Luau - Fresno

Fresno, California, United States

Luau, along with its sister restaurant just across town, The Leilani (opened in 1951), was owned and operated by the Dunn brothers, Jimmy, Roy and Stanley.

Luau opened later in 1964.

It used to have a tiki bar, and drinks were served out of tiki mugs. The Leilani and Luau both had the same mugs printed up, with both names on each: a black moai mug, and a three-face bucket mug.

In later years, Luau didn't have much to offer to a tikiphile -- it had devolved into an inexpensive all-you-can-eat Chinese buffet, with no tiki at all to be seen inside (not even a bar!). For many years, however, its sign remained as a fabulous example of classic midcentury graphic design.

In 2013 the restaurant closed, and the sign is gone.