TIKI TOM’S…Tiki LOVE at First Sight

Several weeks ago, I was looking up the social media of some of my favorite modern tiki idols (SHAG, Tiki Diablo, Crazy Al Evans, Tiki Tony, etc.) to see what they were working on. I was checking in on master tiki bar builder Bamboo Ben and stumbled on this announcement:

W-h-a-a-a-a-a-a-t????

I knew where Tiki Tom’s was — but had never gone. I’m often in the Bay Area and had checked it out online. It seemed to be tiki in name only and not worth a special trip to Walnut Creek just to visit another deceptively named sports bar.

But the notice caught my eye. Bamboo Ben? Complete re-imagining? Killer cocktails? That just turned my attention meter up to 11 and made Tiki Tom’s the new “must see” before my big move to Washington state.

I found an email address for Tiki Tom’s and sent them a note asking when they expected to open. The August 10th reply said they hoped to be open by the end of that month. O’ golly! I just had to go before I moved. But when could I get there?

Fortunately (!?!) I have a newly developed neuro-muscular disease (that is apparently permanent and incurable) and had an appointment at Stanford about a month later. It was the perfect excuse for a visit.

My friends and I went just after opening on a Wednesday. It wasn’t very crowded, as expected–but I had made a reservation anyway. When I walked in the door and saw the place, I fell instantly in tiki love. WOW!

The place is beautiful–so well done!

When you walk in, you are greeted by an amazing collection of tiki mugs on one side with a wall of mugs and other memorabilia (including some dancing hula girls) on the other.

As you stand in the entry area, you get just a peek of the paradise inside that awaits…and I was excited by what I saw.

This clearly was no longer the plain-Jane sports bar with the deceptively tiki name that I had seen photos of online. This was the real deal. And my internal tiki barometer was starting to go off of the charts. What a swell place this was.

Our charming hostess seated us in a nice corner booth that gave us a great vantage point to this super bar. We were handed menus, but I was so busy gawking at all of the tiki goodness surrounding me that, when the hostess came around to get our orders, I hadn’t even cracked the menu open for a look-see.

Fortunately I had studied the menu online beforehand and knew what I wanted to start off with. I’d noticed something called a Blowfish Intoxica. The ingredients listed (agricole rum, Maraschino, grapefruit, lime) were nothing mysterious or strange, but the description (“Eat the forbidden plant, drink the poison. Experience taste bud Euphoria!”) reminded me of this drink I’d had at a tiki bar in New Orleans (Tiki Tolteca) and the “Buzz Buttons” they served with them. Could this be something similar?

I asked and, indeed, there is a “Buzz Button”-like item included with the cocktail that numbs the mouth for a bizarre drinking experience. But, by the time the cocktail is finished, your tongue and taste buds have returned to normal, so you can savor the next amazing beverage.

While she took the orders of my companions, I took the opportunity to ask her about Bamboo Ben. The build out was just incredible. Had he been hard to get?

Yes, she said. He had been booked up. And then the pandemic hit and he had some time free up.

As we chatted, it became apparent that our hostess, Steffani, was the daughter of the owner. She’d been there every step of the way and had gotten to know Bamboo Ben and his son, Blake Bassham, while they worked on the place.

While Steffani went to place our orders, tiki tourist that I am, I couldn’t resist a walk around and to take some photos. I was just so in awe of the place.

There was a short hall just behind the main seating area that led to the bathrooms. I noted several displays along the walls, but didn’t spend much time looking at them as I had left my friends behind–and I was expecting a drink!

Of course, while I was back there, I couldn’t help but check out the bathroom as well. (Like, I’m NOT gonna do that. Ha!)

The bar was playing cool, vintage exotica and surf instrumentals. Somehow, mixed in with it all, was the old Annette Funicello song “(Every Night Is) Date Night In Hawaii” (from the album HAWAIIANNETTE). (I’m not kidding. Yes, I know the name of the album. Ha!) I couldn’t wait to get back to the table and see if one of my friends recognized the artist (Which, amazingly, he DID! Ha!)…when I found my Blowfish Intoxica waiting for me.

The “Buzz Bomb” had soaked up some of the drink, so it was damp when I chomped on it (whereas the one in New Orleans had been dry). The result was the same, though–bizarre-O tongue tingles and eventual numbness. Fun! How was the drink itself? Uh… I kind of don’t know. My tongue was out of order. Ha!

When Steffani returned to take our next order, I opted for the “secret family recipe”, Ohana Punch. That sounded intriguing and so not the typical tiki drink.

Even though Tiki Tom’s had only just re-opened (and had been a sports bar previously), I asked about mugs. Did they have any?

As it turns out, they did have mugs. Steffani said that when her dad first acquired the bar a decade or so earlier, he really wanted a legit tiki bar. Various factors (everything from the economic downturn 2008 up to the current pandemic) had kept that dream from happening. It didn’t stop him from at least having a signature mug.

There were only a few of the original mugs left. Since I am about to move to Washington state (and switch neurology services from Stanford to those at the University of Washington in Seattle), I might never get back to Walnut Creek and Tiki Tom’s—so I bought one. (Of course.)

While Steffani went to take our order to the bar and grab my mug, I took the opportunity to play tiki tourist again. My camera app was in full geek-out mode as I snapped away.

While I was getting my tiki-geek on, this guy started talking to me. I’d seen him hanging around the bar area and walking in and out of the galley doors to the kitchen in the rear, so I knew he worked there. As I talked to him, I soon realized he was Steffani’s father–and the owner of Tiki Tom’s–Darrin DeRita.

Darrin was great. He saw my obvious enthusiasm for his bar and he gave me a brief tour. The restroom alcove displays, for instance, all housed important pieces of tiki pop culture history. The “Gilligan’s Island” display featured a rare, full-color Gilligan tiki mug–one of only a handful that were made. “The Incredibles” exhibit features the actual tiki mug that was used by the animators as the model for the tiki mug that appears in the film. An episode of “The Big Bang Theory’ featured the characters at a tiki bar. All four screen-used mugs from the show are there in the display. Amazing!

I asked about Bamboo Ben and the design process. He said that Ben would sometimes literally spend the night in the space to garner inspiration and ideas for the build out. Secrets, such as how he took an old boat found sunken in the delta, salvaged it, then hung upside down and became a ceiling of sorts for a section of the bar with lots of lights hanging down from inside of it, were just fascinating.

To the right side of the main entrance of the bar is a narrow walkway with a sign reading “Kapu” (which means forbidden or sacred). Darrin doesn’t want the bar to get overly crowded. He wants his guests to get the full feel of Tiki Tom’s and keep a limit on how many people he lets in at a time. The side walkway will act as a line for entrance on busy nights. Because it is on the premises though, he can sell drinks to those in line. Awesome!

Darrin plans a bit of special treatment for certain V.I.P.s as well. In a nod, of sorts, to Club 33 at Disneyland, the V.I.P.s will have a few perks not available to the common customer. There is a secret entrance and a secret shelf that can descend from the ceiling that will hold the personal mugs of those Very Important Persons. Swanky!

There are amazing little things all over to discover. For example, the illuminated pictures around the walls change every so often. There is also a seating area that can double as a small stage.

Just before I was going to return to my friends (and my drink…which I could see waiting for me), I spied one more cool surprise. The bar top itself looked like it was made of flickering molten lava! Zowie!

I was just so in awe with Tiki Tom’s. Darrin has himself a swell place. Bamboo Ben really knocked the bar’s makeover out of the park. My friends and I couldn’t stay–and all too soon it was time to go.

The banner outside is no lie. Adventure does await those who visit Tiki Tom’s. Here’s to adventure! Cheers!

Tiki Tom’s
1535 Olympic Blvd.
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
(925) 932-9202
website: https://tikitoms.co/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Tiki-Toms-152843291395412/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tikitomswc/?hl=en