LI Tiki Bar's Off-Color Cinco de Mayo Flyer Upsets Latino Community

PATCHOGUE, NY — A Long Island tiki bar whose name advertises it as being off-key is accused now of being off-color after a flyer for its Cinco de Mayo celebration appeared on its website, poking fun at Mexican immigration.

But the establishment's owner says there was no intent to offend, instead describing it as tongue-in-cheek humor that went awry.

A recent flyer posted to the events section of the website for Off-Key Tikki in Patchogue invited revelers down to the hot spot for a "little taste of Mexico," adding that they "might as well before the whole country immigrates here!"

The flyer goes on to advertise the event's activities and food/drink specials before ending with, "Who knows maybe next year we will all be celebrating the 4th of July in Mexico!"

The restaurant's Facebook page drew comments from angry community members, some accusing the restaurant's management for being racist.

The flyer was removed and updated, and some comments from the establishment’s Facebook page were deleted, according to posters.

"Love Patchogue," wrote one woman, adding, "But Off-Key Tikki shouldn’t be open for business. That statement is so racist you should be ashamed of yourselves!"

"Deleting comments? How about we keep reposting," wrote one woman who reposted the flyer.

Commenters also reposted screenshots of the flyer, some of which were taken down.

Bellport resident Jonathan Cabrera questioned how the restaurant could take advantage of a holiday for a specific community and not show respect to it.

“I promise you that if you go into their kitchen, the majority of their staff is probably Latino,” he said, adding that he believed that is where “the rage is coming from.” “It's kind of being hypocritical.”

In a phone interview with Patch, Off-Key Tikki owner Mike Bruemmer said he wrote the post and in a statement called the post "an attempt at humor."

"We apologize if some took it in a manner in which it was not intended," he said. "It was strictly a tongue-in-cheek comment and clearly not meant to be taken seriously."

"For those who took it as a sign of disrespect, we can only say that nothing could be farther from the truth," he said. "Just as Tikki itself is a blending of American and Polynesian cultures, Tikki is the most inclusive of establishments, embraces and respects all cultures and peoples. As many of our loyal customers can attest, it's sometimes a little bit irreverently ... "

He went on to invite everyone down to the bar.

"For those that were offended, once again, we apologize and invite you all to come down on the 5th, and join us in celebrating this day of diversity and respect for this great holiday assimilation of American and Mexican cultures," he said.

The statement was posted to Off-Key Tikki's Facebook page around 3 p.m., garnering about 91 reactions — positive and negative — and seven shares.