Tiki Central / Locating Tiki
Minnie's Restaurant, Modesto, CA (restaurant)
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JT
Jungle Trader
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08/04/2003
Name:Minnie's Restaurant Description: Updated to show website. [ Edited by: Jungle Trader 2009-02-23 08:56 ] |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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08/04/2003
The owners tend the inside bar Thurs. and Fri. nights. This is the only Tiki related restaurant in Modesto. On a scale of 1 to 4 the food and drink get a 2 1/2 to 3. Forget about music Exotica. Generally the Juke Box rules, occassional live pop music. You'll just have to dig the beautiful people. [ Edited by: jungletrader on 2003-08-03 23:18 ] |
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UB
Unga Bunga
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08/11/2003
Hey JT, |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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08/13/2003
Honestly, I hadn't noticed that till you mentioned it. Photography is an amazing art form. The Human brain is also very amazing. When viewing images (not you, your brain) the brain will "fill in" images that have been "excluded". There's a word for it, I think, just can't remember. Ahh, the amazing forgetful brain. |
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UB
Unga Bunga
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08/13/2003
JT, |
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seamus
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10/22/2003
Minnies is great! I met JungleTrader there one night for dinner and drinks and thoroughly enjoyed myself. It is truly a classic old school joint and worth getting off I-5 for a Tiki detour. Just make sure and let JT know you're coming. I think he gets lonely out there. |
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Atomicchick
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10/24/2003
Wow, this place looks amazing!! I might be heading up that way soon, thanks for the info! |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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10/24/2003
Welcome to TC Atomicchick. |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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11/27/2003
It was a pleasure to meet new TC members Tikicleen and her hubby recently at Minnie's. We were once again given a tour by fellow local carver Mick. Apparently Tikicleen is a huge mug collector... (well she's not huge like a big person or anything like that) but she knows mugs and a lot of history behind them. Hope to meet other members up here sometime and stay in touch wit da' locals. Good to talk story with you Tikicleen. Hopefully we can suck 'em up wit Tikivixen soon also. |
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TM
Tiki Matt
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07/22/2004
Went to Minnie's a couple of weeks ago (was on vacation up north). Spent most of the night there but forgot the camera. Went back the next morning and the owner was nice enough to let us in to take some pics. Here's some of the pics I took... Mugs, vintage, bars, hand carved poles, apparel and more! [ Edited by: Tiki Matt on 2004-07-21 17:39 ] |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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02/23/2009
I just updated the first post to show Minnie's website. Still a cool place and as old as the Mai Kai. Go there. |
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bigbrotiki
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02/23/2009
Great, thanks. Authentic Tiki bars like this are certainly a rarity nowadays, so go whenever you can. To hear about the theft and selling of some of the velvets kills me. Their collection was jaw-dropping, just check out the ones under the Tyree Story on their website, Leeteg was tame in comparison. |
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Dustycajun
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10/31/2009
Matchbook from Minnie's.
Wish the old pics where still there. Anybody been lately? DC |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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10/31/2009
Mahalo Dustycajun. The old pictures, for the time being, just check out there website. I'll check my files and see if I still have any. |
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VR
Vintage Roadside
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11/01/2009
We stopped by for a visit on our way down to Tiki Oasis this year. Here's a couple photos.
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
I was on Tiki safari yesterday and returned with these pictures of Minnie,s. I didn't have extra lighting with me so some of shots were challenging. There were also things like glass reflection and cramped space to shoot in so with these limitations this is what I got. Thank you Stuart Mah for your hospitality. Minnie's is definitely a must see for any Nor Cal Tiki road trip. This first post will be Minnie's Tikis
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
Here are the pics of Minnie's paintings.
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1961surf
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12/07/2009
Awesome pics abstract.Thank you so much for taking the time to photograph all those |
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bigbrotiki
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12/07/2009
Nice work, David. An interesting mixture of new and old Tikis.
Only in a dry desert climate! I doubt that outrigger canoe that was still in the front when I went by like ten years ago is still there.... |
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
Yea, those old Tikis are really great. There was a huge canoe in the patio but I didn't photograph it. I will next time I'm there. It was about 13ft long or so. Here are more pics, I took one of each Item, but here were so many items its taking a while to get them posted. Here are the weapons, miniature outrigger canoe and lamps. Stuart said he had one of those lamps from the Islander,the ones in the bank of Stockton picture, but he gave it away a long time ago.
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bigbrotiki
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12/07/2009
Ha, those Hermann Miller lamps are so smokestained they look like they have tanned animal hides stretched over their frames. Now that is patina! |
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
OK here are the masks and some other items.
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
Bigbro wrote - "Ha, those Hermann Miller lamps are so smokestained they look like they have tanned animal hides stretched over their frames. Now that is patina!" Those are the ones that Stuart's Mother and Brother purchased from the Islander when it closed in 82. There are some close ups pics in the Hop Louie Islander thread that I posted a few days ago. |
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
This is the last of the pictures. Stuart said this second floor bar is unchanged and all original. He also said this green screen stuff in the second picture below is the same type as was used in the Stockton Islander.
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bigbrotiki
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12/07/2009
What great old masks! More about that "green screen stuff" :) : http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=24050&forum=1 |
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STCB
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
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12/07/2009
Thanks for the photos! Those George Nelson Bubble Lamps look like they've soaked up a lot of nicotine over the years. |
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bigbrotiki
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12/07/2009
Ooops, mixed up my mid-century mod sources! :) Nelson was the designer, Miller the store. That's like mixing up Barney West and O.A..! Tiz tiz! |
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STCB
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Sabu The Coconut Boy
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12/07/2009
Ooops for me too - I missed reading your earlier post about the lamps, Bigbro - I wasn't trying to correct you, just noticing the same thing you noticed. Our minds must think similarly. |
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abstractiki
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12/07/2009
Bigbro wrote- "What great old masks! More about that "green screen stuff" : http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=24050&forum=1 " Wow, that's a very in interestingly cool thread, I never would have thought this green screen stuff had its own thread and such history! |
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Dustycajun
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12/08/2009
Awesome work Abstract. Minnie's is now on my must see list for my next trip up north. Is the upstairs bar open all the time or just for events! DC |
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abstractiki
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12/08/2009
Thanks Dusty! Its for special dinner events and private parties but im sure if you asked Stuart he would give you a little tour. |
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abstractiki
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12/08/2009
Here is a old Minnie's Receipt book and Napkin that Stuart gave me.
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puamana
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01/03/2010
Here's the Minnie's Modesto menu :
placemat:
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JT
Jungle Trader
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02/03/2011
Stolen from Minnie's. These were on display for sale on the back patio. The thieves scaled the 10 ft. block wall to get them. |
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leleliz
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02/03/2011
Sorry to hear that Vic. I never knew tikis could be traded for meth but hey...I guess stranger things have gone on in Modesto these days. |
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abstractiki
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02/04/2011
That really sucks. I curse those thieves. There are just to many people that have no respect for others property, it's sad. |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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02/10/2011
Not sure where the Modesto and meth idea ties in. Tikis were stolen. That's a fact, everything else is conjecture. Stick to the facts. Thanks David and Liz. |
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Dustycajun
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01/18/2012
I just picked up a couple of nice match boxes from the "New" Minnie's featuring the signature
DC |
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JT
Jungle Trader
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01/30/2012
Breakfast clubbers this morning, Duane, Diana, Marlene, Debbie, Sandy aka Corona Contessa, you are a fun gal, and myself. Thanks for coming down, over. Hopefully we can do more there this year. Thanks for supporting Minnie's. |
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VampiressRN
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02/02/2012
We had a blast at Minnies...definitely will make the trek again for brunch with the local yokels. Diana & Duane...your place is awesome...great ribs!!! Here we are next to Vic's Mr. Rootball.
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Dustycajun
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02/05/2012
Glad to see the TC Ohana supporting the local Tiki establishments. Here is a little more Minnie's history. An article discussing the change in ownership in 1962 when Minnie and Hop Louie sold the place.
And a great old ad with that Tiki.
DC |
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abstractiki
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02/07/2012
Nice work DC, I searched Modesto Bee archives many times and came up with very little on Minnie's. I always new there had to be something out there. |
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tikilongbeach
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11/06/2018
An article from the Modesto Bee regarding the new owners of Minnie's. https://www.modbee.com/news/business/biz-columns-blogs/biz-beat/article193397874.html It’s the end of an era at Minnie’s, but don’t worry it looks like its jerks are here to stay. One of Modesto’s most iconic restaurants and bars was just sold after 55 years of ownership by the Mah family. The distinctive tiki-themed Chinese food establishment first opened in 1955 at the base of McHenry Avenue. Since then it has become one of the city’s longest-running family owned eateries known for its eclectic decor, which includes black velvet nude paintings of Polynesian women and ancient dollar bills stapled to the walls, and its strong drinks — particularly its signature pink cocktail known as the “jerk.” |
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Dustycajun
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11/07/2018
Thanks for sharing the article Lori. Here is an early menu from Minnie's with a nice message from Minnie Woo on the back.
DC |
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tikicleen
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01/26/2020
Well folks, Minnie’s will officially have it’s last call this weekend. While it has kept its name for two years under corporate management, it has been slowly dismantled into the shell that now stands. Splash Bar will rebrand the place into a dance club, yet will keep “tiki theming.” The kitchen closed a while back, in which the place serves strictly booze. They will keep “the jerk”, but I’m not certain what else. Supposedly the velvets are in storage currently. During this last call weekend, they are encouraging patrons to take a dollar off the wall as a keepsake of Minnie’s. Sad to see an original tiki place be stripped of its character. Aloha Minnie’s :(
[ Edited by: Tikicleen 2020-01-26 06:26 ] |
Pages: 1 44 replies