The Location: The Valley (North Hollywood)
The Vibes: It’s a full-fledged tiki bar, complete with thatched huts, bamboo sticks and tiki statues
Good for: Alone, dates, groups (large and small)
When-To-Go: Daily, 5 p.m. – 2 a.m.; Daily happy hour 5 – 7 p.m.
The $$ Factor: $8 – $28 per cocktail
The 4-1-1: On Wednesdays and Sundays, karaoke sessions also go down
Parking Situation: Nearby metered parking
I’ll Be Back…: To try the Scorpion Bowl!
Right now, it's not uncommon for the temp to hit 100+ degrees within my beloved hometown — the best, the greatest, the absolutely fantastic San Fernando Valley.
And when the temps surge to these ungodly highs, there’s only one thing to do: head somewhere that’s nice and chilly inside and grab a very cold, very refreshing beverage.
One place in particular to cool off is Tiki No, which as it name suggests, is a tiki-themed neighborhood bar in North Hollywood. The interior, dimly lit and with the air conditioner blasting at full speed, has been transformed into a Polynesian retreat. Thatched roofs cover the main bar and booths, while tiki statues, bamboo poles and colorful lanterns add a nice island touch throughout as well.
The bar serves up 14 specialty tiki cocktails, with most comprising some sort of rum — from dark to golden and black, and even overproofed and aged — hailing from tropical places, like Puerto Rico, St. Croix and Jamaica. Many drinks feature more than only one rum and another type of alcohol. Prime example, the Lychee Luau, pictured below. It includes two types of rum, a lychee liqueur, and pineapple and lemon juices. Only two of the tiki cocktails have no rum whatsoever, the Eastern Sour with Kentucky bourbon and the Suffering Bastard with gin and cognac.
Tiki No cocktails are both originals and ones that have been around the block for decades, from all parts of the world. The menu includes the year, locale and city where each drink originated, and you’ll see they hail from as far as Egypt (the Suffering Bastard) to right here in our own backyard (the Dark and Stormy). And, some were even created in the ‘40s and ‘50s.
Apparently one of the most popular orders is Tiki No’s version of the Piña Colada, pictured below, with aged rum from St. Croix, cream of coconut and both fresh pineapples and pineapple juices, all blended. Personally, I liked it a lot! It's not overbearingly sweet but still has a pleasant, fruity flavor.
One of the most creative, original cocktails, IMO, is the Toasted Marshmallow, pictured below. It’s got apple and lemon juices, a smidge of cinnamon and it’s mixed with not one, not two but three different alcohols: rum, “fluffed” vodka and the Spanish liqueur, Licor 43, made with 43 different ingredients. Definitely very potent!
Cocktails aside, a major selling point for this bar are the prices; everything’s under $12 (save for the $22 / $28 Scorpion Bowl, which can be shared with several people). Plus, the daily evening happy drops prices even lower. Half of the menu goes down to $7, including another Tiki No original cocktail worth calling out, the Coconut Mojito, pictured below. It’s a thirst quencher!
Last thing I’ll note is that this bar serves up only drinks — no food, save for a few munchies like chips. So, don’t come here hungry, just come here thirsty!
And the next time you find yourself in The Valley, on a hot summer’s day, in dire need to escape the heat and sip on something ice cold, head to Tiki No. It’s got the whole island vibe thing going on and some potent tiki cocktails to match.
See you there soon!
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