The Bugamantos have been pouring drinks in this sliver of a room on Sunset Boulevard since 1961, making Tiki-Ti not just the smallest tiki bar in the world but one of the longest-running family operations in American cocktail history. Twelve seats at the bar, perhaps six more at the cramped tables, and a menu of over ninety tropical concoctions mixed from memory. Every surface is covered in tiki ephemera accumulated across three generations. This is not kitsch. This is inheritance. The drinks taste like vacation should, because the people making them have spent their entire lives perfecting that exact sensation.
Location
Los Feliz, Los Angeles
Map
Insider Intel
Ray's Mistake is the house specialty for good reason, a happy accident that became gospel. Blood and Sand if you want something stirred. On Fridays they pour the Aku Aku, which requires advance planning and tastes like concentrated joy.
Arrive when they open at six or accept your fate in the line outside. Wednesday and Thursday offer slightly better odds of getting a seat. Weekends are beautiful chaos.
Cash only, no exceptions. Closed Mondays and Tuesdays. The bathroom is through the kitchen, which is exactly as charming as it sounds. Mike Jr. will remember your drink after one visit, and your name after two.