cocktails, originals, traditional tiki drinks, non-tiki cocktails and no-ABV options. That last part matters if your group includes a designated driver or someone who doesn’t drink. The menu page lists hours of Monday to Friday from 3 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 1 p.m., each to close, so it works for an early weekend afternoon too.

Since it’s in the same part of the Valley as Tonga Hut, you could easily pair them in one night with a rideshare in between.

Cha Cha Lounge, Silver Lake

Cha Cha Lounge is at 2375 Glendale Blvd. in Silver Lake, per the Los Angeles Parrot Head Club’s tiki list. It has a dive-bar-meets-tiki-hut reputation, more neighborhood hangout than shrine. If your idea of a great night involves red lighting and a jukebox rather than a reverent cocktail history lesson, this is your place. Silver Lake and Los Feliz sit close together, so it’s an easy follow-up to Tiki-Ti.

Lucky Tiki, Highland Park

For showmanship, Lucky Tiki in Highland Park is the one. One bar listing describes theatrical drinks, including one that arrives in a ship and sets off lights, thunder and animatronics, plus tableside fire shows. It’s the one I’d pick for a birthday or a group that wants photos. Check the bar’s own channels for current hours before you go, since I couldn’t confirm a schedule from an official page.

Savage Seas at the Fonda

Savage Seas was a tiki-inspired pop-up cocktail experience at the Fonda Theatre, 6126 Hollywood Blvd. Beverly Press reported that it was 21-and-over, reservation-required, with a fixed cocktail tasting menu when it was set to open in June 2026. Pop-ups come and go, so check the Fonda’s site to see if it’s still running before planning around it.

If pop-ups and hidden bars are your thing, a guide like this look at hidden speakeasies and dive bars in Kansas City shows how another city’s bar scene hides its best spots. LA works the same way.

Quick comparison

Bar Neighborhood Best for Good to know
Tiki-Ti Los Feliz The classic, historic experience About twelve seats, cash-only, family-run since 1961
Tonga Hut North Hollywood Longer evenings, Grog Log fans Opened 1958, indoor and lanai seating
The CanTiki North Hollywood Big menu, non-alcoholic options Opens at 3 p.m. on weekdays, 1 p.m. on weekends
Cha Cha Lounge Silver Lake Casual, dive-bar vibe 2375 Glendale Blvd.
Lucky Tiki Highland Park Theatrical drinks, groups Fire shows and drinks with special effects
Savage Seas Hollywood Reservation-only tasting menu 21+, pop-up, confirm it’s still running

How to choose your bar

For a classic night: Tiki-Ti first, then Tonga Hut on another night. Both are old enough to be part of the city’s story.

For a lively group: Lucky Tiki or Cha Cha Lounge. Big parties are easier at the roomier places, and tiny Tiki-Ti isn’t built for them.

For a first-timer: The CanTiki, because the menu has both traditional tiki drinks and approachable non-tiki cocktails, so nobody feels lost.

For something unusual: Look at pop-ups and tasting-menu experiences, and book ahead.

For a tiki crawl: Cluster by area. Los Feliz and Silver Lake pair naturally, and the North Hollywood duo works for a Valley night. Don’t try to cross the whole city in one evening.

What to know before you go

I couldn’t find a reliable, current price list across these bars, and prices shift, so I won’t quote numbers I can’t back up. What I’d tell a friend: tiki cocktails cost more than a basic well drink, since they use fresh juice and several spirits, and the showy group drinks cost more again. Look at each bar’s menu page where one exists, like the one for The CanTiki.

A few practical habits that save a night:

  1. Have a ride plan. These drinks are strong and sweet enough to hide it. Use a rideshare or designate a driver.
  2. Bring cash and a card. At least one classic is cash-only.
  3. Go early. Small bars fill fast, and a 5 p.m. arrival often beats a 9 p.m. line.
  4. Eat first, or find out about food. Menus vary a lot, so don’t assume a full kitchen.
  5. Check hours the same day. Tiki-Ti lists a closed Monday and Tuesday on at least one listing I saw, which is exactly the kind of thing that ruins a trip.
  6. Ask the bartender. Tiki bartenders love to steer you toward a drink you haven’t tried.

Our take on LA tiki

We spend a lot of time asking locals where they actually go, and tiki is one of the few categories where the answer hasn’t changed much. People still point to the old rooms first. What we like is that the newer spots add something rather than copying the old ones: more non-alcoholic choices, more show, more room to sit.

Our advice is simple. Pick one old bar and one new one, go on a weeknight when you can, and treat the drink list as a conversation with the bartender rather than a menu to conquer. Tiki is supposed to feel like a short vacation, so don’t rush it.

And if you have a favorite tiki spot we missed, that’s exactly the kind of tip our community sends in, and we love adding them.

— Joshua

Make a night of it

Tiki bars pair well with the rest of LA. Start the evening at one of our photo-ready sunset spots in Los Angeles, then head to a bar as the lights come on. If you want something sweet before or after, our guide to LA dessert spots and what to order has you covered. Visiting for a few days? Our list of unique things to do in Los Angeles will fill the daytime, and the rainy day ideas for LA are handy when the weather turns and a tiki hut sounds even better.

The morning after, a good cup helps: see our neighborhood guide to coffee in Los Angeles.

Own a bar or run events in Southern California?

If you run a tiki bar, a restaurant or an event and want people who are actively looking for things to do in SoCal to find you, we offer featured placements and memberships for local businesses. You can see how it works and get in touch on our advertising page.

Socalsights

We’d love to feature the spots locals already rave about.

FAQ

What is the oldest tiki bar in Los Angeles?

Tonga Hut in North Hollywood calls itself LA’s oldest surviving tiki bar, and it says it was established in 1958 by brothers Ace and Ed Libby. Tiki-Ti on Sunset Boulevard opened a few years later, in 1961, and is still family-run. Both are worth visiting for different reasons.

Which LA tiki bar is best for a first-timer?

The CanTiki is a friendly place to start, since its menu mixes traditional tiki drinks with non-tiki cocktails and no-alcohol options. If you want the full historic experience, Tiki-Ti is the iconic choice, but it’s very small, so go early and be ready to wait.

Do LA tiki bars take cards?

Not all of them. Atlas Obscura describes Tiki-Ti as cash-only, so bring cash there. For other bars, check the bar’s own page or call ahead, since payment policies can change.

Can I go to a tiki bar if I don’t drink?

Often, yes. The CanTiki’s menu lists no-ABV options alongside its cocktails. Ask any bar about its non-alcoholic drinks before you go, since tiki bars vary a lot in how much they offer.

Sources

More posts