hala kahiki lounge

If you liked the old Kona Kai you will like this. It is a shame it is drinks only-I am not a person who likes to drink much... But you can order them virgin. The atmosphere is worthy of a stop.

Hala Kahiki on River Road in River Grove. Strange but great place. No food per se, other than some chips and salsa's. But they have a menu of tropical drinks that must be in the hundreds. Probably not this much variety of cocktails in Hawaii or the Caribbean. All shapes, sizes, flavors. The atmosphere is tropical, like a giant tiki hut. The place was packed on Saturday, with a waitimg line out the door. May have been a coupon out there on Living Social. At least an hour or two wait for a table inside. They have outdoor patio seating, but the weather was a little inclement. Two of us went in, there was one seat at the bar, so my wife sat and I stood. Fun to watch them make the various drinks. We would ask a loit of questions. Were able to chat with the bartenders, even though they were extremely busy with drink making. Met another couple an hour later and were able to get a table in back.Drinks run the gamut, from ice cream things to an unlimited variety of rum - type drinks. We had mojitos (very good), a volcano (very good), and several others (Zombies, Dreamsicles, etc.). . Reasonably priced for the size and complexity of the drinks. Too many to choose from, many I have never heard of. But I would say all are excellent choices, handmade by some great bartenders. The wait staff and hostess were very friendly and attentive. Well worth the trip, and we would want to go back soon to try some of the other selections. A nice break from the normal bar scene.

So I'll start out saying I've been here a million times and have tried my share of tropical drinks here. The Zombie = Amazing drink. The only drink I get now. It's fruity but extremely powerful and you can taste the alcohol. The Volcano = (2 person drink they say, easily 1 person could drink it).. They light the middle part of the giant bowl on fire so it looks like a volcano and you drink around it with extremely long straws. Very fruity and delicious. The Scorpion = Eh, It was okay. Nothing special.Blue Hawaiian = Thought it looked awesome and delicious since it was a bright blue color. Don't let that fool you. It was horrible and i'd never order it again. I recommend doing with the Zombie every time. It's a very popular drink. I drink two and I feel amazing at the end. They do have chips and fruity salsas to order now, but I haven't tried them. I think they still give out free pretzels if you ask. They have a lovely outdoor seating area in a courtyard with gardens and a fountain in the summer. Drinks run about ~$7.50 each and ~$15.00 for a 2 person drink.