The Shameful Tiki Room Toronto — Restaurant in Toronto

The staff are inept and MEAN! Knowing that this place is usually jam-packed on a Friday or Saturday, my friend and I visited on a quiet Monday night (Oct 2nd, 2023 at 10pm). There were 2-3 other small groups in the place. We took a moment to appreciate the beauty of the room before seating ourselves at the bar. I don’t recall there being a “please wait to be seated” sign at the host station, nor was there a host positioned there. Nobody said hello or welcome, but the male bartender immediately informed us with a degree of annoyance as soon as we sat down that the bar-top hadn’t been wiped yet. “That’s OK,” we said, agreeably. We helped ourselves to menus that were laying on the bar, and a few minutes later a female staff member wiped the area in front of us. Had there been an expectation that we weren't allowed to seat ourselves, this should have been communicated. The customer isn’t always right, but they deserve to be treated with dignity. So we selected our drinks and I waited for the bartender to look up so I could place the order with him as one usually does when seated at the bar. He was making some complicated & time-consuming drinks for another group, so I was being patient. (I have worked as a bartender.) Eventually I said hi to get his attention. He said hi back, flatly, but didn’t follow it up with “someone will be right with you” or something normal. It took fifteen minutes for a female staff member to finally acknowledge us. “Want something?” she asked. We placed our drink orders politely and also asked for water. She walked past the lineup of water-filled glass bottles stationed at the end of the bar and continued doing something else in the front of house. Five minutes later, my friend said she was thirsty so I fetched one of those glass bottles and two clean glasses from the end of the bar, taking matters into my own hands in a way that wasn’t meant to appear huffy or cause offense. But immediately the female came over and loudly chastised me for overstepping with “no no no no!”. She provided two glasses and put them in front of us, saying I couldn’t get my own water because of a “sanitation issue.” Then she poured water into our glasses from a mostly-empty bottle of water that had been in front of us on the bar since before we’d arrived. Pouring water into my glass from another guest’s bottle ACTUALLY IS a sanitation issue so I pointed that out matter-of-factly. After this scene, the female and male openly made fun of me behind the bar. I couldn’t make out what they were saying exactly, but they were looking over at me angrily and talking about water. Why did they need to be catty about it? THEN a new group arrived and tried to sit at the bar. The bartender also skipped the hello/welcome and went straight to “you can’t sit there. It hasn't been wiped. You have to stand over at the host station so you can get your FRESH WATER.” Upon hearing this, my friend turned to me and said that she wanted to leave -- a GREAT IDEA and so we walked out. (Our drinks hadn’t been made yet). The ineptitude and vile contempt seething from these two staff was ABSOLUTELY EPIC. Being over-worked, stressed, or unhappy in one’s job is one thing (and Management needs to help resolve whatever's causing their strife) but these two were on a MISSION to alienate and openly HATE everyone who dared to enter the establishment. You all need to learn what...

So I booked a reservation here for my birthday - first red flag was I emailed them multiple times beforehand to confirm, they never emailed back nor have a phone line. Loved the atmosphere of the place that's I booked it, and drinks were great. We sat at 7pm and didn't even receive our first drink until 8PM. The servers said they were very understaffed and stressed so they were not that friendly right off the bat, but we were very kind, understanding & patient. The waitress starting cracking her neck in front of us as she was taking our orders? Which was quite strange. I saw other tables ordering volcano bowls (which is a $50 drink might I add), so when I went to order for the table they said they were sold out and it was "too much work" to put the ingredients together for us...huh?? 20 min later other tables were receiving the volcano bowl which made us feel confused and insulted. 9pm hit and the waitress came over telling us our 2 hour time limit was up and that we had to leave the restaurant immediately. We were STILL waiting an hour for our food and when we mentioned that to her, she said it didn't matter and she's going to pack it up in TO-GO containers and for us to leave and was ok with us eating on the streets - so you could imagine this was an absolute SHOCK to us. I asked her to please cancel the food orders as it was not appropriate when we should be able to receive our food first or AT LEAST could have given us a heads up before we put our orders in, and she said no! And said we could not even MOVE to another table to eat our food. The manager and staff had no empathy, and no desire to make things right with us. On top of everything, when we got back home to eat our now cold food...my chicken was half RAW!!! I really wanted to have a great time at this place but never in my life have I experienced such an unorganized, and disrespectful staff at a restaurant and especially disappointing considering they knew it was a special celebration. Do NOT come here if you are expecting...

Walking into The Shameful Tiki Room was a delightful, if slightly nerve-wracking, experience. The subtle doorway, which seems almost apologetic about its presence, was the first hint that this place might be a bit different from your average bar.

Upon stepping inside, I was greeted by an overwhelming—but not unwelcoming—array of tiki decorations. The space was decked out with tropical-themed knick-knacks and vibrant murals, each piece contributing to a whimsical, albeit kitschy, ambiance. I couldn't help but feel a bit self-conscious amidst the exuberant decor, as if I was intruding on a celebration I was only half-prepared for.

Despite the lively setting, it was surprisingly quiet for a Tuesday night. The low volume allowed for a comfortable, unhurried atmosphere, which was perfect for someone like me who prefers to avoid bustling crowds. The staff were incredibly friendly and made me feel welcome, which was a relief given my naturally awkward demeanor. Their warm smiles and attentive service were a highlight of the evening.

I didn’t sample the food, having eaten before arriving, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that the menu was available. The prices were reasonable, a pleasant surprise that made me feel a bit less guilty about my drink-focused visit.

One of the most charming aspects of the evening was the playful touches added when ordering a drink. Certain effects and theatrics accompanied the drinks, adding a sense of fun without being overwhelming. It was a nice touch that made the experience feel a bit more special, without being too over-the-top.

In summary, The Shameful Tiki Room is a place where even someone who feels a bit embarrassed by their own indulgences can find enjoyment. The combination of friendly staff, reasonable prices, and quirky ambiance created a memorable experience, even if I did feel a touch out of place amidst the vibrant tiki world....