Tiki Bars
Lotus Garden
Greenwood, Indiana, United States (Closed)
Lotus Garden was an older Chinese restaurant with a few tiki details here and there. The entryway featured a waterfall with a stream that ran under a small bridge; the bridge's railing posts were some nice wooden moai. The bar had some nice bamboo details, and drinks were served in tiki mugs.
There appear to have been a few locations under the same name over the years.
This Greenwood location closed June 30th, 2021 after 40+ years. The restaurant reopened in April 2022 at a new location -- 7327 N U.S. 31, Indianapolis, IN 46227. However, it appears that it opened with new chefs and a completely different menu, retaining only the name.
Kona Inn & Kona Inn Restaurant
Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, United States
In 1928 the Kona Inn was built by the Inter-Island Steam Navigation Company. This venture was considered to be a pioneering effort in the neighbor island hotel industry. Previous to the Kona Inn, the passengers aboard the company steamers had only haphazard room arrangements at outlying stops.
The rambling 2-story Hawaiian structure, carefully designed to blend with the Palm fringed Kona shore, found its 20 rooms booked solidly for months in advance. The Kona Inn became Hawaii’s favorite refuge for kamaainas as well as the world traveler. The new hostelry was responsible for the popularity of the colorful Kona Coast.
The Inn was also instrumental in developing the Kona Coast as one of the world's greatest fishing areas. With the Inn as unofficial billfish tournament headquarters, the place attracted marlin fishermen from all over the globe.
It was a celebrity hideaway in the 40s and 50s.
Although the hotel has been closed now for well over 30 years. The hotel's restaurant of the same name is still open (as of 2021) and a great place to sit and watch the sunset. The shopping area of the hotel is also open. The hotel rooms are used for storage and offices.
*NOTE: Cocktail menu is current as of 2024.
The Luau - Borrego Springs
Borrego Springs, California, United States (Closed)
The Luau was located in the "County Airport," a.k.a. Borrego Valley Airport, and opened some time in the '50s or '60s. Open at least as late as 1967. The restaurant in the airport today is The Propeller Bar & Grill at 1816 Palm Canyon Drive, but it is not clear if this is the same space that once held the Luau.
Aloha Beach Health Spa
Denver, Colorado, United States (Closed)
This used to be a gravel and gold mining site. In 1965, the owners of the property, Archie and Virginia Calvaresi developed the mining pits into lakes and a community beach known as Aloha Beach. The Aloha Beach Club offered a restaurant and snack bar and the family eventually added a health spa, driving range and motel. In 1974 they sold the property and the history becomes murky until the Gillan family purchased it in 1994. During the next two years the Gillan family cleared and built up the property and at the same time the City of Westminster purchased adjacent land and created a reservoir moving Aloha Beach out of a flood plain and guaranteeing unobstructed panoramic mountain views for the soon to be residents.
Aloha Beach has 60 subdivision lots designed for water skiing around lakes which were reshaped by the Army Corps of Engineers. Although the subdivision still exists, the "health spa" community center is gone.
Trade Winds - Oxnard
Oxnard, California, United States (Closed)
Trade Winds was erected by developer Martin "Bud" Smith, and opened March 4th, 1964. It quickly became the hot place to be in town.
The restaurant had a lagoon leading up to a soaring A-frame entrance; inside were a series of themed rooms, including a central gazebo-shaped structure, the Samoa Hut/Tiki Temple. The predominant theme was Polynesian, but some of the rooms included an East Indies room, a Sadie Thompson room, and a Zanzibar room, all designed by 20th Century Fox designer Fred Moninger, and decorated by Ione Keenan. There were many tikis, carved by Richard M. Ellis. There was a Polynesian floor show.
Some time in the 1960s, Hop Louie (of Latitude 20 in Torrance, Minnie's in Modesto and the Islander in Stockton) took over the restaurant. In the late '70s, it became a Don the Beachcomber.
In later years, it became Coconut Joe's Warehouse Restaurant, and then later still around 1981, it became Hawaiian Cowboy (some of the decor was removed to make room for a mechanical bull and a BBQ pit. About a year later, it became an ice cream parlor, and in 1984, the building was demolished. The site is now a road.
Honolulu Harry's Waikiki - Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, United States (Closed)
Before becoming Honolulu Harry's Waikiki, this location was the Barrel O' Fun Tavern, John Dillinger's favorite hangout.
From its opening in 1949 (putting it squarely in the pre-tiki category), Honolulu Harry’s Waikiki provided “entertainment direct from Hawaii” and “dancing under Hawaiian skies.”
By 1959, its owner escalated the restaurant to an “authentic Hawaiian theatre restaurant.” Souvenir photos dated as late as 1960 have popped up (see below).
It stood on the corner of Clarendon and Wilson in uptown Chicago. “There were fresh pineapples on the tables, paper leis and ti leaves hanging all around”.
It appears in later years before it closed that the name might have just been shortened to "Club Waikiki". Matchbooks with the same address point in that direction. Alternately, it's possible this club was just a section of the larger complex like Don the Beachcomber's had its Dagger Bar, for instance.
Today, the site is home to The Covington Luxury Apartments, which were built in 1965, so Harry's must have closed some time between 1960 and 1965.
Tropics Motor Hotel - Modesto
Modesto, California, United States
Built in 1961, this is one of five Polynesian-themed Tropics motels once owned by Ken Kimes. The most elaborate of the chain was in Palm Springs, now called the Caliente Tropics Resort.
This motel was previously connected to the next door Tiki Cocktail Lounge. Further down was a Sambo's restaurant (which now houses Modesto Car Toys).
Most recently, the Tropics Motel has been renamed the Tiki Lodge. The pool area is fenced off and is opened seasonally only. The four tikis carved by Ed Crissman around the parking lot now have lighting on their chests/foreheads and solar powered batteries on their heads.
There is now a fence between the motel and the next door Tiki Cocktail Lounge which has separate owners and has branded itself as a gay bar.
Drift Lounge
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States (Closed)
Modern tiki bar in Scottsdale that was opened by Greg Donnally in 2002 to mediocre reviews of its food, drinks and vibe. At opening, drinks were served in tiki mugs from Munktiki. Drift had a thatched A-frame entrance, but the interior was more sleek. Drift closed in November 2010.
Now home to Boondocks Patio & Grill. Donnally went on years later to partner in opening The Drunk Munk, using some of the same decor from Drift Lounge.
Trader Vic's - Boston
Boston, Massachusetts, United States (Closed)
This Trader Vic's was in the Park Plaza Hotel (formerly the Statler Hilton from 1965-1976) and was closed when Hilton sold the hotel and it was re-named the Park Plaza in 1976.
A McCormick & Schmick's was later in this spot for many years but closed in 2015.
It is unclear what occupies the spot now (as of 2021), viewing the exterior, but the Park Plaza has done some renovations and opened two new venues inside, including Strega Italiano and Off The Common (neither of which are listed with the same address as the old Trader Vic's).
Don the Beachcomber - Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California, United States (Closed)
Early menus and other items are labelled "120 Via Lola," which maps to the south face of the site rather than the east face. The Palm Springs location site dates back to at least 1941, but this Don's was opened there on March 2nd, 1953.
Frank Sinatra was a regular here, and was reportedly a big tipper, but also a demanding customer. He liked the Navy Grog.
Today, this same spot houses Bootlegger Tiki.
The now restored rooftop tiki torches from the old Don the Beachcomber's now form the logo for the adjacent Ernest Coffee Co., which opened in June 2014. The two entrepreneurs behind this independent coffeehouse, photographer Jaime Kowal and designer Chris Pardo, also paid tribute to the history of this site by calling it after Don the Beachcomber’s real name: Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt. (They also own neighboring bar Bootlegger Tiki, a nod to Don’s occupation before he essentially invented the tiki bar.)
Zombie Hut - Sacramento
Sacramento, California, United States (Closed)
The Zombie Hut was a Hawaiian/Polynesian-themed restaurant, nightclub and Tiki bar located on Freeport Blvd. between Florin Road and Sutterville Road in Sacramento, California that originally opened in 1945 after the end of WWII and continuing for 45 years until its closing in 1990.
It was known for its dance entertainment, including the Samoan Fire Knife Dance and Slap Dance.
This location is now a strip mall.
The Conga Lounge
Oakland, California, United States (Closed)
Opened in 2003.
The Conga Lounge, situated above Cafe Rustica, was a small oasis. The cozy space was decorated with a variety of tropical trappings, but not exclusively Polynesian Pop. Co-owned by the same brothers who own Forbidden Island in Alameda, this was where they first cut their tiki bar teeth. The soundtrack included Exotica, and there was a small menu of food available. The Conga Lounge was also available for private party rentals.
Conga Lounge (and Cafe Rustica) closed at the end of February 2015.