Tiki Tiki, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (restaurant)

Name:Tiki Tiki
Type:restaurant
Street:11723 Jasper Avenue
City:Edmonton, Alberta
State:
Zip:
country:Canada
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
Opened in the fall of 1970, closed sometime around 1989. Here's a newpaper ad from 1970.

and one from 1972 (next to an ad for The Beachcomber).

(did you spot the typo?)

Nightly performances at 9:00 and 11:30 (except Sundays) featuring such entertainers as Leilani Kim and the Tiki Trio, and Prince Tafili and His Royal Samoans.

I was aware of this place but not yet into tiki when it was around, dammit. I have a vague recollection of it being kind of sleazy toward the end, maybe even a stripper bar (but I could be wrong).

There was a Tiki Tiki in Calgary as well, and maybe in some other western Canadian cities?

Swizzle

I have two of these mugs from local thrift stores but I have no idea if they come from this restaurant.

Today the location is a gay bar.

[ Edited by: Sweet Daddy Tiki 2009-12-24 11:19 ]

[ Edited by: bifcozz 2007-02-09 21:58 ]

As a footnote, I also came across this while searching for newspaper ads for the Tiki Tiki:

A restaurant review from Oct. 6, 1970 had this to say:

"I can't honestly say the Trader's Oak Room's menu has changed or improved much since my last visit there. It has shrunken a bit (for instance, there are no desserts listed) and some prices have been upped.

But it's still a hodgepodge of various cuisines, with some Polynesian pretenses without any particular specialization. The room, in the basement of the Midtowner Motor Inn at 100th Avenue and 105th Street, reflects this indecision. Its decor is modern, the waiters are Oriental, and the music currently, has a south-of-the-border flavor."

The review goes on to describe the food, including a "Bo-Bo platter" of barbecued ribs, chicken liver balls, egg rolls and fried shrimps ($2.75), Chicken Long Hut ($3.25), Teriyaki beef ($4.50), and Shrimps Pino ($3.50). The reviewer and his guests drank wine and liqueurs; no mention of cocktails.

-Sweet Daddy T.
Because crap doesn't buy itself.

blog

[ Edited by: Sweet Daddy Tiki 2009-12-24 11:18 ]

I've got a few phone book images for the Calgary Tiki Tiki location (No need to start a new thread is there?):

Also a Saskatoon, Saskatchewan location mentioned in this ad!

I used odd dimensions... so there's cropping, but you get the idea...

[ Edited by: slacks ferret 2005-10-01 20:58 ]

[ Edited by: Slacks Ferret 2009-03-01 23:25 ]

My mom took a mug home from Tiki Tiki in about 1973 which they had for many years before it finally got broken. Recently, my parents confirmed that this is indeed the mug:

(pic courtesy of Sweet Daddy Tiki)
This Orchids mug is fairly common around here, which could be explained if Tiki Tiki carried them. I have one and Sweet Daddy T. has several. Unfortunately, none found so far are marked. But it's another piece to the puzzle!

I remember Tiki Tiki very well! I have a friend who worked there in the late 1970's. The place was actually really pretty nice inside, and had a great ErsatzElvisBlueHawaii kind of feel to it. You had to cross over a little bridge to get into the restaurant, if I remember right.

[ Edited by: joe90 2008-08-12 13:41 ]

took a date there when I heard it was closing ....sad end to a great restaraunt and really a dining experience that I will never forget!

THE MATCH PACK ! ! !

I just found this in my collection , dont know how long I've had it ...or if I saved it from my "first date " there......enjoy!
WAIT NEW FINDING! ANOTHER STYLE!

[ Edited by: TIKIVILLE 2009-05-05 12:19 ]

I went back in and edited the pictures that Shutterfly had f*@%ed up of my phone book ads. All better now,

Another matchbook style seen on ebay.

DC

Winner of the "Most Tiki mention in a row" award. I have to admit to always being slightly annoyed by folks with distant Polynesian period memories referring to Tiki temples as this or that "Tiki Tiki" place, a too cutesy version for naming the genre for my taste, probably ingrained by the Disney Tiki Room song.

I hate that, too, BigBro! That's my dad describing my hobby. But he says it with disdain and a touch of embarrassment: "He's into this Tiki Tiki thing". Anyway, I have something very interesting to add to this thread as soon as I get some photos of it...

[ Edited by: Brandomoai 2009-12-25 06:37 ]

This was a Christmas gift from my uncle. Here's the story: my uncle's friend salvaged this from Tiki Tiki when it closed. Apparently, it hung somewhere in the entrance. I've never seen any interior shots, so I wonder if anyone remembers this carving. It's about 17" wide by 29" tall and quite heavy! I'm not sure what kind of wood it's made of, maybe teak. It sat in this fellow's basement or something for 20 years collecting dust when my uncle found out about my interest in these things and rescued it from a dreary fate! I'm not sure if it's actually Polynesian in nature, but I could be wrong. To me, it looks like a big, ol' Indian head. Either way, it will look great hanging in my bar and it has a bit of history!

well thats Edmonton TIKI history right ? ....so regardless of style prefrence or content ,it had it's place in the facinating world of the exotic !
COOL find!

Found this at the West End Goodwill. Could it truly be something that was used at the Tiki Tiki? Or just a home-cast from a local Tiki Tiki fan (or someone, like my dad, who can't just say "tiki" once)? Anyone have a recollection of mugs like this being used there?

here is my first piece of TIKI!
This was the cheque stub from my first visit to a TIKI bar!

OH BOY!!!!!!!

( found in a copy of "BILLY'S GUIDE" local food and entertainment handout 1975)

Since this thread seems to be the repository for all info about defunct Edmonton Tiki restaurants/bars besides the Beachcomber (and the late, unlamented Monkey Island), I thought I'd post what I know about the Waikiki Restaurant, since several people have asked me about it.

It was a Chinese restaurant that opened in the mid to late 1960's. I used to go there quite often with my family - it was near our house. There was nothing Tiki about it that I remember - just a typical, unremarkable modern Chinese-Canadian restaurant (my memory could be wrong - it often is).

The restaurant closed (not sure when) but the stand-alone building still exists. It's a cement block structure shaped like a pagoda. It's currently occupied by a Chinese herbalist.

The murals aren't original - they were added by the current tenant.

The Waikiki had swizzles shaped like the building. I thought I had one but I can't find it. Maybe someone else can provide a picture.

I have one , I'll post it soon ....

Yeah, I think I have one left, too. But I don't feel like breaking out the camera... Oh, alright!

On 2010-07-14 23:13, Sweet Daddy Tiki wrote: There was nothing Tiki about it that I remember - just a typical, unremarkable modern Chinese-Canadian restaurant (my memory could be wrong - it often is).

I think we're friends SDT, so please read the tone of these questions in the best possible way:

If it wasn't tiki in any way, why the name Waikiki? Why did it have it's own swizzel stick (I mean, was it common for Chinese restaurants to do this too)? And why did my co-worker think it was "very tiki" when she mentioned it to me that she used to go there when she was a kid in the late 60's?

In many ways I know I could answer each of those questions to reflect exactly what you just stated...but it is interesting to me that this so called "typical, unremarkable modern Chinese-Canadian restaurant" has those 3 anomalies.

Those are good questions. I dunno. Waikiki was a popular vacation destination in the 60's. Every bar and restaurant in town had swizzle sticks. Proves nothing. Like I said, I could be wrong. I just remember a standard restaurant - acoustic tile ceiling, white tablecloths, nothing really sticks out in my memory but I wasn't attuned to tiki then the way I am now. We also used to go to the 7 Seas all the time and I though that was just a regular Chinese place, but pictures I've seen of the interior show a few tiki elements, like matting on the walls and vaguely tiki-ish masks. So who knows? Maybe there are some pictures floating around somewhere but I've never seen any. Pump your co-worker for more info. I'd love to be proven wrong.

By the way - no Christmas card for you this year :P

New acts at the Tiki Tiki - TEO and the Tiki Trio!

Wow, brings back memories.

Son of one of the Tiki Tiki owner's.

Brian

Welcome to TC, TikiTikiEdmontonCalgary. Glad to have you here. What stories do you have? Do you have any photographs or artifacts? Spill!

On 2013-01-24 23:03, Sweet Daddy Tiki wrote:
Welcome to TC, TikiTikiEdmontonCalgary. Glad to have you here. What stories do you have? Do you have any photographs or artifacts? Spill!

I was under 10 years old when it was open. I remember going there many times. Photographs yes tucked away some place.... maybe the odd item too.

Brian

Aloha TikiTikiEdmontonCalgary. Please stop teasing us, I can't wait to see what you dig up. I was a customer and having been looking for something from the Tiki Tiki for my small collection. I just started a few months ago.
If you are interested in selling anything I would love a chance to make you an offer.
My most sincere apologies to all Local TCer's. I had to ask! :tiki:

On 2013-02-05 18:32, Kilaueakyd wrote:
Aloha TikiTikiEdmontonCalgary. Please stop teasing us, I can't wait to see what you dig up. I was a customer and having been looking for something from the Tiki Tiki for my small collection. I just started a few months ago.
If you are interested in selling anything I would love a chance to make you an offer.
My most sincere apologies to all Local TCer's. I had to ask! :tiki:

Sorry, won't be selling anything.

I won't have time to go through boxes and dig anything up, way too much going on in my life now... sorry.

anyone remember the deep fried ice cream for desert.

Brian

TikiTikiEdmontonCalgary (that is a long name!)

Thanks for checking in. Certainly hope that at some point you can find the time to look through your archives and post some photos from your family collection. That is one of the great things about Tiki Central - to document Tiki's past through the images and eyes of participants - which I am sure you can appreciate having found us here in the first place!

Kilaueakyd - I have some extra Tiki Tiki swizzles, shoot me a PM and lets see if we can't send a few your way.

Sweet Daddy Tiki - I suddenly realized I also need to send a few things your way from long ago!

DC

Well this is a startling discovery!
Cant wait to see what this chap digs up !

Well look who crawled out from underneath a rock! Welcome back Tikiville - you've been away such a long time. I guess I know how to summon you if I ever need you - just invoke the sacred name "Tiki Tiki":P

Lol
Yeah, I drift away at times ... Any new developments on the tiki tiki ?
Like any body found a photograph of it yet ?