Tiki Bars
The Polynesian Room at the Waldorf Hotel
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
The Polynesian Room (now called The Tiki Bar) is located in the Waldorf Hotel.
The hotel was established in 1947 and is one of the most renowned tiki-themed hotels in North America.
For much of the '90s and '00s, it was available only as a rental hall for private events. The Waldorf came under new ownership in late 2010, and the new owners have re-emphasized the Polynesian Pop angle. The Polynesian Room was renovated and restored, and a new era-appropriate analog sound system was installed. It reopened to the public in early November 2010.
It is made up of three rooms, the Polynesian Room (now the Tiki Bar), Tahitian Room (now the Tabu Room), and Menehune Room (now the Hideaway). The Polynesian Room has a large collection of black velvet paintings by Edgar Leeteg, collected by one of the original owners of the hotel, Bob Mills. One of these, The Tahitian Drummer, was used on much of their early advertising, especially on their swizzle sticks.
Aloha Polinesian Bar
Barcelona, Spain
Opened in 1976, this is a very large bar with a 250 person capacity and bills itself as the largest tiki bar in Barcelona.
It still has all of its original decor, including an amazing front bar area with a bundled rattan/bamboo bar railing, several Gaugin inspired nude Tahitian girl murals, and tikis throughout. There are several small rooms and alcove areas for more intimate smaller groups.
There is an anachronistic large television at the end of the front bar-- probably as an obligatory nod to sports fans. There is also a large table soccer game (foosball to North Americans) by the emergency exit.
Porcelain style signature Spanish tiki mugs are used, although many show signs of chipping or cold paint loss and have been in rotation a number of years.
Tiki purists may not always approve of the music or cocktail authenticity, but this is common with many of the Spanish tiki bars. Despite this, the ability to experience such an early time capsule of a tiki temple should not be missed.
Collage Cocktail Bar
Barcelona, Spain
Opened in 2012. This is a rum and craft cocktail bar that makes, by all accounts, fantastic tiki cocktails.
Though the interior design is not tilted as heavily toward tiki aesthetics as some of its more immersive cousins, they do have tiki decor, including several small tikis behind the back bar, tropical fern wallpaper in areas, and vintage prints that often find themselves inhabiting both home and commercial tiki bars -- such as Vladimir Tretchikoff's Green Lady (a.k.a. Chinese Girl) in the lounge and J. H. Lynch's Tina (1964) by the front bar.
They also serve drinks in tiki mugs and glassware and have several collectible mugs on display in their cabinets.
From Collage:
"Since its foundation in 2012, in the Born district of Barcelona, the Collage cocktail bar has opted for signature creations. Creativity, research and respect for raw materials are the pillars on which we base our work. Always looking for new techniques, flavors and ingredients to provide a unique experience. We are specialized in rum and our sources of inspiration are in classic cocktails, in the Caribbean, the Mediterranean and in the Tiki universe.
In our Born Cocktail Bar we have a curated selection of almost two hundred rums of different origins and styles. We travel around the world looking for old treasures hidden in bottles and barrels of rum. We have achieved a collection of Rums that could almost be a museum. We value unique collection pieces and limited editions. Let yourself be guided by our team of bartenders who are passionate about rum, if you want to travel through this wonderful world."
Kona Kai - London
London, United Kingdom
Opened in May 2012 by the owners behind The Sugar Cane cocktail bar in London's Clapham Junction.
According to their website:
"Kona Kai is a Tropical cocktail bar that promises to transport you to the shores of the South Pacific. Renowned for its spectacular signature cocktails made with premium spirits, home-made infusions and tropical ingredients.
Designed and built by the famous Cheeky Tiki designers, Kona Kai has become a port of pleasure for many Londoners! So why don't you come in and see for yourselves.
Typically, we play range of music, Charts, Hip Hop, House and some old school mash-ups."
Mahiki - Manchester
Manchester, United Kingdom (Closed)
This location opened in 2017 (in collaboration with Gary Neville's company GG Hospitality Management Ltd., closed in 2018, then reopened in 2019 before being forced to temporarily close once again because of COVID. It re-opened once more in July 2020 but was forced to shut down for breaking the rules in August 2020 (and had its license taken).
From their website:
"Mahiki [London] was opened in October 2006 as the brainchild of Piers Adam, David Phelps and Nick House, and has grown to become one of the world’s most famous night spots as well as an institution, with an array of fabulous awards behind it. Named after the Polynesian path to the underworld.
The bar is famed for its ‘Tiki’ Polynesian themed interiors, including a beach styled lounge… lit with an atmospheric glow. The cocktails, which are world renowned, attract rum enthusiasts from all over the globe to come down and party in either our Lanai Lounge or Aloha Party Room.
Mahiki is a celebrity hotspot that has attracted media attention from royal favourites such as Princes William and Harry, as well as other public figures like Kate Middleton, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Kelly Rowland, Paris Hilton, Kate Moss, Beyonce, Jay-Z, Kim Kardashian and many other A list celebrities.
At Mahiki Manchester, The Polynesian, Party Palace of The North West, we provide a unique themed service for all your party and event needs, with a wealth of Nightclub events on offer, spread across our Bar Room & Night Club Room, to give some of the best and hedonistic parties that Manchester has to offer."
In addition to the original London and the Manchester locations, the Mahiki franchise has spread to several other venues. Mahiki Clubs have opened in Dubai, Arab Emirates (now closed), Marbella, Spain (Mahiki Beach/open), in the Forte Village Resort in Sardinia (now closed), and at a second London location (Mahiki Kensington, closed in 2019). There was also a Mahiki club in Gothenburg, Sweden (closed).
KonTiki - Nürnberg
Mitte, Nürnberg, Germany
KonTiki is a restaurant and bar located in the Old Town section of Nrnberg, in old fishermen's houses along the Pegnitz river. It originally opened in 1978; a fire in January 2002 forced the KonTiki to close, after replacing some of the damaged furnishings with new replacements it reopened in the summer of 2002. KonTiki features a restaurant (Polynesien World), and two bars (Sea Bar and Tiki Bar). The space is elaborately decorated, with beachcomber lighting, rock walls, bamboo and plenty of carved details.
Tahitian Terrace - Hong Kong
New Territories, Hong Kong SAR China
The Tahitian Terrace is a restaurant in Adventureland at Hong Kong Disneyland that opened in 2005. It is somewhat different from the original Tahitian Terrace, which was in Disneyland's Adventureland for many years. It does have tikis cast from the originals at the Enchanted Tiki Room in Disneyland.
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.
Maka Hiki Tropical Bar & Grill
Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong SAR China (Closed)
Opened in mid December 2021.
This was the newly opened space for the former Honi Honi in Hong Kong.
Maka Hiki translated to "new beginning" in Hawaiian and took inspiration from a wide range of island and beach sanctuaries scattered from the Caribbean to the Indian Ocean, Polynesia to Southeast Asia. Maka Hiki took over the space formerly inhabited by Bond, reimagining the interior in a material palette of timber, bamboo and eye-catching tropical wallpapers. The outside terrace also contributed to the feeling of escape.
Helming the kitchen was chef Russell Doctrove, previously of Maximal Concepts, who ideated breakfast, lunch and dinner menus to sustain the tiki vibes from morning to night. Signatures included the Hawaiian-style tuna poke, grilled mahi-mahi, and a 48-hour slow-cooked beef rib with tamarind jaew BBQ sauce.
Cocktails also formed a large part of the experience, with drinks by the name of Tik Tok Tiki, Dum Dum Give Me Rum Rum, and Maka Hiki Punch continuing the Honi Honi tradition of spiriting patrons away to a faraway paradisiacal beach.
Closed in May of 2024.
The Pacific
Glasgow, United Kingdom (Closed)
The Pacific opened in February 2014, and was a sister location to The Tiki Bar & Kitsch Inn, also in Glasgow. Tropical cocktails were served in unique tiki mugs made by Garnet McCulloch of Fireworks Studio. The food menu was a mix of American and Thai. The space was small and not densely decorated, but a small bar was trimmed with bamboo and lauhala matting, and there were pufferfish lamps hanging from the ceiling.
Closed December, 2017 and rebranded as a new restaurant called Honu -- serving a medley of exotic foods (for Glasgow) including Thai, Korean, hamburgers, etc...and a craft cocktail menu... but all the tiki and kitsch has been stripped away.
Pacific Island Traders
Oceanside, California, United States (Closed)
Open circa 2003-2006.
This place featured new retail items -- such as new bamboo furniture, including bedroom and living room sets. Lots of gift items like soaps, candles, and wind chimes. They had tikis but they were imported. They may have had a few Tiki Farm mugs.
Most recently, this site was home to UP Sports (sporting goods, surf & paddle shop). As of 2022, the building appears to be vacant.
Paradise Lost - New York City
New York, New York, United States
Opened Friday, October 13th, 2023.
Friday the 13th was appropriate to open a "Tiki Hell" themed bar with lava floors and demon-themed barware.
The name is derived from Milton's epic poem and although the decor is a bit red-saturated and hellish, there are definitely tropical elements to be found as well such as thatching, ship's crates, burned wood, etc...
"Upon the beaches of the lake of fire, deep within the depths of the Abyss, sits a small bar."
However, this is also one of the new wave of tiki bars that try to sidestep cultural appropriation issues by not having any actual tikis or hula girl imagery in their bar. They have a large menu of cocktails derived from the list of classics originated by Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic, but many of them are riffs with hell-themed names.