Tiki Bars
Blue Hawaii - Nashville
Nashville, Tennessee, United States (Closed)
Polynesian restaurant in the '70s, reportedly had two very large tikis outside, and a volcano inside. There was a nightly "Polynesian Revue." This location was originally Mahi Mahi (1968-1970).
According to newspaper advertisements, it was open at least through 1978.
Later became the Golden Dragon restaurant. Currently home to Sushi Train since 2012.
Hawaii Fountain
Middletown, New York, United States (Closed)
Opened around 1975.
Hawaii Fountain was a Chinese/Polynesian restaurant with the typical New England-style painted tikis. It served tropical drinks in tiki mugs and served the classic "Polynesian" dishes, including a Pupu Platter.
In mid-2006 the restaurant's interior was gutted, and reopened as the non-Polynesian You You.
Despite this, they decided to leave the exterior standing tiki and a couple of side-support tikis in front. The tikis now share space with a couple of Foo Lion additions, but they are still there as of 2021.
And while the interior may have been redesigned entirely, You You has a number of tiki cocktails on their bar menu, still served by the same bartenders that worked for the previous owners, and they serve them in tiki mugs, so you can still sample a bit of that Hawaii Fountain magic after all.
Lava Tube - Waikiki
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
This bar & restaurant used to be named Da Big Kahuna (@2011-2015) which had the same tikis out front and the same decor inside and out but skewed a bit more to the dive bar side.
Not to be confused with Big Kahuna's Pizza (since 1994 and still running).
This incarnation, Lava Tube, opened @2018 under new ownership and prides itself on being locally owned and using locally sourced food.
Cuckoo Coconuts
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
Opened @ 2014.
This is a big family friendly venue that glories in the kitsch and is known for its very large fiberglass tikis inside and out as well as its inexpensive cocktails served in plastic cups.
They do serve food beyond the typical bar food one might expect.
They also have indoor as well as outdoor seating.
Hawaiian Garden
Seabrook, New Hampshire, United States (Closed)
Open under this name from about 1967-1975.
This restaurant had a lounge area with large bandstand for live entertainment. It was decorated with tikis, thatching over the bar, and served tropical cocktails. There were also motel rooms in back.
Wing Gwong Chin (1937-2018) started his long career in the restaurant business working at Trader Vics as a bartender, then later as a chef and bartender at other restaurants. He had a dream to own a restaurant so he learned the business and eventually partnered with his cousin Wing Foo Chin and others to open this location which was first named the Ye Cocke and Kettle Restaurant and Motor Inn. From the late 1960’s to 1980’s, the business changed names to Hawaiian Garden and then to the South Sea Restaurant and Motel.
In 1975 there was a big murder case revolving around one of Wing Chin's partners in a new restaurant start-up they were putting together in Marietta, Georgia. Wing Chin was President in the new partnership and his Vice President, a boyhood friend of his named John Oi, was killed by a third member of their partnership, named Armand Therrien (the Treasurer and only occidental involved -- an ex police officer who worked as the Hawaiian Garden's security and general handyman). Armand was judged to have shot John Oi and it was speculated in the trial that he did so because John Oi's death would have resulted in a $200,000 insurance payout to the partnership which would have surely helped the business and indirectly helped Therrien who wanted a higher salary and a greater role in the business. This indirect motive seems barely enough to warrant a murder, but a jury found it enough to convict Armand along with supporting evidence (gun, handcuffs, and shells). Speculation was that there were deeper motives involving gambling and the mob, but the specifics were never proven.
Shortly after this murder, the Hawaiian Garden underwent a name change to "South Sea Restaurant and Motel" and Wing Chin moved to Texas where he lived out the remainder of his life.
Kala Kai Apartments
Lomita, California, United States
This 34,356 square foot condo features 74 bedrooms and 42 bathrooms. It was built in 1963 and still has many of its original tikis in place.
Element Home Furnishings
Santa Cruz, California, United States (Closed)
Element Home Furnishings was established in 2004 and offered a wide array of tropical furniture and decor, including tiki bars and tikis.
They used to be directly across the street at 723 Soquel, but moved some time around 2011-2013 and the old location is now a restaurant supply store.
The final location appears to have closed @2020.
Monkey Island Lounge and Grill
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (Closed)
This cheesy take on tiki opened in 2005, and eventually morphed into a dance club. Cartoony tikis and monkeys everywhere...everything seemed to indicate that this place was truly awful. Closed in 2009, and the space became Red Square Vodka House.
Aloha Cruz
Redondo Beach, California, United States (Closed)
Opened in 1996.
Aloha Cruz was a vintage Hawaiiana store with some tiki offerings. Vintage tiki mugs, tikis and other tiki collectibles were for sale, along with vintage aloha wear and rattan furniture.
Aloha Cruz used to be located in Hermosa Beach, but in April 2004 relocated to a smaller space in Redondo Beach.
The storefront has been closed, and the owner now sells items online only.
For 10 years (1998-2008), Aloha Cruz organized a large vintage Hawaiiana collectibles event, called "Da Show."
Green Garden
Hanapepe, Hawaii, United States (Closed)
The Green Garden Restaurant was established in 1948 on the south side of Kauai, and had a number of tikis inside. It closed in 2005 and appears to have been abandoned.
The Aloha Room
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada (Closed)
This was a bar in Barrymore's Music Hall with a vague tropical theme -- a basic dive bar with some thatch here and there and a few plastic tikis. Tropical drinks were available.
Appears to have closed @2012 with some promotion for a comeback in 2020 that never materialized.
Hawaii West
San Francisco, California, United States
Opened in 1969.
Hawaii West is a pool bar in San Francisco's busy North Beach neighborhood, with a couple of tikis.
Their cocktail menu only lists 4 cocktails.