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“An easy drink that you can crush.”
Cachaça · Lime · Sugar
Sweet and citrusy, served with crushed ice.
Not on the menu, but this was my go-to drink here. Read “The Space” for more. For me, this drink is super refreshing, and cachaça is the perfect blend of boozy and sweet. I don’t find it too citrusy/tart, although some people do. An easy drink that you can crush.
“An offspeed pitch, if you will.”
Reposado Tequila · Mezcal · Sake · Ube · Bergamot · Pineapple · Lime
Smoky and sweet. Classic tiki drink look.
With the time I spent at this bar, I needed a switch-up. An offspeed pitch, if you will. That’s where Tokyo Sex Whale comes into play. My go-to drink that is actually on the menu haha.
You can tell I’m not a huge rum guy, as this drink’s base is tequila & mezcal. But with the ube, pineapple, and lime, it actually drinks quite sweet and feels like a tiki-style drink. Probably a theme with tiki/fruity drinks, but you can’t really taste the alcohol.
If I had just run a few miles, I’m sure I could finish this in one go.
“One of the most popular at the bar.”
Rye · Bourbon · Coconut Liqueur · Chardonnay Syrup · Pineapple · Lemon · Chocolate Bitters
Highball with a sugar cube drenched in Stroh 80. Served on fire.
In fairness, I never ordered this drink. But it was one of the most popular at the bar, and one my friends would always get. But shoot, it’s tasty and the fire is fun.
Well, it’s fun until it’s your fourth of the night and you and the bartender both lock eyes to signal, “Hey, maybe you don’t need to do the fire this time, thanks.”
Somehow, for me, the coconut kind of overpowers the two spirits. The Chardonnay syrup is a nice touch of sweetness that is different to that typical fruity sweetness you see in nearly every tiki drink.
A crowd favorite that’s worth getting, but probably won’t be your favorite of the night.
“Soft serve in a cocktail? When in Rome.”
Cachaça · Clément Agricole · Cream of Coconut · Pineapple · Banana Soft Serve
Creamy with more cream on top.
So this is where I dipped my toes in the water. Kept with my trusty cachaça, but soft serve in a cocktail? When in Rome.
Essentially, it just gives the drink a creamy, almost milkshake texture. For my lack of appreciation of dessert drinks, this was actually quite good. I think because the ice cream is less milky and more sugary.
This drink is pretty much a fruity sorbet with cachaça. And I say that in a good way.
“Don’t mistake a 5th place ranking for a bad drink.”
White Rum · Spiced Rum · Apricot · Strawberry · Demerara
Strawberry, vanilla, warm notes. Tiki glass, of course.
Okay, so funnily enough, the one drink that uses rum ranks last in my Tiki Bar drinks. But don’t mistake a 5th place ranking for a bad drink.
My reasoning for it is that there’s a few other drinks on the menu that are very similar. So from a pure aspect of simplicity and not taste, I put it down here.
I mean, I think you can look at the ingredients and envision the taste without needing me to write about it. Tropical, spiced, fruity. Hard to get wrong.
This bar holds a very special place in my heart. There was a good chunk of time where I was here 2–3 times a week. Golden Tiki is the perfect blend of local/industry bar and tourist hotspot. Famous enough for those to get a taxi from the Strip, and revered enough for locals to visit.
It lends itself to being a go-to of hospitality workers, being that it is open 24/7. Get off shift at 2am? Pop into Tiki, it’ll be plenty lively.
As you maybe inferred by the name, this is a Tiki bar. And even as someone who rarely goes for rum, I can’t help but love this place. The atmosphere and decoration are outstanding. There’s a talking robot parrot, a clamshell for pictures, and live music on certain days of the week. I learned that Tiki bars have quite the cult fandom, and while I cannot say I’m well versed, those who are always spoke incredibly highly of Golden Tiki.
Now, while I often went for the aforementioned “Tokyo Sex Whale,” a classic Caipirinha became more synonymous with my face than my name. I’m not sure if you can consider Cachaça “Tiki,” but they had it on their back bar, and one day I decided to order it.
My bartender that night, Andrew, made an outstanding Caipirinha, being we are 6,000 miles from Brazil and for the fact he says no one ever orders them. Well—Andrew later found out that I would continue to come back, and continue to order them. So much to the point where I gained regular status and one would be awaiting me before I could say hi to every staff member. More on Andrew in the Extras.
As you can probably tell, I have countless memories in this bar. And in a city with likely more places to drink per capita than anywhere in the world, I think that says a lot. Vibrant, energetic, tasty—you cannot ask for more from a bar. And the characters you can meet here past midnight are most of the fun!
Golden Tiki is a Las Vegas staple and absolutely is a must-visit bar.
Golden Tiki is located in Chinatown, just west of the Strip. This part of town is truly the best of the best when it comes to Vegas. So if you’re taking the Uber to come try this bar, please, please, please walk around and see the places nearby.
Some recommendations—J Karaoke, The Taco Stand, ITs SUSHI, Más Por Favor, Lee’s Sandwiches, Lamaii, and Sparrow + Wolf, just to name a few.
I truly don’t think you can have a bad meal on Spring Mountain Road, and it’s such better value than on the Strip.
As for the aforementioned Andrew—this is where I get to say he absolutely rocks. Makes great drinks and can seriously play the guitar. It’s fun being a regular somewhere and having staff that enjoys seeing you come in.
Andrew always took care of me and my friends, and as such, we always took care of him. Hospitality and Food & Beverage at the end of the day is a service, but great hospitality workers create memories.
Go visit and say hi for me!
Taste reflects what I drank. Atmosphere reflects the bar experience.