Tiki Bars
Peabody Essex Museum
Salem, Massachusetts, United States
The Peabody Essex Museum (PEM) opened in 1799 as the East India Marine Society. It is the oldest continuously operating museum in the United States and was founded by Salem sea captains who wanted to establish a collection of global treasures.
The Peabody Essex Museum has a large Oceanic art collection, and features one of three historic Heiau Ku carvings, the other two are in the British Museum in London and the Bishop Museum in Honolulu. They also have some interesting pop culture exhibits, including a Gill-man prop head from The Revenge of the Creature, Universal Pictures (1955). A stunt man would wear this full-head latex mask made by Bud Westmore underwater while filming. They tend to rotate their exhibits, so call ahead if you want to check on what is available for viewing.
Bahi Hut Lounge
Sarasota, Florida, United States
Bahi Hut was opened in 1954 by Bill Johnson, and remains a beloved neighborhood bar and local landmark. For many years it operated as more of a beer bar, although some tropical drinks were available.
In 2018 it underwent a grand restoration and by all accounts was quite successful.
Two new tiki poles grace the front exterior, Mai and Tai, carved by Jeff Chouinard.
They kept a couple of their previous cocktails on the menu (especially their version of a "mai tai" which was beloved by locals for being strong...even if considered unbalanced and inauthentic by most tikifiles used to Trader Vic standards) but have revamped the rest of their cocktail menu and have climbed back from being just a beer bar.
It is part of the Golden Host Resort, a vintage roadside motel.
Restaurant Aloha
Saint-Jérôme, Quebec, Canada (Closed)
Restaurant Aloha opened in 1978. The wide restaurant had a narrow A-frame entrance; sometime between 2007 and 2011 the entrance was stripped of much of its tiki charm, but the bar at Aloha still had thatch and beachcomber lamps, and the restaurants still served flaming Pu Pu Platters and a "Flamme Tahitienne" in a volcano bowl. The restaurant closed in late 2014.
Traders Restaurant
Daytona Beach Shores, Florida, United States
Traders Restaurant is adjacent to the Aku Tiki Inn, and is sometimes called the Aku Tiki Traders Restaurant. There are a few pieces of tiki decor left, including some Witco carved furniture. It is just down the street from Hawaiian Inn.
Bamboo Cabana Room - at the Hotel Windermere
Santa Monica, California, United States (Closed)
The Bamboo Cabana Room, a.k.a. the Bamboo Room, was located in Hotel Windermere.
Hotel Windermere opened in 1909. It was owned and operated by businesswoman Rosamonde Borde. Her son, Harry J. Borde opened the Georgian Hotel, located next door at 1415 Ocean Avenue, in 1933.
The Bamboo Room was around until at least 1955, when the hotel was remodeled by John Lindsay.
The hotel was demolished in January 1962.
Hale Hawaii Lounge
Torrance, California, United States
Small old tiki bar, tucked back in a 60s-era strip mall on the Pacific Coast Highway. The decor inside is a mix of great old tiki decorations and horrid modern sports pennants.
Among other items, they have a concrete "Droopy Tiki" just as you enter on the right, also featured on page 229 of The Book of Tiki by Sven Kirsten. Named for the droopy eyelids, less than 10 are still known to have survived in various collections.
The bar keeps irregular hours, but if you do happen to stop by when they are open, their Scorpion Bowl comes highly recommended.
Restaurant Luau
Sainte-Adèle, Quebec, Canada
Opened in 1973. Closed briefly in 2019 and then re-opened under new owners.
This restaurant is more heavily tilted towards being a Chinese restaurant than a tiki destination, but nonetheless they serve drinks in tiki mugs and have bamboo and rattan throughout.
Drift Lounge
Scottsdale, Arizona, United States (Closed)
Modern tiki bar in Scottsdale that was opened by Greg Donnally in 2002 to mediocre reviews of its food, drinks and vibe. At opening, drinks were served in tiki mugs from Munktiki. Drift had a thatched A-frame entrance, but the interior was more sleek. Drift closed in November 2010.
Now home to Boondocks Patio & Grill. Donnally went on years later to partner in opening The Drunk Munk, using some of the same decor from Drift Lounge.
The Tikis - Monterey Park
Monterey Park, California, United States (Closed)
Started in the 1960s (1967?).
The Tikis was a massive entertainment complex, elaborately landscaped with tikis and volcanos, and featuring a Polynesian show. The Tikis could accommodate groups up to 1,500, and was able to entertain up to 3,000 people in one night.
The Tikis had caves, waterways, waterfalls, mermaids, an 80’ exploding volcano, 15 bars, up to 5 bands would perform each night, there was a petting zoo with exotic animals, and a handmade (!) roller coaster. Each night culminated in a Polynesian extravaganza and ended when a gorilla swooped down via a zip line, often knocking over guests’ beverages, and grabbed one of the maidens for a sacrifice.
Sometime after 1970, owner Danny Balsz divorced his wife, Doris Samson, and The Tikis closed in 1979.
Balsz attempted to recreate The Tikis in nearby Lake Elsinore, but he was never able to reopen.
Tropicana Lodge
Fresno, California, United States (Closed)
This 2-story, 118 room motel was built in 1961. Designed by Armet and Davis.
Originally it had a bar/lounge called the "Tropics Room", now gone.
Formerly run as a Days Inn and as a Knights Inn, it was recently called the Clarion Pointe Fresno (as of 2021-2024). As of 2025, its future remains uncertain.
You can still see some rock tiki faces built into the rock wall in front and the signature wood tikis out by the pool area (as part of a bench). The interior appears to have been completely gutted and redesigned, however.
Luau Barbecue Restaurant
Seattle, Washington, United States (Closed)
Luau Barbecue served a mix of barbecue and Hawaiian-inspired dishes, likely in the '50s/'60s.
Olmstead is now on this site as of 2021.
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.