Tong's Tiki Hut in Villa Park is the last remaining location of a small Chicago-area chain of Chinese/Polynesian restaurants. This location still has plenty of old-school tiki charm, with rock walls, tapa cloth lamps, and some nice big tikis. Food is the tiki-traditional "Polynesian" Chinese including a flaming pupu platter, and there is a full bar with drinks served in mugs.
OK, so the food is not at all Polynesian -- it's standard American-style Cantonese. And the drinks are just so-so (our Mai Tai was definitely made from a mix, not horrible but not splendid and zing-y).
But the Tiki decor is fun and fabulous. I love the thatched-roof booths and the over-the-top exuberance of it. The bar has leopard-skin coverings and there's a big mural of a Hawaiian beach on one wall. At least one fountain and bamboo wind chimes and floats and nets hanging from the ceiling. Someone put loving care into this decor.
Our pu pu platter had not-terribly-memorable food (standard egg rolls and spare ribs) actually came with a flaming iron pot. A real flaming pu pu platter! The drinks came in real tiki mugs and there's a nice variety of different tiki mugs on the menu. The staff are very friendly and attentive. And the prices are terrific. Really, really terrific.
No, I wouldn't go there to introduce a true rum-aficionado to a tiki drink like he's never had. But for a really fun night at a place that's easy for suburbanites to get to, with great decor and fun vibes, at a remarkably awesome price, it is perfect.
We need more places like this. We need to support the remaining places like this. I will definitely be going back.
If you're in the Chicagoland area, it's worth a pop-in as you visit some of the other Tiki places. Not the most memorable part of my trip, but still worth the price of a cocktail
OK, so the food is not at all Polynesian -- it's standard American-style Cantonese. And the drinks are just so-so (our Mai Tai was definitely made from a mix, not horrible but not splendid and zing-y).
But the Tiki decor is fun and fabulous. I love the thatched-roof booths and the over-the-top exuberance of it. The bar has leopard-skin coverings and there's a big mural of a Hawaiian beach on one wall. At least one fountain and bamboo wind chimes and floats and nets hanging from the ceiling. Someone put loving care into this decor.
Our pu pu platter had not-terribly-memorable food (standard egg rolls and spare ribs) actually came with a flaming iron pot. A real flaming pu pu platter! The drinks came in real tiki mugs and there's a nice variety of different tiki mugs on the menu. The staff are very friendly and attentive. And the prices are terrific. Really, really terrific.
No, I wouldn't go there to introduce a true rum-aficionado to a tiki drink like he's never had. But for a really fun night at a place that's easy for suburbanites to get to, with great decor and fun vibes, at a remarkably awesome price, it is perfect.
We need more places like this. We need to support the remaining places like this. I will definitely be going back.
If you're in the Chicagoland area, it's worth a pop-in as you visit some of the other Tiki places. Not the most memorable part of my trip, but still worth the price of a cocktail
I agree with the previous comment. The owners of this establishment are unaware of tikiphiles and the resurgence of tiki culture. They do not sell mugs and even followed me when I made my rounds taking pictures of the decor. That being said, the place is still good. This is an excellent place to get lunch or dinner. It's not a hang out kinda bar. The drinks are very good and unbeleivably priced! Decor and music are very authentic. The bottom line here: we need to visit establishments like this to keep the tiki culture alive and well. I give it a solid 7 and hope that it remains open for other tikiphiles to visit. Now off to Three Dots and a Dash!!!🏝🏖⚓️🍹🍍🍌🌴🎍🌺🌸🐚⛱🗿
Whats to say, A Chinese restaurant with a Tiki flair in the decor. The drinks were so-so, the food was ok and the people working there seem oblivious to the designation of Tikiness. But, I had to go there and do that.
OK, so the food is not at all Polynesian -- it's standard American-style Cantonese. And the drinks are just so-so (our Mai Tai was definitely made from a mix, not horrible but not splendid and zing-y).
But the Tiki decor is fun and fabulous. I love the thatched-roof booths and the over-the-top exuberance of it. The bar has leopard-skin coverings and there's a big mural of a Hawaiian beach on one wall. At least one fountain and bamboo wind chimes and floats and nets hanging from the ceiling. Someone put loving care into this decor.
Our pu pu platter had not-terribly-memorable food (standard egg rolls and spare ribs) actually came with a flaming iron pot. A real flaming pu pu platter! The drinks came in real tiki mugs and there's a nice variety of different tiki mugs on the menu. The staff are very friendly and attentive. And the prices are terrific. Really, really terrific.
No, I wouldn't go there to introduce a true rum-aficionado to a tiki drink like he's never had. But for a really fun night at a place that's easy for suburbanites to get to, with great decor and fun vibes, at a remarkably awesome price, it is perfect.
We need more places like this. We need to support the remaining places like this. I will definitely be going back.