You Can’t Do Vegas Without a Trip to Frankie’s Tiki Room | Bon Appétit
"Frankie’s is one of those places that couldn’t exist anywhere other than where it does, in a graceless stucco block next to a gas station, a couple miles northwest of the Strip. The massive Miami Vice-esque pink neon sign illuminates the parking lot below, but when you enter the bar, that’s when Frankie’s allure begins to take hold. It’s dark. It smells like someone has been continuously ashing a cigarette onto the floor since the ‘50s, when Frankie’s was a non-tiki mob hangout. Old Hawaiian tunes seep out of the jukebox. Artificial palm leaves drape around the bamboo-clad architecture. And people are drinking. Those drinks—whether you opt for a tiki classic like a Fog Cutter or a Frankie’s original like Surf Dragon (rum-based and filled with flavors of strawberry and violet) or a Frankenstein (golden rum, ginger liqueur, lemon, papaya, and fresh raspberries) are strong. But having just one is not and never has been the move here. Strength is only part of the appeal. The main reason you’re ordering another round is because the bartenders know—and have known for over a decade—exactly what they’re doing with the sweet, punchy, fruity flavors that make for a brilliant tiki drink. When you go to Frankie’s, you go to forget all the mistakes you made in this ridiculous city. And soak up the fact that you’re in one of America’s most amazing tiki bars." - ByAlex Delany
