Opened in 1976.

For some reason, this gem of a restaurant often gets forgotten... likely because Chicago is a relatively tiki-rich city. Chef Shangri-La deserves a visit, as its drinks are spot-on, and the food is predictably and somehow appropriately mediocre. The place has a sort of almost neglected, run-down feel, but the bones are there, and there are tikis everywhere. The bar in particular has recently undergone a rare remodel that has improved the feel of the place.

Chef Shangri-La himself, owner Paul Fong, could often be found there before his passing in 2012. Before opening his own Polynesian restaurant, Fong was the chef at the now-defunct Shangri-La restaurant in Chicago.

The restaurant has a few Witco pieces, including a very large Ku that greets you immediately upon entry. These pieces are some of the last Witco items produced; Witco went out of business one year after Chef Shangri-La opened.

They also have a small gift shop.

As you will glean from their social media, the bar hosts a number of tribute singers/bands (Elvis, Olivia Newton John, Billy Joel, Rod Stewart, Michael Jackson, etc...).

Opened in 1956 through at least 1957 according to old newspaper ads.

One such ad from The San Francisco Examiner July 20, 1957 states:

"Only I year old and world-famous. Under the management of BOB KENNA. Entertainment-Exotic Beverages and Foods. Jimmie Borges, 'The Hawaiian Johnny Ray' FLOOR SHOW ENTERTAINMENT FEATURES authentic Hawaiian music. SHOW TIMES: 9:45-11:15-12:15 TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY. Under the expert supervision of Chef Bill Seaburg authentic Island cooks prepare exotic dishes as well as the traditional seafood and steak dishes you'd expect in a fine wharf restaurant. Waikiki Far Eastern Specials include: TAHITIAN CANTONESE HAWAIIAN INDONESIAN MANDARIN FOODS and a Complete Sea Food Menu, Steaks, Chops Tropical Bar features 30 exotic beverages ranging in strength from an 'Hawaiian Sunrise' to a 'Typhoon.' Hot hors d'oeuvres during Cocktail Hour. OPEN 11:30 A.M. to 2:00 A.M."

Address no longer exists. Old building was probably torn down. Today this area is home to a thriving shopping area.

Opened in 2003.

Polynesian restaurant that was located in a strip mall, serving tropical drinks in tiki mugs, and featuring Oceanic Arts lamps and a few tikis.

It closed in July 2004 after being in business for a bit over a year.

The South Seas was a pre-tiki tropical themed restaurant, with painted murals of beach scenes and palm trees behind the bar, bamboo around the front of the bar, and fish nets and floats on the ceiling in the dining area.

Modern Hawaiian restaurant. Opened @ 2005.

There was another slightly older Hukilau in San Francisco, but it has closed.

Hukilau was more modern-Hawaiian than retro-Poly Pop. They opened @ 2004 and closed in 2012.

There is another Hukilau in San Jose.

In 1961, the Thunderbird International Hotel was built at 525 N Sepulveda Boulevard, in El Segundo, California, just a few blocks south of Los Angeles International Airport.

Originally, it had a coffee shop, but a year after it opened, in 1962, they changed their mind and remodeled the coffee shop and re-opened it as the The Huki Lau.

A few years later, the Thunderbird International was sold and re-named the Hacienda. Along with this name change, The Huki Lau was re-named to the simpler "Tiki Hut".

Most recently, the Hacienda was split into two and completely redone, with the Aloft being formed from the south building and a Fairfield Inn formed from the north building.

There are no longer any signs of The Tiki Hut.

Open from about 1964-1977.

Owned by Jimmy Vallas, who was known for being a hard-working family man of Greek descent. The Tiki Supper Club was an upscale dining experience with Greek specialties and fresh seafood. Nick Coumalis, a family friend and regular during this era, described it as a place where “men wore suits and women wore nice dresses.” There were cocktails and dancing, all in a classic tiki environment. Pat Yemm remembers “there were banana leaves all around. And bamboo. The drinks were served in tiki mugs, and it was a great place for a date.” The walls were covered in fake leopard skins and spears hung over the booths.

Open since @ 2012.

Surf City Island golf is a popular island-themed miniature golf course with nautical, pirate, jungle, and tiki imagery.

This popular sushi restaurant can become quite crowded on weekend evenings when the DJs play dance music and reggae. That warning aside, the food and drinks make this place worth a visit. It has a more tropical than tiki feel, as is common with the more modern tiki bars, but for the most part at least sticks to a Polynesian theme.

Kowloon opened on August 22nd, 1950 as The Mandarin House. In 1958 the Wong family purchased it and changed the name to Kowloon. Over the years they have expanded the restaurant into a broad complex of rooms, and it now has room for 1,200 dining patrons. Several of the rooms have Polynesian theming, including the Tiki Lagoon Room and Luau Room.

Fun Fact: The exterior Ku tiki below the A-frame is made of foam.

The restaurant has been a landmark in the north Boston area for decades, and photos of many celebrities visiting the restaurant are proudly displayed. They have a comedy club within the complex called "Kowloon Komedy".

The food is traditional Chinese American fare, and includes a flaming pu pu platter. Tropical drinks are served in tiki mugs.

As of 2024, the owners have announced that the restaurant is going to close. However, it sounds as though they have construction plans and that the end goal is to open a smaller venue on part of the same site. See 2024 Breezeway interview episode with Spike (Matt Marble).

Islands Sushi and Pupu Bar was known as the not-particularly-tiki sushi bar in the rather-tiki Crowne Plaza Hotel for many years.

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.

This bar area wasn't terribly tiki before 2020, save for a few masks on the walls and some rattan furniture, but now it is totally bare of any tiki influence.

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.