Royal Hawaiian, Laguna Beach, CA (restaurant)

Hi, my name is ......... I am an alcoholic. I even pretend to be into something as silly as TIKI and engage in all kinds of elaborate shenanigans to hide my TRUE motive... :wink:

Tiki = sophisticated alcoholism

:wink:

Jeff(bigtikidude)

This is another terribly sad thread, I just read it from start to here and can do nothing but sigh in the knowledge that I have missed out on ever seeing one more old school tiki bar... i gotta get to the rest while they still stand...

I think someone should begin taking moulds of ALL of the vintage carvings of value (historic or otherwise) in and around restaurants etc to preserve them and offer replicas to stop them disappearing forever, this may deter theft too....

Shootz Trav, not to worry. There are many artists now who are creating history. Collect their stuff and before you can blink your eye this day will be 30 years gone.

This thread is so sad it could drive a man to drinkin'...

Jungle Trader - who's creating Bumatay-style tikis today? I really like that streamlined stylized look, but most modern stuff seems traditional or aggressive/grotesque.

Koolau, I found this on TC. http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=10286&forum=1
But I don't know if anyone is carving that style.
I can give it a try.

LET'S RIDE! - Hopper

[ Edited by: Jungle Trader 2008-03-12 07:18 ]

The recipe by rockdad came from me. I sent it to the OC Register Ask Your Neighbor and they printed it in Feb. 2007. I was begging the owners for years for the recipe but they won't share so I created this one. I think It's close enough and much better on manoa lettuce than iceberg.

Libby and I made it to the Laguna Pagent of the Masters this weekend, and encountered the Royal Hawaiian --

-- undergoing additional renovations -- evidently an expansion is underway to widen the entrance and bring the restrooms down to the ground floor to accomodate handicapped guests.

(Hope those door-pulls don't 'disappear'...)

(The interior pull was over twice as tall and magnificent, but I couldn't get a pic as construction crewmen were busy around it.)

The interior was disappointing, certainly most will agree, especially considering the glimpse of what it had been in JB's post here. Glad they saved the Diorama area --

-- but it looked at best half-done, so one hopes that perhaps it will get some further refinement with miniature huts and landscaping...

A few nice props on the otherwise plain, pale mustard-colored drywall. Carved paddles, war-clubs, etc., but only this canoe shot came out --

Libby and I had Lapu-Lapus by the "Garden" window, but it's a bit of a shambles with plastic-potted landscaping and fountain plumbing, evidently yet in-progress. An optimistic sign, though, that maybe the area might be redressed in some style in the future.

We just dropped in for drinks and appetizers, and I'm glad to say it didn't smell like rank mold, which would've put our friends (and us) off the very tasty ribs and shrimp and the slightly-seared scallops, which were delicious, as were the signature Lapu-Lapus.

The bar looked uncreatively arranged, and could use a decorative re-shuffle: some nice mugs and carved poles, but it needs something much more impressive at its apex (that Canoe, maybe?), and those puffers belong in the air.

Flanking wall decor (where the War-Clubs might look best), would definitely help relieve its 'stand-alone', isolated feel against an all-too-plain drywall backdrop.

IMHO, it wouldn't take much to "hotrod" the decor back to groovyness -- maybe some wide, bamboo-framed thatch panels, a few more judiciously-chosen Polynesian artifacts, some big moso-poles in the corners, some clusters of netted floats, and something impressive over the main dining area (like the old TV'sBH outrigger up there), with creative lighting, perhaps with some nice leaf or wave 'gobos' splashed here and there. The great thing about drywall is that it makes a nice blank canvas, provided you put something over it, of course...

I'd like to see a talented miniaturist (someone, say of Mike McMillan's calibre) bring that Diorama space to life, perhaps with a slow lighting change on a day/night loop. Oooo. The Garden Space is calling out for the old Donn Beach "rainfall" effect, also on an intermittant timer.

(Might this be an OA lamp...?)

Ramping-up the Poly-Pop-pizazz would be relatively easy and inexpensive at this point, now that the rot has been routed, but it does require the eye and the will. No idea if the Owner has that sort of follow-through enthusiasm and affection for the joint's history, or if it'll just stall at the "good enough" (um, not really at all) level.

May post some updates when we return for the Pagent of the Masters next year (which, BTW, if you haven't seen it, is an astonishing, and, er, stimulating, accomplishment, and I highly recommend everyone see it at least once...)

Cheers nui nui,
SOK

"Don't let it be forgot,
That once there was a Spot,
Where Blowfish all wore sunglasses,
and Tiki-times were hot..."
SOK

[ Edited by: Son-of-Kelbo 2008-07-31 10:48 ]

Sounds like we may have to stop by on our way down to Oasis if the time allows.

There are whispers in the trade winds that the buildings that house The Royal Hawaiian and the jewelery store next to it are up for sale.

Last week or so I was driving by and they had taken the old door with the cool metal tiki ish door handle on it, and put up a new whitish door with a deadbolt lock on it. another sad day in the story of the Royal Hawaiian.
;-( snif snif.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

I was down in Laguna Beach avoiding the nasty IE heat today, and of course I stopped by the library to check out the old phone books.

Found this ad from 1978.

Looks an awful lot like Sam's ad from 1978.

This one is from 1985.

SoccerTiki, Hinano_Paul, Mrs. Lurker and I went to check out "New" Royal Hawaiian yesterday afternoon. The Lapu Lapu's are still strong :) Here's some pics:

The Royal Hawaiian has $6 Lapu Wednesdays (normally Lapus are $12) Their new website is http://www.royalhawaiianlaguna.com

wow what a bland remake of classic place.
sad, looks like a bland poly pop Dennys, with a bar.
still better than nothing, but how much.

thanks for the pics.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

On 2008-11-11 09:31, bigtikidude wrote:
sad, looks like a bland poly pop Dennys

Well put, Jeff.

Aaaaaaaaah! :cry:

Those monkeyman lamps are spectacular (I know, I have one). It's a shame the rest of the room isn't so spectacular. Watered down as it is though, I'd chose this over most of the generic chains any day. But that's not exactly the point, is it...

It sure looks like an easy fix for Tiki upgrading...tho' it seems that they've already "been there done that".

Dang, I just looked at the Photos that HumuHumu posted at the beginning of this thread...

What a bummer. This place was cool. I wish I'd seen it in it's original state.

This place is the best, but don't drink to many there cause you have to navigate PCH home!

http://www.deanmillerbedding.com

On 2008-11-11 12:54, bigbrotiki wrote:

On 2008-11-11 09:31, bigtikidude wrote:
sad, looks like a bland poly pop Dennys

Well put, Jeff.

Aaaaaaaaah! :cry:

well at least there are tiki's in it Sven.
:wink:
but they are the Asian mass produced ones sadly.
I will go there, but not over and over like Kona.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

btw Nice Lamps, Monkey Man,
maybe you can talk them into getting more stuff up,
and dimming the lights in there.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Well they really changed that place, didn't they? wow....
In other news..... it looks like the 'world famous' Hula Girls are going to be playing there on December 7th, when the 'new' Royal Hawaiian will be unveiling their signature mug. Hope to see you there...

well I guess that is a good enough reason to go.
good news.
be sure to post in tiki events.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

On 2008-11-17 13:58, Luckydesigns wrote:
Well they really changed that place, didn't they? wow....
In other news..... it looks like the 'world famous' Hula Girls are going to be playing there on December 7th, when the 'new' Royal Hawaiian will be unveiling their signature mug. Hope to see you there...

Sweet!! I am going to try to go!!!

very kool placxe hope theres some tikis there .

I'm still going, anyway. The Hula Girls and a new release mug are reason enough, and if we support them and ask for better, you never know what could happen (hey, I'm a dreamer, what can I say?). They need Bamboo Ben!

Any updates as to more Tiki at the Royal Hawaiian?

I went there the one time for the mug release party,
I saw that they have adds in some local entertainment/restaurant magazine.

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Good photos.
The remodel is not bad, and it is more bright and airy.
Although, I do recall there being 4 Tikis out front initially.

Does anyone have any new photos of this place?

I found these images in the LA Library archives a while back.

Nice menu Abstract.

Here is an old Royal Hawaiian matchbook from my collection.

A few other matchbook styles I clipped from the net.

A few ashtray styles with same artwork as the matchbooks.

And a very old placemat I saw on ebay some time back.

Still have yet to get to this place. Maybe stop by on my trip down south next weekend.

DC

Well, just to remind you what you are in for:
You won't find THIS anymore:

...but rather this:

Oh, how tidy and clean it looks! :(

Abstract's L.A. library discovery is interesting because it seems that the Royal Hawaiian actually had a Tiki sign at some point!:

On 2011-11-12 08:56, abstractiki wrote:
I found these images in the LA Library archives a while back.

This rendering is not some fancy architect's vision that might have been scaled down, but a grassroots sketch of the real building. By the time I went there, there was no sign, and I have never seen a photo of the place with it up. WHO's gonna find one?

And the mask on the menu actually was part of a wall patterned with New Guinea and Tap designs that was inside the place:

I had taken a snapshot of the wall way back when because I thought it was curious that they used the Trader Vic's log mask from the South Seas art book. One of the many loving details in the Royal Hawaiian that has disappeared.

On 2008-11-10 08:58, WooHooWahine wrote:

A shame, but thank god the outside Tikis remain (even if I like the prior
colorful ones):

Yup, those tree wizards really turn that place around! :D

Ha!!!
good one Sven.

almost Native American Totem pole looking.

Big Bro,

Thanks for posting those old photos, nice PNG mask.

I stopped by the Royal Hawaiian for diner on may way down south Friday night.

The signature Lapu Lapu’s were very good and the food was also good. I tried the famous rib combo plate.

They still have the Royal Hawaiian mug so I picked one up.

While it is certainly only a shell of its former self, it was still a fun visit and there is still some nice Tiki stuff floating around.

Including a few of those cool album frames in the men’s room.

DC

News flash, Spring Break, 1965. Royal Hawaiian Tiki stolen!

Also a 1970's era matchbook from the Royal Hawaiian advertising the BBQ Ribs and Fried Shrimp.

DC

Very sad news from The Royal Hawaiian's Facebook page.

"It's with heavy hearts that we announce the closing of a Laguna Beach icon. After 65 years of business we served our last lapu lapu last night. We can't express how much gratitude we have for all of our guests, regulars and staff who have supported us."

I know it wasn't what it once was or close to what it once was but I still liked it and was happy it was still around.

CLOSED.

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=42756&forum=1&13

I was digging around some older photos and ran across a couple from our visit to The Royal Hawaiian on a rainy night in February 2005. Sadly, I didn't take that many because I was naive enough at the time to think there would always be more time to take pictures on another visit.

kevin

Anyone know what's going on with it?

Drove by a week or so ago, still closed, with no lease sign.

Hmmmm....

EDIT !!!

IT'S BACK!!!

STARTS ON PAGE 11

Bamboo Ben
Tiki Bars I've designed/built. TikiCat, Kona Club, Forbidden Island, Kon Tiki Tucson,
Don the Beachcomber, Tiki No, Royal Hawaiian, Frankie's Tiki Room, Pacific Seas, Longi

[ Edited by: RevBambooBen 2017-05-06 08:58 ]

I drove by last night and I was happy to see that the tikis are still out front. No 'for lease' sign though.

Noticed today that both the tall tikis are gone. Still no signage as to what might be happening here. I few months ago they pulled out a bunch of plants from out front and I noticed there was exterior damage to the wall from them so maybe they are working on fixing those issues. I drive by here everyday going to and from work so I'll keep my eye out.