Pineapple Parlor

August 18, 2025

Quick Review

#

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the pineapple parlor, and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area. The concept of pairing each drink with a small dish of food was a delight, and not something that I’ve seen before nor since. The drinks were served in a timely manner and were of high quality.

The Longer Version

#

Key Info:

#

• Location: Galveston, TX
• Date Visited: May 25, 2025
• Visited with: My Wife

Our Visit:

#

I knew that Pineapple Parlor was a speakeasy, but admittedly should have done more research. Our uber ride dropped us off outside of the nearby bar “Daquiri Time Out”, which I had seen in the reviews was worth checking out while waiting to get into the Pineapple Parlor. What I had missed though, was that Pineapple Parlor’s entrance is actually hidden inside of Daquiri Time Out. This left us lost, but with Google Maps at our side.

After wandering a bit, we were convinced that it must be around the back of Daquiri Time Out, and another party had shown up looking for the bar as well. Together, we found that the entrance was through a fire exit in the back corner of the building. The entry way was marked by a pineapple hanging on the wall, which covered a keypad… to which we did not have the code.

The other party was able to find the code online, and all 3 of the parties that had gathered were able to get past the keypad. This let us into a small breezeway, with a desk that we could check in at. When we checked in we were told there was an hour wait, and we decided to hang out inside the main Daquiri Time Out bar while we waited. My wife and I tried a few drinks there, and we received a text that our table was ready in around 25 minutes, well under the expected wait time.

We proceeded back to the keypad, only to realize we had already managed to forget the code. After a brief moment of panic, we were able to find it again and get back inside.

The Drinks

#

My wife and I each purchased two drinks, sharing a few sips along the way. All together, we tried their renditions of:

• Trader Vic’s Mai Tai ($16)
• Three Dots and a Dash ($19)
• Chi Chi ($19)
• Zombie ($18)

The drinks were priced approximately within my expectations for a tiki bar, although a bit higher than what most may expect. Something to keep in mind with their pricing though, is that each drink was served with an appetizer that costs $5 if ordered alone, making the overall value more reasonable.

I order a Mai Tai at almost every tiki bar we visit for my first drink, as a way to benchmark things out personally. This started as something I’d ask for wherever we were at, because of how estranged non-tiki location’s renditions of the drink have become. Tiki Bars are typically pretty consistent, so this has become my go-to drink for comparison. Pineapple Parlor’s version was not necessarily a standout, but there was nothing that tasted off or incorrect and it was thoroughly enjoyed.

The food

#

Each drink was paired with a small appetizer, which was a delightful touch. If you didn’t like the sound of one of the pairings, we were able to sub out for others on the menu without much fuss. All in, we sampled:

• Crab Rangoon Nachos
• Pork Bao Bun w/ Angostura BBQ
• Pani Popo
• Sweet Wonton

We only substituted one of the appetizers, opting for the Pani Popo over a pineapple macaroni salad. We were not disappointed with any of the dishes we received, and each felt like a fair portion for the 5 dollar price point.

Decor + Theming Elements

#

Walking in to the pineapple parlor we were immediately transported away from Galveston, exactly what we wanted from a tiki bar. The seats at the bar were bamboo, and tiki mugs from various bars were displayed on some nearby shelves. The lighting was dim, but adequate to read menus.

As far as show-y elements, a few drinks had special effects. When ordering one of the drinks a clip from scooby-doo was played on the TV, adding a thematic touch. Another drink came with a lit sparkler.

All in all, the decor was a bit above average and contributed to the overall experience.

Take Home Elements

#

We purchased a set of glasses from the bar, one mai tai glass and a high ball / zombie glass. They did not have mugs to purchase, nor coasters, swizzle sticks, or other keepsakes.

Tiki Rating Table

#

Placing Tiki bars in the table is a bit of a struggle for me, as I have two competing criteria in mind.

• The objective ratings of the drinks recieved, decor etc
• The subjective experience that we had that day, which often comes down to who was with me, the conversation we had etc.

For this visit, it was the first time since our youngest child was born that my wife and I had a night out together, just the two of us. This added a layer of significance to the experience that I can’t fully separate from the objective elements and we ultimately had a wonderful time. I don’t know exactly how to show this in the table, but it will always be tied to how I think of Pineapple Parlor.