Post #701369 by JOHN-O on Thu, Dec 5, 2013 10:32 PM

On 2007-05-30 02:50, bigbrotiki wrote:
You had to ask! That's a good one. I am sorry, but I have a whole list:

In order of desirability (all in the early 60s, when these where really hopping):

1.) The Luau in Beverly Hills
2.) Ren Clark's Polynesian Village
(...and then I myself could take that headhunter mug photo of you, Alice, and make sure it's lit perfectly :) )
3.) The Lanai in San Mateo
4.) The original Kona Kai in Philadelphia
5.) Aloha Jhoe's in Palm Springs
6.) Tiki Gardens in Florida
7.) The original Kon Tiki (Ports) in Montreal, Chicago and Dallas
8.) Kapu Kai in Rancho Cucamonga
9.) Hawaiian Village in Tampa
10.) South Pacific in Hallandale
11.) Kon Tiki Hotel in Phoenix
12.) Zamboanga in L.A. (in the early 50s)
13.) Zombie Vilage in Oakland
14.) Hawaii Kai in N.Y.
15.) The Islander in Stockton
16.) Mauna Loa in Mexico City
17.) Makai Lounge at the Mar Vista Bowl
18.) Christian's Hut on Balboa Island
19.) The Beachcomber at the Mayfair Hotel, London
20.) ...and perhaps, just maybe, the pool at the Playboy Mansion in Chicago, ca. 1967 :D

...and so on!

Places I was fortunate to have been to, and would go again and again, but would now need a time machine to do so :( :

1.) Kahiki in Columbus
2.) Tahitian Lanai in Waikiki
3.) The Tikis in Lake Elsinore
4.) The Islands in San Diego
5.) Tiburon Tommy's near S.F.
6.) Trader Vic's San Francisco (on Cosmo Place), Chicago, and Portland
7.) Chin Tiki in Detroit (gone now or not?)

Some of the few precious places still in existence that truly FEEL like you stepped into a time machine:

1.) Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale
2.) Hala Kahiki in Chicago
3.) Tiki Ti in L.A.
4.) Tonga Room in S.F.
5.) Trader Vic's in Munich and Atlanta

Sorry for going nuts like this, but I really do wanna go to ALL.....however, I encourage you to continue with specific and individual phantasies like Vern's on this thread, that's very evocative.

[ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2007-05-30 03:56 ]

I'm really fascinated by the Bigbro's Top 20 Wish List here so I decided to bump it.

I am curious as to why Ren Clark's place has such a prominent ranking. Aside from the highly collectible mug, what made this short lived place so special ?? There's very little historic visual documentation to indicate a sense of Tiki grandeur.

:-?