Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Tiki Road Trip is an excellent, if somewhat scattershot guide of Tiki bars, restaurants, and other Polynesian-themed facilities. Teitelbaum provides names, addresses, reviews and in some cases, photos to help you plan your next driving trip.
The author's reviews vary from cursory to pretty detailed. His emphasis is on the "Tikiness" of each place, based on decor, atmosphere, and food/drink. I didn't always agree with his "TiPSY" rating of some places, primarily because his emphasis seems to be primarily on Tiki decorations. I felt that Teitelbaum did not give enough weight to rarer architectural features (e.g. lava rock construction, A-framed roofs, etc.) in calculating his TiPSY scores. However, he states in the beginning that TiPSYness ratings are subjective, so any criticism described here is very minor.
This book isn't so much a road trip guide, as it is a compendium of Tiki joints past and present. While some places are alive and well, Teitelbaum includes places that are closed - in some cases for many years. Some of the Tiki spots documented are long forgotten, and the only testament that they even existed is a mug or matchbook. Also the addresses or, in some cases, cities of some of the spots listed are not provided.
A few improvements would help with subsequent editions of this guide. An index would be useful. Tables listing Tiki joints by TiPSYness, category, etc. would also be beneficial. Another recommendation is the inclusion of maps, at least at the state level. Finally, color photos are a must. Teitelbaum includes some outstanding pictures, unfortunately all in black and white.
While this book could be a bit better, it is still a must have for Tiki buffs.
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