root of happiness

I've been coming here and there since they opened a year and a half ago. One of the owners Tyler has always been there talking to customers. Good kava, great vibes.

Located in a strip mall in Rancho, not too far from Hwy 50 lies Root of Happiness. Husband thought we would get shot as this place is not in the most savory of locations, but he tends to overreact being a foreigner and all. It's close to Family Fitness and a gun shop. I said, "I'm going in. You can stay in the car and risk getting mugged or you can come with me." Walking in, he realized that looks can be deceiving. You are instantly transported to the South Pacific - complete with surf videos, bamboo hanging lights and chilled out music. Booths are on one side, there is a sofa area and a bar with a dozen or so comfy bar chairs. I had experienced kava in Fiji once - we were stuck in a thunderstorm on the ocean in a small boat. The kava root was pounded in a huge bowl and the cloudy brown liquid got passed around to calm us down. Once you take a sip, the analgesic effects kick in with a tongue numbing sensation followed by a subtle mellowness. The brew we had tonight originated from Vanuatu and was more bitter than what I had in Fiji, but really did the trick. You can order a small bowl ("low tide") for $5 and larger one for $8. Yelp check in gets you a small bowl for free! Also got a shot of the paste for $3.50. Highly concentrated, it's like nature's Xanax. You let it dissolve under your tongue. I bought one to go, I can't handle turbulence well and I have a trip coming up. This will definitely help. For the kava-shy, there are teas and hot chocolates and coffees. They are reasonably priced starting at $2. They don't open until 7:00 pm or so and don't close until 1:00 am.The crowd was mixed, lots of younger types, but everyone was mellow. I mean, you can't really rage with this stuff! Great little cafe, looking forward to coming back!

Had a great night here. The owners are awesome and the kava was delightful! The place was full of really cool people, great conversations and exploding kombucha! Super comfortable and fun spot!

We recently attended the Grand Opening of The Root of Happiness bar. We learned about the bar from one of the owners friends. We had a wonderful experience and met many new friends. We arrived at 7:30pm and didn’t leave until the bar closed at 1:00am. We are new to the world of Kava and boy did we get an education from one of the owners. Some quick facts;1. Kava has been around for over 3000 years2. It is a ceremonial drink and it is also consumed by the inhabitants of Vanuatu, Figi, Hawaii, Tonga, etc.3. Pope John Paul, Lyndon Johnson, Prince Phillp, Hillary Clinton have all participated in the Kava ceremonies. The Kava drink has a relaxing effect on the mind and body. Unlike, alcohol, we were able to drive and function normally after consuming moderate amounts of Kava. The drink itself is a brown, murky looking liquid that is prepared at the bar. It has a strong earthy, rather pleasant taste. For those who do not care for the raw Kava taste, the bar also offers shots of hard kava that can be flavored. I like the strawberry flavored Kava and my wife enjoyed the green apple. These were very good and they packed a whalop. For those who are not interested in Kava, the bar offers an excellent selection of 95+ point coffees and over 30 exotic tea’s, some of which are 25 years old. The coffee is ground at the bar and prepared with the “pour over” method. Excellent coffee!!My wife and I noticed that the age of the crowd varied between 18-70. Everyone was having a great time talking, listening to music and watching the 2 large flat screen T.V’s. The lighting was soft and patrons could sit at the bar, in the booths or in over stuffed leather sofas and love seats. This is a no-smoking bar with free Wi-Fi. The island décor is very nice with interesting artifacts, posters and pictures. The owners also have an extensive “Kava Library”. This is a great place to hang-out and meet new friends. The staff is very knowledgeable and courteous. They gave us a great history of the origins of Kava.Note: This is not your typical alcohol based “pick-up” bar scene. There is no alcohol or smoking allowed. This place gives off great vibes and we will certainly return with friends. This was a great find!!! Congrats and good luck and success to the ownersThe bar offers over 13 varieties of Kava from the south pacific.