Tiki Bars
The Shag Store - Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California, United States
The Shag Store opened in 2009 in downtown Palm Springs. The store exclusively sells merchandise and prints created by the artist Shag (Josh Agle). Shag lived in Hawaii as a child and has long been a fan of Tiki style, and Polynesian Pop imagery makes frequent appearances in his work.
There was a second Shag Store location in West Hollywood, but it permanently closed as of May 31st, 2020.
The Warehouse
Marina del Rey, California, United States
The Warehouse was opened in 1969 by Burt Hixon, of Beachbum Burt's in Redondo Beach. In recent years the restaurant has been owned by Lee and Martha Spencer; Lee Spencer passed away in October 2016. The elaborate decor is much more nautical rather than true "tiki", but with a strong Polynesian lean. The building is designed to look like an old wharf building, surrounded with mature palm trees and a wooden walkway entrance over a lagoon with live turtles. Inside, the main dining room has several tables inside large shipping crates, and a second level mezzanine with small tables rings the room. In recent years, the bar has been rechristened a "tiki bar" though the tiki is minimal and the decoration is more nautical flotsam and jetsam and shipping crates. The Warehouse is most well-known for their souvenir signature barrel mug, still available today. The food menu is very traditional upscale steak and seafood fare. A small number of tropical drinks are available.
The Warehouse is also the location of the Shipwrecked tiki bazaar and social event, started in 2019, which celebrates artists, tiki craftspeople, and plays host to live music.
*NOTE: Discussions of development make the future of this location uncertain but they are still open as of September 2024. If you have not visited it yet, don't wait too long!
The Tiki Hideaway
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States (Closed)
The Tiki Hideaway was opened by owner Mike Barrea in December 2014 in the Myers Park neighborhood of Charlotte. The mid-century modern tinged space had a thatched overhang surrounding the bar, and a paneled relief back wall with stylized tapa designs and a Marquesan-esque face. Behind the bar was a towering Moai, housing the upper end of the bar's rum selection. The room was ringed with back-lit graphic tropical scenes. Orange vinyl seating contrasted nicely against the organic textures in the room. There was a small patio of outdoor seating.
The drink menu was a small, focused list of classic tropical cocktails, and there was a selection of higher-end sipping rums available. The food menu was in the form of small plate selections, and a few desserts.
After nearly a year in business, Tiki Hideaway closed in early November 2015.
Kahuna Tiki
Los Angeles, California, United States
Kahuna Tiki is a tiki-themed sushi restaurant with tropical drinks.
Kahuna Tiki initially opened without a liquor license and was only a sushi restaurant. A liquor license was added in June 2015, but for beer & wine only, no hard alcohol, so the tropical drinks on offer are made with sake, soju and the like (Their second location, Kahuna Tiki TU, has a full liquor license and an expanded cocktail menu featuring drinks with hard alcohol).
There is a very large outdoor patio with rock features, waterfalls, pools, trees, and beachcomber lamps.
Kahuna Tiki is known for its luau presentations and burlesque shows as well.
*NOTE: The owners have announced that this location may be closing in 2025, but as of February it appears a 6 month extension on the lease was reached. So, make sure to visit while it is still around. Their sister location, Kahuna Tiki TU, will remain open.
Bootlegger Tiki
Palm Springs, California, United States
Bootlegger Tiki opened in 2014, in the same spot that decades prior had housed the Palm Springs location of Don the Beachcomber. The owners also operate Ernest Coffee, right nextdoor. The walls and ceiling are lined with lauhala mats and Asian-motif graphic wallpaper, framed by bamboo. A creative slate of craft-inspired tiki cocktails are offered. There is a small covered outdoor patio.
The Enchanted Tiki Office
Emeryville, California, United States (Closed)
The Enchanted Tiki Office was the work space of Pixar animator Mark Walsh. The space began as a standalone cube structure, and was turned into a tropical hut with the help of Bamboo Ben.
Tonga Hut - Palm Springs
Palm Springs, California, United States
Tonga Hut opened in Palm Springs in the spring of 2013. It is the sister location of the historic Tonga Hut in North Hollywood, with the same ownership responsible for restoring that location to tiki glory.
Tonga Hut is located on the second floor of its building. The restaurant has booth seating, and a dramatic tiki bas relief wall. Tucked at the back is a phone booth with a false back, leading into a small private room with a rich, dense, golden-era approach to tiki style. Behind that room is a small private lanai with a Witco bar and stools. Opposite the restaurant side of the space, there is a good-sized bar with a tiki-tinged mid-century modern look, and a lanai overlooking Palm Springs' main drag. The interior was created by Tiki Diablo.
The Palm Springs Tonga Hut location has a full food menu, including a flaming pu-pu platter. The drink menu is a mix of classic tiki drinks and their own modern creations, and includes a flaming coconut drink and shared volcano bowls. Tonga Hut hosts special music events, with particular emphasis on Exotica acts.
Hong Kong Inn
Ventura, California, United States (Closed)
Hong Kong Inn opened in 1964. It closed on November 30, 2012 but then re-opened again in April, 2014. Then it closed its doors once again in September 2020 and was converted to a Mexican Restaurant. The decor and cuisine was decidedly Chinese, but tropical drinks were served (including volcano bowls), and most notably, there was a Polynesian revue on Friday and Saturday nights at 9pm.
Tiki Haven
San Francisco, California, United States
Opened in 2011.
Tiki Haven is a tiki bar in the Inner Sunset neighborhood of San Francisco. The decor is beachy-tiki with mainly mass-market tikis and lauhala matting, and there are about a half-dozen glaring video screens throughout the space.
They do serve drinks in tiki mugs and have a small menu of classics and signature cocktails.
Tiki King's Ukuleles of Felton
Felton, California, United States (Closed)
Ukuleles of Felton was the retail presence for Tiki King (Pat Baron), who has long been a purveyor of fine, hand-crafted tiki tchotchkes and a friend to ukulele players everywhere. It opened in Felton in November 2010.
The focus of the store was on ukuleles. From beginning Flea ukuleles all the way up to high-end fine ukes.
There were also plenty of King's famous tiki necklaces and keychains, and tiki mugs and other small tiki items, too.
Closed June 24th, 2018.
The Banana Hut Hawaiian BBQ
Eureka, California, United States (Closed)
The Banana Hut started out in 2004 as a simple fair-food shack selling banana fritters and ice cream. In 2009, owners Ken and Fatima Evans expanded into a full restaurant in downtown Eureka.
In 2011, they were able to purchase the remains of the interior of Chicago's Kona Kai, and planned to expand to add a tiki bar and banquet room.
The restaurant had plenty of thatch and a scattering of smaller tiki masks on the walls, with a bright and airy modern surf feel. The food was Hawaiian cuisine with all the plate lunch favorites, and tropical cocktails were available.
Closed in August 2020.