Sabai, well-known throughout Richmond, Virginia, is beloved for it’s awe-inspiring tropical decor, to die for menu featuring Thai street flavors, and creative cocktails. Their pineapple boat fried rice and Thai mojito are Richmond favorites. And deservedly so. Both are f*cking delicious. All around, the experience of Sabai is unique for this city as well as cohesive and immersive. And now, the makers of Sabai have a new trick up their sleeve.
Like all Richmonders, I first heard about The Jungle Room in a roundabout way. Wile having dinner with friends, one happened to mention the speakeasy around back. Now, I love a good speakeasy. Grandstaff & Stein is one of my favorite bars in the city, but a speakeasy in a Thai restaurant left me bewildered and excited. The thought was forgotten until a year later a different friend recommended we check out a place he had heard of called The Jungle Room.
You’re in the Jungle, Baby
Enter at the banana sign.
That’s how you know where to find this exotic cocktail bar, hidden around the corner from Sabai’s main entrance. We were struck at first by the burly bouncer and $5 cover, but it was definitely worth it. After taking two steps inside the jungle atmosphere, I would have easily paid three times as much.
The pothos wonderland had exploded from Sabai and into this speakeasy. From bamboo and fishing nets to palms and pineapples, The Jungle Room is the epitome of tiki, with an extra spicy twist. With deep violet mood lighting, sinister drum beats, and a few hidden eerie gems (like a ragged French flag on the boat behind the bar and human teeth as wall decor), creepy tiki was the dominant theme here. You really do feel an element of danger in the decor, which gives the whole place an air of mystery and exclusivity. I wouldn’t have been surprised to see a little fog creeping along the floor.
After a mesmerized tour of the room, a spot opened up at the bar. In half a moment, I knew what I wanted. Banana daiquiri. Hell yeah. What a better treat for such a place? It popped out at me from the menu and seemed to be the perfect cocktail for the evening. And it was perfectly executed. Not too sweet. A hint of spice. Just boozy enough. From the sips I stole from my friend, everything on the menu was skillfully crafted and a rum lover’s paradise.
When we entered around 10:00 or so, it was a subdued crowd. Chill pockets of people and couples reclined in dark corners. As the evening progressed, the place filled up. And, as a venue for currently hot DJ’s and bass-heavy reggaeton, the later-evening clientele of The Jungle Room was to be expected. The dance floor quickly filled up, and approaching the bar required throwing some elbows. But, to the bar’s credit, there was a splash of everyone. A few “basics”, bachelorette parties, college kids, middle-age couples, tinder dates, business men, and wanna be bloggers.
All in all, definitely recommend you take a trip to the jungle. If you’re needing a splash of something different in a town where there seems to only be 3 or 4 different moods, The Jungle Room will surely provide an exciting adventure.
Pink & Petrichor 