Post #685718 by JOHN-O on Sat, Jul 13, 2013 9:09 AM

On 2013-07-12 09:55, arriano wrote:
OK, with new suggestions, we now have:

Oldest faux-Polynesian bars/restaurants

1. Trad'r Sam, San Francisco, CA - 1930s (bar)
2. Bikini Lounge, Phoenix, AZ - 1947 (bar)
3. The Tahitian Room, Richland, WA - 1952 (restaurant)
4. Bahi Hut, Sarasota, FL - 1954 (bar)
5. Bali Hai, San Diego, CA - 1955 (1953 as The Hut) (restaurant)
6. Mai Kai, Ft. Lauderdale, FL - 1957 (restaurant)
7. Tonga Hut, Los Angeles, CA - 1958 (bar)

I really think that the Alibi and Tonga Room need to be on the list. They might not have been Poly-Pop when they originally opened but by the late 1940's they were Pre-Tiki "Polynesian".

The faux-Polynesian angle is a tough one (as opposed to full on Tiki-Style). The Pre-Tiki aesthetic was so pervasive (generic?) that there's probably lots of surviving places in Podunk USA which are off the Tiki Central radar.

EDIT - I just read Bigbro's comments about the Alibi and Tonga Room. Were they really that late (1970's) to the game ? I always considered them to be in the Pre-Tiki category.

[ Edited by: JOHN-O 2013-07-13 09:30 ]