Tiki Bars
Lola Lo - Manchester
Manchester, United Kingdom (Closed)
Manchester Lola Lo opened its doors on Thursday 12th December, 2013. It was one of several in a chain of Lola Lo bar/restaurants (including Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester, and Reading) but only Bristol and Reading remain as of late 2024.
From their website:
"A tiki-tavern where raucous parties reign supreme, Lola Lo is brimming with luscious cocktails, late night artisans and party hearty dance floors. A 560 capacity venue containing three levels: a lower ground floor, a ground floor and a mezzanine, creating a multiple-tiered tiki paradise. With DJs playing in the evenings and through the night, exotic, beach-themed drinks and live entertainment, Lola Lo breathes a fresh vibrancy into the Deansgate Locks scene. Additional unique features such as a fancy dress box and a casual dining operation, serving delicious artisan savoury and dessert pizzas and tasty beer cocktails. "
As of 2021-2022, this location was light on tiki decor with only one Moai statue in sight and some tropical leaf wallpaper. Several large television screens playing football did little to convey the island vibe either.
A side-by-side with an earlier 2013 photo of Cheeky Tiki's decoration when they first opened the bar shows that they originally had more of a tiki theme.
They did still carry several imprinted tiki mugs by CheekyTiki for the mug enthusiast.
Closed January 19th, 2024.
Max’s South Seas Hideaway
Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States
This is undoubtedly one of the finest tiki bars in the world.
Opened October of 2019 by Mark Sellers, with partners including Martin Cate (Smugglers Cove) and Mike "Gecko" Souriolle (Gecko'z South Sea Arts).
From their website:
"Experience a unique, world-class immersive experience for friends, co-workers, or a romantic escape.
Our two-story urban oasis features an immersive dining and drinking experience designed to transport guests to a distant tropical paradise bathed in perpetual twilight.
Max's features an original interior design from Bamboo Ben and Notch Gonzalez, two of the best-known tiki artisans in the world, along with a giant collection of vintage and modern tiki art and decor."
4 Kahunas Tiki Lounge
Arlington, Texas, United States
4 Kahunas Tiki Lounge opened in June 2018 in Arlington, Texas, between Dallas and Fort Worth. The bar is topped with thatch, and backed with four large carved tikis, caricatures of the four "kahunas" who run the bar.
Devil's Reef
Tacoma, Washington, United States
Devil's Reef is a fully-themed tiki bar in the Triangle/St. Helens neighborhood of Tacoma, from the owners of the nearby but now-closed Tacoma Cabana, Jason Alexander and Robyn Murphy. Tacoma Cabana was much-celebrated, and Devil's Reef is the next-generation evolution, where Alexander and Murphy are able to lean even deeper into their strengths in creating a great environment for enjoying excellent tropical beverages. An extensive rum list and tropical drink menu is offered. The decor plays with the darker side of tiki, combining the couple's affection for both Polynesian Pop and H.P. Lovecraft. Devil's Reef opened on January 19, 2018. Tacoma Cabana was closed in September of that year, so that Alexander and Murphy could focus their whole efforts on Devil's Reef.
Tiki Chateau
Madrid, Spain (Closed)
Tiki Chateau was a modern tiki bar in the Malasaa neighborhood of Madrid. It was owned by Miguel Escobedo (Señor Castaway), and opened in November 2016.
The space was very small, and the decoration was spare, but heartfelt; Escobedo has a genuine love of tiki. The wall coverings were not organic matting, but instead a damask wallpaper, but small tiki touches were peppered throughout, and a framed piece of tapa cloth was at the end of the wooden bar. Unlike most of the Spanish tiki destinations, the focus at Tiki Chateau was on creating great tiki cocktails, including the use of housemade syrups and appropriate rums.
Closed December 1st, 2022.
Snowbird Tiki Bar
Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, Montréal, Quebec, Canada
Snowbird Tiki Bar opened on April 7, 2017, in Montreal's Little Italy, in the space that used to hold Cafe International.
It closed in late 2018, but re-opened in what had previously been known as Idole Bar.
The new space has stone, brick, and some green-painted walls, with float lights, and lots of vintage pieces in the decor. The bar incorporates some elements from the now-closed Jardin Tiki, including tables and chairs that were originally at the Kon-Tiki in Montreal. There is a large tiki that came from somewhere in Ontario.
They continue to add more and more to their decor, including a number of vintage hanging lamps over the bar.
There is also outside seating.
Trader Vic's - at the Jumeirah Beach Hilton - Dubai
United Arab Emirates
This new Trader Vic's location opened at the Jumeirah Beach Hilton on March 4th, 2018. It offers indoor and outdoor seating overlooking the pool and the Arabian Gulf.
The restaurant also displays a lavish amount of artwork and tiki carvings, including one of the two large exterior tikis that used to flank the entrance to the Portland Trader Vic's before it closed (around 8' tall with large lips, a small nose, and concentric Tangaroan-style eyes).
Tiki Underground - Hudson
Hudson, Ohio, United States (Closed)
Tiki Underground was opened in February 2017 by Sean and Jessie Coffey.
The large space was lined with bac-bac matting and bamboo, with plenty of thatch. There were carved Witco pieces, and light-up moai.
They served cocktails and beer and also had a food menu and live music.
November 24, 2021 was Tiki Underground’s last call in this Hudson location. The bar moved to a new space at 1832 Front St, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 44221 in September of 2022.
Ollie Vee's Tiki Lounge
Leighton Buzzard, United Kingdom
Ollie Vee's, a vintage store in Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, added a Tiki Lounge to one of its upper levels in 2014. During the day, store visitors can enjoy the space with a coffee from the Ollie Vee's cafe. The store is closed in the evenings, but they sometimes hold special evening events in the space, and it is available for private rental; for these special events, they are licensed to serve tropical cocktails. On Saturday afternoons, there is a ukulele jam. The space is clad in bamboo and matting, with tikis.
As of September 2024, the owners announced they would like to sell their bar to someone who would enjoy running their own Tiki Bar...
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 - 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.
The Beachcomber - London
London, United Kingdom
The Beachcomber opened in April 2013 in an underground space in London's Notting Hill. There is no connection to the historic The Beachcomber restaurant that operated in London's Mayfair area in the '60s. The bar's culinary focus is on the French Caribbean, and on the drinks side their selection of tropical cocktails make use of rhum agricole. The bar is wrapped in large-diameter bamboo, while the seating areas are lined with simple matting framed by more large bamboo.