Forbidden Island Tiki Lounge takes private parties of 20 to 50 guests in its outdoor tropical patio and tented area in Alameda, California. The venue is a tiki bar, so the format is a hosted cocktail party, a team gathering or a celebration with drinks as the center, and the host brings in food if wanted.
Seminars and company events
The bar is not set up for meetings, and the official site describes no screen, microphone or seated working space. It does suit an after-work gathering for a small or mid-sized team: a late afternoon or early evening party on the patio, with a custom cocktail designed around the group. The venue lists private parties for weekend afternoons, and says the interior may sometimes be available before regular opening hours if the host writes to discuss it.
Weddings and receptions
Weddings are not described on the official site. The bar suits informal celebrations such as birthdays, showers or a post-ceremony drinks party rather than a formal reception with a seated dinner.
Rooms and capacities
There are two outdoor areas for private parties. The tropical patio seats 20 to 25 guests comfortably and can hold up to 30 with folding chairs. For groups of 30 to 50, an outdoor tented area is available. The interior bar can sometimes be used before opening hours, but the site gives no interior capacity.
One rule shapes the schedule. The outdoor area closes at 9 p.m. sharp under the venue's use permit, with no exceptions. The bar offers the patio from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. for private parties, and suggests that two hours pass quickly.
Catering
Food is not supplied by a catering team. Hosts may bring in their own food or caterer. The drinks side is the venue's strength. The bar can design a custom cocktail for a group, based on the host's preferred flavor profile, for an extra fee. For larger groups it offers big-batch Mai Tais in two versions, one with pineapple juice and one with lime juice. Another option is drink tickets handed out to guests, charged only when redeemed and added to the host's tab. A host tab can be split across a maximum of four tabs.
History and setting
Forbidden Island opened in April 2006 in Alameda's historic Bay Station Shopping District, founded by brothers Michael and Mano Thanos with tiki mixologist Martin Cate. The bar says it was one of the first in the country to build a serious rum program, and it lists more than 150 rums from around the world. Its decor runs through tiki statues, glowing puffer fish and velvet Tahitian paintings, and some visitors compare it with the Enchanted Tiki Room at Disneyland. The venue also runs live music and annual events such as a luau and a surf music festival.
Getting there
The address is 1304 Lincoln Avenue, Alameda, California 94501. Oakland International Airport is the nearest large airport. Ask the venue about parking and transit when you send your request.
