Mai Kai, Fort Lauderdale, FL (restaurant)

finky099, great selection of drinks! It's rare to see the Rum Julep served in the metal cup.

Here's the latest info on next week's Customer Celebration Parties. Yes, there's more than one this year. In addition to Sunday, Dec. 28, there will be an additional party on Saturday, Dec. 27, with live music and 58% off all food and drinks all night in The Molokai bar.

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2014/12/19/celebrating-58-years-the-mai-kai-expands-anniversary-party-to-two-nights/

1960s and today ...

Aloha Boyz - featuring former Polynesian Islander Revue musicians Ty Olopai (ukulele/vocals), Derek Suzuki (guitar/vocals), and Buki Teheiura Itchener (bass/vocals) - perform during the Customer Celebration Party on Dec. 27 ...

I went to Mai Kai twice over their anniversary weekend & so I thought I would review it on Critiki's Mai Kai page & add comments on here:

Decor: 9 (it is rich)

Drink Quality: 5 followed by 7
Drink Selection: N/A

The drinks were bad on the first night, better on the second - when I tasted a few on the first night, the wide menu didn't seem to matter, they were all too sweet for me. I sent a Jet Pilot back for being overly sweet.

They suffered from inconsistent quality of drinks (ie I had a Rum Barrel the first night which wasn't good & tried another the second night which was much better)

On the second night they were much more balanced (but I couldnt go back & redrink the drinks from the first night).

Food Quality: 5
Food Selection: 7 followed by 1

Pretty much standard chinese food but pricey.

I'm a vegetarian - veggie options were ok in the dining room but there was only one veggie option in the bar (the goats cheese salad), ordering from the dining room but being in the bar was not permitted (I had a Subway on the way home)

Mood: 7 followed by 5
Music: 7 followed by 5

The dining room the first night was nice (music & mood), the Molokai Bar the second night had the Aloha Boyz which were good but played some songs after them that made our party make jokes about them wanting to clear us out!

Service: 6 followed by 1.

The meal was a bit disjointed the first night as food was delivered at different times, the drinks were quick. The second night everything went haywire - a diet coke took longer than a Rum Barrel!

Tikiness: 7.

Tiki posts everywhere but no big tikis inside.

NB: The Molokai Bar doesnt have a single tiki in it but it is meant to be a ship so I exclude that from the 'Tikiness' score.

Tilt: 6
Vibe: 6

It just didnt pull together for me - my overall Critiki score was surprising low (6.5).

But I think they showed signs of greatness but also signs of naffness - if I could have had the mood the first night & the drinks from the second night my score would have been a bit higher.

I hope to attend again in the future to see if I can catch it on a good night but wont go as far out of my way as I did this time.

One thing to note is: if you make any of the drinks on the Atomic Grog website you'll be replicating the Mai Kai drinks at their best from my trip.

On 2015-01-03 07:14, AdOrAdam wrote:
The meal was a bit disjointed the first night as food was delivered at different times, the drinks were quick. The second night everything went haywire - a diet coke took longer than a Rum Barrel!

It should be noted that AdOrAdam attended during the two nights of the 58th anniversary party, when the place was packed (especially Sunday in the bar) and the staff was admittedly stretched to its limits. That's not to excuse any service problems. I've had impeccable service on many worse nights, such as a sold-out New Year's Eve and a chaotic day of The Hukilau. On Sunday, we apparently encountered a waitress who was in way over her head.

Adam's critique does somewhat disprove the notion that the drinks are better in the dining rooms, coming out of the main service bar. He said his drinks were better on Sunday in The Molokai, despite the crowded conditions and over-burdened bar staff. It also proves my theory that the drink recipes are timeless classics that, when executed correctly, stand up against any tropical drinks out there. It's just that The Mai-Kai's extremely high-volume operation and huge staff can sometimes work against it. But if you go there enough, you'll find that the outstanding experiences greatly outweigh the less-than-stellar ones.

On 2015-01-04 01:06, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
But if you go there enough, you'll find that the outstanding experiences greatly outweigh the less-than-stellar ones.

Perfectly fine if you live nearby and can go frequently but very unfortunate for those traveling across seas or from other parts of the country with hopes of a positive and lasting impression. As stated in my earlier critique, the bar is set so high for this place that when you have a disappointing experience it's that much more crushing. I'm just glad to some extent we can still enjoy the drinks at home thanks to your diligent work. But there's nothing like a night at the Mai Kai when everything is done right.

[ Edited by: mikehooker 2015-01-04 13:54 ]

At least the Alhoa Boyz look like a musical improvement over the last time I was there.

Visited yesterday and had a decent experience. Not as nice as my first visit back in May, but still- it's the Mai Kai. Always a lovely time.

My complaints? No water on the Molokai windows! I loved that little effect and was disappointed not to see it running.

Also, PACKED house (yay) but service was really slow. Drinks were kinda weak, too. Nor did they have the mug for my drink.

That said- music was great. Lovely musician in the Molokai, the show was as as beautiful as ever, and the Mai Kai just oozes midcentury tiki. I wish it (the gardens look a tag worn) were kept up a bit better, but I'm so happy SoFla has this treasure.

Follow me on Twitter and Instagram! @EPCOTExplorer

[ Edited by: EPCOTExplorer 2015-01-04 21:16 ]

On 2015-01-04 21:14, EPCOTExplorer wrote:
My complaints? No water on the Molokai windows! I loved that little effect and was disappointed not to see it running.

The water effect was working last week, so I'm assuming it's a temporary issue that will be fixed. I've seen it down from time to time over the years, but never for too long.

This and other issues like the garden are indicative of how much of a nightmare it must be to maintain such a unique facility. Things were actually a lot worse before the multimillion-dollar investment in capital improvements following the hurricane damage during the last decade. Anyone remember the leaky roof? Let's hope the continued popularity will allow profits to be rolled back into facility upkeep.

As mikehooker notes, it's unfortunate that out-of-town visitors only get a short time to enjoy all The Mai-Kai has to offer, only to find flaws in one area or another. Service and food/drink quality issues are certainly not as easy to forgive, but also more easily correctable. I know there's an ongoing commitment to QC in this area, so I'll trust that the appropriate systems will work. Meanwhile, I'll be happy to continue to sample all the drinks and make sure they're up to snuff.

On 2015-01-05 00:20, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

On 2015-01-04 21:14, EPCOTExplorer wrote:
My complaints? No water on the Molokai windows! I loved that little effect and was disappointed not to see it running.

The water effect was working last week, so I'm assuming it's a temporary issue that will be fixed. I've seen it down from time to time over the years, but never for too long.

This and other issues like the garden are indicative of how much of a nightmare it must be to maintain such a unique facility. Things were actually a lot worse before the multimillion-dollar investment in capital improvements following the hurricane damage during the last decade. Anyone remember the leaky roof? Let's hope the continued popularity will allow profits to be rolled back into facility upkeep.

As mikehooker notes, it's unfortunate that out-of-town visitors only get a short time to enjoy all The Mai-Kai has to offer, only to find flaws in one area or another. Service and food/drink quality issues are certainly not as easy to forgive, but also more easily correctable. I know there's an ongoing commitment to QC in this area, so I'll trust that the appropriate systems will work. Meanwhile, I'll be happy to continue to sample all the drinks and make sure they're up to snuff.

I wonder what was wrong with it... It's a fairly simple effect, right? Just a pipe with holes cut at the correct spot?

And the leaky roof is still around, at least in the gift-shop. There's a big plastic bag right above your head as you enter, so as to catch the water. :-/

And I agree with you, to be honest. I'm happy they're improving, but I just want something so special to receive the care and quality it deserves to have. Mai Kai is a gem, regardless.

On 2015-01-05 11:25, EPCOTExplorer wrote:

I wonder what was wrong with it... It's a fairly simple effect, right? Just a pipe with holes cut at the correct spot?

Yes. The effect is simple.

The pumps that drive the effect, however, are a different story. They are almost as old as the Molokai and in need of replacement.

I just want something so special to receive the care and quality it deserves to have. Mai Kai is a gem, regardless.

It is receiving the care and quality it deserves. But.....Huge restaurant, small maintenance staff, many small problems. Often the maintenance guys are simply outnumbered by the problems. The rain windows are a good example.... one pump driving the rain on eight windows, pumps starts to go bad (again) and the pressure doesn't get to the last two windows. Do you have rain on some windows, or turn off the pump and have rain effect on none of the windows? It's only until Thursday when the part for the pump arrives so by Friday it's all good for a while.

Repeat that judgement call on a thousand other little things that happen in a 58 year old restaurant, and that happen on an almost daily basis.

Again, not making excuses for things, just pointing out that there are a lot of things that can go wrong between yesterday and today and none of them are because there is a lack of care or upkeep.

And now you have some idea why Mr Levy's hair is grey.

On 2015-01-05 13:35, Chip and Andy wrote:

On 2015-01-05 11:25, EPCOTExplorer wrote:

I wonder what was wrong with it... It's a fairly simple effect, right? Just a pipe with holes cut at the correct spot?

Yes. The effect is simple.

The pumps that drive the effect, however, are a different story. They are almost as old as the Molokai and in need of replacement.

I just want something so special to receive the care and quality it deserves to have. Mai Kai is a gem, regardless.

It is receiving the care and quality it deserves. But.....Huge restaurant, small maintenance staff, many small problems. Often the maintenance guys are simply outnumbered by the problems. The rain windows are a good example.... one pump driving the rain on eight windows, pumps starts to go bad (again) and the pressure doesn't get to the last two windows. Do you have rain on some windows, or turn off the pump and have rain effect on none of the windows? It's only until Thursday when the part for the pump arrives so by Friday it's all good for a while.

Repeat that judgement call on a thousand other little things that happen in a 58 year old restaurant, and that happen on an almost daily basis.

Again, not making excuses for things, just pointing out that there are a lot of things that can go wrong between yesterday and today and none of them are because there is a lack of care or upkeep.

And now you have some idea why Mr Levy's hair is grey.

Right. I understand. I'm wondering though, what it would take to have the place running at full tilt? Is it a lack of investment and supplies? Is the Mai Kai, venerable as it is, too big for its own good?

I'm a Disney fan at heart... ops fascinates me. :)

Right. I understand. I'm wondering though, what it would take to have the place running at full tilt? Is it a lack of investment and supplies? Is the Mai Kai, venerable as it is, too big for its own good?

I'm a Disney fan at heart... ops fascinates me. :)

Full tilt..... that's hard to define when applied to a restaurant.

Disney has an advantage in this comparison by having back-ups and spares and extras of most things. If this widget breaks there is at least one more in a storage locker somewhere on the property.

The Mai Kai has two storage/maintenance rooms that aren't much bigger than your average walk-in closet. And a Storage facility down the road a bit that is most old decor and christmas decorations.

Then there is the difference in revenue streams...

Disney charges a pretty penny just to get in the gates.

There is no cover charge or minimum drink order to get in the Molokai.

And then the last major consideration..... Seasonal business. It is Snow-Bird season down here in Florida. The Mai Kai is busy every night of the week, two shows every night, three shows on Friday and Saturdays. In about three months they will be back to one show during the week, two on the weekends. In about five months they will switch back to 'summer hours' and be closed on Monday's. Monies have to be banked in the busy winter-time to carry through the slow summer time. This pump that drives the rain windows can be fixed for hundred bucks or replaced for a thousand (don't know how much pumps really cost). Well why don't we repair it now and replace it later. And then you are right back into the initial problem of many small things all adding up to overwhelm the limited support staff.

And while this is all interesting discussion about running a really big themed restaurant we are just entertaining ourselves with the discussion. The people who actually run the restaurant in question are doing something right because they just celebrated their 58th anniversary and all signs point to them making 59 successfully.

Also, the Mai Kai may only employ a maintanance guy for small things, and hire out the larger plumbing/refrigeration ect. items to a service company. The pump for the window effect went down, called the service company to repair. Parts or replacement pump on order. Refrigeration and stoves/ovens would be first priority to keep spares on hand (food and drink is where there money is at...window effect not so much). Also, there may be a cost factor involved. Maybe they're a bit over budget and need to cut back on some things. Electricity is one thing the pump uses, and the water is recurculating. However, the water supply needs to be replenished due to evaporation. I have a small fountain outside my house that I have to refill daily due to evaporation. I can't imagine what the water bill for the Mai Kai is. Ice machines, dishwashers, rain effect, gardens.... maybe they shut the water effect down at slower periods to save a bit of money.

howlinowl

On 2015-01-06 06:53, Chip and Andy wrote:

Right. I understand. I'm wondering though, what it would take to have the place running at full tilt? Is it a lack of investment and supplies? Is the Mai Kai, venerable as it is, too big for its own good?

I'm a Disney fan at heart... ops fascinates me. :)

Full tilt..... that's hard to define when applied to a restaurant.

Disney has an advantage in this comparison by having back-ups and spares and extras of most things. If this widget breaks there is at least one more in a storage locker somewhere on the property.

The Mai Kai has two storage/maintenance rooms that aren't much bigger than your average walk-in closet. And a Storage facility down the road a bit that is most old decor and christmas decorations.

Then there is the difference in revenue streams...

Disney charges a pretty penny just to get in the gates.

There is no cover charge or minimum drink order to get in the Molokai.

And then the last major consideration..... Seasonal business. It is Snow-Bird season down here in Florida. The Mai Kai is busy every night of the week, two shows every night, three shows on Friday and Saturdays. In about three months they will be back to one show during the week, two on the weekends. In about five months they will switch back to 'summer hours' and be closed on Monday's. Monies have to be banked in the busy winter-time to carry through the slow summer time. This pump that drives the rain windows can be fixed for hundred bucks or replaced for a thousand (don't know how much pumps really cost). Well why don't we repair it now and replace it later. And then you are right back into the initial problem of many small things all adding up to overwhelm the limited support staff.

And while this is all interesting discussion about running a really big themed restaurant we are just entertaining ourselves with the discussion. The people who actually run the restaurant in question are doing something right because they just celebrated their 58th anniversary and all signs point to them making 59 successfully.

Well said. VERY well said. I would love to see Mai Kai running at Disney level quality, but I think that would improve impossible, unless unattainable wealth was suddenly bestowed on the place.

My bottom line: just fix up the woodwork on the exterior and that would go a long way. The face of the Mai Kai deserves to be just as wonderful and beautiful as the inside.

COSISTENT drink quality is my #1 for ANY Tiki bar! Décor & vibe is important, but I can't drink either of those!

On 2015-01-06 08:00, howlinowl wrote:
I can't imagine what the water bill for the Mai Kai is. Ice machines, dishwashers, rain effect, gardens....

howlinowl

The Gas bill is just shy of 10 grand a month. That is for the torches AND the kitchens. At least it was a few years ago, I don't think gas prices (this kind of gas at least) has changed much since then.

I am thinking a water bill that is similarly large isn't outside the realm of possibility.

Robert Thornton was having dinner with the family one night and someone mentioned that the speaker near them was busted.

"Why don't you fix that?"

RT: "You think me spending that money will bring one more person in the front door?"

Ever go to Disney and a ride is closed? Shit happens and you deal with it, but only Jesus was perfect, and he died 2,000 years ago.

Sometimes they simply forget to turn the window water pump on. I've asked and they turned it on.

On 2015-01-06 09:59, Swanky wrote:
Robert Thornton was having dinner with the family one night and someone mentioned that the speaker near them was busted.

"Why don't you fix that?"

RT: "You think me spending that money will bring one more person in the front door?"

Ever go to Disney and a ride is closed? Shit happens and you deal with it, but only Jesus was perfect, and he died 2,000 years ago.

Sometimes they simply forget to turn the window water pump on. I've asked and they turned it on.

If it meant that the Mai Kai could close for a month, like Disney does with their rides, and open it up fully refreshed, I'd be very happy.

But that'll never happen. Two largely different business models.

And I'll ask about them switching on the water, the next time I'm there.

I would love to see Mai Kai running at Disney level quality, but I think that would improve impossible, unless unattainable wealth was suddenly bestowed on the place.

I've had this same dream, EPCOTExplorer, believe me. But then, I've also dreamed about the Polynesian Village offering cocktails on the same level of The Mai-Kai. Both are unlikely, but what we're left with ain't too shabby.

On 2015-01-06 17:35, EPCOTExplorer wrote:

On 2015-01-06 09:59, Swanky wrote:
Robert Thornton was having dinner with the family one night and someone mentioned that the speaker near them was busted.

"Why don't you fix that?"

RT: "You think me spending that money will bring one more person in the front door?"

Ever go to Disney and a ride is closed? Shit happens and you deal with it, but only Jesus was perfect, and he died 2,000 years ago.

Sometimes they simply forget to turn the window water pump on. I've asked and they turned it on.

If it meant that the Mai Kai could close for a month, like Disney does with their rides, and open it up fully refreshed, I'd be very happy.

But that'll never happen. Two largely different business models.

And I'll ask about them switching on the water, the next time I'm there.

The Mai-Kai has hardly closed a day in the last 58 years. It is super rare for them to be closed on purpose.

On 2015-01-07 00:20, Hurricane Hayward wrote:

I would love to see Mai Kai running at Disney level quality, but I think that would improve impossible, unless unattainable wealth was suddenly bestowed on the place.

I've had this same dream, EPCOTExplorer, believe me. But then, I've also dreamed about the Polynesian Village offering cocktails on the same level of The Mai-Kai. Both are unlikely, but what we're left with ain't too shabby.

Right?! It would be fantastic.

But yes, what we do have is pretty fantastic as well.

Save for the fact that the Polynesian Village just lost its fountains and waterfalls, but I digress....

The episode of the Cooking Channel's "Offbeat Eats with Jim Stacy" featuring The Mai-Kai will be repeated three times on Sunday, plus one more time later this month ...

January 11, 2015 3:30 AM
January 11, 2015 7:00 AM
January 11, 2015 11:30 PM
January 29, 2015 8:30 AM

http://www.cookingchanneltv.com/shows/offbeat-eats-with-jim-stacy/100/day-at-the-beach.html

From Pia Dahlquist, Director of Sales and Marketing:

Heydays Vintage is filming in South Florida and will be filming at the Mai-Kai for an upcoming segment this coming Wednesday!

They want to show their viewers this Tiki/Polynesian Gem and it's role in tiki vintage culture.
Please put on your favorite Aloha shirt or dress and make Mai-Kai your place for Happy Hour Wednesday.

You might even get picked to get interviewed on the show!

Hope to see you Wednesday!

https://www.facebook.com/heydaysTV

If you grew up in the SF Bay Area in the 80s, you might remember "Buki" as Conrad, the bass player from The John Belushi Memorial Blues Band

On 2014-12-29 22:32, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
Aloha Boyz - featuring former Polynesian Islander Revue musicians Ty Olopai (ukulele/vocals), Derek Suzuki (guitar/vocals), and Buki Teheiura Itchener (bass/vocals) - perform during the Customer Celebration Party on Dec. 27 ...

The Mai-Kai has been named to the National Register of Historic Places!

From The Miami Herald ... http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article9639449.html

George Washington didn’t sleep at the Vagabond Motel in Miami or down a Bora Bora at Fort Lauderdale’s tiki-fantasia Mai-Kai Restaurant. But that didn’t keep either of the kitschy-cool 1950s landmarks from making it onto the National Register of Historic Places.

Both were nominated for the honor by the state of Florida, which announced Monday that the sites were among seven additions from the state to the federal register. The list, selected by the National Park Service, recognizes the most significant buildings and places across the country.

The honor comes as both the Vagabond and the Mai-Kai enjoy a resurgence.

The Vagabond, which reopened last fall after sitting vacant on Biscayne Boulevard for years, has been recast as a chic, retro-hip boutique hotel, dining spot and hangout. All its original details, including its signature neon sign and frolicking-nymphs-and-dolphins fountain, were fully restored. The motel is also designated historic by the city of Miami and sits within the larger and also resurgent MiMo-Biscayne Historic District.

The Mai-Kai, which is actually just over the Fort Lauderdale city line in Oakland Park, retained its full kitschy charm nearly unaltered despite several expansions and an extensive renovation a decade ago necessitated by damage from Hurricane Wilma. Its Polynesian revue and large drinks, which reputedly use the same recipes devised by tiki-craze originator Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s, are enduring lures for tourists and locals.

The inclusion of the Vagabond and the Mai-Kai on the register reflects their iconic place in popular South Florida culture, and cements growing recognition of the abiding importance of Mid-Century tourist-oriented roadside architecture to the region’s development.

Both were designed by prominent South Florida architects who worked in the style now known as Miami Modern, or MiMo. Though, to be sure, there’s nothing Bauhaus about the Polynesian-inspired, thatch-roofed Mai-Kai, its neon sign is very much in the tradition of the 1950s roadside South Florida attractions that so many people recall fondly.

“The architecture behind them has that sexy curb appeal to catch people as they’re driving by,” said Teri D’Amico, an interior designer and co-coiner of the term MiMo. “It’s American history when it’s down here, because so many people traveled here and remember them. It was the adventure of getting away from home.”

The Mai-Kai, which advertises itself as the longest-running tiki-theme restaurant in America, is also be one of the last surviving originals from the decades when they were all the rage, D’Amico said.

“It is a classic,” she said. “That represents our tiki, and there’s very little left. And that one building can represent that whole era.”

The Vagabond, from 1953, was the work of Robert Swartburg, a versatile architect also responsible for the earlier Art Deco Delano and Clevelander hotels on South Beach.

The Mai-Kai, which opened in 1956, was designed by Fort Lauderdale MiMo master Charles McKirahan, who designed the Bay Harbor Islands apartment house, now under threat of demolition, that served as the main character’s home in the hit cable-TV series Dexter. Serving as a Mai-Kai consultant was legendary Japanese-American woodworker and furniture maker George Nakashima, whose own home and studio in Pennsylvania is also on the National Register and is designated a National Historic Landmark as well.

Other Florida sites added to the National Register include the Rogers Park Golf Course in Hillsbourough County, designed and built during segregation by African American caddie and golfer Willie Black; the one-room rural Strickland School, near the Georgia border in Leon County, from 1888; and St. Petersburg’s Mediterranean-style Sunset Hotel of 1915.

On 2015-02-10 00:50, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
The Mai-Kai has been named to the National Register of Historic Places!

From The Miami Herald ... http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article9639449.html

George Washington didn’t sleep at the Vagabond Motel in Miami or down a Bora Bora at Fort Lauderdale’s tiki-fantasia Mai-Kai Restaurant. But that didn’t keep either of the kitschy-cool 1950s landmarks from making it onto the National Register of Historic Places.

Both were nominated for the honor by the state of Florida, which announced Monday that the sites were among seven additions from the state to the federal register. The list, selected by the National Park Service, recognizes the most significant buildings and places across the country.

The honor comes as both the Vagabond and the Mai-Kai enjoy a resurgence.

The Vagabond, which reopened last fall after sitting vacant on Biscayne Boulevard for years, has been recast as a chic, retro-hip boutique hotel, dining spot and hangout. All its original details, including its signature neon sign and frolicking-nymphs-and-dolphins fountain, were fully restored. The motel is also designated historic by the city of Miami and sits within the larger and also resurgent MiMo-Biscayne Historic District.

The Mai-Kai, which is actually just over the Fort Lauderdale city line in Oakland Park, retained its full kitschy charm nearly unaltered despite several expansions and an extensive renovation a decade ago necessitated by damage from Hurricane Wilma. Its Polynesian revue and large drinks, which reputedly use the same recipes devised by tiki-craze originator Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s, are enduring lures for tourists and locals.

The inclusion of the Vagabond and the Mai-Kai on the register reflects their iconic place in popular South Florida culture, and cements growing recognition of the abiding importance of Mid-Century tourist-oriented roadside architecture to the region’s development.

Both were designed by prominent South Florida architects who worked in the style now known as Miami Modern, or MiMo. Though, to be sure, there’s nothing Bauhaus about the Polynesian-inspired, thatch-roofed Mai-Kai, its neon sign is very much in the tradition of the 1950s roadside South Florida attractions that so many people recall fondly.

“The architecture behind them has that sexy curb appeal to catch people as they’re driving by,” said Teri D’Amico, an interior designer and co-coiner of the term MiMo. “It’s American history when it’s down here, because so many people traveled here and remember them. It was the adventure of getting away from home.”

The Mai-Kai, which advertises itself as the longest-running tiki-theme restaurant in America, is also be one of the last surviving originals from the decades when they were all the rage, D’Amico said.

“It is a classic,” she said. “That represents our tiki, and there’s very little left. And that one building can represent that whole era.”

The Vagabond, from 1953, was the work of Robert Swartburg, a versatile architect also responsible for the earlier Art Deco Delano and Clevelander hotels on South Beach.

The Mai-Kai, which opened in 1956, was designed by Fort Lauderdale MiMo master Charles McKirahan, who designed the Bay Harbor Islands apartment house, now under threat of demolition, that served as the main character’s home in the hit cable-TV series Dexter. Serving as a Mai-Kai consultant was legendary Japanese-American woodworker and furniture maker George Nakashima, whose own home and studio in Pennsylvania is also on the National Register and is designated a National Historic Landmark as well.

Other Florida sites added to the National Register include the Rogers Park Golf Course in Hillsbourough County, designed and built during segregation by African American caddie and golfer Willie Black; the one-room rural Strickland School, near the Georgia border in Leon County, from 1888; and St. Petersburg’s Mediterranean-style Sunset Hotel of 1915.

So wish they would contact a guy like me to correct their errors before they print them. George Nakashima the Mai-Kai architect is not George Nakashima the furniture designer. Mai-Kai has no neon sign. The original structure, which hard to see now after much added development on the property was very Modern. "Kitschy" needs to be beaten out of the mouths of writers about the Mai-Kai. Classic is better. "Steak N Shake" is kitschy. The Mai-Kai with its Maitre D', Seating Captains, bathroom attendants, etc. is not that. You can't lump it in with Alligator World or whatever other Raodside they want to make it. If so, then that kitschy Vielle MAison camped up French restaurant down the road was also in the genre...

On 2015-02-10 00:50, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
The Mai-Kai has been named to the National Register of Historic Places!

This will help a lot in securing matching funding from the city/state towards any repairs they make to maintain the original structure/decor.

Wunderbar! The same nomination did not save the Kahiki, but I believe the Mai Kai will make good use of it.

Well put, Swanky. George Nakashima the furniture designer :lol: - today's journalists research goes no more than one mouse click deep, it seems.

On 2015-02-10 11:35, exquisitecorpse wrote:

On 2015-02-10 00:50, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
The Mai-Kai has been named to the National Register of Historic Places!

This will help a lot in securing matching funding from the city/state towards any repairs they make to maintain the original structure/decor.

It could, but if they take money from the government, then they fall under a lot of restrictions in how they alter the building that they would not want. They'd have to get approval to repair a window or any number of things that they have been doing for over 50 years.

It's possible this may enable the restoration of the old gift shop building on the north side of the property that has been shut down since hurricane damage years ago. Prior to the designation, I believe they were told they had to tear it down and rebuild if they were to use it as a public building again. That may not be the case now.

Here's the official announcement from the secretary of state:
http://capitalsoup.com/2015/02/09/secretary-detzner-announces-recent-designation-of-florida-properties-on-national-register-of-historic-places-2/

And The Mai-Kai’s page on the National Parks Service website:
http://www.nps.gov/nr/feature/places/14000951.htm

"The Mai-Kai Restaurant is locally significant under Criteria A in the areas of Commerce and Entertainment/Recreation. It is significant as an intact, still operating, Polynesian-themed restaurant. The period of significance is from 1956 to 1964 when it largely achieved it present appearance. The Mai-Kai reflects national broad patterns of entertainment that began in the 1920s and thrived in the mid-20th century. The Mai-Kai is one of the few remaining Polynesian themed restaurants in Florida. The building, landscaped garden, interior decor, and the operational elements make the Mai-Kai an exemplary of an exotic themed restaurant and tourist destination. In addition to its decor, the Mai-Kai maintains a Polynesian-Asian influenced menu, as well as the mandatory cocktail menu. While the Mai-Kai's food menu has adapted to changing culinary tastes, its drink menu, including the quality ingredients, has not changed since 1956. As a result, the restaurant is renowned for its expert tropical drinks. A review of the Mai-Kai's drink menu indicates over a dozen registered trademark cocktails. The Mai-Kai has a permanent place in a holy trio of old-school holdouts dedicated to the careful construction of their libations."

Swanky (or anyone else): What do you think "holy trio of old-school holdouts" is a reference to? Vic and Don?

On 2015-02-18 00:44, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
It's possible this may enable the restoration of the old gift shop building on the north side of the property that has been shut down since hurricane damage years ago. Prior to the designation, I believe they were told they had to tear it down and rebuild if they were to use it as a public building again. That may not be the case now.

I don't think the physical gift shop building itself would be a loss if it were to be remodeled (or rebuilt from scratch) because the value lies in the architectural style, and any artistic contents, which are of greatest value. The building didn't come from Polynesia. But things which may have, like the tapa cloth coverings and such, are probably too old to salvage and may have been glued or nailed in place. But carvings could be removed, cleaned and restored, and then re-installed in a better physical building.

I took a bunch of photos outside and around the gift shop when I was at the last Hukilau, and some of my photos were taken through the glass. I'll have to pull those up and see what the interior looked like.

On 2015-02-18 06:29, AceExplorer wrote:

But things which may have, like the tapa cloth coverings and such, are probably too old to salvage and may have been glued or nailed in place.

Some are glued in place, some are shellacked or lacquered in place, very little of the Tapa on the walls could be recovered. It could be documented in photos and maybe then recreated.....

But carvings could be removed, cleaned and restored, and then re-installed in a better physical building.

Most everything of interest has been taken out of the building already. All that is left in there is some bamboo, some thatching, the tapa on the walls.... anything that could be removed has already been removed from the inside.

I took a bunch of photos outside and around the gift shop when I was at the last Hukilau, and some of my photos were taken through the glass. I'll have to pull those up and see what the interior looked like.

Yes... and no....

Yes because it is always interesting.

No because it is depressing to see what it looks like now.

For example....

Now it looks like this:

But it used to look like this:

The before picture is so much more exciting, the current picture not so much.

I do hope the Historic Designation helps with the that building because it would be awesome to turn it into a banquet room that could be rented out for parties!

[ Edited by: chip and andy 2015-02-18 10:31 ]

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy 2015-02-18 10:31 ]

On 2015-02-18 00:44, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
It's possible this may enable the restoration of the old gift shop building on the north side of the property that has been shut down since hurricane damage years ago. Prior to the designation, I believe they were told they had to tear it down and rebuild if they were to use it as a public building again. That may not be the case now.

It was and is not in danger of demolition. It is perfectly sound.

It was built to be the gift shop, but as the gift shop it was a bit of a failure. It didn't get foot traffic. When it was opened it ended an era in the Mai-Kai as the original gift shop, which was extremely popular and did extremely well, was shuttered. The family that ran it left the Mai-Kai.

It has always suffered from a "what do we do with it" problem. It was a place for small events for a while. Now it is storage mainly. They are working on a new plan for the building and will build it out to suit that plan when it happens. It is a pretty small room and I do not think there is a bathroom over there. I imagine it will either become a small private party room again, or a specialty room. I have heard cigar room discussed. But it may just sit there as spending money over there for a guess at a good purpose is not something they may want to do.

It is being maintained. They have painted and repaired trim etc.

There was a very short time when it was "condemned" due to an inspector giving it a 2 minute walk around and seeing some rotten wood trim and assuming that was what supported the building. He was sent back out and they pointed out the large steel I-beams the building is built on and changed his report.

The Mai-Kai's head mixologist, Troy Gallant, will be competing tomorrow night (Feb. 20) against some of the top Tiki bars and bartenders from across the country at the South Beach Wine & Food Festival. Here's a full preview of The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown, hosted by Emeril Lagasse and featuring guest judges Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and Martin Cate ...
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/02/19/bam-its-tiki-time-at-the-south-beach-wine-food-festival/

On Saturday night, three ‘secret cocktails’ droped in for a night of flights at The Mai-Kai. Here's a full report on the event:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/02/21/three-classic-lost-cocktails-drop-in-for-a-night-of-flights-at-the-mai-kai/

On 2015-02-10 00:50, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
The Mai-Kai has been named to the National Register of Historic Places!

From The Miami Herald ... http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/community/miami-dade/article9639449.html

Wonderful news! We hope to keep enjoying the Mai-Kai for a long long time.

HURRAH for the Mai Kai being added to the NPS! That's great. Hopefully this means that restoration and good things are on the way. :)

On 2015-02-22 11:42, Hurricane Hayward wrote:
On Saturday night, three ‘secret cocktails’ droped in for a night of flights at The Mai-Kai. Here's a full report on the event:
http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/02/21/three-classic-lost-cocktails-drop-in-for-a-night-of-flights-at-the-mai-kai/

Posts on this site cause me to try new drinks as well as discover or re-discover old drinks. I've been slammed lately, and my list of 'gonna try next' has grown way too long. Unfortunately there's only so much you can drink in a weekend, even if you split drinks 50/50 for tasting and testing purposes with a partner-in-crime.

Thanks for posting the scan of the drink list for us, Hurricane.

AceExplorer (and others): I hate to add more to your to-do list, but here's the recipe for the Molokai Swizzle, The Mai-Kai's entry in "The Art of Tiki: A Cocktail Showdown," last week's South Beach Wine & Food Festival event hosted by Emeril Lagasse.

http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/02/19/bam-its-tiki-time-at-the-south-beach-wine-food-festival/#molokai-siwzzle

Though it didn't win, I know it appeared near the top of several judges' ballots and was my pick as top drink of the night. The event was a rare opportunity for The Mai-Kai's head mixologist, Troy Gallant, to step into the spotlight. Here's Troy (right) with general manager Kern Mattei at the end of a long night mixing cocktails for more than 700 guests:

On 2014-09-13 09:55, thomamas wrote:
FYI, the Mai Kai is a finalist in this year's Cintas' America's Best Restroom contest, which is taking votes through the end of October.

http://www.bestrestroom.com/us/vote.asp

So's the Tiki Lounge in Pittsburgh, by the way.

It's now March 2015, and I don't see that they finished this poll and announced a contest winner. I sent an update request to "Danny" the contact person for this. Let's see what response I get.

The winner was Longwood Gardens.

http://www.bestrestroom.com/us/press/press-winner-longwood-gardens-abr.asp

Thanks, MaukaHale. I was apparently following the "vote" page somehow expecting that they'd close the voting and update that page. I'll add that to my list of reasons to drink, heh...

I voted for the Mai-Kai a lot. That one restroom photo didn't do the place justice, so it is what it is. But at least the Mai-Kai made the National Register recently, and that's pretty dang good in the grand scheme of things.

Cheers!

Be sure to vote for The Mai-Kai (along with three other great old Tiki establishments) in The Big Tap: 2015 Historic Bars Tournament. Organized by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, it features 32 historic bars in a March Madness style bracket.

See profiles of all the bars: http://blog.preservationnation.org/historic-bars/

See the bracket and cast your votes: http://blog.preservationnation.org/historic-bars/vote-in-the-historic-bars-tournament/

More coverage on The Atomic Grog: http://www.slammie.com/atomicgrog/blog/2015/03/12/the-week-in-tiki-march-9-2015-historic-bars-compete-vintage-tiki-weekend-announced-rum-fest-at-the-mai-kai/

The official blog of The Hukilau

Featuring The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

[ Edited by: Hurricane Hayward 2015-03-12 15:33 ]

Please also note that the deadline to vote in each round of the contest is 8 a.m. Eastern Time on Fridays. So get cracking. Also, you can vote as often as you like.

Good luck also to Bali Hai (San Diego), La Mariana (Honolulu), and the Tonga Room (San Francisco).

To help us forget the early exit from the historic bars contest, here's a little video from the Fort Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel: http://www.sun-sentinel.com/video/originals/doreens-deals/sfl-doreens-deals-halfoff-drinks-and-dining-at-historic-maikai-20150309-premiumvideo.html

Found this cooooooool 1961 Mai Kai article from the short lived magazine Party - "The Magazine for fun lovers." The in-depth (cough, cough) article's main focus is on the booze and the mystery girl. Which fits the general theme and focus of the magazine. I did learn that the arrival of the mystery girl with your mystery drink was heralded with a Chinese Gong - which "plays an almost constant tune."

Behold... the Mystery at the Mai Kai:

[ Edited by: Tattoo 2015-03-22 15:20 ]