This tiki adjacent location opened in the 1980s and closed in 2000.

No tikis to be seen and the Caribbean is not the South Pacific, so wrong body of water....however this was a hugely influential bar and (along with pop culture influences like the TV series LOST) has inspired many modern tiki locations. Last Rites bar in San Francisco seems to echo the theme and carry on the crash landing tradition. The Jet Set bar in Newburgh, NY also had a plane fuselage for customers to sit in (closed in 2024). Many other tiki bars incorporate aviation history into their interiors, from newspapers about the bombing of Pearl Harbor, to propellers and other repurposed plane parts, to aviation pinups, or nostalgic 1960s travel posters and memorabilia from the Golden Era of plane travel. Aviation may not be quite as popular as nautical on the Tiki Venn Diagram of sub-categories, but it definitely has a presence. Perhaps the future of this trend lies with Mothership in San Diego -- Mothership goes sci-fi and explores the crash landing theme on an alien planet!

The Caribbean Zone was located in the SOMA district of San Francisco. It was hidden under a now defunct freeway overpass in an alley behind a bus terminal, next door to what was then Club DV8. Their kitchen was actually located inside of Club DV8, and when it went under during the dot com bubble, so did the Caribbean Zone. They paved paradise, and put up a parking lot. Literally.

The theme of the restaurant was an airplane that crash landed in a tropical jungle. It was a full restaurant that served Caribbean fare, such as Jamaican Jerk Chicken, and fried plantains. Drinks were also Caribbean style, with choices like a Bahama Mama, Goomba Boomba, or a Mai Tai with pineapple juice served in a brandy snifter.

You would approach a small looking quansit hut in the middle of what was then a semi industrial wasteland. You entered through a plain non-descript door, and then you would be immediately whisked away to a tropical paradise.

The back bar was actually the fuselage of a DC-3, at one time the actual tour plane for the Doobie Bros. Someone bought it, removed the wings, and installed it as the back bar. The cool thing was, you could actually go up into the plane, and have cocktails! The waitresses would come up and take your order, then return with your drinks. And they had placed small tv screens on the outside of the plane windows, so when you looked outside, it gave the illusion that you were flying.

There was a lot of great tropical foliage throughout the restaurant, and there was a huge waterfall feature in the back, that was big and loud enough that you could not carry a conversation if you were seated next to it. There also was a banquet room that sat about a dozen people, and it was done up like a cave with stone walls.

This restaurant appears to have been open in the early 1970s on 7th Avenue near 51st Street at the Hotel Taft.

The floral patterns on the booths and the carpet have a very 70s vibe. Other than this, and some groovy 70s advertising, much of the decor and concept seems to have been "borrowed" whole-heartedly from the Trader Vic's and Steve Crane franchises.

The 1968 demolition of Madison Square Garden, the increasing presence of unsavory businesses in the area, and the desire for newer, more elegant hotels contributed to the gradual decay of the Taft Hotel. In 1974, Urban Renewal Housing and Development Corporation, headed by Gilbert M. Federbush, acquired the hotel from Lawrence A. Wien. At the time, the hotel was struggling with a 51% occupancy rate and losing $80,000 a month. A year later, the hotel fell into receivership and was foreclosed on by its lender, the Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company.

Soon after, the hotel was converted to mixed use and sections were re-named.

It would appear this was a brief flash-in-the pan restaurant during the early 70s before closing.

Open at least as early as 1964.

At the Imperial Restaurant of the Imperial Motel. Featured "American/Chinese/& Polynesian Cuisine".

As can be seen below, their signature tiki was located just outside the front door in front of a lava stone wall.

Joe Chastek was first introduced to Polynesia when he and a high school buddy stowed away to the Philippines when they were both 17. Joe was one of the first to open a club with the South Seas motif. His first pre-Tiki bar was the Zamboanga. His second was the Tradewinds. His third was Vagabond's House.

The Trade Winds was opened during the war, in December 1944. He kept the same monkey theme that worked for him at the Zamboanga.

The original long and low building was Pike’s El Rancho back in the 1940’s.

Arne and Carolyn Jacobson added the A-frame and theming. They opened Arne's Royal Hawaiian Motel in 1957 and it closed in 2009.

Originally, those staying in one of the 43 rooms could enjoy color TV, a rec room, tennis court, and a swimming pool.

The rooms featured Hawaiian inspired motifs, including palm tree murals and rattan furniture.

The iconic sign and the impressive A-frame with curved beams (even more impressive in an interior view) caught the eye of many a traveler on their way to Las Vegas.

Unfortunately, after its closing, it became a focus for graffiti and vandalism.

Many hoped that someone would re-open or salvage this site, but it was not to be.

The building was leveled in 2025.

Built in 1961, this complex has 42 units and is 2 stories tall.

Pop Polynesian features include a lava wall, outrigger beams, an A-frame entrance, and a pool hut (originally with large outrigger extensions, but now long since cut away).

Smaller photos below from 2002 provide contrast to larger 2025 background image.

Most recently, the building has had a severe pruning of all its palms and tropical foliage and many of the outrigger beam extensions have been cropped. This, combined with a much lighter paint job than in previous years makes the property much less "exotic", but it still survives and with the original name intact as of 2025 (see background image).

Built in 1955.

Located in the Point Loma area of San Diego, this motel was right across the street from the famous Fisherman's Landing fishing docks.

Originally, this motel featured the name in a very cool font sign along with a large actual outrigger canoe out front.

The building is still here but appears to have been converted to condos and has been re-named several times and barely resembles its former self.

No outrigger canoe to be seen...

There was also an Outrigger Motel on Atlantic Avenue in Ormond Beach, Florida (now the Outrigger Beach Club Resort) but there appears to be no connection to the San Diego motel other than the name.

This pre-tiki establishment was open at least as early as 1952, but probably even earlier right after WWII.

Advertising proudly proclaims it is "G.I. owned and operated."

Decor and theming probably didn't extend much past the impressive sign out front.

Sinah Warren Chalet Hotel, at Sinah, Hayling Island near Portsmouth was originally built as a health farm.

It became Sinah Warren Chalet Hotel before being purchased by Warners in the 1960s.

The KonTiki bar appears to have been active in the early 70s.

The hotel became adults only in 1994 before a major rebuild created the present coastal hotel.

There are no signs of the KonTiki bar today. It was remodeled many years ago.

Named after the classic Chinese game, this Chinese bar and restaurant embraced the Poly Pop craze at the height of its popularity like many others and fully transformed itself into a Tiki destination.

Active throughout the 60s and 70s.

The Shameful Tiki Room Toronto originally opened in 2015 at 1378 Queen Street West.

Their final night there was May 27th, 2025.

They re-opened here, just down the road, at 777 Queen Street West on June 9th, 2025.

There were at least two locations under this name. This one, owned by James and Robert Lee, was located on Winter Street in Waltham, Massachusetts, next to a cinema, and lasted roughly from 1975 - 1990.

It could be found taking exit 48 off Route 128.

They advertised Chinese and Polynesian food and cocktails (in a separate cocktail lounge with dress code).

This space apparently later housed The Winter Street Cafe, which changed its name to Sato and closed in 2015. Umi opened at this location later that summer and is still in business as of 2025.

Exiting 34 off of Route 128 would take you to the second Lanai Island location at 147 Lowell in Wakefield -- which advertised outdoor dining as a unique feature.