Tiki Bars
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.
No Bones Beach Club - Portland
Portland, Oregon, United States (Closed)
No Bones Beach Club opened in January 2017 in the Mississippi neighborhood of Portland. It was an all-vegan restaurant and bar, with a percentage of the proceeds donated to animal causes. This was the second No Bones Beach Club location, the first was in Seattle.
The space was on two levels, with walls lined with lauhala mats, and true to its name, beachy decor. A small menu of tropical drinks was available, using local, fresh ingredients as much as possible.
Closed in October 2020 as a financial casualty of the Covid Pandemic shutdowns.
Their Seattle location closed about the same time as well.
Dan'ton-Ku
Biel, Switzerland
Dan'ton-Ku opened in February 2013 in the city of Biel or Bienne, depending on whether you speak German Swiss or French Swiss. The exterior facade of the tiki bar is flanked by two tall tikis. The bar's stools are carved tikis, and more carved tikis serve as supports for tall tables. The decor uses a lot of bamboo and matting, with tiki masks on the walls. Drinks are served in tiki mugs and volcano bowls.
Laka Lono Rum Club
Omaha, Nebraska, United States
Laka Lono opened in October 2016, in the Old Market neighborhood of Omaha, Nebraska. The elaborately themed space is divided into two rooms: a main bar room, and a "cave room" with a second bar, booths and other seating, and a large waterfall. The whole space is covered in bamboo, thatch and lauhala, with some large tikis. The menu is a mix of classic tiki drinks and originals.
Mata Hari Bar
Zürich, Switzerland
Mata Hari Bar has been in the Gewerbeschule quarter of Zurich since 2004. The room is ringed with plush red velvet seating, with walls lined in bamboo. The bar back is flanked by two large, carved tikis.
El Polinesio - Cienfuegos
Cienfuegos, Cuba
El Polinesio is across from the Plaza de Armas in Cienfuegos. The is not the location that was formerly a Trader Vic's -- that El Polinesio can be found in Havana, Cuba. Though the decor is less elaborate than the Havana location, it has plenty of carvings that appear to be at least partially inspired by Polynesia.
No Bones Beach Club - Seattle
Seattle, Washington, United States (Closed)
No Bones Beach Club opened in the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle in early 2016, after a few successful years operating as a food truck. The menu was all vegan, and 2% of proceeds were donated to animal welfare causes. Tiki drinks were served in tiki and tropical mugs. Brunch was served on weekends.
The walls were lined with bamboo and lauhala matting, with thatch overhead, and colorful outdoor light lanterns hang above. There were animal sculptures, made from driftwood. A large tiki with a pineapple atop its head greeted you at the front of the restaurant.
Officially closed on October 15th, 2020 as a financial casualty of the Covid Pandemic shutdowns.
A second location opened in Portland in January 2017 and closed in October 2020 about the same time as the Seattle location.
Tiki Maya Bar
San Pedro, Belize (Closed)
Owner Kyle Boyd opened Tiki Maya Bar in early 2016, when he took over a floundering bar located on his property. The bar sat right over the water in the Caribbean Sea, with a thatched roof that was ready to get the complete tiki treatment. Boyd grew up in Dallas and had fond memories of his time spent at the Dallas Trader Vic's, and hoped to transform this Caribbean getaway into a Polynesian one.
However, for one reason or another, this never really came to fruition and by all accounts the bar closed some time after Summer 2018 -- with no recent reviews as of 2021 on TripAdvisor or Google Reviews or other review sites online. Its website was also taken down and its Facebook page abandoned.
The Tiki Maya House beach rental stands on shore nearby and its website is functioning and shows pictures of the bar also.
Perhaps the bar property is in transition and will re-open in some fashion soon...
The Shameful Tiki Room - Toronto
Old Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
The Shameful Tiki Room opened on November 17, 2015, and is in the Parkdale neighborhood of Toronto. It is the sister location of The Shameful Tiki Room in Vancouver, B.C., which opened in 2013. Both locations are owned by Rod Moore.
The bar has a capacity of 70 people, and has a semi-secluded raised "Christian's Hut" area, in tribute to the historic Christian's Hut in Southern California in the 1930s. Classic exotic cocktails and pu-pu platter items are available, prepared and presented in the traditional style. The soundtrack is a mix of Exotica and surf.
*NOTE: On April 25th, 2025 The Shameful Tiki Room announced through social media that they will be changing locations. Their final night at 1378 Queen Street West will be May 27th, 2025. They will be reopening just down the road at 777 Queen Street West on June 9th, 2025!
Kreepy Tiki Tattoos & Boutique
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Kreepy Tiki Tattoos & Boutique was opened in 2006 by Jackson Valiente. This tattoo parlor is filled with wonderful vintage Tiki and Polynesian knick-knacks, and some good-size carved tikis. In 2014, the operation expanded to include an adjacent tiki bar, Kreepy Tiki Bar & Lounge (although this bar/lounge closed in 2017 and was replaced with Old Ghosts Odditorium).