Hala Kahiki was opened in 1966 by Stanley and Rose Sacharski when they decided they wanted to get out of the funeral home business, and is still run by their family. Tucked away in a quiet suburb, Hala Kahiki is a beautiful classic tiki bar. The layout is sprawling but feels subdued and intimate. Witco carvings are featured heavily throughout the dimly-lit bar. The extensive drink menu tends toward the sweet and low-octane... consider bringing a flask to perk your drinks up a bit. The gift shop is large and includes a section of vintage clothing. Hala Kahiki was one of the stops during Exotica 2003, where Sven Kirsten gave a presentation on the art of Witco.

Comments

NeilSmith

NeilSmith has visited Hala Kahiki.

September 23, 2017, 11:50 AM

This bar is over 50 years old, it's kind of like a Witco Museum inside. A must visit for any Tiki enthusiast.

tikiwithray

September 7, 2017, 12:07 AM

If your looking for a classic, old school tiki bar, look no further than Hala Kahiki! It's been around since the 60's and it feels that way and it's a good thing. Check out my full write up on Hala Kahiki...

http://www.tikiwithray.com/tiki-bar-review-37-hala-kahiki-river-grove-il/

GeekyTiki

GeekyTiki has visited Hala Kahiki.

August 27, 2017, 3:40 PM

Finally made it to Hala Kahiki and the trek was well worth it. I'll start with the couple negative points: First, the music was so-so, a bit of Exotica when we first arrived but it soon found its way to top-40 (though classic top-40 so it could have been worse). The main issue, however, is right here in the Critiki synopsis: the drinks are VERY sweet and not very strong. Between three of us we tried five drinks and each tended to be sweet (even those we ordered from the "not sweet" menu section). Aside from those couple issues, though, everything about Hala Kahiki is fantastic. The decor and tiki-ness are amazing and it is absolutely someplace I look forward to escaping to once the Chicago winters take hold and I need a tropical retreat.

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