Farewell to Bahooka, L.A.'s Temple of Tiki
Bahooka, thought by many to be Los Angeles' most wonderful and kitschy Tiki bar/restaurant was set to close on March 10th, 2013, after 46 years in business.
However, after the mad crowds on Saturday, March 9th, they decided to shut their doors 24 hours early. Anticipating such crowds, I made plans to visit on Saturday.
They stated that on their last day they would provide standing only service, even for meals. And they decided to sell the contents of the place, so going on the last day sounded like a huge adventure for the most die hard loyal customers.
Their infamous 36+ year old resident, carrot-eating fish mascot, Rufus draws a lot of attention.
In addition to their flaming drinks in salad bowls they make "mocktails" for the non-drinkers, making it convenient for children as well as adults.
I fully expected that their drinks would be made from mixers and the menu of largely fried food was not quite up my alley, but the ambiance in this tiki wonderland remained compelling.
Come to think of it, the mai tai tasted great, was not weak and not overly sugary. Drinking it out of a plastic cup took part of the fun away, but that was understandable considering the impending closure.
Even on Saturday, they'd reached capacity fairly early into the evening.
This place looked just TOO COOL! Sorry to see it go....
This place looks VERY COOL, beachy, and fun. Sorry to see it go!