Find Yourself Adrift

Coming off of the pandemic, there’s never been a more desirable time to enjoy a tropical escape. We got to do just that on a return visit to Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant where a new food and drink menu for 2021 gives us all reason to celebrate.

Along the mish-mash of old and new along South Broadway, two giant totem poles are the first clue that there’s something different lurking behind the big, wooden doors. Step inside and you have most certainly entered another world – the islands! There’s a feeling of both authenticity and kitsch in Adrift Tiki Bar & Restaurant, a smaller-than-you’d expect throwback to tiki-time when, in the 50’s and 60’s, decorating one’s home with net-trapped, colorful globes, wooden serving bowls shaped like pineapples and tiki torches in the yard was the thing all the cool cats did. You’re on Island Time, baby and that’s before you ever have a sip of food or umbrella-laden drink.

For the summer of 2021, the new food and drink menu is inspired by “Talk Story,” a Hawaiian expression meaning to “shoot the breeze.” To assist in that endeavor, there are shareable boards inspired by different parts of the world. The boards include a Tamahawk Vacation Ribeye Board with a tender and juicy Tomahawk ribeye, soy-glazed Shiitake mushrooms, grilled broccolini and watercress.

There’s also a Caribbean Jerk Chicken Board with plantain hash, Peri Peri slaw, coconut cardamom, pineapple salsa and jasmine rice. The Vietnamese Pork Belly Board has Gochujang-glazed pork belly plus butter lettuce cups in which to put the pork in, if you want, topping it with various Vietnamese pickles, Asian herbs, a spicy Aioli, and more of that Peri Peri slaw, coconut cardamom and jasmine rice.

While you wait for your shareable boards to be presented, order the Pork Belly Bao Bun (to die for) and the Jerk Chicken Bao Bun (darned good too) along with a couple of fancy cocktails.

The bar program at Adrift is over-the-top anyway – you can’t be plain when you’re using Tiki cups. But this new summer 2021 drink menu is pretty amazing. You’ll still find favorites like the House Daiquiri and Zombie but now there’s the Ka Diabolo, a take on the El Diablo cocktail with Barillito 2 Star Rum and strawberry syrup; The Dirty Dan pina colada with Mezcal, grapefruit, housemade Mole syrup and Fernet; and the Flamingo Lingo with pineapple, Paranubes Rum, watermelon juice, guava, rhubarb, coconut and Aquavit. That’s the thing about the bar program at Adrift – it’s layers of florals and aromatics – complicated to make but oh, so delicious and interesting to sip! I really appreciate the thought that goes into their cocktail menu.

You can’t help but have fun in this intimate space that’s about going a little overboard, taking us land-locked Denverites on a little journey to someplace lush, warm and so, so tropical. 

Please note that tables are available by reservation only. Happy Hour is 5-7pm, Tuesday-Saturday. Tiki Tuesday means all-day happy hour. Adrift is closed Sunday and Monday.

Adrift is located at 218 S. Broadway, Denver. 

— Story and photos by InGoodTasteDenver.com