Waikiki Restaurant and Cocktail Lounge, San Francisco, CA (restaurant) - Locating Tiki

H HopeChest Member East Bay, CA Joined: Oct 19, 2015 Posts: 508	H HopeChest Posted posted on Fri, Feb 26, 2016 1:50 PM Yep, that's exactly what that means! The original group of lads with Hawaii connections somehow all get together in SF in 1956 and decide to open the Waikiki, which is a distinct nod towards their Honolulu roots. It's a going concern for a few years, from 1956 to 1958. Then sometime in late 1958 / early 1959 Hal Wilkins (who up to this point has been over at the Eight O Eight Club on Sutter Street) takes over, and the "Seafood At Its Best On Fisherman's Wharf" tag appears for the first time. By 1960 the Waikiki is no more, Hal Wilkins is back at the Eight O Eight Club, and 2741 Taylor is officially listed as vacant. I highlight the "Seafood At Its Best..." tag line because it just might be a good clue and perhaps DC can peruse his menu and enlighten us. One would naturally expect a Fisherman's Wharf restaurant to specialize in seafood. However, I can also envision a scenario where, when the Waikiki started, it was more in the Polynesian / Asian / Trader Vic's vein with a fairly varied menu, and when Wilkins took over he streamlined it to a seafood restaurant to be less niche and more competitive in the area, with the "Seafood At Its Best..." tag line an effort to advertise as much. DC: would you mind terribly taking a look at your menu and letting us know what kind of fare they offered?

Yep, that's exactly what that means!

The original group of lads with Hawaii connections somehow all get together in SF in 1956 and decide to open the Waikiki, which is a distinct nod towards their Honolulu roots. It's a going concern for a few years, from 1956 to 1958. Then sometime in late 1958 / early 1959 Hal Wilkins (who up to this point has been over at the Eight O Eight Club on Sutter Street) takes over, and the "Seafood At Its Best On Fisherman's Wharf" tag appears for the first time. By 1960 the Waikiki is no more, Hal Wilkins is back at the Eight O Eight Club, and 2741 Taylor is officially listed as vacant.

I highlight the "Seafood At Its Best..." tag line because it just might be a good clue and perhaps DC can peruse his menu and enlighten us. One would naturally expect a Fisherman's Wharf restaurant to specialize in seafood. However, I can also envision a scenario where, when the Waikiki started, it was more in the Polynesian / Asian / Trader Vic's vein with a fairly varied menu, and when Wilkins took over he streamlined it to a seafood restaurant to be less niche and more competitive in the area, with the "Seafood At Its Best..." tag line an effort to advertise as much.

DC: would you mind terribly taking a look at your menu and letting us know what kind of fare they offered?

Post #759738 by HopeChest on Fri, Feb 26, 2016 1:50 PM