Bob Lee’s Islander, Boston, MA.
An escapist fantasy, that’s what the Tiki Rooms of the Mid-Century sold. In those evenings of the 1950s and 1960s, no plane tickets were necessary to feel like you were somewhere else, that is, if a Tiki Room was nearby. If that was the case, all that was needed were just the keys to your car, to go and enjoy the promise of bamboo-lined fantasy worlds, with carved idols, flaming cocktails and the soft glow of artificial sunsets.
The Tiki Rooms were certainly escapist fantasies. Idealized settings, evoking distant tropical lands, mixing and matching in ways that created a unique language. I visited a few in the nineties and aughts, and even decades after their heyday, I felt like I was in an exotic movie set, ready to leave all worries behind. Fun stuff.
Looking at trends, I see renewed interest in Tiki Rooms nowadays. But if none are near you, this postcard collection from the Tiki Room Era is likely the next best thing. Just go and grab your favorite drink and listen to some appropriate period music while doing so.
Tonga Room, Fairmont Hotel, San Francisco, CA.
Kon-Tiki Hotel, Phoenix, AZ.
Trader Frank’s Tiki Gardens, Indian Rocks Beach, FL.
Kon-Tiki Restaurant, Sheraton Hotel, Montreal, Canada.
Kon-Tiki Bar in Harris’ Imperial Lounge, Pompano Beach, FL.
Bali-Hai Polynesian, New Orleans, LA.
Parrot Jungle, Miami, FL.
Trader Vic’s Lanai Room, Boston, MA.
Trader Frank’s Restaurant at Tiki Gardens, Indian Rocks Beach, FL.
Kon-Tiki Restaurant, Portland, OR.
Singapore Yacht Club, Sheraton Hotel, Dallas, TX.
The Islander, Los Angeles, CA.
Hawaiian Cottage Restaurant, Cherry Hill, NJ.
Most of the links to the pics don’t seem to be working…
There are some technical issues at present — we’re aware of them and are working on it.
You had two (2) from Boston, but missed three (3) more outside of Boston, two (2) on US Route 1 in Saugus, MA, just outside of Boston and one more in Lynnfield, MA, within spitting distance of the US Route 1 and MA Route 128 interchange on the Peabody-Lynnfield town line. Kowloon and Diamond Head, both on the Northbound side of Route 1 in Saugus, and Bali Hai on Moulton Drive in Lynnfield. Only the Kowloon remains, Diamond Head is now a Regina’s Pizzeria, and the Bali Hai was demolished a couple of years ago. Rental apartments now occupy the site. The Kowloon is slated to be redeveloped into a mixed-use building. The restaurant will remain, but move to a new, smaller building, with other businesses sharing the first floor of the new building.
Fun Fact: The Kowloon used to advertise on a radio sports talk show hosted by a local celebrity, Eddie Andelman, on his radio show, “The Sports Huddle”, who was a regular customer! The tag line for the ads was: “Kowloon in your future!”, intoned by the announcer in a not too convincing Chinese accent, to suggest that he was reading your fortune from inside a Chinese fortune cookie, LOL!
Trader Vic, or Victor Bergeron, opened his first location at 65th and San Pablo Oakland in 1936 as Hinky Dinks. After a trip to study new drinks his beer/open mic bar was transformed in 1937 to selling tropical drinks and chinese food. He is credited with the creation of the Mai Tai. The location in San Francisco opened in 1951 on Cosmos Place an alley way between Jones and Taylor. He opened an Emeryville location in 1973. That maybe when San Pablo location closed. Cosmos closed in 1994. I have been to both once each in the mid-70s. My father had a client who would come up from Los Angeles and when going out to dinner the family could go. I worked for this client in San Diego from the age of 17-22. Obviously I was under 21 at the Cosmo location but 21 at the Emeryville location and could have a Mai Tai like all the adults. Trader Vic’s celebrated it’s 90th birthday at the Emeryville location in 2024. The lease there was up at the end of 2025 and no news since.
There is ongoing debate whether the Mai Tai was invented by Trader Vic Bergeron or by Don the Beachcomber in Hawaii. At any rate, both are credited for setting off the tiki craze of the ’50s. Most Trader Vics locations today are outside the US (several in the UAE, of all places) but there is a small one in the Oakland Airport.
Interestingly, I have matchcovers from most of the locations mentioned!
Actually the two are quite different in ingredients, flavor, sweetness, and complexity. They aren’t close to identical.
I remember the Kowloon very well on the infamous Route 1 through Saugus and Lynnfield. It was replete with fine restaurants. My Aunt Gert took me to the Kowloon when I was about 15. All of the photos are great and when dining out was a major event.
The Tonga Room, inside the Fairmont Hotel since 1946 (it replaced the hotel’s original indoor pool) is still going strong.
And in my experience always has a long line to get in.
I have never even attempted it without reservations. Make those, show up on time and it’s a breeze.
Anthony Bourdain phrased it best:
https://youtu.be/h9wGW5QANDg?si=dewqd3jYOvWkTw0a&t=100
I honestly didn’t even realize they took reservations. When I went in either 2022 or 23 I showed up early, got in line, and when they opened they let the first however many in line in until they filled up.
How could I forget Dave Wong’s China Seas: “The Wong Place at the Right Time!”
How about ” Lee Cook , the Wokaholic ” . From Austin Texas , late 80’s .
Always had a love Of the Tiki aesthetic, been wearing Hawaiian shirts since I was fifteen. Off to Rarotonga ans Waitutaki for the holiday of a lifetime in June to celebrate eighteen months of being cancer free! Appologies if I’m oversharing but if you’ve been in the C club you’ll understand.
Always had a love Of the Tiki aesthetic, been wearing Hawaiian shirts since I was fifteen. Off to Rarotonga and Waitutaki for the holiday of a lifetime in June to celebrate eighteen months of being cancer free! Appologies if I’m oversharing but if you’ve been in the C club you’ll understand.
Yeah, I do get it.
I’ve always wanted to visit the Cook Islands. Enjoy!!
I always wondered what motivated Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room; maybe this was it.
Soundtrack by Les Baxter, Arthur Lyman, or Martin Denny is mandatory! Have all their CDs. For those not aware you can hear it all by streaming at: http://www.retrococktail.org listening to last weeks show as we speak. It’s from KPR Kansas Public Radio, believe it or not!
Don’t forget the famous Traders Vic’s in Manhattan. I have many fond memories and wonderful memories there.
Did you see a werewolf drinking a piña colada?
His hair was perfect
He’ll rip your lungs out, Jim!
Not to be forgotten is Steve Crane’s The Luau in Beverly Hills in 1953 and later his chain of Kon-Tiki restaurants. Plus he was married twice to Lana Turner.
Back in the day many fun meals at the Islander on La Cienega pictured here. It was still going strong when I moved to LA in 1972 though that was the tail-end of the Tiki craze (it never completely disappeared and is making a bit of a comeback).
So, I just need to do a shout-out to the Aku-Aku in Cambridge (MA). The tikis live on in a way as Maine fishermen at the Summer Shack. (although this is blasphemy to true tiki bar fans…but I will note that the original Aku-Aku mural exists for your viewing pleasure on the way to the restrooms).
And also to the Hu Ke Lau in fabulous Chicopee (MA). My favorite tiki restaurant ever. Home to many a scorpion bowl and surely illegal drives back to campus in the 1971 LeSabre. Loved the indoor thunder storms and the twin (triple?) lobster specials that were served in something resembling a surgical bucket; but after the 3rd scorpion bowl, that really really didn’t matter.
I’ll second (or third) the Kowloon on Rt 1 North in Saugus Mass. Love the aesthetic, and the Saugus Wings!
Almost time to break out the Hawaiian shirts for spring…
Please listen to Nick Lowe’s Indoor Safari CD as you view these photos
I was lucky enough to go to the Kahiki in Columbus, Ohio, once. It was an experience. Now a Walgreen’s sits there.
One stood for many years in “Alx, VA”, @ “Telegraph Rd”, a beltway, off ramp, @ “Huntington Av”, intersection.Forgotten the name now.
Always said “I’m going there one day”.
Come “1990ish”, it closed and was demolished. Needless to say, never did get there. Now a days, that off ramp, and a wider, “Telegraph Rd” run right through what once was.
I grew-up in Scottsdale in the sixties, seventies. The Fifth Avenue area was known for fine shopping. The Trader Vic’s on Fifth Avenue was huge, overstated in an area that was rather subdued, quiet, which made it an even bigger draw. Thank you for bringing-up good memories.
https://mytiki.life/tiki-bars/the-islander-1
I went to the Stockton Islander as a pre-Teen. Didn’t care for it…didn’t know what to order, or what to expect. Dad and his ladyfriend had to take me to McDonalds afterward.
The Stockton Islander was just behind the giant “Astro Slide” in the parking lot of the Lincoln Center shopping center. I much preferred the slide to the restaurant.
The Islander building apparently suffered a fire. It closed, then ended-up moved to another location closer to Lodi, Ca; on the premises of an old-time/wild-west/California gold-rush theme park, next-door to the Pollardville Showboat “vaudeville” theatre.
Photo of the building after repositioning near Lodi:
https://elkgrovehistoricalsociety.com/history-pollardville/
I vaguely remember these, I think they look fun .
-Nate
Thanks for an awesome post! One of my favorite aesthetics & eras, so I really enjoyed going over the pics. One thing I couldn’t do though is dress as they did then. I enjoy throwing on a jacket with jeans, but the full 3 piece suit thing is more than I’d want to do. I also can’t imagine the dry cleaning bills.
Don The Beachcomber bar at the Royal Kona Resort, down the road from me, is mostly modern, it has some tiki decor and likely the best Mai Tai on the island. Over in El Segundo California is the Purple Orchid, a true local dive tiki bar.