Inside Cabali: How an Oro Valley Tiki Dream Became a Destination

Cabali Oro Valley is one of those local places that feels like a discovery the first time you find it. Tucked beside The Landing on Oracle Road, Cabali is a modern speakeasy-style tiki bar built with a level of detail and personality that has made it a standout in Oro Valley’s growing hospitality scene. It is also the rare local business story that grew far beyond a single opening: Cabali became the subject of a feature-length documentary, bringing regional and national attention to a project that started with one owner’s passion for tiki culture and a remarkable collection of mugs.

For Oro Valley, Cabali is more than a themed bar. It is a local example of creative entrepreneurship, long-term investment, and the kind of experience-driven business that gives a community its own identity.

What Is Cabali in Oro Valley?

Cabali Oro Valley is a hidden-entry tiki bar connected to The Landing at 8195 N. Oracle Road. The concept blends a speakeasy-style arrival with a fully immersive interior built around tiki design, custom art, and a large display of collectible tiki mugs. The result is a destination-style experience that feels intentionally designed from the moment guests begin looking for the entrance.

Cabali operates as its own bar concept while sharing a relationship with The Landing next door, including practical support such as kitchen and patio access. That connection helped make the project possible while still giving Cabali a distinct identity. The official Cabali site lists regular reservations, event hosting, and hours that position it as both a special-occasion spot and a repeat local hangout.

The Story Behind Cabali and The Landing

The story of Cabali starts with local hospitality operators Doug “Fini” Finical and Scott Mencke, whose business partnership has helped shape multiple Tucson-area concepts over the years. Long before Cabali opened, Finical and Mencke launched Fini’s Landing and later brought The Landing to Oro Valley. That made Cabali a natural next chapter: a specialized concept built from experience, but with a much more personal creative vision.

Finical has spoken openly about his longtime interest in beach and tiki culture, dating back to earlier years in Tucson and trips to Southern California. He also had ties to Tucson’s broader island-bar scene through The Hut on Fourth Avenue, a connection that helps explain why Cabali feels rooted in both personal history and local culture. In that sense, Cabali is not a sudden idea. It is the culmination of years of hospitality work, design interest, and collecting.

For Oro Valley, that backstory matters. Cabali was created by operators who already understood how to run restaurants and build customer loyalty, but who also decided to take a bigger creative risk and build something highly original for the community.

How the Tiki Bar Concept Grew Into a Destination

One reason Cabali Oro Valley has drawn so much attention is the scale of the project itself. Early reporting on the bar described a mid-2023 target opening and highlighted the concept’s core ingredients: a speakeasy vibe, an extensive mug collection, and a design-forward interior. As construction and creative work progressed, the project expanded significantly in scope.

By the time Cabali opened in February 2024, the build had evolved into what Finical described as a major “art project,” requiring years of work and a large network of craftspeople, artists, and tiki specialists. The finished space reflects that process. Local coverage has documented hand-carved poles, a prominent centerpiece sculpture, black velvet artwork, and a hidden-entry format that turns arrival into part of the experience.

This is part of what makes Cabali a strong local business story. It is a hospitality concept built with unusual patience and craftsmanship, not a quick trend-based launch. The project required time, money, and persistence, and it was completed in Oro Valley by a team committed to making the result feel distinctive.

The Tiki Mug Collection That Defines Cabali

At the center of Cabali is Finical’s tiki mug collection, which has been widely reported at more than 1,000 pieces. The collection is not a side detail or decorative afterthought. It is the heart of the concept and the reason the bar feels so personal. Cases of mugs line the space, and the visual identity of Cabali is built around the idea that these objects are part of a larger story about art, collecting, and hospitality.

That focus also helps explain Cabali’s appeal beyond traditional nightlife audiences. Tiki mugs are a niche art form with a passionate collector community, and Cabali brings that world into a public setting in a way that is approachable for new guests. People can visit for a drink, but they also leave with a sense that they have stepped into a curated environment created by someone deeply invested in the subject.

For a community feature, this is one of Cabali’s strongest angles: it transforms a private collection into a shared local experience.

The Documentary: “Cabali and the Tiki Mug Obsession”

Cabali and the Tiki Mug Obsession is more than a documentary screening. It is a chance to see an Oro Valley success story on the big screen as part of Film Fest Tucson’s 2026 lineup. The film follows the creation of Cabali and the larger world of tiki mug collecting, turning a local passion project into a cultural story with wide appeal.

Directed by Tucson filmmaker Josh Dragotta, the documentary explores how Cabali grew from an ambitious idea into a fully realized destination connected to The Landing in Oro Valley. It also dives into the artists, collectors, and craftspeople behind tiki mug culture, giving the film a strong visual style and a deeper story about creativity, community, and obsession.

This Arizona premiere comes with real momentum. The film previously screened at the Newport Beach Film Festival and has continued to build interest on the festival circuit. For Oro Valley readers, this is a rare opportunity to support a local business story and local filmmaking at the same time.

If you are planning to attend, buying early is a smart move. Film Fest Tucson documentary screenings can draw strong crowds, and this one has a built-in local following from Cabali, The Landing, and the broader Tucson-Oro Valley hospitality community.

Why This Oro Valley Business Story Matters

Cabali Oro Valley is a strong example of what local business growth can look like when owners build with both discipline and imagination. It supports the idea that Oro Valley can be home to destination-worthy hospitality concepts, not just everyday convenience stops. It also shows how a business can create cultural value at the same time it serves customers.

Cabali’s success is not only about a bar theme. It is about local ownership, long-term effort, and the confidence to create something highly specific for the community. The Landing provided the foundation. Cabali added a bold new layer. And the documentary helped preserve and share the story behind it.

That combination makes Cabali an easy business to celebrate. It is a creative project, a hospitality achievement, and a point of community pride for Oro Valley.

Plan Your Visit

Cabali is located next to The Landing at 8195 N. Oracle Road in Oro Valley. Reservations are available through the official Cabali website, and the venue also hosts private events. For readers following the documentary, the Arizona premiere of Cabali and the Tiki Mug Obsession is scheduled through Arizona Arts Live and Film Fest Tucson at Marroney Theatre.

For Oro Valley residents, Cabali offers something special close to home: a local business built on vision, craftsmanship, and a story worth telling.