Tiki meets sporty
Carol Stream hardly sounds tropical, even by suburban standards (Western Springs anyone?), but the newly opened Flip Flops Tiki Bar and Grill just might beach-ify the neighborhood.
Motif: Flip Flops does a great job of making the most of its tiki-bar theme without making it feel overly tacky. Its large bar, complete with a palm-covered roof, is the centerpiece of the room, and behind the bar, polo-shirted employees look like they were plucked right from a Sandals Resort or Club Med. Spinning ceiling fans add to the illusion that you've entered Flip Flops after a long day at the beach. And with a soon-to-open patio on the radar, the beach feels even closer to home.
Though a good amount of tables and chairs are scattered throughout Flip Flops, a sizable crowd tends to gather around the bar and front entrance. Bar staples punctuate the tiki theme with just enough televisions (including a projection screen) and a Golden Tee arcade machine to keep the place grounded among tropical artifacts strewn about the bar.
Crowd: On this night, the bar was fairly packed with a younger, 20-something crowd that mingled with one another all over the place. They definitely seemed like a fun group that came out to have a good time.
Service: Extremely friendly service that was as warm as the bar's theme. Everyone together now … "Awww!"
Sounds: Flip Flops has live music every Saturday night. Check out their Web site for a glimpse of who's playing. On this particular night, the acoustic cover band, Gypsy, played the back stage. Also, check out the calendar to plan your next karaoke night, which seems to fall on Wednesdays here.
Liquid consumption: This is a tiki bar, so Flip Flops has your tiki cravings covered. Some of the featured fruity mixes include Beyond the Reef (banana, Kahlua and ice cream), Mango Rum Cocktail (Bahama Mama, mango and run), Leaky Tiki (amaretto, mango and raspberry) and Barefoot Breeze (strawberry, vodka and ice cream). They also have plenty of beers on tap; plus, you can have your beer of choice served to you in a large margarita glass.
Food: Flip Flops' food menu offers the usual assortment of burgers, sandwiches, pizza, soups and salads, but on top of that, they list a lot of appetizers, such as pretzel bread, Jamaican chicken dip, nachos, wings, mozzarella sticks and more.
Parking: There is a limited number of spots to be had in front of Flip Flops' entrance. A safer bet is to park in the lot behind the building.
Overall: It should be getting warmer any day now (perhaps by the time this is printed, hopefully), but even if it doesn't Flip Flops knows how to mentally whisk you off to a warmer place. Yes, Flip Flops has a tropical theme, but the owners have found a great balance between a tiki bar and any regular establishment you wouldn't mind visiting. All thanks to crazy tiki drinks and oversized beers.
Flip Flops Tiki Bar and Grill
1022 Fountain View Drive, Carol Stream
Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Thursday; open until 2 a.m. Saturday and midnight Sunday