Opened October 4th, 2024.

This bar’s space used to be occupied by Nacho Daddy, which relocated just north to 121 North 4th Street while its team ventures into the tropical with Glitter Gulch Tiki. The name “Glitter Gulch” has been absent from downtown Las Vegas since the Topless Girls of Glitter Gulch club closed in 2016. Glitter Gulch, the decades-old nickname for the sparkly stretch of downtown, earns its way into this tiki bar with elements of neon in the ceiling and glitter in the tables.

Bamboo Ben and Son did an outstanding job on the build-out on this bar with all the traditional bamboo, thatching, and tiki carvings.

With a 90-person capacity, the venue boasts beachy lounge areas, a centerpiece bar, and a dance floor accompanied by a stage for live music.

A standout visual element also includes tiki window wraps by local artist Shawn Gatlin, also known as You Killed Me First.

There are also a huge number of mugs on display, especially from Tiki Farm.

The Inter-Island Resorts' Kauai Surf Hotel - at Kalapaki Beach - Kauai opened on July 1st, 1960.

Kauai Surf is still with us, in another incarnation and after all these decades, it is still one of the most popular Hawaiian destinations. It was bought by Westin in 1985, completely overhauled (to the tune of $22 million) and reopened in 1987 as the Kauai Westin. Out went the tikis and in came an over the top pan-Asian motif! They added dozens of Asian statues, some small, some huge, still scattered across the hotel's incredible 51 acres. What was the Kauai Surf's pond and gardens, became the Westin's swimming pool, the biggest in the state, measuring 26,000 square feet of water surface and 210 feet in diameter. Barely out of debt, the hotel was devastated by Hurricane Iniki in 1992 and stood vacant until 1995, when the property was purchased by Marriott.

It then became the Kauai Marriott Resort and Beach Club. Remodeled yet again, Marriott replaced most of the Westin's Asian art with Hawaiian art. As mentioned above, many of the Asian statues still remain. But the overall decor is now Polynesian. Throughout the hotel's common areas are dozens of exhibits of shark-tooth weapons, hula instruments and drums and Kapa cloth (a couple of pieces dating back to the 18th century) and all the art is of pre-colonized Hawaii. Bright tropical patterns characterize the newly reupholstered restaurant and lobby furniture. The new lobby area rugs also have tropical themed patterns. Overall you will definitely feel that you are in a Hawaiian resort.

The mid-century furniture and swings are gone, and most of the original Tikis are history, except for 3 carvings on the beach, but the rooms still look basically the same.

The Planter's Lounge is now Duke's Canoe Club, the main restaurant and bar at the resort.

Throughout these remodels, they never tore down or altered the basic structure of the original Kauai Surf. A new tower has been added, flanking the pool, but the original towers still remain, seemingly untouched!

The hotel with which Marriott's Kauai Beach Club shares a campus has changed management and been re-branded as the Royal Sonesta Kauai Resort Lihue Hotel effective March 24, 2021.

The first Teddy's Bigger Burgers opened in 1998.

While you’ll get great burgers (etc) at any of the Teddy’s locations spread out between Oahu and Maui (they have around 11 island locations and counting as of 2024) this Teddy’s located along Kamehameha Highway in Haleiwa is a unique one. Part tiki bar, part burger joint, this Teddy’s opened in 2015 and takes the cake as being the best of their locations.

Their decor is highly Instagrammable, thanks in-part to the touches of local artisan and carver, Gecko, of South Sea Arts. The food holds up to Teddy’s superior burger standards, and their shakes are the bees knees (order the Pineapple shake!), while the bar itself is a great place to congregate with the locals to watch the game and talk story. This ain’t your typical burger joint.

Opened in September of 2016.

This bar describes itself as a "Tropical leisure cocktail bar located in the heart of La Placita de Santurce."

They serve tiki and tropical cocktails with a rum focus, and use a variety of tiki mugs.

Like many recent bars, the decor is lightly tropical but not immersive with tiki carvings and artwork in the way that Trader Vics and Don the Beachcomber set the standards with -- and probably why they do not use the "Tiki" label for themselves, preferring to focus on the cocktails.

However there is at least one actual wood tiki carving in the outside patio area and the overall ambience is dimly lit and inviting, sure to attract tiki aficionados who might be in the area and thirsty for a crafted beverage.

Opened in April of 2023.

This is more of a tropical bar than a tiki bar.

Without "Tiki" in the name, there is nothing in the decor to support the "tikiness" of the venue. It would be equally at home in Mexico or Jamaica or the Caribbean.

Palapa thatched umbrellas designate seating areas and there are runners of palm thatching around the top and bottom of the bar which look like they could be quickly torn down in an afternoon if the Frenchman Hotel decided its Patio needed a re-fresh and a different theme.

One corner has some tropical wallpaper and a few large tropical flower prints. There are no tiki carvings or Polynesian artworks.

And, the stark concrete floor, large exposed brick walls, and black-painted industrial metal ceiling are at odds with the rest of the decor.

Despite this, they have a very good menu of tropical and tiki cocktails and have drawn high praise for the quality of their cocktails, created by Patrick Williams, VP of operations and innovation for Angevin & Co., which owns the hotel and bar.

Opened August 15th, 2023.

From Owen McGrath, who previously opened The Shot Cellar, also on Foch Street, in 2019; and Michele Kettle, his business partner at ShipWreck & The Shot Cellar, who also owns a cocktail bar in Midland called The Buffalo Nickel.

Premise: "Serving new and re-imagined Tiki Cocktails for our re-telling of the great adventures of Captain Jeffrey Alexander on the immersive eternal Jade Island."

This bar has a definite slant toward pirate and nautical but plenty of tiki details as well.

It is a large space and they use quite a bit of video projection on walls and ceiling. They also use audio for different drinks and scenarios for an immersive effect that must be experienced in person to be truly appreciated.

They also have an extensive menu of cocktails, with stories behind each one, and interactive puzzles to be solved which can unlock drinks for the persistent explorer!

Opened in 1965.

The Islander in Westport, Washington, was a premier marina front destination for fishermen, surfers and beach goers alike. With wonderful views of the fishing fleet of the Westport Marina, the Olympic Mountains, the vast Pacific Ocean and an awesome surf spot, the Islander was a favored getaway.

It was during the 60s that the motel advertised a dining room & coffee shop, 31 ocean view units, a large heated pool, and a Bamboo Room with dancing. See vintage flyer below...

In other ephemera and on swizzle sticks the Bamboo Room is called a "Tiki Room".

At some point this Bamboo/Tiki Room was remodeled...and all signs of tiki removed...

Neddie Rose Farrington, a legend in Westport, ruled the Marina from The Islander Resort for many decades, overseeing dozens of charter boat captains, countless fishermen, and many a wayward Karaoke superstar. When Neddie was ready to retire in 2004, she turned to a local land developer who was giving his best shot at updating Westport's tourist economy. The restaurant was remodeled and given a new name "The Half Moon Bay Bar and Grill" and the site underwent design and permitting to be redeveloped into a boutique hotel project. In 2008, the project was placed on hold when the regional, national, and world economic markets went into a tailspin.

The Islander was purchased in 2015 and re-opened in March 2017, under the same original name.

However, a fire in April of 2020 caused around $250,000 damage to the site.

After re-building and re-modeling, the site was re-christened as the Saltwater Inn and is currently in operation as of 2025.

This restaurant was open at least as early as 1975 (see dated black & white photo background) in Landing, New Jersey.

Landing is an unincorporated community and census-designated place in Roxbury Township, Morris County, New Jersey, United States.

The restaurant billed itself as a Chinese and Polynesian Restaurant and had a separate cocktail lounge that can be seen in one of the color photos below.

The dining rooms were decorated with dozens of hand-carved wooden Filipino Ifugao tribal masks, fake palm trees, and a large tribal shield in one corner.

Today, the shopping center is still standing, but many of the storefronts are vacant.

This Kahunaville was one location in a nationwide chain of restaurants.

It was located in Wilmington, Delaware from 1995 - November 27th, 2006.

Like the others in the chain, this restaurant featured a synchronized water fountain show, waterfalls, caves, talking idols, a sophisticated sound system, an arcade, and a variety of tropical drinks. Their eclectic food menu featured about 90 items, which included "Kahunaville-sized" sandwiches, salads and entrees with American, Mexican, Cajun and Asian influences.

This location was well known for its 65' volcano outside which was visible for far around. It was also a well-known dance club location which was fine in the early days, but after later condos and residential development, the new neighbors complained about the noise and traffic from the still-thriving nightclub.

The parent company of Kahunaville, Adventure Dining Inc., once operated nine nationwide locations, including homes in Delaware, Massachusetts, New York, Ohio, Michigan and Tampa. The Las Vegas, Nevada "Party Bar" (2001-2016) was their last holdout before the chain folded.

This type of corporate chain typifies what many tikiphiles dislike most about corporatizing the Tiki aesthetic -- bending the decor more towards a Chucky Cheese buildout (or perhaps Rainforest Cafe if one is being kind) with cheaply molded and cartoony fiberglass and plastic decorations in primary colors, dumbing down the cocktails of Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic into chemical-tasting slushy boat drinks (but served with "flair"), offering a big scattershot food menu in hopes of appealing to every American tourist palate, and supplying loud video games and animatronics to entertain the kids. For those that grew up with these, there is some nostalgia, but they were not terribly mourned by fans of traditional tiki bars and restaurants.

This Wilmington, Delaware location was closed by the owner for several reasons, not the least of which was the death of his father which caused him to prioritize things differently. The space remained vacant for a bit and a fire broke out, causing some damage.

Later, the space was became home to the Delaware Children's Museum, which is still in operation as of 2025.

Opened in 1972 under the ownership of David Tallichet with a Polynesian vibe and cuisine as well as a panoramic patio overlooking the City of Miami.

The overall impression of the place was dark and cozy with a mostly nautical vibe accented with some tiki touches. It featured rough hewn dark wood boards, nautical rope, some small carved tikis throughout, fishing nets, lit glass fish floats, strands of cork floats, shell lamps and pebble lamps, lauhala matting, and some brightly colored Orchids of Hawaii lamps.

The original menu featured favorites like a teriyaki-glazed sirloin steak, Chicken Kona Kai (grilled chicken served in a pineapple with sweet and sour sauce), and Cherries Jubilee (simmered cherries, vanilla ice cream, and Chantilly liquor).

Beyond its views and fare, Rusty Pelican gained even more notoriety after being featured in the 1980 blockbuster Caddyshack, starring Bill Murray and Chevy Chase.

In 1984, however, disaster struck and the restaurant burned to the ground. It was rebuilt and re-opened in 1987 with a large second floor space, but other than the added space, it appears they tried to rebuild along the same theme.

Then in 2011, all the tiki decorative elements went away in a brand new remodel...

The restaurant reopened in December of 2011 after a five-month, $7 million top to bottom renovation. Additions to the massive restaurant included a swanky cocktail bar; floor-to-ceiling bay windows; outdoor tables flanked by fire pits; a glass-enclosed wine corridor, mid-century style furniture, wood paneling and cushioned booths creating a Mad Men vibe.

Today, the venue is associated with weddings and other events that can make use of its floor space and fantastic views.

Although no longer tiki in its decor, they have been known to serve tropical drinks in tiki mugs from time to time as can be seen below...

This is the first Tropics restaurant opened by Peaches & Tony Guerrero. They also operated The Tropics at Ala Moana.

Tony Guerrero was an "Island Boy". In the 1930's he went to Hollywood and acted in several movies. While there he meet the beautiful Peaches Jackson, who was pursuing her career in the movies. Tony co-owned his first bar/restaurant, the Hawaiian Hut, in Hollywood. When he sold it they moved to Hawaii. In 1940 they bought a waffle place and made it into the first Tropics restaurant (at Waikiki).

It was situated opposite the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The Tropics at Waikiki flourished and became an institution for visiting Hollywood stars to hang out at. It was eventually renamed "The World Famous Tropics at Waikiki".

This grand pre-tiki establishment was decorated with tons of bamboo, thatch, greenery, and art -- including an Edgar Leeteg black velvet painting (as can be seen in postcard photos -- see background image and below).

Local legend also states that the first ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) agreement for sugar workers was signed by flashlight at night on top of a garbage can in the alley in back of the Waikiki Tropics.

In 1952, Peaches and Tony went to Paris to study at the Cordon Bleu, opening a second restaurant upon their return to Hawaii, the Tropics Ala Moana. This restaurant was as successful as the Tropics and the special house dressing became so much in demand that it was eventually bottled and to this day, Tropics Salad Dressings are popular on the West Coast and of course, in Hawaii, where they are made.

Dates are unsure for the close of The Tropics at Waikiki (still in business as late as 1955) but it became the Royal Lanai by the early 1960s.

The Tropics Ala Moana closed in 1958.

Tony died in 1985 and Peaches in 2002.

This is the second Tropics restaurant opened by Peaches & Tony Guerrero. They also operated The Tropics at Waikiki.

Tony Guerrero was an "Island Boy". In the 1930's he went to Hollywood and acted in several movies. While there he meet the beautiful Peaches Jackson, who was pursuing her career in the movies. Tony co-owned his first bar/restaurant, the Hawaiian Hut, in Hollywood. When he sold it they moved to Hawaii. In 1940 they bought a waffle place and made it into the first Tropics restaurant (at Waikiki).

It was situated opposite the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The Tropics at Waikiki flourished and became an institution for visiting Hollywood stars to hang out at. It was eventually renamed "The World Famous Tropics at Waikiki".

In 1952, Peaches and Tony went to Paris to study at the Cordon Bleu, opening this second restaurant upon their return to Hawaii, the Tropics Ala Moana. This restaurant was as successful as the Tropics and the special house dressing became so much in demand that it was eventually bottled and to this day, Tropics Salad Dressings are popular on the West Coast and of course, in Hawaii, where they are made.

Dates are unsure for the close of The Tropics at Waikiki (still in business as late as 1955) but it became the Royal Lanai by the early 1960s.

This Ala Moana location existed until 1958 when the property was bulldozed to make room for the Ala Moana Shopping Center.

Why the Ala Moana location chose a wolf in an Aloha print cabana set as their mascot is unknown, but it was undoubtedly some sort of inside joke. This was, after all, pre-tiki times and the tiki iconography had not caught hold as the default for most mascots and advertising.

Tony died in 1985 and Peaches in 2002.