Aku-aku - Oslo Norge

This place is on point! Despite coming here at 6 PM on a Monday (I guess they don't get turnt for happy hour here in Oslo? The drinks were strong (at...

Very hit or miss depending on the night bartender...and Tiki bars aren't places to get streaky...especially if you're going to try to pull one off in a...

I really enjoyed the Aku Aku Tiki Bar. The music was great. I liked the whole look of the place. Most importantly the drinks were on point. I would...

When you think of Tiki bars and Tiki bar culture, Olso might not immediately come to mind, right? It's Norway! The land of ice and snow! It's not the most tropical of nations. But if you give it some thought, it makes sense. The kitschy Tiki craze of the fifties was amped up to eleven by sickly-sweet rum drinks and the excitement surrounding Thor Heyerdahl's 1947 Kon-Tiki expedition. That Thor guy? Norwegian. And what did he do? He brought the word Tiki to the world. You can argue that all Tiki Bars today have roots in Norway and while Donn the Beachcomber and Trader Vic made the drinks, Thor Heyerdahl brought the Tiki to the party. So a Tiki Bar in Oslo makes sense, absolutely. And they nail the décor. They're rocking the classic retro kitsch, and they've got the knobs turned all the way up. Yeah, sure. There's bamboo. There're shelves of rum. They've got pufferfish and glass floats. They've got the same décor you'd see in any Tiki Bar around the world. But you know what else they have? A Thor Heyerdahl shrine. Oh, and they have one of Thor's canoes hanging from the ceiling. Literally. It's on loan from the Kon-Tiki museum. It's as real as you can get. Thor's boat. Right there. For that alone, Aku Aku is worth the trip. Drinks unfortunately lean towards the oversweet rum and juice concoctions served with large and distracting garnishes. You know, the kind of cocktails that once gave Tiki Bars a bad name. And that's too bad. Tiki Bars when done really, really well are all about the art of the cocktail, and attention to the classics seems to be a little off here. It's hidden behind flowers and giant chili peppers. There's a Mai Tai on the menu, but garnished with brandied cherries and a pineapple wedge, it bears little resemblance to Vic's drink. A cocktail menu refresh wouldn't be a bad idea. Still. It's a Tiki Bar in Oslo. Stop by and say hey to Thor.

If you are ever in Oslo this place is a must visit for delicious cocktails. Excellent music and atmosphere. The owners and staff are so friendly and excellent at their craft if cocktail making. Aku Aku tiki bar is the place to go+! We have had the best tiki weekender thanks to the Tiki Punks