When Bamboo Hut opened in 1999, it was at the very front of the wave of modern bars inspired by the resurgence in interest in Polynesian Pop. It's more of a nightclub than a bar, with DJed music setting the soundtrack, but it's full of spot-on details. There is lots of bamboo and thatch, pufferfish lamps and glass floats, and an outrigger canoe hung from the ceiling. The lighting is appropriately dim and moody.

Drinks are served in tiki mugs and bowls, but were on the sickly-sweet side until rather recently -- until after a year long closure, and now the cocktails have been updated as of 2019 with several new ones on the menu.

Dozens of bras hung over the bar where they had been tacked up due to the house rule that women who wear them may not dance on the dance floor -- but looking at recent photos, the bras are nowhere in sight, so this may have been phased out after the latest round of updates...

Near the entrance is a dramatic waterfall feature, topped by a massive tiki head. The tiki started life as a road sign for the Coral Reef Restaurant in Sacramento, and the Bamboo Hut website says it dates from 1947.

Trad'r Sam is the oldest, longest-operating tiki bar in the world. Trad'r Sam opened in 1937, and was originally owned by Sam Baylon. This small and very old bar started as pre-tiki, and is an extremely rare example of the bamboo bars that were in some cities in the '30s.

Back in the day there were huge bunches of bananas hanging from the ceiling and the bartenders were dressed in pith helmets and safari clothing.

Today, there are still tropical drinks available, but this bar is now more of a loveable dive than anything.

It had closed for a very short time and re-opened in November 2023 after a makeover that refreshed the floor, walls, and seating. Much of the rattan and the bamboo is still intact, but a series of seating areas around the perimeter of the bar which were named after islands, and framed in rattan, had fallen into disrepair and have been removed -- replaced with newer tables and rattan chairs.

The biggest feature, the bar itself -- a large, rattan encrusted horseshoe-shaped structure -- still remains. They have also added a few small inexpensive tikis throughout.

While in the area, cocktail enthusiasts shouldn't miss the world famous tequila destination bar across the street just a block and a half away, Tommy's Mexican Restaurant.

Cosmo Place is actually an alley. The unusual location didn't stop the San Francisco Trader Vic's from becoming a powerful center for city nightlife. In fact, in 1983, Queen Elizabeth II had her very first experience eating out at a restaurant here. (She had a Tanqueray gin martini.) This Trader Vic's location closed in the early '90s, and is now a popular French Vietnamese restaurant, Le Colonial.

Lingba opened in 2001, in the same space that used to be Lilo Lounge.

Executive Chef and owner Cody Robertson combined local ingredients with traditional spices to create contemporary southeast asian cuisine. Lingba also featured tropical cocktails and nightly DJs, to a backdrop of palm trees and hanging plants.

Lingba closed in 2010 after a steep rent increase.

Opened in 1969.

Hawaii West is a pool bar in San Francisco's busy North Beach neighborhood, with a couple of tikis.

Their cocktail menu only lists 4 cocktails.

Islands Sushi and Pupu Bar was known as the not-particularly-tiki sushi bar in the rather-tiki Crowne Plaza Hotel for many years.

In the beginning of the Covid pandemic the hotel was contracted by the city to house homeless Covid victims and this restaurant was closed since @2020 to the public. Fences and security were put up and those not registered to stay were turned away. Then, another remodeling was completed and the hotel opened back up in 2024 to show that all traces of Tiki decor had been removed from the premises, save some lava rock on some of the walls and some tiki railings.

This bar area wasn't terribly tiki before 2020, save for a few masks on the walls and some rattan furniture, but now it is totally bare of any tiki influence.

So, although you can visit the hotel now, as of 2024, it is essentially finished as a tiki point of interest, save for the memories.

Trader Mort's is a liquor store, in operation since 1964 when it was opened by Lance "Mort" Morton. It serves as a sort of gateway to tiki-heavy Shelter Island, where you can also find Humphrey's Half Moon Inn and Bali Hai Restaurant. This is a small liquor store, and the selection isn't fantastic, but its vintage feel makes it charming nonetheless. An iconic tiki outside at the corner was carved by Eli Hedley. The upstairs wine area is easy to miss, but features a few more tiki artifacts. The store has had their own tiki mugs for sale off and on over the years.

Humphrey's Half Moon Inn is a large hotel (two stories, 182 rooms) on Shelter Island, built in 1960 with Polynesian touches in accordance with the Harbor Department's requirement that all structures on the artificial island be Polynesian in appearance.

It is an upscale hotel, sporting a dramatic A-frame porte cochere and many well-maintained and unusual tikis throughout the grounds. In the summertime, Humphrey's plays host to national music acts during their very popular Humphrey's Concerts by the Bay series.

Humphrey's is one of several great vintage tiki locations on Shelter Island in San Diego, the others being Bali Hai Restaurant and Trader Mort's Liquor.

When Bali Hai first opened, it was called The Hut (1953-1954), and was a subsidiary of Christian's Hut in Newport Beach. The business didn't do well initially, until the manager Tom Ham took it over and renamed it Bali Hai. Atop the building, you can still see "the Goof," a funny-looking guy who was the mascot for Christian's Hut. Bali Hai developed their own mascot, Mr. Bali Hai, whose droopy-lidded face can be seen at the front door, and on the tiki mugs. Today, Bali Hai remains a popular Polynesian restaurant, with many fine examples of Polynesian art both indoors and out.

Bali Hai is located on Shelter Island in San Diego, along with Humphrey's Half Moon Inn and Trader Mort's Liquor.

Hula Beach was a store specializing in Hawaiian-style products and home furnishings. It closed in early 2010.

A local-music dive bar that served the SLC Ska/Punk set. There does not appear to be a connection with the Albuquerque Burt's Tiki Lounge. It closed in 2014.

Maleville's Coral Reef Lodge was next to the Coral Reef Restaurant. It was demolished in June 2002 to make way for a new County Department of Human Assistance building.