Post #30115 by TikiGoddess on Sat, Apr 12, 2003 5:51 PM

Last nite my husband and I went to the Kona Kai and I am pleased to report there are TIKIS! The decor is bamboo and rattan, and it is a pretty good effort all things considered. I will take what I can get here in Penna, believe me. The ouside of the building is just stucco, but there are 2 square cement tikis outside. Inside there are fishing nets on the ceiling and bamboo poles on the walls, along with grass mat type wall covering. The lights are wrapped in burlap, not tapa cloth. No puffer fish, no glass floats. There is an indoor koi pond. There are 2 tikis at the bandstand and a few on the walls. There are also some Inca wall hangings, which arent tiki but hey, youve got to start somewhere. Drinks are expensive and some are served in tiki mugs. The mugs are like the kind you get at urban outfitters, except the Kona Kai is charging between $10 and $13 for the mug, sans beverage. If you buy one they immediately commit you to the asylum! Major rip off. The mai tais are very sweet, made with rum and sour mix. Cocktail umbrellas in the drinks and on the food. The place is more of a restaurant than a bar and even though it cannot compete with what Calif. has to offer it is pretty good for us tiki-starved northerners. Food is expensive and ok, not great. Not bad either. Polynesian revue on Sat nites, according to a sign. We saw a reggae band, which is island themed at least. Before the band came on they were playing EXOTICA and DON HO and old Hawaiian slack guitar! I was impressed! There is alot of thatch over the ceiling too, creating a hut where the tables are. I need to bring my camera when I go back there. I dont mean to sound like I am knocking the place, I was excited to be there and I had a good time and I enjoyed the atmosphere. I just want to warn the purists that it is not the Mai Kai.