Opened in 1999 by owner-chef Tony Di Lembo.

The interior featured leopard skin patterned booths, a map of the Pacific Ocean on the dining room floor, and there was one small tiki at the entrance.

This location is currently (as of 2021) home to Mercado Mexican Restaurant.

This famous little bar is a Los Angeles institution and was opened on April 28th, 1961 by Ray Buhen. It is now owned and operated by Ray's son Mike Buhen and grandson Mike Buhen, Jr.

The Tiki-Ti drink menu has over 80 drinks. These recipes are closely guarded family secrets. There are plenty of classic cocktails on the menu, but many of the drinks are the creation of Ray or his son or grandson. One of Ray's creations, Blood & Sand, is named for the Tyrone Power bullfighting film by the same name, and as it is being mixed the bar's patrons call out "Toro, Toro!" Mike or Mike will happily take the time to ask you a few questions and guide you to a drink you're sure to like.

On Wednesdays, a tribute is made to Ray (who passed in 2001) -- a bell is rung five times, and the whole bar stops what they're doing to toast to Ray.

For decades, Tiki-Ti was owner-operated, with no employees, making it one of the very few places in California that could allow smoking. In June 2015, the Buhens hired their very first employee, longtime regular Greg Bansuelo, to help behind the bar. Smoking is no longer permitted at Tiki-Ti.

The Buhens close the bar when they go on vacation; be sure to check the Tiki-Ti website's calendar to make sure they are open before you stop by. Tiki-Ti is extremely small (just 12 barstools and 5 tables), and is incredibly popular so if you don't like crowds, be sure to get there right as it opens, preferably on a Wednesday. Be sure to bring plenty cash as they don't accept credit cards (although this might have changed recently?). There is an ATM in the back, but it charges a hefty fee and is sometimes hard to reach when the place is packed.

In 2021, during the downtime from the Covid closure, the front of the interior bar was given a facelift by Anders Anderson (A-Frame) with bamboo fronting and diamond-shaped panels decorated with tapa cloth and carved tiki masks. Anders previously had donated a traditional swag lamp or two as well.

The "East Indies Room" was the original name of this space at the Java Lanes bowling alley when it was built in 1958. Over the years, business at Java Lanes cooled somewhat, but enjoyed a revitalization in the ’90s when the East Indies Room with its space-tropical vibe was re-branded as the "Lava Lounge". Mark DiPiazza reactivated Java Lanes’ long-dormant entertainment license and put together years of high-energy music shows in the Lava Lounge, nurturing tons of local bands and playing host to touring acts like Weezer, Rocket From The Crypt and Lit, who filmed the video for their hit “My Own Worst Enemy” at Java Lanes.

The Java Lanes and Lava Lounge were demolished in 2004 to make way for new development.

Built @1979-1980.

After the original The Tikis in Monterey Park closed, owner Danny Balsz attempted to reopen at this new location in Lake Elsinore with some of his old set pieces and tikis at the newly built-out location, but it never happened. It is now a paintball park, Jungle Island; all the landscaping and (now paint-splattered) rock formations remain, but the tikis are long gone.

The Tropics was purchased by Stephen Crane and renamed The Luau for its opening on July 25th, 1953. This was Crane's original restaurant; after the success of the Luau, he eventually went on to open the popular Kon-Tiki chain of Polynesian restaurants.

Steve Crane's Luau was one of the Hollywood/Beverly Hills restaurants (along with Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's) that established Polynesian cuisine (and more importantly drinks) as de rigueur in the 1950s and '60s. The Luau produced some of the most beautiful and highly desired serveware objects (designed by Gabe Florian) to come out of midcentury Polynesian restaurants.

The Luau was demolished in 1979 to make space for a Rodeo Drive shopping complex.

There is no connection between this historic restaurant and a newer restaurant that briefly operated with the same name in Beverly Hills.

Lava Lounge opened in December 1993. This non-traditional tiki bar in a tiny strip mall in Hollywood attracted a steady flow of hipsters. Appropriate to the name, the interior had lava-dark walls, with a smoke-heaving, water-dripping wall in the rear, and pin-point lights across the ceiling. The design was sleek, with a heavy use of bamboo and Oceanic Arts lighting. There were a few tikis near the front. Live music was often featured here, almost always of the non-tiki-friendly variety. Tropical drinks were served, but not in tiki mugs. Lava Lounge closed in February 2007.

Large family restaurant in Glendale, with a bar in the rear. This is Damon's second location; the original was opened in 1937 at 118 S. Central Avenue in Glendale, and this location, at 317 N. Brand, opened in 1980. A short list of tropical drinks is offered, and food sticks to old-school, meaty classics. The food quality improved a bit with the arrival of a new owner and chef in 2004. The decor is more on the elegant end of Polynesian Pop, with lots of bamboo and beautiful painted murals (painted in 1987 by Bettina Rakita Byrne in the style of Eugene Savage), and lighting comes from a number of different styles of traditional Poly-Pop light fixtures. In 2014, Bamboo Ben was brought in to do a "tune-up" of the decor, with some fresh thatch, tapa cloth, and bamboo and rope repair work. In the past, it has been targeted by the city of Glendale for an "update" of its facade, but that danger seems to have passed.

Opened July 11th, 1961.

Tahitian Village was a large, upscale motel complex designed by Armet and Davis, with decor provided by Oceanic Arts. The complex included a large restaurant and bar with music, dancing and a Polynesian floor show. The Apollo spacecraft development and construction happened nearby, and the Tahitian Village was a frequent destination for those working the project; Apollo astronauts were housed there.

After Tahitian Village closed, it became La Zona Rosa, a Mexican nightclub.

The building fell into extreme disrepair and was so squalid by 1995, that they were writing news articles about how something needed to be done about the location. It was finally razed in 2000 to make way for a strip mall.

Formed around 2003, House of Tiki was owned by Wes Johnson, and sold new merchandise, including aloha wear, tiki mugs, home decor, and of course tikis. A tiki-themed coffee shop, Hot Lava Java, was opened in the space adjacent to House of Tiki in late summer 2006.

In December 2008, House of Tiki moved to a new location in the same area.

Opened in 1958.

At its peak, under the proprietorship of Dick Stoeffler, Kona Lanes was one of the most successful bowling alleys in the country, open 24 hours, with 40 lanes and a lounge (The Outrigger) which hosted musical acts. Over the years the business declined, and eventually Henry Segerstrom, owner of the property, wanted to redevelop it into something that would generate more money -- a Kohl's. After nearly 50 years in operation, Kona Lanes closed in May 2003, and was demolished in late June of that year.

Kona Lanes had a large, double-sided neon sign; fortunately the American Sign Museum in Ohio was able to acquire the sign before demolition, thanks to a rescue and donation by Donco Signs of Anaheim.

Ironically, the Kohl's was never built due to community resistance. The lot was vacant for many years before a new 55+, senior-living complex, Azulón at Mesa Verde, located at 1500 Mesa Verde Drive East, opened on the site in 2014.

Opened August 11th, 1955.

This Trader Vic's was located in the Beverly Hilton and until 2004 was owned by Merv Griffin -- the hallway between the hotel and the restaurant was lined with blown-up black & white photos of Griffin with various celebrities from the 70s and 80s. It was originally called The Traders. Its location at the edge of Beverly Hills attracted some of the vintage set of celebrities. For instance, Hugh Hefner visited Trader Vic's with a group of Playmates in a photo below.

The Beverly Hills Trader Vic's last day of business was on April 29, 2007. After 50-plus years of operation, this Los Angeles institution was closed, to make way for the development of a tower of condos or hotel rooms.

A few bits of the restaurant were moved to a bar near the pool area, which was called Trader Vic's Lounge, and served Trader Vic's drinks. However, Trader Vic's Lounge closed at the end of January 2017.

Many items from the Trader Vic's location went up for auction on July 12th, 2024 through Julien's Auctions at https://www.juliensauctions.com/en/auctions/tiki-paradise-546

Opened in 1964. This was one of a small franchise chain of fast food tiki restaurants.

They served non-alcoholic tiki bowls and drinks.

There was also a Pasadena location at 325 Rosemead that opened in 1968 and lasted through at least 1970.

And there was a third location in North Hollywood.