Open from 1972-1987.

This Chinese/Polynesian restaurant had fake palms in the parking lot and plastic flowers, masks, straw huts and a miniature outrigger in the dimly lighted dining room. All lit by Orchids of Hawaii swag lamps.

The dinner menu had extensive offerings of exotic Polynesian potables and main dishes, along with several Cantonese specialties, a half‐dozen Mandarin delights and some standard American fare.

This first Chuck’s Steak House was opened in Waikiki at the Edgewater Hotel in 1959, by Chuck Rolles.

As seen in the postcard, they had a bar with a tiki, fish floats, fish nets, and other flotsam and jetsam.

The restaurant became known for its casual atmosphere, self-serve salad bar, and high-quality steaks at reasonable prices. Today, a self-serve salad bar does not seem ground-breaking, but Chuck's was one of the first restaurants to implement this and they introduced it to the mainland.

Since 2007, with the creation of the Waikiki Beach Walk, this entire area has been redeveloped and no signs of the original Chuck's remains.

Over the years, the Chuck's chain expanded across the United States, although many locations have since closed, leaving only a few remaining, including one in Santa Barbara, California.

Built in 1961.

This development consisted of two 2-story buildings with a courtyard and pool in-between. 16 units total (1783-1797 Loma Vista St., Riverside, CA 92507).

A one-bedroom here on opening went for $85 a month.

Today, the structures remain with their stone wall front facades, but the pool has been filled in and the cool mid century fence with alternating colored rectangles has been replaced with a generic black fence.

The tiki in front is long gone and the name has undergone a few changes as well.

Its current name and commercial status remains unclear as of 2025 but all signs of tiki decor appear to have been removed.

This location had a very nice sign once-upon-a-time and was located on El Centro's motel row @1960s-70s.

Around 2012 it was converted to the "American Inn" and later to "Villa Hermosa Apartments".

The Lost Lei opened May 15, 2019 in Austin.

Located in the basement beneath Capital Grill.

The initial opening was underwhelming with decor consisting of thatch over the bar, some inexpensive tiki masks on the back bar, and some "Skull Columns" (three structural supports wrapped with plastic skulls in the center of the space).

Add to this, the bar was almost immediately met with controversy for issuing mugs that were blatantly copied from the famous Three Dots and a Dash Chicago mugs. They also produced mugs whose designs were ripped off from previous Tiki Farm and Crazy Al mugs.

They did slowly make efforts in the wake of widespread complaints and removed the mugs from general use. Although many ended up sold on the secondary market.

They also issued some colorful Royer swizzle sticks.

Closed in December of 2021.

This restaurant ran from about 1974 to 1990 and was run by Peter Hom.

Served "Chinese and American Cuisine and Tropical Drinks".

Opened June 13th, 2024 with a soft opening.

Originally named "The Paraquet", they quickly changed their name to "Leyton Calling".

Owned by Danny Saunders.

The interior makes good use of rattan and wicker and other natural materials. The furniture is rattan, the ceiling is a suspended roll of thin rattan, and walls and bar top make use of bamboo and similar materials. Rattan pendant lights hang over the bar. Plants and greenery throughout give an island/jungle vibe.

There are also some nautical elements with a diving helmet on the end of the bar and fish net hanging from the ceiling as well.

A lack of tiki carvings and artwork is disappointing, following the "modern trend" away from the layered and immersive classic tiki palaces originating with Trader Vic and Don the Beachcomber.

However, tropical cocktails are served in tiki mugs and tiki glassware and their menu features standards as well as interesting originals which have gotten great reviews so far...

Opened in Summer of 2022.

Located inside the premises occupied for 20 years by a fish and chip shop, first known as Mr Chippy and later rebranded as Hook & Line.

Owned by Maria Pavlou and her partners who also own Vudu Lounge and have run it since 2004 in the same building.

The name "Dum Dum" comes from the Moai character in the Night at the Museum movies.

The interior is what they describe as "Tiki Modern" by which they mean sparse and uncluttered without doing the immersive decor that is familiar to those tikiphiles who are used to the old school standards set by Don the Beachcomber and Trader Vic's. Dum Dum's booths and stools incorporate rattan and earth toned vinyl padded seating. Walls are covered with tropical leaf prints. A couple of walls feature fake foliage and neon lighting with messages like "Welcome to the Jungle" and "Rum, Forest, Rum". Ceilings are lit with swag lamps and the space over the bar is draped with several dozen fake flower leis. There are a few small foot-tall Moai statues on one wall, but no large carvings...and especially with the bar's name, it seems like there should be at least one massive Moai on premises, even if carved of foam or fiberglass. Artwork and decor is lacking, but this stripped-down space is more focused on the club crowd who are there to dance.

That said, they appear to have a thriving cocktail menu with a variety of their own concoctions as well as old standards to choose from... and they do serve drinks in tiki mugs.

The Pearl Tiki Bar officially opened on January 25, 2022.

Part of "The Block" which includes Highball Lanes, The Pearl, The Capri, Fondren Station and Fondren Yard.

Highball Lanes shares a wall and side entrance with Pearl as well.

This small tiki bar has little padded booth nooks looking out each of the front windows that have a nice assortment of colored glass fish floats hanging overhead.

One interior wall is wallpapered with a tropical leaf print, while the opposite walls have bamboo wainscotting and a tan wallpaper punctuated by various flotsam and jetsam as well as small framed tiki and nautical artworks.

Lauhala matting covered ceilings with stained oak beams. A matching dark stained oak bar and barstools.

Some rattan chairs for seating.

Not much in the way of large carvings or signature pieces, and this may not be as immersive a space as some, but it is cozy and provides a nice counter-point to the other bars and businesses on "The Block".

There have been a ton of bars and restaurants named "Pago Pago" over the years.

This one at 319 N. Palm Canyon Drive in Palm Springs (some ads say 317) was opened in April of 1945 by Eddie Brandhorst (who also owned a Pago Pago in Long Beach).

It was formerly "The Waikiki" and owned by Joe Felix (at least as early as 1941).

It seems to have had a fire incident early on but was quickly remodeled and re-opened in October of 1945.

This pre-tiki establishment was known for advertising dancing and rain on the roof.

According to the Desert Sun, the petition to allow dancing was approved in August of 1946, so they had to wait for a little while after their initial opening.

The interior was also decked out with a large mural of scantily-clad native women, which the owner defended in the Desert Sun, December 6th, 1946, stating: "Ladies, do not fear for your husbands in the Mural Room. I know how they gaze at the Pago nymphs on the Pago walls—but they’re only painted there. Besides, the painter, Allan Woods, also came from Long Beach, 'a stern, unbending Puritan town.'"

Ownership changed, transferring to Don Artz as early as April of 1947 when he took ownership according to Desert Sun newspaper ads.

It was put up for sale in 1948 after Don fell on ill health.

Later, the site was taken over by Lee Bering and the name changed to "Lee Bering's Restaurant" in 1949, apparently making a break from the tropical island theme.

Opened circa 2010.

This was not a classic tiki bar but more like a college/sports bar lightly skinned with tikis and beach decor.

It had both an inside seating area and a back outdoor patio with its own bar.

The interior walls were painted solid colors over the years (light gray or orange) or covered in bare brick (patio exterior). The ceilings sported exposed beams with track lighting. Lots of TVs around the room playing sports.

They placed some inexpensive tiki masks and carvings around, along with a few old surfboards and a Sailor Jerry's Hula Girl Statue, but the overall vibe of the place still screamed college bar or sports bar.

It didn't help that they had a very limited selection of non-craft tropical cocktails and did heavy promotion of their "Shot-Ski" where shots are lined up for several drinkers to lift and drink at once as a group activity off a literal ski.

Their closing was also rather abrupt in 2023, but probably not terribly missed by people looking for an authentic tiki experience.