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Tiki Central / General Tiki

Does "Kelbo's" still exist?

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Sorry if I sound incredibly dense here, but I was just reading "Incredibly Strange Music" and this old tiki bar, Kelbo's, was mentioned. I'm not sure I've ever noticed anyone mention it here, which would lead me to believe that:

1} It actually HAS been mentioned, but I don't check here enough;

  1. It has been torn down;

  2. It has been horribly remodeled; or

  3. It HASN'T been mentioned and I have just rediscovered an old tiki bar (yeah, right!)

Apparently, there were two. There was one on Fairfax that was torn down. As of 1993 when Incredibly Strange Music was published, it sounds like the Kelbo's on West Pico Blvd. was still there. But a lot can happen in 10 years! I'm sure this place is mentioned in the BOT (all the more reason I should finally buy it), but I thought I would just ask here. Anyway, thanks in advance.

BTW, does anyone now if Stuart Swezey and Brian King of Amok Books are members here?

M

Kelbo's?

Short answer: It's still there!!!

Long answer: Bring lots of $ingles.

Oh yeah, who's your Tiki?
midnite

Tiki Road Trip says Kelbo's restaraunts, one on Pico and one on Fairfax are both closed. It says the one on Fairfax is now a strip club called Fantasy Island.
Hope this helps.

Sneaky

Trader_Rick~

Here is some bathroom reading for you (if you've got a laptop and a really long power & cable cord):

Here, and TwoWheelin's quest for "Kelbo's Anything". Try this too. The picture of what's left of the Kelbo's sign, now watching over a strip club.

Go here and type "Kelbo" in the keyword and just about any and every mention of the place will appear.

Happy Reading!

The funky crampt, dimly lit, polynesian heaven known as Kelbo's does still exist - but it's only in my mind...

I guess this counts as "horribly remodeled," then? God, how depressing!

Anyone see Korla Pandit at Kelbo's? Check out this link....www.laweekly.com/ink/98/50/reverb-epstein.php

What I always thought was odd about the Kelbo's on Fairfax was that they had this big band bandstand kinda of thingy set up. Each musician had this sort of shield up in front of them. If I remember, some of the shields had names like Tommy Dorsey etc written on them.

Oh, if I hadn't of killed off so many brain cells there I could've been a contender...

When I was in college, I did a 'menu cover' for Kelbo's as an art project. I drove over there in the morning to do some sketches of the exterior from across the street. The owner (I wish I could remember his name) came over to see what I was doing. He invited me in for a tour even though the place wasn't open for business yet. He showed me what he claimed was the 'worlds largest coconut shell'. It was a huge ring coming down from the ceiling covered with husk that had the dance floor lights in the middle of it.
He was a very nice man, It's one of my favorite memories.

Pages: 1 8 replies