Deeblite t1_je22faj wrote
There is a Philly Tiki group on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/groups/179597022564794) but there's no tiki bars in the city at the moment. I think the closest is Lee's Hawaiian Islander in Lyndhurst, NJ. I'd like to be proven wrong about that though.
TooManyDraculas t1_je250hd wrote
No genuine, full on Tiki Bars. But Philly also has a Tiki Guild, basically a Tiki cocktail specific off shoot of the Bartender's Guild. A lot of the more craft oriented bartenders in the city are involved. So it's kind of a low key runner. Pretty reliably at least one bartender at any of the better bars in the city will be able to knock together some classics. Or feature a Tiki drink here and there.
But the cocktail scene is hinky in Philly right now. There's a ton of very talented people hanging around, and too few places with the right focus and interest. So a lot of the more talented cocktail people are working at like distillery tasting rooms or are pulling off surprising things in old school corner bars.
Deeblite t1_je25f4o wrote
Which is all well and good if the part about Tiki you're into is the cocktails, but for me I'm more interested in the themed decor and the general ambiance.
TooManyDraculas t1_je2mtms wrote
That is sort of part and parcel of where Tiki is at. A lot of the aesthetic is a bit hinky in terms of stereotype and representation. Along with the history of actually taking what is in effect a tomb stone for a real person and using it to hold up a dart board.
Tiki cocktails have become insanely influential in the craft scene, and historically it really is where a lot of the core of American Bartending developed. But people are cautious about the aesthetic these days. So you'll more often find the drinks without the schtick. Or with an updated take. More pineapples less Hula Girls.
The two takes tend to be leaning into the less problematic ends of kitsch, and then discarding it wholesale for a more upscale beachy thing.
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