Tiki Bars
Trader Vic's - Berlin
Mitte, Berlin, Germany (Closed)
This Trader Vic's location opened in the Hilton Berlin in 2003. It closed on March 28, 2009.
Cocomo Joe's
Cave Creek, Arizona, United States (Closed)
Opened 2001.
This restaurant and bar was located in a shopping complex in a suburb well north of Phoenix. It had a more Caribbean than Polynesian feel, although there were some tikis outside. It's not as if this was false advertising, though... the place was called "Cocomo Joe's," after all.
In January 2003, there was a one-man cheesy synth & guitar band playing Jimmy Buffett tunes. There were also TVs showing sports installed throughout the joint. However, the drinks were tasty, and while they didn't serve drinks in tiki mugs, there was a stack of volcano bowls at the bar.
Cocomo Joe's closed in April 2014, and as of 2021 is now the Creek Patio Grill.
Trader Vic's - Singapore
Singapore, Singapore (Closed)
This Trader Vic's location opened in the New Otani Hotel Singapore in 1984. It closed sometime around 2002.
The New Otani was in one of the two twin 25-storey towers used as hotel and service apartments, the other being the Liang Court Regency.
Entering the millennium, the New Otani was then sold and became Accor Hotels, and later renamed Novotel Singapore Clarke Quay.
Novotel was closed permanently in 2021 as a result of the Covid Pandemic.
Trader Vic's - Washington D.C.
Washington, D.C., District of Columbia, United States (Closed)
This Trader Vic's was inside the Statler Hilton (now the Capital Hilton). It operated from 1961 until 1995.
Among its many decorations were two large moai carvings with top-knots outside the front entrance that were created by Barney West.
This Trader Vic's was a major center for politicians for many years; president Richard Nixon reportedly loved to drink Navy Grogs here.
Trader Vic's - at The International Marketplace - Honolulu
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States (Closed)
Opened in 1967.
This was the International Market Place Trader Vic's. There was another Trader Vic's in Hawaii prior to this, on Ward Avenue in Honolulu.
Cabana Joe's
Los Angeles, California, United States (Closed)
Opened in 1995, this was a store in Venice owned by Joe O’Brien, a surfer who followed his passion for the ocean and incorporated it into his interior design, collecting vintage items that brought that tropical beach feel. Joe's wares included reproduced vintage fabrics as well as authentic beach furniture from a time gone by.
It is now home to Pretties, a lingerie shop.
Trader Vic's - Vancouver B.C.
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (Closed)
Opened in 1961.
The 500-seat restaurant-bar opened only a few years after Vancouver allowed hard liquor to be sold in public.
This Trader Vic's was located in the Westin Bayshore Resort & Marina, in an A-frame building designed by architect Reno Negrin.
The Long House Room had a high-pitched ceiling covered with thatched raffia; four long boats and an ornate canoe which was suspended above the diners’ heads. The ceiling light fixtures were concealed in thatched baskets, and in colored globes wrapped in fishnets. Numerous wood tribal masks and large conch shells concealed uplighting fixtures. Tribal shields, spears, carved poles, bamboo screens and Chinese-design wrought iron panels completed the decor.
It closed on December 31, 1995. The bar was still popular though, and the restaurant was rented out for special events until the building finally closed in May, 1999.
After closing, the Bayshore sold the building to David Whiffin of Vancouver Island and he had the structure transported there, where it still rests today. Plans to re-open the building as part of a waterfront vineyard in the new location near Butchart Gardens were quickly scuttled by the local municipality, however. A Kickstarter was started to try and finance a new start for the building, but it went nowhere, and David ended up living there for a time. As of 2026, it remains where it was moved, quietly abandoned...
Trader Vic's - Tokyo
Kioichō, Chiyoda City, Japan
The Tokyo Trader Vic's opened in 1974, and is located within the Hotel New Otani in Chiyoda City (Chiyoda City is a special ward located in central Tokyo, Japan.). This location remains one of the finer examples of high end Trader Vic's design, with service to match. The Boathouse Bar still serves some drinks in rare Trader Vic's stemware.
Trader Vic's - Taipei
Taipei, Taiwan (Closed)
This Trader Vic's location operated from 1993 until around the latter half of 2010.
The Islander - Stockton
Stockton, California, United States (Closed)
The Islander (1966-1980) was a staple of Stockton's late-night entertainment in the 70s and 80s. Tommy Lee bought The Islander from restaurateur Hop Louie, who had hired architect Warren Wong to design the building to resemble a shipwreck on a sandy beach.
Most of the Islander's mugs were manufactured by Otagiri (OMC) and included: the "Islander child's tiki" mug, more commonly called a peanut mug today, which was available in black and the more common brown; three-face bucket mugs in both a short and tall size, which Mai Tais were served in; a rare green Maori-face bucket mug; a strangely large Scorpion bowl for two with an outrigger scene on one side and palm trees on the reverse; a "surf rider" mug that was also used at the unrelated Latitude 20; a tall wahine mug in the shape of a palm tree trunk (also the same shape as a Tiki Bob mug); a tiki mug with the image of an Andres Bumatay tiki on it (this same tiki was also used for early Islander menu cover artwork); a three-tiki bowl by an unknown manufacturer, and marked as being from the Islander only with a clear sticker on the bottom; a "Hurricane" mug (more commonly called a Kon Tiki mug today, as the face was borrowed from Thor Heyerdahl's Kon Tiki); a later Hurricane mug that looked like a section of bamboo; a Wan Fu mug that is commonly called Mr. Sleepy by collectors; an unusual bug-eyed moai mug sometimes seen with white eyes; skull mugs for serving the Kona Grog, which came in black or white; a coconut mug which can be found in varying shades of brown, for serving the Coconut Punch; a pineapple mug with holes for two straws, which came with the Pi-Yi; a Suffering Tiki mug with two straw holes and a toothy grin that will be familiar to Kelbo's fans; and a Bora Bora head mug, also with two straw holes.
In the mid-90s, the building was moved to 10464 North Highway 99, and operated as the Pollardville Chicken Kitchen. The building is now demolished. The left-behind original lot is now a Tower Records.
Tommy Lee passed away at age 87 in 2002.
The Stockton Islander is not to be confused with the earlier Los Angeles Islander.
Images attribution: The Bank of Stockton Archives
Trader Vic's - at the Washington Plaza Hotel (Westin) - Seattle
Seattle, Washington, United States (Closed)
*1969-1991 at the Washington Plaza Hotel (Westin) at 1900 5th Avenue.
The location at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel in Seattle was the second Trader Vic's, after the Oakland location. It was located at 1980 5th Avenue.
It opened in 1948 and originally it was called The Outrigger (a sub-chain within the Trader Vic's chain that lasted several years) but the name changed in 1960 to just Trader Vic's. This location stayed open until it moved its Seattle branch to the nearby brand new south cylindrical tower of the Washington Plaza Hotel (now the Westin) in 1969. The Benjamin Franklin Hotel was demolished later on 07/1980 to make way for the matching north cylindrical tower of the Washington Plaza (Westin).
Trader Vic's expansion within the Washington Plaza Hotel (Westin) gave it much increased seating space. Manager Harry Wong touted the variety of new seating arrangements. The Polynesian decor was planned by San Francisco design team Chan-Reader and Associates, which specialized in Trader Vic's interiors.
The Trader Vic's at the Washington Plaza Hotel (Westin) closed in June 1991.
Hawai'i General Store
Seattle, Washington, United States
Opened in 1998 by Gail Stringer.
A medium-sized store in Seattle's Wallingford neighborhood, which seems to be targeting the homesick among Seattle's Hawaiian community. It's not unusual to hear the lilting tones of pidgin english spoken here. There is a food section, and leis can be ordered straight from Hawai'i. Tiki Farm mugs and other tiki and party supplies can be found here.
They also run a travel agency out of the store as well.