MUNKTIKI & DEAD MAN’S ISLE: A Tiki Two-Fer!

In the northwest corner of Oregon, where the 101 crosses the Columbia River, you’ll find Astoria. Most people today would probably associate Astoria with the cult classic 80’s film “The Goonies.” But for tikiphiles, Astoria is home to a unique tiki two-fer. Tiki mug design and creation company Munktiki is there and is literally next door (in the same building) to an awesome tiki bar, Dead Man’s Isle. This two-for-one combo deal is unlike any other I am aware of and I couldn’t wait to check it out.

It was a long (nearly 5 hours, including a ferry crossing), wet (Rain? In the Pacific Northwest? What a surprise. Not.) drive. Although I broke up the trip somewhat with occasional stops at some oddball, roadside attractions on the way, I had to watch my time and reach Astoria as soon as possible. Although Munktiki is open Thursday-Sunday from 12-5 in the spring and summer months, off-season it is only open 4-5:45 (less than 2 hours!) and I didn’t want to miss it. After checking in at my hotel, I rolled into Munktiki about 4:30, ever so delighted to have made it in time.

I was impressed. Part gallery, part showroom sales floor, Munktiki’s headquarters’ public space was tastefully done. You felt more as if you were visiting someone’s home than being in a “store.”

As I began to look around, a woman appeared from an office behind the counter. She was very friendly and I liked her instantly. As we talked, it became clear that she was Debra Nielsen, also known as the artist Debba Debba. Deb, as she introduced herself, was giving me a little background on Munktiki; how her husband Paul and son Miles had started it. She showed me around, pointing out pieces of particular interest here and there. She showed me a case containing some of their long out-of-production mugs, including their first one.

Deb told me that, since Munktiki started in early 2000, her husband and son had designed everything. She said that Paul had retired from the mug designing side of things, but Miles was still hands-on. (They now also utilize other artists.) While she did point out that she had done the paintings on the walls, she didn’t take any credit for any of the mugs. (I happen to know that Debba Debba did create some mugs, a certain one of which I hope to score some day…when I can afford it.)

In addition to the mugs and the paintings, there were some beer steins on display and for sale. One was done in old school 3D, with glasses to view it with. Very cool.

A short time later, Paul emerged from the office. He may have left the designing to his son, but he clearly hadn’t left the business altogether. I asked if I could get a photo of them and they were kind enough to comply.

As I was concluding my time there and Deb was ringing me up (Yes, I bought something. Hello?), she suggested I might like to visit her son’s tiki bar next door. Of course I would. I’d be delighted. (It was my plan all along.) Deb told me that I should look for the tiki mosaic on the bar’s second floor. She had restored it herself.

I had a few minutes until 5, when Dead Man’s Isle was scheduled to be open. It was just enough time to drop off my purchase in the car and get back. At 5, when the place opened, I was the first one through the door.

So this, at last, was Dead Man’s Isle. Very nice. Very nice, indeed. The place was cavernously tall, but not as deep as I expected. I found myself a place at the bar, admiring the glass top with the tiki artifacts on display beneath it. The high ceiling allowed for a most impressive bar wall.

The bartender welcomed me and placed three menus in front of me. One was an extensive list of cocktails (with food options on the back). Another was a list of drinks that were not rum-based. The third was the happy hour menu. Hmm. Decisions, decisions…

A drink called Mutant Skull jumped out at me. The menu says “coconut,pineapple, banana, and guava sing behind a powerful punch of rum.” Oooo… Sing it did. I couldn’t get enough of its tasty chorus, but I savored it, in its massive mug, by sipping slowly.

Since I was planning on being there for the evening and had only had a quick bite hours earlier somewhere on the road, I needed to order something for dinner. I decided on the Fried Rice, which came with carmelized pineapple, edamame, carrot, scallion, and egg. It turned out to be far bigger than I’d imagined. A quick glance at the happy hour menu showed that their Togarashi Tots (tater tots with a fancy gochujang dipping sauce) was on sale. Oooo… Rice and potatoes may have been carb overload, but what the heck? When the tots arrived, again I was stunned to see how large the serving was. Wow!

Eventually my Mutant Skull had sung its last chorus and the mug was empty. It was time to change my tune. A fellow imbiber a few spots over from me recommended the Cobra’s Fang. It was on the happy hour menu and it was served in an amazing mug. Sure, I’ll try it, I thought.

The Cobra’s Fang struck my tastebuds with the first sip. Kristen, the bartender, really knew how to whip up a great drink. The mixture of rum, bitters, orange and lime juices, and falernum really knocked my socks off.

As I sat and sipped, I got a good look at the place. There were so many interesting aspects to the place tucked here and there. The back wall resembled a ship’s haul, with nautically themed pictures hanging from it. There was a fascinating tableau done up over the door. In addition to various bottles of booze, the bar wall had many curiosities hidden about here and there. It wasn’t over the top, but it didn’t need to be. It was a clean, modern tiki bar that paid respect to those bars that came before it. It is classy, yet not alienating at all for classic tiki aficionados.

I especially liked the ceiling. Having such a high ceiling, it might have been easy to just forgo any sort of treatment. (How many people are going to bother looking up?) But they had done a good job with it. In addition to some cool tiki lights, there were the de rigueur glass floats, puffer fish, fish tramps, and netting, among other items.

As I slurped out the last of the Cobra Fang’s venom, it was time to chose something else. The Volcano called to me. The presentation was so fun. And, oooo… I loved how the flavors of rum, pineapple, peach, coconut, curacao and a splash of Prosecco erupted in my mouth.

Although it was a Thursday night in early April (off season), while the place wasn’t packed (The upper seating area was closed off, in fact.), it was fairly steady. Kristen had been pretty busy. I really admired her bartending skills. We chatted a bit as the night wore on. (She’s got the best of both worlds. She lives in Washington, where there’s no state income tax and works in Oregon, where there’s no sales tax.) She managed to juggle her customers needs and keep the drinks flowing nicely.

A man came in for a drink. I overheard him ask Kristen if Deb, Paul, or Miles were around. He had a message from an acquaintance of theirs. I didn’t really pay attention and just kept on sipping.

At some point, I needed to use the bathroom. As I headed to the back, I noted the display case of Munktiki mugs for sale as well as the famous Muntiki tiki mug vending machine! For twenty bucks a pop, you could get a small tiki mug from the machine. I tried to get one using my ATM card, but it wouldn’t take it. It is strictly cash only ($20 bills) and I had none on me. Drat!

When I returned from the bathroom, I finished up the Volcano. Although I had already been there for several hours, I was reluctant to leave. Who knew when or if I’d be back? Maybe I’d just have one more drink? To deaden the sorrow of having to depart, I ordered a Painkiller. While Kristen was preparing it, I asked her if I could check out the upstairs. She said I could.

The upstairs was also nicely done. It wasn’t a huge space, but still maintained that modern tiki sleekness with a generous nod to classic tiki buildouts. I was especially interested in the wall treatments, since I’ll soon be (hopefully) creating my own home tiki bar. The bamboo pole wainscoting with woven matting above really worked well…especially with the bamboo ceiling.

The view of the bar below was just amazing and really showed off just how tall the space is. It also provided a different perspective of the bar, revealing all of the tiki treasures hidden beneath the bar’s glass top.

And, of course, on the far wall was the amazing mosaic that Deb had worked so hard on to restore. She had done an amazing job. What had been original and what she had added to it to bring it back to its original state were seamlessly conjoined. I couldn’t spot anything that looked like it wasn’t originally part of the piece.

Back downstairs, my Painkiller waited for me. I was surprised when Deb came through the door suddenly. What an added bonus to see her again. I told her there was a man here who had been looking for her. I turned to indicate where he’d been sitting, but he was gone.

She brushed it off, went to the bar, and ordered something to eat. As she ate, she chatted with Kristen and the other bartender on duty. The man who had asked for her returned (from the bathroom, I guess) and Kristen got him hooked up with Deb. They chatted a bit as well.

As she was finishing up her banana pudding, she glanced my way and really noticed me for the first time since entering the bar. She recognized me from being in the Munktiki showroom earlier and we started to chat. She was so friendly and charming. I’m glad we had that extra time together. As she was leaving, she gave me a hug and told me to keep in touch. How nice!

With my Painkiller gone and my bonus visit with Deb at an end, I reluctantly asked Kristen for my check. I’d arrived when the place had opened and, as I was leaving, I noticed the “closed” sign was already hanging up on the door.

I really liked both Munktiki and Dead Man’s Isle. Despite the nicely manicured appearance of both, there was still a warmth to them; a comfortable approachability. While Munktiki has become a big name in the tiki mug industry and Dead Man’s Isle is a bar on every tikiphiles radar, both still have an underlying Mom & Pop feeling that is welcoming. “Goonies” aside, Astoria has a new claim to fame and has officially landed itself on the tiki map.

Cheers!

Munktiki
1241 Duane St.
Astoria, OR 97103
https://www.munktiki.com/

Dead Man’s Isle
1239 Duane St.
Astoria, OR 97103
(503) 673-8434
https://www.deadmansisle.com/