The Sneaky Tiki

Serve Exotic Cocktails In Your Own Portable Tiki Bar

A portable Tiki bar is an increasingly popular addition to many back gardens and swimming pools. Tiki bars are usually seen on beaches and in hotels in exotic locations, but today you can also purchase your own backyard beach bar.

The word "Tiki" traditionally means the woodcarvings and the decorative ornaments that are familiar throughout the Pacific Islands. The term Tiki bar is today used to describe a tropical island bar, one that is built in a Pacific style and decorated with those traditional woodcarvings, and that generally serves exotic and colorful cocktails.

The history of the portable Tiki bar dates back to the tropical Pacific islands, which were already very popular with American and European tourists on beach vacations before the First World War. The first of these bars is believed to be the “Don the Beachcomber”, a bar and restaurant founded by a man nicknamed Don Beach (his real name was Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gatt). His bar had a beach theme with traditional wood carvings, artifacts, starfish, fishing nets and other local decorations. He would serve exotic drinks and play music in his bar, and the decor became increasingly Polynesian. It did not take long for the concept to become popular around the world, and the original Beachcomber bar was turned into a chain of restaurants.

The heyday of the bars was in the 1960’s, when they were often found in hotels, golf clubs and resorts in different parts of the world. As travel to the Pacific Islands and especially Hawaii increased, the idea became well known around the US and around the world. Don Beach himself moved to live in the Hawaii islands and opened the Waikiki Beach bar. This eventually became another national chain, just like the original Beachcomber. Both bars have claimed to be the inventors of the famous mai tai cocktail.

The popularity of Tiki hut bars faded since, except in California where Tiki continued to be a widespread and very popular concept. However, Tiki bars have become popular once more in recent years, and more and more people are also purchasing home bars to use in the house, in the back yard and especially by the pool.

If you are planning to have your own portable Tiki bar by the swimming pool or in your back yard, there are ready-made sets available on the market, fully equipped with thatched palm leaf roofs and bar stools. You can simply add some tropical plants, furniture and other decorations, and start serving cocktails by the pool.