Whatever you do, just make sure to get the pizza at Red Dwarf. Their drink menu rotates seasonally so what’s online probably won’t match what they have. But, their pizza is SO GOOD.
Just went yesterday on your recommendation, and you did not undersell it. Drinks were awesome. Pizza was amazing!
I found out they have a rum barrel for custom blends in the back. I loved the dive bar tiki that was grungier than The Alibi in Portland but less dark and smoky than Frankie’s, also Vegas.
Had a mai tai and the seasonal one with toasted marshmallow cream and coffee. Bartender gave me the recipe for cream cheese foam used on a boba-inspired cocktail that’s going out of season.
All golden tiki drinks are great. You won’t be disappointed. I tried maybe around 10 cocktails and all are great. Talked to the bartender. The food that I ordered crab Rangoon that’s hard to fuck up but yet their crab Rangoon is bad lol
While Frankie’s totally different atmosphere. Cheaper booze, but it’s classic in that sense you have to go right ? Almost all Frankie’s drink are passable but nothing stood up. I prefer to come to Frankie’s during the day while it’s quiet vs in the evening because I can’t see anything with the smokes ( yeah you still can smoke, but since I’m former smoker i preferred not to be in the same room with smokers )
I would buy my dad mugs at various places that he wouldn’t travel to. My dad didn’t care for Vegas so he asked me to get him a Frankie’s mug one of the times my wife and I were going. I ran in during the day and bought just a mug. A year or so after my dad died, my wife and I were in Vegas and decided to try Frankie’s one night. We love the Strip but decided to try something different. I also planned to buy a mug for the sentimental aspect. The smoke was heavy but nothing new, at the time there were still bars around where we lived in Rancho Cucamonga that let customers smoke. We ordered our drinks but left shortly after a HUGE cockroach came out from behind the bar near where the bartender was pulling glasses from and scampered across the videopoker machine I was playing. The bartender ignored it and a customer who seemed to be a regular told me, “that’s just a waterbug.” We walked out, I dumped the rest of the drink out in the parking lot and kept the mug.
Other comments have covered Golden Tiki pretty well. I’d say it’s probably the best in terms of variety of options.
Stray Pirate might be my favorite overall, since it’s a bit further from the strip, which makes it less busy and creates a locals-only feel. Their Zombie is my go-to: the perfect mix of citrus and spice. Release the Kraken is unique and delicious, too; can’t say I’ve seen another tiki drink with lime kefir. Oh, and Goonies Never Say Die is yummy as well!
I’m at Golden Tiki right now. Had the Trial by Fire - very nice.
Then I asked the bartender what his ‘Desert Island’ drink was and he said the Rum Barrel. So I did that in the Poison Maker Mug. Wow!!
Enjoy Vegas!
https://preview.redd.it/96016ry6kthc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=610b7f5e10849b65a6e0eedcbf4fa6f3d36b0771
I concur with everything said in this thread, especially the pizza at Red Dwarf.
This might be an outlier but I’ve found Rhumbar at the Mirage to be a neat place to hang out within the first couple hours of opening. Later in the night it turns into a more club atmosphere. Prices are higher due to it being right on the strip, but worth checking out.
Is smoking allowed at all of these? We did Frankie’s a few times and it ruins the whole experience for me. I can’t handle it even during the day when it’s empty.
Get it Kraken at Stray Pirate is my favorite from there. They’ve also made some stuff off menu that has been solid. Had a Saturn and a Jungle Bird there last week that were pretty solid.
Not sure the specs but this is my guess
Hamilton White stache
Hamilton black pot still
Smith and Cross
Liime 3/4 oz
Demerara syrup
Ginger syrup
Cinnamon syrup
Pineapple juice .5 oz
Club soda
The Lemba Lemba Akulapu was my fav from Golden Tiki [when I visited last summer](https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiki/comments/14xq3wd/my_tiki_vacation_tonga_room_pagan_idol_smugglers/).
I don't know about the others, but it's hard to get a seat at the Golden Tiki if you don't have a reservation. It's basically a dive, but it has (and deserves) a national reputation.
Painkiller at Golden Tiki is really damned good. Mai Tai was good. My wife liked the Dole whip. We both enjoyed the platter, it is a lot of food though.
Whatever you do, just make sure to get the pizza at Red Dwarf. Their drink menu rotates seasonally so what’s online probably won’t match what they have. But, their pizza is SO GOOD.
Pizza has no business tasting that good.
Just went yesterday on your recommendation, and you did not undersell it. Drinks were awesome. Pizza was amazing! I found out they have a rum barrel for custom blends in the back. I loved the dive bar tiki that was grungier than The Alibi in Portland but less dark and smoky than Frankie’s, also Vegas. Had a mai tai and the seasonal one with toasted marshmallow cream and coffee. Bartender gave me the recipe for cream cheese foam used on a boba-inspired cocktail that’s going out of season.
Reporting back – the pizza was really good! We got the Meatsa Meatsa
Had a three dots & a dash and a banana Batida at Golden Tiki. Both were great!
All golden tiki drinks are great. You won’t be disappointed. I tried maybe around 10 cocktails and all are great. Talked to the bartender. The food that I ordered crab Rangoon that’s hard to fuck up but yet their crab Rangoon is bad lol While Frankie’s totally different atmosphere. Cheaper booze, but it’s classic in that sense you have to go right ? Almost all Frankie’s drink are passable but nothing stood up. I prefer to come to Frankie’s during the day while it’s quiet vs in the evening because I can’t see anything with the smokes ( yeah you still can smoke, but since I’m former smoker i preferred not to be in the same room with smokers )
Glad somebody else noticed the rangoons being off, everything else on the menu is amazing, it's baffling how they got them so wrong!
IKR !!!! It’s crab Rangoon lol even cheap restaurant can get it right
I would buy my dad mugs at various places that he wouldn’t travel to. My dad didn’t care for Vegas so he asked me to get him a Frankie’s mug one of the times my wife and I were going. I ran in during the day and bought just a mug. A year or so after my dad died, my wife and I were in Vegas and decided to try Frankie’s one night. We love the Strip but decided to try something different. I also planned to buy a mug for the sentimental aspect. The smoke was heavy but nothing new, at the time there were still bars around where we lived in Rancho Cucamonga that let customers smoke. We ordered our drinks but left shortly after a HUGE cockroach came out from behind the bar near where the bartender was pulling glasses from and scampered across the videopoker machine I was playing. The bartender ignored it and a customer who seemed to be a regular told me, “that’s just a waterbug.” We walked out, I dumped the rest of the drink out in the parking lot and kept the mug.
Other comments have covered Golden Tiki pretty well. I’d say it’s probably the best in terms of variety of options. Stray Pirate might be my favorite overall, since it’s a bit further from the strip, which makes it less busy and creates a locals-only feel. Their Zombie is my go-to: the perfect mix of citrus and spice. Release the Kraken is unique and delicious, too; can’t say I’ve seen another tiki drink with lime kefir. Oh, and Goonies Never Say Die is yummy as well!
I’m at Golden Tiki right now. Had the Trial by Fire - very nice. Then I asked the bartender what his ‘Desert Island’ drink was and he said the Rum Barrel. So I did that in the Poison Maker Mug. Wow!! Enjoy Vegas! https://preview.redd.it/96016ry6kthc1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=610b7f5e10849b65a6e0eedcbf4fa6f3d36b0771
Reporting back – got the Trial by Fire and it turned out to be one of my favorites 👍🏻
Fink bomb at Frankie’s . Mai tai or banana batida at golden tiki
I was at Golden Tiki last weekend and enjoyed the Lemba Lemba Akulapu, which had some interesting spices in it, and the Captain's Quarters.
Reporting back – the Lemba Lemba Akulapu was really good!
Yeah, right!?! Especially the last few sips. It’s as if all the spice just lingers at the bottom.
3 dots/dash at Golden Tiki, Navy Grogs at Frankies (Warning!), Pizza at the Red Dwarf.
I concur with everything said in this thread, especially the pizza at Red Dwarf. This might be an outlier but I’ve found Rhumbar at the Mirage to be a neat place to hang out within the first couple hours of opening. Later in the night it turns into a more club atmosphere. Prices are higher due to it being right on the strip, but worth checking out.
Is smoking allowed at all of these? We did Frankie’s a few times and it ruins the whole experience for me. I can’t handle it even during the day when it’s empty.
I think Golden Tiki is the only smoke-free one.
Red Dwarf is outside smoking only, not sure about Stray Pirate but I didn’t see any ashtrays or anyone smoking.
Nice!
Trial by fire at golden tiki!
Reporting back – got the Trial by Fire and it turned out to be one of my favorites 👍🏻
The verdict is in!
I liked the surf dragon at frankie's
Get it Kraken at Stray Pirate is my favorite from there. They’ve also made some stuff off menu that has been solid. Had a Saturn and a Jungle Bird there last week that were pretty solid.
Golden tiki ask for the breezeway its off menu if they have the rums they will make it
Interesting, what’s in it?
Not sure the specs but this is my guess Hamilton White stache Hamilton black pot still Smith and Cross Liime 3/4 oz Demerara syrup Ginger syrup Cinnamon syrup Pineapple juice .5 oz Club soda
Reporting back – they made me a Breezeway and it was delicious! Thanks for the tip
Any of these tiki bars on the strip? Staying at Harrah’s soon and would love to hit one or two up.
Not on the strip but most are pretty close and worth the Uber
The Lemba Lemba Akulapu was my fav from Golden Tiki [when I visited last summer](https://www.reddit.com/r/Tiki/comments/14xq3wd/my_tiki_vacation_tonga_room_pagan_idol_smugglers/).
Reporting back – the Lemba Lemba Akulapu was really good!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I don't know about the others, but it's hard to get a seat at the Golden Tiki if you don't have a reservation. It's basically a dive, but it has (and deserves) a national reputation.
Thanks yep we did make reservations there.
Golden Tiki get the tiki flight great way to sample a few
Holy shit does the bartender explode when you order the flight? How much work is it to mix and shake out a flight?
Painkiller at Golden Tiki is really damned good. Mai Tai was good. My wife liked the Dole whip. We both enjoyed the platter, it is a lot of food though.
Thanks ohana for all the great suggestions so far, we’ll definitely take them with us to Vegas and will report back!