Turtle Bay opened its doors in May 1972 as Del Webb’s Kuilima Resort Hotel and Country Club. The hotel boasted 443 ocean view rooms and a golf course. Webb was inspired by the name of the area the hotel sits on called Kuilima. In the Hawaiian language kui lima means "joining hands".

The former owner of the New York Yankees opened the resort with none other than Bob Hope as the headliner.

Webb had the vision of making Kuilima the first casino in Hawaii, however a bill that would make gambling legal that he anticipated passing died.

The resort took the Turtle Bay name officially in 1983. However, locals called the area Turtle Bay before then because turtles commonly feed in the bay.

Over the years what hasn’t changed is Turtle Bay’s untouched coastline, expansive grounds and legendary surfing. The resort rests on 1,300 acres of paradise. It is home to the stunning Kawela Bay, Kuilima Farm and the most northern tip on the island of Oahu, Kahuku Point.

The splendor of Turtle Bay has drawn Hollywood to its shores over the past 5 decades. More than 150 movies, TV shows and series have been filmed at Turtle Bay including Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Hawaii Five-0 and Jumanji - Welcome to the Jungle.

In April 2020, the hotel closed to the public in the wake of the COVID19 pandemic. Owners used the down time to completely transform Turtle Bay from the inside out with world renowned designer Dianna Wong and the architects of WCIT Architecture leading the charge.

*NOTE: It does not appear that the three tikis that stood outside in the 70s are still in place, although with all the remodeling it is possible that there may be new Polynesian art and decor somewhere on the grounds.

Opened April 17th, 2023 in what used to be the Genting Palace Lounge.

The idea, apparently, was that the Genting Palace Restaurant was too formal and intimidating for their lounge to see casual traffic from people not interested in dining, so they separated it from the restaurant and made it a more inviting and slightly more casual space.

There was a very light re-model of the old lounge which already had a bit of an exotic Asian vibe. Tiki masks were added, along with some standing surfboards and an impressively lit wall of mugs that appear to have all been sourced from BarConic or some other inexpensive tiki mug wholesaler.

Beverage Director Will Cahow insists that The Golden Monkey, which takes its name from the golden monkey statue that has sat on the bar since the venue opened in 2021, shares no association with the similarly named Golden Tiki. “We want to be a little different,” he says.

The Golden Monkey lists 50 types of rum behind the bar and 20 cocktails on their menu, which you can check out below.

Opened November 19th, 2015 by Glen Hoyer and Lisa Diblasio.

Located in the Tequesta Fashion Mall.

This store stocks a wide assortment of tiki and tropical fashion and decor, including carvings, mugs, shirts, jewelry, paintings, books, and much more...

Opened in November 2019 by Neal Warner and his brother Paul Warner in partnership with Love Handle’s Chris and Ally Benedyk and Flatland Kitchen designers Eric and Rebekah Nolan.

This is yet another newer bar that eschews the title of "Tiki Bar" but reaches deeply into the genre/category, borrowing much of its atmosphere and, of course, its drinks. The owners prefer to call Strange Bird a "Rum Bar" or "Landlocked Exotica" and acknowledge the tiki-leanings but state that they have purposefully kept things a bit more spare with what they consider "cleaner" and more "minimalist lines".

While there may be no tiki carvings on display, there is a ton of lauhala matting behind the backbar which is overseen by a taxidermied wild boar who looks like he would be right at home at a Hawaiian luau. Some contrasting walls are wall-papered in a large banana leaf print. Nearby booths are bordered with variated bamboo. The roof is blanketed with loose thatch panels that give a nice hut-like feel. Fish trap lamps, and round capiz shell lamps give plenty of mood lighting. This is contrasted with white painted boards on the front of the bar and white modern barstools, but this use of white calls to mind not so much a spare modern aesthetic as it does the sides of a white-painted boat's hull, and plays off all the nautical rope looped about.

On 11/18/22, Esotico Miami opened a speakeasy adjacent space, the Kaona Room, which was accessible through either Esotico's interior secret door (until they closed in 2024) or through an exterior secret door beneath next door's Caribbean Water Supply (now the remaining entrance). The Kaona Room is traditional tiki with its decor, and was always more than just overflow seating for Esotico. It is an entirely separate bar. For more on Esotico Miami, please see separate listing.

From Kaona Room:

"Hiding behind a discrete, unassuming entryway on a side street in Miamis Arts & Entertainment District awaits an unrivaled cocktail experience. Miamis newest secret and secluded tiki getaway, The Kaona Room bar and lounge.

Designed as a modern-day speakeasy with a twist a speaky-tiki - The Kaona Room employs traditional Polynesian elements interlaced with seductive details and jazz club vibes, transporting guests on a two-hour vacation to paradise. The space is comfortable, fun, and most importantly, private, only allowing up to 45 guests at a time.

Conceptualized by Graspa Group partner Daniele Dalla Pola, The Kaona Room will proudly feature remarkably classic and contemporary exotic cocktails, lite bites, as well as live entertainment, every single night. The lounge offers intimate dining for large parties, corporate events, and select group menus available upon request.

Guests can expect to feel like they are on an authentic and rum-soaked Polynesian excursion when visiting.... that is, if they know where to find the fun."

Opened October 15th, 2022.

There are two distinct Trader Vic's spaces at the Palm Jumeirah property including a Trader Vic’s restaurant and bar and a Tahitian Village beach club.

The Trader Vic's Restaurant is modern and sleek, lined with an impressive row of carved tikis upon entering and a massive bar with a huge chandelier overhead.

Unique features include a concrete wall in the dining area with hundreds of glass fish floats embedded in it and lit from the other side.

The Tahitian Village is an outdoor space overlooking the beach and features resort-style relaxed food and beverages including frozen Tiki Puka Pukas. Throughout the day guests have access to a fresh fruit bar and as the sun sets, the venue hosts international DJs and more.

Opened @2021.

This space was formerly RamaPong (ramen and ping pong) but switched it up during the pandemic and while they still served ramen, their theme became tropical/goth with a full menu of tiki cocktails (both traditional and originals) served in tiki mugs.

The decor was a bit minimalistic without the layers of Polynesian carvings and artwork you might see at older classical tiki bars, but it was dark and well-lit with mood lighting and they had lots of skeletons and fake foliage as well as some netting on the ceiling and some bamboo/reed fencing wrapped around the main bar.

Closed October 3rd, 2023.

Opened March 30th, 2017.

Navy Strength is a proto-tiki, tropical, and travel-influenced cocktail bar with a full kitchen.

Just to elaborate on ""proto-tiki" -- their decor is minimalistic without the layers of tiki carvings and art you might find at more traditional tiki establishments. They do not claim to be a tiki bar, but certainly tiki influenced. They do use tiki mugs and there are some small carvings and pieces throughout.

The ceiling and adjacent walls do have lots of variated wood planking that puts one in mind of a ship's hull, however, and looking about, you'll spot lengths and coils of ship's rope that makes it seem like you are embarking on some sort of naval voyage. A definite nautical bent as the bar's name would imply.

Their food and drink menu does rotate to some extent, to highlight different countries around the world, so depending on when you visit, you may have very different options. There does appear to be a standard cocktail menu (see below) of tiki favorites, however.

Drinks and food from 4 PM until 12 AM. Closed Sundays and Mondays.

Like many popular nightspots of the day, Leon and Eddie's began as a speakeasy. In its case it started in 1928, in the basement of a converted house at 18 West 52nd (for a $700 investment) and could take as many as 30 customers at a time.

They later moved across the street to 33 W. 52nd after the end of Prohibition in 1933. Their new quarters had a retractable roof, rising stage and room for 475 customers. This retractable roof allowed air flow in a time before air conditioning was common. Like many places that became sweltering hot in the summer, they advertised a "Summer Garden" with open air flow from the roof that made dancing a possibility without everyone fainting from heat exhaustion. It was this Summer Garden that offered a pre-tiki atmosphere complete with (fake) swaying coconut palms. Advertising materials also featured dancing girls made up like hula dancers -- offering the exotic veneer to their otherwise normal bump and grind burlesque.

One of the most famous burlesque performers to perform there was Sherry Britton, who performed regularly for at least 7 years.

Leon & Eddie's was one of the more reputable spots on this block known for hot jazz, strippers and mob-run clip joints. Unlike its fabled neighbor '21', Leon and Eddies did not cultivate celebrities and socialites through a policy of exclusivity. This was a rowdy joint patronized by local businessmen and out-of-towners who enjoyed the bawdy humor, singalongs, vaudeville-like revue and strippers the club featured. It was very well-known, being frequently mentioned in the press or in magazines.

The sign out front of the club said "Leon and Eddie" without the apostrophe s. Another sign at the door was a takeoff on the famous Earl Carroll slogan and read "Through these portals, the most beautiful girls in the world pass out!" A sign posted over the swinging kitchen doors stated “Through these portals pass the most beautiful waiters in the world!" The walls were covered with tongue-in-cheek murals. On either end of the back wall, Leon Enkin and Eddie Davis thumbed their noses at each other in caricature. The gravel-voiced Davis was the face of the place and frequently performed his repertoire of risque songs.

The club did not last long into the postwar period. Leon and Eddie dissolved their partnership in 1947. Charlie Davis kept it going until his retirement in 1953 when Toots Shor, who had been day manager, and some say part-time bouncer, at Leon and Eddie's in its early years, opened a restaurant at the site.

Opened May 23rd, 2019.

This bar is located in Des Moines' Historic East Village.

The decor is not the usual Trader Vic's and Don the Beachcomber dark and moody environment with layers of bamboo, lauhala matting, and carvings. "Our mood was Brooklyn Diner-meets-Palm Springs hotel lobby," said co-owner, Nick Tillinghast. "Because the bones are industrial and brick, we didn't want to lose that completely. We wanted to meet somewhere in the middle." One entire wall is wallpapered in a tropical leaf pattern. Another wall also has tropical leaves but in a rainbow of different neon lights. The central bartop and matching tables are white laminate with chrome trim. These are matched by diner-style bar seats upholstered in different colors.

Behind the bar it is all business with an excellent assortment of rums and their menu features a good assortment of both classic tiki cocktails and their own signature libations.

Opened December 9th, 2020.

This location has a colorful mural wrapped around the exterior. The inside is decorated in classic fashion with some Bosko carvings, shell lamps, and much more.

Opened August 12th, 2022.

Hades Hula House took over the old Candy Bar beneath the cinema on Hindley Street. This was a move from the previous Hades Hula House location at 52 Semaphore ROAD, Semaphore, South Australia (February 2018 - May 2022).

This new location was larger, but a bit more modern and sparse in its decor.

As always, they opened their arms to an inclusive community and had a loyal fan base that packed out the new location just as they did the old.

Hades Hula House permanently closed on Dec 30th 2023.