Last Rites is a "Polynesian Noir" bar that opened in San Francisco's Duboce Triangle/Castro area in June 2018. The bar goes deep on story: the setting is the fuselage of a crashed plane deep in a jungle, with drinks served in "scavenged" bottles cut into glasses. Beyond the plane are vine-encrusted stone ruins, decorated with huge stylized skulls. The team behind Last Rites, owners Justin Lew and Ian Scalzo, have been active in the San Francisco craft cocktail scene for many years, and they have enlisted bar & restaurant designer James Lagoc and fabricator Brian Sullivan to shape the space. Drinks are a departure from classic tiki, while retaining the experimental use of flavors.
Last Rites might not be the most "tiki" of tiki bars, but it seriously does have some of the best drinks. The last rites, kali ma, and jet pilot are the real stand outs to me, but I haven't gotten around to trying everything on the drink menu yet since the selection is so large! Seriously, I'd rate the drinks here above any other tiki bar I've been to, including the mighty Smuggler's Cove (which is also amazing).
The vibe is super chill, especially if you come on a weekday. Last Rites does a great job of achieving an immersive feel without going overboard on the actual tiki decorations. The staff is really friendly too, which is always nice!
If this bar could be where you waited to ride the Indiana Jones ride, instead of standing in line? That would be awesome! It's got that crashed/abandoned plane in the jungle vibe, with nice hidden touches everywhere. Lots of seating, the drinks were strong and the menu set up was really cool - but they werent' playin tiki music, and there wasn't anything really interactive with the decorations (I saw a fog machine inside the mouth of one of the giant skulls, but it never came on.) They let you bring dogs in - someone had a dog right next to us.
Last Rites might not be the most "tiki" of tiki bars, but it seriously does have some of the best drinks. The last rites, kali ma, and jet pilot are the real stand outs to me, but I haven't gotten around to trying everything on the drink menu yet since the selection is so large! Seriously, I'd rate the drinks here above any other tiki bar I've been to, including the mighty Smuggler's Cove (which is also amazing).
The vibe is super chill, especially if you come on a weekday. Last Rites does a great job of achieving an immersive feel without going overboard on the actual tiki decorations. The staff is really friendly too, which is always nice!
If this bar could be where you waited to ride the Indiana Jones ride, instead of standing in line? That would be awesome! It's got that crashed/abandoned plane in the jungle vibe, with nice hidden touches everywhere. Lots of seating, the drinks were strong and the menu set up was really cool - but they werent' playin tiki music, and there wasn't anything really interactive with the decorations (I saw a fog machine inside the mouth of one of the giant skulls, but it never came on.) They let you bring dogs in - someone had a dog right next to us.
Going here is like getting a drink
In The Indiana Jones ride. Awesome atmosphere and a surprisingly low key hang out if you go on an early weeknight. Sadly no mugs to collect ( yet ) but the drinks are some of the best I’ve ever had. The place also smells like a fantastic holiday campfire as many drinks feature roasted marshmallows ( Cali Ma’s Revenge ) and come flaming. I recommend trying The Zombie Hunter. The house mai tai is also great. Their scorpion bowl is beautiful but a bit too tart for my tastes. The “marine layer” shareable has very dramatic smoke. I highly recommend this joint!
Went and checked out Last Nites recently. As an aircraft mechanic the concept and theme of the bar intrigued me. While the theming and decor of Last Rites is pretty cool, it is not a tiki bar. It's more like a jungle or deserted island bar. Yes there are some traditional tiki drinks available like the Mail Tai and Jet Pilot but no island or tropical music and no Tiki's of any kind adorn the walls. It's cool for what it is and for the theming. Highly recommend going early before it becomes crowded with hipsters
Amazing Tiki Bar with great bartenders and a terrific vibe!! Cocktails were on point with our favorites being the Last Rites and the Hetch Hetchy... The decor was awesome...the MD95 fuselage for the bar complete with airplane seats was very cool, and all the parachutes and vines hanging from the ceiling were great!!! We loved the grotto with the giant skull as well!! Nice touch having the drink menus with burned edges and coasters with bloody thumbprints. We felt like we had crash landed into the jungle amidst canibals!!! And the Chinese place next door was a great bonus if you need to lay a base or grab a bite to eat afyerward. We will certainly be back!!!
Ahhh...Last Rites. Up until the opening of Zombie Village, Last Rites was THE new tiki bar everyone was talking about. It is still worth the talk.
I have been lucky enough to get to visit the place twice now. The second time was with friends, but the first time I was alone. Despite my being solo, I had a marvelous time. The bartender who served me (I forget her name--but she was awesome) was so energetic and pumped about the place when I asked her about it. She directed me in my cocktail choices expertly as well.
One girl sat next to me. She was waiting for her friends to join her. She had turned 21 the night before and had never been to a tiki bar before. i was honored to buy her her first tiki cocktail, also expertly picked by the same cool bartender.
I wrote about it (and included photos) in my blog. There are also tales of my adventures at Pagan Idol and Emeryville's Trader Vic's in the same entry as well. You may read it here if you wish: https://monsterago-go.blogspot.com/2018/11/im-freaky-for-tiki-17-bay-area-tiki-x-3.html
Great atmosphere and I'm impressed with their airline seat turned bar stools. Drink menu was impressive, like, the physical drink menu was really cool. Bartenders were very friendly and attentive.
Are there tikis? No. But there are killer rum drinks and adventure-themed decor that provides perfect escapism. I want a basement that looks like this.
Mrs. Mai Tai and I enjoyed our visit to Last Rites, a “Polynesian Noir” bar in San Francisco. This is "Indiana Jones meets Tiki" and the environment is as immersive as a Disneyland attraction. The theme of the bar is as if a plane crashed into the jungle and the bar opened to serve the survivors and natives. Plane fuselage. Gigantic stone skulls. Faux tropical jungle plants. All set to a torchlight. It’s really cool.
The vibe on a Wednesday evening was fun but very chill. Lots of couples and groups enjoying the atmosphere, which included some peppy pop/rock set to low volume. Service here was great, with both the waitresses and bartenders offering to help with menus, ordering and reordering drinks, and more. We wanted the souvenir glass and our waitress could not have been more helpful. The menu continues the theme and has a handwritten feel combined with an airplane manifest. The bottom of the menu is “burned” and there are blood stains too.
As for the drinks, there are a number of tiki classics as well as some Last Rites originals. I had the Mai Tai, which featured Agricole and Jamaican rums along with Cashew Orgeat. It was not really anything special. But things turned for the better with an incredible Jet Pilot that featured the overproof float delivered inside a floating bottle. This one was really balanced and tasty. We also tried the signature drink, the Last Rites. This wonderful cocktail lived up to the hype, including Mount Gay Black Barrel, white rum, overproof rum, lime, passionfruit syrup, backstop molasses syrup, and “Last Rites Mix”. Served with a smoldering garnish as if it just came out from the plane crash.
This isn’t a typical tiki bar, but I am a “big tent” guy so for me this is well within the expected parameters. For sure in the family tree of Don the Beachcomber's original tiki bar.
Wife and I went on Friday, June 29, 2018. Arrived before opening, smart move as it filled up fast. Decor is well done. The airplane fuselage backbar and airline seats were a nice touch. Drinks were well done and staff was competent and attentive. Stayed for about two hours and had a good time.
Well done theme bar? Yes. Tiki bar? Wife and I say no. First, other than some skulls, there is nothing identifiably tiki in the place. Second, while the drinks were very good, the menu is not based upon tiki drinks. A solid Mai Tai and Jet Pilot do not a tiki bar make! Third, the place simply doesn't feel like a tiki bar. No tiki music or tiki aficionados to be seen.
Bottom line: Fun bar but not for inclusion on the tiki circuit.
Went last night - super pleasant "plane crashed on a tropical island" atmosphere with great drinks. The menu is elaborate and filled up with house cocktails and classics. Bought the pint-glass style branded glassware for $10.
I got to go on opening night. From the outside you wouldn't know it was there. Inside, another world. The back bar is part of an airplane with airplane seats as bar stools. There are 2 seating areas in the back that each have their own skulls. Towards the front are booths.
We had the Last Rites and their version of the mai tai, both were very good. You can buy the glass the Last Rites comes in for $10. I read there will be no tiki mugs which makes sense since there are no tikis in the bar. So is it a tiki bar? I read they said they are going for "Polynesian Noir". The staff was very nice and I look forward to going back and trying some other drinks.
I got to go on opening night. From the outside you wouldn't know it was there. Inside, another world. The back bar is part of an airplane with airplane seats as bar stools. There are 2 seating areas in the back that each have their own skulls. Towards the front are booths.
We had the Last Rites and their version of the mai tai, both were very good. You can buy the glass the Last Rites comes in for $10. I read there will be no tiki mugs which makes sense since there are no tikis in the bar. So is it a tiki bar? I read they said they are going for "Polynesian Noir". The staff was very nice and I look forward to going back and trying some other drinks.
The vibe is super chill, especially if you come on a weekday. Last Rites does a great job of achieving an immersive feel without going overboard on the actual tiki decorations. The staff is really friendly too, which is always nice!