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Emotional-Arrival474 t1_je1jqu1 wrote

Lol, tiki subculture

Check out Pentridge Station when it reopens. Not exactly tiki, but tropical vibes for sure

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vodkaismywater t1_je1jvtr wrote

The Upstairs Bar was such a loss, best tiki bar in the mid Atlantic 😥

152

hansarai t1_je1lsmr wrote

Romarco’s in Clifton Heights has an outdoor tiki bar

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HistoricalSubject t1_je1nelh wrote

tiki subculture? follow jimmy buffet around. become a parrot head. you'll be in an acapulco shirt drinking a margarita under an inflatable palm tree in no time. they'll be tikis there too. promise.

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exorcizamuste t1_je1nhup wrote

Tin Can Bar in Port Richmond on Somerset and Belgrade is a tiki bar. It doesn't have a lot of tiki decore but has mostly tiki cocktails including a zombie on draft.

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chrisvix t1_je1njhc wrote

Taqueria amor is doing their Tiki bar theme currently I think through the summer

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mel881 t1_je1o88f wrote

Go to the shore?

−6

malkith313 t1_je1q7xf wrote

only tiki drinks ive ever had in the city was at Vietnam

11th between race and vine

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sciencefaire t1_je1r549 wrote

I love tiki and we don't really have much here, sadly.

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outerspace29 t1_je1su3f wrote

Monster Vegan has some tiki drinks on their menu. Their overall decor is decidedly not tiki though

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ProbablyAtDialysis t1_je1t4rj wrote

Heffe Tacos in Fishtown did a Tiki Bar over the summer.

One of the worst overpriced drinks I ever paid for.

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dustycase2 t1_je1tjcq wrote

Hong Luck north of the city- incredible Chinese food in a tiki bar/diner that’s been there since the 70s.

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SweetJibbaJams t1_je1tkx4 wrote

R+D in Fishtown has some good tiki or tiki-style drinks, but it's not a tiki bar.

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TheGhostOfKyle t1_je1u1pv wrote

Philly is more of a beer and shot kind of a town. SF is saturated with Tiki Bars.

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internet_friends t1_je1uqwn wrote

there's Frankford Tiki Bar but it might only be open in the summer

3

Leviathant t1_je1vtei wrote

Replying to malkith313 (#2,426,217)

...or the West Philly location, 816 S 47th Street

Man, I haven't had a Suffering Bastard in years.

Though I haven't been to La Chinesca on Spring Garden, and while it's not Tiki, the Mexicali/Chinese fusion and mid-century theme might hit resonant notes.

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JawKneeQuest t1_je1wsr3 wrote

After we lost a few good bars and covid hit, home bartending became my Quarantine hobby. My suggestion? Purchase Martin Cate's Smuggler's Cove book, hit up some Jersey and Delaware locations to get better Rum selections, make your own syrups at home (Orgeat is time intensive but not difficult) and watch a few of How to Drink's videos Greg's a little chatty but knows his stuff.

But even sticking to the state stores, you can find both Rhum Barbancourt 8yr and Appleton Estate and 1oz of each makes a solid Mai Tai.

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hammysandy t1_je1wz1c wrote

I'll bet a lot of places don't want the tiki association after those Charlottesville alt right shit fucks gave them a bad name

−13

JBizznass t1_je1x1sv wrote

Does anyone remember the pop up tiki bar incident in Fishtown where some a-hole tried to open a ‘private club’ tiki bar in her residential home. That was some hilarious shit!

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JBizznass t1_je1xbps wrote

RIP The Yatchtsman. If only you weren’t run by a total scumbag you may have still been with up. ::sigh::

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smug_masshole t1_je1xicu wrote

Honestly, your best bet is the Beachbum Berry Total Tiki app and some trips across the bridge to some proper liquor stores in NJ.

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jbphilly t1_je1xm1d wrote

Replying to sheds_and_shelters (#2,426,861)

They're using "Upstairs at Abyssinia" as their social media now because the original manager wasn't part of the reopening, and took all the Fiume social media with him. But I and everyone I know are still calling it Fiume.

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HistoricalSubject t1_je1zfui wrote

Replying to CVM525 (#2,425,802)

look man, we all know he sucks, but for lonely boomer divorcees perpetually engaged in trying to recapture their youth, he's like therapy. but when they die out, whose going to replace them? this is where i think a tiki subculture, one that OP is looking for, could start to thrive and take over-- in that cultural niche. theres going to be a power vacuum. OP might be able to capture it if they play their cards right.

3

amhildreth t1_je231uq wrote

If you don't mind a drive to Clifton Heights, try Romarco's Tiki Bar at 451 E Baltimore Ave. The lighted sign by then road looks straight from 1966

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dustycase2 t1_je23c8t wrote

Replying to CVM525 (#2,428,184)

It is awesome! It’s in Levittown so it’s an only occasional treat but hands down some of the best Chinese food I’ve had ever! I learned about it actually on another Reddit thread. There is a small bar partitioned off with the typical Polynesian style bamboo fencing, taxidermied pufferfish lamps hanging from the ceiling, ceramic coconut cups, tiki menu, etc. all unchanged for 40/50 years. I also have a fondness for tiki. Funny mix of families and laid back road crews tossing beers back. Definitely a unique gem of a place.

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Dryheavemorning t1_je23s8l wrote

Replying to JawKneeQuest (#2,427,074)

Yeah, I've had to quit ordering takeout because I never knew what I was going to get. They also reduced the size of the non-Chicago style pizzas massively at some point. Royal is a great recommendation, I love that place.

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sedatedsloth t1_je23xwe wrote

If you find the right folks you will discover a thriving under-the-bridge Luau scene

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extant_outis t1_je24cuw wrote

There’s a couple Tiki bars in Delco. Romarco’s in CH as someone mentioned, also Red Lantern in Glenolden. I’ve only been to the latter and it was basically a typical delco dive with tiki decor.

Edit: Red Lantern appears to technically be in Glenolden, not Folcroft.

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Texaslabrat t1_je24uon wrote

Tiki subculture is the subculture I didn’t know I needed. Now i just have to wait and inherit all my fathers Tommy Bahama tiki shirts

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TooManyDraculas t1_je250hd wrote

Replying to Deeblite (#2,428,186)

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.

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Indiana_Jawns t1_je254pu wrote

R&D’s menu also seems to have a solid selection of tiki drinks, despite the overall vibe

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ebbycalvinlaloosh t1_je25usv wrote

Get yourself to R&D. They fucks with Tiki cocktails, even if not on the menu.

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215NPhilly t1_je267t1 wrote

Nah man… gotta go to Charlottesville VA for that type of action

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ebbycalvinlaloosh t1_je26exp wrote

Replying to Level-Adventurous (#2,428,289)

False. Some people may have left, but I can assure you based on the fact that I absolutely know whom and what I’m talking about, that the leaders of the cocktail scene in this city pre-Covid are still very much behind the bar or creating bar programs in the city.

Edit: ok maybe only a little false :)

−13

in_Need_of_peace t1_je27mhj wrote

Spring Mountain in the burbs has a tiki bar, it’s a hike and gives off hepatitis vibes

0

JBizznass t1_je28bg1 wrote

Replying to medicated_in_PHL (#2,428,716)

Tommy Up was well known to be a slime ball in every way.

Also he Didn’t pay his bills: https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/2017/05/05/tommy-up-yachtsman-bankruptcy/

He even asked for donations to open up his for profit business in the first place which pissed off a lot of people: https://www.phillymag.com/foobooz/2014/04/22/fishtown-tiki-bar-the-yachtsman-kickstarter-tommy-up-pyt/

That being said I had lots of fun at the Yachtsman back in the day. If it had been run better and made it to current levels of Fishtown gentrification it would be all the rage.

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Level-Adventurous t1_je28iie wrote

Replying to ebbycalvinlaloosh (#2,428,918)

It’s not false to say a lot of talent left the industry in the city. I know people that moved, people that died, people that got into sales or real estate, people who cut their hours back, people who aren’t as passionate as they used to be. I’m not saying there’s still not talent here or that others didn’t step up but dude come on have some self awareness, the industry lost people.

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Orionsbelt t1_je2cqjx wrote

Replying to KenzoWap (#2,428,418)

I lived right there once upon a time, when they first opened they were fantastic, if I remember correctly they fired most of the staff like 6 months in and everything started gojng downhill

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z7q2 t1_je2f2ch wrote

Replying to dustycase2 (#2,428,352)

I went there a few weeks after moving to Levittown, and it's one of my favorite places to eat in town. There's a whole social scene going on in the bar area that I've never been privy to, I just go there and enjoy the artisanal Chinese food and the décor.

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time4nap t1_je2gcsd wrote

Tiki creekside bar in Boyertown is supposed to be a good time in the summer - about an hour - but u need a car to get there

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utpxxx1960 t1_je2ki87 wrote

Franklin mortgage does a tiki night every Tuesday

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TooManyDraculas t1_je2mtms wrote

Replying to Deeblite (#2,428,735)

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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mZelley t1_je2xwtw wrote

Does Morgan’s pier qualify? Outdoor, on the river, quasi tiki decor, fancy drinks, not outrageously expensive. Occasional good show there too. Didn’t see it mentioned but maybe I don’t know what a real tiki bar is.

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Fine-Confidence4792 t1_je301ur wrote

I grew up going to Pub Tiki on the 1700 block of Walnut Street in Rittenhouse.

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Fine-Confidence4792 t1_je303es wrote

I grew up going to Pub Tiki on the 1700 block of Walnut Street in Rittenhouse.

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Zfusco t1_je307c5 wrote

Replying to [deleted] (#2,433,732)

I mean I can't speak to their management, I don't even know who that is, but from someone who isn't in the industry, the bartenders make a great drink and are super knowledgeable.

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Rivster79 t1_je5k1ei wrote

Replying to JawKneeQuest (#2,427,224)

Yes! I recently got into tiki and I highly recommend the total tiki app. You track the ingredients and spirits you have and it tells you what recipes for tiki cocktails you can make. Also r/tiki abs r/cocktails

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