Soft Opening on November 3rd and Grand Opening on November 5th, 2025.

Formerly the home of Mediterraneo and Brews Hall near the city’s popular Pier Plaza.

Owner Patrick Mescall employed several well-known tiki artisans, including Tiki tOny, to create tiki poles and decor for the new venue. Tony did over 60 carvings, including table lamps, bar decorations, and wall decorations.

Interior design completed by the Davis Ink Team.

Most notable is their use of actual lava rock on the exterior and interior walls and the over 125 different colored lanterns hanging from the ceiling.

Mescall is a longtime hospitality operator in the South Bay area, with several bars and restaurants already under his ownership. These include Eat at Joe’s, The Hula Hula Room, The Sportsman’s Bar, The Bounty Room, The Sly Fox Irish Pub, Paddy O’Brien’s Irish Pub, and Torrance Tavern.

The famous publishing magnate, William Randolph Hearst, is associated with the Hearst Castle in San Simeon. However, there is another famous piece of property that was associated with the Hearst family and this was originally purchased by Hearst's father, the miner turned millionaire, George Hearst. This other property was located forty miles east of San Francisco where George had a hunting lodge. After his death in 1891, his widow, Phoebe, added to the property and turned it into one of her homes. When she passed in 1919, William kept the place, but then moved many of the antiques to his home at the Hearst Castle. William then sold the property in 1924.

Around 1940, the 500 acre property was remade as a dude ranch, called the Old Hearst Ranch. It was always full and even had its own radio show called "The Dude Ranch Breakfast".

Most people think of dude ranches as a phenomenon where city folks from back East would travel to Western ranches on vacation where they could dress up and play cowboy. At these ranches, Easterners could participate in horseback riding, fly fishing, wilderness pack trips, hunting and helping with ranch activities alongside career cowboys.

However, at the peak of the dude ranch craze, many of these locations were far more than just ranches and were, in fact, multi-themed resorts that offered a variety of different vacation entertainments. This helped to provide something for spouses or family members that weren't as interested in traditional ranch activities and made for a more diverse vacation destination. The Old Hearst Ranch really promoted the tropical vacation aspect of vacation life and held regular luaus with tropically themed live entertainment and lavish dinners. They also had a huge swimming pool and visitors could spend their entire vacation going back and forth from the pool, to the Hawaiian Room, then partake of luaus held on the "Palm Patio", before heading back to their guest rooms -- all without ever going near a horse stable.

The Old Hearst Ranch's pre-tiki Hawaiian Dining Room was as well-appointed as any Hawaiian themed location in the mainland USA at the time. They usually served evening meals and were known for live entertainment and a hors d'oeuvre buffet line (or "relish" bar) that served various snacks and appetizers in wood Hawaiian monkey-pod dishes -- luau style. In postcards and photos, there can also be seen a large bamboo framed print of Frank Macintosh's "The Fruit Harvest" (1938) with its beautiful watercolor hula girls, which is commonly associated with cruise ship menu covers from that era. Brochures show they had Hawaiian themed murals done by Diego Rivera, depicting luaus as well.

Sold again, in 1952, the Old Hearst Ranch went through a few more owners but is today a country club, known as The Club at Castlewood.

Established in 1971, the museum is one of few U.S. institutions dedicated to the arts and culture of Asia and the Pacific Islands, serving the city of Los Angeles and the Greater Southern California region. The museum’s mission is to further intercultural understanding through the arts of Asia and the Pacific Islands.

In 2013, University of Southern California partnered with the museum to form USC Pacific Asia Museum. The affiliation broadened the community that benefits from the museum’s role as a vital resource for education and cultural heritage, and expanded the audience interested in a dialogue about art, history and culture.

Support from the museum’s constituent communities has enabled the collection to grow to more than 15,000 objects, spanning more than five thousand years and the region extending from Persia to the Pacific Islands. The museum fulfills its mission by organizing and presenting exhibitions, performances, lectures, classes, workshops, and festivals, all drawing on the arts and cultures of Asia and the Pacific Islands. These programs provide quality arts programming and education to children and families, ensuring greater access to the arts for area residents and nurturing new audiences.

In its brief history, the museum has organized and presented a number of groundbreaking exhibitions, including the first North American exhibitions of contemporary Chinese art after the Revolution and the first exhibition of Aboriginal art in the United States. Exhibitions originated by the museum have traveled across the country and to Japan. The museum is also committed to scholarship and has produced more than 50 exhibition catalogues.

The Island Shop was located in the center of the historic shopping Arcade in Ojai, California.

Circa 1960s.

They advertised: "Colorful, exotic gifts from far-away places. Bamboo and rattan furniture of rare decorator char. Ladies apparel to fit this background. Southern California's most unique shop. Also, pet and patio supplies and COMPLETE SPORTS SHOP."

Run by Claudia and Doug Jordan.

Opened in early 1957, this pre-tiki nightclub is associated with one of the most notorious Southern California mob murders from the era.

The same year as the nightclub's opening, on March 9, 1957, Leslie Simpson was robbed at the South Seas, by a small group of gun-toting outlaws. Simpson was able to identify Joseph “Little Caesar” Rosoto as one of the bandits – because of Rosoto’s distinctive limp.

Rosoto was later charged with the armed robbery of Simpson at the South Seas bar, and his trial was set for April 20, 1959.

Rosoto, a known mobster, was not about to go down on a robbery beef. The little (5-foot-1) gangster hired his bodyguard, John “The Big Fisherman” Vlahovich (6-foot-7), and Donald Glen Franklin, a burly loner, to murder Simpson to keep him off the witness stand.

Leslie Simpson was returning with his wife, Fern, to their Anaheim home early one morning (February 7, 1959) when out of darkness came a menacing figure.

A shotgun-wielding assailant ended Simpson’s life with a blast from close range. Fern saved herself by throwing up her arms to protect herself, but both of her hands were blown off.

It was a headline-making case from the beginning, but when Anaheim police detectives discovered the sinister motive for gunning down the 46-year-old Simpson, it became one of the most notorious cases in Orange County history.

With the star witness dead, Rosoto was eventually acquitted of the robbery charge.

However, Rosoto was in bigger trouble. Rosoto, Vlahovich and Franklin were arrested for Simpson’s murder. In 1960, the trio was convicted and sentenced to death.

They were once just 20 minutes from execution in 1964, but a last-hour reprieve saved their lives. Eventually their sentences were commuted to life in prison. All three were paroled in 1975 after serving only 16 years for first-degree murder.

In 1978, Rosoto was bludgeoned to death at his home in San Gabriel. No one was ever charged...

...and in the meantime, the South Seas survived, at least for a time, purchased by Viviane Laird who was already known for her other locations like the Garden of Allah, Bohemia, and The Brass Rail.

It closed not long after, though.

Opened in February 2024.

In 2020, branding & design specialist John-Patrick approached Shag with the concept of The Shag House. They would find a Midcentury home in need of rescue and transform it into a Palm Springs experience like no one has ever seen before. Shag would design the look of the house and its furnishings, and JP would connect all the dots, pulling together a dream team of Makers and supply partners.

The wheels began turning in Shag’s mind, and he immediately said he was in. Initial sketches were soon underway, and JP set off in search of a property where they could execute their ambitious vision.

JP and realtor Morgan Janney found what they were looking for in a tired but much-loved house perched on the edge of Prescott Preserve—a recently established 120-acre nature preserve on the site of the former Mesquite Golf Course.

The residence we now know as The Shag House was constructed in the Little Beverly Hills neighborhood of Palm Springs in 1958. It was designed by midcentury modern “starchitects” Palmer & Krisel, and built by the famed Alexander Construction Company.

The house appeared on the real estate market in spring of 2021. Prompted by Shag and JP, Palm Springs businessman and philanthropist Brandon McBurney purchased the property and renovation work began in earnest shortly after.

From the very beginning, the artist Shag had one charge: to wildly reimagine the 1958 home so that future visitors would feel as though they’ve climbed into a life-size version of one of his paintings.

He went to work creating illustrations for every area of the property, making sure that each room and outdoor space was a distinctive work of art. As the Creative Director and Lead Designer of The Shag House, he made all the design decisions. Colors, textures, tiles, furnishings, fixtures… from top to bottom, the property’s aesthetic is totally Shag!

With its bold midcentury design, vibrant ambiance, and commitment to community, The Shag House has quickly become one of Palm Springs' most distinctive and sought-after event venues.

This stunning 4-bedroom, 3-bath midcentury modern estate was built for entertaining. The thoughtfully planned layout includes: a symposium courtyard, poolside bar and grill, interior service bar, deluxe catering alley for seamless hospitality, and an all-tiki themed bedroom.

November 24, 2021 was Tiki Underground’s last call in its previous Hudson location. The bar moved to this new space at 1832 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 in September of 2022.

“The far side is the side of the volcano the ship ran aground, and the other side is the ship itself,” says co-owner Sean Coffey (Jessie Coffey is the other co-owner).

Arched wooden beams and portholes showing fish at the National Aquarium create the illusion of the design by “Doktor” Bill Lynn, an artist and Kahuna Kings drummer who has played the bar. Lynn made a molten concrete wall with skulls to emulate volcanic rock that backs the thatch roof-covered bar. And a hallway becomes the jungle with hanging plants and a giant skull with glowing red eyes.

“The idea for any tiki bar is escapism,” says Coffey. “You lose track of time. That’s the idea of forgetting about your troubles.”

Tiki Underground tells stories of the tiki movement through gallery-worthy memorabilia, including a large wooden tiki from Cleveland’s former Kon Tiki.

The Mokhana Bar was located in Kokee Lodge at the top of Waimea Canyon, on Kauai.

It has long since been remodeled and no traces of the bar remain, although Kokee Lodge is still running.

The bar had Leeteg paintings on the walls, carved tikis, and served drinks out of coconuts.

Opened in 1970. This is one of those cases where a site is not closed or fallen into disrepair, but for the interested tikiphile, there's not much here worth checking out.

Oriental Gardens is a typical Chinese restaurant today but at one time it was adorned with tikis, thatched roofs and authentic looking decor.

The only thing apparently left from its tiki heyday is the rock pond/fountain as seen below in vintage photos...and a lengthy tropical cocktail menu still in effect.

It's located in a strip mall, has a small lounge and a decent size dining area. They also have a separate conference/party room. It looks as though it was remodeled around 2000 or so and doesn't really show any signs of neglect. If you are looking for a decent Chinese restaurant or tropical beverage and are in the area, it could be worth a look, but don't expect to see any tiki decor.

*NOTE: Cocktail menu is current as of 2022.

Because of her nearby homes, they called the coastal area in this part of Waikīkī Queen’s Surf Beach.

Queen’s Surf was built in 1914 as a private home across from Kapiolani Park on the Diamond Head end of Waikiki Beach.

During WWII, the house was used for military retreats and other military uses. Admiral Nimitz, General Douglas McArthur and staffs spent time there.

It was acquired by the city of Honolulu around 1946 and leased to Spencecliff Corporation which operated it as the hugely popular Queen’s Surf Restaurant and Nightclub.

Sterling Edwin Kilohana Mossman (February 3, 1920 to February 21, 1986) headlined at its upstairs Barefoot Bar. A man as versatile as he was talented, literally led a double life. A detective with the Honolulu Police Department during the day, after dark he was one of Hawaiʻi’s most popular entertainers. His diversified careers earned him the nickname “Hula Cop”.

The Barefoot Bar was ground zero for this new brand of local comedy. Mossman was the ringleader, along with the likes of Lucky Luck, a zany radio personality, and Kent Bowman, known as KK Kaumanua. They told stories, sang songs and, when a celebrity from the Mainland happened to come by (and they did a lot), they became part of the show.

Another attraction at the Barefoot Bar was Varoa Tiki or "Tiki" (also known as Shirley Kaluahine Piliwale). She was a well-known entertainer during the 50's, 60's and 70's. She performed with many music legends like Tony Bennett, Don Ho, the Kent Ghirard's Hula Troupe where where she danced with the Ray Kinney show at the Royal Hawaiian. She appeared with Frank Sinatra, Jack Benny, Andy Williams, Jack Parr and the Vagabonds. She performed as a "one women show" on the Princess Line Tour ships and took the first all-girl show on tour to the orient as Varoa Tiki and the Tikis. She played more than twenty instruments, sang in sixteen languages. She yodeled in three styles and brought the art of whistling back to the stage.

Despite the wealth of talent on display, the business ran into trouble...

The site was closed down in 1969 by Honolulu Mayor Frank Fasi in a lease dispute and demolished in 1971.

Today it is home to a public park.

Opened in January 2020.

This is a very sparsely decorated location without the large carvings and layers that you would expect from old school locations like Trader Vics. They do have some jungle monkey and hula girl wallpapered accent walls, some rattan furniture, and a few rattan ceiling fans. However, the peach-painted exterior, poured concrete bartop, and simple white globe lights in the front windows could call to mind any of hundreds of other differently themed gastropubs around the country.

Drinks are served in appropriate glassware or in generic tiki mugs and their drink menu offers an equal distribution of classics, signature cocktails, and machine-blended slushie drinks. They also have an extensive catalogue of rums and other spirits.

Their food menu offers fried chicken sandwiches, spam, and hots dogs among other things.

By all accounts their food and drinks are on point (and although the Pickle Painkiller is questionable, the restaurant's owner is Jacob Hadjigeorgis, the man behind Upper West Side’s wildly popular southern comfort food restaurant Jacob’s Pickles, so it gets a pass). Despite the interior theming leaving a bit to be desired, it's still a very pleasant place to spend an hour or two in the city.

Dragon Seed opened for business in April 1949 and closed July 1993.

The name probably came from a contemporary novel of the same name by Pearl S. Buck first published in 1942. The book describes the lives of Chinese peasants in a village outside Nanjing, China, immediately prior to and during the Japanese invasion in 1937. The story was adapted for the big screen in 1944, starring Katherine Hepburn in a whitewashed role as "Jade".

It was a very popular Chinese and Tiki fusion restaurant. There were beaded curtains and a wishing well. You could order Mai Tais and Zombies, which were served in tiki mugs with fruit garnishes and paper umbrellas, and they had a pu-pu platter.

It was also a favorite restaurant of Louis Armstrong and his wife, Lucille. The neighbor kids would go there while he was eating and ask for autographs and he would oblige them, but sometimes his food got cold so he would just eat the fortune cookies and when he got home his wife would make him a Dagwood sandwich.

After closing in 1993 the tiki decor persisted a surprisingly long time, especially a couple of moai outside the front door which were brought inside at some point and then disappeared prior to the last remodeling in 2017.

Since 2017, this location is Raices Colombianas, a Colombian restaurant.