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.”

Closed in 1990.

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. Whether you relax in the main hall or the Molokai Bar or one of the other sections of the restaurant, you are sure to find just the right atmosphere to suit your mood.

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.

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.

The C'est Bon opened in May 1966 and for a while was Park City's only hotel. It was sold in September 1978 to the Sweetwater group, who turned the building into condominiums, later expanding with additions to the sides and back. The complex is Sweetwater Lift Lodge Resort today, with the renovated C'est Bon portion taking up the Empire Avenue façade.

From a vintage postcard:

"The C'est Bon Hotel and Convention Center, nestled at the foot of Treasure Mountains, in the picturesque old mining town of Park City, Utah. Offering the finest in hospitality and superb service. Featuring the Outrigger Lounge and Beach Boy Restaurant, which are must stops on your skiing or summer vacation."

It appears their restaurant did change over the years. For a time it was "The Mandarin".

Among other entertainments, they also had exotic dancers. The best known was Shirley Price, known as “The Duchess”, who arrived in Park City in the 1960s after leaving Hawaii and Las Vegas, and made the town her home and stage. She performed her illustrious act at the C’est Bon and the Ore Haus (which stood at 1410 Empire Avenue). She was so popular that famous actors, especially Chuck Connors from the TV series “The Rifleman”, and children’s book author Shel Silverstein, came to Park City just to see her dance.

Opened in 1962.

The Kon Tiki restaurant in the convention center Norway Trade Fairs was the country's first exotic - or overall "foreign" restaurant - and made quite a colourful splash in the bleak, still rather poor post-war country. The Kon Tiki museum had just opened in the same area of Oslo and Thor Heyerdahl had generously given his blessing to use the name on the new eatery.

The design for the interior was done by Erik Hesselberg, artist, navigator and crew member on the expedition. Hesselberg was the one that had created the famous mask for the big sail on the raft and thus created one of Tiki's most famous logos.

The walls were covered in bamboo. There were peacock chairs by every table. A palm was brought into the room and an artificial stream ran through it. Adjacent to the restaurant there was the Safari Bar, serving cocktails in "an African environment".

The menu consisted of rather traditional Norwegian plates, spiffed up with exotic juices and tastes: Duck marinated roasted in peanut oil with plum sauce. Flounder served with grapes, bananas, oranges, and pineapple.

Norway had not seen anything quite like it. "The Kon Tiki is alone worth the whole convention center", Aftenposten wrote the day after the opening.

It lasted until around 1970, when the bar sort of devoured the restaurant and turned into a disco called the Safari Club. Some of the original interior was kept, but all was lost during a fire in 1984.

This complex was located on the South side of McDowell, just West of 68th St., and included Polynesian Paradise condominiums (built in 1962), The Polynesian Dairy Queen (built in 1964), and The Polynesian Plaza (built in 1964).

The Polynesian Paradise condominiums were built in 1962 by Kaufman and Broad. The condominiums are located just to the South of the Polynesian Dairy Queen, which (along with the rest of the Polynesian Plaza) was built by Haver & Nunn two years after Polynesian Paradise. Based on historic aerials, there was a street entrance to Polynesian Paradise that went right by the Polynesian Dairy Queen. The mall and condos were demolished in the 1990s.

The former Dairy Queen was referred to as the Polynesian Dairy Queen in phone books at that time. It originally had a thatched roof reaching 42' in height. It was open for about 20 years, closing in the mid 80s. After its incarnation as a Dairy Queen, this building housed an Enterprise Rent-A-Car for many years but it was left vacant since 2009. In 2014, the building was put to use as office space for Scottsdale RV. In 2019, the building was dismantled. The A-frame structure was recreated at a different location in 2022 for Oliver's restaurant (still open as of 2025 and shown in last photo below). Some of the rocks were used from the previous location.

Opened in 1872, the Metropolitan Museum (the MET) moved to its present-day building at 1000 Fifth Avenue in 1880.

This entry is concerned with the Michael C. Rockefeller Wing's Oceania Exhibition. Named after Nelson A. Rockefeller's son, Michael C. Rockefeller, who joined the Harvard-Peabody New Guinea Expedition to the Baliem Valley in western New Guinea and made his first collecting trip to the Asmat region in 1961. He passed away while on a second collecting trip to the Asmat later that year. It was originally reported that Rockefeller either drowned or was attacked by an animal, such as a shark or saltwater crocodile. His boat was an estimated 12 nmi (22 km; 14 mi) from the shore when Rockefeller made the attempt to swim to safety, supporting the theory that he died from exposure, exhaustion or drowning. However, because headhunting and cannibalism were still present in some areas of Asmat in 1961 (but are said to have died out probably as early as the 1970s and definitely by the 1990s), there has also been widespread speculation based around local testimony that Rockefeller was killed and eaten by tribespeople from the Asmat village of Otsjanep.

This speculation is certainly not covered in the museum, in what is a carefully curated and respectful tribute to the art and history of the region.

From The Met website:

"The Met’s Arts of Oceania galleries returned in May 2025, in a reimagined Michael C. Rockefeller Wing. Following a multiyear renovation, the new galleries feature over 650 stellar works from the Museum’s remarkable collection of Oceanic art, drawn from over 140 distinct cultures in a region of astonishing diversity that covers almost one-third of the earth’s surface and continues to capture the global imagination. These include monumental artworks from the large island of New Guinea and the coastal archipelagos that stretch beyond its shores to the north, central, and eastern Pacific, as well as the two neighboring regions of Australia and Island Southeast Asia, whose Indigenous communities all share a common ancestry. Exceptional artworks guide visitors through a wealth of stories relating to origins, initiation, and ancestral power and include some of the greatest achievements of Oceania’s visual artists: elaborately carved ancestral figures from ceremonial houses and spectacular ritual regalia, such as towering slit drums, crocodile reliquaries, and dazzling turtle shell masks from the coastal regions.

Designed by the architect Kulapat Yantrasast of the firm WHY Architecture and Beyer, Blinder, Belle Architects LLP, in collaboration with The Met’s Design Department, the new Arts of Oceania galleries are organized around a stunning new diagonal trajectory through The Michael C. Rockefeller Wing that reintroduces The Met’s iconic collection in sensationally appointed galleries filled with natural light for a new generation of visitors. The reinstallation is organized according to island groups in a new layout designed to foreground ancestral connections and Indigenous temporalities, offering perspectives on art that reach deep into Oceania’s past while also acknowledging its ongoing manifestations in the present. Voyaging and the arts of navigation are an important feature, with exquisitely carved spirit canoes, decorated canoe prows and paddles, and a navigational chart from the coral atolls of the northern Pacific evoking the extraordinary story of voyaging—both literal and metaphorical—across the vast landscape of Oceania.

Freshly energized written and digital narratives placed throughout the galleries elevate Indigenous voices, foreground the latest developments in interdisciplinary scholarship, and emphasize the continued creativity of Oceania’s Indigenous artists through the lenses of global history, compelling storytelling, and Pacific oratory and performance. This extensive range of digital offerings is envisaged as a constellation of Pacific voices—artists, poets, performers, writers, scholars, and cultural practitioners—presenting evocative and engaging entry points for access and inspiring visitors to understand the collections on a more profound level, guided by the insights of Islanders and community members."

The Jungle Bird was originally a welcome drink for guests at the Aviary Bar at the Kuala Lumpur Hilton in Malaysia on its opening day in 1973. It remained a staple on their menu for decades.

It was the first five-star hotel in Kuala Lumpur, so employees of the hotel were highly regarded. The original staff remembered if there were police roadblocks, they only had to show their work IDs and they would be immediately waved off- that's the level of respect the community had for the hotel.

One of the main attractions of this incredible hotel was the Aviary Bar. Travel guides marveled, "Others may prefer something more Malaysian; in the Aviary Bar you may have your drink amidst lush tropical foliage and an aviary of exotic jungle birds. Live entertainment is furnished by a jazz quartet, a trio, or a solo singer."

The original Hilton Kuala Lumpur, at Jalan Sultan Ismail, was a landmark building designed by BEP Akitek. It was renowned for its unique multi-level lobby and Minangkabau roof designs. This iconic property was demolished after Hilton ended its management agreement in 2001, moving to the new KL Sentral location in 2004.

Like other cocktails created according to the theme of their host bar, the Jungle Bird referred to the birds that you could see from inside The Aviary Bar. The Jungle Bird was also famous for its unique glassware, as the cocktail was served in a bird shaped ceramic glass with a pineapple garnish. Sadly, none survived the later destruction of the hotel in 2013 and it was assumed most were stolen before the demolition took place. The new KL. Hilton, however, kept the cocktail that the original hotel made famous... Just not the ceramic glasses!

Recipe: 1 1/2 ounces dark Jamaican rum, 3/4 ounce Campari, 1 1/2 ounces pineapple juice, 1/2 ounce fresh squeezed lime juice , 1/2 ounce simple syrup, Pineapple wedge and leaves for garnish with Maraschino cherry.

Variant recipes abound, but a quick sub for those who do not like the cocktail as bitter as the original specs is to use 4 oz of pineapple juice instead of 1 1/2 oz. Those who like the original specs will, of course, consider this an abomination.

Hamilton Pot Still Black seems to have become the default Jamaican Rum for this recipe in recent years, but many Jamaican rums have been used.

According to Jeff Berry, when the recipe called for 'dark Jamaican rum', the most likely candidate would have been the classic molasses and caramel-heavy Myers's Original Dark, which would have been the easy choice in the 1970s.

The Jungle Bird, since its rediscovery, has been embraced by the craft cocktail community and today stands as both a modern classic and as well as the national cocktail of Malaysia.

The Aviary Bar was a tiki adjacent bar in its original incarnation with foliage and birds lending a tropical aspect, and though not full-tiki, deserves an honorable mention for this cocktail and influence on later generations.

There are many bars today named "The Jungle Bird" (a tiki bar in Sacramento, a tiki bar in San Juan, and a craft cocktail bar in New York for example), owed in no small part to this one cocktail.

The modern Aviary Bar in the new Kuala Lumpur Hilton on Sentral still serves this signature drink today. There are no birds and (as far as I can tell) no foliage in this newer, sleek, and generic dark hotel bar. However, the cocktail legacy continues.

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.

Owned by Patrick Mescall, a longtime hospitality operator in the South Bay area, with several bars and restaurants already under his ownership. These include the Tiki Kai, 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 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.