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Tue-Thu. 5:00 p.m. - 12:00 a.m.
Fri-Sat. 5:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.
Sun. 3:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.
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I LOVE LOVE LOOOVVVE THIS PLACE. I've been coming here for years and it always has been consistently awesome.
Try the Chamborlada (pina colada with black raspberry chambord). It's my favorite and I highly recommend it. If you're with a group of friends, skip the Scorpion Bowl and get the Volcano Bowl... it's so much more cooler!
The decor is authentic, the drinks are strong yet tasty, and the vibe is clearly unpretentious. No worries about sleazeballs hitting on you, drinks spilling on you, long lines for the restroom... this place is all good, clean fun!
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Jonesin' for a Polynesian getaway but light on the lizard skins? Check out Forbidden Island. You can work up a half-decent buzz here for slightly less than the cost of a one way ticket to Pago Pago.
Problem solved.
You owe me one, baby.
This authentic Tiki paradise wins four stars for service, cocktails and attitude since my visit was on a hot and sunny Sunday afternoon for a Tiki Sale (and not actually for dining).
The day was perfect for this event, and it was a great time. Everyone waited patiently outside and we all descended at 2pm on the nose. The entire crowd was dressed in island garb, which was a total hoot! The booths offered honest to goodness Tiki decor, clothing, art, etc...... An abbreviated drink menu provided more than enough served up by happy, attentive bartenders- and there was a taco truck if you wanted a "base" before imbibing.
Loved this place, and will definitely be back soon. An island paradise in the middle of Oakland. Go figure.
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Two words: SCORPION BOWL.
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The third stop on my official worldwide tiki bar tour. Tiki Lounge {greater than} Conga Lounge {greater than} Tonga Room, for all x {g.t.e.t} 3. (Maybe the reason why the latter closed...is closing?...is staying open?)
Features an intimate setting appropriate for bringing a polynesian prince(ss), although the back patio could use a little bit of work (having a prius stare me down from the rear parking lot kinda kills the whole island vibe).
Monkeypod had a nice tangy kick, but was strong enough for me to start having sexy-time thoughts about that prius...
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I've been a fan since the night it opened. Forbidden Island is a serious tiki lounge for serious tiki lounge lizards. The owners know exactly what is required and made the place without compromise.
While some of my fellow Yelpers have complained about the prices, I think they costs need to be put in perspective. Sure, the drink may cost you $10+. For a G&T at a typical bar, that would be high. What you're getting instead is a carefully made drink with top shelf liquor and fresh squeezed juices. The drinks are also generally pretty large. If you're looking for the hardest drunk for your money, go get the Zombie. After three of those, you'll be passed out in a booth.
The appetizers are kinda blah. I really wish they were better, but they're not too pricey, they taste far better after a round of drinks, and there's something quite authentic about their mediocrity. They just taste like you'd expect them to for a tiki joint in the early Sixties.
For serious tiki, you can't do better than Forbidden Island.
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I awoke the next morning to a serious headache that called for two Alieve. Do you know what that means? It means I had a great effen time and woke up with the umbrella toothpicks in my hair and a lei to prove it. I recall several sips of a Mystery Bowl, an Island Mai Tai, a Macadamia Nut Chi Chi (I love to say chi chi...wonder why...) and something blue. Bright blue...like the ocean but not salty. Sweet. and yummy and...
Although not my favorite Tiki Bar, it is quite wonderful. A great place to meet some friends and have a drink or 6. Too bad you can't be out back late due to the neighbors. They have a really great patio that has some potential that will never be explored due to the silly neighbors. They also have this huge puffer fish hanging from the ceiling. Awesomeness. Pure awesomeness...I recommend any drink that has 3 bottles next to it. Trust me.
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Cool spot for some tiki vibes in Alameda. Came for some drinks on a Friday night. It was kinda packed but found 2 last seats at the bar. score! Ordered a mango daquiri. Took awhile because they were busy. I was getting jealous of my friend who had almost finished his first beer. Plus I was thirsty. The bartenders apologized for the wait, but it was all good.
Ordered some sweet potato fries and coconut shrimp to accompany the fruity alcohol I was consuming. The coconut shrimp was delish. Very coconutty. It had some sweet & sour sauce packets to go along with it. The fries were tasty as well.
Loved the overall vibe of the place, the diversity of patrons (customers, not tequila) and it looked like it gets packed in waves. When we got there it was packed, then it died down, then it got packed again. I hear there was a back part to this place, but didn't get past the bar area.
Wouldn't mind coming back for some eats and a scorpion bowl :)
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Mystery Bowls are the work of Satan. I didn't think I drank that much, but yesterday I was not in the fun place. Ordering something that is at the bartender's whim is not a good idea.
Other than that- great place for a DYL...when the fryer doesn't go on the fritz.
Or happy hour doesn't end five minutes before it's supposed to. (this is the problem with cell phones, we can check the EXACT time)- so if your "computers" can't ring up happy hour drinks at 6:55, that's a problem.
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And so begins how Pam B. came to be...
I believe in reincarnation. I often think that I experience…
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Dog Friendly - 5 stars
Food & Drinks - 3 stars
Yes - their patio is pet friendly! When we went there was a huge great dane on the patio and nobody minded. The challenge is, of course, finding patio seating as this place is packed.
For a fun night out with friends - start with dinner at Trader Vic's then hit Forbidden Island and other East Bay Tiki Bars http://ow.ly/qpoh
Drinks are pricy but this isn't a place to come everynight anyway. All food is fried - if they can't make it in a Big Daddy fryer than it must not be on the menu.
I vote with everyone else - the Bananamamacow drink is awesome!
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FI, you BOWLED me over!
It's hard to believe I've lived a block away from the Tiki Lounge for over a year and have only been twice. My visits will surely become more frequent after our Friday night "super bowl" adventure.
The ambiance here can be raucous or relaxed. The people are so chill and accommodating. Everyone is just so freakin' NICE. (I find this in most parts of my little island community, so yay.) The music, décor, and stiff drinks will whisk you away to paradise. I love that FI is in such a non-descript location and has this cult-like following.
After looking over the menu, we decided we had to heat up our evening. The waitress brought out a flaming volcano bowl (large scorpion bowl - I reco the scorpion flavor over the "mystery bowl", but both were yumMAY) and some two-foot straws. We wondered if we could get them any longer. That's what she said. We decided to engineer our way to some super-duper-extendo versions and ended up making these 16-foot megastraws that reached halfway across the room. I was nervous that we would annoy other customers or get kicked out, but we got the complete opposite reaction! The patrons loved it. They were taking photos, encouraging us, and assisting on the long reaches. The waitress laughed the whole time and helped hold drinks at a distance. I think we probably sold three or four more scorpion bowls for the bar that night (and one more for ourselves).
I have to assume that they use some sort of magic rum because after all that alcohol and sweetness, I was dreading the Saturday wake up. Incredibly, it was hangover-free!
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Went there after open scrimmage for a lil' birthday get together.
Brought 8-10 smelly, sweaty derby girls & cupcakes.
Got asked if we were in a 'girl gang'. Whoa, an opportunity to educate more people about all-female flat track roller derby = awesome.
Met a dude...a big, drunk dude. I dunno his name. He was entranced by the cupcakes. He very politely asked if he could have one. He told us his little 'cupcake discovery' story':
"I always steered clear of cupcakes, because I thought they were kinda gay. A few months ago, I finally broke down and tried one for the first time. They're AWESOME. Now, I'm obsessed and I love them, they are my secret guilty pleasure.".
Of course we gave him one. And gave some to the staff. Who reciprocated by giving us free shots. Hooray!
Love this spot, wish it were more convenient to me, cuz I'm transportationally challenged.
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Anyone who has given a bad review for this establishment obviously isn't a regular...and probably isn't a regular at many establishments. Every establishment has its up days and down days. Anyone who's a regular here KNOWS that the down days are so rare as to be imminently forgetful. My wife and I LOVE this place. It is our favorite watering hole bar none. I've had some nights where the staff are so overwhelmed with the press of humity that they can't get to our drinks as quickly as we'd have liked, but assuredly when those drinks arrived they were worth the wait.
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Oh how I love sundays with my Man (well except for the fact that the next day is Monday). Especially, when we can escape to make a believe in stereotypical paradise (drink umbrellas and all).
We went to this place on a Sunday afternoon and there was a nice crowd, cute band led by a goth-y ukalale playing lady ,and the one and only Sunday Special the Scorpion (see local pic).
The Scorpian is a stiff tiki-licious bowl with a flame in the middle and some long straws for sharing. The drinks here are stiff and fit for fun. The seating is limited so we had to hawk our way into a seat. Our drinks were great and the vibe was fun. I would definately recommend this spot.
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This place was a hidden gem :)
Down in the streets of Alameda on a cold bay night~ it was SO much fun to get wasted here:)! The service is great, never had to wait for a drink, AND the drinks were strong--prices were a little high but I thought they were worth it. Only thing is it's kinda out there... in the dark... didn't seem like there were too many ways to get to and back from the place without a car hence the wasted may not be doable without a trusty dd.
I had some girly looking coconutty drink that came in some huge round glass that was so wonderful and appetizing the first time around (very sweet) that 4 guys in our group ended up ordering it too (gave them shit the rest of the night) but after sharing the equivalent of 2 of those, the rest got passed around until they melted and you could see the layers of alcohol and cocktail mix separate. I would recommend 1 or 2 of those in your group of people, but no more. Too much sweet!
I also had another drink that was pretty lethal-- I think it was called the Hurricane (not Zombie, sorry)-- very very strong~ with a little broken up drink umbrella in it! Thumbs up! It became a race for me and a girlfriend to be the first to chug it.
Some guys had this "combover" drink that was very creative, it had a comb in it! Pretty sure they liked it... either that or they don't remember-- which is good,--right?
Anyway, the decor inside was great, very tiki-esque! Pretty full on a Friday night ~ 10pm. It was fun, and I'm sure i'll find my way back somehow!
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The drinks are excellent. My cocktail bias is strongly Paul Harrington-infulenced classic cocktail revival purist: primary booze, secondary booze, mixer (usually fresh squeezed citrus), accent. This place is opening my palate to sublime drinks with more than four ingredients.
The Monkey Pod, a sublime concoction of rum, coconut, lime, and *tamarind* and mint gets my vote for inclusion in the canon of classic cocktails. (I'm a sucker for tamarind.)
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I've only been here since it was the Tikki Lounge...used to be Lincolns Address. I've heard great stories of that dive. Guess the owner fixed it up real nice. The interior is an awesome place, great decor, VERY strong drinks. Make sure you've had a full belly or take notice of your drinks because they will definitely sneak up on you.
Only thing I don't like about the place is that it's always stuffy and I tend to get really sleepy within 15-20 minutes. Great jukebox selection!
This review is long overdue. Went here with a few friends for drinks on the weekend.
The lady serving our table was fantastic and very patient. Drinks were great and got the job done. We had a great time.
The only negative thing was some of the patrons. There was this loud-ass group of people participating in various forms of debauchery. I mean really...how many times can you motorboat someone? Even if that girl does have really fantastic breasts. I think I even say some nipple.
Just kidding...of course. That was the best part of the whole night!
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Forbidden Island deserves a 3.75 in my book but since I can't do partial stars I just rounded up =P.
I love the decor and atmosphere of this bar - it makes you feel like you're on vacation! The menu is extensive with all the tropical drinks and the cute decorations and glasses they come in. They also had my friend's favorite beer on tap - Primo! If you're at the bar make sure to look up to see all the signed dollar bills pinned to the ceiling with those drink umbrellas! I also appreciate that the menu has little symbols to tell you how strong each drink is - it factors into the decision making! I tried the Sidewinder's Fang (lime, orange, passionfruit, and rum) - it was very yummy!!! The second drink I had was the Combover which was really strong (passionfruit, guava, and rum?? - all i tasted was alcohol)... Order it and you'll get a souvenier to take home!
Service is great and everyone was very friendly and helpful.
The only thing I didn't like about this place were that I thought some of the prices were a bit high - yes you're paying for the ambiance and the atmosphere - but it's the kind of place I wouldn't go very often because of the prices... Don't order food here either - it's definately a rip off. It was $5 for 15 measly french fries.. How could you do that to me??? Of all people!
Oh also be careful when opening the door to the restroom, my finger got caught in the door pull.
Will I be back? If someone else invites me =D.
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I REALLY liked this place :) The interior is nicely decorated to give you that island-y flavor and it really made me feel like I was on vacation ... def not Alameda..
Stiff drinks! Quirky names and tasty ingredients make ordering drinks entertaining :) Suffering Bastard?? Combover?? It comes with those combs your mom used to use on you when she tied your hair so tight back that you had a permanent smile/face lift all day. If u want to sip and enjoy your drink.. I highly recommend:
Chamborlada
A classic piña colada with a float of luxurious black raspberry Chambord. (comes in a hyuuuge goblet!!)
Any of their daiquiri's..! I had a guava one .. light, flavorful, refreshing, and a creepster. BOOM boom BOOM!
The french fries aren't worth it.. $5 for an XS serving of dinky fries. *cry... fail.
Great place to chill and/or get smashed.
UPDATE: 8/28/2009 - don't underestimate the mystery bowl... zomg my head was spinning the next morning. THE DRINKS ARE MONSTER CREEPERS.
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How did I manage to live in Alameda and miss this gem? Finally a friend took me last night and it was awesome. Great atmosphere, super drinks and the most extensive selection of top-shelf rums I've ever seen. Nice and casual and very experienced staff. Make sure to try some of the specialty cocktails.
Definitely going to be on my list for future outtings.
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Holy shit!
Pardon my French, but this place simply rocks. It is neither hipster, nor oldster, not annoying, nor overpriced. We rolled up to a primo parking place and observed a ripe old cougar outside on the prowl, a couple biker dudes walking in off their hogs, some pseudo-emo-ites puffing cloves against the door---everyone smiling! This place was diverse but seemed to make all types happy.
We sidled up to the bar and was immediately greeted and our orders taken amidst the chaos. Reasonably-priced and uber-exotic drinks, all served with a healthy dose of kitsch (ie, a plastic comb in the 'Combover' drink LOL!). You marvel at the dollar bills spackling the ceiling: "Why does no one take them? Who puts them there?" These questions seem less puzzling after a couple 'Nui nui" or 'zombies.'
Alameda in general is frozen in the 1950s, but this embodies the nostalgic kitsch of the area. Somehow the wholesomeness is not posturing. The drinks are delicious and stiff, the staff dressed in poufy black and white sundresses and red lipstick, the jukebox varies between Hawaiian ukulele, cowboy ballads, and minimalist electronica, and some of the drinks are on fire.
This place seems almost straight out of a David Lynch movie- wholesome and bizarre at the same time. If a midget starts speaking to you backwards, check that its not actually the Zombie you're drinking thats fuzzin' ya.
Nui nui HIGHLY rec'd.
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LOVE ITTTTT!
my favourite drink is the banana mamacow.
i only live a few blocks from here and do my laundry next door. i don't drink much, but when i do, i do it here.
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So, I just decided to spend the first part of my weekend getting a serious island vibe going. Considering I live on an island, lived in Hawaii, and love my island living, I don't come here enough.
The drinks are strong, so before you get sticker shock ($8 mixed drinks), they are not watered down.
They also have some finger food, which goes awesome with some of the drop to your knees drinks.
The decor is legit tiki lounge. TV plays Hawaii Five-0, Fantasy Island, and island-themed movies. Graffiti-laden currency and drink umbrellas adorn the ceiling. In this economy, it was nice to see that people weren't trying to stuff these in their wallets on the way out.
Staff is very friendly, and you don't way long for your drinks. It does take a little bit longer for your food, but worth it.
There isn't much parking out back, and street parking is a little cramped, but considering the strength of the drinks... pack as many of your friends in one car (or better yet, stop by my place as I'm a reasonable walk away).
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We recently booked a private party for my husband's 40th birthday. We got the place to ourselves for 3 hours (sunday afternoon) and 2 bartenders to serve, all included in the rental rate. They let us bring our own food (though they did provide menus of local caterers) and our own music (an iPod). They did ask for a minimum bar tab (which we exceeded in the first 2 hours). The rate was incredibly reasonable and our guests all said that it was a great place for a party and some will probably book there soon.
We had a fantastic time! The bartender was friendly, took care of special requests and the birthday boy didn't have to lift a finger. The drinks are fantastic, decorative and potent!
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Finally a lounge, bar, whatever that doesn't take itself so seriously it borders on pretentious. Forbidden Island is a place that isn't afraid to be honest with itself--it does kitschy tiki and it does it well. The bartenders are sweet and laid back as hell.
I've been here a few times and I haven't had a drink I didn't like. Anything off the menu is sure to tantalize your taste buds...and get ya crunk.
Aye, pass the grog!
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Alameda? Bar? Does such a thing exist?
Yes - at Forbidden Island!! The decor is definitely appropriate and although seems overkill when you first walk in but grows on you as the night goes on. The drinks are crazy strong and very unique - no skimping here! The drink menu has symbols denoting exactly what you should expect and the Hurricane and the Combover that we ordered were certainly up there in potency and decorative creativity. The pina colada was also served in this giant glass and very yum.
All in all a great time at an unexpected location. Recommended!!
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Scorpion Bowl Sundays.
$15 each bowl of alcohol with a large flame burning from the center of the bowl.
Can't really remember much more than that.
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Anyone who rates this place less than 5 does not know anything about Tiki Bars, rum, or neighborhood bars.
This is the best NEW Tiki bar in the entire U.S. and it also has maintained the ability to be a cozy neighborhood bar.
Of course if you go at peak hours on a Thursday, Friday, or Saturday it will be packed and you will have to wait a while for a drink. Ever been to a cool bar in San Francisco? Same problem. The reason you have to wait for your drinks here is because they are perfectly mixed, measured precisely to ensure the proper mix, blended/stirred/shaken properly, garnished properly.
Always fresh, always fun, always friendly.
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I don't drink much these days as it just doesn't agree with me. I also don't attend Yelp events as some Yelpers just don't agree with me. So what was I doing at a bar with a bunch of Yelpers, you ask?? There is a group of psychotic, crazy-fun people on this site, and I was fortunate enough to be included in this night of umbrella drinks and frivolity. Why, I wondered, would they want me there? After all, I'm not psychotic!!
After flying down Lincoln at a whirlwind speed of 25 mph, I passed right by this hidden gem in the unique city of Alameda. The bar is tucked into a residential area and if you're not looking closely, you'll "fly" right by it, too.
We gathered around the table and the drinking began. Sparkely had part of a Mojito and then switched to water for the duration. Our server was a great sport! After getting 'Ting-ed' by one from the group (bad boy!!) she had to endure the best of the wholesomeness exhibited by two lovely gals at the table (bad girls!). I met some great psychotics that night for the first time (it won't be the last), saw more boob than I have in years, and had a lot of fun with the Crue.
Some of those invited could not attend and they were missed!! Just as I was about to cry a river in my glass of water...the atmosphere changed...my heart began to pound...Suddenly, I felt the need to "Rawr!!!!"...
Dennis A. arrived.
My work here is done.
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Forbidden Island is fucking awesome!!!
I came here Friday with some fellow yelpers, most of whom I have never met. Needless to say, I was pretty nervous. Turns out these yelpers were a little psychotic and a whole lot of fun...perfect combo!
The bar is beautiful, as was our waitress. The drinks were delicious and definitely heavy on the alcohol. So strong in fact, that after a few cocktails, I knew I needed to switch to beer or my clothes were gonna start coming off....I'm pretty sure my boob still popped out anyways.
Great bar, great vibe, great company....I'll definitely be coming back
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The ChubbyBunny doesn't write reviews. But The ChubbyBunny has decided that Forbidden Island needs 5 more stars, so The ChubbyBunny abides.
Note: writing in 3rd person is confusing.
I came here with a bunch of psychotic yelpers and we had a BLAST. The drinks were good and strong, the service was fast, the waitress was hot, even the mozzarella stick I stole from Dennis was good. Plus I found out Dennis is actually a real person. Which is good, because if he wasn't, he wouldn't have ordered the food.... see?
I love Tiki Bars and Forbidden Island, although quite out of the way for me, delivered what I needed with it's awesome tacky decor and potent umbrella drinks. I may have to find an excuse to be in Alameda again in my life.
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WIld and crazy
Everybody having fun
Forbidden Funland
_____
Apparently this is the best thing about Alameda. I saw so many interesting characters here, but the highlight of the experience was that they didn't kick us out for the antics we pulled (e.g. things were exposed). In fact, the waitress--who both had amazing hair, I might add--never batted an eye and were nothing but friendly. Perhaps this was because we were their best customers of the night, having consumed so much alcohol that we hardly cared about the money anymore.
As a bonus, they make their drinks STRONG. My friend had an Adios MF (which isn't on the menu, but they made perfectly anyway) and that was exactly what happened to him. After he finished it, it was time to Adios, MF.
On the car ride home, he rolled down my window and yakked all over the place. For my part, I drove in a straight line, didn't crash or get pulled over, and woke up without a hangover. The Forbidden Island is an insiders secret tucked away in a corner of Alameda. It looks like this place won't stay secret for long, though.
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This bar is definitely one of the most unique ones that I've been to! The name of this place fits perfectly for the decor here. I was asked to come out by fellow Yelper Megan D. I came straight here right after a UYE event in the city. I saw a lot of familiar faces that frequent Yelp Talk and everyone was really down to earth and cool! Of course they were halfway wasted when I got there. I wasn't too far behind them! LOL!
I ordered a few Red Stripes to enjoy while enjoying a few of the conversations that were going around. Hooray for beer! Anyways I was probably here for maybe 45 minutes because a good friend of mines that lived literally 2 blocks away from the Tiki Lounge called me up to go to another bar.
i enjoyed my short time here with people that I often see on the threads!
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More hipsters than you can shake a stick at! Drink specials are sweet and decently enough priced. Hot buttered rum was my drink of choice for a while, but the lemon drops are alright. The actual space can get rather packed, but there is no one is dancing, so keep that in mind if you want to shake your booty. But if you want a chill space where you can drink sugary drinks, smoke outside, and see hipsters of all ages in Alameda, then this is a good spot.
Eh. It's ok.
The novelty of 2 foot long straws in a giant punch bowl of booze paired with cute girls playing the ukulele would usually make me inclined to give the place at least 4 stars.
But the bartenders are so..drab.
Maybe they've been hit on by too many dweebs wearing Hawaiian shirts? Dunno.
I guess it rubs me the wrong way when my shot of whiskey is first carefully measured before being poured into my tumbler.
Even worse, I ordered the delicous Banana Mamacow
one of their most popular drinks and they were out of banana's!?!
Really?
It was only 6pm, there were still a lot of drinkin hours left in the day!
I also thought it was weird that I had to pay tax on my drinks.
Is that normal?
But if you love rum this may be the place for you,
their selection is unrivaled.
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forbidden island makes you forget you're in a suburban neighborhood in alameda. fortunately, this place is NOT overrun with hipsters and/or fratboys (not yet, at least).
so please enjoy the mai tais without the obnoxiousness you may find at other tikki bars in the bay area.
if you're a non-rum fan, there aren't very many choices for you. 1-2 cocktails only.
the 12am closing time is kind of lame. however, it's likely an alameda regulation.
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Update to the "best of" drink list now that I've tried everything on the menu:
Fruity:
. Royal Hawaiian
. Leilani Volcano
. China Clipper
. Hurricane
. Monkeypod
Creamy:
. Banana Mamacow
. Chamborlada
. Macadamia Nut Chi Chi
. Scorpion Bowl
Other
. Zombie
. Missionary's Downfall
During the winter we were also treated to the Island's incredible Traditional Hot Buttered Rum and Hot Tiger's Milk.
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our regular date night destination since the place opened 2 years ago. a great mix of quirky,… Read more »
First time there on Friday and I loved it. It reminded me of the tiki lounges I use to visit in Hawaii. The waitress was excellant and the drinks were strong. I'm definitely going back!
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I am a long time patron and supporter of this unique establishment and recently I became their publicist. It is an honor. Forbidden Island has not only maintained their high standards of cocktail excellence, they have improved in many areas as well, mainly service (their drinks and decor just can't get any better). I am the doorman Friday and Saturday nights and I field one (often tipsy, but sincere) personal comment after another, lauding our cocktail menu, our service, our decor, and most of all - our aloha spirit. People appreciate our friendliness as much as our freshly designed recipes. I am also booking more and more live acts these days as well as traditional attractions like our annual luau and parking lot sale.
Now that I am the front man - both at the door and on the web - for my favorite tiki bar, I have a much closer relationship with the staff (as well as the public). Veteran bartenders Lara and Jess continue to be the stars of the bar. They are true artists at their craft and we'd be nothin' without 'em. Longtime waitresses Melissa, Lee and Amanda all serve these delicious concoctions with a warm spirit and a sexy smile. Since they deal directly with the patrons, their dedication is really key to our success. Mig is a great recent addition as manager, especially since he is so deeply entrenched in the tiki subculture (as well as burlesque). He gives us "street cred."
For me, what really keeps this ship afloat is manager Susan Eggett. She is a doll, a joy and a pleasure to work with, and the staff and customers love her. She is just so damn nice and calm all the time, in any situation, it's hard to believe. I keep waiting for her to "slip" and show me "the dark side," but I am telling you - she is 100% sweetness and light! No kidding. She's an angel and we're very lucky to have her.
FI is the original vision of Michael and Mano Thanos (also of the Conga Lounge in Oakland), and famous barman Martin Cate created the award winning menu which is his legacy (he has since moved on), and we have them to thank for the Bay Area's most celebrated tiki lounge. Mahalo!
As evidence: FI was just recently voted one of the Bay Area's Top 5 Bars by the SF Chronicle, and even bigger, one of the nation's Top 100 Bars by Food & Wine. Out of 13 SF Bay Area bars that made the cut, FI was the only East Bay winner. As an East Bay resident, I am particularly proud of this fact.
Aloha, Will the Thrill
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The Greatest Tiki Bar in the World. Best cocktails. Best bartenders. Best waitresses. Best jukebox… Read more »
Alameda, CA
Category: Lounges
Alameda, CA
Category: Lounges
Alameda, CA
Category: Dive Bars
Alameda, CA
Category: Nightlife
Neighborhood: Jack London Square
Category: Bars
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