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Forbidden Island, Alameda, CA (bar) |
martiki
Official Mixologist
Joined: Mar 29, 2002
Posts: 3059
From: http://www.smugglerscovesf.com
|  Posted: 2006-04-19 11:33 pm Permalink
Name:Forbidden Island
Type:bar
Street:1304 Lincoln Ave
City:Alameda
State:CA
Zip:94501
country:USA
Phone:510-749-0332
Status:operational
Description:
You can describe it for yourselves after Tiki Central Night, Thursday April 20th, 2006!
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Humuhumu
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 22, 2002
Posts: 3691
From: San Francisco
| Posted: 2006-04-21 11:21 am Permalink
Pictures can't convey the best part about Forbidden Island -- the astounding drinks. The quality and variety is simply stupendous. My personal favorite is the Krakatoa, which tastes just like a Black Magic from the Mai Kai. The other favorites that I've tried so far include the Hawaii Kai Treasure, the Sidewinder's Fang, the Combover (served with souvenir comb!), and Martiki's own creation, the China Clipper.
But the pictures speak for themselves about Forbidden Island's jaw-dropping decor:
 Forbidden Island's sign, created by pariartspaul:
The interiors were crafted primarily by Bamboo Ben and Martiki:
The logo tiki was carved by Tiki Diablo:
Several decor items came from now-gone tiki places such as The Lanai in San Mateo, Pago-Pago in Tucson, and the Kahiki in Columbus. These carved posts by Keigs came from the Kahiki Moon in Burlington, Vt.:
The menu was created by Hanford Lemoore (the logo tiki drawing is by Tiki Diablo):
The swizzles have "Forbidden Island" molded into them on one side, and the tiki head is molded on both sides:
The napkin uses a logo design by Hanford Lemoore:
A couple of drinks:
Bartender Sonya, wearing a shirt with Tiki Diablo's logo tiki design embroidered by cynfulcynner:
Some of the massive selection of rum and other premium spirits:
I believe this is the first time I've been to a new tiki bar that managed to have the feel and warmth of a place that has been around for decades.
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Unga Bunga
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 06, 2003
Posts: 5857
From: CaliTikifornia
| Posted: 2006-04-21 1:27 pm Permalink
Officially now my favorite tiki bar (After Mai Kai, which goes without saying.).
Forbidden Island is a class A type flagship of what a Tiki bar should be.
You would be foolish not to pay this place a visit.
Forbidden Island, YA!
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Tangaroa
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 25, 2002
Posts: 1562 | Posted: 2006-04-21 1:35 pm Permalink
Oh.
Oh man that looks amazing!!!!!!!!
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thejab
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2987
From: Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-21 2:09 pm Permalink
Finally there is a new tiki bar that does everything perfectly, as I would like to believe it was like going to Don the Beachcomber's in the past. Other new tiki bars have opened (and closed) that have great decor, good drinks, and nice atmosphere. But never to the extent that Martiki, Mike, and Mano have done with Forbidden Island. Three cheers to you three, and cheers also to Bamboo Ben, Tiki Diablo, Hanford, bartenders Sonya and Jim, and waitress Thayer! You outdid yourselves. I am excited to have such a bar exist anywhere, let alone so close to me.
Last night I had the following drinks: Forbidden Island, Captain's Grog, Sidewinder's Fang, Krakatoa, and Monkeyman's Monkeypod. All were outstanding. I also tasted someone's China Clipper and loved it as well.
Sheer perfection.
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the drunken hat
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Dec 20, 2003
Posts: 331
From: Modesto, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-21 2:29 pm Permalink
WOW! first i would like to congratulate everyone who worked on the place! you all did a fantastic job on it! this is by far the coolest tikibar i have ever been to! the decor totally blew me away. especially when you realize that these guys and gals only had 6 weeks to complete it! all the little details make FI soooo cozy and inviting!
drinks were top notch as you would expect from such talented staff and management. i think i sampled about half of the menu and all of them were exceptional!
thanks to martin, rebecca, mike, denise, mano and the rest of the staff for all of your hospitality.
i have a feeling that we will be making the drive to FI on a regular basis!
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Chongolio
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 02, 2002
Posts: 2765
From: The Coast of Kauai
| Posted: 2006-04-21 10:12 pm Permalink
The Forbidden Island is so amazing you will not want to leave. Martiki, Conga Mike and Mano are so in tune with what it takes to create the perfect tiki bar and they (and all the friends that helped out) have nailed it perfectly and still have kept it totally unique and all their own. Anybody who digs tiki and is in a 100 mile radius and doesn't make the effort to check out the Forbidden Island is just being plain old dumb.
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tikivixen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 28, 2002
Posts: 724
From: Vallejo CA
| Posted: 2006-04-22 08:48 am Permalink
What they said!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Seriously, my sacred trinity of tiki bars is now Forbidden Island, the Mai Kai, and the Alibi.
And FINALLY, FINALLY, one of my all-time favorites is within driving distance!!! I couldn't be happier about this place. From the incredibly intricate, fascinating decor to the brilliant drinks to the awesomely vintage chic cocktail server (go Thayer!!!), everything is spot-on perfect. Three of my favorite things apart from the obvious:
1. The dim, aka "kind" lighting. Thank you. Nobody wants a bright light in the face after six Painkillers. Nobody.
2. The amazing jukebox, thank you so much Jab and Conga Paul! I wish you guys could "do" jukes for a living. The world would be a better place...no wars, no plagues, no heartbreak of psoriasis...if only Paul and Jab were in charge of the soundtrack.
3. The atmosphere. Critiki calls this "tilt" and that's a good term, and in this case I'm not just referring to "tikiness". My theory is that because FI (in its former incarnation as the charmingly divey "Lincoln's Address") already has a good thirty-plus years of vintage neighborhood bar goodness under its belt, it just doesn't have that shallow, trendy, uninteresting "new" feel to it. There's character and history here and you can feel it.
What makes me happiest of all is that this lounge can clearly succeed EQUALLY with vintage tiki bar lovers, serious drinkin' folk and the public at large. (I still think the locals are gonna talk you guys into vodka tonics at six a.m. yet... ) Plus the fact that it's situated in a comfortable Alameda neighborhood is likely to both keep the frat-boy jerks away AND really bring in the more sophisticated crowd that will totally appreciate Forbidden Island on all levels.
Not to mention, there's a great late-night Mexican place just minutes away AND ample, safe parking.
Did anyone mention the nifty outdoor patio yet?!? Well, I just did. 
This is my local tiki bar dream (going back ten years and more) come true and I thank Martiki, Mike and Mano from the bottom of my heart! You guys are the BEST.
XOX tikivixen
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thejab
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2987
From: Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-22 10:03 am Permalink
The drink menu is online! Dig it:
http://www.forbiddenislandalameda.com/fi/menu
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dangergirl299
Grand Member (first year)
Joined: Feb 18, 2003
Posts: 893
From: Bay Area
| Posted: 2006-04-22 2:15 pm Permalink
Is the patio cigar friendly?
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kick_the_reverb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2002
Posts: 573
From: Originally Israel, now Oceanside, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-22 8:48 pm Permalink
The pics look amazing, No I gotta work on making the long distance transporter work so I can materialize there at will...at least I'm honored to be there in spirit (get it? thank you, I'm here all week).
Ran
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martiki
Official Mixologist
Joined: Mar 29, 2002
Posts: 3059
From: http://www.smugglerscovesf.com
| Posted: 2006-04-23 12:54 pm Permalink
Grand Opening April 22, 2006:
Tiki Central Drinks Sold:
Monkeypod: 12
Combover: 9
The race is on!
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kick_the_reverb
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 17, 2002
Posts: 573
From: Originally Israel, now Oceanside, CA
| Posted: 2006-04-24 09:07 am Permalink
Hey hey, no fair...you should've put the Reverb Crash on there if you wanted a popularity contest
Ran
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sweetpea
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jan 14, 2003
Posts: 883
From: Seattle
| Posted: 2006-04-25 09:24 am Permalink
Thanks for posting the drink menu!
I'd like one of everything!!!
wheeeeee
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tikiboy
Tiki Centralite
Joined: May 11, 2002
Posts: 77
From: Brentwood CA
| Posted: 2006-04-25 10:25 pm Permalink
Aloha Crew of the Forbidden Island,
Tikiboy and Kathy couldn't believe our own eyes when we walked in on Thursday night. How you got it all together in 54 days is amazing. Kudos to you all. We tried the Missionary's Downfall and then she had a Forbidden Island and I had the Monkeypod. Next time were going to try the Fugu for two. By the way, is the Mystery Bowl served by the Mystery Girl ala The Kahiki?
See you all tomorrow night.
Mele Forbidden Island,
Tikiboy
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