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| Forbidden Island (bar) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Forbidden Island |
| Established | 2000 |
| City | Honolulu |
| State | Hawaii |
| Country | United States |
| Owner | Bruce Richardson |
| Type | Tiki bar |
Forbidden Island (bar) is a tiki bar and cocktail lounge located in Honolulu, Hawaii, known for reviving mid-20th-century Polynesian pop culture and cocktail traditions. Founded in 2000, the venue became a focal point for aficionados of Vince Finn, Don the Beachcomber, Trader Vic's, Exotica (music genre), and Tiki culture revivalists. The bar has influenced contemporary mixology circles connected to James Beard Foundation, Imbibe Magazine, The New York Times, and regional tourism networks tied to Hawaii Tourism Authority.
Forbidden Island opened in 2000 amid a broader resurgence of interest in Polynesian pop, midcentury modernism, and vintage cocktails. Its founder, Bruce Richardson, drew inspiration from pioneers such as Don the Beachcomber and Victor Bergeron (Trader Vic), while responding to local Honolulu currents shaped by Waikiki nightlife and the legacy of Royal Hawaiian Hotel entertainment. Over the 2000s and 2010s, the bar intersected with movements led by figures like Jeff Berry (mixologist), Dale DeGroff, and events hosted by Museum of International Folk Art-style institutions. The venue survived economic shifts including the 2008 financial downturn and the 2020 pandemic era, adapting service models in alignment with Hawaii State Department of Health guidelines and collaborating with community organizations such as ʻAha Pūnana Leo and Hawaiʻi Lodging & Tourism Association on cultural outreach.
Forbidden Island positions itself within the tiki bar lineage, combining elements associated with Polynesian pop entertainers, Hawaii-based hula traditions, and the iconography popularized by Tiki (decoration) sculptors. The thematic program references artifacts and aesthetics from sources like Aloha shirts designers, Don the Beachcomber menus, and album art from Les Baxter, Martin Denny, and Arthur Lyman. Its narrative draws on the mid-century fascination with South Pacific exotica, while nodding to Honolulu institutions such as Aloha Stadium and Bishop Museum to contextualize local heritage. The bar intentionally engages with the lineage of cocktail craft represented by names like Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt (Donn Beach) and the cocktail historiography advanced by David Wondrich.
The cocktail menu emphasizes classic and contemporary tiki recipes, referencing canonical drinks associated with Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber. Signature offerings include variations on the Mai Tai, Zombie, and Navy Grog, alongside bespoke creations that cite techniques popularized by Jerry Thomas and modern mixologists like Jeffrey Morgenthaler. Ingredients often highlight regional staples linked to Hawaiian agriculture such as tropical fruits from Kauai and rums sourced via supply chains involving Caribbean distillers connected to brands with histories in Barbados and Jamaica. The bar’s approach reflects the scholarship of cocktail historians seen in publications by The Cocktail Chronicles contributors and tastings hosted with spirits educators from Rum Experience-style tours. Non-alcoholic options and small plates draw on local produce associated with Oʻahu markets and culinary references from chefs in the Hawaiian Regional Cuisine movement.
Forbidden Island’s interior design incorporates carved tikis, bamboo furnishings, and murals evoking Pacific motifs found in museum collections like Bishop Museum and exhibition practices used by curators at Smithsonian Institution Pacific ethnology displays. Lighting and soundscapes often feature exotica playlists including tracks by Les Baxter, Martin Denny, and Henry Mancini-era orchestrations, aligning the sensory experience with historical audio archives curated by institutions like Library of Congress. Architectural and decorative choices echo mid-century examples preserved in establishments such as Trader Vic's locations and the legacy interiors of Hilton Hawaiian Village, while balancing contemporary safety, accessibility, and hospitality standards enforced by Americans with Disabilities Act compliance mechanisms.
Forbidden Island hosts themed nights, mixology workshops, and album-listening sessions that intersect with communities around mixology, vintage fashion collectors, and Polynesian performance arts like groups influenced by hula halau. The bar has collaborated with local festivals and organizations such as Honolulu Festival and alumni of Kamehameha Schools cultural programs to stage performances and fundraising events. Its role in the tiki revival placed it in dialogue with national conversations in outlets like The New York Times and Eater and led to participation in pop-up events alongside restorations of historic venues exemplified by projects at Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber-inspired revivals.
Forbidden Island has received coverage and commendation from regional and national media, including profiles in Honolulu Star-Advertiser, The New York Times, and trade recognition linked to organizations such as the James Beard Foundation and Modern Luxury. It has been cited in lists of notable tiki bars compiled by publications like Imbibe Magazine and Lonely Planet guides. Critical reception highlights its cocktail craftsmanship, preservation of Polynesian-themed nightlife aesthetics, and community engagement, while scholarship in cocktail history—by authors connected to David Wondrich and Ted Haigh circles—has noted its contribution to the contemporary understanding of tiki mixology.
Category:Tiki bars Category:Bars in Honolulu