The Grass Skirt

Comments about The Grass Skirt

Lady Kai

Lady Kai has visited The Grass Skirt.

November 2, 2018, 8:14 PM

Seriously, the bartenders here are not too nice. Sitting at the bar is usually a nice experience, but here, plain crummy. The drinks are like sugar and the decor is ok.
Perhaps I’ve been spoiled by the genuineness of the people at the other bars I’ve visited around here. False Idol, and also tonga hut and bootleggers tiki in Palm Springs. The saving grace were the other customers in the place.
Sorry it was blech - maybe an off night?

TikiOfTheWiki

TikiOfTheWiki has visited The Grass Skirt.

June 17, 2018, 5:09 PM

I must preface that my only time visiting was during their Tiki Brunch. I love their decor - floats, pufferfish, rigging and ropes, neon, and tiki head fireplace! The food was very good (I had the Poke Bowl) and I liked the mai tai. However, the music was provided by a DJ and it was blaring. Hard to talk over it. Also not sure Eagles, Marvin Gaye, Sade (while good artists) help with the tiki vibe. I’d like to go back during the week at night to see if it’s different.

Tiki Kiki

Tiki Kiki has visited The Grass Skirt.

December 30, 2017, 9:35 PM

I almost didn’t go to this tiki bar because of some of the comments on Critiki, but I am glad I went to see for myself. I thought this was a pretty decent tiki bar. The owner/operaters seemed to have put in effort to make this a nice tikicentric place. It was bigger than most tiki bars, but was completely full of people early on a Saturday night. There were lots of fun tiki things to look at and the drinks were pretty good and well balanced. Not sickening sweet There were fun theatrics when certain drinks were ordered like at Trader Sam’s. Prices about the same as every other tik bar. It was easy to get a reservation, granted it was for 5:00 when they opened on a Saturday night though. My only criticism is that the music was too loud. They played surfer beach music which was fine, but wished it wasn’t quite so loud. Hard to have a conversation, but really enjoyed my time there. There were lots of mugs to buy. I would love to visit again next time I am in the area. Important note, there is plenty of parking right out front of this place. No need to find parking on any side streets like a lot of other places in Pacific Beach.

nkash001

nkash001 has visited The Grass Skirt.

December 15, 2017, 1:44 PM

Didn't really care for this one. The bartender that waited on us was nice, but the drinks were so-so and the entire bar just feels kind of chintzy. It's an amalgamation of better tiki bars. The bar makes noise and changes color kind of like Trader Sams near Disneyland, but the bartenders don't put on a show like they do there, nor does the "interaction" seem to coincide with any particular order. Also, I HATE that this is one of those faux speakeasy places where you need a reservation. We made one, and they seated us at this communal round table that was hot with no space. Eventually we asked if we could sit by the bar, which had plenty of spaces. Best thing to order here is the Tipsy Tentacle for the cute banana octopus. Other than that, don't waste your time. Fake bamboo and wallpaper.

Kuai Craig

Kuai Craig has visited The Grass Skirt.

October 22, 2017, 9:59 PM

The Grass Skirt is the 35th Tiki Bar that I have visited on my quest to visit them all and I have to say that my experience there was in the bottom five.
So, we pulled up and got out of the car, the exterior is cool and Tikiesque, until you get out of your car and hear 1970s Disco at 130 decibels. Then you go next door to go through the "refrigerator" of a Noodle food storefront - BUT WE JUST SAW THE BAR ON THE CORNER WITH THE BIG SIGN!
The speakeasy thing is cool, when you have to kind of be an insider to know where the place is, not when ABBA is blasting from your obviously "tiki bar" complete with a big sign that says "THE GRASS SKIRT." So - LAME!
Then our group of eight got our seats. The waitress was sweet, but the disco was so freaken loud, we couldn't enjoy the experience. Then the Disco shifted into Rap Complete with Mother F'n this and Mother F'n that.
We left after one marginal drink each.
I am not likely to return to this vomitous abomination of a "tiki bar."
I will say that the decor was pretty cool, but that's about it. Cool Hula Girl lamps and some nice touches, but - NOPE!

kilaueakyd

kilaueakyd has visited The Grass Skirt.

September 24, 2017, 11:01 AM

Need Bartenders and Manager that care about guests. We were at Bar and had to ask for everything. Food was OK. Small portions and the shrimp in the noodles were terrible. Did not do a good painkiller at all. Need to measure ingredients and get some recipes for the classics. The hostess was very nice and helpful.

tikiglees

tikiglees is a regular at The Grass Skirt.

July 22, 2017, 8:19 AM

7 months in and GS keeps getting better... Menu continues to be worked with new drinks and the food items are tip top. Music is good mostly and they are always willing to change it up on request. Bartenders are super engaging and fully into it. I dig this spot as its done in its own way, its not copying any place else that I can see, it has a bit more color, but def with an artist's eye. oh yeah... and good times.

DoktorTiki

DoktorTiki has visited The Grass Skirt.

July 6, 2017, 1:47 PM

Entered thru a "freezer" door off a small restaurant kitchen, the interior decor is a mod tiki vibe with lots of eye candy and interesting extras. The drink menu is big and the quality of the drinks is good. The service was nice and they have their own parking lot. The food is good but limited menu leaning to the spicy. What kills the place is the music. They had some classic rock, country western (all too loud) but nothing appropriate. This would be a great place for some modern surf rock, modern tiki jazz, the Blue Hawaiians would be perfect. As it was you could not tell if this was a regular bar that fell into a vat of tiki decor or a tiki bar struggling to get past a management that couldn't figure out what was wrong when everything should have been so right.

DrUmiUmi

DrUmiUmi has visited The Grass Skirt.

April 27, 2017, 12:20 PM

The Grass Skirt has found a special identity that neither clumsily copies and pastes the saturated decorative style of False Idol nor does it slap on a thin veneer of Tiki like the Cat Eye Club. Instead, this new PB Bar has found its own vibe, and while it does emulate some shtick like the walk through refrigerator - speak easy style - as well as atmospheric effects reminiscent of Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, it has some tiki elements of its own to claim. For example, the color changing neon is tastefully and reservedly used, often perched behind unique decorative ideas like the bronze pineapple skulls. The midcentury fireplace in the middle is a gorgeous centerpiece, but contrasts a little with the oversized Tiki heads both near the entrance (it's maw accommodating a room-facing table) and out on the balcony. I have a special love for the lava-rock backdrop at the bar, which reminds me of an older school approach to decorating Tiki bars, though it is somewhat of a mixed bag after that. The water vapor lava effect is nice, warm and soothing, but I have mixed feelings about letting a television into a tiki space, even if it is veiled and obscured by large tiki heads.

Service and drinks are both good. Our bartender was a real mensch, making sure we always had something to sip on, and answering my barrage of questions throughout the evening. And the drinks were delicious, and never too sweet. More affordable than False Idol, this is an awesome alternative, especially if you want to avoid the hassle of parking downtown and wading through the trendier crowds choking the refrigerator door at FI.

DebbieW

DebbieW has visited The Grass Skirt.

April 22, 2017, 9:44 AM

The Grass Skirt is well lit so you can actually see the decorations. Their seating is such that you feel very comfortable and not crammed in. It's quiet enough that it's possible to enjoy a conversation with your entire table without yelling or straining to hear. For the less hipster and more into lounging this is the place to go.

tikiglees

tikiglees is a regular at The Grass Skirt.

December 10, 2016, 4:34 AM

Great new tiki bar that fits Pacific Beach. PB is full of bars, lots of them, and they can be crowded and loud at times. Grass Skirt is very cool, has its own individuality and having spent my time as a PB local I felt it really fit in well with the vibe awhile bringing something fresh and new. Bartender was super cool and drinks were well made. The place is fun, well done and we'll be back,

LetThereBeRums

LetThereBeRums is a semi-regular at The Grass Skirt.

December 9, 2016, 11:27 AM

Went on a Sunday night without reservations, so our group of 4 was seated at a communal table. This was nice, because we got to chat with a group visiting from out of town. The drinks we tried were all tasty and well-balanced, the Fog Cutter was a standout. The food was good, but seemed a tad over-priced for the quality of the fish (definitely not sashimi grade). The lighting seemed way too bright compared to all the pictures I've seen, not sure why it was turned up because that kind of ruins the vibe. Another vibe killer was the music, which was a mix of oldies more suited to a 50's diner. All that being said, we had a good time and would go back. This place has more of a bright, party atmosphere than other San Diego tiki spots, which isn't a bad thing.

Disarmed

Disarmed has visited The Grass Skirt.

November 26, 2016, 8:40 PM

Entering in through refrigerators seems to be a common theme here in San Diego. The night I was there, they played a mix of surf and indie rock.

Regulars and Visitors of The Grass Skirt

Regulars

People who go to The Grass Skirt at least a few times a month.

• tikiglees
• littlemissfelina
• Jess Squared
  Around 5 pm, at open
• Twitt
• Supermushu
• mamavaca
• Mahasamatman

Semi-Regulars

People who go to The Grass Skirt at least a few times a year.

• 
  xtsnpatx
• 
  LetThereBeRums
• 
  Baja
• 
  Tiki Slinger
• 
  Godbold4
• 
  LazerMcBlazer
• 
  Skycam
• 
  MissDiLovely
• 
  so_claire
• 
  amy_sumida
• 
  Eleguin
• 
  RoberttheWayne
• 
  dustinukulele
• 
  Rdubya73
• 
  Leeleereyna
• 
  Chris-Tiki
• 
  AnnDiego
• 
  DärkRum
• 
  Fidel Cashflo
• 
  TraderBaaBaa
• 
  Dattashdoe
• 
  TikiTek
• 
  SanDiegoMystic
• 
  TraderSampson

Visitors

People who have been to The Grass Skirt at least once.

• 
  Trader Mike
• 
  wayne-tiki-tiki
• 
  Matango Derek
• 
  Lokelani
• 
  Trader Tom
• 
  arriano
• 
  LouieLouie
• 
  californialife
• 
  DoktorTiki
• 
  KeithH
• 
  Kuai Craig
• 
  Aquatic Safarinaut
• 
  schonert3
• 
  Hang10tiki
• 
  Tiki Thomas
• 
  always on the beach
• 
  Tiki Kiki
• 
  kilaueakyd
• 
  Honaunau
• 
  Tiki-D
• 
  Astro Zombie
• 
  Fritiof
• 
  Kedex
• 
  mondo-by-the-bay
• 
  Kooky Krusi
• 
  jackalacka
• 
  Shop99er
• 
  Ambassador Jim
• 
  TikiKeith
• 
  boha
• 
  kqf
• 
  Tobin
• 
  Lindsaylou13
• 
  kevincrothers
• 
  TikiBri
• 
  nkash001
• 
  Tarana-Pete
• 
  Adam Bomb
• 
  PeeWee
• 
  soldiersdisease
• 
  maxelman
• 
  Apocryphanow
• 
  Martiki71
• 
  Kona Keoki
• 
  Castaway Kevin
• 
  Gwendolyn
• 
  popkiller
• 
  JumperBones
• 
  TikiPalace
• 
  davidphantomatic
• 
  Lknatcal
• 
  tikinooch
• 
  BrianRex
• 
  Mel
• 
  sawalker
• 
  rapscallion
• 
  Cosmic Coconut
• 
  Kungaloosh
• 
  Mockingbird
• 
  Claymontgomery
• 
  AmandaAnne
• 
  elliepritts
• 
  amy
• 
  cagle.sam@gmail.com
• 
  Tiki Doug
• 
  Disarmed
• 
  Robot Tiki
• 
  AtomicLady
• 
  DaveValdez
• 
  CosmoReverb
• 
  BaliHaiBrad
• 
  Ke Ahi Kirk
• 
  tongueincheeky
• 
  SassyStiletto
• 
  Rum Dog
• 
  Mnchuck
• 
  rigormorty
• 
  tikiboss
• 
  atomic_kitteh
• 
  the sunken lounge singer
• 
  PineappleWhip
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  pootie2good
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  Drunk Larry
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  The Baron
• 
  Vanillagreaze
• 
  Kapu Dru
• 
  Mixommelier
• 
  TikiJedi
• 
  RumDrunkPirate
• 
  TongaBib
• 
  migsology
• 
  craigbestjr
• 
  Vidsgamer
• 
  Hexi Lee Voodoo
• 
  Luau Lili
• 
  DottieDeville
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  Krakatoa Kate
• 
  SweetieSuz
• 
  Raqi
• 
  meganmania
• 
  Jayhutch
• 
  miss_hilda
• 
  PinotBambino
• 
  Uapu'uwai
• 
  adriancardwell
• 
  StrangeLibations
• 
  NatalievonTiki
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  Tipsy Foxxe
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  Tiki Grabowski
• 
  TikiOfTheWiki
• 
  DebbieW
• 
  Natqmerc7313
• 
  Gaeriel18
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  The Vacationeer
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  DrUmiUmi
• 
  Kalinakona
• 
  Tiki Island
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  AWESOM-O
• 
  Missmaelaroux
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  knowhere1
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  jessploitation
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  TraderBrandon
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  DesertTiki
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  rockinkitten13
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  Anarion
• 
  JDTikiPaddler
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  tikitikidumke
• 
  TraderCams
• 
  Tiki Lindy
• 
  Ogopogotiki
• 
  Monkeydead13
• 
  Belugasaurus
• 
  bexrex01
• 
  Mo'o Nui
• 
  monimoni
• 
  Califia
• 
  AlohaEric
• 
  Ship Rekt
• 
  Tiki_Palms
• 
  Lovey Howell
• 
  Capt Hook
• 
  ottawatiki
• 
  wendyfitzhugh
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  spiltbeerpirate
• 
  lbshek
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  JP
• 
  Lyssaa3
• 
  Sykes
• 
  KingDado
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  Frenchy
• 
  Sdduuuude
• 
  Lady Kai
• 
  Magnum65
• 
  Kiwi Steve
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  drunk_drakula
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  tiki-rick
• 
  Nancifer
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  Lux Ardo
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  Demerara24
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  ladyandguy
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  Blurry Oasis
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  Buster McLuster
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  Gerty
• 
  Burnt Ends
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  heart_of_darkness
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  azureedwards
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  nightonfire
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  ms.swizzlestick
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  pukapetty
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  TikAndDestroy
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  AshbytheC
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  TikiRyne
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  MichallaMarie
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  TikiScout
• 
  Sonny
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  melika
• 
  SAKhiway
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  Tikiwolverine
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  Andruvius
• 
  KonaKev
• 
  Jesse
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  AlohaYaz
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  KahunaCP
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  Misslindsay
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  richpalin
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  theCursedislands
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  kaiserjohnson
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  LadyVenom
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  Wicked Wahini
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  em_elbc
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  TikiSheik
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  tikidonk
• 
  Niceguys_style
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  Lbm5164
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  ChulaCher
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  BK Tiki
• 
  McLaughlin21
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  rumamok
• 
  Hannash
• 
  Edward
• 
  guyworthy
• 
  Tiki Crab
• 
  EricaTheRed
• 
  RocTiki
• 
  Iknowahoa