Retro-Raunt: Pub Tiki


Photo via Arkiva Tropika

Drawing for Food visited the Pub in Pennsauken a bit back, a retro experience in and of itself but they also did some research on the history of the Pub that we found fascinating.

Here are some fun facts we found about Pub Tiki:

  • Opened in the mid-1950s
  • Closed in 1977
  • Interior featured a glowing map of the South Pacific and a waterfall
  • The Missionary’s Downfall was the most expensive cocktail at $1.20
  • A Hawaiian hukilau of special rums and fresh exotic juices served in a whole fresh pineapple

  • All drinks had a minimum of 1 1/2 ounces alcohol
  • 3 Tiki mugs from Pub Tiki recently went for $188.49 on eBay.
  • GQ food writer Alan Richman took a date to Pub Tiki in 1965, his senior year at the University of Pennsylvania and also mentioned the restaurant in his book, Fork it Over: the intrepid adventures of a professional eater .
  • Phyllis Stein-Novack reminisced that the “Polynesian” food served there “was sort of Chinese, the addition of cherries and pineapples.”
  • Dinner Menu from Pub Tiki [Arkiva Tropika]
  • Cocktail Menu from Pub Tiki [Arkiva Tropika]

Are we ready for a Tiki renaissance?

The Pub [Drawing for Food]