The Imperial Luau was part of the Harris Imperial.

It opened in 1959 and was 20,000 square feet in size.

The stone was supplied from Cuba for the wall treatment in the Kon Tiki Lounge and the American style grill room. Germany supplied the antiqued gold mirrors which covered the entire 2-story front section of the building. Japanese craftsmen built seven bamboo panels for the Polynesian dining room in the Imperial House. Each panel was 6' by 8' with 18-inch sections of bamboo cut to give the impression of various sized circles. The bar was entirely of stained cypress wood.

James B. Kirby was the builder.

At one time this restaurant was the most popular restaurant in the area (45 minutes north of Miami).

Luckily, several of the floor to ceiling tikis were salvaged by local collectors before it was torn down. There were 10 in the restaurant and Max’s South Seas Hideaway in Grand Rapids, Michigan has three of them. The first two guard the entrance to their Atomic Lounge bar and a third is mounted on the wall in the Atomic. A fourth one resides at the Tabu Tiki Room, the home bar of Duke and Amy Carter.

The Imperial Luau appears on page 24 of Sven Kirsten’s “The Book of Tiki.”

The Mai-Kai is perhaps the last of the grand Polynesian palaces still operating from when tiki was at its peak in the late '50s and early '60s. That the Mai-Kai not only still exists today, but is vibrant and thriving, is something we should all be very grateful for but not take for granted.

The Mai-Kai was opened December 28th, 1956 by two brothers from Chicago, Bob and Jack Thornton, in an age when roadside attractions were springing up all over Florida; eventually Bob took over the business. Like many of these attractions, the Mai-Kai grew over time to be quite a spectacle -- it includes eight dining rooms, a bar that on its own would stand as perhaps the best tiki bar in the world, tropical gardens with walking paths and waterfalls, a stage in the center to showcase the Polynesian floor show, and of course, a gift shop.

Today, experiencing the Mai-Kai is much as it was in the '60s. The experience begins as you listen to the wooden slat bridge you drive over to reach the porte cochere and valets. As you enter the restaurant, you are greeted by an elegant maitre'd. Be sure to bring some singles when you visit the restroom, as the bathroom has attendants on hand to assist you. The Mai-Kai's manager is Kern Mattei, who took over the position from his father.

When you're drinking at the Mai-Kai, you're drinking tiki history. The bar program here was created by legendary bartender Mariano Licudine, who came from the Don the Beachcomber in Chicago, and brought Don the Beachcomber drinks with him.

Bob and Jack have passed away, and the restaurant is now run by Bob's wife Mirielle. Bob met Mirielle when she joined the Mai-Kai as a Tahitian dancer, and still today she runs the Mai-Kai's Polynesian revue. As new dances are added to the show, Mirielle first visits the island where the dance originates to ensure it will be performed properly and will be blessed by its people. All dining rooms overlook the popular show, and dinner reservations are recommended.

The enchanting nature of the female form is something that is celebrated throughout Polynesian pop, but perhaps nowhere quite so extensively as the Mai-Kai. The beautiful waitresses to this day are attired in bikini tops and wraparound sarongs. For many years, a Mai-Kai calendar was offered featuring the many beautiful women of the Mai-Kai. This worship reaches its zenith with the Mystery Drink, delivered by the Mystery Girl, an experience that must be witnessed to be fully appreciated, so I will not describe it here, but rather urge you to visit the Mai-Kai yourself and order one.

In February 2015, the Mai-Kai was added to the National Register of Historic Places.

At the end of October 2020, the Mai-Kai announced what was hoped to be a temporary closure because of flooding and damage caused by heavy rains. This damage proved to be more extensive and the costs of repair more prohibitive than expected. Eventually, on January 21st, 2020, the Mai-Kai announced that it was making the business available for acquisition or joint-venture development.

On September 28th, 2021, the Mai-Kai made public that after considering numerous interested parties, the Thornton family agreed to a new joint venture with the Barlington Group, a South Florida-based real estate investment and development company focused on growing unique and eclectic legacy businesses that give their communities character, and Mad Room Hospitality, the proprietors of iconic establishments such as Ball and Chain, Los Altos and Taquerias El Mexicano.

The long close since 2020 ended with the Mai-Kai having an exclusive "Preview Opening" for select groups on November 15th, 2024. November 21st, 2024 marked the general opening and reinstatement of their dinner show performances.

During the four years the restaurant was closed due to water damage, it underwent a $20 plus million remake and re-imagination.

Perhaps the flashiest addition is a glowing 20-foot-high caldera fashioned from cement that has lights to replicate the lava glow and water jets to make the lava flow.

It also has a new Bora Bora bar, located under the port cochere, which was lovingly refurbished to look like the original. A faux bamboo finish was applied to metal supports and Marquesan-style artwork was added to the beams.

And the service bar, where all the hidden magic happened, is now visible through a window in the gift shop!

Additionally, they have re-vamped the menu (see below) with some new additions. They are also introducing some new mug designs to celebrate the opening.

Kahiki Supper Club is a legend in the tiki world a massive polynesian palace in the frozen land of Columbus, Ohio. Kahiki founders Bill Sapp and Lee Henry started work on the Kahiki after their bar, the Grass Shack, burned down on this site in 1959. The Kahiki opened February 20th, 1961 and closed August 25th, 2000. The Kahiki's building was a classic example of midcentury Polynesian pop architecture, and was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Despite this, Walgreen's purchased the building and bulldozed it. The Kahiki company now is focused on selling a line of frozen foods.

Some of the interior decor had been stored in a warehouse, and there was talk of the restaurant reopening in a new location. The potential for that seems to have ended: some of the decor was installed in the frozen food factory; the Kahiki's last owner, Michael Tsao, has died; and many of the remaining artifacts appear to have been sold at auctions.

In 2006, former employees opened a new restaurant in a strip mall in nearby Hilliard, called Tropical Bistro. It didn't have the Kahiki's grand looks (much of the decor came from the space's earlier, typical Chinese buffet incarnation), but the food and drink recipes remained the same, and drinks were served in tiki mugs. The Tropical Bistro closed also in 2008, however.

This location has a unique circular structure that reminds many of the Don the Beachcomber "Flying Saucer" locations (such as in Dallas and Marina del Rey).

From Hawaii Cinco Cero:

"A bridge over a stream and a breathtaking waterfall are the elements at our main entrance that’ll take you to an exotic and sophisticated facsimile of the Hawaiian Islands. Founded in 1982, Hawaii Five-O restaurant opens its doors to offer the most exquisite tastes to those demanding palates, with its delicious and varied dishes.

Our world-class menu will invite you to try the best dishes and wine for the most demanding connoisseur, with five chefs and six different cuisines and styles including: seafood, grill, Japanese, Chinese, regional (Mexican) and contemporary fusion. Offering a wide variety of lobster preparation and our famous dish ‘Paradise Shrimp’, cuts of flank steak, and the traditional Rib-Eye Five-O (Certified Angus Beef), or a dish of our famous oriental cuisine such as sushi or teppanyaki, or our delicious seafood tacos and our famous Mexican entries.

A combination of raw materials, such as bamboo, palms, and crystal, create a scene, complemented with vegetation and exotic flowers that invite you to a gastronomic paradise. A combination of objects, traditional utensils, masks, and crafts dress the restaurant’s walls to give you a taste of the Hawaiian paradise islands. Atmosphere, color, culture and high cuisine, make Hawaii Five O create a unique place in Monterrey.

We also have a different option for our guests located on the lower level of our facilities, an extension called Aloha Sushi Bar & Lounge."

The Federal Hotel opened August 31, 1957 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Kontiki appears to have been an original restaurant that opened on or around the same time.

When it was built, The Federal Hotel was the tallest and most impressive building in the area, constructed to accommodate international guests for the Independence Day celebrations.

Initially a 9 story building with 90 guest rooms, it was later adapted to become a 21 story building with 450 rooms and a revolving restaurant at the top.

Kontiki is located on the mezzanine floor. The mezzanine section appears to have a traditional Malay style multiple pitched roof -- so the exterior does stand apart with its design aesthetic. However, it is NOT the hotel's currently showcased fine dining restaurant.

Rather, after its extensive remodeling (circa 2014?), the Kontiki is an impressive buffet style restaurant with huge selections of BBQ, seafood, desserts, and more.

The huge open-design dining area has some rattan furniture, but little else that calls to mind Polynesian decor or design. However, the exterior entrance is flanked by two large tikis and within the threshold are an additional 5 tiki pillars that have been painted a bright and cheerful yellow.

They do not appear to have a bar or cocktail menu, even though at one time the earlier version of the Kontiki issued swizzle sticks and probably did serve cocktails.

Today the hotel has an Irish Pub, and various other restaurants to cater to different interests. So, the Kontiki does not try to be all-inclusive or compete with the revolving restaurant's amazing views. It does seem to excel at being a buffet restaurant, however.

Opened in 2002.

This brightly colored bar features tropical birds and serves drinks in tiki mugs.

This bar has no cocktail menu, but you order the "cocktail of the day" and they serve you from a pre-mix.

Soft opening on March 9th and official opening on March 13th, 2024.

Occupies the site formerly inhabited by the Zebra Room.

The Hula Hula Room decor is dark and cozy, walls lined with tropical wallpaper framed by lots of lauhala matting and bamboo. Well-lit with colored lighting and aiming for a classic tiki bar feel and look.

Formerly at Park Avenue in Tustin, they moved locations to Newport Avenue and re-opened with a sneak preview on May 16th, 2023 and did their grand re-opening on June 6th, 2023.

This appears to be a much roomier space.

Opened January 21st, 2023.

Owner Michael Richardson is a longtime tiki bartender and co-author of the Frankie's Tiki Room (Las Vegas) cocktail book, “Liquid Vacation.” Chef Mike Lutz helms the kitchen, serving Hawaiian-inspired dishes.

Interior design was done by Bamboo Ben.

April 19th, 2025, the building was sold and rumors about the bar closing spread quickly. Still waiting on the final word to see if this bar will continue or shutter its doors for good.

The Tapa Room was a small tiki bar with tapa cloth and tikis covering its walls. It opened in 1971 and closed about 1989. The location is now a gay bar, San Diego Eagle.

The Tahitian Room was a Polynesian-themed restaurant and bar in the U.S. Grant Hotel's northern annex that opened in 1960. It closed 10 years later and the annex was demolished and replaced with a parking lot.

Opened in 1960.

The Luau copied its name, logo and much of its menu from The Luau of Beverly Hills, but it's unclear whether there was any formal connection.

Closed in 1966.