Tiki Bar Review: The Golden Tiki

goldentiki_wallI was excited that another tiki bar had opened up in Vegas a year ago and was sure I’d be there soon enough – turns out I didn’t go out to Vegas at all this year except for the yearly trip I take to attend an industry conference. I made my way to Chinatown (off-strip goooood) to the unassuming entry way into The Golden Tiki. Opened in 2015, The Golden Tiki was created by Brandon Powers, formerly creative director of the Hard Rock Hotel.

The Location

As is the case with several tiki bars I have been to, The Golden Tiki is in a strip mall and pretty easy to miss. Once you get to the porthole covered door, you enter into a small cave room replete with faux rock walls and “Yo Ho, Yo Ho, a pirates life goldentiki_entryfor me” playing from the speakers. Upon entering the second door you are presented with a very long L shaped bar with plenty of seating.  Some small high tables are at one side, a few large booths and then a private back room. While it didn’t feel crowded it really was as every seat was taken.

We stood close at the bar for a little while (there isn’t much room to hover around the bar as the aisles are very small) while I figured out the reservation system. If you check online at their site, they do take reservations through an online form, and if you ask the host at the front entry, they will also try to accommodate you (which thankfully they did with us in what turned out to be a large party of 8 or so).

goldentiki_ceilingThe inside decor is really quite great. A high ceiling includes a fiber optic night time star effect that gives the whole room a fanciful charm. The lighting levels are perfect. The walls, booth, and bar are all adorned with fun tiki and Polynesian pics and props.

The Drinks

So the drinks; Lots of great ingredients and a pretty big menu. The service time was pretty long. They were quite busy, but at least once I think our order was completely lost. Even our server didn’t know what happened to it, but she was nice to bridge us over with some complementary shots. I ended up having a Mai Tai and the Navy Grog that night. Both had good flavors but were very very light on the booze. Thankfully they weren’t completely sweet. Pretty much everyone in our party that night who I polled all agreed that the drinks were light on the booze. Heavy on the juice.

Overall

goldentiki_menuThe Golden Tiki gets high marks for it’s decor and ambiance and while the drinks were not really awesome or ‘leaded’, they were still okay – and maybe it’s a good thing that they weren’t too strong, you are in Vegas after all, and this probably wasn’t going to be your first or last stop of the evening.

The Golden Tiki - Las Vegas, Nevada
  • Drink Quality
  • Ambiance / Decor
  • Service
  • Menu
  • Mai Tai Rating
3.5

Summary

Wonderfully themed but ultimately pretty weak drinks. Pu-Pu’s are available and were all quite tasty. Open 24 Hours! Make reservations if you can but ask at the door if you haven’t and maybe they can find a place for you. East off strip by about a 1 1/2 miles.

The Golden Tiki
http://www.thegoldentiki.com
3939 Spring Mountian Rd
Las Vegas NV 89102
702-741-5510

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User Review
5 (1 vote)

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2 Comments

  • Johnny Jenkins says:

    Sorry this review is way off the mark. The Golden Tiki is easily 4.5 stars if not 5. You must have went on a bad night . We’ve been several times and it’s hands down the best tiki bar in America. The drinks aren’t light on the booze we watch them jigger and each had 2 to 3 oz of alcohol. They’re just well balanced and you obviously don’t know a well balanced cocktail. This bar is leaps and bounds better than Frankie’s in Las Vegas and we sing their praises to all who listen. If you truly know Tiki than you will know The Golden Tiki is tops

    • jabadger says:

      Yes maybe an off night. The drinks were watered down and it took twenty minutes standing at a moderately crowded bar to even get someone’s attention. But I’ll give it a shot some other day. The drinks at Frankie’s aren’t the best but the atmosphere is great and the bartenders are fab.

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