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Tiki Ti is a tiny but excellent Tiki bar in Hollywood.

Ray Buhen, the man responsible for Tiki Ti, was a local legend among Los Angeles Tikiphiles.
Ray was a bartender at Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood as far back as 1934, and also worked at Seven Seas, the Luau, the Tropics, and at the Beverly Hills Trader Vic’s. Ray opened Tiki Ti in 1961, and maintained it until his death in September of 2001. Fortunately, his son and grandson (Mike and Mike Jr.) continue to keep it on the top of the heap of Tiki bars world-wide.

Tiki Ti is only open Wednesday through Saturday. The decor of the cozy bar is strictly old-school beachcomber mixed with the imprint left behind by almost fifty years of regular customers. Art by Miles Thompson and hand-carved Tikis loom over the half dozen booths, while a fluorescent waterfall takes up a corner behind the bar. Look for rattan stools along the L-shaped bar (which seats twelve), above which hang blowfish lamps, a lamp made out of a turtle, Tikis, and license plates from all over the world (including Guam and Peleliu). Sitting at the bar, you will never run out of things to look at, which is amazing considering how little square footage there is back there. Martin Denny and other Exotica often provide the soundtrack, as is properly befitting any good Tiki bar.

Like his early mentor Donn Beach, Ray kept many of his best recipes secret, choosing to mix from a variety of unmarked bottles, leaving the patron bewildered by his mixing magic. As his son and grandson share his zeal, these recipes are sure to remain safe for years to come. Some of these recipes are Donn Beach concoctions, and Tiki Ti may be the only place keeping these libations alive in their proper configurations. The drink menu features forty-two rum cocktails (such as the Penang, Shark’s Tooth, Tuba Cola, Never-Say-Die, and Sumatra Kula), ten vodka cocktails (including the Princess PuPuli), and a variety of gin, tequila, and other mysterious potions.

All drinks are $9 to $12, except for a couple of particularly nasty concoctions (that’s a good thing), one of which seems to have spawned the theme chant of the place. The drink is served in a large mug of many liquors, into which a Mike, with much pomp and ceremony, drizzles an alarming amount of Tequila. Each Tequila bottle is capped with a bull-head pour spout, so when the bartender begins to pour, the entire bar erupts into pandemonium, with a chorus of "toro, toro, toro!" until the deadly cocktail is complete.

Tiki Ti is a must visit. The vibe, the history, the drinks, and the look of the place are all spot-on, and as long as the Buhens continue to enthusiastically man their family business (with the help of well-deserved long vacations - call ahead!) Los Angeles will continue to enjoy this key vintage Tiki power spot.

Also in Los Angeles...
The following reviews are Cocktail Snob 'bonus content'.
These are places that we have checked out and which bear mentioning for one reason or another -- even if the drinks aren't necessarily exceptional (they may range from poor to very good; see individual reviews for specifics).

Good Luck Bar

1514 Hillhurst Ave., Los Angeles, California; (323) 666-3524

October, 2007

v1.0
Cocktail Snob review by James Teitelbaum

Good Luck Bar is right around the corner from Tiki Ti.
Although they serve no food, this modern establishment looks and feels as though it might have supplanted some venerable 1950s-era Chinese restaurant.
Dim lighting and retro-Asian motifs in red and black set up an atmosphere that I like a fair bit.

Drinks are nothing special, music tends to be loud, crowd tends to be hipster-trendy and young.

A fun place.

Bigfoot Lodge
3172 Los Feliz Blvd., Los Angeles, California; (323) 662-9227

October, 2007

v1.0
Cocktail Snob review by James Teitelbaum

In Los Angeles' Los Feliz area is the Bigfoot Lodge, another theme bar that I find to be quite charming (although I am certain that 'charming' is absolutely not the word the regulars would use).
Decor includes national park signs, Sasquatch, wood paneling, Smoky the Bear, ersatz fireplaces, and Canadian Mounties.
Green carpeting recalls grass, and the whole idea is that you're camping (and drinking) in the Pacific Northwest.
The DJ spins punk rock, garage rock, and rockabilly from within a log cabin.

Drinks are nothing special, music tends to be loud, crowd tends to be alternative-trendy and young.

A fun place.

Frolic Room
6245 Hollywood Blvd., Los Angeles, California; (323) 462-5890

October, 2007

v1.0
Cocktail Snob review by James Teitelbaum

Frolic Room is a vintage Hollywood dive bar, right next door to the Pantages theater. The joint is a little grubby, but the neon sign outside is classic, the popcorn machine still works, the doorman still wears a bow tie, the jukebox will take your money in exchange for tunes, and the drinks are cheap. But I ain't necessarily saying they're good.

We like these melancholy old-school Hollywood bars that are full of decades of history and the ghosts of broken dreams. This is as good an example of the idiom as any.

Formosa Cafe

7156 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood, California; (323) 850-9050

October, 2007

v1.0
Cocktail Snob review by James Teitelbaum

Formosa Cafe opened in 1934. At the time, Warner Brothers studios was next door. As a result, this place was visited by plenty of stars of the classic Hollywood era. Although the studio has moved and taken the shiny clientele with it, the Formosa perseveres, looking very much like it must have in the 1940s.
For years, the Formosa served questionable Chinese food and the same drinks you find in Chinese restaurants everywhere: sugary bastardized Mai Tais and their kin. The recent hiring of a new chef means that Formosa is now serving an updated menu of more contemporary Asian cuisine (examples: ahi-salmon wasabi roll with crispy tempura, mashed potatoes with bok choy, beef satay, spring rolls, shrimp with caramelized pecans).
We'll update this entry when we get back to their bar...

Yamashiro
1999 N. Sycamore Ave., Hollywood, California; (323) 466-5125

October, 2007

v1.0
Cocktail Snob review by James Teitelbaum

Yamashiro was once a really cool looking mansion set high in the Hollywood hills (Yamashiro means “Mountain Palace” in Japanese). The vintage 1914 building has a strongly Asian look to the architecture, the landscaping, and interior design. After going through several incarnations over the years, including a private club and an abandoned era, it was restored and turned into a restaurant with the spectacular view of Los Angeles sprawling out below.

We had some sushi and adequate Mai Tais, but were soon booted out by our impatient waiter; we had arrived just an hour before closing. Further visits are in order to fully appreciate all that the location has to offer. In addition to the food, there are lovely Japanese gardens, and Asian antiquities on display.

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Last updated on October 23, 2007

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