Ma-kiki, Huntington, WV (restaurant)

Name:Ma-kiki
Type:restaurant
Street:3325 U.S. Highway 60 East
City:Huntington
State:WV
Zip:
country:USA
Phone:
Status:defunct

Description:
Authentic Polynesian Food and drinks, with Live entertainment nightly. Was located in the Holiday Inn.

back of postcard

postcard

close up of the Ma-kiki club

Front of menu

front of matchbox

back of matchbox

pa'akiki,

Very cool place, I have seen some stuff from this place before. Thanks for posting. You have some great stuff in your collection. Here is the inside of the menu.

DC

Great post. Another example of Tiki restaurants ripping each other off. The outside image of the menu appears to be the head of the Tiki on the front of the Kon Tiki drink menu. The matchbook moai appears to be from the Kahiki and the Tikis on the inside of the menu are from Hawaii Kai... Man these images sure got around.

I just got another postcard from the Holiday Inn with a view of the Makiki lounge.

Check out all of the Otagiri Tiki mugs laid out on the bar. A coconut, pineapple, Kon Tiki, and Bugeye. I wonder if they had the name included on these, I don't think I have ever seen a mug from the Makiki.

There is also a nice little Tiki on the bottom left corner of the photo and dig the lava lamp.

DC

Spotted this menu on ebay from the Ma Kiki.

I never understand why these Tiki places used the Chinese motif for the cover.

The eye-popping drink page.

There was also this napkin.

(Is that an Islander restaurant Tiki?)

I always thought that "Okole Maluna" meant Bottoms Up?

DC

On 2009-08-06 15:55, Dustycajun wrote:
pa'akiki,

Very cool place, I have seen some stuff from this place before. Thanks for posting. You have some great stuff in your collection. Here is the inside of the menu.

DC

I just picked up one of these menus and it is awesome. Mine is from 1971 a year later than yours according to the printers date code. Mine is 471 or April 1971 and yours is 270 or Feb. 1970 The code is visible at the bottom of the right hand page.
But take a look at what it says in the lower right corner: "ALL THE POLYNESIAN ITEMS USED ON YOUR TABLE CAN BE PURCHASED IN OUR GIFT SHOP. (Ask your Waitress)" I wonder what all is on that list????

I once was lost.....but now I'm found.....

[ Edited by: 8FT Tiki 2016-01-30 19:22 ]

Nice finds, guys. First time I noticed this thread. :)

D.C., to answer your questions from 2012 (!):

Yep, that's an The Islander Tiki, and the Chinese cover hails from that period of Tiki devolution, when more an more Chinese restaurant proprietors (especially on the East coast) jumped on the Tiki bandwagon - after all, the Chinese had supplied the cuisine for them ever since Don The Beachcomber.

One of a hundred examples (an early one at that) is the "Lea Lea Room" at the Riverside Mission Inn, which went Polynesian when every hotel had to have one such establishment:

Also later, some Chinese-cum-Tiki place went back to being Chinese - but kept the Orchids mugs and drinks on the menu. Meanwhile the Orchids of Hawaii catalog ended up offering more Chinese than Polynesian decor:

front of matchbox

"(Is that an Islander restaurant Tiki?)"
Sven says yes AND that is the Kahiki Moai on this matchbook just made a bit boxie.
plus the drink menu is set up a lot like the Kahiki drink menu.

Photo of the waitstaff at the Ma Kiki club.

DC

I was perusing this thread and did a little more digging.

Based on the address, it appears this place is now an EconoLodge.

Comparing the Postcard photo of the old Holiday Inn from the Highway with Google street view, I believe the restaurant / lounge area of this complex has been demolished at some point and replaced with a Sonic drive-in. (Does a Cherry Lime-aid count as a cocktail if you add rum?)

I also spotted another Postcard on eBay which shows not only the Ma-Kiki club but another restaurant on site called Harold's.

Close up of alternate Ma-Kiki Club image in low light.