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Frankie's TIKI Room ...Las Vegas |
ikitnrev
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 27, 2002
Posts: 1298
From: D.C. / Virginia
|  Posted: 2009-01-15 1:06 pm Permalink
Another review of Frankie's, from the Las Vegas Weekly.
The article is more interesting, if you first visit the website (link below) and see the photo of Bamboo Ben (and a guy named Moss), and then find out what film clips are being shown on the TV sets.
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/blogs/nocturnal-admissions/2009/jan/14/its-loopy/
But here is the article if you absolutely need to read it this second.
Since reopening this winter after an interior overhaul that turned Frankie’s (non-descript dive) into Frankie’s Tiki Room (hipster-haven), there’s been plenty of buzz over the West Charleston bar.
We’ve heard gushing over the tropical kitsch décor complete with carved wooden heads and dried blowfish lamps – “It’s so unVegas.” – and warnings on the drink menu – apparently those skulls beneath each cocktail are potency indicators and not just artistic additions. But what caught my attention after ordering up a refreshing Lava Letch on my first visit was the video loop.
Behind the bar, which stretches the length of the main room, two video screens played an intriguing mix of footage that ranged from grainy hula dancers to surf porn to actual porn in black and white starring a sailor and what appeared to be a Polynesian hooker.
Just when things were about to get really graphic and I and other patrons were starting to gape with a general, “Wha-a…” the scene would switch. Parting grass skirt became tightly curled wave, and we returned to our cocktails muttering.
While the incomprehensible hodge-podge was more often white noise than centerpiece, the odd combination of clips certainly beat staring at Anderson Cooper (no offense, AC) or Sports Center highlights. Play on, Tiki loop.
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moondog426
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 26, 2006
Posts: 210
From: Carmichael, CA
| Posted: 2009-04-16 6:15 pm Permalink
Frankie's was everything I had hoped for. I knew I had to ''hit it''' while I was in Vegas for Viva Las Vegas. Friday morning I am outside of the Orleans Hotel having a conversation with my wife on my cell phone with my Friend from PA nearby. A cab drives by and I get him to stop. We are going to Frankie's and it's 10:00am.......hmm shouldn't be too crowded. We get there and immediately have to wait til our eyes adjust to the dim lights. What a great set-up inside Frankie's we find. We are greeted by a great bartender ''Tanya'', she must know we are FTB virgins because she takes time to explain everything to us. The menu, the mugs, the t-shirts....She had us both before our eyes readjusted.. The first drink was the bearded clam. My friend and I got our t-shirts and bearded clam mugs. The drink was good but I wanted a bit more so I went for a navy grog next. It was very good, just as I expected. Next was the ''Sea Hag''. This turned out to be my favorite of the day. My friend and I snapped photos and conversed with Tanya and the manager Scott. He was trying to get the light in a puffer fish working again. People started coming in and out of the bar. We met some great locals who told us stories of Frankie's bar before it became tiki. We loaded up the juke box and what a great tiki bar juke box it is. Someone took a lot of time and effort picking those albums and they truly help set the mood at Frankie's. We took lots of pics. (a couple are posted on ''who's going to VLV''). I had 2 more drinks, a Thurston Howell and a Mai Tai and Scott bought the whole bar a shot called ''pond scum''? I may not have the name right but I know I got the guys name right who bought them!!! I could have stayed in Frankie's all F'in day...and maybe someday I will...because that's how good it felt!!! Artsists and carvers you did an outstanding job. I can't wait to go back.
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Luckydesigns
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 15, 2002
Posts: 1893
From: Costa Mesa
| Posted: 2009-04-17 3:41 pm Permalink
Moondog, you said everything that I wanted to say... We had a very similar experience going there on the Thursday night of Viva. I could have stayed there all weekend too. The cocktails and juke box and all of the decor were just perfect! ....and I don't mind TVs in bars as long as they are playing something rad that compliments the environment. The videos were really cool surfy/ hula/ beatnik art clips. Ben and Moss did a hell of a job on that place, getting it just perfect. I can't wait to go back.
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Big Kahuna
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 11, 2007
Posts: 1908
From: SoMass
| Posted: 2009-04-17 4:25 pm Permalink
UGH! I can't wait for November!
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ZeroTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 02, 2009
Posts: 734
From: Rohnert Park, California
| Posted: 2009-04-23 3:59 pm Permalink
Just went to Frankie's...
So incredibly awesome!!! Must go back every time I go to Vegas!! Heck, I'll go to LV just to return to this place...
~Zero
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KeithH
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 15, 2009
Posts: 103
From: Portland, OR
| Posted: 2009-04-23 8:31 pm Permalink
I'll be in Vegas this Sunday and I'm going directly to Frankie's. WOOHOO!
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ZeroTiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Feb 02, 2009
Posts: 734
From: Rohnert Park, California
| Posted: 2009-04-25 8:30 pm Permalink
Also, as an aside...this place makes me unable to refrain from this...
::lying on the floor::
Bamboo Ben, I worship your craftivity! All hail the Ben!
~Z
(is craftivity even a word?)
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7198
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2009-04-27 08:21 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-04-25 20:30, ZeroTiki wrote:
Also, as an aside...this place makes me unable to refrain from this...
::lying on the floor::
Bamboo Ben, I worship your craftivity! All hail the Ben!
~Z
(is craftivity even a word?)
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Did you see the "Note" under the table?
LOL!!!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10562
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2009-04-27 6:12 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-04-25 20:30, ZeroTiki wrote:
Bamboo Ben, I worship your craftivity! All hail the Ben!
~Z
(is craftivity even a word?)
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If not, it should be invented for Ben, for he is such a crafty creative and creative craftsman -which equals craftivity! 
I bet he wrote "Tiki" in old bubble gum wads. 
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bigtikidude
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 10, 2004
Posts: 8262
From: Anaheim,Ca.
| Posted: 2009-04-27 7:25 pm Permalink
I think it says "welcome to the floor,
enjoy it while yer down here"
Jeff(bigtikidude)
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Slacks Ferret
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 02, 2003
Posts: 1174
From: Calgary
| Posted: 2009-05-02 2:37 pm Permalink
I just had the honour of enjoying a few drinks at Frankie's last Tuesday, and I have to say, it was a wonderful experience. T'was prolly the highlight of my Vegas trip. Kudos to all the artists involved.
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Bewitched By Tiki
Grand Member (2 years) 
Joined: Jan 03, 2009
Posts: 63
From: San Fernando Valley-Near the Safari Room
| Posted: 2009-05-10 7:13 pm Permalink
Quote:
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On 2009-04-23 15:59, ZeroTiki wrote:
Just went to Frankie's...
So incredibly awesome!!! Must go back every time I go to Vegas!! Heck, I'll go to LV just to return to this place...
~Zero
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So well said. I agree Zero Tiki my husband and I went in February and we would go back to LV just for a visit to Frankie's. We went both days we were there! Allison's Murky Lagoon is one of the best new drinks I have ever had it was magical! I love the sign! Anybody know the translation?
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tikihank
Member
Joined: Mar 17, 2010
Posts: 6
From: SoCal
| Posted: 2010-04-05 9:25 pm Permalink
I was in Vegas for Viva Las Vegas 13 this past weekend and made a stop into Frankie's. This happened to be my first time in a real tiki bar and the first time I bought my tiki mug with booze in it!
so i took a picture with the abiding diety
and at the car show i found more Vegas tiki
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tikigreg
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 24, 2002
Posts: 1090
From: ClubTiki
| Posted: 2010-10-19 12:13 pm Permalink
Frankie's shows up (unnamed) on CNN:
http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2010/10/19/lunchtime-poll-hangover-helpers/?hpt=Mid
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RevBambooBen
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 12, 2002
Posts: 7198
From: Huntikington Beach
| Posted: 2011-02-05 1:53 pm Permalink
Just got back from a week of routine maintenance at Frankies Tiki Room.
Installed some back bar lighting so you can now see the House Mugs,Beer, Rum and Bosko's Tikis
, etc.
More shelving for more rum and a couple of Art Lamps on Big Toe's painting
and Doug Horne's painting.
Oh.... and installed this sucka out front to the left. Some guy named Benzart it
carved back in the day for the Tropicana.......
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Custom Tropical Decor
I build Fun for you!
http://www.facebook.com/bambooben
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