People Waited for More Than Five Hours to Drink at LA’s Best Dive Bar Again

After 16 months of closure, LA’s legendary tropical cocktail landmark Tiki Ti reopened yesterday. It’s a welcome sight for Los Feliz locals and those who appreciate a 20-ounce blue Hawaiian or mai tai at the historic bar. Fans camped out beginning at 10:30 a.m. in order to among the first to get into the bar when it opened at 4 p.m. on Wednesday.

It’s not unusual for Tiki Ti to close for extended periods, since the Buhen family, which has owned the bar since 1961, often temporarily shutters the bar when they’re on vacation or need to undergo minor construction. But in 2020 and 2021, bars were some of the hardest businesses hit by COVID-19. For the most part, places like Tiki Ti weren’t allowed to reopen for business due to regulations at the county and state level since March 2020. The reopening is a welcome sight for fans of the iconic dive along Sunset Boulevard, who come for strong drinks and friendly service in the tiny space.

In other news:

• Spectrum News produced a nice profile of chef Ross Pangilinan’s RemixLB, a new Long Beach restaurant with Filipino dishes like pork cheek adobo.
• Street vending is a complex issue in LA County with health codes, rules, enforcement, and everything in-between. L.A. Taco found that LAPD, LA County Department of Public Health, and other politicians aren’t ready to talk about this topic publicly.
• The 72-year-old Brite Spot has a new owner. This is the third owner within a three-year span, writes the Eastsider. This time, it was sold to Lancers Family Restaurant in Burbank.
• Former Post & Beam operator Brad Johnson has a new-ish podcast called Corner Table Talk. This week, Johnson hosted an episode featuring LA chefs Govind Armstrong and current Post & Beam owner-chef John Cleveland.
• Trois Mec alums and chefs Alex Williams (chef de cuisine) and Jordan Snyder (sous chef) opened a new — but temporary — restaurant in Beverly Hills called Bread Head. The partners signed a six-month lease to see if their project gains traction. It just might with a sandwich called the Beverly Hills with a generous pile of Wagyu roast beef on focaccia-style bread, parmesan fondue, and a layer of freshly-shaved black truffle. It’s happening next week on July 16 and 17 with pre-orders via Bite Club.

• Uh Oh, No One Knows When Tiki Ti in Los Feliz Is Going to Come Back [ELA]