The Luau

A new tiki bar in SD! I had to check it out and have a mai tai. Very chill atmosphere, nice back patio. They give you a complimentary tiki shot when you sit down. Everyone is super friendly and the mai tai is quite tasty. I'll be back to try other drinks!

This is such a great little quaint bar! It's got delicious tropical drinks and karaoke some nights. No food, but they do give you a little snack bowl with pretzels and goldfish crackers. Tony was a great bartender and made us feel welcome and made great drinks. Definitely a good spot for a drink or two!

We love this tiki bar in our neighborhood and are find ourselves there a couple times a week. Great bartenders and strong drinks keep us coming back.

Tony & Jon were so great, loved the environment/ hospitality & friendliest! Drinks were so good and they constantly checked on us! 100000/10! Also, Charlie was the sweetest host! Highly recommend 🩷

A great neighborhood tiki bar! A must visit whenever I'm in town.

Best place to go for karaoke! Incredible atmosphere for singing with friends or solo, in large part due to the amazing staff!

The drinks were so good! Didn't have any food today, will definitely be coming back.

I absolutely love this place. I used to live a few blocks away and found them about two weeks after they opened. After one trip I was hooked. The staff is always friendly, the drinks are always good, and the vibe is always great. I've taken a bunch of folks here and no one has ever left disappointed. Even when work moved me out of town for a few years I'd make a point to stop in at least once on every trip back. An absolutely A1 joint and my favorite spot to dink in the county. Hands-down.

Tony and Carter were freaking awesome!! Amazing drinks excellent customer service!!! Made my birthday special!!

We love this place!! The decor and ambiance is perfect! We were greeted with a free shooter upon sitting, then ordered 5 diff drinks between us, and each one was was wonderfully garnished and extremely delicious! The bartenders and owner were very kind and gracious to us. If you’re lucky enough to be there on a live show night, you’ll feel like you’re actually on one of the Hawaiian islands! This was a top 10 night and we plan to become regulars!! :)

The drinks were good and the bartender was great. He was attentive and friendly. There are board games to play and they bring around snacks like goldfish and pretzels. Great experience all around!

This place is awesome!! The atmosphere is absolutely lovely with friendly and professional staff. The decor brings you to the islands and the craft cocktails are yum!! We like to go for the Karaoke. Definitely tops in my book!!

My wife and I are big fans of all things Tiki and we've been wanting to go to The Luau for awhile now. Last night we finally went and it was so worth it. We were greeted the moment we entered the door. The bar was full so we went to the outside patio which was decorated perfectly with tiki water fountains and vintage longboard surf boards. Our bartender John was amazing and lit the spiral propane heater as it was a bit cold outside. He got us our two Mai Tai drinks (they were amazing by the way)super quick and kept our bowl of Goldfish and pretzels full at all times. John was such an attentive bartender and made sure we always had everything we needed including waters. Mind you it was very busy and he had a lot of other customers to serve but in spite of that he managed to check on us quite often. As the evening got later the inside tiki bar was less crowded and so we went inside. It was decorated so cool and a very warm and friendly atmosphere. We met the other bartender Tony and he was very friendly and attentive as well. Great experience we will definitely be back. Excellent tiki drinks in perfect tiki mugs at a reasonable price. We were both so happy we went to " The Luau"

I love this bar! Brett's a great host, the staff are warm and inviting! Great drinks too! A welcome addition to the neighborhood.

We just recently found this spot and it might be my favorite cocktail spot. The place is really fun, low key, and has great drinks (bonus, you also get snacks and water!). Tony behind the bar is fantastic :) Great spot for a little drink and to relax for a bit

Great little dive bar/Tiki lounge. Awesome service from Tony on a slow night. The outdoor patio was awesome. Only minor gripe, is for a dive bar looking place, the drinks are very expensive. I'd expect that in downtown, but not El Cajon Blvd in San Diego. But then again, everything is expensive these days. Overall loved it, and would go back again.

Great little local hole in the wall. It was nicely decorated inside for Halloween. It looked like they had a good patio out back also if you wanted a little more quiet to talk or chill..Having a server come around is a really nice touch rather than having to get up and go to the bar. I liked this place

Super chill, fun atmosphere. Bonus: Shailee is a boss! She is so personable, yet holds down the fort making delicious, strong drinks. Def recommend...we are so glad we love close by! We had a blast and will be back for karaoke soon.

What a great bar! We love this tiki spot. Tony the bartender is a gem as well. We will return

Fun cute spot with the adorable Charlie walking around being a sweetie pie. Drinks are great and the mocktails were delicious. I love how they brought out shots for my friends and a same colored juice for me to drink so I can pretend and cheers with everybody. Lovely bar with great vibes

Great service,served up with some great drinks.the atmosphere is super laid back would definitely be back in the future 💯

This place is a gem! Relaxed tiki vibes are on point. The drink menu is really solid, with tiki standards (mai tai, zombie, blue Hawaiian, etc) as well as Hawaiian twists on other classic cocktails. The blended piña colada was delicious— all real ingredients, and not overly sweet. The service was friendly and kind, and we got free welcome shots and snacks! Highly recommend.

5 stars to Brett and his team. Had such a good time. My wife and I stopped in for a drink and ended up staying for a few. We started on the patio, so peaceful and quiet with a fountain and torch heaters. Our waitress was very friendly and we had no problem talking to her. After the first drink we moved inside for a little more ambience and a larger crowd. We sat at the bar and talked to our neighbors, Brett the owner and the bar back. Everyone was in good spirits and on the same vibe as us. The music was fun and the drinks were phenomenal. Some tiki bars over fill their tiki mugs with ice but not The Luau, they make a drink proportional to the mug. We started with The Luau Shooter which was large and went down well, and I appreciate that it wasn’t too sweet. My wife had a Mai Tai and a Zombie for me. She wasn’t a big fan of mine because of the cinnamon but I liked it. Another round of shooters just to make sure the first one wasn’t a fluke and then she went with the Tropical Itch and I had a Frida. Both were great but I really liked my Frida. A couple more shooters and we were done for the night. I also appreciate the fact they always kept a glass of water in front of us. All in all we had a great time, met some wonderful people and found a new place to hang out. Can’t wait to go back.

Been to a few tiki bars so was happy to see another one pop up in San Diego. Super easy to get to and easy to spot. Great atmosphere with a lot of indoor seating and an outdoor patio area. Brett the owner is super chill and personable. The drinks were delicous and great tiki style. Get the Tropical itch for a fun gift with the drink! Will come back

Great neighborhood tiki bar. Went on a Friday night and they had live music 🎶💜! We were greeted with complimentary cocktail shooters, so much fun! The cocktails were sweet but still good. Will definitely be back.

Such a great vibe and addition to the college/ La Mesa area! Yummy drinks and great service. There is also a great back patio with fountains and heaters!

We found this place on the whim and it is an awesome hang out joint. We love the vibe inside and in the back. The misses got a virgin Pina Colada, I had the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a and the Tiki Old Fashioned. Loved both as it were lighter on the sweetness and alcohol content. Out server Carmen is fabulous, she got us goldfish and pretzels. Bartender Brett was super friendly. Would definitely come back.

I'm almost afraid to give this 5 stars because I don't want this cute little fun bar to get so busy I can't get a seat! Lol Great drinks, great staff, been a couple times now and I highly recommend it. Be there for live music too, so fun!

This is such a fun place to come and hang out with friends or family. It’s all inclusive and nothing but positive vibes karaoke every Saturday night.

Drinks are Delicious. They give you goldfish and pretzels. No Food. Will definitely be back.

We absolutely love this place! As a frequent visitor to tiki bars I Southern California this is in my top 5. This feels like a relaxed neighborhood bar that welcomes everyone. The drinks are tasty, and believe me we have tried the whole menu and you can't go wrong. The music is delightful, their playlist includes alot of vintage artists and I love that they feature Elvis and the Ratpack. I put this place on par with False Idol and the Grass Skirt and is a must visit for Tiki Bar lovers.

Love the Luau it’s a unique place with great drinks , and friendly bartenders! But John is my favorite always makes the best drinks and very social warm welcoming vibes. This place have game night, karaoke, and even great live music sometimes! I highly recommend it 🙂 Eddie

Pink Dragun (Pink_Dragun)

Fun cute spot with the adorable Charlie walking around being a sweetie pie. Drinks are great and the mocktails were delicious. I love how they brought out shots for my friends and a same colored juice for me to drink so I can pretend and cheers with everybody. Lovely bar with great vibes

Jill Huhn

What a great bar! We love this tiki spot. Tony the bartender is a gem as well. We will return

Aaron Martinez

Great service,served up with some great drinks.the atmosphere is super laid back would definitely be back in the future 💯

Sarah Wright

This place is a gem! Relaxed tiki vibes are on point. The drink menu is really solid, with tiki standards (mai tai, zombie, blue Hawaiian, etc) as well as Hawaiian twists on other classic cocktails. The blended piña colada was delicious— all real ingredients, and not overly sweet. The service was friendly and kind, and we got free welcome shots and snacks! Highly recommend.

Jay Schimke

5 stars to Brett and his team. Had such a good time. My wife and I stopped in for a drink and ended up staying for a few. We started on the patio, so peaceful and quiet with a fountain and torch heaters. Our waitress was very friendly and we had no problem talking to her. After the first drink we moved inside for a little more ambience and a larger crowd. We sat at the bar and talked to our neighbors, Brett the owner and the bar back. Everyone was in good spirits and on the same vibe as us. The music was fun and the drinks were phenomenal. Some tiki bars over fill their tiki mugs with ice but not The Luau, they make a drink proportional to the mug. We started with The Luau Shooter which was large and went down well, and I appreciate that it wasn’t too sweet. My wife had a Mai Tai and a Zombie for me. She wasn’t a big fan of mine because of the cinnamon but I liked it. Another round of shooters just to make sure the first one wasn’t a fluke and then she went with the Tropical Itch and I had a Frida. Both were great but I really liked my Frida. A couple more shooters and we were done for the night. I also appreciate the fact they always kept a glass of water in front of us. All in all we had a great time, met some wonderful people and found a new place to hang out. Can’t wait to go back.

Richard Rogers

Been to a few tiki bars so was happy to see another one pop up in San Diego. Super easy to get to and easy to spot. Great atmosphere with a lot of indoor seating and an outdoor patio area. Brett the owner is super chill and personable. The drinks were delicous and great tiki style. Get the Tropical itch for a fun gift with the drink! Will come back

Laura

Great neighborhood tiki bar. Went on a Friday night and they had live music 🎶💜! We were greeted with complimentary cocktail shooters, so much fun! The cocktails were sweet but still good. Will definitely be back.

Chaunice Keough

This is such a fun place to come and hang out with friends or family. It’s all inclusive and nothing but positive vibes karaoke every Saturday night.

Eddie Diaz

Love the Luau it’s a unique place with great drinks , and friendly bartenders! But John is my favorite always makes the best drinks and very social warm welcoming vibes. This place have game night, karaoke, and even great live music sometimes! I highly recommend it 🙂 Eddie

Emma Nowak

Such a great vibe and addition to the college/ La Mesa area! Yummy drinks and great service. There is also a great back patio with fountains and heaters!

Thomas Lam

We found this place on the whim and it is an awesome hang out joint. We love the vibe inside and in the back. The misses got a virgin Pina Colada, I had the Humuhumunukunukuapua'a and the Tiki Old Fashioned. Loved both as it were lighter on the sweetness and alcohol content. Out server Carmen is fabulous, she got us goldfish and pretzels. Bartender Brett was super friendly. Would definitely come back.

I love this bar! Drinks are great. Customer service is super friendly. Karaoke and bingo nights are always a good time.

Bartender was very nice, the outdoor patio was decorated for Halloween and looked great. Cute tiki themed place, nothing fancy, but it's clean, the people are nice, and the drinks are tasty. Mai Tai Mondays are a good deal too.

Decor was super cute! Tony the bartender was amazing ! Drinks yummy and reasonably priced! Will definitely be back

It was my first time here, my buddy Anthony recommended me to check it out and guess what I think I’ve found my new karaoke spot to vibe in. Highly recommend you to spend time here with your loved ones or friends. Shout out to Ashley for hosting karaoke.

This is the cutest Tiki bar in all of San Diego! I have a blast every time that I visit! The vibes are immaculate and the locals that come here are super fun. Anthony and John are such fun bartenders that make really intricate drinks. My favorite drink even comes with a back scratcher as a stirrer 😃. Bring your friends and have a fun time, you won’t be disappointed. 💃🏼👌🏻🤠🥳

Great vibes! Tasty cocktails! My partner and I visit together every now and then and always receive amazing service and drinks! We will definitely be returning!

Laura Rios

Decor was super cute! Tony the bartender was amazing ! Drinks yummy and reasonably priced! Will definitely be back

tony bailon

Bartender was very nice, the outdoor patio was decorated for Halloween and looked great. Cute tiki themed place, nothing fancy, but it's clean, the people are nice, and the drinks are tasty. Mai Tai Mondays are a good deal too.

M. Clapsaddle

Best place to go for karaoke! Incredible atmosphere for singing with friends or solo, in large part due to the amazing staff!

Shakthi Krishnamoorthy (A320)

It was my first time here, my buddy Anthony recommended me to check it out and guess what I think I’ve found my new karaoke spot to vibe in. Highly recommend you to spend time here with your loved ones or friends. Shout out to Ashley for hosting karaoke.

tony roundtree

Tony and Carter were freaking awesome!! Amazing drinks excellent customer service!!! Made my birthday special!!

John “Jack” Garrod

We love this tiki bar in our neighborhood and are find ourselves there a couple times a week. Great bartenders and strong drinks keep us coming back.

Lenise H.

This is the cutest Tiki bar in all of San Diego! I have a blast every time that I visit! The vibes are immaculate and the locals that come here are super fun. Anthony and John are such fun bartenders that make really intricate drinks. My favorite drink even comes with a back scratcher as a stirrer 😃. Bring your friends and have a fun time, you won’t be disappointed. 💃🏼👌🏻🤠🥳

David Dickey

Great vibes! Tasty cocktails! My partner and I visit together every now and then and always receive amazing service and drinks! We will definitely be returning!

Lindsay Bradshaw

This is such a great little quaint bar! It's got delicious tropical drinks and karaoke some nights. No food, but they do give you a little snack bowl with pretzels and goldfish crackers. Tony was a great bartender and made us feel welcome and made great drinks. Definitely a good spot for a drink or two!

Worst experience of my life. Do not attend this bar under any circumstance. Worst food, watered down drinks, rude staff. Do not go to this bar.

I have been to the Luau many times over the past couple of years. However, the last few times I have visited the staff has been very rude towards my party and I. We had a terrible interaction with the DJ one evening and have not returned since. I went up for karaoke two times in a row to sing with separate friends for moral support who had put their name on the list. The DJ was extremely upset and told me this was not allowed and that I “already knew the rules”, which none were stated. She embarrassed me in front of the crowd although I was only accompanying my friend on stage. She said it was way too crowded that night for me to be on stage twice in a row, although we had put our song requests in five minutes apart and shockingly nobody else had signed up within that time period. She handed me the microphone and said “you’re lucky I’m even letting you sing”. After being yelled at, we left the bar and haven’t returned since. Unfortunately now, I have brought many people to this bar and they have become frequent customers. My party and I have always been very respectful so this interaction was especially upsetting. It sucks that we paid money to have a good time and ended up having an awful night. Before this incident, one of the bartenders had been rude to my party and I time after time. It is clear that this bar does not treat younger customers with as much respect and they do older ones. We will never be returning again with how many times staff has been unfriendly towards us. The female server has always been great!