This location was part of a Chicago-based chain of Pago Pago restaurants which once had 5 locations, now all long gone.

The five included 227 W. Jackson, 126 N. Wells St., 316 S. Wabash Ave., Schiller Park, and Wheeling.

The mural advertisement on the side of the South Wabash location's brick building in Chicago lasted for many years after its close and is the only photo from any of these locations available.

The building and mural sign was demolished around 2010.

We know that this address hosted the Epicurean Restaurant (Hungarian food) from 1966 and into the 70s. So, the South Wabash Pago Pago must have been open, serving Chinese food and Polynesian drinks, from the mid 70s until its close, perhaps as late as the mid 90s.

There have been several unaffiliated Blue Hawaii restaurants over the years.

This one was located at the Midcity Shopping Center, Portsmouth, Virginia.

It was part of a chain of three locations (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth).

Thrived during the 70s and the exterior photo can be seen in footage of the mall dated 1977.

There have been several unaffiliated Blue Hawaii restaurants over the years.

This one was located in the Janaf Shopping Center in Norfolk.

They took their logo tiki from Ren Clark's Polynesian Village at some point as well.

It was part of a chain of three locations (Norfolk, Virginia Beach, and Portsmouth).

Opened in June of 1976. Featured "Chinese American Cuisine" and boasted a Tiki Room.

Closing date is uncertain...

Since 1998, and still as of 2025, the space is part of the Wild Buffalo House of Music (nightclub).

This Pago Pago location (so many unaffiliated locations share the name) was known for its detailed mural on the front of the building.

It was a pre-tiki establishment that thrived in the late 40s and early 50s, serving Chinese and American dinners and "enchanting nectars of the South Seas".

It was certainly one of Marysville's most popular nightclubs. This was, in part, due to their bartender, Louie Ajuria. The chefs at Pago Pago were John and Katie Lim, prominent members of Marysville's Chinese community who were instrumental in developing and continuing Marysville's Bok Kai Festival after World War II.

Many years later, this space was home to Gigi's Nightclub (1990-1996), to the Pub and Grille, to Crocodile Grundies, to Martini's 227 (from 2003-2009), and lastly to Knockouts Sports Bar & Grill (2011).

The historic building that housed the original Pago Pago was destroyed in a fire on September 24th, 2011.

The Kon-Tiki at the Avalon Motel opened in December of 1967. Five miles from downtown Pittsburgh.

The Avalon Motel preceded the opening of the restaurant and was a gradually evolving family-run business...

Frank R. and Elizabeth S. Brown moved to Avalon in 1955 and bought 512 Ohio River Blvd. On the site where they would build their Avalon Motel was a huge farmhouse with a wrap-around porch.

After winning a rezoning court case against some of the neighbors, the first section of the motel was built - the only section which would remain 1-story. This first section included six finished rooms only to start and in the back were an additional six unfinished rooms. It would take another year until this second set of six rooms were ready for rental.

The second phase of construction required some help from Frank & Elizabeth's parents. They refinanced their homes and lent the money which was eventually paid back in less than four years. The room total after the second phase came to 21, with a small, two-bedroom apartment. These additional rooms were located in the building just to the right of the original twelve. Back then, motels never had a room 13 (superstition), so there were actually only 20 available rooms.

After this, the huge farmhouse was brought down and that space converted to more parking. The owners and their children lived in the two-bedroom apartment with their front room opening out into what was essentially the front office.

In 1960, Rooms 22 through 36 were added on the Bellevue side of the motel, making the building an "L" shape. Three of the new rooms were rented as one-bedroom efficiencies.

The final phase of construction, which was the Emsworth side of the motel, started in 1962. With the addition of units 37 through 48, the motel reached its final size.

By the mid 60s the motel was successful enough and the family was feeling constrained by the two-bedroom apartment, so they rented the second floor apartment in the house located on the Bellevue side of the building. A year or so later, they bought that house.

The old 2-bedroom was converted into a coffee shop.

A referendum was passed in the 1966 elections. A couple of years later, all taverns were granted permission to have full service bars.

So, with this law in place, a bar and restaurant was now possible. It was also considered the next logical step since most area motels had a bar/restaurant on premises.

Built in 1967, the new Kon-Tiki restaurant specialized in Polynesian food and drink. With little experience in the food industry, the new owners depended on a hired chef and a head bartender to show them the ropes. One of their restaurant managers was Kein Wee "Que" Moy who would later go on to open the nearby Chin's Polynesian Garden.

On the first floor of the Kon-Tiki was the lounge, a dining room that could seat about 36 people, and an outdoor patio. The second floor was the main dining area. Also on the second floor was a private room suitable for small parties. The Kon Tiki could serve a many as 200. They employed around 50 people.

Around 1972, a group of investors approached the original family with a lucrative offer and they sold the business.

Eventually, the Kon-Tiki was closed (sometime in the 80s?) and the motel began a gradual decline until it became known as a seedy motel with disreputable clients. At least one or two other restaurant concepts replaced the old Kon-Tiki in succession before its reputation completely crashed and burned...

The entire complex was condemned and closed in 2016 due to a fire.

It was torn down in 2019.

Chin's started at least as early as 1974 according to newspaper ads.

It was started by Kein Wee "Que" Moy, a Chinese immigrant who arrived in Pittsburgh in 1951 with his family.

Kein would go on to manage several restaurants before opening his own, including the Chinatown Inn in Downtown, Brown Derby in the Monroeville Mall, Kon-Tiki in Avalon, and Thunderbird Restaurant in Oakmont.

He died at age 79 in 2011.

The restaurant appears to have been popular enough that they decided to open a second fast food version location. In May 1979 Monroeville allowed changes to the former Arby's at 4113 William Penn Highway to become Chin's Tiki Outi.

Kein's sons took over the original restaurant and they re-named it Moy's Cove. The fast food version must not have lasted for very long.

Moy’s Cove had a huge Tiki painted on the outside of the old A-frame and lava rock structure. The Tiki design appeared to be lifted from the Kahiki fireplace.

Below are photos from the restaurant's incarnation as Moy's Cove (circa 2006).

Opened June 17, 2025.

This extravagant spot takes over the space formerly occupied by the Greek restaurant, Taverna Opa.

This is a stand-alone location and not a speakeasy that is attached to another restaurant like their first location in Orlando.

This Roka Hula, which features sushi and creative cocktails, is helmed by three-time James Beard Semifinalist Chef Michael Andrezejewski.

The interior has a long bar with an A-frame shelving unit at center like their Orlando location. It also has Polynesian motif routered wood trim and tiki style lanterns and skulls.

However, the ceiling is predominantly covered in fake cherry blossoms sprouting from replica trees throughout.

The whole vibe is a bit dialed back on tikiness compared to the first location in Orlando.

They are definitely related, though.

Cocktail menus also appear to be a bit different, although they share some of the favorites from the first location.

Voodoo Bayou and Roka Hula opened May 11th, 2024.

Voodoo Bayou is a cajun inspired restaurant and Roka Hula is Asian fusion.

Specifically, Roka Hula describes itself as "a Modern Asian Tiki Bar from the minds of True Grit Hospitality’s Carolina Sanchez and Curtis Peery".

This Orlando location is the first Roka Hula. A second location was built afterwards at Delray Beach.

To gain entrance to the bar you must enter Voodoo Bayou and sit in what first appears as a normal photo-booth alcove with a couple of fancy chairs, a wall of roses, a mirror, and two leopard statues. It is actually a turntable device which rotates the wall to gain entrance to Roka Hula.

The interior has leopard spotted carpet and leopard spotted chairs, a plethora of skulls on the walls, and a long pink and purple lit bar with an A-frame style shelf in the center. Tons of glass fish floats, tiki style lanterns, and flowers cover the ceiling. There is also some nicely routered wood trim with Polynesian style patterns. However, this is not a traditional Polynesian styled bar on the order of Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vics -- and the usual tiki themed carvings and artwork are noticeably lacking.

The cocktail menu will not disappoint, however.

The bar features the expected array of tropical drinks, such as the "Freaky Franky" which comes in a Tiki Farm mug by Big Toe. To make your own "Freaky Franky":

1 oz Plantation Dark, 0.75 oz Plantation 3 Star, 0.50 oz Appleton 8yr, 0.50 oz Bacardi 8yr, 0.50 oz Boiron Lychee Puree, 0.50 oz Boiron Passionfruit Puree, 0.50 oz House Grenadine, 0.50 oz House Falernum, 2 Dashes Angostura Bitters, 2 Dashes Cocktail Kingdom Falernum Bitters, 2 Drops Saline Solution

The bar also features original craft cocktails like the "El Narco", a smoky-spicy cocktail garnished with a clothespin that attaches a fake rolled-up $100 bill and a tiny ziploc filled with what looks like coke (but is powdered sugar). It also has a large cube with the mugshot of Pablo Escobar on top. To make your own "El Narco":

1.50 oz 512 Blanco Tequila, 0.75 oz Pineapple Jarritos Super Syrup, 0.25 oz Giffard Caribbean Pineapple, 0.25 oz Yellow Chartreuse, 0.25 oz Ancho Reyes Verde, 0.25 oz Agave de Cortes Reposado Mezcal, 1 BSP St. Elizabeth Allspice Dram, 2 Dashes Bittermens Burlesque Bitters, 260mg Activated Charcoal, 2 Drops Saline Solution

There have been several unaffiliated Blue Hawaii restaurants over the years.

This one, located in Lafayette, Louisiana was owned by Lionel Barrilleaux Jr. and was opened in the late 60s or early 70s.

In 1974, it underwent a name change to become the "Royal Hawaii Restaurant." Richard Kao became the new part-owner-general manager.

Not long after this, the property was acquired by Don Landry Sr. He adapted it to become one of the locations in his Don's Seafood chain, and the location is still part of that chain today (as of 2025).

This store is run by David Condon and opened on June 14th, 2025.

Here you will find tiki related items, collectible tiki mugs, misc.

The store also carries vintage Hawaiiana, Elvis memorabilia, fountains, artwork, and an epic Titanic display.

Movie memorabilia for sale also, as well as sports cards, vintage Hawaiian shirts, and a bit of Disney.

Adding cool finds daily!

Hotel Lankershim was a landmark hotel located at 7th Street and Broadway in the Broadway Theater District in downtown Los Angeles's historic core.

Hotel Lankershim was designed by Robert Brown Young for James Boon Lankershim, whom the building was named after. Construction started in 1902 and was completed in 1905. Prior to construction, the land was the site of a vineyard owned by Judge Wilson Hugh Gray.

The hotel had 200 servants, 250 rooms, and 160 baths at its opening, and was considered far superior to the other hotels in Los Angeles at the time.

In 1979, the Broadway Theater and Commercial District was added to the National Register of Historic Places, with Hotel Lankershim listed as a contributing property in the district. Despite this, the building was largely demolished in the early 1980s following structural damage caused by the 1971 Sylmar earthquake. Post demolition, a six-story parking structure was built on the building's remaining first floor, which was converted to retail, and the building was removed from the register in 2002.

The Driftwood Room was a pre-tiki bar and lounge located inside the hotel which flourished in the 1930s.

The Driftwood Room menu below is dated from 1936.

There are no known photos of the Driftwood Room from the time, but photos of the interior lobby of the hotel, probably adjacent the entrance of the Driftwood Room give a sense of the opulence of the time.