Jeff “Beachbum” Berry’s Latitude 29 has quietly turned into one of New Orleans’ most devoted shrines to mid‑century tiki, tucked inside a dim French Quarter space lined with bamboo, rum bottles and punch bowls that trace a whole era of island‑inspired cocktails. By obsessing over reclaimed recipes and theatrical garnishes, the bar keeps tiki’s kitschy glamour in circulation just as the style swings back into fashion with tourists and cocktail die‑hards. A newly resurfaced gallery of images and captions is now stirring up that nostalgia all over again for long‑time locals.
As reported by NOLA, the June 24 gallery pulls together archival shots alongside a 2014 photo of Berry behind the bar, and it explicitly tips its hat to the old Bali Hai at Pontchartrain Beach that many New Orleanians still remember. The feature casts Latitude 29 as one stop in a longer local tiki story rather than a quirky one‑off.
Latitude 29: A Modern Tiki Anchor
Berry opened Latitude 29 inside the Bienville House hotel in late 2014, channeling decades of tiki research into a full‑service bar and restaurant focused on lost recipes and showy service. As detailed on Beachbum Berry, the menu “spans the entire 80‑year history of Tiki drinking” and promises world‑premiere revivals of long‑forgotten classics.
What To Order
Regulars point to the honey‑and‑spice Hawaii 504 as a standout: honey infused with Chinese five‑spice, shaken with Virgin Islands rum, ginger liqueur and citrus. Multi‑rum punches, like the Navy Grog, lean into layered flavors and dramatic ice. Reviewers have singled out the Hawaii 504 for its sweet‑spicy balance and eye‑catching presentation. As listed on Restaurant Guru, the cocktail list is built to resurrect old tiki recipes with careful technique.
A Local Memory: The Bali Hai
For many older New Orleanians, tiki never felt like a passing fad. It lived at Pontchartrain Beach, where the Bali Hai restaurant once served Pacific‑style dishes just outside the amusement park gates. Historic roundups have documented the spot’s role in lakefront leisure. As detailed by New Orleans Magazine, the Bali Hai helped plant the city’s taste for kitschy Polynesian dining.
Why It Matters
Latitude 29 has evolved into more than a novelty stop for visitors. National outlets like Condé Nast Traveler have called it out as a serious cocktail destination, praising its meticulous revival of tiki techniques and the storytelling wrapped around each drink. Beverage guides such as VinePair also slot Latitude 29 among the essential New Orleans bars, a clue to why a local tiki photo gallery hit such a nostalgic nerve this week.
Whether you prefer the term revival or simply renewed appreciation, tiki at Latitude 29 works as both tribute and continuation, part museum case and part fully functioning bar. For New Orleanians who remember the Bali Hai, Berry’s drinks land like a familiar echo; for visitors, they serve as a theatrical introduction to a nearly forgotten corner of American drinking history.
