Post #350881 by Ukulelebaby on Sat, Dec 22, 2007 11:32 AM

On 2007-01-08 09:06, sputnikmoss wrote:
I have scoured the posts regarding the Hawaii Kai and still no consensus on when it closed. Does anyone know??

Hawaii Kai closed around the late 80's. I started dancing there in 79. and left in 84 for a National Tour.
There was a little person names Pee We who greeted everyone as they entered. Bathrooms were on the right, a souvenir stand next it. directly ahead as you entered was the waterfall. Up the steps was the cocktail lounge.....bar on your left with bamboo chairs and tables. On the right was a small stage about 8 ft deep and 20 wide. Across were the cocktail tables. Regular tables in the front, tall tables and stools in the back. Behind that was a wall aquarium. Past the stage, was the entrance to the main dining room. Just about every table had a booth like bamboo enclosure with thatched roof.....the ones without were in front of the stage. which was a gazebo-type bamboo rail thatched roof stage. Service bar was behind the stage and the "special" table next to that. Tables on the floor had the large wicker bamboo chairs.

A trio would play there and dancers would do their shows, twice on the week nights, and 3-4 shows on the weekend depending on reservations. On the major holidays, Xmas, Valentines, Mother's Day, Xmas and Easter, we had 5 shows. Dressing rooms were on the right next to the kitchen if you were sitting in the audience looking at the stage. Steps led to more dressing rooms which were connected to the theatre next door.

Food was mainly Chinese, waiters were Chinese. Drink were' definitely Tiki....volcano bowls, Maitai's served inside a gutted out pineapple, Tiki mugs......I only managed to take one mug (I wasn't much of a drinker then and not now either). And since I was fresh out of college, I supplied my apartment Kitchen with glasses, and plates.....still packed now in a box since 1988.

Like most restaurants, the theme got "old"....and rent got higher.......and the theatre next door wanted to build more dressing rooms for themselves. Which makes me think, the restaurant rented from the theatre. But that's heresay.

It became a Japanese restaurant for a while and God knows what now.....

That's what I recall now...hope that answers some of your Q's.....