The Tonga Hut
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The Details:
12808 Victory Blvd
North Hollywood, CA 91606
Phone: (818) 769-0708
Daily 4pm-2am
Happy Hour: 4pm-8pm daily
The Los Angeles Foodie Rating:
The Summary:
Authentic Tiki bars have all but disappeared in Los Angeles. The Tonga Hut in North Hollywood, along with just a handful of others in the city, are keeping the dream alive. The drinks are strong and the staff is friendly (as long as you are friendly). Cheap PBR (dollar draws on Wednesday nights) is a big draw. But above everything else, this 50-year-old valley tradition is a neighborhood dive bar.
The Place:
The Tonga Hut is the kind of place that when you walk in during the day, it takes your eyes at least five minutes to adjust to the dim interior. A dim interior, by the way, that is lit by bulbs shrouded in uniquely handmade basket lampshades.
Tiki heads (Moai) and bamboo abound beneath a kidney-shaped drop ceiling. And the bar is back-lit by a glowing metal-bowl fountain.
The atmosphere is as a Tiki spot should be, and it feels like the read deal, not some latter-day recreation. And it should. The Tonga Hut first opened its doors in 1958 in the heyday of Tiki fever. The rundown bar was bought in 2005 by its current owners and restored to original state of beauty.
The Food:
Since no food is served at this bar, it can be fairly assumed that you are here to drink (and maybe nibble from the bowls of muchies). The menu is a rainbow of rums, fruit juices, and liqueurs.
The Tonga Punch and Mai Tai passed the muster of the relatively-undescriminating tropical-drink-palate of Los Angeles Foodie. All of the drinks are served with umbrellas and fresh fruit (of course). Some concoctions can be upgraded from well liquor to call for a buck. Happy Hour seems to be a big draw if you listen to internet chatter. The daily happy hour boasts $2 domestic beers and $3 well drinks. $3 well bloody marys are available from 4pm-8pm every “Bloody Sunday.”
The Service:
The Tonga Hut’s MySpace page says that the bartenders are “cute and nice,” which was certainly the case. The owner was sitting next to me at the bar, and he told me that when it’s slow, he loves to play DVDs of classic films on the bar’s TVs. When I was there, we were treated to Hitchcock’s North By Northwest.
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