The Lucky Tiki in Highland Park is the sister location of the original Lucky Tiki in West…read moreHollywood. This spot opened about a year ago, and has a cool speakeasy style entrance at the Highland Park Bowl bowling alley. It is a small space, and I would highly recommend making a reservation on Resy. You have 90 minutes to drink and dine. I parked behind the bowling alley where there is a medium sized pay parking lot. Park in a space, remember your space number painted on the ground, and go to the pay station at the end of the lot. I found the parking machine to be extremely finicky as did other people. After ten minutes of failure, I ended up moving my car to another space, and then it worked. This has nothing to do with the Lucky Tiki, but FYI if you park there. We walked around to the front of the bowling alley, and checked in. Seating options include at the bar, tiki hut booths, and high top tables. The décor inside is a tiki lovers paradise. The room has a high ceiling with many tiki lamps, floats, puffer fish, tiki huts, thatch, ropes, barrels, netting, carvings, a hanging canoe, and a large tiki right in the middle of the space. In addition to the great décor, when you order certain drinks, special effects are triggered. There was also great tiki music playing all evening. We sat at the bar since we always enjoy talking to the bartenders. We actually ran into Skipper Christian in the parking lot on the way in, and he ended up being our main bartender, with Nick and Jo also working behind the bar. We put in a food order right away. The chicken potstickers ($12) came with five tasty bites, and the garlic teriyaki dipping sauce was good. We also had the giant pretzel ($16) which comes with mustard, beer cheese, and ranch sauces. This was excellent, and the perfect filling snack before a bunch of drinks. My first drink was the Siren's Song (Flor de Cana Eco rum, lemon juice, cassis, Oloroso sherry, apricot foam topper, $19). This drink is served in a great mermaid with skull mug and triggers special sound effects and bubbles fill the air. Those bubbles on top of the drink had a great light citrusy apricot flavor, probably the best flavored bubbles I've ever had. The drink itself was very good and balanced with some complexity. She wasn't sure what to order at first, and Christian asked her what flavors she liked. He ended up making a spin on a Tradewinds with some mango and pineapple to go along with the apricot and coconut. It was nicely balanced and not too sweet, even with all that fruit in there. My second drink was the Sun of Suns (Tierra de Acre mezcal, coconut cream, Giffard mango liqueur, pineapple juice, lime juice, $17). This was coconut and pineapple forward with some good smokiness in the background. Her second drink was the Whatever Floats Your Boat (Ford's gin, lemon juice, velvet falernum, orgeat, passion fruit syrup, guava soda, topped with hazelnut passion fruit foam, $19). It is served in a cool boat mug, and triggers thunder sound effects and lighted mechanical Polynesian tiki characters paddling a canoe over the bar. This was another good balanced drink. It was a little gin forward and the passion fruit popped out, maybe from being both in the drink and the foam top. That creamy hazelnut passion fruit form on top is delicious. I'd happily have a glass of that on its own. We were still a little hungry so we ordered the Hawaiian pizza (marinara, diced pepperoni, red onion, pineapple chunks, hot capicola ham, $16). It was another good tasting, perfectly sized snack, and the crust was light and airy. We were already fifteen minutes over our time limit, but we got the green light to stay longer to order a third drink to share. We ordered the Tiki Diablo (Flor de Cana Eco rum, Worthy Park 109 rum, Alma Tepecha chile liqueur, orange juice, lime juice, mango syrup, guava soda, $24). This drink serves two people, is served in a cool volcano bowl with glowing red lava around it, and comes with a fire show. Unfortunately, right after it was served, the host came over and said we were over our time and had to leave shortly. Christian made up for it by giving us two tall pours to go enjoy in the bowling alley bar area which was fine. We were happy we got some extra time inside. The drink was also very good, balanced with a little complexity. We had a great time. There is so much great décor to look at. The drinks and food were very good, and some of the the drink presentations and special effects were the icing on the cake. All of the bartenders were very friendly and a lot of fun. We purchased up a few zombie glasses to take home as a souvenir. I'd definitely recommend visiting the Lucky Tiki in Highland Park!

Adorable speakeasy with a fortune teller as a doorbell…read more Drinks 3/5 Painkiller $18 - This drink comes out with a show as they light a part of it on fire. I didn't fancy the flavor and this is a very popular drink so it stinks up the place every time it gets served to someone. Dark Magic $18 - Objectively not a bad drink but too tart for my partner and I didn't prefer the flavor. Service 5/5 Standard service. Our waitress got us some free shots, very kind. :) Ambiance 4/5 I love the vibes, the darkness, the decor. It's just too stinky and smokey whenever they serve the Painkiller.

On our recent trip to California, we got to to eat and drink at amazing restaurants & bars. One of…read morethem was Griffens of Kinsale in South Pasadena. It was a great experience with delicious martinis and potent cocktails !! The pub has booths as well as bar seating inside and outdoor patio. It's an awesome neighborhood bar packed with happy people. There's live performances in the evenings which are usually great . Staff are friendly, helpful and with big smiles !! Food is good with delicious bar fare , we tried the wings as well as potato wedges. Both were well prepared and tasty !!!

A $150 St. Patrick's Day dinner that never happened! A $150 St. Patrick's Day dinner at Griffin's…read moreof Kinsale turned into a 90-minute wait with no food and no explanation. I'm a second-generation Irish-American from New York, and St. Patrick's Day has always meant something in my family. Growing up it was about heritage, family, and a little joy. Now that I have two daughters of my own -- very Irish-looking girls who are proud of their roots -- I wanted them to experience some of that same Irish pub spirit. So on St. Patrick's Day 2025, I took them to Griffin's of Kinsale in South Pasadena. They were so excited to be there -- the decorations, the music, the feeling of a real Irish pub. For a moment I thought, this is going to be a great memory for them. We came early because it was a school night. The restaurant was busy -- which is understandable on St. Patrick's Day. I ordered three salmon dinners for my daughters and myself. The bill came to about $150. Then we waited. And waited. And waited. Over an hour and a half. During that entire time: * No one warned us the kitchen was backed up when we ordered. * No one checked on our table. * No updates. * No communication at all. Had someone simply said "Just so you know, food may take an hour or more tonight," I could have made a different decision -- especially with two kids who had school the next morning. Instead we sat downstairs watching the clock while the evening disappeared. By the end of the night my daughters -- who had been so excited walking in -- were tired, hungry, and miserable. When I asked to speak with a manager, no one came. No explanation. No apology. Restaurants get slammed on holidays. Kitchens fall behind. That happens. But ignoring a table for 90 minutes -- especially a family with children -- isn't a busy night. It's bad management. What should have been a fun St. Patrick's Day memory for my daughters turned into a long, uncomfortable evening where we felt completely invisible. For a place that trades so heavily on Irish identity and hospitality, this was about as far from hospitality as you can get. Save your $150 and celebrate St. Patrick's Day somewhere that actually wants you there. And if management would like to explain how a family ends up waiting 90 minutes with no communication, I'd genuinely be interested to hear it.

The food was amazing, you have access to both the bar menu and the restaurant menu. Bri was an…read moreamazing bartender, the drinks were strong and quick to prepare. Lastly, the happy hour was definitely worth it, I will be back.

Melt in your mouth Wagyu beef and fresh avocado is amazing!! Staff is very friendly and…read moreaccommodating. Patio area is secluded and pleasant.

Definitely speakeasy vibes. You will need to message ahead of time for the password. There will be…read morea bouncer outside that'll ask for it. Inside is a surprisingly large space. So much seating! I've never seen the venue overcrowded. Large menu so many drinks to try! Great spot whenever I have guests visiting

Absolutely loved this spot in Pasadena. It's a hidden a gem. The unique touches like needing a…read morepassword to enter and the no flash photography rule add to the experience. This is a grungy yet atmospheric bar. It definitely has some unique vibes and it's pretty big inside. The cocktail menu has something for everyone. I got Pablo's Poison and the Kitty Killer and both were delicious. Everyone else in our friend group got the Naked & Famous and it was a clear favorite.The customer service is on point, the crowd is friendly. The music is on point. If you want a night out in Pasadena, this is it!

An amazing idea for a chill date type of vibe or with friends…read more The food and music were amazingly good. Bartenders are so friendly. Definitely coming back again.

The service was great, the music was good, and the drinks were excellent. I can't wait to go back!read more

Nice, chill ambience during a weekday early evening. The decor is dark jungley but the main room…read moregets nice natural light. The cocktails were very unique and decently strong. Grandma's Purse, which features miso-infused Suntory, butterscotch, and 5 spice, was surprisingly savory and not sweet. On the other hand, Wabbit Season, which features carrot, cumin and celery among its ingredients, was surprisingly sweet. Go figure. I enjoyed the novelty of those drinks but I probably would not get them again. I would be interested in trying out some of their other cocktails though.

Arroyo Club? More like Arroyo Flub. Bartenders are nice but the doorman is an absolute prick. Get…read morehim out of here! He didn't let me back in because I was "being weird". Please elaborate my brother. Anyways, will never go back. NEXT!

Pasadena is one of my all-time favorite cities and they have some great restaurants. We hadn't been…read morein this side of town in a while, so I asked my son to find us a new spot to try today. We ended up at Magnolia House for a late lunch/early dinner. They also serve breakfast/brunch only on weekends. Walked in around 4:30pm and we were greeted by Brian, one of the managers. Brian was the standout star of the whole experience! His energy was exceptional and he is such a great conversationalist. He checked on us several times throughout our meal and made sure we were doing well. He on his own was HANDS DOWN a five star human being. At first, he wanted to seat us in the back corner but I told him the table was too small and he accommodated us with a bigger table. Our server Kiana came up to the table with a pleasant smile and greeting to take our drink orders. I got a glass of cranberry juice along with some water. My son got the American Dream cocktail along with some water. We skipped on dessert. From 4-6pm, they have a happy hour menu with some of their cocktails and shareable plates. The portions are just a bit smaller and the prices are a little lower. It's a good way to sample different items. I think we got a good variety of food to enjoy. To start, we got the Little Gem Salad. It was such a unique combination of flavors and SUPER delicate/light. My son and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The next starter was the Zucchini and Feta Fritters, which was good but not the best out of everything else we ordered. The zucchini was a bit mushy but the batter it was fried in was crispy. Another starter we shared were the Moroccan Spiced Chicken Wings. These wings are gigantic and very flavorful. They definitely pack some heat, so be careful. I don't think the A/C was NOT working to begin with, so the place was already hot. The wings made us sweat even more. For entrées, we got the burger and the pork belly. Brian said they are known for their burger and after taking the first bite, it's clear as to why. It was absolutely PERFRCTION. So delicious! The bun, the meat, the cheese, the onions, and the crispy bacon...all of it mixed together into the perfect burger. I had wanted to add some mushrooms and avocado to it, but Kiana said they were unable to do it. I also asked for lettuce and she said that would be an extra charge. What extra charge for lettuce? We still got charged for avocado when the bill came, but they took it off once we mentioned it. The pork belly was also very tender, flavorful, and crispy. It's just hard to compete with the burger! We also got an order of the Belgian Fries to share and we were both pleasantly surprised at how good they were. The fries are salty and cut pretty thick. The sauce that came on the side was so yummy. We asked for a small extra cup to-go. All in all, the food was great and we liked everything. The vibe of the restaurant wasn't really all that for me. Brian genuinely made up for anything that was lacking in the atmosphere. He is such a wonderful asset to the restaurant and their company. The restaurant itself has been here for about 15 years now and it used to be a very old house. You can tell when you look around. They did a good job with the renovations, but you can see the different areas/rooms. I think they tried to keep the casual comfort of a home, while making it a slightly elevated experience. It was very clean everywhere, especially the bathrooms. They have one gender neutral bathroom, one for men, and one for women. No private parking, so you'll have to park on the street and put money in the kiosk. They also had an outdoor seating. Pretty BIG, only took picture of one side. They also have 2 small TVs. In the bar area and inside their cute lounge. I normally like to try new places, especially when I'm in Pasadena, so I'm not sure if I'll come back here. Maybe if Brian is working, it would definitely be worth stopping by again! Thank you all..

Wonderful experience!!…read more Celebratory Happy hour with the girls! Our waitress, Jasmin was soo accommodating and served us well!! I enjoyed the Moroccan rub on the chicken wings and the zucchini fritters Along with the house burger , soo yummy!

Had a great time in the taproom. The musicians and the vocalist this night were amazing. Every…read moredrink I ordered at the bar was made very well, a testament to the skills of the bartenders. Love the intimate setting and the stylish decor of the place. Will be returning soon!

The food and drinks were so worth it! It was nice to have live music and hopefully they can vary…read morewith the type of songs played. So much fun for a late night at the hotel.