Tiki Bars
Tiki Bowling Lanes
Lancaster, Ohio, United States
Tiki Bowling Lanes opened in 1962 on what was then known as Krouse Road (and was later renamed "Tiki Lane" in honor of the business). A Lancaster Eagle-Gazette article on November 29, 1962 described the 32-lane alley as one of the most beautiful, well-equipped bowling lanes in Ohio.
Tiki Bowling Lanes was once much more Tiki, with a cocktail lounge furnished with thatched huts, but today the interior has been stripped down to a more generic bowling alley. The site underwent a major renovation that included the addition of 10 lanes in 1972. The exterior, however, has two gorgeous, large tile mosaics of tikis and torches.
Kon-Tiki - Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States (Closed)
Opened June 22nd, 1971, two weeks after the grand opening of the Sheraton-Waikiki hotel of which it was a part.
Guests could take a twisting orchid staircase or glass elevator ride beside the flowing waterfall up to the Hanohano Room (second floor dining room).
This restaurant was part of the Kon-Tiki chain owned by Steve Crane.
After the Kon-Tiki closed in 1993, its tikis were purchased by the nearby La Mariana.
Kon-Tiki - Portland
Portland, Oregon, United States (Closed)
Opened September 26th, 1959.
This restaurant was part of the Kon-Tiki chain owned by Steve Crane. It was in the Sheraton-Motor Inn, later called the Sheraton-Portland, in Lloyd Center, and featured three waterfalls. The site is now a Doubletree Hotel.
Closed in 1980 or 1981.
Some of the tikis from the Kon-Tiki wound up at the Jasmine Tree restaurant, including three large cannibal tikis. When the Jasmine Tree closed in late 2006, the tikis and other decor headed to another tiki bar in the area, Thatch, which later became Hale Pele.
The Hut - Pontiac
Pontiac, Michigan, United States (Closed)
A newer dance club, above the Have a Nice Day Cafe. Less Tiki Bob's, more Tiki Bob's Cantina. Only not as nice. In photos, the only tikis are painted on the walls, and look strangely like flower pots.
As of 2021, this space is home to Elektricity Nightclub.
Kahuna Grill
Goleta, California, United States (Closed)
Kahuna Grill was a small fast-casual restaurant in the food court of an outdoor shopping center. The menu was mostly burgers, salads, and sandwiches. They served beer in bottles. There was a fish tank inside and the walls were decorated with surf boards and surfing photos and memorabilia. A television played continuous surfing videos. The tikiness was limited to one or two free-standing carved tikis.
Closed in February 2019. Today the location is home to Mesa Burger.
*NOTE: Kahuna Grill had also opened a second location at the Paseo Nuevo mall in downtown Santa Barbara but it closed in 2014 -- 12 De la Guerra Place, Santa Barbara, CA 93101, United States.
The Islands Restaurant
San Diego, California, United States (Closed)
The Islands Restaurant was situated in the former Hanalei Hotel, now called the Crowne Plaza. This once-elaborate mid-century Polynesian restaurant was designed by George Nakashima along with Hendrick & Mock Architects, starting in 1964. It had an A-frame entrance from the hotel's courtyard, elaborate water features and lush surrounding landscaping, and was thoroughly and richly decorated inside. The restaurant featured lovely carved railings throughout, large glass float lights, and dramatic clam shell fountains. Some of the tikis here were salvaged from Steve Crane's Luau in Beverly Hills.
Over the years, remodels of the restaurant (and surrounding hotel) gradually stripped the restaurant of its defining features. In November 2006, a six-month renovation of the restaurant began, which removed many of the waterfalls, fountains and other water features, along with nearly all of the tiki artifacts. The end result was a fairly generic hotel restaurant, though some decor in the hallway outside remained intact for some time after.
In the beginning of the Covid pandemic the hotel was contracted by the city to house homeless Covid victims and this restaurant was closed since @2020 to the public. Fences and security were put up and those not registered to stay were turned away. Then, another remodeling was completed and the hotel opened back up in 2024 to show that all traces of Tiki decor had been removed from the premises, save some lava rock on some of the walls and some tiki railings.
So, although you can visit the hotel now, as of 2024, it is essentially finished as a tiki point of interest, save for the memories.
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.
Alfredo's Beach Club
Long Beach, California, United States (Closed)
Alfredo's Beach Club had 6 locations up and down the Belmont Shore.
This location, Alfredo's Beach Shack, opened @2010.
This was a snack bar -- no liquor license. It was part of an in-line skate shop. They rented themselves out and helped with private parties, sometimes luaus or other Hawaiian-themed events.
There were a couple of tikis on premises but this was by no means a full-time tiki establishment.
Closed @2019.
Alfredo’s Beach Shack was demolished in 2021.
Now home to Saltwater Deck as of 2022.
Kon Tiki Lounge - Tucson
Tucson, Arizona, United States
The Kon Tiki Lounge (no relation to the Steven Crane Kon-Tiki chain) is a classic original tiki bar. Open since 1961 according to the old Critiki site (January 30th, 1962 according to the Arizona Daily Star and 1963 according to the Kon Tiki website), the Kon Tiki Lounge has seen modern-day Tucson grow up around it on all sides. It is tucked back a bit on its busy street, surrounded by strip malls and small office buildings. The small-looking building feels a bit out-of-place. There is an almost lush little garden area out front, with tikis and a small "water feature" -- Tucson's arid climate wouldn't easily support a pond, so a tiled mosaic pond is in its place, with a small walkable bridge over it. To the left of the building was a great old Milan Guanko tiki originally purchased from Gray's Nursery and which was eventually brought in to the outdoor patio area for its protection.
Inside, the restaurant is dark and mysterious, with no windows, and much of the original decor still in place. A former aviary behind the bar is a jarring flash of light -- it used to house parrots, then a lizard cage, now it is used as an outdoor patio space. Large bamboo, gorgeous light fixtures, and tikis aplenty are throughout. The room is structured with smaller sub-rooms encased by bamboo and thatch dividers, giving a feeling of coziness and mystery.
The menus are standard fare for an old tiki bar -- barbecue ribs & similar items for food, and lots of tropical drinks (though a bit on the sweet & sugary side).
Today, the Kon Tiki's future continues to look very bright. It has been kept open through the years with a never-ending supply of college kids who love the place and keep it packed on weekends. These people are who we have to thank for keeping the place alive, but it's a bit more enjoyable when visited earlier in the day or on a weeknight, when the music is more in keeping with the environs and the place isn't so packed with bodies that the decor can't be seen.
In recent years the management has been working on spiffing up the place, while keeping it classic. The Kon Tiki now has their own tiki mug, designed for the Milan Guanko tiki outside (now in the outdoor patio), and has undergone some sprucing up courtesy of Bamboo Ben. A new Bamboo Ben bar looks like it has always been there.
Eli Kai Apartments
Torrance, California, United States
Opened in 1965. The name "Eli Kai" translates to "Peaceful Garden" in Hawaiian.
The complex sports a nice A-frame. There is an underground parking garage and the units start on the second floor. A unique rock wall fountain, long ago turned off, still evokes the time period, and there are a plethora of tikis, from the Marquesan tiki beam holding up the ceiling outside the manager's office to the more decorative beams all throughout the complex.
Tiki Room - Stockholm
Norrmalm, Stockholm, Sweden
Stefan Kéry opened Tiki Room in Stockholm on January 23, 2002, becoming the first tiki bar in Sweden, at a time when tiki bars didn't tend to open anywhere, much less in the far-flung corners of the globe. The walls are lined with tapa cloth, bamboo, and lauhala mats, and a warm glow is provided by an array of pufferfish lamps and Orchids of Hawaii lights. There are tikis aplenty, including a tiki post standing guard at every booth. The menu has a mix of classic and modern tiki favorites, including bowl drinks served in tiki-flanked volcano bowls.
Jade Island
Staten Island, New York, United States
Jade Island opened in 1972.
Located in a strip mall on Staten Island, it is a Chinese restaurant with plenty of tiki details. The dining room has some bamboo-framed booths, with pufferfish and tiki lamps, and backlit tropical scenes. Drinks are served in tiki mugs. There is a flaming pu pu platter. There is a small waterfall fountain, and several tikis that are unfortunately painted in primary colors. The bar has a pointed bamboo overhang, and tapa cloth on the wall behind the bar.
No less a luminary than food critic and television personality Anthony Bourdain put a spotlight on the restaurant in 2009, on his show, No Reservations.
The restaurant announced on its Facebook page in 2012 that it had signed a lease with Kimco Realty to stay in place for 10 more years, so it should be open at least through its Golden Anniversary in 2022.