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Chicago Tiki |
kongtiki
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Apr 26, 2002
Posts: 68
From: Chicago
|  Posted: 2002-09-05 1:18 pm Permalink
Trying to wrap up a few of these loose ends:
-- a Labor Day trip to HK would suggest those are not the Fu's you're looking for...
-- travel to HK is best accomplished via a private sedan/driver deal or getting a friendly native with a car (like me) to haul you out there (that's a hell of a walk from the Blue Line, even sober on the best day of summer...)
-- Volcano Beach Mini Golf just north of Rockford on I-90 is probably a stop for only the most dedicated explorer. The logo is nice, though, and the "pink water" volcano is a cute effort...
-- not sure which polynesian resort in the Dells Dane is talking about, but if ever there was a town that could probably benefit from and support some real tiki flavor instead of the smattering of stuff that's there now, it's the Dells...drop it in on the river next to Robot World and it would really class up the place...
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DaneTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 29, 2002
Posts: 113
From: Minneapolis, MN
| Posted: 2002-09-05 2:02 pm Permalink
[ This Message was edited by: DaneTiki 2009-08-30 19:31 ]
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2002-09-23 01:29 am Permalink
(ancient and now innacurate post deleted)
[ This Message was edited by: tikibars 2005-11-30 14:29 ]
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martiki
Official Mixologist
Joined: Mar 29, 2002
Posts: 3056
From: http://www.smugglerscovesf.com
| Posted: 2002-09-23 4:49 pm Permalink
Far be it from me to contradict JT, but the Hala was selling plenty of mugs in the gift shop when I was there last month. I even bought one. It's just that none of the mugs are branded or marked Hala Kahiki or unique in any way. They have Fu's, bamboos, skulls, buddas, volcano bowls, and a few others. All about 7 or 8 bucks. Our scorpion was served in a volcano bowl, but all the others were in plain glass.
-martin
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tikibars
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2002
Posts: 2014
From: Aku Hall, Chicago
| Posted: 2002-09-23 9:03 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2002-09-23 16:49, martiki6 wrote:
Far be it from me to contradict JT, but the Hala was selling plenty of mugs in the gift shop when I was there last month. I even bought one. It's just that none of the mugs are branded or marked Hala Kahiki or unique in any way. They have Fu's, bamboos, skulls, buddas, volcano bowls, and a few others. All about 7 or 8 bucks. Our scorpion was served in a volcano bowl, but all the others were in plain glass.
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Right. I wasn't clear on that. They do sell mugs in the gift shop, and in the quantity and variety you describe (but none are marked "Hala Kahiki" as you noticed). What I meant was that they don't serve very many of their 95 drinks in Tiki mugs (I think one or two come in bamboo shoot mugs, and possibly a Fu Manchu, and of course the Scorppion bowls are sued). But, given that they have mugs for sale in the gift shop, they COULD serve drinks in the mugs, and charge a bit extra to keep the mug, just as you would expect, but they don't do that. I guess too many people stole the Orchids mugs they used to use, so they stopped using Tiki Mugs altogether. But since they sell 'em in the gift shop, why not use 'em in the bar, and just charge extra for the drink...? They just don't. It is a mystery.
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Kailuageoff
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 27, 2002
Posts: 1486
From: Honolulu Lounge,Lewes, DE
| Posted: 2002-10-13 08:17 am Permalink
I'm headed to Chicago this evening and hope to get to Vics on Monday night and Hala Kahiki on Tuesday night. (I'll be doing taxi's.) Right now, I'm torn between rushing to my hotel (the McCormick Hyatt) for the Gleason movie tonight, or nosing around the O'Hare Marriott when I arrive to try and sneak a peek at the old Kona Kai. If anyone wants to meet up on Monday or Tuesday, send and e-mail with a phone number. I'll probably be able to get to Vic's and Hala Kahiki around 7:30 - 8 pm both nights.
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Kailuageoff
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 27, 2002
Posts: 1486
From: Honolulu Lounge,Lewes, DE
| Posted: 2002-10-14 10:56 pm Permalink
Call me easily amused, or get strident and indignent and call me a tiki whore..., but I had a great time at Trader Vic's in Chicago tonight! Yes, I'm kinda of rum influenced right now -- but let me issue this warning -- Do not be put off by the the sour expericiences of others when searching out tiki temples. I was not expecting much at Chicago Vic's after Swen wrote about their denuding the place of vintage light fixtures, and JT wrote about the uptight crowd he encounterd there -- but everything about my visit tonight was primo braddah's and sista's. I got out of the cab and there to greet me on the sidewalk of the Palmer House Hilton was a five foot moai channeling all kinds of tiki aloha and mana into my already primed brain. I went downstairs and a perfectly delightful wahine greeted me with a warm smile and asked if I was there for drinks or dinner. Of course I said, "both and pictures" and she looked at me knowingly and ushered me to a booth by the bar. The Trader's hut was inhabited, but not crowded so I scaned the vintage menu, ordered a Somaon Fog Cutter and then started ambling around looking at the tikis, the prints of Captain Cook, the giant clam shells, the prints of Gaugain paintings, the Luau room, and the mugs and the incredible carving on the ceiling beams, the outriggers and the tikis and (did I mention the shelf full of the mugs), and the framed Trader Quotes and the trader advertising, and the stuff for sale like mugs, ash trays, shirts, caps and drink mixs. Oh yeah, and the Trader Vic's dishes that were set on all of the tables with Trader Vics coasters and napkins. (Geez, we got short-changed in Atlanta Guys -- where the hell was all this stuff Hukilau guys????)
Anyway, I consumed my very potent fog cutter and ordered a Menehuni Juice (Monday night special) and then devoured a Maui pork chop that was cooked in the Chinese ovens and was freakin, mouthwatering delicious -- and then called my lovely serving girl back for a flaming coffee grog -- which I blew out too soon and caused a 151 oil slick on, so that I defeated my caffine injection strategy and got really smashed. Meanwhile, the manager kept bringing stuff over to my table in brown paper sacks that I wanted -- drink mixs, an ash tray, a long-sleeved tee -- and I was throwing napkins and coasters in the sack -- geez, what was this going to cost anyway? Regardless, the price was worth every penny, except the fu$#in film, which was $9 in the hotel gift shop. But, who cares because I asked the sweet thing at the desk if I could possibly buy one of their delightful drink menus, and she said, "no, but I wiil give you one." And, when I tried to give her ten bucks for it anyway, she absolutely refused like she wanted me to take her home instead. So there! Chicago Vics can be nirvana if you have the right mana, bring a pleasant demeanor and exude charm that comes standard with a Visa gold card!
And, I haven't even hit the Hala Kahiki yet. Okay, It's time to pass out now. I have to work a gadam trade show in the morning. dam.
[ This Message was edited by: kailuageoff on 2002-10-14 23:31 ]
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midnite
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 1230
From: 37? 47' N, 122? 26' W
| Posted: 2002-10-14 11:45 pm Permalink
KG,
Chicago TV's is a blast, an outright Tiki gem in my opinion. Went in May...unable to get to Hala Kahiki, but made my presecene and Amex card known at TV's every night I was in town. I was there for $4 Zombie night and then the following night for $4 Mai-Tais, and a couple of other nights too, but those are a haze. Anything is a haze after $4 Zombies.
Glad you enjoyed yourself. I bet you have an equally great time at Hala Kahiki.
Jealous in SF, but the Giants are Series bound!
midnite
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mrsmiley
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 3154
From: Las Vegas, NV
| Posted: 2002-10-15 7:21 pm Permalink
Glad you had a great time! It does go to show that individual's experiences can vary. All one needs is a crappy bartender, waitress/waiter or a combination and it is easy to say "Hey this place sucks!"and then you tell your friends and Tiki Central folks about your awful experience.
If the place has good bones and,ESPECIALLY,
if the Tiki establishment has been around awhile,I say by a means take a chance and check it out on your own. It may be the best place YOU(the generic you) have ever been to. A perfect establishment never has an off night in terms of the customers experience, but a great establishment can have a crappy night every now and then and maybe you will be there when the place is top-notch.
Of course if 50 or more different people keep saying things like "the music at Taboo Cove Sucks", there is a good chance that more often than not it does-but, then again, some Tiki-Centralite was there not too long ago and I think he said they were actually playing some good music.
Live a little-take a chance if it won't put you out too much. Time for me too shut up-I hope I made some sense.
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Kailuageoff
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 27, 2002
Posts: 1486
From: Honolulu Lounge,Lewes, DE
| Posted: 2002-10-15 10:29 pm Permalink
Everything previously said about Hala Kahiki is correct. AAA+++ and on a level approaching the Mai -Kai, and a bit better than the Alibi. Also, I think I told some people awhile ago that I would not be interested in going to Chicago for a tiki weekend, but after my experiences this week I have to correct myself and admit that Chicago would be a wonderful place for a tiki weekend. (BigBro: Roy the bartender told me all about your 12 hour photo shoot and wanted know when the book would be available.)
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thejab
Grand Member (first year) 
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 2986
From: Tradewinds Apartments, Alameda, CA
| Posted: 2002-10-16 12:58 pm Permalink
I especially liked Kailuageoff's drunken reviews!
I think Trader Vic's in general has improved greatly in quality of drinks, food, and even in service over the last year or 2. I have noticed it in Emeryville, and on my visit to Bev. Hills I had no problems with the service and the drinks and food were the best I ever had at Vic's (beating Emeryville hands down). Weirdunc told me that he has never had a young, inexperienced bartender at the Bev. Hills location, which may explain why their drinks are so consistently good.
I don't know how they did it but I applaud them!
_________________
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