INSIDE PASSAGE: My New Favorite Tiki Bar ISN’T a Tiki Bar. WHAT!?!

Being a transplant from California to Washington is really hard for a tikiphile. Although I was living in a tiki void (Central California) and my new home in Washington (Whidbey Island) is another tiki dead space (and how!), at least in California I was just a few hours from the Bay Area or Los Angeles—and all of the tiki goodness either had to offer. Here in Washington, while I’ve gotten to love Red Rum in Bellingham and have gratefully rediscovered Devil’s Cove in Tacoma, what about the heart of state, Seattle? Although there are plenty of tiki offerings there, none of them really WOW-ed me. Ya know? And I’d pretty much been to them all.

There were a few “quasi-tiki” places I’d heard about and considered trying, such as Rumba or the Hotel Albatross (Does that still exist?). If I made it to Seattle and I had time, sure. I’d give them a try. Why not?

And then I heard rumblings of a new place inside of Rumba called Inside Passage. I looked it up online, saw some pictures and thought, OH MY GOD! I’ve got to go-go!

Go-go, I did. Hidden in a side room off of the bar in Rumba, you’ll find the Inside Passage.

Aside from the pictures, all I really knew about Inside Passage was that the build out had been done by Notch Gonzalez, the guy who’d done Dr. Funk’s in San Jose, California and who was working on the amazingly space-y sci-fi-looking bar, Mothership, in San Diego. I couldn’t wait to experience it.

My best friend Erich was visiting and he went with me. We’d made a reservation for the bar’s 5 pm opening, so we’d be sure to get a chance to really get a good look at the place before it was inundated with people. We sat in Rumba having drinks until the door to that tucked away paradise was opened. When 5:00 hit and the door was rolled back, you can bet I was there to bug the hostess about getting us inside and seated.

As soon as we walked in, wow! I was so utterly impressed. The bar is small, much, much smaller than Dr. Funk’s, and that totally works to Inside Passage’s advantage.

From the faux windows at one side of the bar to the two tiki hut booths (straight out of Dr. Funk’s) at the other, there is great detail in just about every space of Inside Passage. But the real dazzler, if Kiki the kraken who dangles over head, poised for attack…or perhaps to slither one of her tentacles down and sneak off with someone’s drink.

Kiki bobbing along overhead, keeping an eye on what is going on, adds to the fantastic vibe of the place. But one thing Kiki won’t be looking down on is tiki idols, or scantily clad wahines, tribal masks or the primitive weapons that feature prominently in many a tiki bar. Why make the distinction? While Inside Passage welcomes being referred to as an immersion bar with over-the-top drinks, it shies away from the controversial topic of cultural appropriation that some feel tiki is. Tiki or not, Inside Passage is still all kinds of incredible.

And how are the drinks? Deeee-licious! And the presentations… Oh my stars! They’re beautiful. You almost want to take them home with you.

The menu features tropical classics as well as signature cocktails exclusive to the bar. Popular drinks include the bar’s take on the Zombie with the AmaZombie 2.0, which gets special delivered to the table in an Amazon box or the ’62 Panorama Punch that comes in an authentic 1962 Seattle World’s Fair glass!

The more exotically, breath-taking the drinks are, the steeper the price. But shelling out the cash for some of these beauties was well worth it. The bar’s signature cocktail, The Inside Passage, was stunning with its dry-ice fog, and colored lights beneath its murky depths—all in a killer mug featuring Kiki.

The One-Eyed Willy comes in a small chest–and it truly is a tasty treasure for both the eyes as well as the taste buds. Shiver me timbers! It was just so cool.

I was so impressed with Inside Passage that, tiki bar or not (It IS…it just doesn’t know it or won’t admit it to itself–yet), it has stolen the ultimate tiki bar crown. (At least in my opinion.) Wow. Just WOW.

Inside Passage
(Inside of Rumba)
1108 Pike St.
Seattle, WA 98101
https://www.insidepassageseattle.com/
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