Tiki Bars
Holu Restaurant
North Attleborough, Massachusetts, United States (Closed)
Featured Polynesian and Cantonese dishes. Inside was a space designated the "Island Lounge". Host was Harry Lew. Open during the 70s, at least as early as 1973.
Kahunaville - at Treasure Island Hotel & Casino
Las Vegas, Nevada, United States (Closed)
This Kahunaville was one location in a nationwide chain of restaurants, but it was the longest lasting.
It doesn't appear to be the case with the other locations, but this location had some actual Bosko tikis in one area, the elevated area on the right immediately as one walks in. They also had a few SHAG (or at least SHAG-like) paintings in one area.
The bar offered a variety of tropical drinks although not much that would be categorized as "craft cocktail" by today's standards. See the giant toilet mug in the last photo below...
Their eclectic food menu featured about 90 items, which included "Kahunaville-sized" sandwiches, salads and entrees with American, Mexican, Cajun and Asian influences.
The parent company of Kahunaville, Adventure Dining Inc., once operated nine nationwide locations, including homes in Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Michigan and Tampa. The Las Vegas, Nevada "Party Bar" (2001-2016) was their last holdout before the chain folded.
This type of corporate chain typifies what many tikiphiles dislike most about corporatizing the Tiki aesthetic -- bending the decor more towards a Chucky Cheese buildout (or perhaps Rainforest Cafe if one is being kind) with cheaply molded and cartoony fiberglass and plastic decorations in primary colors, dumbing down the cocktails of Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic into chemical-tasting slushy boat drinks (but served with "flair"), and offering a big scattershot food menu in hopes of appealing to every American tourist palate. For those that grew up with these, there is some nostalgia, but they were not terribly mourned by fans of traditional tiki bars and restaurants.
This venue was a bit better than the others, it seems, due to its location within the Treasure Island Casino. It also tilted a bit more to adults as evidenced by scantily-clad hostesses dancing on the bar tops, but nothing to blink an eye at when Vegas is concerned. They also hosted hula dancer shows and ran the Treasure Island outside pool bar, serving the same tropical drinks.
The Vegas location produced a great many ceramic tiki mugs, most of them from Poolside Pineapple, which was located in Las Vegas also.
Kahunaville - at Holyoke Mall
Holyoke, Massachusetts, United States (Closed)
This Kahunaville was one location in a nationwide chain of restaurants.
It was located in the Holyoke Mall (which is the 3rd largest in New England by retail space) from @2007-2008.
Like the others in the chain, this restaurant featured a synchronized water fountain show, waterfalls, caves, talking idols, a sophisticated sound system, an arcade, and a variety of tropical drinks. Their eclectic food menu featured about 90 items, which included "Kahunaville-sized" sandwiches, salads and entrees with American, Mexican, Cajun and Asian influences.
The parent company of Kahunaville, Adventure Dining Inc., once operated nine nationwide locations, including homes in Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Michigan and Tampa. The Las Vegas, Nevada "Party Bar" (2001-2016) was their last holdout before the chain folded.
This type of corporate chain typifies what many tikiphiles dislike most about corporatizing the Tiki aesthetic -- bending the decor more towards a Chucky Cheese buildout (or perhaps Rainforest Cafe if one is being kind) with cheaply molded and cartoony fiberglass and plastic decorations in primary colors, dumbing down the cocktails of Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic into chemical-tasting slushy boat drinks (but served with "flair"), offering a big scattershot food menu in hopes of appealing to every American tourist palate, and supplying loud video games and animatronics to entertain the kids. For those that grew up with these, there is some nostalgia, but they were not terribly mourned by fans of traditional tiki bars and restaurants.
It appears that this location now houses an Xfinity retail store.
Hula Hut - Wheaton-Glenmont
Wheaton-Glenmont, Maryland, United States (Closed)
Opened some time in the 1960s.
This bar and restaurant billed itself as "Metropolitan Washington's Best, Newest, and Finest Polynesian Restaurant" with three themed rooms (Hilo Room, Kona Room, and the Hula Room).
Apparently the Hula Hut changed names and/or owners in the mid to late 1970s to become the Tung Bor Restaurant which then moved to Wheaton Plaza, probably when the property was bought to develop the Wheaton Metro Station in 1990.
Fiji Island - Maumee
Maumee, Ohio, United States (Closed)
This restaurant offered Polynesian and Chinese food.
The decor, from postcards, shows they used tons of bamboo and natural materials, and that one entire wall was devoted to a Chinese dragon mural.
The ceiling was a framework of bamboo poles with pufferfish lights and other hangings.
Tiki table lanterns and a ton of flower leis were used to decorate the walls.
The decor was low on actual tiki carvings, although it looks as though they had some tiki poles at the front lobby entrance when visitors entered.
As of 2022, this site is home to Design Memorial Stone, a cemetery stone engraving service.
Saigon Blonde
St. Petersburg, Florida, United States
Opened July of 2018.
St. Petersburg local Peri Bandazian transformed the former LUX bar and lounge on Central Avenue into a tropical, immersive destination downtown. Bandazian’s Saigon Blonde is inspired by ’60s-era Vietnam and while it has tiki elements, is not exactly a tiki bar in the strict sense. It is best described as a fusion of 60s pop motifs centered around a quasi fictional background of Vietnam War era Saigon, wherein "The proprietor, a beautiful blonde of Vietnamese and French descent, had created an oasis for locals and soldiers alike."
The narrative look of the new bar features design elements like commissioned artwork and custom fixtures to create “a surreal setting unlike any other in the Tampa Bay area.” The owner partnered with Pinellas Park’s Creative Arts Unlimited, Inc. and St. Pete’s Wax & Hive to bring Saigon Blonde to life, and much of the art, which is a crucial component of the bar, was done by local contemporary realist Jean Michael Fait.
Saigon Blonde has five distinct areas for patrons to enjoy — showcasing symbolism and memorabilia, among other decorative details such as woven bamboo-covered walls and nods to folklore: 1) The outdoor walk-up bar. 2) The front bar with tiki totems and murals, plus an inventive cocktail menu that references the Pacific Rim in flavor and color. 3) Highlighting a sultry feel, the downstairs lounge with hanging lanterns, paintings and plush furniture. 4) Fashioned from an old plane wing, the intimate, dimly lit military bar toward the back. And 5) The VIP-like loft lounge — accessed through a narrow staircase and around a bend to overlook the downstairs lounge and front bar — with more plush furniture and a mural ceiling.
*NOTE: They do have a sub-section of their cocktail menu that specializes in drinks with CBD oil or cannabis aromatics, and these additions can be added to their other cocktails as well. Shown in last photo is their Hemp Day Cocktail with Marijuana leaf sprinkle stencil of aromatics.
Surf Rider Lounge - at the Andrew Jackson Hotel
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (Closed)
The Andrew Jackson Hotel in downtown Nashville opened it doors on Aug. 29, 1925. It represented one of the largest and most modern structures of its kind in the entire South. The 12-story structure had 400 rooms and private baths.
It was one in a chain of Carling Dinkler family owned hotels named after Confederate war leaders. Dinkler also opened the Luau in Nashville which he sold to the Dobb's.
The Surf Rider Lounge was opened in the hotel at least as early as 1963, possibly as early as 1960 when the other Surf Rider Lounge in Montgomery, Alabama was opened by the Dinklers.
The Andrew Jackson Hotel was demolished on June 13, 1971, to make room for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the James K. Polk State Office Building which are currently still on site as of 2022.
Hale Hawaii - at the Merrillwood Mall
Birmingham, Michigan, United States (Closed)
Built in 1968, the Merrillwood Mall had 30 exclusive shops on the first and second levels as well as the luxurious Merrillwood Arms Apartments on the upper four levels.
One of these exclusive shops was Hale Hawaii, which was located on the second level and sold sportswear, swimwear, leisure wear, jewelry, perfume, luau accessories and exotic gifts.
Today, as of 2022, this site is known as the Merrillwood Collection Apartments but still appears to be the same building construction.
The Luau - San Diego
San Diego, California, United States
Opened March 2nd, 2022.
The Luau was developed by owner/bartender Brett Rose to "stoke the masses".
Though not as lavishly decorated as some tiki palaces, tilting perhaps a touch more towards the surf bar than the tiki bar end of the spectrum with its coral painted walls and serviceable wood café chairs, there are still, indeed, several tikis throughout.
It has a live music stage in front of house and an outdoor patio in back.
Some nice decorative touches include a wall of ukuleles behind the live music stage, some Oceanic Arts style masks on the walls, lauhala matting, fish floats, and a couple of concrete tiki fountains out on the patio.
Tiki favorites are served in tiki mugs and volcano bowls. Including the Tropical Itch cocktail, with backscratchers included.
Surf Rider Lounge - at the Jefferson Davis Hotel
Montgomery, Alabama, United States (Closed)
The Jefferson Davis Hotel is a former hotel located in Montgomery, Alabama. It was named for Jefferson Davis, the president of the Confederate States of America. Built in 1927. It was one in a chain of Carling Dinkler family owned hotels named after Confederate war leaders. Dinkler also opened the Luau in Nashville which he sold to the Dobb's.
The Surf Rider Lounge was opened on September 15th, 1960. The Alabama Journal has the following to say about the opening night entertainment:
"The entertainment picture of Montgomery became in focus last night with the opening of the Surf Rider Room in the Jefferson Davis Hotel and the arrival of Dorita. Both are wonderful! The style of Dorita is refreshing, to say the least. A fine musician, a fine singer and, above all, a top notch entertainer, she is exactly what the newly redone lounge needs to set it off as Montgomery's lounge of distinction. Dorita is an entertainer of note. Facile with both English and Spanish, she has just enough of the Latin temperament and feeling for her music to be able to sing with sincerity and that deep feeling which make the difference between true artistry and mere technical skill. Her interpretations of some of the old favorite Spanish numbers are without peer. Singing 'Granada' she manages to take her audience off on a musical venture which is fascinating and colorful. The decoration of the Surf Rider Room is, for Montgomery, out of this world. Using a Polynesian motif, the decorator managed to achieve the atmosphere without being gaudy or ostentatious. The overall harmony of style meets the eye gently, as, indeed, it should in a place of that type. One coming into the room is aware of theme without being aware of any one aspect which goes to make up the theme. The Surf Rider Room Is easily the mast delightful lounge in our state."
The lone remaining image of the Surf Rider, on postcards, shows it was painted in light blue with fish netting hanging from the ceiling and shells and other flotsam and jetsam caught up in the netting.
It is unclear when the Surf Rider Lounge at the Jefferson Davis Hotel closed, but it probably did not last very long.
There was also a second Surf Rider Lounge at the Andrew Jackson Hotel in Nashville which was later bulldozed in 1971 to make room for the Tennessee Performing Arts Center and the James K. Polk State Office Building.
The Jefferson Davis Hotel was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 13, 1979.
This location looks much the same on the exterior but is currently used as apartments for the elderly -- The Jefferson Davis Apartments.
Bali Ha'i Club
London, United Kingdom (Closed)
Bali Ha'i was open by at least 1966, possibly as early as 1963.
It was a much loved and popular nightclub in South West London. The club entrance was adjacent to the right hand side of Streatham Silver Blades Ice Rink. You climbed a set of stairs, and the club was housed above the rink. You could look down on the skaters from inside the club, which was a unique quality.
The Silver Blades Ice Rink opened on 26 February 1931.
Bali Ha'i was synonymous with Reggae Music in the mid 1970s to the 1980s, with one of the top-ranking sound systems in South London, Soferno B, taking a residence in the club on Sunday nights. It was also known for its Motown, Soul / Northern Soul and the many disco classics associated with that era, not to mention the latest US imports.
The club was demolished at some point in 2011 (although probably stopped running years before then), and Streatham Ice Rink was replaced by a mixed-use complex which opened 18 November 2013, featuring a Tesco store and an Olympic-sized ice rink and swimming pool.
Polynesian Room - at the Naniloa Hotel
Hilo, Hawaii, United States (Closed)
The Naniloa was first opened as a hotel in 1939. The name "Naniloa" means "very beautiful".
The Polynesian Room was built in 1964.
The Polynesian Room was an interesting construction of 4 hut-shaped buildings. Several tiki poles throughout and on the exterior walkway leading to the buildings as well.
The interior was trimmed out in a fantastic array of bamboo and tapa cloth with many unusual features, including bamboo chandeliers and a thatched roof over the stage area where each beam was capped with a Maori warclub (from Oceanic Arts).
The building fell into disuse and during "renovations" everything was painted, including many carvings that had previously been naturally finished with stain & oil.
Today, as of 2022, the site is run as a Hilton Doubletree Hotel. The Polynesian Room hut buildings are not highlighted in any promotions and it appears they have been treated as storage.
Hopefully, at some point, they will be given some attention and brought back to life...