Address: 1304 Lincoln Ave.
Pricing: $6-$10 cocktails, $4-$6 bar snacks
Phone: (510) 749-0332
Hours: Forbidden Island is open from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. Tuesday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 3 to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
Parking:Parking lot and plenty of street parking
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Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge: Escape for a cocktail
Apr 19, 2010
If you live in the San Francisco Bay Area, you’ve already got one definite advantage. You’re just a quick drive away from one of many beautiful destinations overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean. But the Bay waters are cold, and quite often, temperatures here are far from summery.
And yet, the opportunities for getting tropical are many. One hidden tropical hot spot is discreetly nestled in Alameda, where a Tiki lounge can feel right at home. After all, Alameda is an island, right?
The Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge typically comes to life around 5 p.m., when the lanterns come on and night owls from around the Bay slowly begin to fill the booths and bar stools to “hang loose” with friends. Music is part of the scene, and when a live band is not playing, you’re free to jam to your own instrument.
Forbidden Island has been serving up delicious cocktails in a unique retro-island atmosphere since 2006. In addition to transporting you in place, Forbidden Island will transport you in time – to the look and feel of the 60’s, and even the bartenders here will dress the part.
In addition to housing 60s memorabilia, the Forbidden Island hosts another world within its doors, one with both indoor and outdoor seating that includes thatched roofing, bamboo paneling, fishing nets hanging from the ceiling, and colorful lanterns to light up the mood.
It’s a lot of fun, especially when you’ve had a taste of their cocktails, famous for having freshly squeezed citrus juice and natural ingredients along with premium, locally purchased alcohols. Bartenders here create seasonal drink specials, found only here, while serving classic favorites like Mimosas and Bloody Marys, island style. There’s finger food for the feasting – like sweet potato fries and spring rolls that wash down nicely.
Forbidden Island is open from 5 p.m. to Midnight Tuesday through Thursday; 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Friday and Saturday; and 3 to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
- by Renee M. Rutledge, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro
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Renee M. RutledgeRenee M. Rutledge currently writes articles on local travel and culture for Red Tricycle, Parents' Press, Oakland Magazine, and Alameda Magazine.
