Aku Aku Tiki Bar — Restaurant in Orlando

I just had the worst experience here. It was very unexpected because I Love This Bar and I always have a great time when I come in. Anytime I have friends or family visiting from out-of-state this is one of the "must see places" that I take them to. It's very unfortunate that we had such a terrible experience because I have no intentions of returning now. Whenever I walked up to the bar to order our drinks the bartender acted aggravated, like it was an inconvenience for him to have to make us a drink. I asked him if he was the bartender and he said "yeah I guess, there's another bartender too but she'll be right back." I asked him if I should just wait for her to come back to make my drink, and he rolled his eyes and then proceeded to make our order. I had people with me so we ordered the giant volcano Bowl to share. What happened next is what really upset me. When the bartender finished our drink he started to walk it over the to the table and Spilled a large amount of it all over the floor as he walked towards us. He didn't apologize, he didn't clean it up, and he didn't offer any type of compensation for all of the drink that he just spilled. When I complained to them about the fact that he just dropped half of my drink on the floor the girl bartender finally decided to speak up and said for me not to worry about it because he over poured anyways. I watched him make that drink and he did NOT over pour in any way, shape, or form, especially because he was already irritated from the get-go when we ordered the drink. This is a $38 drink that he spilled everywhere and neither bartender did anything to try and fix it. I ask the bartenders again to either add more to the drink or remake it and neither would do so. My half full drink was not worth the amount of money that I paid and it was the worst experience that I've...

This place was not what I expected. It had the aesthetic of a tiki bar. The look was a 9/10. The music was a huge turn off as soon as we walked in. They were blasting grungy rap. It was too loud, and too crude. It didn’t match a typical tiki style. It could have just been the staff that night, not sure. A shorter girl with glasses seemed to be picking the music and/or the guy with glasses and mutton chops. Or maybe that’s what they have to play on a Friday night to get younger folks in the door. Either way it pretty much made us not want to be there. So the ambiance/music was a 1/10. I don’t believe the bar tender was very good at suggesting drinks. Or the music killed the opportunity to discuss options. We tried the Saturn (good), Zombie, Mai Thai, and Tiger F.The basic Zombie and Mai Thai were all right but I have had much better versions of those drinks. The Tiger Fwas suggested as the best drink but honestly was like Jalapeño barf burps. That’s a high risk suggestion. Overall, the drinks could have been better. I cant say if it was the ingredients, or the bartender, or the recipe but something was off. In general anything with bitters seems to have too much bitters, so maybe it was as simple as that. Overall the drinks were a 7/10 in my opinion. The were fine, but not great. We probably could have chilled and out and enjoyed them but the music honestly killed the whole experience. I think it goes without saying tiki bars should be playing tropical tunes and/sound effects at a casual volume. The staff themselves seemed friendly and happy so no issue there. 9/10 on the service. I’m hoping our experience was just a fluke of a bad night because I was really excited to check this place out. It unfortunately was a let down and waste of money. There was so much...

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The Best Tiki Bar You Almost Walk Right Past

Picture this: A lazy Sunday stroll around Lake Eola, soaking in the Florida sunshine, contemplating whether we should adopt a swan boat as a pet. Then my boyfriend suggests a drink and steers me toward a spot I nearly walk right past.

Seriously, Aku Aku Tiki Bar is so tucked away, it’s like a secret hideout for people who peaked in the 1960s but somehow time-traveled to Orlando. But boy, is it a gem.

We step inside, and BAM—retro tropical paradise with bamboo, dim lighting, and tiki mugs that make you want to start hoarding quirky drinkware. Just as I’m settling in, I look up and boom, plot twist: the bartender is one of my old friends! Hanson, a man I’ve known for over 20 years, now the official cocktail wizard of Aku Aku.

Naturally, I order my usual Old Fashioned. Hanson smirks like a guy about to change my entire belief system and makes it his way. The result? A drink so smooth, I briefly considered giving up all responsibilities and becoming a full-time tiki bar patron.

We came for one drink. We stayed for several. Why? Because the drinks are dangerously good, the atmosphere is mid-century Florida kitsch at its finest, and for once, it wasn’t packed—something I’m told is a rare phenomenon, like a unicorn sighting or finding good parking downtown.

Final verdict: If you love tiki bars that feel like a time warp (but in a good way), expertly crafted cocktails, and bartenders who should have their own fan club, do not skip Aku Aku. Just be warned: "just one drink" is a lie you...