There are a few undeniable truths we’ll gladly stand behind: cheese is at its best when melted, curly fries are the superior potato form, and themed bars are always more fun than their regular counterparts. Maybe that’s why we love Tiki Tatsu-Ya so much. Basically a tropical resort with a beach house upstairs, a mysterious cave downstairs, and giant pu pu platters all over, it will make you forget you’re hanging out next to a gas station on South Lamar. Grab a Hawaiian shirt to fit in, because unless you’re a major Skee-Ball enthusiast, this is the most fun you’ll have at a bar in Austin all year. The drink menu folds out like a big pop-up book full of cocktails that generally lean classic, with a Tatsu-Ya twist. That means mai tais made with miso-almond orgeat, painkillers with shiro-miso coconut cream, and the Slurping Bastard (their take on a suffering bastard) with shochu, ginger, and ume shrub. And while all of those are fun, it’s the large-format drinks that steal the show. The lights flicker and thunder rumbles as a server brings your beverage out in some sort of orb or miniature cruise ship, a cloud of smoke trailing behind it. It’s like ordering sizzling fajitas at your favorite Tex-Mex restaurant, except the tortillas are subbed for long, bendy straws. The fun doesn’t stop there. If the name weren’t an indicator, this is from the folks behind Ramen Tatsu-Ya and Kemuri Tatsu-Ya, so you know there’s going to be strong attention to the food, which combines Japanese, Hawaiian, and Polynesian influences. Hawaiian/Japanese staples like musubi get topped with housemade Spam, and a pu pu platter the size of a small table will be one of the best app samplers you’ve encountered. There’s even a “poke flight” that arrives on a small boat, but instead of tiny sailors, it’s occupied by a few bowls of assorted raw seafood. There’s a long, fictional backstory about the bar involving a surfing company, abandoned caves, and 17th-century Japanese explorers. A guy who sounds a lot like Sam Elliott recites it over the bathroom speakers. But if you don’t want to face some awkward looks by standing next to a toilet for its 17-minute duration, you can also listen to it on Tiki’s website. Like any beachy resort, reservations can be hard to get on the weekends, but things are usually pretty relaxed—and still fun—on weekdays or around opening.