The Shameful Tiki Room

This place was the best!!! Went here on vacation for a change of pace, and came out a forever fan! The chants of MYSTERY BOWLLLLL rang out in my ears long after leaving. Also highly recommend the nachos — tasty (this coming from a Texan at that)! Can’t wait until I can come back!

Went here for the first time last night and it was great. Start with the mystery bowl and go from there.

I’m updating my review to five stars because this place really does deserve it. The drinks are so good and even their food is great too. Anyone I’ve ever taken here has loved it and wanted to go back. Since my previous review I have tried a variety of their food as well as drinks so if you’re looking for something to accompany your beverage you’re in luck. Their green curry bowl is amazing and so are their nachos to name a couple of my favourites. The atmosphere at The Shameful Tiki Room is awesome and on certain nights they have some great live entertainment too!

My boyfriend and I were surprised that we had to wait about an hour to be seated at the bar so we went to go get drinks at a different bar while we waited but it was definitely worth the wait a lot of fun the drinks were exceptionally strong and delicious and the bartender was really cool! I can’t wait to go back the next time I visit Vancouver BC.

OK, I am not a party girl normally, but this place (and the Mystery Bowl punch! Yeow!) makes me want to let my hair down, dance on tables and let loose — it’s just so, so fun. I hesitate to even TELL you how fun it is, because I want to make sure I can always get in!
The entrance, off Main Street, is nondescript, almost shady, because they’ve covered the windows. Don’t be afraid, venture inside, where they’ve created a bit of a shadowy tiki cavern, complete with erupting volcano and smoke, intermittent «rainstorms,» candles, and some of the best tiki décor this side of Honolulu. You’ll find a fun cocktail list, with mandatory mai-​tais, chi chis, and pineapple-​infused everything, and a serviceable dining/​snack menu.
The mystery bowl is a definitely must-​have — a group punch bowl that easily served 4 lady-​friends, with an indeterminate mix of alcohols, on fire, which is brought to your table with a flourish and the very dramatic banging of a gong. Just do it, it’s a laugh. The repeated gong-​banging as table after table order the Mystery Bowl can get a little tiresome, but hey, it’s part of the fun. It’s hard NOT to have a good time here, and I can’t wait to go back!

If you’re looking for a strong drink in a dark, ambient yet loud tropical space, this is the spot. It feels like you’ve entered another space and time as no light from outdoors trickles in and it is decorated as a tiki bar.
The service is good and it can get a bit noisy as people join in celebration when a table orders a communal rum punch bowl. It is entertaining. I would’ve loved to hear some live music as they have a stage set up with hand drums and all. As for the drinks? Most of them come with 2 – 3 shots of spirits. The punch bowl was good, but I also tried the Pain Killer, which I enjoyed even more. If you want a strong tropical drink, stop in here.

Would have gave this place 5 stars… this place is so much fun! But in my opinion is more for the drinks than the food. Food is quite bland and just tastes OK so that is the explanation for only 4 stars.
Come check out The Shameful Tiki Room but don’t be prepared to have a good meal here! One of the coolest bars I have been to though

If you feel that the universe has been good to you and you need to balance it out by mistreating or suffering come to the Shameful Tiki. Where the service is condescending and they don’t really care what happens. I’m familiar with what it’s like to have to tell a group of 5 people that there won’t be a table for a while but the idiot at the door told us to give up; to not even try. It’s a great place to show out of town friends how retched Vancouverites can be.
When you feel that life is too good for you at the moment, come on down to the Shameful Tiki to bring balance to the Universe, before it brings balance to you in another awful way.

Wish I could experience this place, but after three hours of run around we finally gave up waiting and left.
We were told an hour or less roughly, gave them our number. Got some crap from the dude at the door because the door was propped open, which wasn’t me and wasn’t necessary. Waited an hour and fifteen, went in and checked. Got told a half hour or less, waited 45 minutes. Went back and checked, got told a half hour or less, this went on and on until they finally told us that they had our table, but not enough chairs (for a party of four), so they wouldn’t seat us, we would have to wait another half hour.
I get it being busy, I get it being hard to guess how long, but rudeness was uncalled for.
To me a wait being three times the estimated length (at least) is indicative of a problem. This ruined a special night for us.
I won’t be back.

Fun and totally cool lounge/​bar/​pub. Opens at 5pm and guests are basically there for either the drinks or the live entertainment. The hubs and I ordered the mystery drink (for 2 people) with our laid-​back server. The drink was supposed to have 4oz of something, but we only tasted what seems like 1oz (as usual with all Vancouver places). Lots of ice in the drink (again, very standard). The live entertainment was fun and the atmosphere is really cool. The venue is really small so be prepared to sit close to neighbours to see the stage.

There was a time when I would have given this establishment a 5 star rating, but after my experience this week it’s only a 3.
I’ve been enjoying the drinks the owner creates since he was operating through the back patio of The Narrow, so when I was arranging my birthday celebration this year The Shameful Tiki was my first choice of venue.
I was pretty stoked to see they have an online booking system, but, when I attempted to use it to book my party of 15 I was unable since despite their policy indicating that they accept reservations for up to 20 on Sundays, the booker maxes out at 12. No problem, I’ll send an email to the address provided! No sooner do I do this then I get an auto reply telling me to book online. Frustrating, but I figure I’ll send a message to the general email address.
At this point I get a message back from Chad the GM directing me to book online. So I message back indicating that their system will not allow for the size of my party. I would think this would be something a GM would be aware of, but whatever, nbd I suppose. This is where it gets bizarre.
After a bit of back and forth regarding reso times (I was hoping to book for 8PM, but understood when told this was not possible as they are too busy at that time to accept reservations), I am told that because it suits their seating arrangements better I can only make a reso for 14. I’m pretty confused by this since both their online policy as well as the information this person JUST sent me via email states clearly that reservations can be made for up to 20 people.
Again, I try to be understanding and start trying to decide which of my friends I have to ask to meet up later in the evening. I also ask to be notified if I can add to my party at a later time (say, if something frees up) and I get a response stating «It’s your birthday, so I can do 15 for you». Huh? At this point I’m officially annoyed since what should be a straight forward process within the terms they have given me is being presented as some sort of special favour being granted.
This is turning into a real clustercuss, but I’m still trying to be patient, thinking of the delicious drinks and gogo floor show I’ve been looking forward to.
Sadly, it was not to be, because while I’m booking a reservation a solid MONTH in advance I’m told that once I do so AT NO TIME can I cancel said reservation without incurring a $ 300 cancellation charge! Now, I run a business and I definitely understand cancellation charges as I employ them myself, but 48 hours is pretty standard to allow a person to cancel. Life happens, people get sick, and if ample notice is given to ensure they get to fill those sets then asking for $ 300 on top of that is just plain greedy! ESPECIALLY when, as they’ve already stated, they get so busy that 8PM is too late to have a reservation.
So now my experience has been that while the drinks are terrific and the wait staff are lovely and attentive, I wouldn’t ever recommend this place for a special occasion… unless you’re a psychic who can guarantee perfect health and circumstances 4 weeks in advance!

I went here for an early bday drink and made my reservations through Unilocal.Although when I got there, there was some confusion about my reservation. So they were a few mins late eating us.
We were seated in a booth slightly to the back, which I liked but after an hour they asked us to move to a smaller table to accomodate a group that had more ppl. Okaaaaaaay.
The drinks were good but not great. I did like my first drink but my virgin chi chi was not good. The glass was full of crushed ice with barely anything to drink! I prefer the slushy version.
We didn’t order any food, just drinks. I’m hesitant to order food here.
The ambiance is cool but better in pictures. I do like the storm they occasionally have.
I would come back to try this place out again.

Ambiance & Service ⁴⁄₅. Small place but great décor and atmosphere. I loved the lively vibe especially when bowls were ordered! Light show, sound effects, smoke. you name it! My only complaint is the service is quite slow. We would love to go back sundays for GOGO night and Thursdays for burlesque.
Drinks ⁵⁄₅ Creative and STRONG drinks as you would expect. The mystery bowl was tasty and had flames coming from both ends in a shell like bowl. We ordered additional drinks with the max strength, be warned, not for the weak! Tasty but definately an aquired taste for some. Would love to come back and try some of their food.
Location ⁴⁄₅ no skytrain but along main street and 28^th area. Lots of free parking and along the #3 bus route. I would advise not to drive if you plan to drink… really hit us hard on the walk home LOL
Price ⁴⁄₅. On par with cocktail prices you see in Vancouver. In my opinon if you’re going for $:Alchy content i would go for the drinks rather than the bowls.
Will be back again and again — Feels like we’re away on vaction when we’re in there!

Dark, kinda cheesy, loud, fun and dangerous. The punch bowls serve 3 – 4 people, or even up to 6 if some of your friends are on some type of lame cleanse.
Look out though. it’s hard to control your intake when everyone is speed-​sipping around a giant bowl of mystery ingredients, surrounded by a fog machine soundtrack.
Whatever was in the voodoo bowl (or two) came back to haunt me in my dreams at 5 in the morning.
That’ll teach me.

This is such a cool place. No where like it in Vancouver. The wait is massive and it is very likely you may not get in at all. However, if you do, it is worth it!
Expansive drink list, tropical décor (closest thing to a vacation on a Friday night!), excellent service. I can’t think of anything that wasn’t unique and interesting.
Had the mystery bowl and it was super delicious! Can’t wait to come back and try the volcano bowl and some of the individual drinks.

The Shameful Tiki was tricky to find, mainly because I set out looking for an outdoor patio. This place was hidden behind painted-​over windows on a busy corner on Main. Upon entering the building, you’ll have to hang around for a few minutes to let your eyes adjust to the very dimly lit building.
Sitting down at our table, we were shown a wide selection of drinks including the famous «Mystery Bowl» which when purchased will have the attention of the entire venue at the sound of a gong and staff chant (go there to find out what I mean).
I had a Zombie which has more alcohol in it than I’ll care to recite but it was a great drink. The nachos our table shared were delicious we were scraping the cheese off the plate at the end wishing we had gone for a second platter.
This is certainly an experience. Go dressed in your best Hawaiian. You’ll fit in, guaranteed.
Bring your drinking pants and plan for a ride home because it’s too fun not to try everything on the menu!

How have I not reviewed this place yet?! By far one of the coolest places that exists in Vancouver. I feel like I’ve been transported to a tropical island circa 1960’s when I’m in here. They’ve done an amazing job of creating an old school tiki bar vibe. As for the drinks, they’re incredible. Lots of traditional tiki favourites and yummy exotic flavours. Beware though, most of the cocktails contain 2 – 3 oz of booze and they go down pretty easy. You have been warned.

I spend a lot of time wandering around Main Street. I have for years. It’s a good thing that The Shameful Tiki Room is a more recent addition to the drag lest I might have left my children at a nearby sushi joint and ducked in for a drink.
My grandfather was an bartender for «exotic» Island style bars in California & Washington during his lifelong career pouring drinks. So I have a deep fondness for Tiki Bars and their ilk.
Shameful Tiki has the ambiance down pat… the darkness, music, décor is spot on.
My big test is the Zombie. This is often where a bartender shows his knowledge/​skill. Zombies will be different at every Tiki Bar you go to because there are proprietary elements to the original recipe that are in dispute. Yes, they will basically taste the same, but a good mixologist shows his skill on the Zombie. The ones I’ve had here are very good and quite strong. Yes, they’re pricey… they are expensive to make.
One critique would be the «chow»…at least they call the appetizers «chow» as opposed to pupu platters because this is where Shamful Tiki falls down with its striving for authenticity. These are not really in line with what one would find at an old school Tiki bar. But… I can’t competely fault them. We’re really all here to drink… right?
A must stop for those ticking off their Tiki Bar lists!

Amazing Tiki lounge, surly the best of its kind in Vancouver. The bar is completely void of any natural light and relies solely on mood lighting and light shows (I’ll get to that).
The cocktail list is extensive and very inventive. Helpfully the drinks come with a strength rating so, if like me, you can avoid the fillers and get straight to the killers. Rated out of five, the fives are pretty damn strong., and delicious.
There’s also large $ 20-​$ 40 ish sharing (or not) cocktails available that when ordered come with a show from the bar and bar staff. Some kind of Volcano themed expensive cocktail comes complete with an audio, smoke, and light show. Pretty cool.
Be careful though, a $ 70-​$ 100 bar tab is easily done.

First of all, what kind of business doesn’t have a landline to make reservations? I had to send in an email to make a reservation, which is totally fine. But when I know I was going to be a bit late, I had send in another email to let them know. By the time I got there, I get a comment saying“you are very late for your reso.” That’s not very welcoming. After I explained that I sent an email to notify them, the server said «oh we didn’t check the email.» Well, if you have a landline, you would know that by now.
We were escorted to our table which is very tiny and right by the bar with very minimal lighting. Me and my friend ordered some food, and a Mystery Bowl drink to share. The drink was mixed with a variety of rums and a couple of candles floating in the bowl. My straw was melted by the fire and I had to ask for a new one.
We ordered the Hawaii ribs, which comes with a bowl of rice. The rice was half cooked and it was still crunchy. When I asked the waitress if it was normal, she had no idea and had to ask the kitchen. I mean, how can you messed up the basic cooking of rice?! Besides that? Our waitress came by the table almost every 15 mins to ask if everything was okay. To the point where I started wondering if there was a lineup by the door and we are being rushed.
The whole islander style was pretty lame, and nothing like the real islander style. I was pretty disappointed with the whole experience. Probably not going to visit again.