Mothership

Where KINDRED brings vegan technique to the dinner table with metal music and seitan precision, and Curryosity mashes up bar culture with Indian cooking, Mothership commits to a different fusion entirely: tropical escapism meets plant-based plates. This isn't a health-conscious juice bar pretending to be fun—it's a full-on tiki lounge that happens to serve zero animal products, with cocktails leaning sweet and fruity in the classic Don the Beachcomber lineage. The interior leans into the theme hard enough that you might forget you're two blocks from Fern Street.

Reservations aren't optional here, even on weeknights. Walk-ins can expect a 30-minute wait minimum, though the bar seats sometimes open up earlier if you're solo or a pair. The cocktail list is rum-heavy and unapologetically tropical—expect drinks with umbrella garnishes and multiple-spirit builds that taste like vacation. Mina and the rest of the bar team know what they're doing; service is sharp despite the kitschy aesthetic.

The food menu is designed for sharing, which makes sense given the tiki format—small plates that work alongside multiple rounds of drinks. Reviews mention enjoying "all but maybe 3 items" from the menu when dining in groups, which tracks for a place built around the communal tiki experience. Pricing tilts expensive, but you're paying for the full production: the theming, the cocktail program, the fact that someone bothered to make vegan food work in a genre that traditionally relies on pork and seafood.

Parking is standard South Park tight—street spots on 30th or the surrounding blocks. Come early if you want choices, or embrace the walkabout and park a few streets over near Grape Street Dog Park. This is a special-occasion spot for most locals, not a Sunday ritual, but it holds its own as a date-night anchor that doesn't feel like it's trying too hard to be anything other than exactly what it is.