Tiki-Ti is a Los Angeles classic and world famous amongst tiki aficionados. From the second it opens, the bar fills with 50+ year olds donning Hawaiian shirts and serves drinks in the kind of glassware and with an amount of alcohol that only a longtime rum haven could get away with. Add to it that the bar is surrounded by the Scientology media campus, it’s obvious why Tiki-Ti has been a rebellious favorite for locals and visitors since it first opened its doors in 1961.
Price:
$$ – It is CASH ONLY, but there is an ATM inside.
What’s the crowd like?
Filled with 50+ year olds donning Hawaiian shirts, the tiny, one room bar is packed with longtime regulars from open till close. Come weekend evenings, a line featuring twentysomethings looking to dip their toe in tiki culture streams down the block.
What am I drinking?
Tiki cocktails. Even if you don’t like tiki, ordering anything else wouldn’t make sense and no one wants you to be that guy.
Is there anything to eat?
No, unless you consider the fruit juices that cover the layers of booze to be food. Eat something before you go, or immediately after.
When should I get here?
Get there early on a hot day to experience the bar in true revelry. There’s no A/C, and just a couple of ceiling fans, which means visitors get the real feel of the tropical hut they’ve come to drink at.
Why am I here?
To drink at a legendary tiki bar and lap up a bit of LA culture you may have not known existed.