Tiki Bars
Menehune Cocktail Bar
Essen, Germany
Opened @2002.
The interior of the bar is decorated with masks and nautical decor, including fish nets on the ceiling, a large full-sized great white shark head on the end of the bar, and several tiki masks on the walls. Not as dark as many classic tiki bars, with off-white (beige) walls and ceiling. Unusual natural form wood barstools and tables throughout give it a bit of a driftwood beachcomber feel.
This bar has outdoor seating and sometimes hosts live music. They also have a large cocktail list.
Shipwrecked Tiki Bar - Davis
Davis, California, United States
Opened August 4th, 2023.
The bar is owned by partners Melissa and Nate Yungvanitsait, owners of Northern California restaurant chain University of Beer.
Tiki purists will declare this is more of a pirate themed bar than a true tiki bar, and they may have a point, but there are also enough of the trappings of tiki bars that we all know and love to make this a worthwhile visit if you are in the area.
As has been pointed out time and again, tiki bars thrive on layering more and more details as the years go on with the "more is more" effect. So if patrons clamor for more tiki, then perhaps each successive visit will unveil more tiki.
As it stands now, here is what you will encounter:
The entrance is a beach-themed area with some tables, huts, a few very cheap tikis (including some plastic ones). You can order at the bar from here.
Going down the hallway, there’s a lounge section that’s nautical-themed including a nice photo op stop, giant squid arms made from metal, and some granite tiled walls.
The last section is a series of booths that are nominally themed as pirate jails, plus more pirate decor including a room with artifacts.
Pineapple Parlor - at Daiquiri Time Out - Galveston
Galveston, Texas, United States
Opened @ March 2024.
Pineapple Parlor is a speakeasy tiki bar inside the Daiquiri Time Out location in Galveston, Texas.
They have two huts for groups of 5-10 available to reserve. They also have limited bar seating.
Kitchen 5315 Restaurant & Tiki Bar
Lahaina, Hawaii, United States
Opened around 2017.
This is a restaurant and tiki bar inside the Napili Shores Resort in Lahaina.
The restaurant dining area is a large open room bordered by windows with spectacular island views.
The interior of the restaurant and bar are not decorated in an immersive classic style like you might expect from classic tiki bars like Trader Vic's, etc. Instead, the restaurant has white ceilings and their tropical accents mainly consist of bamboo trim and faux greenery throughout with a few inexpensive tiki masks. The tiki bar is a smaller, darker, and cozier space with more tiki masks and a tiki mural on the back wall.
Solid food offerings for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A small number of classic tiki cocktails, and other more modern cocktails with a tiki spin - and a couple of non tiki drinks renamed to be tiki-ish.
The Pearl Diver - Minnetonka
Hopkins, Minnesota, United States (Closed)
The Pearl Diver was a full tiki restaurant with carvings and decor. It opened in 1978 and closed in the 80s.
Not to be confused with Pearl Diver in Nashville, which belongs to the modern era.
Upon closing, there was apparently an auction and many of its former guests were able to take home mementos from their visits of the past.
As of 2024, this location is home to Morrie's Minnetonka Mazda.
Albert's Tiki Village - Sacramento
Sacramento, California, United States (Closed)
This location served Chinese & Polynesian cuisine and cocktails and is notable for the Witco God of Fortune that graced its menu as well as the custom Witco tikis at the location itself.
Tiki Bob's - at the Capitol Inn - Sacramento
West Sacramento, California, United States (Closed)
Bob Bryant and Earl Erwin opened this restaurant, often referred to as Tiki Bob's II, on October 24th, 1957 in the Capitol Inn Hotel, Sacramento. Supposedly, Erwin's wife was tired of driving to San Francisco to visit the first Tiki Bob's incarnation, so Erwin brought Tiki Bob's to Sacramento.
In addition to the South Seas Room, this location also had a Carribean, Pacifica, and Gold Room.
Don The Beachcomber - at the Santa Barbara Inn
Santa Barbara, California, United States (Closed)
The Santa Barbara Inn was built in 1962 and appears to have started out with a pop-polynesian themed restaurant on its second floor, called the Oceania Room. This Oceania Room had live music and sported a tiki menu cover taken directly from The Tahitian (locations in Studio City and Pasadena).
As it had done a few times before, Don the Beachcomber did a "Hermit Crab" move into the previous Oceania Room space, taking advantage of its already Polynesian-themed build-out. This happened in 1976.
It's unclear, but seems that Don's was only open for a couple of years at this location before closing.
It's also unclear whether there was a fire or just neglect in the intervening years, but the structure appears to have remained vacant for a time and was mostly demolished by 2013.
However, the 55-year old boutique resort underwent a complete restoration, beginning in late 2013. They started over with just 1 pillar remaining from the original building, but the building's unique shape, pool location, and the grassy area in front all exist today just as they did before.
The Santa Barbara Inn re-opened to the public in July, 2016.
The Santa Barbara Inn features 70 spacious guest rooms and suites, most with views of the Pacific, while others face the majestic Santa Ynez Mountains. Five fixture bathrooms, 400+ square foot rooms and 700+ square foot suites with Jacuzzi tubs are but a few of the features offered at the resort.
Hukilau Restaurant and Lounge - Key West
Key West, Florida, United States (Closed)
Opened @1960s and closed @ December 2000.
Later re-named Paco's Hukilau in its final years.
Background photo and first two photos show Hukilau during the 60s and final photos (circa 2005) show the site after its closure, when much had been removed.
The structure appears a bit ramshackle with lots of additions. Heavy tropical plantings around the exterior hid much of the structure, even in the early years. The center bar was in a round room with heavy beams and poles supporting a very high ceiling.
60s interior shot shows they once had Witco Tiki barstools and tables held up by nautical chain as well as Orchids of Hawaii swag lamps. The bar front side slants inward at the base, which can be matched with the later color photo of the interior after the bar closed.
The site has been re-developed and no signs of the Hukilau exists. In its place are condominiums.
Sneeki Tiki - at the Best Western Premier Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites & Conference Centre
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Closed)
This bar and restaurant opened in September of 2018 on the street level of the Best Western Premier Chateau Granville Hotel & Suites & Conference Centre.
The bar and restaurant was known for offering live music on select nights.
However, it closed @2020.
Boo Loo Lounge
Orinda, California, United States
Opened in November 2023, next to the Orinda Theatre. The bar is the brainchild of the cinema’s manager, Derek Zemrak, who previously managed a wine bar in the Boo Loo Lounge’s location. The wine bar had been closed since the COVID-19 outbreak, during which time Zemrak received a full liquor license from the county and decided to rethink the potential of the intimate space.
The venue is small; there’s room for just over 20 inside with additional seating on the patio.
Decor is dark and classic tiki with heavy nods to Pirate and Creature from the Black Lagoon themes as well.
Boo Loo’s GM is Maxton Kennedy (Tiki Tolteca, Kon-Tiki, Forbidden Island), and reports so far are that the drinks are top notch.