PlanJam!From your screen to the scene

Feeling like every bar you plan on hitting is pretty much going to be the same experience? Want to make an escape to the tropics but can't afford the time off? Then take a quick ride out to the nearby western burbs to River Grove's world famous retro tiki-themed bar, Hala Kahiki! It's a little sliver of paradise this side of Maui.

Regulars and first timers agree, there is just no other place around that's quite like it! The decor is very reminiscent of kitschy old school Polynesian night clubs, complete with tiki torches, palm fronds, bamboo awnings and wicker furniture. Sweet and exotic drinks fill the menu, complimented with music pumped through you just won't find anyplace else. There's even a gift shop where you can pick up cute little toys, leis and other novelty items. With all that said, this place most obviously serves as a great place to hold a luau, or in us mainland layman's terms, a girl's night out! Then again, there are some pretty dark and tucked away corners that you might want to consider bringing that special someone to!

Of course, no bar's layout matters if the drinks aren't able to live up to the ambiance, but anyone who has ever had a Mai Tai here can assure you it does! Tropical fruits abound, mixing coconut milk and pineapple juice with just about every mixer. Go with the flow and skip the standard orders. You know you've always wanted to order a drink served in a coconut, perhaps with those cute little umbrellas, so here's your chance! If it's warm outside, be sure to hit the patio deck – it's very lush and laid back.

So if you've never been, be sure to check out Hala Kahiki. Besides: Where else are you going to find exotic drinks so sweet it hurts your teeth and can knock you on your keister at the same time?