Sneaky Tiki

I came here with my roommate, who wanted to check it out to see what his friend has done out of the place. Apparently we didn’t stand far enough from each other when we came in, so they sat us in a booth. The seats are way too cushy — so my shoulders were only 1 inch higher than the table surface. I felt like I was 6 again. The booth has a really cool feel to it, but if you have even minor claustrophobia — ask for another seat.
So we were fed. Maybe I don’t get out enough, but the food is really not anything like what you’d get in any other restaurant. I definitely don’t get out enough.
In the end, I just have mixed feelings about this place. The décor is cool, but feels somehow overdone and lacking at the same time. The food is really good, but ribs in chocolate sauce are a little weird for me.

1. cool space — blue bubbled dome containing goldfish, cool ceiling, neato space dividers
2. nice host and nice bartender
3. cold food, expensive, small portions, still hungry! i want more butterfish and short ribs!
4. not happy with waitstaff — oh am i in YOUR way? is that why you’re staring down at me?

Everything started well as I was greeted by an accommodating host in this well designed, good lookin’ space.
All down hill after that.
Our inattentive waitress served our food luke warm to cold and even charged 20% gratuity on our check… a first that sneaky tiki will always hold.
This place can be a great spot, but they need really need to improve their menu and the wait staff.

The food wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t memorable. But I was in good company, which can make or break the meal. The wait staff was super fun, and the atmosphere was super fun too.
I’d go back for drinks and would probably give the bar more stars.

So, I went here for my roomie’s birthday and it was the only spot we could think of where no one has ever been. Going there with absolutely no expectations was GREAT! It was a party of 9 and everything was just delicious! (Granted we did get a bit tipsy on a Monday night with all the drinks we were having.) Come to think of it — I recall having the tofu dish that was just awful and not worth the money. Otherwise, everything else was yummy!
Ladies & Gents: Get the FISH BOWL! They are pure alcoholic delights! One bowl is sufficient for 3. We ordered up about 8 of these!!! And the best part was our super waitress letting us take about 6 of the empty bowls home! Sweeeet!

A good place to start the night or meet up a group before you head out for the rest of the night. The crowd had a good flow… not too busy and not a place where you have front row at the bar.
The pupus menu is disappointing — no real Hawaiian pupus except for the ahi tuna poke (which I didn’t order). I would stop in for a few drinks again when I am in the neighborhood.

If you enjoy burping up really fatty meat the entire night, sure, go right ahead… and I LOVE meat, but $ 16.95 for fatty spare-​ribs and dry roast is not a good deal. Not to mention our gooberish waiter who blurted, «Oh, man… looks like your water is cashed.» Um, excuse me? Hello, we’re not sitting around smoking a couple bowls… which I wish I was after he repeatedly made awkward remarks such as, «Who’s the CAPTAIN for your party?»
With so many Asian-​influenced restaurants, I say give up the tiki torches and move on. I swear I’m still burping up bad beef.

Came here with Paul M. during happy hour. We couldn’t resist ordering the Fish Bowl cocktail. Paul hadn’t had lunch so he also ordered the tuna tartar.
From 4:30 to 7:30 you’ll get a free pu-​pu platter which included some rather tasteless ribs and meatballs on the night we went.
The tuna was good and served with very light and crispy taro chips– a creative take on this widely available dish.
The bartender was super friendly. I enjoyed the vibe of the space and the barstools were pretty comfy.
We never managed to finish the Fish Bowl cocktail (we’re lightweights). Maybe on our next visit?

At first I avoided this place on principle alone. A trendy, candlelit spot named after lounges that serve umbrella drinks and shredded pork platters. What good would come of it?

Recently though I bit the bullet and dined there… twice in two weeks even. I was pleasantly surprised by the décor — warm green leather chairs, secluded booths, geometric wallpaper, and large palm leaves waving from every corner. The food isn’t great, but it’s good. Flavors runs the gamut in asian fusion from thai to polynesian spices. Probably not a place to take your less adventureous food buddies — but they do offer steak and a burger if need be.
My recommendations: calamari, spicy wings, beef salad, seared ahi salad, spicy roast chicken (huge portions), crispy fish, and the plantains.
Happy hour, from 4:30 — 7:30pm, includes two-​for-​one well drinks, beer, and a free mini pu-​pu platter (a variety of eggrolls, chicken wings, and/​or calarmari). The place can get loud so go early or really late to enjoy the company that you are with.

The food was mediocre and we had a different server every 4 minutes (the servers were cute, but no need for so many of them in one sitting!). It was «Let’s Make a Deal» meets «Iron Chef», except we never knew who would come out next from behind Door #3.
Some sort of overspiced (and not-​so-​tasty) trout in the skin, a sub-​par tuna tar-​tar, a semi-​cooked rice dish and a faux-​curry later, the only thing surprising about our visit was the bill. The food would have been decently priced had it not SUCKED so badly. Bonus points for décor, bringing Sneaky Tiki up to a one-​star wonder.
Boo!!! I exptected more!

Given the number of drinks I had on the Unilocal Field Trip (thanks Lisa G.) before arriving, I’m not sure I’m fully qualified to write this review.. .but here goes:
Our waitress was friendly and treated everyone exceptionally well. This was particularly cool given that we were quite the rowdy group. Also special thanks to the staff for not throwing us out when Jean W. asked the two gentleman next to us to move tables even though they were mid-​meal (they obliged, Jean is a miracle worker).
The food was decent. I had the chicken and it tasted like jerk chicken, do they have that on the menu? The ambiance was dark and watery (aka blue). Sure it was a little cheesy, but still fun with a big group. And after all it’s called Sneaky Tiki, so they can’t be taking themselves too seriously…

While i liked the vibe — ALOT, the food was entirely average. The ribs were average, the lemongrass fries and the tuna tartare were actually pretty good and the spicy chicken wings were AWFUL. The drinks were also average — and what you would expect at a Señor frogs in Cancun… and many were straight from one of those big slurpee style machines. I had very high hopes and while the décor (tiki hut meets a well-​decorated SOMA loft perhaps) and location (right near the 11^th and folsom scene) were great — i was pretty disappointed. I wouldnt recommend this place to friends — but would prob. go back if meeting a group here etc.
The service was also good but not memorable.
I would give this place 2 stars, but the prices were exceptional… and alot cheaper than you would expect.

Why the Sneaky Tiki is so aptly named…
This Tiki was so Sneaky, that it took us nearly 45 min’s to find this place (by no fault of the establishment whatsoever). We walked right past the front door in anticipation of a Disneyland over-​the-​top south sea island theme (replete with corny grass hut, torches, canoes, coconuts, palm trees, and requisite tikis) … but were pleasantly surprised to discover that the décor is a *modern* take on the traditional tiki lounge
In addition, the bartenders pour a heavy drink that sneaks up on you when you least expect it! i could swear that the effects of my blue lagoon snuck up on me and left me swaggering perhaps over an hour later… of course all in good island fashion ;-)

Sneaky Tiki is on the corner of Folsom and 12^th, right down the street from one of the hottest strips in the city, 11^th and Folsom. I’ve only had drinks here at a birthday party so I will need to come back for a complete review. The bar scene was great that night. Bumping music, dark loungy mood lighting, tropical décor, lot’s of animated party animals socially lubricated and liberating libations all night long. Don’t think I paid for a drink all night thanks to some spirited friends but I think the drinks were on par with your average restaurant. Looking forward to a festive followup. Alliteration, over and out.
Update 12÷29÷05 came back after the Unilocal party at Wish bar and was once again thoroughly impressed with the bar. The Fish Bowl is a great date drink, think Scorpion Bowl, and comes with two straws (or three if your cool and kinky!) for an intimate guava and rum flavored island vacation.
Update: 1÷21÷06
Another night out with fellow Unilocalers and more Scorpion Bowls, but this time I finally ate, and it was great. The fried tortilla chips they brought out with the hell (jalapeño) and heaven (mango) dipping sauce had me playing mind games with myself (ie, you can’t take it… yes you can be a man!, no, I need water! be a man!, Mango, Jalapeño, Mango, Jalapeño…). The Feral Pig that was slaughtered by our chef and brought out in nice convenient single serving succulent short ribs smothered in sauce ala bar ba que, was devoured by the spear carrying savages sitting around me.
I had the coconut shrimp which was nice, and was stepped up by a revelation brought about by neighboring savages that the fries (crisp and delicious) could not only be dipped into the missionary’s blood (ketchup), but also could be dipped into the coconut curry sauce. The fried tofu cubes were crisp, hot and delicious and went well with all the saucey concoctions on the table. As it was a Unilocaler’s birthday, we ended up with an upsidedown pineapple cake, and if you’ve ever seen hyenas on a downed gazelle…
To sum up the Sneaky Tiki experience, I still don’t know if I was dreaming or if someone slipped some kava kava into my Scorpion Bowl, but that was one hell of a dinner. FYI, appease the tribal leader by bringing along an unknowing unwanted «guest» that can be sacrificed to the Sun God to get your own tiki hut (private booth) with volume control built in. You’ll sleep better.

I used to think this space, the one that housed Hamburger Mary’s, was cursed. It seemed like no restaurant or bar could make it quite work, but then all of sudden Sneaky Tiki opened its (bamboo) doors, and from initial indications I think we just might have something with staying power.
We finally got around to stopping by last night for a late night dinner/​snack. The place was pretty busy, people enjoying themselves but mostly winding down their meals. We were seated fairly promptly, receiving menus, water, attention right away. Our waiter — and this guy was a true character — really made the night fun. He was casual but in a good way, and when one of our dinner items was late in arriving, he comped some of our meal; to me always a good sign of customer appreciation and loyalty.
We ordered mostly appetizers, all of which were quite tasty and easy to share — tender baby back ribs, some really fresh tuna tartare, perfect calamari, and bacon-​wrapped chestnuts — all served with interesting dipping sauces to boot.
While we didn’t have a chance to experience too many of the Polynesian cocktails on the menu, the ones we did sample were fresh, expertly made, and most importantly potent.
I confess, I’m a dedicated Tiki worshipper, so I enjoyed the concept probably more than the average patron. That said, I think for anyone out for a fun and unpretentious meal, or in need of a tropical happy hour with umbrella drinks (and who isn’t?), Sneaky Tiki is a hot ticket to paradise.

Went there on a Friday night for a birthday. Had a beer bigger than my head for $ 4 because it was happy hour. The cocktails are strong, from what I tried. There was a lot of food but it is all pretty meaty.
huge beer + strong drink + no food = drunk vegetarian
Probably wouldn’t go there for dinner.

This place will be open for about 6 months.
It is small, like tiny. Damn tini-​tiny.
The food is pretty gross especially for the price. Let’s just say that the food is about what you would get at the ‘outback steak house’… with a price tags that is outragous.
The crowd is dressed to impress and too cool to see past their over priced shoes and crappy attitude.
Drinks are not special, bar tenders are unattentivve.
Skip it.

Some friends and I dined on a Sunday night after making reservations through
(props for the Tiki selecting opentable!) We arrived to see a mostly empty restaurant with the exception of the front bar and booths occupied with what I’m assuming were friends of the restaurant or bartender. We were promptly seated in the empty but comfortable dining room. The dcor is fun 70’s chic with a touches of Tiki mixed in. Imagine a James Bond Hawaiian adventure.
Once our server arrived took our drink order and reviewed the menu with us we were off on our adventure. The food options were a nice mix of classics (i.e. Tuna Tartar, Calamari) and some fresh alternatives (i.e. Bacon wrapped Chestnuts and Beef Jerky). While the Tiki supports the current trend of small plates they’ve taken a new spin on it and offer ‘Pu-​Pu Platters’ with a selection of small plates all grouped together or your ordering ease. We settled on the prawns and chestnuts which both went will with the gratis fried wontons and dipping sauces.
For mains we selected drunken chicken, garlic tofu and grilled tuna (sans clams and mussels) with a side order of snap peas. The food was excellent, once we got serving utensils and plates, the tofu perfectly crispy, the sauces light and not over whelming, the tuna nicely grilled (bonus points for the cross-​hatch grill pattern) and the snap peas not over cooked. For four people the amount of food was perfect.
All in all a nice meal, we’ll be back for sure. Hopefully, the small hick-​ups we experienced in service will be worked out, next time we’ll try dining on a more mainstream night and see how it holds up. One word of caution, we spent as much on drinks as we did our meal we got sucked into the souvenir Tiki glass which would have been much cooler if it had the same branding as the swizzle sticks and ‘fish bowl’.

Sneaky Tiki — think of it as a vacation from that which is the streets of Folsom and 12^th and entering a loungish atmosphere with room partitions with Asian influence, bamboo lined ceiling with atmospheric colors changing behind them, and palm leaves of some sort off to the side of the bar. In the other room you’ll find a unique glass bar and two private booths guarded by large tiki masks, individual speaker volume controls and a light to signal to the staff you need attention.
The food is a bit different: three homemade dipping sauces, rib-​eye steak salad, beef jerky, island meatballs, calamari salad, miso marinated salmon, coconut curry shrimp, Asian lager marinated half-​chicken, coriander encrusted lamchops, bok choy seasoned to perfection, a 2lb steak meant to be split between two or three people, and unique desserts consisting of ginger donuts, ice cream sandwiches filled with avocado, ube, and coconut icecreams, just for starters.
The waiter we had was friendly and concerned if things were okay. Definitely get the pu pu platter and share the various goodies with your table! The salmon isn’t fishy at all and quite delicious with jasmine rice and bok choy.

a great new restaurant in, you guessed it, SOMA.
absolutely delicious asian fusion appetizers and main dishes accented by what one dinner companion described as «transcendent» sauces. i’m not sure i’ve ever heard that word WHILE eating out… afterwards…maybe.
the space is originally decorated and has cool, but not distracting lighting. also, the wait staff are friendly and attentive.
definitely go check it out… its Unilocal-​a-​licious!