The Aku Aku was a Polynesian restaurant inside the Stardust Casino, at the north end of the Las Vegas strip. The restaurant opened in 1960, and closed in 1980. Some of the interior carvings were done by famed carver Edward Brownlee. The iconic moai statues that stood guard over the Aku Aku were carved by Eli Hedley (grandfather of Bamboo Ben). These statues became famous symbols not just for the restaurant or the Stardust Casino it resided in, but Las Vegas itself. One of these statues can be viewed today at Sunset Park in Las Vegas.

Started in the 1960s (1967?).

The Tikis was a massive entertainment complex, elaborately landscaped with tikis and volcanos, and featuring a Polynesian show. The Tikis could accommodate groups up to 1,500, and was able to entertain up to 3,000 people in one night.

The Tikis had caves, waterways, waterfalls, mermaids, an 80’ exploding volcano, 15 bars, up to 5 bands would perform each night, there was a petting zoo with exotic animals, and a handmade (!) roller coaster. Each night culminated in a Polynesian extravaganza and ended when a gorilla swooped down via a zip line, often knocking over guests’ beverages, and grabbed one of the maidens for a sacrifice.

Sometime after 1970, owner Danny Balsz divorced his wife, Doris Samson, and The Tikis closed in 1979.

Balsz attempted to recreate The Tikis in nearby Lake Elsinore, but he was never able to reopen.

Early menus and other items are labelled "120 Via Lola," which maps to the south face of the site rather than the east face. The Palm Springs location site dates back to at least 1941, but this Don's was opened there on March 2nd, 1953.

Frank Sinatra was a regular here, and was reportedly a big tipper, but also a demanding customer. He liked the Navy Grog.

Today, this same spot houses Bootlegger Tiki.

The now restored rooftop tiki torches from the old Don the Beachcomber's now form the logo for the adjacent Ernest Coffee Co., which opened in June 2014. The two entrepreneurs behind this independent coffeehouse, photographer Jaime Kowal and designer Chris Pardo, also paid tribute to the history of this site by calling it after Don the Beachcomber’s real name: Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt. (They also own neighboring bar Bootlegger Tiki, a nod to Don’s occupation before he essentially invented the tiki bar.)

Opened July 23rd, 1959 and was popular through the 1960s.

The Tiki-Jo was in the Miramar Hotel (now the Fairmont Miramar), and featured a tiki carved by Eli Hedley, grandfather of Bamboo Ben.

In 1961, the Thunderbird International Hotel was built at 525 N Sepulveda Boulevard, in El Segundo, California, just a few blocks south of Los Angeles International Airport.

Originally, it had a coffee shop, but a year after it opened, in 1962, they changed their mind and remodeled the coffee shop and re-opened it as the The Huki Lau.

A few years later, the Thunderbird International was sold and re-named the Hacienda. Along with this name change, The Huki Lau was re-named to the simpler "Tiki Hut".

Most recently, the Hacienda was split into two and completely redone, with the Aloft being formed from the south building and a Fairfield Inn formed from the north building.

There are no longer any signs of The Tiki Hut.

The Zombie Hut was a Hawaiian/Polynesian-themed restaurant, nightclub and Tiki bar located on Freeport Blvd. between Florin Road and Sutterville Road in Sacramento, California that originally opened in 1945 after the end of WWII and continuing for 45 years until its closing in 1990.

It was known for its dance entertainment, including the Samoan Fire Knife Dance and Slap Dance.

This location is now a strip mall.

This 2-story, 118 room motel was built in 1961. Designed by Armet and Davis.

Originally it had a bar/lounge called the "Tropics Room", now gone.

Formerly run as a Days Inn and as a Knights Inn, it was recently called the Clarion Pointe Fresno (as of 2021-2024). As of 2025, its future remains uncertain.

You can still see some rock tiki faces built into the rock wall in front and the signature wood tikis out by the pool area (as part of a bench). The interior appears to have been completely gutted and redesigned, however.

Harry "Sugie" Sugarman, manager of Grauman's Chinese Theater, opened his Tropics supper club on November 27th, 1935 at 421 North Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The Tropics was one of the earliest exotic theme bars in the Los Angeles area, with an interior decor consisting of bamboo and tropical foliage. The club's dance floor was located in the "Rain Room" which had a glass roof upon which tropical showers fell several times each night.

The Tropic's food menu consisted mostly of Chinese and American dishes with the specialty being Sugie's Indian Curry Chicken. Sugarman capitalized on his motion picture connections by naming exotic drinks in honor of the celebrities who frequented the Tropics (such as Shirley Temple -- shown below...although her signature mocktail is said to have been invented in the late 1930s by a bartender at Chasen's in Beverly Hills). A few of the celebrities and the drinks they inspired at The Tropics were Sonja Henie (Thin Ice), Lana Turner (Untamed), Caesar Romero (Deep Purple), Rita Hayworth (Karanga), Paulette Goddard (Captain Blood), Barbara Sanwyck (Papeete), Robert Taylor (Coquette), and Bette Davis (Samoa of Samoa).

The Tropics was purchased by Stephen Crane and renamed The Luau in 1953. The Luau was demolished in 1979 to make space for a Rodeo Drive shopping complex. In addition to his Beverly Hills club, Sugie also opened another Tropics club at Sunset and Vine in Hollywood.

Hula's Island Grill in Monterey started off initially in 1998 with more of a Hawaiiana/Surf feel, but has been deepening its tiki roots over the years, most notably with the addition of their Tiki Room. Carved masks and trim details by the artist Bosko are throughout the restaurant, and a very large Tiki Tony carving shares the space with much bamboo and Leeteg reproductions. The restaurant is enormously popular with locals, and has a very cozy, intimate feel. Traditional drinks include a proper Mai Tai, and Hula's has their own branded glassware and their own branded tiki mugs available (call ahead to make sure they are in stock).

In 2006, a second location opened up the coast in Santa Cruz. Then, Hula's Modern Tiki opened in Phoenix (2009-2018) followed by Hula's Modern locations in Scottsdale (2014) and High Street (2020). The first Hula's Modern Tiki in Phoenix re-located on Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 to a new location on Seventh Street north of Camelback Road, less than a mile away from the original.

This used to be Samoa Hut.

The Harbor Hut has been family owned and operated since 1951.

There is also a fish and chips take-out building on the property called "The Li'l Hut".

Their original outdoor tikis have deteriorated and they have replaced some of them with more modern carvings. One old standing rootball headed tiki has lost his body and just the head remains if you compare earlier to later photos below...

Opened 1963 and closed in 1980.

The Beachcomber was a Canadian chain of elaborate Polynesian restaurants in the same vein as other popular chains like Kon-Tiki, Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's. Other restaurants in the chain were located in Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria and Winnipeg.

The Beachcomber reportedly was owned by Zane Feldman, the original owner of the Edmonton Oilers hockey team.

It was razed in 1980, an office building now stands in its place.

Opened in 2003.

The Conga Lounge, situated above Cafe Rustica, was a small oasis. The cozy space was decorated with a variety of tropical trappings, but not exclusively Polynesian Pop. Co-owned by the same brothers who own Forbidden Island in Alameda, this was where they first cut their tiki bar teeth. The soundtrack included Exotica, and there was a small menu of food available. The Conga Lounge was also available for private party rentals.

Conga Lounge (and Cafe Rustica) closed at the end of February 2015.