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A
Tiki Treasure Trove Opens in the Bay Area
The
classic tiki bar is experiencing a renaissance in the
San Francisco Bay Area, as evidenced by the opening of
Tiki Tom’s in Walnut Creek and The Conga Lounge
in Oakland last year. Now, North Bay hepcats ‘n’
kittens can get their own tantalizing taste of backyard
exotica at the newly launched Mr. Vise Grip’s Bamboo
Bar.
Strategically
located in a street level room adjacent to the enormously
popular nightclub 19 Broadway in charmingly rustic Fairfax,
California, Mr. Vise Grip’s is a slice of Hipster
Paradise smack in the middle of Hippie Central. The proprietor
of this latest exponent of Pop Polynesia is none other
than Vise Grip himself, longtime baron of the local Swing
scene.  But
the suave ‘n’ savvy Vise wants to expand the
obvious appeal of his dream project beyond the subculture
of resident lounge lizards and hula honeys to make the
Bamboo Bar a regular destination for the average Joe community,
as well.
Of course,
the bar is something of an anomaly in a timeless town
like Fairfax, which comes off like a Norman Rockwell painting
of a Grateful Dead concert. The seemingly incongruous
sight of a true blue tiki tavern had many of the graying
counterculture crowd gaping as they passed by the bar’s
Grand Opening a few months back. Dig it: This is the kind
of place their parents used to frequent. It was a case
of retro culture shock for some, but in fact, the Bamboo
Bar fits in snugly with the naturally nostalgic environs.
 19
Broadway has been around for decades and features live
music seven nights a week. Lounge act luminaries from
Sam Butera to Reverend Horton Heat have held court in
this cozy landmark, so having a tiki bar on the premises
only makes further sense when you factor in the musical
element. The Bamboo Bar itself, though newly invented,
already has the lived-in ambience of a well-frequented
oasis. This largely has to do with the thatched awnings,
bamboo covered walls, ubiquitous tiki god statues and
comfy cabana chairs and tables. But, this soothing sense
of tradition also ebbs from the pleasant demeanor of the
friendly, hard-working bartender (John) and the magic
of master mixologist Vise Grip. The bar’s list of
“exotic libations” includes classics like
the Mai Tai, Blue Hawaiian and Chi Chi, and twists on
old standards like my favorite, their extra strong version
of the Zombie called “Nite of the Living Dead.”
Enhanced by the sight of so many voodoo dolls in their
sexy aloha dresses, a trip to the Bamboo Bar is an intoxicating
experience, well worth the trip to far-away Fairfax from
just about anywhere.
-Will
“the Thrill” Viharo
Mr. Vise
Grip’s Bamboo Bar is located at 19 Broadway in Fairfax,
California. Hours are 5:00 p.m. – 1:00 a.m., Thursday
thru Sunday, with live music nightly. For details, call
(415) 485-0375 or visit www.19broadway.com.
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