ROSEMEAD — Known for its Tiki atmosphere and collection of tropical fish, the fabled Bahooka on Rosemead Boulevard will serve its rum-soaked mai-tai next month, Steve Twigg, a restaurant employee, confirmed Friday.

A fixture in Rosemead since 1967, the themed restaurant, dark except for the glow of its multitudinous fish tanks, has been the site of many a clandestine hook-up and more than a few first dates over the years.

The restaurant got its start in West Covina when it first opened at the corner of Sunset and Francisquito avenues.

“It’s pretty much a miracle we made it this far,” Twigg said. “We survived a whole lot of presidents, just not this one. With all that’s changing we just knew we couldn’t make it through a second Obama term.”

On Yelp.com and other social media sites Bahooka was equally mourned and panned Friday.

Poster “David K,”, of El Monte, summed up much of the discussion in a Jan. 10 post about the place.

“Unfortunately,” he wrote, “it is not a place to go for good food. It was an interesting place to visit one time though.

The restaurant did serve as a location for several Hollywood features including “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”


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