The Hawaiian Luau was located in The Fontainebleau Motor Hotel and opened on May 21st, 1963. It was known as a great place to enjoy an evening of Polynesian foods and exotic tropical drinks. The South Pacific motif featured tapa cloth from Samoa, Japanese net floats & peacock chairs. In Skipper Vince’s bar, you would find Idol images decorated with imported hapu tikis that were hand carved from giant ferns.

The Hawaiian Luau was a Polynesian paradise but the hotel also featured the Empire Room, The Chandelier Lounge and the Fontaine Coffee Shop.

The Fontainebleau Hotel opened on April 27th, 1959, just 4 years before the Hawaiian Luau. Its long name was treated to an equally long sign -- one of the largest illuminated signs in the city at the time -- spelled out in 8' tall blue & white letters.

The hotel was a key part of "The Miracle Mile," a bustling commercial thoroughfare that was the main route from Jefferson Parish into the city until the 1970s. That's when the expressway was built and the decline began.

The hotel was closed in the 1990s and Roland Von Kurnatowski converted the Fontainebleau to apartments and units that could be used for storage. A Burger King also sat on the lot.

Most recently, in December 2020, businessman Sidney Torres purchased the property. He said he plans to re-name the apartment complex Pelican Apartments and to open a drive-through chicken operation where the Burger King once operated to maintain the license while searching for a permanent tenant.

Club Mallard came into existence in 1945, but this same building has been a bar since 1934, just after the end of the Prohibition. It was originally called The Doghouse and then became Club Pago Pago in 1941. Some of the Club Pago Pago roots can still be seen on the outdoor patio and have been accented with some Oceanic Arts decorations as well.

Overall, though, this bar is themed more like a duck-hunting lodge than Polynesia, but in addition to the tiki-themed patio, some of the bartenders (Robin, in particular) can be trusted to make classic tropical drinks. The bar is pretty popular with East Bay folks, and the doormen can be quite strict about checking IDs -- be sure you have yours on hand.

The current owner of the Mallard also owns Kona Club in Oakland.

Billy's at the Beach started out as a somewhat generic Hawaiian/tropical restaurant, but has upped the tiki angle in recent years, adding more pieces from Oceanic Arts and hiring Bamboo Ben to make some improvements.

The Aloha opened in the early 1970s. It closed in June 2004 when the property was redeveloped.

The Hawaiian Room opened in the 1960s (1964 has been mentioned but not verified), and was outfitted by Oceanic Arts. Today, much of the original decor is still in place, but is covered with typical sports bar banners and posters. In September 2003, a group of people temporarily removed all the sports bar ephemera and returned it to its prior glory for a one-night "resurrection" party.

The Beachcomber existed at least as early as 1966 and appears to have closed shortly after 1996 (after a big flood that same year). It was on the shore of Lake Oswego -- one could enter the restaurant from either the lake side (if traveling by boat) or the street side.

Virginia (Bevans) Smith bought the Beachcomber after her husband's death. Previously, she and her husband had been partners in Eugene, where they ran Bev's Bar-B-Q, the first drive-through in Eugene.

Chinese food was served here.

The location is now home, as of 2022, to Stickmen's Lakeside Smokehouse & Brewery.

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.

Built in 1970, this small neighborhood bar and restaurant served Chinese food and tiki cocktails.

It had an A-frame entrance with a large Maori style tiki carving hanging below the peak. Inside, much of the decor was Chinese-themed, but they did have thatch-covered booth seating with a number of Orchids of Hawaii style hanging lanterns over each booth.

Closed in 2019. Demolished in 2023 and added to the Cass Park expansion.

A short-lived tiki bar added to Jack's Cannery Bar, found in The Cannery at Fisherman's Wharf.

It appears a few orange-painted Tiki Bobs endured after the rest was removed...

This location was open briefly from @ 1977 - 1980 and was known for its Hawaiian Dance Review floor shows.

Today this site is a Shop n' Save.

This restaurant was reportedly remodeled as of 2013 and little of its original decor survived.

Below you can see a photo of the bar with thatching and more decor surrounding it, and then the stripped bare and remodeled version.

Despite the stark white walls, there are some masks and other decorations still throughout, however.

Htel-Motel Coconut has been owned by the Landry family since it opened in 1958, and became Polynesian-themed in 1963 after the owners went on an inspirational honeymoon in Tahiti. In addition to the hotel, there are two lounges: the Coconut Bar and in 2015 a second lounge was added, Volcano. Coconut Bar has more traditional and immersive decor, while Volcano is more lightly themed but bathed in all-red light. However, the Coconut Bar has incongruous modern music, while Volcano has the more relaxing lounge sounds one wants in a tiki bar.