Entry No. 40 — the Los Angeles file — filed under: speakeasy-bar
The Lucky Tiki
Hidden above the rebuilt Tail o' the Pup hot dog stand, this tiki lounge is reached by buzzing an intercom tucked inside a pickle barrel on the patio, then heading upstairs through a beaded curtain. The room is hung with Japanese glass fishing-float lamps, one-of-a-kind mugs and memorabilia salvaged from the original Lucky Tiki, and it sits in the same space where The Doors recorded parts of L.A. Woman. Drinks are mostly rum-based house creations alongside tiki bar snacks.
The story
You are standing on Santa Monica Boulevard looking at a giant 1940s hot dog stand, but you aren't here for mustard. Walk onto the patio of the rebuilt Tail o' the Pup, locate the wooden pickle barrel, and open it. Tucked inside is a small intercom. Press the button, state your request, and if there is space upstairs, you will be cleared to step past a beaded curtain and climb into a dim, low-ceilinged tiki loft.
The room sits directly inside a piece of West Hollywood rock trivia: this second-story space served as the recording studio where Jim Morrison and The Doors tracked portions of their 1971 album L.A. Woman. Today, the room is decorated with custom breezeway tiles featuring tiki heads, amber and blue Japanese glass fishing-float lamps, and vintage mugs salvaged from the original Lucky Tiki.
The bar focuses on rum-heavy house creations alongside spirit-forward cocktails like a tiki Old Fashioned, backed by bar snacks sent up from the kitchen below. Because capacity in the loft is strictly capped, the room maintains a secluded, hidden-in-plain-sight feel isolated from the traffic moving along Route 66.
What it's like
Expect a brief pause on the patio while staff check capacity upstairs—the loft holds only a handful of tables, so busy weekend nights can mean a short wait by the barrel. Once buzzed through the beaded curtain, you'll find an intimate, glowing sanctuary with low seating and detailed tiki decor. Visit on a Wednesday or Thursday evening for an easier path straight to a table without competing against the weekend crowd.
The move: Buzz the intercom hidden in the pickle barrel, climb to the loft, and share rum drinks under the fishing-float lamps where The Doors once recorded.
📍 Before you go Open Wed-Sun only with limited hours; small upstairs space.
- 📍 West Hollywood
- 💸 $$
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 8512 Santa Monica Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Hours: Added 2026-06-23 — confirm current hours before you go.
Pair it with
- Good Times at Davey Wayne's — Pair a secret entry through a pickle barrel with another hidden entrance through a vintage garage refrigerator in Hollywood.
- La Descarga — Continue a speakeasy crawl by trading a rum loft in WeHo for a Havana-style bar entered through a dusty wardrobe in East Hollywood.
- New Beverly Cinema Midnight Movies — Follow up drinks in a historic recording space with a late-night 35mm film screening at Quentin Tarantino's nearby revival theater.
Good to know
How do you find the entrance?
Look for the pickle barrel on the Tail o' the Pup patio, lift the lid, and buzz the intercom hidden inside.
What is the history of the building?
The upstairs loft space was used by The Doors as a recording office and studio space during the making of their 1971 album L.A. Woman.
When is The Lucky Tiki open?
Operating days are Wednesday through Sunday only with limited evening hours; always verify current times before visiting.
What kind of drinks and food do they serve?
The menu focuses on rum-based tiki cocktails and spirit-forward drinks alongside bar snacks.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: wehoonline.com · blog.resy.com · Time Out · theinfatuation.com · Reddit
last checked: 2026-06-23