In the promised land of Tiki bars (the bay area), you will find a tropical tiki oasis in an area you would least expect. When you approach the massive wooden doors, your curiosity and excitement starts to take over. You are in for a good time.
Once you enter you are greeted with a low lit, comfy, tropical paradise. The bar which is covered with palm thatch and dollar bills is fully stocked with enough rums to appease the pickiest rum connoisseurs and has plenty of items to add character. The bar has just the right amount of seats to allow you to plop down and set up base camp for your drinking adventure. The dining/lounge area is filled with tables, booths and a large hut that can easily handle your after-work happy hour or just a night out with your favorite people.
Drinks you say? They certainly have enough to make sure every adventurer in the group is happy. The Mrs & I were huge fans of the Tropical Itch with its perfect blend of flavors to complement the use of Gin. With each sip of your drink you can tell Kon Tiki is about using good ingredients and not just the cheapest. The fresh garnishes are ready to make your drink look beautiful for the Instagram photos we know you’re going to take. Also, you may notice the proportions of drink mix to rum is perfectly done and not heavy-handed but also has enough booze to make you happy.
For the more adventurest rum fans out there, you can join the Kon Tiki Expedition. What is this expedition? Any adventure that can complete tasting 100 different rums will receive a custom glazed mug and have their name immortalized on the bar itself. It’s free to join and I highly recommend jumping on this. Just ask the bartender for your Expedition Book.
Let’s talk about one of my favorite subjects, FOOD. I’m ashamed to say I didn’t take any pictures of the food as I lack self-control and dived in before I could. That said, Kon Tiki offers some of the best food I have found at a Tiki Bar. Hell, their burger has to be the best I’ve had in the bay area so far. We also tried out their Brussel sprouts as well as the pork belly which was to die for. If you’re able to make it for their happy hour, be sure to try the grilled cheese with spam. It’s enough to cause you to drool just thinking about it.
The staff at any bar has to be one of the most important aspects to me. You can have the best drinks and ambiance but if you have a rude and unfriendly staff, everything goes out the window. It’s stupid obvious that Kon Tiki has spent time finding the right staff. Everyone here is friendly! The waitresses, the bartenders, HELL the kitchen expo is friendly. On our first visit, we already felt we had made friends and were even recognized when we came in again a few days later. The staff is very knowledgable on all things Tiki Drink related and is happy to chat about that Netflix show you can’t stop telling everyone about. You can tell this is a place where the staff enjoys their jobs and that really makes Kon Tiki a worthy stop.
To wrap things up, these are good people, who make great food and amazing drinks that will satisfy any Tiki fan out there. If you happen to be visiting the bay area make sure you set some time to swing by The Kon Tiki. You won’t regret it!
With the troubling times we are going through right now, all of our favorite Tiki bars are going through a tough situation. If you are in the area, please consider supporting Kon Tiki by ordering drinks and food to-go Monday-Friday by visiting http://www.thekon-tikioakland.com.
The Big Kahuna
