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Politiki, Washington, D.C. (bar) |
Iolani
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Sep 30, 2003
Posts: 89 |  Posted: 2003-12-09 08:32 am Permalink
Name:Politiki, Washington, D.C.
Type:bar
Street:319 Pennsylvania Ave SE - Basement Level
City:Washington, D.C.
State:N/A
Zip:20003
country:USA
Phone:(202) 546-1001
Status: Thrown off the Pali and deceased.
*** UPDATE ***
This tiki bar is no more! It has ceased to be! It's expired and gone to meet its maker! THIS IS A LATE TIKI BAR. It's a stiff. Bereft of life, it rests in peace! It's rung down the curtain and joined the choir invisible! THIS IS AN EX-TIKI BAR!
As this thread notes, the space has been converted into a "German" bar with a sheisse theme.
They could have at least given it a good German theme. Something like "Hogan's Heroes."
END UPDATE
-60-60-60-
[ This Message was edited by: Iolani 2005-09-30 09:26 ]
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Johnny Dollar
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 01, 2003
Posts: 2916
From: Baltimore, Maryland, PNG
| Posted: 2003-12-09 08:46 am Permalink
i went to politiki about 2x in circa 1998 and the main floor was still very cool. then they changed a couple years later to the pub thing. i liked the authenticity of the main floor's decoration/ambiance while it was still tiki but moved my stomping grounds elsewhere and didn't feel compelled to go back, especially after the pub thing. last year i tried to sneak into the basement (still tiki) during day hours, and the big "tony rocky horror" dude kicked me out.
j$
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[ This Message was edited by: Johnny Dollar on 2003-12-09 08:51 ]
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Suburban Hipster
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 12, 2002
Posts: 272
From: Rockville, Maryland
| Posted: 2003-12-09 09:44 am Permalink
Quote:
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On 2003-12-09 08:32, Iolani wrote:
I've stayed away from it for years b/c I don't like Hill trash |
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Okay . . .
Well as to Politiki, they did have a very good bartender, Ted, until not too long ago who could mix excellent Tiki drinks and was receptive to Tiki generally. If he's gone for good, then there's probably nothing to recommend the place except for the decor.
[ This Message was edited by: Suburban Hipster on 2003-12-09 09:51 ]
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Iolani
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Sep 30, 2003
Posts: 89 | Posted: 2003-12-09 10:06 am Permalink
Ah, thanks for the tip. I'll have to give them a call to see if Ted still works there.
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Rattiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: May 03, 2003
Posts: 422
From: Key West, FL
| Posted: 2003-12-09 1:07 pm Permalink
Quote:
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If he's gone for good, then there's probably nothing to recommend the place except for the decor.
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Well they do have some cool president mugs to buy. http://www.topofthehill-dc.com/politiki/tikimugs.htm
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Suburban Hipster
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Aug 12, 2002
Posts: 272
From: Rockville, Maryland
| Posted: 2003-12-09 1:31 pm Permalink
^Very true. The Reagan mug is a must have. Not only is it valued at $250 by Ebay sellers, but it also has Nancy doing the hula on the back. Huba huba.
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ModMana
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Sep 05, 2002
Posts: 263
From: San Diego, CA
| Posted: 2003-12-09 3:23 pm Permalink
I've been trying unsuccessfully to buy that set of mugs for over a year now. They do not have the greatest customer service at PoliTiki. I've emailed them maybe 5 or 6 times and never gotten a reply. Finally last July I called them. They seemed only vaguely familiar with the fact that the mugs were even for sale. I mentioned the website advertisement...the person I spoke with didn't know they had a website. Then I spoke with a manager who said there was only one mug style for sale (Reagan). She said the rest might be in stock next month. I call back in September to see if they had restocked. Same runaround on the phone. The only answer I could get is that they didn't have any for sale and may never get any. Basically, they didn't know and didn't care. I've pretty much given up on them...sounds like they're going downhill in all respects.
ModMana 
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ikitnrev
Grand Member (8 years) 
Joined: Jul 27, 2002
Posts: 1298
From: D.C. / Virginia
| Posted: 2003-12-09 4:16 pm Permalink
Several of us in the DC area have met at Poli-tiki a number of times over the past year. Everytime we ask about their mugs, and every time they say they have only a few styles in stock (Reagan, FDR) It takes a small search in their storeroom for them to find what is available. I don't put much faith in them re-ordering their stock.
I was last in Poli-tiki in July. I had a couple of drinks in the basement level, which were OK. The bartender had a small stack of business-sized cards on the bar, each featured a promotional picture of a dancer from a nearby strip club. He was handing these cards to the customers, telling us we should stop by that club afterwards. He was quite proud that he knew several of the women by name.
I would have preferred it if he was more proud of the many tiki drinks that he could make from memory. Evidently good help - especially the kind with a knowledge of tiki-mixology - is hard to find.
Vern
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johntiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 31, 2002
Posts: 1525
From: MD
| Posted: 2003-12-09 10:29 pm Permalink
With the imminent demise of Honolulu in the near future it looks like you're gonna have to stay at home for authentic tiki decor and well made tiki drinks. I agree the Politiki's decor is rather nice but I've yet to have a well made drink that even begins to compare with the ones I can mix up at home. As for the mugs, I don't think we're ever going to see a new stock of them so we should probably stop holding our breath! If you really need to have one I guess you'll have to resort to $200.00 mugs on Ebay - or if anyone wants to make a trade for a Reagan and an FDR let me know 
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Turbogod
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 14, 2002
Posts: 1219 | Posted: 2003-12-09 10:42 pm Permalink
Last I heard about the mugs, they were in transit...somewhere...on a boat?! They didn't seemed all that worried that the mugs had gone a missin'. Ted will be missed, I still remember the SB the one bartender made while reading the directions from Ted's chart. It was sufferin, but I don't know what it was.
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Monkeyman
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 04, 2003
Posts: 2300
From: Vista, CA
| Posted: 2003-12-10 12:01 am Permalink
I was truly excited to see the Politiki last summer on a business trip to DC. The high point of my evening was meeting Mr. and Mrs. Suburban hipster. The Politiki appeared to have started with all the passion and care of a true tiki person. The Bosko art was plentiful, Ryden on the walls, a collection of mugs behind the bar and tropical themed decor.
Unfortunately, all the living parts of the bar were the exact opposite of Tiki. The top two floors looked more like a sports bar frat house with AC/DC playing at full volume.
It was clear the owner had a vision, but the average patron does not seem to care for it very much.
Hopefully it will turn around but it doesn't look good.
Thanks again Hipsters for a great night out.
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fatuhiva
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 634
From: Melbourne Beach, FL
| Posted: 2003-12-10 01:03 am Permalink
I have a set of four politiki mugs that i plan to put up on ebay. I like them, but as seen in a 'collecting tiki' thread i am short on room, and the mugs are a space-taker. I decided I was going to go all-vintage to save room.. since they are recent, they will go. If anyone is interested let me know ill i try to get around to posting them.
I think they are:
carter, lincoln, FDR and Nixon
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Kanaka
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jun 02, 2003
Posts: 402
From: Atlanta
| Posted: 2003-12-10 07:08 am Permalink
I need a Nixon and Lincoln!
Scotty
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mrhansell
Member
Joined: Dec 10, 2003
Posts: 5 | Posted: 2003-12-10 11:36 am Permalink
When Politiki opened, a group of us were determined to make it our new hang out. We were in awe of downstairs Tiki bar and thought the political tiki idea was pretty clever. Unfortunately, capitol hill idjits who frequent the place would have none of it. Anything that got in the way of their Miller Lite and Beastie Boys was treated with complete disrespect. We soon discovered Honolulu in Virginia, though. Mr. Chan treated us like we were his beloved, drunken children. Some of my favorite, if not fuzziest, memories of living in the DC area are from there.
[ This Message was edited by: mrhansell on 2003-12-10 11:52 ]
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Kailuageoff
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 27, 2002
Posts: 1486
From: Honolulu Lounge,Lewes, DE
| Posted: 2003-12-10 11:44 am Permalink
I've been there three times. The first time I went on a night they were closed. The second time I went too early and the downstairs tiki bar was closed, but the upstairs sports pub was open. The third time I went the tiki bar was open, but I was the only person there. The bar tender was cool and he made me a "Shark's Tooth" which was pretty good. I liked the decor, but the lack of customers seems like a major problem.
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