Tiki Bars
Gene's Hawaiian Village
Los Angeles, California, United States (Closed)
Gene's Hawaiian Village was a very early Hawaiian-themed establishment, which opened no later than 1945. The building had a large neon sign across its flat front, and the entrance was flanked by two large, blocky tiki guardians.
At some point, the building was demolished, and today a hotel is on the site.
Honolulu Harry's Waikiki - Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States (Closed)
Before becoming Honolulu Harry's Waikiki, this location was the Barrel O' Fun Tavern, John Dillinger's favorite hangout.
From its opening in 1949 (putting it squarely in the pre-tiki category), Honolulu Harry’s Waikiki provided “entertainment direct from Hawaii” and “dancing under Hawaiian skies.”
By 1959, its owner escalated the restaurant to an “authentic Hawaiian theatre restaurant.” Souvenir photos dated as late as 1960 have popped up (see below).
It stood on the corner of Clarendon and Wilson in uptown Chicago. “There were fresh pineapples on the tables, paper leis and ti leaves hanging all around”.
It appears in later years before it closed that the name might have just been shortened to "Club Waikiki". Matchbooks with the same address point in that direction. Alternately, it's possible this club was just a section of the larger complex like Don the Beachcomber's had its Dagger Bar, for instance.
Today, the site is home to The Covington Luxury Apartments, which were built in 1965, so Harry's must have closed some time between 1960 and 1965.
Christian's Hut - Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States (Closed)
This was a spinoff location from the original Christian's Hut in Newport Beach. It was open from July 15th, 1957- @ 1958.
Christian's Hut - Laguna Beach
Laguna Beach, California, United States (Closed)
This was a spinoff location from the original Christian's Hut in Newport Beach. Open from 1940s to 1953.
Later this location became the Doll House and Kona Hut.
Christian's Hut - at the Jamaica Inn Hotel
Newport Beach, California, United States (Closed)
This was a spinoff location from the original Christian's Hut in Newport Beach.
It was located at the Jamaica Inn, built by Joe Collins and Bob Ingraham at the corner of Avocado Avenue and Coast Highway.
Today the site of the former Jamaica Inn is a medical office complex.
Christian's Hut - Newport Beach
Newport Beach, California, United States (Closed)
Christian's Hut began its life as a bar for the crew working on 1935's Mutiny on the Bounty, which was filmed on nearby Catalina Island; the bar was located right under Clark Gable's room. After filming was completed, the bar was moved to this location. Christian's Hut quickly became a very popular spot with Hollywood's stars of the day. The mascot for Christian's Hut was "the Goof," whose genesis is not known; it was basically just a funny-looking head that topped the building. The Goof can now be seen atop Bali Hai in San Diego. There were a handful of other locations that were never as popular as the original. This Christian's Hut is often referred to as being in Balboa. Christian's Hut burned down in 1963. The site is now home to the Newport Towers condominiums.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Barry Island
Barry Island, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
When the Beachcomber Bar opened at the Barry Island location of the Butlin's family vacation camps chain in 1966, it was billed as the "biggest bar in Europe." It burned down only two years later, in 1968.
The photo below shows only one section, but you can spy a tiki behind the girl on the left and a small alligator behind the one on the right.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Filey
Filey, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
This location at Filey opened in 1965.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Skegness
Skegness, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
This location at Skegness opened in 1964 and was located in the Princes building, which burned down in a fire in 1974.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Minehead
Minehead, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
The Minehead camp location was the last of the Butlin's Beachcomber Bars to close, in 1997.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Bognor Regis
Bognor Regis, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.
Bognor was the first of the Butlin's chain of family holiday locations to get a Beachcomber Bar, opened in 1960.
Butlin's Beachcomber Bar - Ayr
Ayr, United Kingdom (Closed)
London had just seen its first wave of the Polynesian Pop craze thanks to The Beachcomber at the May Fair Hotel. Butlin’s wanted to cash in on the craze, and they nicked the name and concept for bars at six of the Butlin’s camps: Ayr, Bognor, Minehead, Skegness, Filey and Barry Island. Compared with other tiki bars of the day, they have a more psychedelic, swinging ’60s UK feel to them, with bright colors and fantastic scenery.