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.

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.

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.

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.

Opened in 1964. This was one of a small franchise chain of fast food tiki restaurants.

They served non-alcoholic tiki bowls and drinks.

There was also a Pasadena location at 325 Rosemead that opened in 1968 and lasted through at least 1970.

And there was a third location in North Hollywood.

Opened in January of 1968 by Don Lester. Closed in Fall of 1970.

From their postcards:

"A million dollar Polynesian showplace with restaurant and lounge in downtown Winter Haven, Fla. on Highway 17, only 4 miles from Cypress Gardens. See the erupting volcano with authentic lava rock and 30-foot geysers while sitting down to our quick and tasty 95 cent lunch or our popular smorgasboard for only $1.75. Entertainment, dancing, and shows nightly in our lounges. No admission or cover charge. Phone 813-293-3138."

Open since April of 2023, Tiki Volcano is located in Northern Madrid.

The couple managing the bar, Miguel (Señor Castaway) and Julia Escobedo, are truly passionate about tiki history.

The bar's light fixtures were salvaged from the very first tiki bar in Madrid, opened in... 1961.

Miguel owned and operated two previous tiki bars in Madrid (The Kona Lei from 2013-2015 and the Tiki Chateau from 2016-2022).

Behind the counter stands a wall of rum and here the focus is on quality classic cocktails.

Many other Spanish tiki bars built during the 1960s and 70s may boast a more ornate tiki decor build-out but have lost their way when it comes to quality tiki cocktails in the Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber tradition. Not Miguel. You can count on quality crafted drinks when you visit his establishment.

Opened February 27, 2024.

Located above Pearl Restaurant, this bar was constructed with the help of Bamboo Ben. It is located near the Naval Academy.

Opened January 29th, 2018.

Little Nickel is a neighborhood restaurant. The cuisine could best be described as "tropical diner"- a splash of coastal flair & spirited twists on mid-century American classics alongside thoughtful & funky cocktails.

The main bar definitely feels like a classic diner counter, but there are other mid-century and tropical nods. Tretchikoff's Green Lady hangs adjacent the bar. Palm leaf wallpaper abounds. The hanging lamps are made of cane/rattan materials. Repeated round brass mirrors have a nautical porthole vibe. Some seating areas are shaded by palapa thatched overhangs. What is missing are actual tiki carvings to truly make this a "Tiki Bar" and, without carvings or more tiki-themed art, the decor hovers ambiguously in the middle of "Diner" or "Fern Bar".

They do not attempt to call themselves a "Tiki Bar", but rather, call themselves a "Tropical Diner". But if you are in the area and looking for good tropical cocktails, this looks like it may be the spot!

Opened June of 2023.

Just a few weeks after opening Slurp! ramen bar, its ownership team of Kevin Liu, Mattias Hagglund, Thomas Leggett and Brandon Peck unveiled Emerald Lounge (2416 Jefferson Ave., Unit C1), an elevated tropical cocktail bar to the neighborhood.

“We looked at the concept of island escapism,” Liu says of the concept for Emerald Lounge. The crew, also owners of The Jasper in Carytown, looked at American tiki bars from post-World War II for inspiration, but “we wanted to create our own concept,” Liu said. “It’s less tiki and more Havana.”

Soft green walls provide a backdrop for Emerald Lounge’s retro, upscale tropical vibe. Bits of subdued tropical prints peek out amid hanging planters and sleek gold accents. The centerpiece is the bar, stocked with rum, agave and brandy, with a white marble topping and pendant lights that look like pale pink flowers floating overhead.

As Liu notes, the decor is not fully Tiki -- there are no actual carved tikis. Rather, the space incorporates tiki adjacent imagery like palm wallpaper, hanging lights that would look at home in a tiki bar, and nautical elements like a hammerhead shark floating above one of the seating areas. Some tiki purists might call this a "fern bar" hearkening back to similar decorated bars from the 70s, but Emerald Lounge is its own hybrid tropical space.

All of this notwithstanding, it appears that their drinks program is "on point" and tiki cocktail enthusiasts will not be disappointed in their menu.