Best Tiki Bars in L.A.
Picks by Elina-Shatkin
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L.A.'s oldest tiki bar -- at least as far as we know. Opened in 1958 by brothers Ace and Ed Libby, the Tonga Hut had fallen into disrepair until new owners Ana Reyes and Jeremy Fleener bought the place in November 2005. They made several renovations but retained much of the bar's original decor, including the dark wormwood walls, the kidney-shaped drop ceiling, the green leather booths and giant Tiki gods (moai). With the help of bartender and tiki artist Atomikitty (a.k.a. Suzie Mosher) and tiki drink aficionado PiPhiRho (a.k.a. Paul Rapp), they created a menu of 16 signature tiki drinks including the Midori-tinged Sum Ting Wong and the powerful Tonga Lei made with crème de banana, coconut nectar, rum and Falernum, a clove liqueur from Barbados. This tiki-themed neighborhood bar has plenty of charm and ambiance -- and a mellow clientele of hipsters, old school regulars and tiki enthusiasts.
Drink specials: 4 p.m. - 8 p.m. happy hour every weekday. $2 domestic beers. PBR in a can for $1k every Wednesday.
Picks by Elina-Shatkin
(3)
Great place for a first date, great cheap drinks, cute Tiki decor and from my experience, some of the bartenders are awesome! Their version of the "...
Charming, authentic Tiki decor, delicious (and strong) tropical drinks, ample parking, friendly bartenders... there's a lot to love about the Tonga Hut....
Despite a bad first experience here, a week later it was time to celebrate a dear friend's birthday (ilu Mindy!) and I gave the Hut a second...
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