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144 South B St.
San Mateo, CA
Opened in 2010
Daily 6pm-1am
(650) 401-3705
Critiki ratings
The Downtown Tiki Lounge
4.7
Overall
by 5 people
1
10
Detail
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Everyone
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You
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Decor
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6
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Drink Quality
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3
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Drink Selection
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6.4
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Mood
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5.6
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Music
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2.7
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Service
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6.1
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Tikiness
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5.7
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Tilt
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3.3
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Vibe
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3.7
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Regulars & Visitors
View all 10 The Downtown Tiki Lounge regulars & visitors
Humuhumu’s description
The Downtown Tiki Lounge was opened by two friends, Jim Wilkinson and Dennis Romero, in 2010. The decor in the bar is a mix of beach, Caribbean and Polynesian (many of the carvings appear to be Indonesian imports), and the music is typically reggae. The place is full of surfboards provided by Seven Tiki Rum (who also provide the glassware). There is a comfortable seating area near the front, and the rear has a small raised seating area.
The drink menu appears at first glance to have a few classics, including a Sidewinder Fang from the long-gone San Mateo power palace,
The Lanai
history
The Lanai
San Mateo, CA
Bar & Restaurant
9
. The tribute is a wonderful gesture, but sadly anyone who is excited to have that great drink will be disappointed: what they are serving has the same name, but not at all the same recipe. The drinks tend strongly to the sweet and chemical side, and could perhaps use an upgrade in ingredients.
If one is seeking to recreate a modern Hawaiian bar experience, this does line up fairly well with what one encounters in the islands: sweet drinks, reggae, beach decor. If that's what the owners want, they're probably very happy, and that's what some folks are looking for. But the average Critiki reader may find this falls short of the standard for tiki in the Bay Area.
Parking
There is parking available on the street, and several parking lots nearby (look for parking signs).
Comments
View all 2 comments
Regulars and Visitors of The Downtown Tiki Lounge
Semi-Regulars
People who go to The Downtown Tiki Lounge at least a few times a year.
Visitors
People who have been to The Downtown Tiki Lounge at least once.
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The bar at The Downtown Tiki Lounge in San MateoMay 2011, photo by Humuhumu
Comments about The Downtown Tiki Lounge
Warning: they are never open Sundays, even though their website says they are.