Cocktailia

Saturday we finally made it to Tiki Ti, widely regarded as the best tiki bar in Los Angeles and one of the few remaining originals.

We tried to go here once before but were foiled by a forgotten ID. It was probably just as well, one look in the door showed us the place was packed, wall-to-wall people.

This time we got there early enough that it wasn’t very crowded and we managed, after a short time, to get seats at the bar, and then eventually at a table. The drinks were a little pricey, but very good, and they had a great selection. Descriptions of the drinks on the menu would be helpful though. My favorite part was the bartender getting everyone to chant “ooga booga” whenever someone orders the drink with that name. I started with the requisite mai tai and then had an Ooga Booga just to start the chanting again. Sarai ordered a Pain Killer, which came sprinkled with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Overall, Tiki Ti lives up to its reputation, but get there early and remember to bring plenty of cash, as the bar is cash only.