Tiki Central / Locating Tiki
Bali Hai, Northport, NY (restaurant)
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tikisignartist
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Mon, Jul 26, 2004 3:05 PM
Name:Bali Hai Description: As part of some local historical research on tiki within my community, I need to find ANY info and preferably photos anyone might have on the defunct Bali Hai. I would give more details if only I could remember, but it is VERY hard to find any info on this place! Can you help? I am having no luck so far with the local historical society but will keep at it... |
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donhonyc
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Mon, Jul 26, 2004 11:10 PM
Hey Tikisignartist- I know the exact place you're talking about. My fiance' is from Northport, and just recently her Dad mentioned that the Bali Hai was there after he found out I was a Tiki freak. I've seen the building, and yeah 'unremarkable' is pretty accurate description of what it is now. If I hear or get my hands on any info, I'll be sure to post. Sounds like it was a cool place. |
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henrytobin
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Fri, Nov 11, 2005 11:47 AM
Hey tikisignartist, I’m sorry you weren't able to get any help from the Northport Historical Society and Museum last year when you were looking for a picture or info regarding the old Bali Hai. I am the Treasurer of the Society. We have a new Director, Rosemary Feeny (tele. 631-757-9859, 215 Main Street, Northport), and new researchers. Please try again. We do make copies of photos for a small fee; I know that we have at least one photo of the Bali Hai's tiki-style entrance. We also have photos of the building from the turn of the 19th-20th centuries. The core of the building is a 2-story house built circa 1790, it was Northport's earliest? general store and our first post office (1820). This is what all the controversy is about. By the way, Commerce Bank is the bank looking to demolish it; the Village is still hearing its application and a challenge is currently in court. I just bought a pair of the Bali Hai's tiki mugs on eBay to donate to the Museum and that's what attracted me to this site. Good luck with all things tiki! |
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donhonyc
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Sun, May 11, 2008 9:37 AM
Finally got a scanner so i'm sure I'll be posting postcard images in other topics, but to start here is what I believe to be a pretty rare postcard of the Bali Hai in Northport. Anything from this place is real hard to find. I can't believe I actually found this.
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tikiyaki
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Sun, May 11, 2008 9:57 AM
I grew up in Huntington and lived on L.I. for 31 years....Sadly, my parents never took me to this place...they just weren't TIKI at ALL...so I never knew about it, until I stumbled across this on Arkiva Tropica.... and these.... Looks like it was an amzing place. Pretty rare that you find anything Tiki that was on Long Island. Plenty of nautical, but not much Tiki. I guess it was more of a Pacific Ocean thing... [ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-05-11 10:05 ] [ Edited by: tikiyaki 2008-05-11 10:06 ] |
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donhonyc
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Sun, May 11, 2008 10:35 AM
Sounds like the way I grew up in Ft. Lauderdale. The Mai Kai was always there but my parents never took me. They thought like most of the locals that it was a major tourist trap. Plus they probably thought that it was more of an 'adult' place. People in the 70s used to think like that. Any establishment with scantily clad ladies was not necessarily family entertainment. Luckily for me and the rest of us the Mai Kai still exists. I'm in Northport once every month or so and I always go past the former Bali Hai location. The building has been shuttered for a few years now, and just sitting there crumbling. Its last incarnation was the 'Cow Harbor Inn'. I think the building is slated to be razed and they're going to put a Commerce Bank there or something. Jeez..can they make this world any more generic than it is already? Thanks for posting the Arkiva stuff. That's a great web site. I forgot they had the Bali Hai stuff. [ Edited by: donhonyc 2008-05-11 10:38 ] |
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tikisignartist
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Sun, May 11, 2008 5:30 PM
Wow, thank you so much everyone for the pics and the interest - the Arkiva stuff brought back a FLOOD of memories! Does anyone know of any tikiesque establishments in the works for the Long Island area? Hey and by the way - who remembers Lake Tung Ting? In Centerport - a chinese restaurant on the lake that was recently razed - I stopped by some time ago to look in the abandoned building. Its demise was unfortunate as the inside could have so easily been remodeled into a Tiki paradise. |
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seafoamer
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Mon, Aug 11, 2008 7:18 PM
Here is a photo (with my crappy camera) of a Bali Hai napkin. The napkin is in one of my mother's scrapbooks. You can see (from my mom's writing) that on 11/9/1968 she and my dad (then fiance) went there either before or after going to see the movie Camelot. At the time my mom lived in West Hempstead & my dad lived in Bethpage. [ Edited by: seafoamer 2008-08-11 19:19 ] |
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Tiki-Kate
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Sun, Nov 1, 2009 8:43 AM
Matchbook |
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donhonyc
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Sun, Mar 28, 2010 7:46 AM
Drove by the former location of the Bali Hai yesterday. The original building is now gone and a TD Bank is being built in its place. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but what's there to see? |
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Dustycajun
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Sun, Apr 4, 2010 10:04 AM
Finally got one of those great Bali Hai postcards, also saw this matchbook on ebay with a different design and font. DC |
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Tea Monster
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Thu, Feb 21, 2013 5:38 AM
I'm sad to hear that they tore the place down. I grew up in Long Island and I was taken here for Birthdays every year for all the time we lived here. I remember the embarresment of being taken up on the stage for 'hula lessons' :D. Thanks donhonyc and tikiyaki for posting the pics! I remember there was an artificial stream leading between the rails seen in the postcard, and I recall that the bridge had lights on it. There was live entertainment (late '60s/ early '70s) Polynesian music and hula dancing. I think there was a fire dancer as well, but I might have that memory confused with somewhere else. I remember we always had the pau pau platter. They used to give out these plastic leis, (which didn't look anything like the ones on the menu!), and we always loved them. I remember that there was a huge clam shell (can't remember if it was 'real' or not) in the lobby, which was used as a wishing well. Thanks all for bringing back so many cool memories. [ Edited by: Tea Monster 2013-02-21 05:40 ] |
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Micky54
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Thu, Oct 17, 2013 6:08 PM
Enjoying a night out at the Bali Hai in Northport, LI 1972 Me & my now husband Paris, My sister Joann and her now husband Charlie & my Mom & Dad Jean & Ralph. |
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scope
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Tue, Dec 31, 2013 7:51 PM
I lived in East Northport from 1957 (10 years old) till 1971. I worked part-time at the Bali Hai as a dishwasher, than busboy than waiter on and off from 1964 to 1968 while attending college. A Filipino who name was Albert was the manager. He was always trying to lure a waitress up to the second floor "office" to put the moves on her. The owners last name was Gater. He was a short white round elderly male ( looked like Alfred Hitchcock). He also owned a steak house called the Gateaway Restaurant located on Jericho Turnpike. He occasionally visited the Bali Hai, pulling up to the kitchen door in the back of the restaurant in his new Cadillac convertible always accompanied by young, very young women. |
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Ragbag Comics
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Tue, May 27, 2014 2:37 PM
A friend of mine from Northport who knows I'm a major nerd for all things Tiki spotted this This was the first I'd heard of the restaurant, so I can't say if that's true or not, but if someone lives in the area, I can see if I can get the exact store... maybe someone will recognize it? Looking over the photos and info in this thread, it sounds like the Bali Hai was quite a fantastic place way back when! --Pete |
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Dustycajun
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Fri, Jul 4, 2014 7:17 AM
Cool Tiki Pete. Anybody ever go check that out for the story? Also one of the great Tiki matchbooks posted by Tiki Kate. Here are the ashtray and swizzle stick from the Bali Hai. DC |
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bigbrotiki
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Sat, Jul 5, 2014 11:53 AM
Cooo-elle! …let's fly to Paris and drop 'em in the South Pacific showcase :D [ Edited by: bigbrotiki 2014-07-05 11:54 ] |
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kadenikaika
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Sun, Mar 22, 2015 7:16 PM
Aloha. Just found your forum and it is very interesting. Because it just so turns out my grandmother's name is Puanani. And she was the original dancer/producer/choreographer of the hula show at Bali Hai in Northport, NY. My mother and my uncle used to have to wait for her in the kitchen where all the Chinese cooks "baby sat" them and gave them lots of ice cream! haha :) we have many pictures of her and the group performing there. Here is one of these pictures. My grandmother Puanani is on the left. |
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tikicoma
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Mon, Mar 23, 2015 12:38 AM
Thanks kadenikaika! It's alway great when the families of people who were part of a location share their stories with us. If you have more photos from the Bali Hai or stories from your family feel free to add them. aloha, tikicoma |
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bigbrotiki
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Mon, Mar 23, 2015 6:31 AM
Beautiful picture! Indeed, we are looking forward to see more of the place and its people. :) |
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Euclid
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Sun, Jul 12, 2015 3:10 PM
I live in Alabama, and when I was 10 years old (1965), I went with my Grandmother to visit her sister in East Northport. We went to the Bali-Hai. Being a pack-rat, I found the menu last night when I was looking through some old things. Brought back memories of a fun night for a 10-year old. I remember the band playing Polynesian Music. Evidently, they let me keep the menu (or did we buy one?) as a souvenir. I also have one of the mugs in which they served drinks. I had wondered if the restaurant were still there, so I googled the name. Much to my surprise, I found this forum! |
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lunavideogames
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Sun, Jul 12, 2015 3:11 PM
Euclid we would love to see some pictures of the mug and menu if you have time. Thanks for posting! |
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Euclid
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Mon, Jul 13, 2015 2:35 PM
The menu I have is the same one that is posted earlier in this thread. Here is a picture of the mug. |
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Portside
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Wed, Sep 9, 2015 12:19 PM
I cannot manage to get the pictures to load of the show at Bali Hai, I would love to see it, as I too was babysat by the cooks during the show many a time and I bet I spent time with your Mom. Would love to see....My sister worked the Show and eventually became Choreographer, her name was Kanani.... |
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GregKapitan
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Mon, May 27, 2024 5:47 PM
in reply to tikisignartist
Here are photos of the front outside and inside with my parents Rose and George Kapitan... |
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Thortiki
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Tue, May 28, 2024 2:20 PM
Greg, nice photos. Did your parents ever take you there? |
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Or Got Rum?
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Thu, May 30, 2024 9:06 AM
Greg...Fantastic pics...and if you look close to the outside right and left are small Tiki's that looks like the Hardware Store Tiki. [ Edited by Or Got Rum? on 2024-05-30 09:07:29 ] |
Pages: 1 26 replies