Tiki Bars
Kona Gardens Apartment Complex
Garden Grove, California, United States
Built in 1964.
32 units spread over 2 stories.
This apartment complex still has 14 tikis standing and they are in decent shape. This includes 12 guardians around the pool, one under a small shack to protect the map/directory, and a cool fern tiki by the pool fence.
It is located near the intersection of Garden Grove Boulevard and Brookhurst Street.
Tipsy Tiki
Honolulu, Hawaii, United States
The Tipsy Tiki opened some time prior to December 2021, with little to no change in decor from its previous incarnation as The Myna Bird (which ran from 2017 to 2020).
Located in the International Market Place in Honolulu, in the Kuhio Avenue Food Hall, this bar was rebranded as being part of the La Pina Cantina next door.
Pele Apartments
El Monte, California, United States (Closed)
Built in 1964.
This 1-story building has 93 units.
The location is hardly recognizable, years later, in 2022, as the M Motel.
The kidney-shaped pool and waterfall in center appear to have been removed/concreted over.
The corner A-frame and the rest of the roof-line is the same but the exterior has been completely re-done with any stonework replaced and a blah gray and white paint scheme with brick-work accents added.
Wusong Road
Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States
This restaurant took over the space previously occupied by Les Sablons and has been slowly rolling open since late December 2021, starting with the upstairs tiki bar. The downstairs section, which is focusing on affordable Hong Kong deli-style rice plates to start, debuted February 1, 2022 in time to ring in the Lunar New Year.
From the Wusong Road Website:
"Hidden away in the historic 100 year old Conductors Building on the outskirts of Harvard Square. Wusong Road is named after the first Conductors building located in Wusong China. Located in the outskirts of Harvard Square, Wusong Road tells the culinary love story about classical Asian American cuisine and tropical Tiki escapism that was central to Cambridge Massachusetts. With food crafted by Chef owner Jason Doo, guest experience by owner Kaila Fong and our beverage program by Justin Crooks and Charlie 'Rocco' Napoli, we hope you will join us for an escape from the hustle and bustle of Cambridge city life.
The team behind Wusong Road (Jason Doo, Thomas Brush, Kaila Fong, and Charlie Napoli) renovated the abandoned conductors building during the COVID-19 outbreak of 2020. The conductors building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 27, 1988.
The team behind Wusong Road with the help of architects Analogue Studio, master craftsman Thomas Morgan (Morgan Construction) and Frank Simotics (Tiki Rancher) beautifully converted the once French Restaurant interior and converted the second story into a tropical Tiki escape."
Mon Kou Restaurant
Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States
Opened in 1971.
This restaurant serves Chinese, Polynesian, and American food.
The building has been remodeled since its opening, but there are still many tiki masks (some appear to be Witco) and they serve tropical drinks.
Area code 508 was created on July 16, 1988, in a split from 617, the original area code for this restaurant, but otherwise it is the same number.
Tiki Motel - Vernal
Vernal, Utah, United States (Closed)
Opened in 1964.
Tom Snyder, owner, renamed this motel, formerly known as The Rest Haven. He installed the "Tiki Motel" sign.
Later postcards attribute ownership to Wilford and Glenna Adams.
In addition to the sign was a large (probably concrete) moai head resembling a decanter that was created by M. H. Strikow for Kahlua liqueurs.
Today there is no sign of anything tiki related.
It appears the original structure was razed and re-built around 1980 as an Econo Lodge.
Most recently, @2021, it was re-branded as the Patriot Stay Motel.
Kona Kai Motel - Wildwood Crest
Wildwood Crest, New Jersey, United States (Closed)
Opened in 1962 by Manuel Santos. Designed and built by Lou Morey.
This motel had a wonderful lava rock wall front entrance with neon signs and tiki torches.
It was commonly referred to as being a part of the Doo Wop style of architecture, named after the popular music of its time, but this style is also referred to as Googie architecture in California and other parts of the country.
Before closing in the early 2000s, the owners appeared to be trying to restore things back to their original 1960s look.
Demolished in January of 2006.
Bali Hai Motel
Yakima, Washington, United States
This modest motel has a spectacular neon sign probably built in the 1950s, but except for a few palm tree cut-outs along the fence line, is otherwise non-tiki in appearance.
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.
Lava & Tonic
Wichita, Kansas, United States
Lava & Tonic opened in Spring 2019 in Wichita, KS.
The front is rather plain and unmarked in true speakeasy fashion. Look for the Donut Whole and the Hopping Gnome Brewery, it is sandwiched in between.
Kahuna Tiki TU
Los Angeles/Valley Village, California, United States
This is the newer sister location to the first Kahuna Tiki in North Hollywood (now closed), owned and operated by Carey Ysais.
It features sushi and Polynesian style food and tiki cocktails.
Opened in December 2020, the Kahuna Tiki TU is located at the site of the historic and former Mikado Sushi Bar in Valley Village.
The Kahuna Tiki TU and the adjacent Mikado Hotel were both built in 1957. They are under separate ownership.
This location has a full liquor license and a full range of cocktails featuring hard alcohol, whereas the first Kahuna Tiki location had a limited liquor license and featured beer and wine, and a more limited range of tropical cocktails made with sake and soju and the like.
You can sit at "The Jungle Bar" (a more intimate area with three thatched booths and velvet paintings), the sushi bar, the main hall with tables or booths, the "Party Room" (complete with jukebox and windows overlooking the pool), or sit outside on the patio next to the pool itself.
Check their calendar for burlesque shows, karaoke, hula performances, ukulele performances, or other live entertainment.