Honi Honi offers a tropical escape
A tropical oasis sporting thatched bamboo walls, velvet paintings and scores of tiki-themed glassware offers patrons an escape from life’s blues and the wintery bluster that awaits outside the door. The soft glow from bamboo “torches” and strings of multi-coloured mini lights helps create an intimate and cozy atmosphere at Honi Honi Tiki Lounge in Edmonton’s busy ICE District.
Owner Scott Dodds had long held a vision for what would make a world-class tiki bar. He wanted to create one of his own that would transport people to a faraway place. “I thought I knew what bars had to offer,” Dodds says,” but a tiki bar is like walking into a different world and a different time.” The tiki culture, founded between the 1930s and 1950s was about escaping to a tropical island (specifically in the Caribbean), where rum was the most accessible spirit at the time.
A vast selection of wood and ceramic tiki mugs made to represent skulls, reptiles, fish, and foreboding masks are part of the extensive collection displayed on the back bar. Dodds built this collection by purchasing mugs from local antique shops and bars from around the world. Guests who want to take home their own souvenir can purchase a generic tiki mug as well as branded t-shirts, hats, and hoodies. “People who are into tiki, like me, are nerds for it—they love this stuff,” Dodds says. While it would be fun to have your drink served in one of the ornate vessels, these are part and parcel of the decor and are only meant to be looked at and admired.
Two-thirds of the cocktails on the menu are classic tiki recipes dating back as far as 1933. Drinks like the Mai Tai, Rum Barrel, and Hurricane have been around for decades but the Honi Honi, which translates to “kiss kiss” in Hawaiian, is also a classic cocktail—and one of the few non rum-based drinks on offer. “The beauty of this bar is that these are some of the greatest drinks ever created, and no one was doing them,” Dodds explains, adding that his bartenders are very particular about their craft. When it comes to the rum-based cocktails, each one is served with the rum (or rum blend) it needs, based on months of experimentation. Given the speciality of the spirit, some might find certain drinks expensive, but those familiar with rum understand the difference. At first sip, quality speaks for itself.
Honi Honi carries over 140 different rums—some from unsuspecting places like South Africa, Japan, and Austria. Even Canada is represented with Romero, an award-winning rum produced in Calgary. All rums can be purchased by the ounce to be enjoyed neat or on ice. Black Tot’s Last Consignment, a precious British Royal Navy rum, is a blend of Guyanese, Barbados and Jamaican rum. Patrons willing to dole out $255 an ounce get their names immortalized on the ship’s wheel in the back room, known as the Black Tot Consignment Club.
Honi Honi is your passport to paradise. Leave your stress at the door and let the rhythm of the islands pull you in.
Address: 10262 – 103 Street NW, Edmonton, AB
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