Dazed and debaucherous
Push open the red velvet curtains and step into the Shameful Tiki Room on a Saturday after sundown, and chances are you’ll encounter a somewhat debaucherous scene. Inside, groups of revelers can be found crowded under tiki huts while their chatter grows louder by the minute. The culprit? Much of the blame can be placed on the Volcano Bowl, essentially the cocktail equivalent of a party.

The rum-down
Holding it down behind the tiki bar is co-owner Alana Nogueda. Originally from Las Vegas, Nogueda has been pouring drinks in Toronto for the past eight years, making a name for herself at spots like the Harbord Room (RIP). At Shameful, a (mostly) rum-based drinks list focuses on classic tiki drinks that date back the ’40s. 

Ain’t no mountain
But it’s the Volcano Bowl that’s the major draw for customers. Come Saturday, at least 30 will be ordered, each one carried over to customers alongside an outpouring from a smoke machine, while a dramatic “vol-ca-no booowl” voice-over plays overhead. 

“Historically, sharing bowls were a big thing in tiki culture,” Nogueda says of the drink meant for at least three people. The punch starts with rum, though the full recount of ingredients remains hush-hush. 

“We use three different kinds of rum — white, dark and gold — plus a little bit of mezcal for some smokiness,” Nogueda says. A medley of fresh juices (mango’s the main squeeze) and their house-made six-spice syrup round out the tropical tipple, which arrives complete with a mini flaming volcano and giant straws. What can we say? You’ve been warned.   

The Shameful Tiki Room, 1378 Queen St. W.