The Golden Tiki marked its 10th anniversary this summer, celebrating a decade as one of Las Vegas’ most iconic and eccentric tiki destinations. What started as a quirky local hotspot tucked into a Chinatown strip mall has grown into a world-famous bar, drawing tiki lovers, curious travelers, and even celebrities who stop by for a cocktail—or to be immortalized as one of the bar’s legendary shrunken heads.
The Golden Tiki rolled out a full week of themed events in August for their anniversary, complete with live performances, hula dancers, brunch parties, and even bingo nights. The celebrations also included a birthday shrunken head ceremony for General Manager Cesilia Burumen. Now, adding her very own shrunken head to the bar she runs and loves. Her birthday festivities concluded with sultry sounds from Cora Vette during her “For Adults Only’ shows held on Wednesday nights.
The grand finale on August 26 featured live music and the creation of the World’s Largest Zombie Cocktail—a follow-up to the record-breaking Mai Tai they had previously made with 300 bottles of liquor! This year’s impressive creation ended at 52 gallons of liquid, 180 bottles of liquor! Lots of zombies were created for the guests who showed up in zombie attire and makeup to celebrate!
Of course, no Golden Tiki milestone would be complete without new shrunken heads. Artist Terry Barr, who has been creating the bar’s trademark heads since 2015, unveiled new likenesses to join the bar’s lineup. This summer, tiki artisan Doug Horne received his own miniature tribute, while the Backstreet Boys were also celebrated with a private ceremony in early August.
Over the past ten years, The Golden Tiki has become more than just a bar—it’s an experience. With its over-the-top décor, immersive atmosphere, playful phallic touches, and the ever-popular “Clam Shell” (also known as the “Shelfie” spot), the venue has carved out a unique niche in the Las Vegas bar scene
Cheers to The Golden Tiki on ten wonderful years—here’s to the next decade of Mai Tais, shrunken heads and incredible memories from Vegas.
