Went today for an anniversary celebration - don't do it. Had to pay to attend. Had to wait for my reservation. Had to wait over 30 minutes for my drink. While the place itself is fine for a regular visit, I do not recommend for a special event. It's all about the regulars. Apparently they reserve all the tables inside all day - not worth the time It's a bit overpriced in my opinion. But the people are nice and the inside is worth a visit if you are in the area and it's not a special event. read more

My first experience there was amazing, service, drinks, and food because of this I returned two weeks later February 13, 2024. The crowd was sparse which was fine. However the service was horrendous. I ordered my drink while sitting at the bar. The bartender had no other orders. However, he was totally consumed in a conversation with a couple at the end of the bar. After taking my order he walked down to the end of the bar and listened to the couple explaining the future of AI and a robot prototype they had at their office in Redwood City. The couple invited him to visit. All of this is fine and dandy. But, hello it would have been nice if he could have began to make my drink while chitchatting. I finally got up and left. Even then, there was no acknowledgment or even a motion to make my cocktail. Very rude! It's unfortunate, very nice place. However, I will not be returning. Mike, Duy as a shift manager as you described duties include chitchatting and making sure guests are taken care of. Well, Duy stayed with the one couple the entire time. He watched me get up and leave without a word as I passed by him chitchatting. I maybe confused. However, I thought I was a customer that night and being so, I think Duy's duties would have been to take care of me too? How about on my way out , as I walked by Duy towards the door. Just maybe, Duy could have asked was everything ok, just a thought. Instead of watching me leave with an I don't care attitude. We will just agree to disagree on this one. read more

Love Forbidden Island! Such a hidden gem. The atmosphere is super fun and whimsical inside, and I can't wait to come back during hotter weather to sit out on their patio. I love this place because their drinks are delicious, without compromising on the alcohol content. The Rum Barrel and Arrow in the Knee drinks are some of my favorites - super strong, but tasty also! read more

Walked in on a Monday at 4:45pm, most tables were full but there were a few high top and bar seats remaining, so our group sat at a high top and the bar until a table became availible. Food: Seasoned Fries - Waffle cut fries with a light seasoning served with ketchup, these were good, came out hot and fresh, portion was fairly generous Mozzarella Sticks - came 8 to an order which worked out well for our group of 4, served with marinara sauce, nothing special but a nice snack to go along with the drinks Drinks: Non-Alcoholic Sidewinder's Fang - really delicious, well balanced sweet and tart flavor profile, great citrus and passionfruit flavor, even as a non alcoholic drink I didn't feel like it was missing anything, would recommend Lei Lani Volcano - favorite drink of the evening, this was fruity, slightly creamy and coconutty, not too boozey, really delicious combination of flavors Monkeypod - bartender described this as a key lime pie flavor profile and I'd agree with a bit of coconut. This was creamy, tart and a little boozey, definitely felt like a dessert cocktail Tropical Cider - a nice hot cider with a splash of rum, this was really well spiced and warming, a great hot beverage option during the cold months Service: fairly attentive, earlier in the service it did take a while to get our drinks but once the bar was less busy it was a quick turn around. Servers were knowledgeable and attentive with great recommendations and suggestions. Overall a great tiki bar in the bay area, décor is amazing, really transports you to a different place. Drinks were amazing, everything we ordered was delicious and well balanced in flavor. Food was good typical bar snacks, but probably not enough for dinner. read more

Forbidden Island - Interior - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Perfect place to have drinks! Trust the menu when they have the skull ratings.. because they aren't playing around haha! Drinks were pretty good and strong. We got guacamole, and waffle fries which came out quick and were good to fill up on as we drank. The staff was nice and funny. It is a bit dark in there so be sure to be careful when walking to the restroom lol. read more

Charming tiki bar, with delicious drinks and fun staff. We each had the Jet Pilot, not too sweet of a rum drink with a hint of star anise. Really loved our server (Jeff?), attentive without being obnoxious and a great sense of humor. read more

I'm always on the lookout for a good Tiki Bar and as I was in the Oakland area I figured I'd better find my way over to Alameda and check out The Forbidden Island. This was my first time here, and I have to say I was not disappointed. Nice atmosphere inside as well as an outdoor patio area, all nicely decorated. I had three drinks. Staring with a Navy Grog, which I thought was a little heavy on the lime juice for the first few sips but as the ice melted a bit it smoothed out and was quite good. Next was a Hemingway Daiquiri which was smooth from start to finish. Nicely garnished with a mango skin. I spoke with Mike, the owner, and asked for a recommendation for my third and final drink of the evening and he recommended the their signature "Forbidden Island " cocktail. I ordered one in one of their take home mugs. It was a bit sweet for my taste but not sickeningly or syrupy sweet. Overall a very nice cocktail. I ordered from their food menu. It was mostly just deep fried stuff. Typical bar food but fairly priced for what you get. If you're in the Oakland area it's definitely worth going!! read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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First time going and could say it's my last. The charter service was great honestly they were very accessible to our big party but I didn't like that when I got there and ordered it was just me for 30 minutes while I waited for my party and when I ordered my drink and my egg rolls I was told for big parties they must add a 18% tip, granted I was alone I said I'm going to order and close my tab because I was going to leave soon was not going to stay for the whole time with my friends but anyway that was that. My drink was good the first one and I liked that all the proceeds for the drink were Maui. My veggie egg rolls not so good tasted like frozen ones and the insides were really mushy. My second drink was not good at all so I didn't finish it. But over all I say go try it out just was not for me. read more

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This is one of the best tiki bar experiences I've had. You can tell this is establishment is an East Bay favorite. On a dreary weekend afternoon, it was still busy, with people trying to get inside the bar. Fortunately, it seems they're also used to it and expected it; they're well-organized and have a system in place to get you seated in an orderly fashion. We got a table and were greeted by a very friendly server. Really enjoyed our interactions with her. As we waited for our drinks, I noticed how awesome the decorations and vibe were. This was the coolest tiki bar I've been in. Most of the patrons were also wearing Hawaiian-themed attire. This is serious business! The drinks are delicious and dangerous (because they're so delicious). Had an awesome experience here--so much that I bought one of their mugs. Can't wait to return! read more

Forbidden Island - Forbidden Island*** - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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To preface this, I am a huge tiki enthusiast after visiting Smuggler's Cove for the first time a few years back. Although I love the symphony of flavors found in tropical cocktails and the presentation of drinks, most of the time I can make them just as good at my little home bar. What originally got me to dive head first after Smuggler's Cove was the atmosphere and hospitality over the actual drinks themselves, so that is always what I look for when I visit new places. I was up in the Bay Area for a concert and wanted to check out some new spots, and since Forbidden Island was opened with the help of Martin Cate, it was one I really wanted to check out. I was a little apprehensive at first, because some of the negative reviews were mentioning poor or slow service, which was concerning for me as I believe the hospitality and escapism is what really sets tiki apart. We had reservations for the bar and it was pretty empty for a Friday night. The decor and music were great, but once we sat down we weren't greeted despite a couple people being behind the bar. It seems as though the bartender was just making drinks and others were taking the orders (which is pretty normal and I think a good system), but nobody else welcomed us in or anything. We were just sitting there for a while before finally having our order taken. I was fully anticipating just having one drink and leaving, and I started to regret my decision as I had chosen this bar over others in the area. However, another server named Max came out and immediately shifted the atmosphere of the entire place. Max was incredibly attentive, coming by often to check in on us to make sure everything was okay. We talked about the menu and various drinks, and they helped us select our next drinks (which were all fantastic recommendations). We ended up staying and doing 3 rounds with some food as well. I cannot stress this enough, Max made our experience at Forbidden Island. They carried such a great and positive energy and made us feel like the most important people in the room. They were always there without ever feeling intrusive at all, especially since we really enjoyed every conversation we had with them. If Max was there right from the start, I definitely would have given 5 stars. Thank you, Max! read more

Great decor and atmosphere. Inventive cocktail menu. Service is uneven- some days attentive and friendly, other days (such as today and another recent visit) the staff can be downright rude. read more

If you know, you know that this place is a hidden gem in Alameda! Soooo good that this is my third return visit! My bf and I ordered two drinks: pina colada (6/5 not too strong, very drinkable) & hurricane (5/5 very strong). We both think the drinks are well made and the decorations inside are lovely. Even on Monday, this place gets quite busy so I recommend making a reservation ahead of time. read more

Forbidden Island - Pina colada (left) & hurricane (right) - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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The menu here is super thicc, so I can't remember what I had, but I know it was really good and really strong. At least the second drink was. Again, you have a ton of options here. I was afraid to sit outside and miss out on the atmosphere, but the backyard definitely delivered on the tiki immersion front. We also had some sweet potato fries which were very good. Always gotta nibble when you drink, ya feel me? If you're on a tiki tour, this is 100% a spot to get to. read more

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This place is pretty well known and a locals hangout, but its sorta divey. Drinks are ok, but the fried food just leaves a lot to be desired. Each time I've been there the floors are sticky and the place just seems like it needs a good cleaning, and probably even an update! Service has been slow to average each time. read more

Really really enjoyed this tiki bar. It's so unlike other tiki bars I've been too because of how clean, quiet, and big the space is! I would not have known about this place at all and I'm so glad my group took me here for the 1st time. They have an id & vaccine check for when you enter, then you get promptly seated where you can scan the QR code for the menu. We had : -Rum Barrel -Pina colada -Monkeypod -Leilani Volcano All of them being great. However since I'm more of a hard liquor/like the taste, I think Rum barrel was great. I'm thinking of the 1934 Zombie next time with the glass since its stronger from what our server described. The monkey pod was great too and legit tasted like a key lime pie. Leilani Volcano was aesthetic. The prices are well portioned to the drink size and the liquor. I'm just so shocked at how I was able to hear my group since it wasn't loud music blaring and even when there was a fair amount of other people in the area, it was easy to hear others within my table. Definitely a great place to check out if you wanted to get Mai tais, or a good drink and relax or even on a date! Super clean space as well. read more

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Service was excellent and the drinks were good. I'm a margarita person myself but I highly recommend the Chamborlada

Recently went to a happy hour at Forbidden Island in Alameda. This island themed tiki cocktail lounge is so cute and definitely worth a visit! They have some super fun tiki drinks and yummy finger food. There are also both indoor and outdoor seating areas with different vibes. I chose to sit outside in the lovely patio. Anywho, I tried their Macadamia Nut Chi Chi drink. OMG, I must say this is one of THE BEST drinks I've had in a long time!! I went nuts for the macadamia chi chi!!! It's so unique and tasty! If you haven't had macadamia nut, it's a must! You have to be careful with this drink though because you could easily lose track on how many you've had!! Can't wait to come back! You can't go wrong with you the Forbidden Island. read more

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Arrived around 10:30 was very excited to explore their drinks. The vibe is very chill when you enter. Decor has dollars hanging with the umbrella toothpicks bar seating and high table and few booths. It says wait to be seated so we waited and was seated in a booth Another waiter came and said we would have to get up because there was a party of three that was suppose to be there and that the other waiter made a mistake. Could just be me but I feel like that statement could have been delivered better. There was no tables so we would have to stand. So decided to leave which was unfortunate due to my excitement. Will not go back. But I recommend reservations since that seems to be a better alternative. read more

We just hosted a party at Forbidden Island and the management and servers we coordinated with and who served us that night couldn't have been more helpful and pleasant. Justin was our primary server (hope that's right, we had more than one awesome drink) and we had a combination of batch Mai Tais and ordering off of the menu. The drinks were outstanding while we hosted under their outdoor canopy area with 30-35 guests. The vibe is great, the drinks outstanding, and the service excellent. Extremely pleased with FI and we'll be back, thank you everyone. read more

Forbidden Island perfectly captures the mid-century tiki bar experience. The drinks are varied and tasty. I had to try the classic mai tai and it is superior to anything offered in SF tiki bars. I also sampled the humuhumunukunukuapua'a (which the staff can pronounce with flourish) and can recommend that as well, despite it being a rum-less offering at a tiki bar. The ambience is top notch and the drinks hold their own. Highly recommend a stop! Reservations seem like a good idea for peak bar hours. PS: I skimmed the negative reviews and compared to my experience they truly seem to be either misaligned expectations or folks who were determined to find a problem. If tiki bars are your vibe, then this place will be your vibe. read more

Forbidden Island - Humuhumunukunukuapua'a: "Drink like a triggerfish! Fid Street Hawaiian Gin, lemon, pineapple, and homemade orgeat are perfect for calm water - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

I came to Forbidden Island last night for my early birthday celebration. This was my first time at a bar and I couldn't have asked for a more memorable experience! We made reservations on OpenTable which I highly recommended--even on a weeknight they were packed! When we arrived we were immediately seated and told we'd have 90 minutes at the bar. The drink menu is accessible through their QR code. To start off with, I ordered the 1950 Zombie. It came in a really cool glass and packed a citrus punch. It was unlike any drink I've had before. The second drink that I ordered was the Leilani Volcano. I loved the pineapple in this drink. Both drinks came in decent size glasses and weren't overly sweet as you could still taste the rum in them. Forbidden Island was extremely lively and everyone there seemed to be having a great time! The ambiance of the bar was relaxing and inviting. There were a lot of cool tropical decorations all throughout the bar that caught my eye and I felt that I was back in Hawaii! The service was wonderful and extremely organized. Our bartender was friendly and provided a lot of great recommendations and insight on different drinks. I recommend asking for their recommendations, although I saw most people opted for Mai Tais! When our time was almost up, one of the workers came up to us to remind us. She asked if we wanted to take any drinks to go and helped check us out. Although time flew by extremely fast, the 90 minutes that we were allotted was perfect. It was just enough time for us to look at the menu, order our drinks, wait for them to be made, and sip on them without feeling rushed. Just some quick notes, parking is on the street but easy to find. They have options for both indoors and outdoors. The bartenders take your credit card when you first order to keep on file. Make sure to check in on Yelp! You get $1.00 off on cocktails. I'm already looking forward to coming back here next week with friends! read more

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We absolutely love this bar and come here at least twice a week. The bartenders are a delight, super smart and funny, and always helpful when we need a recommendation. We're currently making our way through their Kill Devil Club, which is a really fun way to learn about different rums from different countries. The bar is also aligned so perfectly with its tiki roots - it's mellow, laid back, and nuanced, and the folks who come regularly recognize how significant and special a spot this is within the tiki culture's universe. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki bar - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

AMAZING DRINKS, FOOD AND STAFF! The ambiance is also very nice as you can see from my pics! Love this tiki bar and always recommend it to everyone :) read more

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Love this place! The drinks are delicious, the ambiance is fun, and the service is usually great! The bartenders/servers are not always friendly, but they get the job done. Make sure to get the corn dogs and other bites when you're there. Everything tastes great! read more

This place is really cute! Very secluded area and parking is kinda hard to find, but it is so worth it! They have a large variety of drinks and snacks to munch on while you are there. I recommend making a reservation because it gets really busy. I was lucky and able to get the last table to try this place! The service is absolutely great! They are so nice and helpful with recommendations. I also love how beside each drink on the menu there is a scale to show you the intensity of alcohol in each drink. So you know what you are signing yourself up for. I was recommended a banana flavored drink by a friend and they didn't have it anymore but they made me something similar and it was great! Would come back here again to try other drinks! read more

Forbidden Island - Chi chi banana - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Really fun spot for great, tropical drinks! The patio is super cute and not too loud but if you're planning on going make sure to have a reservation & the patio closes early due to noise restrictions since it's in a residential neighborhood and you don't want the employees giving you a hard time! If you can sit inside that's where the best vibes are! Small but makes you forget you're in alameda! Drinks and small and virgin drinks were good too. Everything we had was tasty! Wait time for food was a little disappointing (almost an hour for chicken bites and mozz sticks) but still worth it and a fun time! Will be back for sure!! read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Came back with friends on a Thursday night to try new drinks: Rum Barrel ($18) Pina Colada ($12) Monkeypod ($14) Leilani Volcano ($14) Atmosphere was still cozy and on the quieter side since there weren't a lot of people. We discovered that they have a music box where you can choose songs to play! Also got to check out the outdoor space since it was still open - loved the decorations. We are ready for the warm weather to come so we can enjoy our drinks out there! Notes: - They check vaccine cards + ID. - Super clean place, especially the bathrooms! read more

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Hadn't been here in a few months so decided to stop by given their extensive menu. The hostess seemed unwelcoming and irritated, but this was probably the exception given that our servers were very friendly and helpful. The highlight of the drinks this time was the Chamborlada, if you like sweeter/coconut flavors. We also got one of their shareable drinks in a big fancy fish bowl, which is apparently subject to theft so frequently that they asked for ID as collateral for the bowl. We got the seasoned fries, which come as waffle fries if you're expecting regular thin fries. read more

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Don't let Yelp fool you. This is a wonderful establishment with excellent ambiance, immaculate cocktails, and congenial, attentive staff. When compared with other aggregate review sites and the rating conferred upon this bar, the issue is plainly to do with Yelp and the petty hangers-on that validate their sad and small existence by trying to take the bar down for such manufactured issues as "their spicy chicken bites are spiced with buffalo sauce" and "they offered a large seating area with the condition that we might be asked to move for larger groups." As a regular customer of this bar for the past 8 years, I am reasonably qualified to inform that -short of tucking your ankles up around your ears- this bar, its staff, and its place in the broader tiki pantheon are beyond reproach. read more

I enjoyed the drink, bartenders's friendliness and the bar decorations. Definitely, I will be back. Despite, it's hard to book for a table for the weekend or late night. They take walk-in as well. read more

Forbidden Island - My favorite cocktail! - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

When I tell you me and my friends were SHOOK at how good the drinks were, believe it! It was all of our first times here and 1) every employee was so sweet 2) it's a fun looking spot and 3) the drinks were 12/10!! I had the Chamborlada and I lowkey expected it to have a strong alcoholic taste but I was WRONG. It's *chef's kiss* and even when it melts down it gets better! The coconut taste wasn't overpowering at all, too! It's dangerous how you realy can't taste the alcohol LOL. Nonetheless, my friends and I agreed we're FORSUREEE coming back. read more

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Have been here multiple times and each time its always a blast. First off massive shout out to the staff members. Extremely friendly and accommodating. Pre Covid you could walk in and sit anywhere now with changes you should 100% reserve ahead of time to make sure you have seating be it inside or outside. The who inside area is 100% themed amazingly with the lighting, music and booths makes you feel like your at a hidden gem tiki bar. There are plenty of drinks to pick from along with some delicious bar food. Downside - the drinks can be a little on the very sweet side. read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

The drinks were fabulous- shrimp appetizer was epic!! Ambiance & service were spectacular- mini-vacation anyone?

The food was great. The drinks were super cute and good too! The ambiance was cool too, it did get a bit noisy but overall such a cool spot that takes you away from where you really are. I would recommend this for someone wanting to get a drink and catch up with a friend! read more

Forbidden Island - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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We had a couple of rounds of drinks. The menu offers mainly rum based cocktails of varying levels of booziness. The menu indicates how much alcohol Is in each drink. I especially appreciate this when I gauge how lit I plan on getting hehe. Bar goers have placed dollar bills on the ceiling over the years a tradition which we were told dates back to the Second World War. The spot is chill and perfect for a date night, meet up with friends. Parking was easy to find and even as more people came it was never overly crowded or too loud that I couldn't hear my friends. Overall a delightful bar to stop by for an evening of drinks. Cheers! read more

Forbidden Island - Hemingway Daiquiri - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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Who makes the best drinks? A tiki bar Loving how we now have more outdoor space to sip on cocktails and be merry Lots of heat lamps to keep you feeling nice Credit card first Drink and eat second Who messed it all up ? To run my card before my meal to make sure I pay, isn't my type of place anymore But don't hold me to that statement I will be back read more

Forbidden Island - Mai tai - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

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They have a large out patio great for a date or a group. Fun and friendly staff! We got two mai tais each and got a good buzz so careful if you're driving! Had to check out my local tiki bar and will be back read more

Forbidden Island - Mai Tai - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Love, love, love this place! Was in need of a strong drink and stopped by on the way home. I got the classic Mai Tai and my partner the Monkeypod. Mai Tai as strong as always and the Monekeypod just like I remember. You have to order food with so had the corn dog basket with waffle fries. It came with 2 corn dogs! Drinks come sealed and all you have to do is shake them and pour over ice. Such a great idea! read more

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Always wanted to go to this bar, so finally got to check it out yesterday after our picnic and day out in Golden Gate Park. Inside was stuffy/muggy but it was so nice out that we chose outside. The theme of course was Hawaiian and they did their best with the outside area. Something you would expect at a theme party in a back yard. The drinks were beautiful and looked great on every table. As we were reviewing the menu we decided to go with the Rum Barrel, it stated it was a "2 drink limit" . laughing we both decided to get one. Well we now know why it was a limit as one was good enough. We enjoyed our drink, and the sweet potato fries and called it a day. This place is easy to miss and parking was scarce. Our server was nice and it didn't take long for our items to come out. All in all it was a nice stop for the end of our outing. read more

Forbidden Island - Rum Barrel - Tiki Bars Near Me - Alameda, California

Excellent place to have a great cocktail or rum! Fantastic ambiance and service. The coconut shrimp appetizer is delicious.