THE DISH: Get into the Christmas spirits for good cause at Tiki-Ko

Dec. 3—It's the season of giving and Tiki-Ko is again donning its Santa cap to offer holiday specials to benefit charities.

The four cocktails ($12 each) are either returning favorites or variations on those popular Christmastime flavors.

Home for the Holidays combines gin with cranberry and pomegranate syrup, orange and angostura bitters and fresh lemon juice. The popular Bumba Claus, served in a Santa mug, is a comforting mix of overproof Demarara and dark Jamaican rums, macadamia nut liqueur, chocolate and coconut cream.

Hot Buttered Rum is available in a classic or vegan preparation, which substitutes the butter that is heated through with dark Jamaican rum, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon and allspice.

Named for Tiki-Ko bartender Gabby Osdale, And I Saw Gabby Kissing Santa Claus is a mix of Kraken Dark Spiced rum, ginger molasses syrup, coconut cream and pineapple and orange juices.

All specials will be served at both Tiki-Ko and its downstairs sister bar The Sinking Ship Room through December.

For each one sold, $2 will go to benefit a designated charity each week. Toys for Tots, a Marine Corps Reserve program that distributes toys to children whose parents cannot afford to buy them gifts for Christmas, is the current beneficiary.

Starting Wednesday, Fisher House, which provides no-cost housing to military and veterans' families while a loved one is receiving treatment at a military or VA medical center, will benefit.

Beginning Dec. 15, funds will be raised for Direct Relief, an organization active across the U.S. and in more than 80 countries that aims to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies — regardless of politics, religion or ability to pay. It has been active in California concerning the wildfires as well as COVID-19 response efforts.

And the fourth week, beginning Dec. 22, funds raised will go to NAMI Kern County, which offers free information, education, resources and support for people with mental illness as well as their families and friends.

Tiki-Ko "original flavor" (1919 K St.) is open 5:30 to 11 p.m. Wednesdays, 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays, 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays and 1 to 10 p.m. Sundays. The Sinking Ship Room is open from 5:30 to 11 p.m. Thursdays, 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fridays and 7 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturdays. Visit tiki-ko.com for more information.

Tip-A-Cop

Speaking of good causes, Black Angus Steakhouse is hosting a Tip-A-Cop fundraiser on Thursday.

Local law enforcement officers will act as servers (alongside trained staff) from 5 to 8 p.m. Any tips collected from their service will go toward athletic training and equipment funds for Special Olympics Southern California.

Black Angus is located at 3601 Rosedale Highway. Visit blackangus.com to view the menu.

A delicious glitch at Denny's

Get ready to enter The Matrix with Denny's. The chain launched a new partnership with Warner Bros. through Dennys.com and the new Denny's iOS and Android apps to transport guests into a real-life version of "The Matrix," where they will experience personalized "glitches" that were created just for them in their digital offers wallet, a new feature allowing a logged-in Denny's Rewards member to access all of their offers in one centralized location.

Throughout the five-week promotion, Denny's Rewards members will experience a variety of randomized, "Matrix"-inspired offers giving them access to free menu items, free delivery fees and a variety of other discounts on orders at Denny's.

"As we further redefine how today's modern families dine and continue to establish Denny's as a leader in the digital guest experience, we're thrilled to partner with Warner Brothers to amplify our digital transformation," Denny's Chief Brand Officer John Dillon said in a news release. "This partnership offers an exciting avenue for millions of our loyal and new guests to take advantage of the personalized benefits offered through our new mobile app and Denny's Rewards program."

The promotion, tied to "The Matrix Resurrections," which comes out Dec. 22, runs now through Jan. 4. Visit Dennys.com for more information.

Stefani Dias can be reached at 661-395-7488. Follow her on Twitter: @realstefanidias.