The Hawaiian Luau was located in The Fontainebleau Motor Hotel and opened on May 21st, 1963. It was known as a great place to enjoy an evening of Polynesian foods and exotic tropical drinks. The South Pacific motif featured tapa cloth from Samoa, Japanese net floats & peacock chairs. In Skipper Vince’s bar, you would find Idol images decorated with imported hapu tikis that were hand carved from giant ferns.

The Hawaiian Luau was a Polynesian paradise but the hotel also featured the Empire Room, The Chandelier Lounge and the Fontaine Coffee Shop.

The Fontainebleau Hotel opened on April 27th, 1959, just 4 years before the Hawaiian Luau. Its long name was treated to an equally long sign -- one of the largest illuminated signs in the city at the time -- spelled out in 8' tall blue & white letters.

The hotel was a key part of "The Miracle Mile," a bustling commercial thoroughfare that was the main route from Jefferson Parish into the city until the 1970s. That's when the expressway was built and the decline began.

The hotel was closed in the 1990s and Roland Von Kurnatowski converted the Fontainebleau to apartments and units that could be used for storage. A Burger King also sat on the lot.

Most recently, in December 2020, businessman Sidney Torres purchased the property. He said he plans to re-name the apartment complex Pelican Apartments and to open a drive-through chicken operation where the Burger King once operated to maintain the license while searching for a permanent tenant.

Bahi Hut was opened in 1954 by Bill Johnson, and remains a beloved neighborhood bar and local landmark. For many years it operated as more of a beer bar, although some tropical drinks were available.

In 2018 it underwent a grand restoration and by all accounts was quite successful.

Two new tiki poles grace the front exterior, Mai and Tai, carved by Jeff Chouinard.

They kept a couple of their previous cocktails on the menu (especially their version of a "mai tai" which was beloved by locals for being strong...even if considered unbalanced and inauthentic by most tikifiles used to Trader Vic standards) but have revamped the rest of their cocktail menu and have climbed back from being just a beer bar.

It is part of the Golden Host Resort, a vintage roadside motel.

Popular restaurant in the International Marketplace, owned by Hawaiian surfing legend Duke Kahanamoku. The restaurant hosted many regular musical acts, including Martin Denny and Don Ho.

*NOTE: Small standing menu below in last photo is signed by Zulu 5, the original Hawaii 5-O.

This location may be gone, but currently, as of 2021, there is also a Duke's chain of restaurants that carry on this tradition with 3 locations in the Hawaiian Islands -- Waikiki, Maui, and Kauai. They also have 3 on the Mainland -- Huntington Beach, La Jolla, and Malibu.

This classic Hawaiian hotel with striking views of Diamond Head near the beach of Waikiki was built in 1955 by famed American industrialist Henry J. Kaiser, and was originally named Kaiser's Hawaiian Village. The property began with a few buildings, but rapidly expanded, with soaring towers eventually contributing to Waikiki's skyline. The Rainbow Tower in particular is a local landmark. Kaiser also built a nearby geodesic dome auditorium, the Kaiser Aluminum Dome, where some Exotica classics were recorded. Martin Denny played regularly in the Shell Bar, and for a couple of years Arthur Lyman played here with him. Hilton purchased the hotel in 1961, and still owns it today.

There is currently no tiki bar here, but you can get tropical cocktails at the Tropics Bar & Grill.

*Original Cocktail Menu shown below.

This restaurant, along with Johnny's Tiki Hut in Salt Lake City, was owned by Johnny Quong.

The Hawaiian was Quong's masterpiece and it thrived from the mid 60s through the mid 80s.

Among other details, customers remember its periodic monsoon thunderstorm special effects.

While he owned the building, Quong didn't own the land underneath it. When his lease came up, he decided he needed to close it, due to health issues stemming from diabetes. The restaurant was eventually converted into a Veterans Of Foreign Wars hall.

The Beachcomber restaurant opened in July 1960, in the historic May Fair Hotel in Berkeley Square in Mayfair, London. It was created under the direction of the Danziger brothers Harry and Edward, American film producers who had moved to London and bought the hotel. The Beachcomber was the first introduction of the American Polynesian restaurant phenomenon to London, opening a few years before the London Trader Vic's. (The whole concept and name were nicked by the Butlin's chain of holiday camps for their Beachcomber Bars.) It was the apex of upscale themed dining, with rainstorms over a pond of caimans, parrots in and out of cages, and oceanic art all around. Storm and lighting effects added a theatrical feel to the space. Tableside flaming coffee grogs were served, and beautiful custom mugs, bowls and other serveware were used. The restaurant closed in 1985, and it was turned into the Crystal Room.

There is a modern-day bar in Notting Hill also called The Beachcomber, it has no connection to this historic restaurant.

Opened in 1962.

The interior featured tiki poles and shields, string lights, Christmas lights, printed fabric, Chinese dragons, bamboo and rattan accents, rainbow chunk resin swag lamps, fake flowers, plastic colored leis, and pufferfish lamps. Two outrigger canoes hung from the ceiling. In the front entrance there was a wishing well made from three giant clam shells.

There was a main dining area that seated about 60 people, with a small alcove in the northeast corner that had one table, and a secondary, smaller, separate dining area in the front of the building (to the left as you enter) that held probably another 16-20 people.

On the other side of the main dining area was a small bar, with enough seating for about eight people where you could order the restaurant’s signature cocktail offerings: Daiquiri, Mai Tai, Aloha Delight, South Sea Satellite, Tabu for Two, and Flaming Virgin, to name a few.

This location closed Fall 2020.

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.

Mai Tai, Excelsior's thatch-roofed Polynesian restaurant and bar, opened in 1978 and quickly became a hot spot around Lake Minnetonka.

The Mai Tai was founded by John Logan, former head chef at the Ambassador Hotel in St. Louis Park.

Fun was the main concern at Mai Tai, and the bartenders were able to mix about 30 different Polynesian drinks. The décor was decidedly tropical and included an outrigger canoe and a 200-foot waterfall. In a May 1984 interview, some of the restaurant's founders said they had 12 varieties of seafood flown in daily along with fresh orchids from Hawaii that were placed on the tables.

Live music was part of the appeal, as was the varied menu. Dinner specials one night included a dish of beef, shrimp and scallops, veal cordon bleu and chicken kiev. Fashion shows and classic boat shows also brought in customers. With the popularity came parking problems and in 1986 a trolley service was started so customers who had to park far away could easily get to the restaurant.

Throughout most of the 1980s, Mai Tai was the go-to spot for many people, including young adults who were fond of the varied drink menu. Hangovers weren't the only headaches caused by the excessive drinking, and some city officials and residents viewed the establishment as a nuisance.

The Mai Tai closed in 1989.

As of 2021 the property was in transition. It had been home to the Bayside Grill which closed in 2017 and then appeared to have been leased out as office space to Asystec and possibly others.

As of 2024, the space is now known as the Bayview Event Center & Charter Cruises.

Opened March of 1970.

The Kohala Mauna Restaurant was devoted to Polynesian and Chinese foods and operated by the Lee family.

This family was experienced as chefs and Chinese restaurant operators in the Boston area. With no previous Burlington connections, the family drove around looking for another location for a restaurant, after selling one in Leominster, MA. They found the former Cobb's location vacant and made inquiry about the site. The restaurant was completely redecorated with Polynesian and Chinese accents. It seated about 125, with parking for 75 cars. There were separate luncheon and dinner menus.

This location is now a Denny's.

The Newport Yacht Club isn't remotely tiki -- but it does have a pretty righteous tiki out front. This monster tiki stands about 12' high, and used to be in the backyard of someone who lived nearby. It was later donated to the neighborhood, and stands proudly on the lawn in front of the yacht club, guarding the tennis courts. The tiki was carved out of what must have been one very large piece of wood; when viewed from the back, it appears it may have been carved from just one portion of a massive trunk. Markings at the base indicated that it was carved by "E. Marcus Westby, Lilliwaup, Washington, 1968." A bronze plaque at the base indicates it was donated by the David Bauer family.

Hawaiian Gardens Resort was a large complex on the shores of Oahu Lake in Holly, Michigan. It was created by Fred and Jane Barton, who were inspired by their travels to Hawaii and New Zealand. Both Hawaiian and Maori imagery were used throughout the resort.

The resort had some dramatic and very modern shapes, including a geodesic dome and irregular angles, plus some A-frame structures. The entrance featured a stylized outrigger canoe full of rowers, and several Barney West-style moais on top. The architect was James H. Livingston Associates.

Aside from hotel rooms, the complex had several restaurants and lounges. The Huki Lau Restaurant "tried to capture the true effect of Polynesia," per the restaurant's menu. The Polynesian Longhouse had full table service and advertised "individually cooked" meals. The Kahili Room served buffet-style food inside the geodesic dome and was available for private rentals. Waitoma Grotto Lounge had rock walls, and "glow worms" in the ceiling, inspired by a visit to an actual glow worm infested grotto cave in New Zealand. The Banyan Court had lots of tropical plants, and windows overlooking Lake Oahu. The Banyan Court itself contained three sub-rooms: the Tahitian Room, Samoan Room, and Hawaiian Room, plus the Monu Chief House, with a 50-foot high skylight.

At some point the resort closed, and the buildings were used as a rehab facility. The buildings were bulldozed sometime in the mid-2000s.

There is a "Hawaiian Gardens" mobile home park on the other side of Lake Oahu, with Hawaiian street names. It is unclear what relationship existed, if any, with the former resort.