Forbidden Island is one of those rare neighborhood gems that somehow manages to feel both special and effortlessly welcoming. It's a longtime local favorite of mine and my go-to spot for meeting up with friends--equal parts escape and comfort. The cocktail menu is impressively deep, full of beautifully crafted, fancy tiki drinks that practically beg to be explored, and so far every single one I've tried has been delicious (dangerously so). Inside, the bar nails the classic tiki vibe--warm, immersive, and transportive--while the outdoor patio offers a lovely, relaxed option with plenty of extra seating on warm days. It's the kind of place where you can linger, laugh, and lose track of time. The staff deserve a special shout-out: genuinely friendly, attentive, and accommodating, which only adds to the overall experience. A quick pro tip: if you're planning to stop by during popular after-work hours, definitely make a reservation--it fills up for good reason. The food menu is on the smaller side, but the bites are tasty and thoughtfully done, perfect for sharing alongside a round (or two) of cocktails. All in all, Forbidden Island is a standout spot that keeps me coming back again and again. read more

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Forbidden Island is a usual pitstop for us after the Antique Fair in Alameda. The drinks are solid and the interior decor is fun, but fall short of its neighbors in the surrounding area. It's got a hybrid dive bar with dollar bills on the ceiling, mixed with Tiki. I have tried the Grog, Rum Barrel, and Sunday Special, all of which were solid, but not out of this world. read more

I always have a great time at Forbidden Island. Went on a Wednesday night, got a reservation for a table, and had delicious hot-buttered rum and our fave mozzarella sticks. Service was friendly and helpful, and fast! Love the vibes always and recommend a reservation in case you want a booth of seats that are not the bar. read more

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I love tiki bars and this had a great tiki theme inside and out. Drinks were solid, servers were friendly, but I will say the bar snacks were smaller than expected. Still would go back. read more

Forbidden Island - Rum Barrel***** - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

This place is so cute! If you're looking for a fun spot with cool ambiance in alameda this is your sign to go check it out. I had an excellent time here with my cousins the other night. The person at the door was so sweet. Wishing us happy belated birthdays as they checked our IDs. My cousins birthday was last week, so they actually bought him a complimentary shot. That was so thoughtful. The drinks were fun, and there are plenty to choose from. You'll definitely find something you like here. They also have a small food menu, so if you get the drunk munchies, they have you covered! read more

Forbidden Island - Tradewinds*** - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Great experience. Justin was the bomb! Great group experience. Drinks are so great! Went here as a group of 7. There is a gratuity if over 6 but worth it. Bar bites are pretty good. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

My friends and I had a good time. We didn't have a reservation but they gave us a standing table pretty quickly on a Saturday night. But once a table opened up, they gave us one. I got the Leilani volcano and it was very fruity almost like a juice, but I really liked it. The funk blaster tasted like a banana pudding with alcohol in the best way. I also appreciate how the menu rates how strong the drink is. Good vibes and I liked the surfer rock music they were playing. read more

Forbidden Island - Funk Blaster**** Naught Coati*** Lei Lani Volcano* - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Great spot for parties , hang out , Sunday afternoon relax , small or large get togethers. Street parking . Looks small from outside but lots of seating inside and out. Love the tiki bar vibes including music and staff attire. Eveyone from the hostesses to the server and bartender were extremely nice, welcoming and funny. Didn't try the food but they do offer bar foods . Next time will do . Tried the drinks and I wish I had all day and a high tolerance. I wanted to try everything all looked so good . 100% recommend. read more

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Food - bar bites (think chicken nuggets, corn dogs, fries). Service - depends greatly on the service professional, my experiences have been good in general, not long waits and plenty check ins without it being overkill. Ambiance - if you like tiki bars, this is your spot! Definitely givinggg as soon as you walk in, outside is nicely decorated en theme also. 4 stars because the drinks I've had all leaned on the too sweet side, less super sweet options would be nice read more

Forbidden Island - Front sign - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Service was great! Max was amazing, so hospitable! We had to wait a little bit and his communication was excellent! Came out for a girls night at our and we all had a round of Chi Chi's ... a frosty tropical drink and it did not disappoint! The staff were friendly overall. It's a chill vibe, diverse crowd. I'd definitely come back! read more

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My favorite tiki bar of all time. Tasty drinks and many (over 100) rum choices. Tropical themed, simple food. Nothing fancy but expect things like fried coconut shrimp. One of the only tiki bars I've seen with an outdoor seating area. Theming is on point and this place is usually very chill vs the rowdier crowds at other tiki bars. Say hi to Miami Dave if they're around, they are wonderful. Check out Paws in the Sand or their trivia nights if you're feeling adventurous. If it's your first time bring a dollar bill :) read more

Loved it here! The place is decorated so nicely and the people there are so sweet The drinks were so yummy and looked amazing. Will come again next time with my girls! (I got the Chi Chi & Planet of the Apes which tasted like banana smoothies/shakes .) read more

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I have some friends that love tiki bars so every time they visit we do a little tiki tour. This is the first year we've been to Forbidden Island and it won't be the last. Loved absolutely everything about it and I will be dragging my partner back to get a monkeypod for sure! Out of 5(!) tiki bars and countless cocktails consumed we all agreed the monkeypod was the highlight cocktail of the week. My friend also loved the Planet of the Apes, which is a good option if you like banana. read more

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Super friendly staff, great drinks, easy parking (at least at 8pm on a Sunday). The staff had excellent recommendations and really know their stuff. Total cost was $59.81 total for 3 drinks. * Chamborlada - 4 stars. Creamy, sweet, fun, with a thick smoothie-like texture. * Divers dilemma - 5 stars. Starts out all spice and citrus then eases into lemon with a peppery leather vibe throughout. Definitely interesting. * Funk Blaster - 4.5 stars. Citrus and coconut cream and banana, creamy but still tart, booze forward, good amount of challenging to the palate. These looked good and I'll want to try them next time: * Love punch (looks fruity/tart) * Humuhumunukunukuapua'a (served up) read more

Went to their 19th anniversary party yesterday which was so much fun. The staff were busy but service was great. The event was outdoors and the weather was perfect. Rum tasting with Chairman's Reserve. Yum! The drinks at FB are the best. It does take time to receive your drinks, but remember these are very specialized drinks and they take time to make. I really enjoy coming to FB even when it's not a special event. Make a reservation!!! Highly recommend read more

Forbidden Island - Rum tasting - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Fun tiki bar with delicious drinks, including virgin options for a teetotaler like myself. Extensive menu of drinks, mostly rum based. Today I tried the virgin monkeypod, a refreshing mix of tamarind, coconut, and lime, topped with fresh mint. Today was the inaugural edition of Alameda Soul Club at Forbidden Island. Not much of a dance floor but dancers made do and the atmosphere was just perfect. It's a good idea to book a table ahead to secure a prime spot! Easy street parking. Table and bar service for booked seats. read more

Forbidden Island - Virgin Monkeypod - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

They were out of half of the bar bites. The scorpion bowl was awful, tasted like mimosa and if there was alcohol in there it was cleverly disguised. On the other hand the rum barrel drink was amazing ! Service was also very slow read more

Such a cool place! The inside is fun and the outside is huge with all the Tiki decor, it truly transports you to another world. The service was on point and the drinks are fantastic! If you are looking for a fun time, look no further. Cheers! read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Hands down my fav tiki bar in the Bay Area, and I've visited pretty much all of them. This is a super fun, very classically heavily decorated tiki bar. It's cozy and on the darker side in all of the right ways. The drinks are all amazing (painkiller is my fav) and they have fun Polynesian appetizers and more. It does fill up quickly, so I'd recommend going closer to open or later in the evening if you want to find a seat. They do have a great outdoor patio too when the weather is warm. read more

I came here with a friend to celebrate my birthday after dinner. Forbidden Island was packed with bar patrons. My friend and I sat at the bar. I am not one to imbibe any type of alcohol. An attempt was made to get a Kahlua and cream. No Kahlua, but I was told they had an alternative. Okay, a Black Russian consisting of Mr. Black coffee liqueur, Bailey's Irish Cream and vodka was the cocktail beverage that I ordered. The drink was okay. The bartenders then found out it was my birthday and had offered me a complimentary shot glass or rum. I didn't realize it was rum until I drank it. Never again! I left out of there messed up drunk. Thank goodness I did not heave/barf/throw up. Another thing I have not drank rum since the mid 70's. Back then it was a 151 with a coke back. Yep, I threw up and hadn't touch hard liquor since about 50 years ago. Although the ambiance is a nice one, hard liquor is not my cup of tea. Thus, this tiki bar is a hit or miss for me. I'm 73 years old, and I don't need a drink to be sociable. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Party of 2 at the bar. My hubby and I went to Valentine's Day as I have been wanting to go here for a while. We made reservations and glad we did as they were fully booked all night. We were welcomed at the door by a friendly host. Sat promptly. Comfortable bar chairs and very clean establishment. Bartenders were attentive and all very nice. All of our drinks were yummy and so were the bar bites. Looking forward to going back. read more

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The drinks were very good. The seating inside is limited so we had to sit outside. It was chilly, but they had space heaters. I had their Mai Tai and shared an order of their chicken bites. The chicken was served hot and fresh. read more

My husband and I were staying the night in Oakland and finally had the chance to check out Forbidden Island. We had plans to visit three tiki bars but this was our first stop and basically the plan was thrown out the window once we got here. The service is above and beyond. From the moment we got seated we felt welcomed. Michael was behind the bar and went out of his way to have conversation with us. We felt like we were regulars and felt at home. Went from what was planned to be an hour stopped turned into about four. Now let's talk about the tiki drinks..... Amazing!! You can tell when bartenders really enjoy making these specialty drinks. We know our tiki drinks and we loved them here. Can't wait to go back!!!! read more

Love the place. Food was great and everyone was friendly. Parking was a challenge but got.lucky and got a spot right in the front.

Great hostess and service! Ordered the forbidden island, mai tai and chi chi. Forbidden island was exactly what I wanted- nice and refreshing! Chichi was milky and coconuty- similar to a a pina colada. Too heavy. Maitai was very strong. read more

Came here after my work holiday party at bowlero. There's a large patio in the back where they accommodated all of us, around 50ish people. The tiki drinks are great. I got the one with 5 skulls and had a great time. Also got a variety of the apps. Fun hole in the wall for alameda. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

I must have some more Chamborlada! So good! It was my first time here. I got to try Jet Pilot, and Love Punch. The finger foods were good to and complements the drinks. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Interesting bar, twice I've been here very excited to try it out once with my mom and once with my boyfriend. About a year apart each time. Drinks were good but I probably would pick a different spot. The first time with my mom it was okay.. she was more excited than I was to try and she was disappointed by the vibe and service we felt like outsiders like we were bothering them. Then the next time I went with my boyfriend just a couple nights ago, we go in, it's super dark, almost kind of quiet, my boyfriend chose a seat at the bar right by the spot where the bartender makes the drinks and the bartender asked us to move "literally right over" it kind of made us feel dumb, my boyfriend works at a restaurant and is a bar back and was just interested in it all, it was nothing malicious by trying to sit close. Then we just try and make small talk with the bartender and he was just not having it, it was just so weird! Never had that happen at a bar, almost like he was just having a really bad night so I didn't really care I was just trying to enjoy my drink. It was just really hard though! The bartender was honestly not welcoming at all and I suspect it's because we're not locals who come in there every other night like the other folks who came in he started talking to like it was his good friend ‍ never going here again. It sucks cus I love a good tiki bar, I love Hawaii, Florida, etc. There was a woman bar back and she was much friendlier , wish she was the one who served us instead read more

An excellent tiki bar with an extensive drink menu and friendly staff. A great place for date night or a round of drinks with friends.

Please improve snack offerings. Update your cocktails. Poor ambience . Nice staff- kinda. read more

If you want a dine inside experience, make a reservation, it's worth the extra few moments it takes to do so. The lighting is soft and there is music in the background. You can watch the bartender make drinks and enjoy the company of your dining partner with little distraction. We have opted to sit outside, especially in the spring and summer time. There is shaded seating under the canopy at high top tables and if the seating is available, there are sofas and tables just as you exit the interior bar area. There was a water feature near the couches and there are pieces of art hung on the surrounding walls and back fence area. We ordered hummus with pita chips, this was a good serving size for sharing. The buffalo wings were also a nice serving, pretty flavorful.. however more napkins please... We ordered a few drinks and we should have paid attention to the skill ratings. Ours were too weak. Definitely take a look at the skulls if you like your drinks strong. We are looking forward to joining our friends in the back patio for some laughs and drinks. And we'll be looking for those skulls. read more

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In the past, I have loved this place, but unfortunately recently the experiences fell way short. The service was incredibly slow from start to finish. We waited way too long just to be acknowledged, and even longer to get our drinks. It felt like we were constantly having to flag someone down instead of being taken care of. What made the experience worse was that we purchased a mug (which is a big part of the tiki bar experience), and we never received it. We waited and waited until eventually we were over it and just left. After spending a decent amount of money, that was really disappointing. Specially because you could tell they favorited their regular customers. It didn't seem like the staff made much effort to fix the situation either. Overall, the atmosphere has potential, but the poor service and lack of follow-through really ruined it for us. If anyone is looking for another tiki bar, I recommend Kona Club in Piedmont. read more

Came here with co-workers and the ambiance alone really delivered! The drinks were delish, the music was fun, and we had such a memorable time. Will go again read more

First off--love the ambiance. Never been to a tiki bar, but definitely not my last time. I actually kinda like rum now. I ordered a hurricane (yum) and my drinking partner ordered their forbidden island. Both were delicious. We ordered a side of waffle fries and those were good, too. Not a lot of places serve waffle fries, so that's a big plus for me. Later i accidentally knocked over her drink and i felt hella bad, but luckily it was mostly ice that fell out. The bartender came by hella fast with towels. Appreciated! I still felt hella bad. Overall, it was a great time! Would definitely come again. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

I stopped by a very empty bar and was immediately told that we would be kicked out if they got more customers. Since it was my first visit, it also ended up being my last. I didn't even order a drink because I was ready to leave. The bartenders were not welcoming, and the ambiance was uninviting. Tiki is a lifestyle of mine, but I will not return to this establishment. We did not sit in a booth; we sat at the bar. It seems that you didn't really listen to someone who had a bad experience at your establishment. Your poor attitude perfectly reflects how your staff treated us during the brief moment we were there. read more

From Denver to the Bay, this tiki bar slaps hard. The ambience is what I always look forward to and I have been visiting Forbidden Island for the last two years. I do dig the good music, excellent drinks and personable staff. Friday nights get busy but put your name down! If it's more than an hour wait, try again with less than a party of 5! Little hidden gem in alameda :). Also, you can't go wrong with coconut shrimp. Plus it's pet friendly on the patio! read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Super cute tiki bar, the bar tender is gorgeous and super friendly. I didn't know what to order but I wanted something off of the holiday drink menu, I told him that I liked something not too sweet and I like a kick, it was super cute bc he replied "oooh I'm good at this!" Sure enough, he was!! He recommended the cuddle puddle, it was just right... mind you I don't like girl drinks. Ambiance is chill. Coming back! read more

I really enjoyed this bar! Tons of outdoor seating and a cute island vibe indoors. The drinks and food were great! And the employees are so friendly. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

My friends and I stopped by Forbidden Island on a Wednesday evening to celebrate a birthday. Around 7:30 p.m., the bar was pretty quiet, which was expected for a midweek night. The menu here can feel a bit overwhelming at first--there are so many drink options, and you won't find the usual classics like Old Fashioneds or Negronis. I ended up trying the "Red Sky Swizzle," a refreshing mix of citrus, homemade orgeat, California Poppy amaro, and a striking red "sky" of Peychaud's bitters. You place your order at the bar, but the staff brings your drinks to your table when they're ready. Since it wasn't busy, our drinks came out quickly. The servers were attentive throughout the evening and checked in on us regularly, in case we needed to place another order for food or drinks. For food, I had a chance to try out the furikake waffle fries. The fries were delicious -- crispy, full of flavor, and loaded with a generous amount of seasoning. Definitely worth ordering. The cozy, laid-back atmosphere was perfect for hanging out, though I could see it getting pretty loud on busier nights--not ideal if you're looking for an intimate date spot. If you're a fan of tiki drinks, Forbidden Island is a must-visit. And if you're after something extra strong, definitely try a cocktail with 151 rum floated on top. read more

I'm a native to Alameda and I love a good tiki bar. The ambiance and decor is beautiful. Bravo for that. The service is extremely slow, food is subpar, and that's my impression. I don't recommend unless you're willing to wait for a while. read more