Tiki Bars
High Roller Tiki Lounge - Copenhagen Drive - Solvang
Solvang, California, United States (Closed)
Established in 2016, High Roller Tiki Lounge was a tiki bar within Sort This Out Cellars' tasting room in downtown Solvang, California. All of the drinks served were variations on tropical drinks, using wine as the base instead of rum or other hard liquor. The space was thoroughly decorated with lauhala and tiki tchotchkes, and souvenir mugs were available.
Solvang was founded by a group of Danes who traveled west to establish a Danish community far from Midwestern winters. The city is home to a number of bakeries, restaurants, and merchants offering a taste of Denmark in California. The architecture of many of the façades and buildings reflects traditional Danish style. Additionally, since Solvang is in the heart of wine country, you can easily visit up to 20 different wine tasting rooms within walking distance of Sort This Out Cellars, so remember to pace yourself!
*NOTE: During July of 2020, High Roller re-located from 1636 Copenhagen Drive to 433 Alisal Rd. The new space features a large built-out performance area for live music - Club 433 - just off the patio and feet from the main bar.
The South Seas Cocktail Lounge - Battery Point
Battery Point, Tasmania, Australia (Closed)
The South Seas Cocktail Lounge opened in early 2015 on the waterfront in Hobart, on the Australia's island state of Tasmania.
The bar was small, and slightly tucked away, with windows blacked out (hooray!). Though small, space had plenty of tropical decor, including pieces by Witco and Bosko, and some large-scale quality tiki carvings. The focus was on quality classic tropical cocktails, and there was a large and growing rum selection.
Closed in 2018.
Lee's Tahitian
Richland, Washington, United States
Lee's Tahitian is an old Chinese/Polynesian restaurant in Richland. It opened in 1952 as Vina's Tahitian, became C & L Tahitian in 1956 (so named for its then-owners, Chin & Lee), and then became Lee's Tahitian when Lee bought out Chin in 1976. The restaurant changed ownership in 1996 and became a karaoke bar. Today it is admittedly downtrodden, but still has tons of beautiful history, starting with the dramatic neon signage that remains. Inside there are still traces of Polynesian decor, including some Witco pieces.
Jungle Outpost Gallery
Rapid City, South Dakota, United States
Jungle Outpost collects, buys, and sells tribal arts and crafts from around the world, but in particular they specialize in the art of Papua New Guinea. They have the largest selection of PNG art for sale in North America, with 2,000-3,000 pieces, both antique and contemporary. Most items are purchased directly from the tribesman artists in New Guinea, with whom they have developed close relationships over many decades.
They sell online and at trade shows, but they also have a storefront as part of Reptile Gardens, which is owned and operated by the same family. Reptile Gardens founder, Earl Brockelsby began travelling to Papua New Guinea and collecting its tribal art in the 1960s. Earls nephew Joe Maierhauser, current President and CEO of Reptile Gardens, has continued his uncles legacy of collecting PNG tribal art.
Luau Room - at Standiford Field - Louisville
Louisville, Kentucky, United States (Closed)
Luau Room was operated by Dobbs House, which owned a chain of airport concessions, and also a chain of Polynesian restaurants called Dobbs House Luau. This location opened in 1959. It was located in the terminal at Standiford Field, which today is the Louisville International Airport. The restaurant operated until 1983. When Dobbs House closed the restaurant, they sold the name and furnishings to Vern Ferguson, who relocated Luau Room near the University of Louisville.
Other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Lexington, and Houston.
Dobbs House Luau - Houston
Houston, Texas, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau was a chain of Polynesian restaurants throughout the south. This location opened in 1959 and lasted at least through 1964, but maybe not much longer. By 1971, it had been sold to Albert Gee and became the Poly-Asian West. (The addresses of the two locations are different: Dobbs House Luau was listed at 5200 Westheimer vs. Poly-Asian West at 5138 Westheimer. Either the address of the building changed, or they were actually two different places.)
Other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Lexington, and Louisville.
Dobbs House Luau - Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau was a chain of Polynesian restaurants throughout the south. This location opened in January 1960 in the Hotel Lafayette in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. Unlike other Dobbs House Luau locations, this one was sometimes advertised as the "Luau Room" or simply "Luau," only sometimes being referred to as "Dobbs House Luau." Later that same year, the hotel closed and became office space, it's not clear if or how long the restaurant remained after the hotel closure. The building still stands, around 1980 the building was purchased by the city to house government offices.
Other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Houston, and Louisville.
Dobbs House Luau - Maitland, Florida
Maitland, Florida, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau was a chain of Polynesian restaurants throughout the south. This location opened in 1960 or 1961. This is the Orlando location, Maitland is a suburb just north of Orlando. It operated at least through 1964, and had changed its name to Dobbs House Tiki sometime in the early 1960s. It was built on an acre-and-a-half of land, with elaborate decor at South US Highway 17 92 at Circle Drive.
Newspapers claim that the restaurant was built to seat at least 250 persons and would be staffed with 50.
Other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Lexington, Houston, and Louisville.
Dobbs House Luau - Miami
Miami, Florida, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau was a chain of Polynesian restaurants throughout the south in the late 1950s and into the 1960s. Very little information has been found about this specific location, but it is listed in menus and matchbooks from other locations at the time. A newspaper report on the development of the Dallas location in 1958 reported that work was to begin on the Miami location immediately after Dallas was complete. It was somewhere at the Miami International Airport, where Dobbs House had existing restaurant and concessions business.
Other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Atlanta, Memphis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Dallas, Orlando, Lexington, Houston, and Louisville.
Dobbs House Luau - Dallas
Dallas, Texas, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau opened at the Love Field airport in Dallas in the last week of November 1958. It was an early outpost of the then-new Dobbs House Luau chain, inspired by the Dobbs family's purchase of the Luau in Atlanta. Dobbs House was a chain of restaurants and hotel concessions, and already had the restaurant space in the airport. The family chose to re-theme some of their restaurants as Polynesian, including this one. Elaborate decor was installed, including many tikis, pufferfish, and water features. The restaurant operated successfully at Love Field until the Dallas-Fort Worth airport opened in 1974, which hurt business. The restaurant closed after 1974 (possibly as late as the 1980s), was temporarily a family entertainment space called "Llove" and has been used as office space for many years now. It was in the northwest corner of the mezzanine level.
Other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Memphis, Birmingham, Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, Lexington, Houston, and Louisville.
Dobbs House Luau - Charlotte
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau was open in Charlotte by at least 1965. The elaborate decor included water features.
The first Dobbs House Luau was in Atlanta, other Dobbs House Luau locations were in Memphis, Birmingham, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Lexington, Houston, and Louisville.
Dobbs House Luau - Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama, United States (Closed)
Dobbs House Luau was part of a chain of Polynesian restaurants throughout the south. This location was open by the early 1960s. The building has been demolished, but the fountain on the front lawn of the restaurant can still be seen today in the otherwise empty lot.
The original Dobbs House Luau location was in Atlanta, and there were also locations in Memphis, Charlotte, Dallas, Miami, Orlando, Lexington, Houston, and Louisville.