Tiki Bars
Tiki Bob's Cantina - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Closed)
This location opened in 2002 and closed in about 2007.
This was one in a chain of Tiki Bob's Cantinas (no relation to the historic Tiki Bob's in San Francisco).
These have died out since the early 2000s, and were known for being dance clubs with very little tiki theming and aimed at young college-aged people.
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort
Orlando, Florida, United States
Disney's Polynesian Village Resort is one of the high-end places to stay on property at Walt Disney World, just outside of Orlando. The resort is near the Magic Kingdom (Walt Disney World's analogue of Disneyland), and is situated on the Seven Seas Lagoon. It opened on October 1, 1971, the same day Walt Disney World opened. Between 1985 and 2015, it was called simply "Disney's Polynesian Resort."
The resort underwent a huge refresh in 2015, with the lobby features changing dramatically (tropical plants and waterfalls were replaced with a large logo tiki), and the addition of Trader Sam's Grog Grotto, a tiki bar patterned after Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar in Anaheim.
The hotel is a sprawling complex, with 11 "longhouse" buildings named for Polynesian islands such as Rarotonga, Tahiti, Hawaii and Rapa Nui. Each building is two or three stories tall, and houses dozens of guest rooms; in all, the resort has 847 rooms. The heart of the hotel is the Great Ceremonial House, a massive two-level building that holds the hotel's reception desk, several stores and cafes, and 'Ohana restaurant.
'Ohana restaurant, and its adjacent Tambu Lounge, are on the upper level of the Great Ceremonial House. The restaurant is an all-you-can-eat affair, with great spears of meats brought around to your table for you to choose from regularly, and a pu-pu platter brought to your table to kick things off. There are activities for children, and it can get pretty loud. Tropical drinks are available, including one served in a pineapple, and a Tropical Itch, which comes with a backscratcher (see menu below).
The hotel's pool area is small, but a looming volcano with built-in water slide gives it some oomph. The grounds are landscaped with tropical plants and many tikis, giving it a very lush feel. Many tikis are copies of those found at the Enchanted Tiki Room's pre-show lanai in Anaheim, including Pele, Ngendi, Rongo, and even Uti. (Orlando's Enchanted Tiki Room has a few of these tikis around, but they are not part of the pre-show). There is a dinner-show luau performed regularly at the resort, called the Spirit of Aloha Show.
The monorail to the Magic Kingdom stops at the Polynesian Resort.
Trader Vic's - Ward Avenue - Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States (Closed)
This was the "Ward Avenue" Trader Vic's location in Honolulu.
"The Companies We Keep" by Bob Sigall , a history of Hawaiian companies, (and also confirmed by an article in the 1955 Honolulu Advertiser) states that this Hawaii location opened in December 18th, 1940. Four months later, Victor Bergeron sold his interest to the co-owner, Granville "Granny" Abbott.
Note the giant rusty anchor in front of the building both in photos and on the menu cover art. A pre-statehood drink menu is shown below...
There was another Trader Vic's location in Hawaii, at the International Market Place in Waikiki that opened later in 1967.
Trader Frank's
Indian Rocks Beach, Florida, United States (Closed)
Trader Frank's restaurant was part of the Tiki Gardens theme park started by "Trader" Frank Byar in 1964. The restaurant sat 450 people and had a tall A-frame structure.
The head chef for many years since its beginning was "Papa Lee" who, along with his wife, Chui, and several other Chinese cooks worked to turn out all the varied menu items. They lived on premises from 1976 onward after a hit-and-run driver killed Papa Lee's cousin, Lawrence Lee, who had just moved from New Jersey to work at the restaurant and was living in an apartment just over a quarter mile away. To prevent this hazard in the future, a 2-bedroom apartment was built on premises for the Lees who had also been walking a short distance to and from the restaurant each day.
Trader Frank's and the rest of the Tiki Gardens complex was sold and closed in 1988.
The Polynesian - Seymour, Connecticut
Seymour, Connecticut, United States (Closed)
Open at least from 1965-67.
Club Kona
El Cerrito, California, United States (Closed)
Club Kona dates from the pre-tiki era when elegant tropical nightclubs were themed with palm trees and bamboo. It was owned by Henry, Dolly and Phil Molino. It was initially located at 316 San Pablo Ave., and reopened at 303 San Pablo after a fire in early 1938.
From February 1948 to February 1949, Club Kona was temporarily leased to Lloyd Johnson while the Molino family took a vacation necessitated by Henry and Phil Molino being on probation for a gambling charge.
Some time around 1954 the numbering system for San Pablo Ave, was changed and the address became 9901 San Pablo Ave. This is directly across from the west entrance to the El Cerrito Plaza shopping center. The cross street was Carlson. After the Club closed (in about 1960) there was a McFarlands Ice Cream/candy store. A Payless Shoe Source now occupies the site.
Samoa Club
Idaho Falls, Idaho, United States
This place has been here since at least 1940 when they ran advertisements in the local newspapers to let people know about their jitterbug dance contests and live hula dance reviews.
Today, the front still has a couple of neon palm trees flanking their sign, but the interior looks like a regular dive small town beer and cocktail bar with no Polynesian Pop or South Seas flourishes.
The Tropics - Detroit
Detroit, Michigan, United States (Closed)
The Tropics opened on June 19th, 1941.
It was located in the Hotel Wolverine and was "Michigan's most unusual night spot and cocktail lounge," as a postcard called it. A huge sign on top of the red brick building blazed "Tropics Room." Inside, bamboo fixtures, fake trees and papier mache animals transported Detroiters to the South Pacific.
The club was made up of the Native Village and the Cocktail Lounge. The former was a replica of a South Pacific island village that "skillfully captured all the beauty and charm of far-off tropic lands. A romantic atmosphere is added by the exotic music of a fine dance orchestra atop America's only traveling band stand," a postcard boasted.
The Native Village offered nightly dancing in air-conditioned comfort. The Cocktail Lounge was authentic right down to the pitter-patter of rain on the roofs of the Rainfall Bars. A waterfall tumbled down behind the bar. Orchestras lured couples out onto a large dance floor that was lighted up in colors.
As a result of financial decline in later years, the Hotel Wolverine was turned into federally subsidized senior housing in 1968.
By 1985, the building had degenerated and was closed by the city where it stood vacant for another dozen years before being demolished in 1997. Today it is a parking lot.
Pago Pago - Long Beach
Long Beach, California, United States (Closed)
Opened in March, 1943.
Also referred to as "Eddie's Pago Pago" for owner Eddie Brandhorst.
Apparently, Eddie opened a second Pago Pago location in April 1945 at the former location of the Waikiki at 319 North Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs but he only ran it for a short time.
Hawaiian Roof - at the Hotel Adelphia - Philadelphia
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States (Closed)
The Hawaiian Roof was located in the Hotel Adelphia.
The Hawaiian Roof appears to have been a pre-tiki 1930s-40s venue.
The hotel was built in 1912 after designs by Horace Trumbauer. It consisted of 21 stories and 400 guest rooms.
The Waikiki - Avalon
Avalon, California, United States (Closed)
This was a 20-unit hotel with bar and restaurant in Avalon on Santa Catalina Island.
Group photo below dates to 1948.
Some time after 1955, it appears the site changed hands and underwent a name change from "Ted Enoch's Waikiki" to "The New Waikiki".
It burned down in a fire on March 5th, 1979 along with the Hurricane Cove Bar (a pre-tiki bamboo bar).