Mai Tai Restaurant in Indianapolis

I've finally bought a halfway decent digital camera so now I can post pics of some of my collection and have the items actually be visible.

I found these about 6-9 months ago in an antique store. Two rocks glasses, one marked "Mai Tai Restaurant, Indianapolis, Indiana" and the other simply "Mai Tai." I was wondering if anyone else has anything from or any knowledge of this establishment.

Very cool glasses. I had seen a matchbook of this place before. The interesting thing is that the Tiki is based on a Witco Tiki, but the hut rendering, and the style of the typeface, is swiped from The Tahitian (BOT p.152).

If anyone can come up with an address for this we can check out what remains very soon.

I'm not having much luck.

Matchbook says 3815 North Shadeland. Also had or was the Kahuna Lounge.

I will be in Indy on April 21-24.
I will do a drive-by.

My guess is that the palce lasted at least into the 1980s.
Theat angular yellow lettering in the one picture looks like it came right off of an Oingo Boingo record! Like so totally 80s. Fer shure.

The location is at the corner of N. Shadeland & E. 38th St., just south of E. Pendleton Pike. This is on the East side of Indy a little north of I70.

James, you'd come down on I65, go around town on I465 & exit at Pendleton Pike, you head West to Shadeland & make a Left, the location is one block South on Shadeland.

A Google search says this is now Steve Anderson's AOK Karate School.

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-03-17 11:52 ]

I look forward to what you find James, just don't mess with the karate people.

Sven, can you get a scan of the matchbook by any chance?

Address, directions, karate school (i.e. be prepared for some disappointment) Tiki Central once again proves it can do just about anything!

You folks are truely amazing!

Mahalo!

I had seen a menu from the Mai Tai on ebay several years ago that was a blatant knock-of of the classic menu from the Tahitian restaurants located in Pasadena and Studio City. I had always wondered where the Mai Tai was located then I saw a pic of the matchbook and that lead me to this post.

Here is the knock off menu

And the real thing.

The matchbook.

PTD also posted these coasters some time back.

They borrowed everything from the Tahitian - the font, the hut and the Bumtay Tiki.

TTT

DC

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2010-10-28 13:54 ]

Kono ...awesome looking glasses .I like the silhouette of the A frame building depicted .
The tiki on the glass kinda looks like Witco.

Indeed! See Tiki Modern page 204

I was looking through my matchbooks and noticed this one from the Kahuna restaurant that was also the Mai Tai.

Here is a comparison of the back of the Mai Tai and Kahuna matchbooks.

I am thinking that the restaurant started out as the Kahuna and changed to the Mai Tai with the Kahuna Lounge to sound a little more mainstream.

Here is the matchbook.

Anybody ever hear of a Polynesian "Tiri" God before?

This one even has a grass hut with palm trees hair-do!

DC

So, this is the place that was also known as "Knobby's" Mai Tai. I had posted these mugs a while back on Tiki Finds and was wondering where they came from.

I came across this ad online with Knobby's Mai Tai and Kahuna Lounge listed in the title.

The owner was William A. "Knobby" Knoll who also ran a chain of Knobby's restaurants. He passed away in 2010.

DC

A little more information on Knobby's Mai Tai. Two articles from 1969 with some interior photos (including Mr. Knoll) and descriptions of the interior decorations.

DC

I found a few more photos of the interior from the newspaper archives. They did a really good job on the decorations and build for a late 1960s restaurant.

Private dining hut.

Sarong clad waitresses a la the Mai Kai and a nice Witco Outrigger.

Main dining room.

At some point the dropped Knobby's from the name as seen in this ad.

DC

Well take a look at this impressive drink menu (spotted on ebay) from the Kahuna Lounge at the Mai Tai! Some great variations on the classic Tiki drinks names.

Two more ads from Knobby's announcing that they were going Polynesian and using the Mai Tai name.

The last ad states the chef came from the Edgewater Beach Hotel in Chicago which of course had the Polynesian Village that was opened by Skipper Kent.

DC

Good eye sir

A few photos from Knobby's,

postcard of the original Knobby's restaurant before in went Polynesian. How fortunate it was an A-Frame to begin with.

Photo of a Tiki and the bamboo clad exterior.

Nice Kahuna Lounge napkin.

The building in disrepair today.

I live in Indianapolis and I am fascinated with this place I even have a Facebook page for it. I have found one of the bartenders turned out to be one of my friends moms I need to get that interview posted. Where did you find those photos?

Kono What are the chances you have the original images in this post somewhere?

Bob6 Does the Facebook page still exist?