The Grass Skirt Reviews

Great speak easy style tiki bar. Drinks are pricey but strong

Finally! An awesome tiki bar in San Diego. I was bummed when I found out it was in PB. But they have a secret entrance which is deter the drunks. Had a great time. The drinks were amazing and the food was fresh and excellent also.

I used to like this place. I hadn't been there for a while, upon return I was greeted to the evil anti-labor 3% service charge. Won't be going there again. Do restaraunts institute a fee when the rent goes up? Of course they don't. The owners are jerks grandstanding against minimum wage increases. It is another wealthy restaraunt group screwing workers everywhere. If the wage increase was such a hardship to the rich owners, why only a 3% increase? Just raise your prices 3%. Oh dear a 20$ menu item would now cost $20.60. I guess the rich owners need to take a stand to screw over workers everywhere.

Me and a buddy were bouncing around PB decided to stop in. Pretty cool vibe and good signature drinks!

A unique bar experience you don t want to miss out on if you re in San Diego! If you order one of the bowls (Scorpion bowl pictured below) the whole bar will break out in thunder and lighting when they bring it out. So cool!!

Anybody who hasn't gone here .. The entrance is tricky you enter in the poke restaurant and walk in through a freezer door which is off the chain food is delicious and cool ambiance

Fun speak easy in San Diego. Larger then your normal speak easy.

They advertise the restaurant closes at 2am...but because it was slow they decided to close early which is right now 11:39pm...I say if you re closing based on customers that night don t put restaurant hours on google...spent $20 on Uber because google says they are open til 2am...arrived and I guess one of the workers said no one was showing up so they decided to leave...not sure what kind of business skips out on making money esp when they are supposedly one of the few that s have late hours...not a good look..

I ll first start off by saying how much I love this place! This Tiki style speak easy type of bar is so much fun to be at. The ambiance of it makes it a good time and their crafty cocktails are yummy!! Not only is it a fun time to go out to at night, but their cuisine is delicious. Went there with friends one night and pigged out on the drunken noodles, Kimchi fried rice, pork sliders, and the prime hanger steak - which was devoured quickly. It s an experience over all from the food, drinks, music, and ambiance. Not to mention the service is incredible - everyone working is super helpful and even give great suggestions if you re unsure of what to order. Give this place a visit if you re in Pb!

This place was great. Good food and good tiki drinks. Love the speakeasy style entrance.

This place is great. We have gone back several times and the host and hostess were first rate. The staff knowledgeable and excellent food and drinks. It's now my favorite PB spot.

As the old stones song goes I'm not quite sure just what it was.
But I will go back!!

I really like this place, it s one of my go tos for showing guests a great dinner in PB. Giving it a 4 and not a 5 because of some frustrating size differences in their dishes. Essentially, don t order the drunken noodles if you are hungry, it s like a small appetizer. Other dishes are easily twice the amount of food.

I guess the gig is up! Still had a good run old fashion and some laughs! Very cool place!

So much potential but ultimately a disappointing experience. Went on a Sunday with a reservation. The drinks are great but almost all ice and at 14 bucks, I expect more. The dim sum cart only came around twice in about just over an hour, so we never even got to try all of the items advertised. The second time around, everything was cold anyway. The staff was friendly enough up until we must have overstayed our welcome. It's not our fault service was so slow. The DJ was awful and the volume got cranked up midway through our "meal". Oh, and they charge a 3% fee because they have not adjusted prices on their menu. $80 later and we both left still hungry.

Wow! I was a little skeptical when we found this place in a strip mall, but we were amazed from the beginning we entered the restaurant. You enter into the restaurant through a refrigerator door, and I think they knocked it out of the park for looks, food and drinks. The price is listed as $$$, but I thought it was actually quite cheap compared to other nice restaurants and will definitely be going back again next time we visit SD.

The pork belly/Kimchi bowl and fried chicken are an absolute must. Everything we ordered was perfect. I highly recommend this restaurant.

Was thrilled with me experience here. Very impressed with the food. The drawback was, after having made a reservation, my friend and I were seated at an awkward group seating table in the center of the restaurant and not at a proper table...so we weren t really able to talk to each other very well.

The Grass Skirt has a cozy and fun atmosphere with very delicious specialty cocktails. There is a kitchen that serves bao buns and other yummy foods. The DJ for tonight was bumpin!! There is indoor seating and an outdoor patio with an island tiki fireplace that sets a perfect relaxing atmosphere for drinks and fun. This speak easy is a great hang for a fun time.

This place was awesome! The pork buns are about a dollar too expensive, but I still buy 3 at a time cuz they are good. The theme is radical and really let's you escape the typical PB crowd (or at least the setting). There is a drink you can get that will shut off the music in the place and the whole place turns red and shakes like a volcano is going off. It was really fun.

Amazing cocktails, fantastic and friendly bartenders, and delicious food. Would recommend for anyone going to SD

This place is over the top kitchy in a good way. A giant tiki head surrounds one of the tables and the whole place is made to look like a wooden hut. The drinks are served in ridiculous glassware, which are all available for purchase in case you want to recreate the experience at home. The food was great. The brussel sprouts appetizer was delicious and between the three of us we sampled a wide variety of dishes. There are non-sea food options available as well.

Be sure to call for a reservation and know that if you have fewer than four people, you'll most likely be sitting on the patio. We were on the patio, which isn't bad if you don't mind holding your bowl while you eat. Your table is at coffee table height so perfect for drinks but a little awkward for eating from. Would definitely eat here again.

Great music! Stated out with James Brown and then slowly transitioned to 90s/2000s r&b. They play it pretty loud and it can be heard down the street. Atmosphere was cool with a lot of decor to look at. Also, they make fancy island themed drinks with different kinds of rum.

Fantastic tiki-themed drinks. Good mix of classic tiki recipes and newer inspirations.

Fun tiki bar giant horseshoe booths really bring it all together

So fun. Quite the scene it was packed. Reservation only. Great themed artisan cocktails and the food was delicious.

OMG this place is amazing! Excellent ambiance, service, amazing, food and drinks. Now one of my favorite places.

Takes credit card and cash!!! This place has great FRESH bubble tea drinks. We had the fresh lemon and strawberry drink. It is freshly made without any added sugars. We also had the mango milk smoothie. The staff here are very friendly. Came here for drinks, but heard their food is just as great. Will need to try their hangover fries!

Such a fun and unique place in the heart of Pacific Beach! All of the drinks are SO GOOD. Get yourself a Chi Chi or painkiller! SO GOOD. Best items on the menu are definitely the bao puns and the poke. Great decor with the fun experience of a tiki room about every 20 minutes! Great place to bring a group of people for a fun time!

This place is really cool. You have to walk through a freezer door in the Poke restaurant next door to get into this tiki wonderland filled with amazing drinks and tasty pupus. Portions are a bit small for the amount of alcohol in the drinks but this is beyond Trader Vic's and more like Don the Beachcomber.
I can't wait to go back.

Great tiki bar, great tiki drinks. The only two complaints I have is that the great atmosphere is compromised by unexpected club music. I'm sure it's because it's in PB, but when you go to a tiki bar you expect surf, island music; not rap or classic rock. ( I love these genres, they just don't belong in this place.) The other thing is the part of the building that is open air. This allows all the cigarette smoke from outside to leak into the seating area.. That was a bummer.

Super cool tiki bar. Very crowded, but maybe that's because it's still new. Food was delicious, drinks could have been stronger. Overall great atmosphere to hang out with friends and grab a cool tiki drink.

Loved my experience at The Grass Skirt! From the moment we walked I had a huge smile on my face. Such a fabulous fun vibe here. The drinks were amazing too! Next time I am in San Diego l will definitely come back!

Yummmm!! The drinks and vibes are perfect here. tiki bar for the win

The drinks were nice and recently priced. The food menu is very marginal. Certainly not the top tiki bar I've ever been to.

cool spot. Has a great atmosphere and good food. It is somewhat of a speakeasy, so make sure you make reservations. fun spot.

Amazing food, amazing drinks, amazing atmosphere, aesthetically pleasing and did I mention how awesome their drinks are?

Top 50 Cocktail Bars in the World, and very much deserved! Cocktail menu is visually impressive and expertly executed !! Had a chance to chat with the owner, and he was a gent !!! Loved every minute of my experience at The Grass Skirt .

The speak easy discreetness along with the Hawaiian theme on the inside give this place a great atmosphere. All of their cocktails are basically works of art. The presentation is suberb and fresh ingredients used to make them and delicious.

Amazing place. Easy to find but difficult due to door being on the right side of the location. Food is great. It isn't heavy despite being fried & complements their drinks really well. The drinks does give a strong kick. I would recommend eating something before drinking. Atmosphere is lively but I wish I can hear what my friends are saying and not try to shout at them so they can hear me. Except for the sound, I would definitely go back there for the food and drinks.

Certainly one of the coolest places I have been to, tu to find the door if you can

Such good food, food presentation was actual perfection, the inside is so pretty and welcoming.

Amazing food and easy parking!!! I highly recommend this place. As for recommendations, my go-to items are the steam buns. You cannot go wrong with them. They are delicious!!!

PB local and love this place. It's nice to have some cool spots here that cater to the 25+ crowd :)

Groovy tiki vibe. Great drinks. Good food. Can't go wrong coming here for happy hour or a night out. If you can't figure out where the front door is, ask the nice people at the poke place next door for directions.

Cool place. Great tiki bar. Spectacular decor!! Delicious drinks. A bit pricey though.

Overall it was a 5 start experience. The cocktails will not disappoint! I highly suggest going to their tiki brunch on the weekend. It wasn't too busy and the food was mind blowing. I ordered the Poke Bowl and it was packed with seafood and more! Make sure to mix up the bowl in order to get all the flavors. I also found my self hanging out there for a few hours and after second rounds of drinks I wanted a small bite so I ordered the Bao Buns and they made the hairs stand up on the back of my neck because the flavor profile + texture were on point. The service can be a little slow but if you are there with the right people, you won't even notice! :)

Okay... love tiki bars, have enjoyed the Grass Skirt... but there was a magician who blew my mind. Nick made it so much fun. I will be back.

Went last night, party of 3. We didn't have a reservation so was seated at the bar. Ordered pulled pork sliders, drunken noodles and ramen. Also had drinks. Drinks were good, and the sliders came out in less than 10 minutes. After waiting 30 minutes, we asked about our remaining order. First was told it was on the way - a few minutes later was told it was given to another table and they were working on a new order. After 40 minutes of waiting, we decided to leave. I was very disappointed as based on the reviews, I was very much looking forward to the meal.

Extremely loud sensational special effects. Have to yell to your friends to be heard. Looks cool wait staff are friendly. Limits on how long you can dine with a reservation. The hostess came while we were waiting for a round of after dinner cocktails. Said we had 30 minutes before we had to give up our table. They didn't mention this limited amount of time for dining reservations. Food was fused and okay.

Nice unique speakeasy with good drinks and attentive staff. The "volcano" is a nice touch and the seating is fun and casual.

This is a cool little tiki bar. The only access to enter is through Good time poke. There's a large refrigerator door you enter through that leads you to the grass skirt. Awesome place to go for some drinks and food whether on a date or in a group. The bartenders do a great job with the drinks. Most of the drinks are rum based, but they do have other choices. The food was pretty good as well.

While the food was delicious, the service was some of the worst that my wife and I have ever encountered.

Nice Tiki theme! Beach Boy music in the background & great drinks!

Delicious good and good drinks - the decor is top-notch!

Being a gin-drinker, I had the 'Jilligan's Island' - also delicious.

Food was good but not amazing. Atmosphere is SUPER fun. I love the light/fake lava show. I love the secret entrance through the Poki shop. We were a bunch of girls getting ready for a fun night out and this worked perfectly for what we needed. Good drinks!

Fun place. My food and drinks were good. My wifes food was a bit too salty so i took a star off. She returned it and they took it off the tab.

A little pricey (not outrageously so compared to other bars and restaurants in the area) but the food and drinks are great. Great ambiance as well.

As fun as you've heard. Go with a larger crowd for the best experience

Beautiful decor, but loud loud loud. Feels like a classic rock bar shoved in a tiki restaurant. Not relaxing at all.

Good drinks but don't waste your money on the bowls.

Great vibe, super staff. Best mai tai I've ever had. Met the owner on the way out, very down to earth and totally invested in his community. Love you guys!

This is an interesting spot. Designed as a speakeasy with a tiki theme. Lots of interesting cocktails and the food was decent enough.

Chablie is great! So personable and friendly! Great service and delicious drinks!! Sam is a wonderful server and very welcoming! I will definitely be returning to enjoy the great service and tasty food and drink!

A little confused by this place. It's a tiki speakeasy? You need reservations and you have to enter through the poke shop next door. You go through a freezer door into a tunnel and into the bar. The confusing part is the bar is not hidden at all from the outside, there is a sign advertising it, and a hostess in the poke shop at a tiki podium. Inside anytime someone orders a lava and ice drink, the lights are dimmed and a thunderstorm sound comes on. This happened 3 times while we were there and we had to ask what was happening because it wasn't clear. The place is decorated well in tiki and there are lots of fun seating areas. The drinks were very good, but almost all rum drinks. It was a fun experience, but not overly impressive.

I love this place to hang out with my friends whenever I have time!

Like snakes in the grass I slithered my way into this joint infiltrating their speaktiki establishment under a guised reservation. Upon arrival I was met with joyous applause of many industry folks during a sneak peak. I ve since returned multiple times, less recognizable with my Movember mustache.

My first impression was wow this door is legit. 2nd was that s a lot of red lighting and it s really bright in here. Red is a little aggressive imo.



Food is typical fusion you could easily see in Hawaii or Convoy, most places menu doesn t match, but here it does, the set up is tricked out for people looking to party or eat and have just a few drinks. Gastrotiki maybe, yeah I like that term. The menu items have a lot of scallions. Okinomiyai fries are like Japanese poutine or a protein-less carne asada fries. Maybe hit it with some furikaki for balance. They really love the hoisin/spicy mayo combo as it s again on the skuna bay, which is far lighter. The kimchi fried rice uses Chinese sausage, hoisin, scallion again and cilantro. This is weird because Koreans from Korea don t like cilantro, it tastes like soap to them. I m conflicted on this because I like it, but I m not sure what they are going for. I d have liked shrimp, more kim chi, maybe some five spice or XO sauce. At this point I kept thinking this reminds me to Tajima. Spicy tuna hand roll extra spicy hit the spot.

Once you ve filled your belly with familiar fare, come on SD it s not all about Mexican food, belly up to the bar where the staff is salivating to make you a festive, well garnished, fun tiki drink. Obviously the standard tiki bar will have fresh fruits, juices, garnishes, glassware on point and spirits selection geared towards the style. This means rum, lots of rum, dark, light, overproof. I went off menu and got a Painkiller because I m currently on that as well and had pregamed. I love the bendy color straws, umbrellas, custom tiki mugs. My smith & cross daiquiri was also a great drink, though not for the faint of heart, it s a kick in the mouth. The servers are great, though they could add 1 more to faster serve. Because tiki is even more about presentation getting a drink in 3 minutes is enjoyable because of the show. Peter is dead on about the Hamiltons/Lemonhart swap, another though not as flavorful alternative is Plantation Dark Overproof and I hear Lemonhart is coming back. Lots of their drinks call for orgeat, falernum, coco lopez. It s hard to not have a good time when the staff is friendly the drinks are festive. Yes many tiki drinks tend to be sweeter, but you also shouldn t drink it the same. They are meant to be drank slower, allow that pebble ice to dilute it a bit, swirl that straw, don t just crush it like some vodka soda. The staff is also knowledgably about the sprits, history and lifestyle. Check out their glassware and mugs, legit, garnish game strong.

You might catch me up in here. I ll be the guy with the Reyn Spooner shirt and a smile on my face.

Great food great drinks really like the help thank you

WoW WoW WoW!!!!
This place is officially my absolute favorite! Not only are the house flavors on point but the drinks are full of innovation and creativity but every sip is refreshing n unique! This place is a triple threat not only is the food and drinks amazing but the service (Sean) is really cool down to earth and really cares about your experience here. Been here about 3 times and I will not stop there!

The ambiance was amazing, total tiki bar with great decorations and a fun atmosphere. Every so often, the lights go down and drums start playing and the decorative lights start flashing and changing colors. The beers were pretty good and inexpensive.
The entrance is the worst. Have fun getting into this place, and looking stupid while doing it...

Very rude pretentious staff, atmosphere is loud and uncomfortable, food and drinks are fairly decent but not worth the judginess and overall dumb college kid crowd. Literally any other speak easy has been better than this one

Had such an amazing time at this restaurant! Perfect for date nights or nights out. The atmosphere was so fun, the service was all amazing, and the food was sooooo good! We started with the brussel sprouts and these we re my favorite. The tiki cocktails were the perfect addition to our Polynesian plates. 10/10!