The Tropics - at Waikiki

Honolulu, Hawaii, United States

This is the first Tropics restaurant opened by Peaches & Tony Guerrero. They also operated The Tropics at Ala Moana.

Tony Guerrero was an "Island Boy". In the 1930's he went to Hollywood and acted in several movies. While there he meet the beautiful Peaches Jackson, who was pursuing her career in the movies. Tony co-owned his first bar/restaurant, the Hawaiian Hut, in Hollywood. When he sold it they moved to Hawaii. In 1940 they bought a waffle place and made it into the first Tropics restaurant (at Waikiki).

It was situated opposite the Royal Hawaiian Hotel.

The Tropics at Waikiki flourished and became an institution for visiting Hollywood stars to hang out at. It was eventually renamed "The World Famous Tropics at Waikiki".

This grand pre-tiki establishment was decorated with tons of bamboo, thatch, greenery, and art -- including an Edgar Leeteg black velvet painting (as can be seen in postcard photos -- see background image and below).

Local legend also states that the first ILWU (International Longshore and Warehouse Union) agreement for sugar workers was signed by flashlight at night on top of a garbage can in the alley in back of the Waikiki Tropics.

In 1952, Peaches and Tony went to Paris to study at the Cordon Bleu, opening a second restaurant upon their return to Hawaii, the Tropics Ala Moana. This restaurant was as successful as the Tropics and the special house dressing became so much in demand that it was eventually bottled and to this day, Tropics Salad Dressings are popular on the West Coast and of course, in Hawaii, where they are made.

Dates are unsure for the close of The Tropics at Waikiki (still in business as late as 1955) but it became the Royal Lanai by the early 1960s.

The Tropics Ala Moana closed in 1958.

Tony died in 1985 and Peaches in 2002.