Ed U.
Yelp
Now here's a tiki bar with cred because long ago, the space was Don the Beachcomer, the progenitor of all tiki bars. Jamie W and I were staying within easy walking distance, so we took a stroll after dark to seek out some tropical libations in Palm Springs. We entered and noticed how dark and small it was. At the same time, bamboo accents and vintage tiki decor dominated the space and threw us back in time. The nice hostess led us to the one vacant booth.
We reviewed the combination of original creations and classic cocktails that made up their menu. Jamie went for the $18 No Photos Allowed, a tantalizing mix of tequila, white rum, banana liqueur, blue curaçao, lemon, lime, guava, lemongrass, and tiki bitters (photo: https://yelp.to/NvgKKafvTm). It had more of a jagged edge than a sweet one, but it worked nonetheless. I ordered the familiar $16 Painkiller, a truly tropical blend of dark and gold rum, pineapple, orange, coconut cream, and nutmeg (photo: https://yelp.to/XgskufE0wK).
That was more masterfully executed and proved the known classics are hard to screw up. Round 2 was a more mundane affair as Jamie went for the proven Painkiller. I ordered the rather soothing $17 Kona Coffee, a mix of cold-brew coffee liqueur, cacao rum, macadamia nut liqueur, and coconut cream (photo: https://yelp.to/g-u7DoCo-s). Less tiki, more espresso bar, but quite tasty. We were here on a Sunday night, and it filled up quickly. Just keep that in mind should the tiki mood strike you.
COCKTAILS - 4 stars...classics deliver a bit more than the originals
AMBIANCE - 4.5 stars...authentically vintage...dark, intimate, smallish
SERVICE - 4.5 stars...a fine hostess/server
TOTAL - 4 stars...Don the Beachcomber reborn
RELATED - Exploring Palm Springs? Here's my collection of places I've visited and reviewed: https://bit.ly/2uqw6KW