Bar
Botanist Bar
Inside Fairmont Pacific Rim, Botanist Bar serves inventive cocktails inspired by British Columbia's landscapes and is ranked among North America's 50 Best Bars.
The Shameful Tiki Room
Opened on Main Street in 2013, the Shameful Tiki Room is a dimly lit, windowless tiki bar serving vintage cocktails such as the Zombie, Jet Pilot and Mai Tai.
At a glance
- Type
- Tiki bar
- Area
- Main Street, Vancouver, Canada
- Price
- $$ · Mid-range
- Official site
- shamefultikiroom.com
Good to know
- Vintage tiki cocktails
- Share plates
- Online reservations
Why we recommend it
The Shameful Tiki Room opened on Main Street in March 2013 and describes itself as Western Canada's first truly authentic tiki bar. Its aim is to create an immersive escape that honours the mid-century American tiki bars and the cultures that inspired them. The concept proved popular enough for a second Shameful Tiki Room to open in Toronto in 2015, at 777 Queen Street West, and each bar has its own reservation page.
Stepping inside feels like leaving the city behind. The bar is dimly lit and has no visible windows to the outside, so day and night blur, and the music is kept low enough for conversation, which sets it apart from many late-night bars. It is a place to sit, talk and work slowly through a menu of rum drinks.
The cocktails are vintage exotic recipes from the tiki tradition. The Zombie, the Jet Pilot and the Mai Tai are on the list, along with other classics of the style. For food there are share plates designed for groups, described by the bar as Polynesian eats, which help to balance the drinks.
The Shameful Tiki Room suits groups of friends, couples on a date and anyone curious about tiki culture. It is a fun choice for a celebration, and the escapist, windowless setting makes it a good option on a wet evening, when the outside world is easy to forget. Because the music stays at conversation level, it also works for a first date or a catch-up with friends rather than a loud night of dancing; for that, the Commodore Ballroom's sprung floor on Granville Street is the better bet. Reservations can be made online through the Vancouver page of its website, and booking ahead is wise at weekends.
The bar is at 4362 Main Street, in the southern part of the Main Street area. If you are making an evening of it, Published on Main, the Michelin-starred restaurant at 3593 Main Street, and Anh and Chi, the Vietnamese restaurant at 3388 Main Street, are both further north on the same street, and 49th Parallel's café with Lucky's Doughnuts at 2902 Main Street is good for a coffee earlier in the day.
The Shameful Tiki Room FAQs
When did the Shameful Tiki Room open?
In March 2013 in Vancouver. A Toronto branch followed in 2015.
What kind of bar is it?
A tiki bar honouring mid-century American tiki bars and the cultures that inspired them.
What cocktails does it serve?
Vintage exotic cocktails such as the Zombie, Jet Pilot and Mai Tai.
Is there food?
Yes, share plates designed for groups.
What is the atmosphere like?
Dimly lit with no visible windows, and the music is kept low enough to talk.
Can you book?
Yes, reservations can be made through the Vancouver page of its website.
Where is it?
At 4362 Main Street.
What is nearby?
Published on Main and Anh and Chi are further north on Main Street.