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Tiki Central / Locating Tiki / Don The Beachcomber, Kona, HI (restaurant)

Post #290198 by tikiyaki on Tue, Mar 6, 2007 11:41 PM

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T

On 2007-03-06 10:42, Tiki Shark Art wrote:
Kailua-Kona, Big Island, Hawaii~
Hey TC,
I was down at the "Don the Beach Comber" restaurant last Sunday evening. The restaurant is attached to the Lobby of the Royal Kona Hotel. lots of tikis, with some GIANT maoi heads inside restaurant. Also tikis in the lobby around the restaurant. the lobby itself is open to the sea, and you have amazing views of Kona Bay. It's a great place for sunsets and drinks.

Also attached to the lobby is a open patio/dance bar that they have been working on for a while. Looks like they've put in a nice new floor. This bar is called "Don's Mai Tai Bar". It's got great drinks, and the Tsunami Shrimp is excellent. But It's been closed for a while, while they were fixing it up.

Anyways, as we were walking through the lobby I heard cool "tiki bar" music. I was delighted to find the Mai Tai bar open, with the floor almost finished, and live music! A classy looking guy playing a Vibraphone! Very Tiki!

I know the restaurant in the lobby is a new Don the Beach Comber, and it was many lack luster things before. But now, who ever is in charge there, has truly embraced the Tiki Theme. They are making a really good effort. and it seems to be palying off. I'm always pleased to see the place packed. and that Sunday night, couples were actualy dancing on the newly made floor to the tiki tones of the live Vibraphone! It seems that it's sometimes hard to find real "Tiki vibe " here on the islands, (go figure) - so this new tiki temple of polynesian pleasure is very pleaseing!

Now, if I can just get the Royal Kona to book Don Tiki to play there!!!!!!!


Entrance from the lobby

Tiki out side on back exit area

Same with night lighting

Tiki facing out towards ocean from lobby entrance

Giant Moai head inside

First tiki I've seen with breasts!

Tiki above a fish tank


Tiki Shark

[ Edited by: Tiki Shark Art 2007-03-06 20:49 ]

I was there in December. I saw that guy playing vibes...awesome. I was at that restaurant in 2004, PRE-Don's and it was a good place. The big tikis were there, and they had these cool carved poles which they replaced with straighter ones...so all was not an improvement. I'm really glad that Kona really embraces classic hawaiiana, unlike Waikiki which seems to be decimating it day by day and turning everything into that gross neuveau stucco garbage tha seems to be infecting Califronia at an alarming rate. . Kona seems to be preserving alot of the classic elements of Hawaii, which is why I love it there, and all of the Big Island, actually.