Frankie's Tiki Room

Review

There aren't many things missing from Sin City's expansive nightlife scene, but somehow, here Vegas was, all alone without a tiki bar. Or something like that.

But those days are behind the city thanks to P Moss (who you might recognize from another epic Vegas bar -- The Double Down). Moss saw a need and filled it with Frankie's Tiki Room.

So now, tourists and locals alike can have drinks like the Zombie (only two per customer) surrounded by tiki idols, under lights made from pufferfish.

Sure, Frankie's is a little bit of a hike (Charleston and Interstate 15) coming from the Strip, but it's not really that far and it's worth it.

It's a small space, meaning you can see from one end to the other and there's a bar lining the front. Lining the bar (in addition to all the booze) are tiki idol glasses, different designs for different drinks, which means if you want to drink from the cool cup, you're going to have step outside your Bud Light comfort zone.

That said, it's not hard to step outside the Bud Light zone at Frankie's. In addition to the aforementioned Zombie, there's a fairly monster cocktail menu with drinks that taste like blue Popsicles and drinks that taste a little bit like gasoline smells. We could tell you which is which, but figuring it out is half the fun.

There's seating (and video poker) at the bar and seating at tables and there's a ton of interesting stuff to look at it everywhere, including the crowds.

Like we said before, Frankie's is filling a niche in Vegas, which means there was a demand, and so, from the very first day, Frankie's was packing them in.

If you're a local, you might recognize some of your favorite characters from the Double Down or First Friday. If you're visiting town, you might see some of the culture and diversity Vegas is hard-pressed to show on the Strip.

-- Review by Jamie Helmick