The Tiki Bar Renaissance Has Arrived

"This is Sunken Harbor Club, and I am in heaven. I am also in a tropical bar in Downtown Brooklyn. This nautical bolthole is hidden above a 19th-century chophouse and has quickly become one of my favorite places to get a drink. But these aren't just any old drinks, of course, they're tiki cocktails-and the genre is in the midst of a new golden era."

"Up until recently, my general impression of tiki had been, to put it plainly, unflattering. I've long associated the category with syrupy cocktails and cultural appropriation. And while I had enjoyed the occasional beachside Mai Tai, it wasn't until the last couple of years that I dove into the nuances of this nearly century-old tradition, emerging a convert."

"If you were in Hollywood in the early 1930s and not a teetotaler, there was a decent chance you'd have ended up at Don the Beachcomber. The legendary tiki bar (rather, the original tiki bar) was located on North McCadden Place and opened just as Prohibition came to a close. It was conceived by Donn Beach (born Ernest Gantt), who spent his teens and early twenties traveling throughout the South Seas and the Caribbean, including a brief stint rum-running."

"Beach transported mainland imbibers to these distant shores with his immersive interiors and "rhum rhapsodies" made with fresh juices and homemade syrups served in hollowed-out coconuts and pineapples. It was a resounding success, and soon enough, Don the Beachcomber was a star-studded watering hole, attracting clientele like Charlie Chap"

A tropical bar hidden above a 19th-century chophouse in Downtown Brooklyn offers tiki cocktails in a nautical, lantern-lit setting with taxidermy fish and wave sounds. The experience reflects a broader resurgence of tiki, which had previously been viewed as syrupy and culturally appropriative. Interest has grown as people explore the nearly century-old tradition in greater detail. The tradition began in Los Angeles in the early 1930s with Don the Beachcomber, created by Donn Beach (Ernest Gantt). Beach drew on travel through the South Seas and the Caribbean, including rum-running, and built immersive interiors. Drinks featured fresh juices, homemade syrups, and rum served in hollowed-out fruits like coconuts and pineapples, quickly attracting famous patrons.

Read at Vogue