Longitude was opened by Suzanne Long in downtown Oakland in August 2014. Long had previously been bar manager at Alameda's Forbidden Island. The theme here was not strictly tiki, but rather "adventure," with a mix of African and Papua New Guinea elements, but the echoes of golden-era Tiki were still felt, especially in the drink menu.

The buildout was done by Tiki veteran Bamboo Ben. A massively long and wide monkey pod-topped bar anchored the space, while the main attraction was a large, raised African hut with seating inside. There was an upper mezzanine that overlooks the room below. A sophisticated sound system delivered a variety of jungle sound effects and exotic music. Fresh orchids and plenty of greenery added to the jungle feeling. Beautiful drawings of African animals on the menu and adorning the walls to the mezzanine were created by Long's mother.

The food menu was influenced by Africa's colonial past, with familiar British items like Bangers & Mash and Shepherd's Pie. There were plenty of the old traditional Polynesian restaurant appetizers, including a flaming pu-pu platter.

The drink menu was full of Long's own take on Tiki classics, and her own inventions. The Navy Grog could be purchased with a souvenir Longitude rocks glass, while the Black Orchid came with a real black pearl to take home.

Longitude closed on March 5, 2017. The Kon-Tiki opened in this location in November 2017.

The Hut has been open since 2001, but in 2009 they embraced tiki in a big way when they saved a landmark 3-story moai from destruction. Stairs inside the moai lead to a railed observation platform on top of the moai's head. The 40,000 pound structure came from Magic Carpet Golf, and moving it to the courtyard at The Hut was no small feat. The moai now looks out across Tucson once more.

The Hut is a music venue with both indoor and outdoor stages.

They are more of a beer bar, and their limited list of cocktails are more like what you would find in a college bar with punches served in fish bowls and drinks with names like "The Pineapple Express" or "The Grateful Dead".

Lanai was a very short-lived Polynesian restaurant -- it opened in 1961, and by 1962 had morphed into the legendary Hawaii Kai. It was above the Winter Garden Theatre in the Theater District north of Times Square. Lanai was a partnership between Joe Kipness (who went on to own the Hawaii Kai with other partners) and Monte Proser, who two decades earlier had opened his Monte Proser's Beachcomber in this same spot. The Lanai logo of sarong-clad woman holding a theatrical-meets-tiki mask to her face was used for some mugs at Hawaii Kai.

The Banana Hut started out in 2004 as a simple fair-food shack selling banana fritters and ice cream. In 2009, owners Ken and Fatima Evans expanded into a full restaurant in downtown Eureka.

In 2011, they were able to purchase the remains of the interior of Chicago's Kona Kai, and planned to expand to add a tiki bar and banquet room.

The restaurant had plenty of thatch and a scattering of smaller tiki masks on the walls, with a bright and airy modern surf feel. The food was Hawaiian cuisine with all the plate lunch favorites, and tropical cocktails were available.

Closed in August 2020.

Opened in 1973.

This old school restaurant was also known by the names "Harbor House" (a previous name) and "Pete's Harbor" (the name of the harbor where the restaurant resides). The entry was flanked by two large, old wooden tikis that were a bit rotted and termite ridden, but were still gorgeous. The entry was covered by thatch, and the building had a nautical feel. The tiki apparently ended by the time you were inside, though.

The restaurant closed for good at the end of 2012, the property fated for redevelopment.

California native and self-taught cook Tsutomu “Jack” Kaya moved to Omaha after war’s end, and in 1947 opened his first restaurant, the Grass Shack Cafe. In 1965, Jack and wife Alice opened the Mt Fuji Inn, Omaha's first Japanese restaurant; the cuisine on offer spanning from Japanese to Cantonese to American.

After the loss of the restaurant by fire in 1969, the Mt Fuji Inn re-opened in a new, larger location that afforded the addition of a dedicated cocktail bar on the lower level. While the main restaurant was a pretty standard affair, the Mai Tai Lounge was a dimly lit drinkery decorated with port holes, black velvet paintings, fish tanks, bamboo over the bar and Orchids of Hawaii beachcomber lamps. There were a few other tiki touches including tiki door pulls and a tall tiki pole at the entrance.

The Mai Tai Lounge boasted a menu of “25 Original Polynesian Cocktails,” including their own spin on classics such as the Zombie, Fogcutter and its namesake Mai Tai, served in customized Mt. Fuji Inn Moai tiki mugs. Throughout the 1970s, occasional live music by such acts as “Big Al” Kaulia and The Kanakas played the “sounds of the islands.”

A family business to the end, the Mt Fuji Inn and Mai Tai Lounge closed in October 2017.

Built in the same space that used to be Ocean's 11 in 2001-2002.

In 2006, the space finally reopened as Headhunters, a punk dive bar renowned as a live music venue. The lighting was dark, the decor mixed tiki and headless Barbie dolls.

Headhunters fell on hard times and was cleaned up and re-branded in 2012 as Metal and Lace: Steampunk Lounge by Host Jon Taffer of the Bar Rescue television show.

However, the changes didn't stick and the bar went back to its old name and ways and closed in 2014.

This was the same historic restaurant that stood for many decades under the legendary name of Sam's Seafood. It briefly became Kona, and for several years, starting in 2009, was Don the Beachcomber. This restaurant had no connection to the historic Don the Beachcomber chain; the trademark on the name had lapsed and had been purchased for new business ventures. The operation contained many nods and tributes to the original Don the Beachcomber.

The owners hoped to honor the name by bringing back traditional Don the Beachcomber cocktails. The decor remained intact, and was augmented with more work by Bamboo Ben. Notably, the entrance was redecorated in tribute to the entrance to the original Don the Beachcomber in Hollywood.

The most densely tikified area was the Dagger Bar, which was dark and filled with carved posts and pufferfish lights. The main dining room was more bright and airy, and had a large tiki watching over diners. The back of the restaurant was the deluxe "Hidden Village," available for special occasions, with a stage area, raised huts and second bar.

The owners of the restaurant did not own the lot of land it sat on, and periodically over the last decade or so prior to its close, there were threats of the restaurant being bulldozed to make room for a new condominium development. The threat seemed to rise and fall with the economy, and news came in June 2015 that the owners of the lot were asking for it to be rezoned for high-density occupation.

As of April 15th, 2018, Don's was closed down. Much of the interior decor was removed and put in storage. Part of the building was rented out to a restaurant named The Himalayan Grill as a temporary lease until they could find a permanent brick-and-mortar location. Delia Wu Snyder publicly stated she was looking for a new location for Don's to re-open.

*NOTE: According to the Tampa Bay Business Journal as of Aug 19, 2022, a Tampa-based hospitality company has acquired the intellectual property of an iconic California restaurant brand. Marc Brown, president of 23 Restaurant Services, told the Tampa Bay Business Journal that the company has finalized a deal to purchase the Don the Beachcomber brand from Delia Snyder, who had owned it since 2003. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. 23 Restaurant Services is the parent company of Ford’s Garage, Tiki Docks and Yeoman’s Cask and Lion. Some aspects of the Don the Beachcomber brand will be incorporated into Tiki Docks locations, and 23 Restaurant Services is also looking for stand-alone sites for the concept, Brown said.

The Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach, FL opened in February of 2024, the first of many planned by 23 Restaurant Services in the re-booting of the franchise.

Tropical Bistro took over a space in a strip mall that was previously a rather typical Chinese buffet. It had many connections to the Kahiki Supper Club in nearby Columbus, which closed in 2000. The owners were Ngo and Soeng Thong; Ngo was a general manager at the Kahiki, and Soeng was a chef there. The Thongs tracked down many former employees for their new restaurant, including the Kahiki's Executive Chef, Mickey Cheung. Tropical Bistro still felt much more like a Chinese buffet than a tiki bar, but there were Orchids of Hawaii lamps from the Kahiki, monkey pod tables, and even a few tikis.

What Tropical Bistro was able to offer was the same food and drink menu as the Kahiki. Drinks were served complete with dramatic dry ice, and in tiki mugs. Those who missed a particular drink or dish from the Kahiki were excited at the arrival of Tropical Bistro.

Over time, with the help of dedicated locals, the Tropical Bistro built up its tiki level (including the addition of a scaled-down replica of the Kahiki's famous signature tiki fireplace).

Tropical Bistro closed for "minor remodeling" in January 2008. The closure was supposed to last for only one week, but Tropical Bistro never reopened.

Opened in 1950 by Willie Shenker, along with Jack & Florence Jung.

The dining area held 85 seats. Apart from this was the "Copra Room" bar.

This Chinese restaurant had a semi-tiki nautical theme, and though they had a 28-cocktail-long menu, they are best known for being the birthplace of the Hawaiian Eye drink. The '60s detective show Hawaiian Eye was filmed on a nearby Burbank lot, and the China Trader was their afterwork hangout. The Hawaiian Eye drink was concocted there in their honor.

This is seemingly at odds with a recipe attributed to Harry Yee for the Hawaiian Eye which is as follows:

THE HAWAIIAN EYE

¼ oz Light Rum ¾ oz Jamaican Dark Rum ¾ oz Dark Rum 3 oz Grapefruit Juice 1 ½ oz Guava Juice 1 dash Bitters 1 dash Simple Syrup

Shake the contents in a shaker along with ice. Strain into an ice filled hurricane glass. Garnish with an orchid and pineapple wedge.

*NOTE: A separate recipe attributed to Tony Ramos for the Hawaiian Eye has lime juice, simple syrup, falernum, and gold and white rum. Perhaps this version is what was invented at China Trader. China Trader is also known for Tony Ramos working there as a long-time bartender.

Vic Bernardo became the new owner in June of 1969. He did extensive remodeling and enlarging of the venue which was completed by September of 1973.

The bar was directly across the street from Bob's Big Boy (built in 1949), and while the iconic Bob's is still there at that same location, the China Trader is not.

This space is now occupied by Toluca Lake Cleaners (as of 2024).

This was Bahooka's original location, in West Covina. Bahooka was started by two brothers and a sister in 1967. One of the brothers, Jack, had worked for 10 years at Kelbo's. The building was expanded over the years, which was ultimately its downfall. It grew over a property line, and in the ensuing dispute, Bahooka lost its lease. In 1980, the building was demolished. Four years earlier a second Bahooka location had been opened in Rosemead, and that location stayed in operation until January 2013.

Cocktail menu shown is @1973.

Exotical has been serving Southern California's aloha wear needs since 1964, more than 40 years. Owner Paul Orloff still runs the shop today, which is open six days a week, Monday through Saturday. Exotical carries a wide array of nice aloha wear -- some of it is vintage, but has never been purchased and worn. Prices can be on the high side, but the uniqueness of what you can find here, combined with the uniqueness of the shopping experience, can make it worthwhile. Exotical used to carry a lot of tropical import items like bamboo and furniture. They still carry a few tropical items beyond the aloha wear, including vintage albums, furniture and coconut monkeys. Orangethorpe Avenue has been their location since 2020.