Australia has embraced Tiki-culture in a big way, with new Tiki bars popping up like sweet mushrooms. If you want to add a Tiki-themed road trip around Oz to your list of things to do in 2023, check out these spectacular venues. From east coast to west coast, from old school to new school, Australia’s Tiki bars are waiting for you and your gang of fearless explorers.
Jungle Bar – Brisbane
Brisbane’s West End has a reputation for being a bit odd; in fact, there’s a whole Facebook group committed to Keep West End Weird and the folks at Jungle Bar are definitely doing their part when it comes to maintaining charming strangeness. From a custom built Tiki-hut to their rambling menu of rum-based liquid delicacies, this is a great place to hang out and chill. Jungle Bar offers an ever-changing menu of seasonal beverages, so there’s something new to discover every time you visit. If you’re looking to escape the urban grind without leaving town, we highly recommend you take a time-out in the jungle.
Flamingos Tiki Bar – Cairns
F is for Flamingo…but it’s also for Flair! This place is truly something special, a sanctuary of unashamed weirdness that celebrates the ridiculousness of the Tiki-verse to absolute excess. Decorated to the point of being the Tiki equivalent to Graceland, Flamingos invites you to leave the world behind and submerge in pure, unadulterated joy. Whether you choose to slurp down a classic Tiki cocktail or decide on one of the house specialties – may we suggest the Shipwrecked or the All Hand on Deck – a visit to Flamingos Tiki Bar will leave you deeply relaxed and supremely happy.
Jacoby’s Tiki Bar – Sydney
Jacoby’s has been serving Sydney’s tiki-lovers since 2017 and has firmly established itself as the best tiki bar in town – and rightly so. Packed to the rafters with vintage tiki paraphernalia, including some truly adorable mugs from all corners of the world, Jacoby’s Tiki Bar gives a strong holiday vibe from the moment you step across the threshold. The menu is vast and varied, including classics like the Scorpion Bowl with signature concoctions like The Rock Lobster or Neptune’s Wasteland (our drink of choice for the impending apocalypse). And, best of all, it’s only minutes from the Newtown train station, so no designated driver necessary.
The LuWow – Melbourne
If you are looking for nautical goodness, barrel tables and eclectic décor, The LuWow may well be your spiritual home. Conveniently located on Little Collins Street, this little gem is a veritable oasis of kitsch, kitsch and more kitsch, topped with a great menu of delicious cocktails. Alongside authentic shrunken heads and the occasional voodoo doll, you can enjoy a Pain Killer or Don Zombie, all while listening to uniformly excellent sets of vinyl only mingle music. There’s not much more you can ask for in a night on the town.
Tiki as FK – Perth
This glorious venue described itself as Mad Men meets Shag, which is as accurate as it is genius. An evening at Tiki as FK is as close to taking a trip to the actual 60s as you can get without the benefit of a time machine. Whether you chose to sink into their plush upholstery and let their signature cocktails wash you troubles away or would rather get your metropolitan kicks in the rooftop bar – this is the place to unwind after a rough – or even just vaguely unpleasant – day. Adorably, you can only enter this magical kingdom through a secret Tiki door, just in case you needed a little extra quirk with your large order of quirkiness.
