Tiki-Ti

Drive past Tiki-Ti in Silver Lake and you will almost always see a line out the door. Its popularity is a factor, but so is its size: Tiki-Ti is tiny. Finding a seat here feels like winning the tiki bar jackpot, but once you’ve settled in and gained some bearings, you’ll see that there are all the usual suspects—a menu filled with classic tiki drinks, tchotchkes galore, a mechanical bull trotting down the bar… wait, what? The bar’s unofficial mascot, a small robotic toy bull, often makes an appearance as the night wears on, walking past patron’s drinks as they cheer him on. This and many other unexpected touches seem to drive Tiki-Ti’s fandom. The limited occupancy might be a pain, but regulars will always return for the strong drinks topped with maraschino cherries. Newcomers come by to experience a Los Angeles institution—and wind up becoming regulars themselves.