The La Playa Hotel started out as a stone mansion in 1905 and was later turned into a 20-room hotel in the 1920s.

It was rebuilt and added to several times, first in 1925, and most significantly in 1940, when designer Jon Konigshofer did a major Spanish Revival-style remodel and expanded it to 80 rooms with a terrace dining room overlooking Carmel Bay.

In 1952, the hotel obtained its liquor license and Konigshofer designed the Lanai Room cocktail lounge.

It is unclear when the Lanai Room was closed and there have been several changes in ownership since.

This location was built in 1925 and is an iconic structure in Santa Barbara, California.

The original hotel was only open a week before a 6.8 magnitude earthquake forced it to close for repairs. It was subsequently rebuilt and was successful for years before falling into disrepair decades later.

It started as the Hotel Californian but became known as the Californian Hotel some time in the 1940s (or just The Californian). Now it has reverted back to its original name as the Hotel Californian.

Its start is uncertain, but the Lei Lani Room was running at least through 1980 at this location and is fondly remembered by area residents.

Recently, in 2017, after years of redevelopment, the hotel was reopened -- bigger and grander than ever before in what was much much more than a simple makeover. No sign of the Lei Lani, however, and if anything, the designers chose to lean more toward a Moroccan theme.

This bar was previously open at least as early as 1942 and known just as the Hula Shack, then purchased in 1943 by Harry Pike and Larry Potter who renamed it the Jade Hula Shack to match their Jade Club in Hollywood which they also owned.

This was a popular bar with servicemen.

Closed in 1946 and replaced by Pal's Corral.

Dates uncertain, but open at least as early as 1968 and as late as 1972.

Chan's had three dining rooms and a bar‐lounge separated by bamboo dividers to maintain an intimate atmosphere. The Polynesian decor included island masks on red walls, some chunk resin swag lamps, artificial flowers, stuffed birds, a fountain and a fish pool, and a background of soft Hawaiian music.

Now home to Chakra Restaurant.

In 1952 Joseph, Gaspare and Big Frank Matranga bought this bar and named it The Tropics. Prior to this it had gone by many names, starting in 1935 as Vick's Cafe, and then Vic’s Place, Vick’s Cafe, Vic’s Tropics, and finally Vic’s Tropical Nuthouse.

The Matrangas were continually under the scrutiny of San Diego Vice. Employee turnover was so great, they had a standing classified ad for cocktail waitresses in the newspaper. Daily. And by 1965, they were advertising for go-go girls.

The building was razed in 1970 and in its place developer Conrad Arnholt Smith built his United States National Bank tower. The MTS Transit Store sits now where The Tropics once was.

*NOTE: Photo below was when location was known as Vick's Tropics (March 5th, 1947).

Kahala Koa opened in August 2020 and is located in Arlington Heights (Prospect Heights), about 27 miles (1 hour) from Chicago.

Located in what used to be Secret Garden, next to a Thornton's 24-hour gas station.

They are a family owned and operated pizza place (Lola's Pizza Palace) that developed a love for tiki and made a delightful transformation.

You can sip your tropical cocktails underneath the giant outrigger (originally from Chicago’s Kona Kai, relocated to California when they closed, and now recently returned) while enjoying some thin crust.

This pre-tiki bar was located at the Southwest corner of Milwaukee Avenue and Newark Avenue in Niles, Illinois.

The John Calef Tavern opened here in 1903 and then became Joker Joe's in the mid 1940s.

There was also a second Joker Joe's location in Chicago, Il.

Joker Joe (Joe Siciliano?) was ubiquitous on advertising and apparently liked to throw on a hula skirt and then jump up on the bar and do impromptu dances.

The bar's name was probably inspired by the 1940 film, Typhoon, starring Dorothy Lamour.

This pre-tiki establishment had two locations -- this one in Chicago and a second one in Niles, Illinois. Joker Joe (Joe Siciliano?) is featured on all memorabilia, including matchbooks and postcards of that era and apparently liked to throw on a hula skirt and jump on top of the bar to do some impromptu dancing from time to time.

These locations were open as early as 1945, but exact opening and closing dates are unclear.

In addition to postcards, there are quite a few memento photos with printed paper sleeves that were sold by shutterbugs roaming through the bar at that time.

The bar's name was probably inspired by the 1940 film, Typhoon, starring Dorothy Lamour.

Opened October 2020.

From their website:

"Homecookin’ Hospitality Group, the team behind Foxhole, Drunken Dragon, and rácket, brings a trending, yet one-of-a-kind, concept to Little Havana. Casa Tiki bar and lounge is a Latin-style take on the traditional Polynesian culture, catering to an escapist longing for travel. Located in the heart of Calle Ocho, the hideaway haven allows guests to create their own tropical escape from reality. From the rum-making and shaking to the interactive personalized experiences, surrender all your worries and let Casa Tiki whisk you away."

Open since 2013, just a year before the founder of Chick-fil-A, S. Truett Cathy, passed away.

It would seem like the kind of thing they might try out in the actual Hawaiian islands, but it's not. There are none in Hawaii as of 2021. However, if you are the founder, you can do whatever you want, and Truett decided toward the end of his life that it would be fun to have a Hawaiian-style version of one of his restaurants in Georgia.

This location is much larger and more resplendent than your typical Chick-fil-A but has a similar menu with the addition of some Hawaiian-themed foods like Kalua pork and Hawaiian-style bread pudding. They have Hawaiian-style drinks as well, like their Frosted Hawaiian shakes which are served in souvenir tiki glasses.

There are some tikis located throughout, Hawaiian art, tropical palm fans overhead, and koa wood (or local Georgian hardwood) tables. One seating section actually has booths with thatching and tiki poles.

They are fond of throwing luau parties for children, often featuring hula dancers.

Opened January 2018.

“Tiki’s all about escapism,” says owner and general manager Christopher Straub. “We really want people to feel like, when they come in the door, this is a portal to a new world.”

Inside the dining room, there are bright blue vinyl-seated rattan bar stools and orange-tufted vinyl banquettes, hand-painted scenes by Boston artist Joanna Ciampa, tiki masks on the walls, and a wall of scallop shells—culled by Straub’s mother in Chatham—near the restrooms.

One lounge area features several Design Toscano tiki head tables (one of which is a design based on the signature tiki from the Crown Plaza/Hanalei Hotel in San Diego, California).

The kitchen serves Polynesian-inspired food like sushi, Crab Rangoon, and barbecue skewers, with classic and proprietary tiki cocktails made with fresh juices, homemade syrups and eccentric garnishes.

Live music acts play here on occasion.

Opened November 2018.

From their website: "Shore Leave is our interpretation of a tropical escape through the lens of our love for Boston's rich dining scene. Named after a sailor's leisure time on dry land, Shore Leave's tropical cocktails take you away from the hustle and bustle. We hope this space, music, and most importantly, our Shore Leave family, make every moment here feel like watching the sun go down with your feet in the sand. Tucked in off the main drag and just below the street in Boston's South End, Shore Leave is here to bring you along on our everyday vacation."

This bar and restaurant has received high praise for its cocktails and cuisine. However, if you are going there to check out tiki carvings, you will be disappointed. In one interview about building out the concept for the bar, Chef Lynch explains: We were really excited to work with them on figuring out how we can make tiki interesting in a basement without cultural appropriation. Trying to bend more towards the tropical and jungle themes and less towards the Polynesian idol themes was really important to us, and to not make it look like we just hung a bunch of knickknacks everywhere.

Despite this avoidance of idols, you may still have spotted some vintage tiki mugs on display if you looked carefully...although in May 2021 the bar announced a re-doubling of their efforts to stamp out anything that might be interpreted as cultural appropriation or insensitivity.