Archipelago

What a great place! It's thoroughly drenched in tiki sauce, plays a variety of vintage and newer exotica music, has knowledgeable and friendly staff, is across the street from the subway (and a few doors down from the famous Ben's Chili Bowl). The drink menus vary from first to second floor (see photos). The first floor has a few classics such as the Mai Tai, but is mostly new creations with some very unusual and intriguing ingredients (e.g. Malort). The second floor is for the vintage drinker who wants to try some of the many rarer rums. You have to reserve a spot upstairs on the web, but if they are not busy, they may see you up anyway. All of the mugs with first floor drinks are for sale, and are well priced from $15 up. That's about how much the drinks are too, but they are generally worth it. The Mai Tai (mixing Hamilton Demereras) was excellent if a little icier than I like. My favorite was the exquisite Pearl Diver. The Misunderstood Vitamin Swizzle was a lot better than its name. On the bitter side. The Fog Cutter was very good. All with quality ingredients - very fine. DC finally got its Tiki mojo back!

I loved this place! Me and a couple of non-tiki friends visited on a Tuesday evening, The downstairs decor is pretty good. It was pretty crowded so we sat outside on the lovely patio. The drinks and food were excellent!
We were fortunate to have Katie as our server and she was talkin’ tiki and showing us the available mugs. The new signature mug is very nice.
Then, the best part of the visit.... we were given a tour of the upstairs area. Wow! I sure wish we were going to be in DC on Friday or Saturday. I definitely recommend Archipelago for fun and tikiness.

The Lost Island Tiki Speakeasy is on a whole other level. I wish it had a separate rating aside from downstairs because with the exception of the food it would easily be a 9.7 of all the places I’ve ever been.

I can't speak for the second floor; it wasn't open the day I went and, since when I checked the reservation calendar it appears they never accept reservations for one, I don't know if they would have been willing to seat me there even if it had been open.

I didn't get the regular experience even on the first floor, as it happened that the evening I could get over there from my convention was a "Crabs and Coladas" event, so the regular food menu was not available. A disappointment since I had my heart set on the sliders, but what was on the event menu was good, if not what I'd normally expect from a tiki bar. The bar area itself was already crowded and loud fifteen minutes after opening for the event, so I grabbed a table. There wasn't a lot of tiki decor in the main area, but my Mai Tai was good and came in a tiki mug, and the service was good. I'd probably go back and try the regular food if another opportunity came up.

Archipelago is the bar that made me recognize and grow my love of tiki culture, and it’s still one of my absolute favorite tiki bars. Unfortunately I don’t live in the DC area any more, so I don’t get to enjoy this wonderful gem full-time, but I always make a point of stopping in for at least one drink whenever I go back to visit. Don’t let the 7.5 rating fool you – their exotic cocktails and delicious Sichuan-inspired food are absolutely top-knotch.

Although the regular drink menu and the relative lack of decor in the main bar area might suggest that Archipelago is just another tiki-lite bar hopping on the bandwagon of the current tropical drink craze, taking a closer look will really make you appreciate the love that the owners have for Polynesian Pop. The pieces that they’ve displayed around the bar were all collected over the course of years, and unique little spins like the Magnum PI shrine and the surf films being projected on the wall provide a fun touch. However, while bar decor is obviously important my favorite aspect of tiki culture is the drinks, and this is where Archipelago really shines. The originals on their menu are great but as others have said, ask for the “Old School Tiki” drink menu (which also comes with a long list of sipping rums). All of the drinks that I’ve tried off of that menu over the years have been absolutely fantastic, including my favorite Jet Pilot in the world.

I think Archipelago’s somewhat low score is mostly due to 2 factors: one is the raucous after-work and weekend crowds that they attract (which are totally not their fault, and good for them that they’re so popular!), which might rub some tiki-philes the wrong way if they’re just looking for a dark, quiet corner to drink in. The other is the aforementioned lack of decor relative to other, more well-established tiki bars. However, both of these issues have been rendered moot with their new upstairs “speakeasy” space, Lost Island.

I got to check out Lost Island about a month ago, on the first weekend that they opened the space for regular reservations (you have to make advance reservations for upstairs tables using the online service Resy, which some people might think is gimmicky or over-burdensome but I thought it was cool that you really had to seek out if you wanted to find it). The space feels much more like a traditional quiet tiki bar, with rattan and bamboo everywhere (and no windows!). There’s a framed photo of Donn Beach on the wall and exotica playing over the speakers. It’s everything you could want it to be. I was so happy to be there, and doubly so because I was finally able to give Chris (one of the owners) a rare tiki mug from Okinawa that I had been saving for them for a long time. Opening the new space is a huge occasion and I’m so happy that business is booming for them!

What it boils down to is this: if you consider yourself a Polynesian Pop purist who values the decor and “authenticity” of long-established tiki bars over the quality of food and drinks offered, and who prefers a dark and quiet old place to a more modern and hopping bar experience, then Archipelago might not be for you. However, I for one am so incredibly happy that Archipelago is carrying on the tradition of making great tiki drinks while also creating a hip, modern bar experience for a new generation of tiki enthusiasts!

I just checked out the new Lost Island area upstairs on Friday night with my wife. We waded through the downstairs area, which was hopping. I'm tremendously grateful for Archipelago's success, but I was also quite relieved to be guided upstairs, through a closed door, and into a dark, quiet area filled with thatch and bamboo. Lost Island is the tiki bar inside the tiki bar that I've been waiting for. There was exotica playing, and the booths are lovely. They have their own menu, too, with three related, seasonal drinks, and about eight or so classics, like the Zombie, Pago Pago, Missionary's Downfall, and more.

The seasonal drinks all used scotch, with is pretty interesting, but I was there for the classics. The two I had were delightful, though I had a fair bit of ice shards in the cocktail that was served up. I don't know; I've never enjoyed having ice chunks in my beverage, and when I crush ice and flash blend it at home, I'm left with a much smoother result. Maybe that's subjective.

My cocktail served in a coupe was gorgeous; my cocktail served in a ceramic mug, on the other hand, was in a Spider-Man mug, the kind that comes in dozens of different pop-culture variations on ThinkGeek. I'm probably an old fuddy duddy, but I don't like those mugs. They make tiki a shallow pastiche, and bring a giant pop-culture product into what was previously my private island escape.

The décor so far is really lovely, but it's a little on the spare side. That's understandable: they just opened! But I hope that over the months and years ahead, it fills up and ends up being the kind of crowded, barely-any-space spot I know it can be.

Overall, it was a great experience: we're incredibly lucky that the Archipelago folks want to create an experience within an experience through Lost Island.

The Lost Island room is amazing! Go see for yourself. It’s almost the size of the main and area and has a special menu. You’ll need to reserve a table on their website...click around, you’ll find it. ;-)

Archipelago is basically my go-to DC bar. I usually start or finish my nights in the city there.

The drinks are the focus of this place, and they do a great job on them. I think a lot of the complaints about too much ice or too weak have been resolved, cause I haven't had a bad drink at Archipelago.

Definitely ask for the classics though. Don't really even need to see the secret menu for things like a Zombie, Three Dots, Jet Pilot, etc. They're all the classics you expect, with a little custom flavor due to using their own syrups and ingredients.

Their new semi-hidden upstairs bar is a real gem. They've done amazing work on it, and it has a genuine classic tiki bar feel to it. Only problem is that it's not always open with the main floor yet, and when it is, (most Friday/Saturdays) it can be hard to get a spot up there.
(They have to pay an extra bartender to staff it, and are still figuring out how to work that out.)

When you can manage it tho, it offers a real secret-society feeling, a little elevation (figuratively and literally) above the typical U-Street walk-in riff-raff, if that makes sense, and that's super fun.

On the main floor, they've kept the windows blacked out after the Christmas popup, and it's made a world of difference to the vibe inside. The tiki decor pops a lot better without the glaring lights from police and U Street traffic, and that makes it definitely more tiki bar than themed U-Street joint.

Not a bad place to hang out. Location is great, just across the street from a green line metro stop. Be sure to ask for the full drink menu, it’s chock full of classic tiki drinks.

I can add to the consensus after my first visit - this is a solid tiki bar that can stretch its wings and soar to tiki heights! This is probably Part I of a multi-part review as I will be traveling to DC monthly for the near term.

Part IV: A New Hope
My introduction to Archipelago was short and sweet, because I couldn't get there until 45 minutes to closing. I walked right up to the bar and sat down, said "good evening" and placed one of my Joe Vitale "Hot Head" mugs on the bar. "Do you guys like to trade mugs?" I said, as the bartenders put on their best "who the f**k is this guy" expression. Turns out I was speaking to Owen Thomson, one of the co-owners. So after a little banter and some scanning/flipping of the cocktail menu, Owen says "forget the menu, what kind of drink do you like?" "How about a Navy Grog?" "You got it."

And boy did I get it, all boozy and sweet with a good dose of pucker. I chatted with Owen about business, events they put on, the Hukilau, etc. Now I'm not quite sure if it was equal parts anticipation and great drink; but that was one mighty fine Navy Grog. By this time it was near closing, I was the only patron left on a Thursday night; and the bartenders were clearly shutting it down. "Do I have time for another?" rolls right off my tongue, awkward silence... then "sure, what would you like?" "Bartender's choice" I offer, trying to ease the tension. Half expecting to get something simple, and rightfully so given the time! but to the contrary, I was presented a gorgeously garnished Jet Pilot! I took one long sip of that beauty as the bartender smiled and walked away. "Ahhh, Donn's Mix" I sighed as the cinnamon hit my palate (which merited a glance from the bartender), then the uppercut of rum hit me, perfectly, again and again until that gurgling sound says it's quitting time.

I can't wait to get back to DC!

PS> I made a good trade with Owen and walked out with one of their Archipelago mugs (Tiki Farm). Cheers!

Enjoyed the Sippin Santa collection last Sunday. Great décor and vibe. Our favorite for a classic Tiki experience in our Nations Capital.

This place is actually pretty great but for a few simple things that can be improved upon.

1. Pile on the Polynesian vibes, this felt a little too party city and could definitely use some better set dressing.

2. Lower the shades or black out the windows. Whatever you can do try to block out the outside world.

Went twice in April, two weeks apart and had very different experiences. A few tips for getting the most, IMO, out of your visit.

1. Most important - ask for the hidden menu of Tiki classics. I found these drinks to be far superior to the regular menu offerings.

2. Don't try to lower the bamboo curtains. (I got yelled at). But hey, looking out on to U street in DC isn't exactly an escape.

3. The second time I went I spent the whole time upstairs. Solved the window problem as there were no windows up there. It was also easier to hear the music, which transitioned from classic Tiki/Surf to punk as the night barreled toward 2am. Best of all, we had a great server who checked on us frequently and prevented us from having to fight it out at the bar.

Bonus: The server told us there will be a Tiki speakeasy opening soon focusing more on classic Tiki drinks. About 3/4 of the way up the stairs on the left is a door, so I'm guessing that's where it will be. Should be opening very soon according to the server.

Overall, I was very underwhelmed on my first visit, but with these tweaks my experience went from disappointing to very satisfying.

Just a quick update to my thoughts and feelings on this little tiki bar. We made another visit tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it. For the first time in three visits I discovered the classic tiki drink menu highlighting classic tiki drinks from the 30's 40s 50's and 60's. Be sure to ask for it if you can't find something that speaks to you in the main menu. Great rum selection. Wonderful bartenders. Really love this place. 7.4 rating is just stupidly low. Go here: eat, drink and love it !

It was with a little trepidation that we visited this place, given the 7.4 rating. I'm from San Diego, home of the 9.6-rated False Idol that has the best drinks I have ever had. I am in the Baltimore/DC area regularly on business and this was the only Tiki place around and I was optimistic that I could find a place to get my Tiki on while out of town - so we went, and I took my tiki-virgin buddy with me.

I have to assume that true Tiki fans have marked the place down due to the decor, which was definitely toned down. The windows were not blacked-out and you could see out into the street. Unlike other tiki bars that are dark, filled with over-the-top tiki decor, and designed for a "special occasion" visit, this place felt more inviting, like you could drop in any time. The more "neighborhood-ish" feel to it really appealed to me.

Of course, the real reason I was there was for the drinks and they did not disappoint. There were not a significant amount of classics on the menu - just a few to remind you that they took their tiki seriously. Overall, I thought the drink menu was very creative. The menu held several unusual concoctions that made you say "hmmm" before you ordered it and "mmmm" afterwards. Most notably was a little dandy with jagermeister and vanilla. "Hmmm"

The biggest surprise was the food. Everything we have eaten there has been very good, most notably the asian nachos - what the *(^@#^$ did they do to that cheese ?!? Killer !

So, if you are looking for the ultimate in classic and creative tiki decor - go else where. If you are looking for interesting drinks and great little dishes, this is the place for you. I love it. It is my new home away from my home away from home.

Our server and the bartenders were super nice also.

Further update: In the last few months, Archipelago has seriously upgraded their menu. There is a heavy Sichuan influence, and the food is amazing with lots of vegetarian options. My favorites are the eggplant and the crab Rangoon dip. This place is just getting better and better!

A buddy and I visited Archipelago on a Tuesday Night hoping the crowd was small just to make sure we got a spot at the bar. We met "Joe" one of the owners who was one of the nicest guys ever! Not only is Joe an owner but also the head bartender and the dude is definitely a tiki mixolgist. I ordered the standard Trader Vics Mai Tai recipe and it was spot on. Then Joe handed us somewhat of an "old school" secret Tiki Drink menu and we ordered from that menu the "Jet Pilot" from 1958. Holy hell it was the one of the best drinks I have ever had. Joe said he makes most of their own syrups and mixes and the garnish with the drink presentation (glassware with custom swizzle) was spot on!! We did not eat there so my rating excludes the food but people were eating and it looked good. Also, ask them to see the Magnum P.I. Shrine they have, its so cheezy that its awesome!!!! When I am back in town next trip it will be a definite stop!

Though a lot of DC craft cocktail bar dabble in classic Tiki drinks, at least seasonably, Archipelago is DC's only Tiki bar. Though purists will find the decor Tiki light, it is decently Tikis and way better than all the other DC places that have NO Tiki save for their drinks.

The mixology at Archipelago is where they shine. All the bartenders are excellent and show a passion for crafting their drinks. A note about the menu. The "main" menu has mostly Archipelago original drinks with a few classics. However, their bartenders are capable of making a wide range of classics if you ask. As of our June visit, they had a clipboard menu that you can ask for which has an excellent curated classic Tiki drink list on a clipboard. The list is organized by decade, starting with the 1930s going forward to the '40s, '50s, and '60s. Each decade is represented by about 6 to 9 classics. Almost a Museum of Tiki Cocktails. Each one our table tried was excellent - this special menu is worth the trip alone.

Music was an excellent and ecclectic mix of Exotica/Lounge and Surf. Food is very good bar food, it is really a bar that serves a limited range of food. Judge it by their excellent drinks, not on a restaurant scale.

The bar has a lot of large storefront type of windows, so during daytime there is so much light that things look washed out. Few Tiki bars look good in bright light, and this is no exception. But as soon as night falls, it takes on a entirely different look. It has a much better vibe at night.

DC used to be a big Tiki town and even once had their own, very famous Trader Vic's. The last true Tiki bar closed 13 years ago. Mahalo and kudos to the owners of Archipelago for bringing Tiki back to DC.

Update! Archipelago has a new "old school tiki" menu, featuring classics from the 1930s-1960s. Fog Cutter, Three Dots and a Dash, Navy Grog, and many more. I still love the originals, but it's great to have classics available. These drinks are on the same menu with the rum list, FYI.

Archipelago is the only true tiki bar in the DMV area so it is my go to spot by default. That being said, this place would probably be my go to spot regardless. Even having been to a handful (some more "historied") of establishments, this place still ranks near the top for me. Their drinks are great and they have the best nachos I've ever had which are served in an offensively large portion. The decor and ambiance are on point; I love kitsch so I wouldn't mind if the kitsch level got bumped up. The one down side to Archipelago, which is no fault of their own, is that the bar can get pretty packed at peak times with suits and yuppie types that don't appreciate or "get" it.

Since this is the only real tiki place in the DMV, I was pretty excited to come here on Saturday (3/4/17). The service was quite good and we were waited on by a couple people, both of which were owners. Our main server, Ben, was quite nice and friendly to talk to. He really appreciated my glowing remarks after I told him that I was a novice tiki lover and not just an average patron looking for a weekend dive.
We got there around 5:30 and it wasn't too packed, so it was an easy time finding a table. At around 7:30, business started to pick up and bigger groups started coming in. It was noisy, but you could still here the exotica. The decor isn't overtly tiki, but it definitely made me feel happy and as if I wasn't in downtown DC. I think it has a modern touch by not being too cluttered.
On to drinks! They were somewhere between delicious and perfectly-fine-nothing-to-write-home-about. The Pineapple of Hospitality is pricey at $25, considering that there's really not much drink in it for 2 people. The pineapple isn't hollowed out too deep and there was a lot of ice. The pro was having second drink after lettting it melt while eating all the pineapple meat. Our favorite drink of the night was the Jungle Room Experience. It had a complex flavor with a delightful creamy texture to it.
Even though the food selection is small, what they have is quite good. We noticed that quite a few tables ordered the delicious looking nachos, which come out in a heaping mountain on a small plate. It can easily feed 4. We ordered the ham/cheese sliders, shrimp toast, crab rangoon, and hot chicken steam buns. The sliders were killer good with a nice buttery finish. The shrimp toast had a good flavor, but not really all that much shrimp. The crab rangoon is something I would order on death row. Umami x9000! The wanton chips were so damn good on their own, but the dip with the nice drizzle of hoison on top was absolute heaven. My fiance's favorite was the sliders. The chinese buns were light and fluffy. The crunchy pickles really offset the spiciness of the chicken.
Overall, we had a blast! This was just the weekend escape that I wanted/was looking for.

I stopped by Archipelago finally, and I really enjoyed it. I got there literally right as they opened, so it was a little quiet at first. The bartender I talked to (one of the owners) was friendly enough, but didn't seem overly interested in talking about the bar. The drink menu was pretty interesting and there is a nice selection. I had two drinks, the Drowsy Gator and the Oil Can Boyd. They were both good, but the Oil Can Boyd was my favorite. They make their own olive oil infused rum and that basically is the drink. The menu says it has falernum, but he made mine with Angostura bitters. It's a very unique drink. I also had one of the apps, the ham and cheese sliders on Hawaiian King rolls. Those were spectacular. Once it livened up, I felt kind of compelled to leave because everyone else seemed to know each other and were kind of talking around me. Next time I will grab a table instead. The decor is pretty good. Definitely not up there with Trader Vic's or Trader Sam's etc, but a solid effort. The lowest score I gave was vibe. The crowd was local U Street types and didn't seem to care that it was a tiki bar, so much as that it was a bar in the neighborhood. I am really glad that this place is there and I will definitely go back.

This is my fourth or fifth trip to Archipelago in the 6 weeks they have been open. Right off the bat, I want to credit the owners for being so welcoming and enthusiastic. (Cool to see they've even stopped by this page and left a comment!)

On this trip, I'm most impressed that the menu has already evolved, and the new additions (especially If the Phone Don't Ring, It's Me) are outstanding.

As I sit here, the music is great. It does focus more on surf rock, which I love. There's definitely some exotica in the mix, too.

The bar has a huge space which is impressively decked out by East Coast tiki standards, and they have some room to embellish.

If I have one criticism, I think it might be the ice, which seems to maybe not be quite the right consistency?

Also: bonus points for great vegetarian options on the menu!

Looking forward to many more visits.

I gave this place a combined 7.1, but I'm a tough grader. :) I want to emphasize that I really admire the effort taken, and I wish this place all the success, since as a Metro DC resident that spends a lot of time working and performing in Northwest DC, I want to come here often for my Tiki fix!

The good? My party liked the food options; the ham and cheese sliders and meatballs were particularly tasty. I liked my Mai Tai! I like the effort at decor, and the lighting was totally appropriate. The service was as fast as could be expected for a busy (and I have hope for the place, since it was busy) Friday night. I like the B&W movie playing on mute on a large screen!

My biggest compliment is the fact that (1) it exists, and (2) there appears to be a desire and effort to really make this place an actual, straight up tiki bar.

The not-so-good? The drinks were a little watery/light on liquor, compared with the prices. I'm guessing that the drinks, for the prices in comparison with the other U Street Corridor establishments, could have about 10-20% more liquor in them. My friends, who are not guzzlers, were disappointed that the 2 person "Pineapple of Hospitality" seemed to be empty in 2 minutes. I also think that the ice criticisms that Caliban had are accurate, and maybe part of the problem here? The place seems visually to be about 80% finished, with the upper floor too sparse, but I'm guessing that will correct itself soon.

Honestly, my biggest complaint is the music. My friends and I are musical theater people, which means that we notice music pretty quickly in the environment. The music was sometimes surf-rock(ish), but too often we asked ourselves, "why is this song playing?" The music was too non-tiki. If they want to get the mood correct, they need to have the music be either Exotica, traditional Hawaiian, or surf rock. They can do alt-rock that leans surf-rock, which might be what they were doing, but the lean wasn't a strong enough lean. They are already up to their neck in being a tiki bar- go all the way under and play the right music!

In the end, I think this place needs time and patronage. I will give it both, and I salute the owners for making a go of it. Mahalo!

My wife and I were very excited to check out Archipelago, as we're huge tiki fans and we live very nearby.

This was the first weekend they've officially been open, and any of my comments should be taken with that in mind.

We ordered three of the appetizers: the ham & cheese sliders, the deviled chinese eggs, and the shrimp toast. They were great! Satisfying bar food that went well with the theme.

For drinks, we started with the pineapple of hospitality, a two-person drink served in a hollowed-out pineapple served with a flaming lime half and long straws. I constantly struggled with getting pulp or ice stuck in my straw, and when I actually managed to get some of the drink, it didn't taste like much more than limeade. The pineapple was also leaking on the table, so we had to try to finish it as fast as we could.

For our second drinks, my wife got a banana daiquiri and I got an eternal flamingo. Her main comment on the daiquiri was that it was "watery" (though the octopus banana garnish was very cute). The eternal flamingo, which has scotch, campari, and pinepapple jam tasted mainly unpleasantly burnt. I'm a big fan of the smokiness that can come with single-malt scotch, and an even bigger fan of the bitterness of campari, but this drink just didn't work.

The drinks were served in relatively common tiki mugs, which doesn't seem crazy for a brand-new bar: I imagine it's tricky and expensive to get anything custom, and also difficult to get things that are particularly unusual. We bought our two mugs because my collection isn't large and I liked the mug my Eternal Flamingo came in. And our server, when I said I wanted to buy ours, offered to bring out the whole selection in case I wanted something different, so I bought a bora mug, too. (Our server was very nice.)

I don't want to rate the place based on this experience, because I imagine it's very hard to get a bar off the ground, and I hope they'll be able to refine and improve their drinks in the coming months.

If possible I think it'd really help to get better ice: the current pebbled ice they're using is a design disaster with their straws. I also think some of their main recipes need attention, if the three we sampled are a fair sample. I have no doubt that it's *very* challenging to come up with a menu of originals and twists, so I don't mean to be too harsh, but the Eternal Flamingo compares very unfavorably to something like, say, the Lost Lake, another modern tiki drink that uses campari, but that I think takes better lessons from the classics in its balance.

I wish the owners luck: I'd love to see you guys take off and make Archipelago into a great addition to the U street scene.

Hi, I'm one of the owners of Archipelago, we just opened up for official business this past Tuesday. Looking forward to serving Tiki drinks to DC and the vast Tiki community for a long time to come. Please come visit and let us know what you think. If you have any questions or were curious, please e-mail us at info@archipelagobardc.com. Thanks!