Mr & Mrs Moai Lounge in Chicago 4/25-30

My wahine and I are heady with anticipation about our upcoming trip to Chi-town in late April, and are trying to figure out the must-see spots. We'll definitely be hitting Chef Shangri-La, Hala Kahiki, Aku Tiki Hall & Tiki Terrace...but where else? I'm bummed that Rock-a-tiki & Vic's are closed, and want to make sure that we make the most of our 5 days in Chicago!
Mahalo for the tips!
Scottiki

[ Edited by: Scottiki 2006-04-17 15:23 ]

• Chef Shangri-La, Hala Kahiki, Aku Tiki Hall & Tiki Terrace*

Sounds as if you have a good bead on the right spots to visit. If I may be so bold, yes be bold!, I would suggest a trip to the Field Museum. Check out the Pacific Island/PNG displays, they're top drawer. Also at the Field is the Maori Meeting House. In my travel book: must-sees.

One of these days I'll have to visit Chicago,
midnite

Welcome.
Critiki.com and also the Locating Tiki forums here at TC are very good tools to use to find what you're looking for.

OK, do I get a blue star yet?
Let's see... hit submit... and...

auwe.
No kine.

I know there is one or two Rainforest Cafes near all the places you mentioned (one may still be in Chicago, but one is in Shaumburg in Woodfield Mall). Have you ever been to Chicago before? If not, Hala Kahiki is a great tiki bar. The Tiki Terrace is a fun restaurant/bar with live entertainment on Fridays and Saturdays. Both places are decorated very well and both places have websites. Hala Kahiki has a separate Seven Seas Gift Shop that you have to check out. I know the owners of both places, they are very, very, very cool. Yes, the Field Museum has wonderful exhibits with actual artifacts from places like Easter Island, but make sure you ask someone there where to find everything because it is a VERY BIG museum. Nearby that museum is a giant aquarium called the Shedd Aquarium where you can see cool ocean fish and other ocean life. In the suburbs there is an awesome zoo called the Brookfield Zoo with even more kinds of animals. If you want to see a great conservatory, you'll want to check out Garfield Park Conservatory, as they have a very large fern grotto there that is so peaceful to walk through.

On 2006-02-08 12:58, Scottiki wrote:
We'll definitely be hitting Chef Shangri-La, Hala Kahiki, Aku Tiki Hall & Tiki Terrace...but where else?

These are currently all of the must-see spots.

Aku Tiki ROOM is about two-and-a-half hours from Chicago, so be aware of that.
It is worth the drive.

Aku HALL is in my house!
It is worth the drive.

The suggestions in above posts for museums are all good ones, especially the Field (for Polynesian stuff), and hit the Art Institute too (closest thing to Tiki you'll see is some of Gauguin's Tahiti paintings, but it's a must see anyway).

Let me know when you'll be here - as alaways, it isn't too hard to get me and the ol' Mobile Exploration Lab fired up for the mandatory 'dinner at the Chef followed by drinks at Hala Kahiki' run.

A few minor spots are: Tong's Tiki Hut, Paradise Club / Club Paradise, Canoe Club, and Bamboo Room. The last two are upscale suburban restaurants with some Tiki content. Tong's has three locations, go to the one on Roosevelt Rd in Villa Park if you go to any. PC/CP is a dive bar on the north side that was Tiki in the 1950s to the 1980s and has a few remnants of Tiki left over. Also scope out the Rendez'vous in Kenosha, WI (about 40 mins north of Chicago).

Definitely read the book Tiki Road Trip and the web site Critiki for more info.

There are also at least a half dozen long posts here on TC that relate all of the same info found in this post, and in further detail.

Look 'em up.

Sorry for the seemingly redundant post, I've got Tiki Road Trip (it was our bible in Florida last November)...looked at a bunch of existing threads, and frequent Critiki, but given all of the recent changes/closings/openings, I wanted to get the latest, most up-to-datest info from the Chicago Ohana.
Thanks for the tips so far...JT, we'd absolutely love to take you up on the tour-guide offer!
We've not been to Chicago, so we're also looking forward to non-tiki exploits. Any and all suggestions are welcome!
Mahalo,
Scottiki

On 2006-02-08 16:24, Bete wrote:
I know there is one or two Rainforest Cafes near all the places you mentioned (one may still be in Chicago, but one is in Shaumburg in Woodfield Mall).
Is Rainforest Cafe tiki? I've only poked my head in one in a heinous 'burb mall outside of Houston, and it just seemed Central American tropical jungle themed. Am I wrong?

SEE THE FIELD MUSEUM.
Give yourself several hours, too!! The clean-up crew must have cursed me after I left, wiping the drool off all the display windows... So many Polynesian islands, so many cultures, so many items representing them. A-MAZ-ing.

Hala Kahiki is a no-food place, so plan accordingly. And give yourself several hours there, too! Every wall is dripping with tiki and Witco EVERYTHING.

(jt likes the Chef Shangri-La drinks better than the HK's :wink:, but don't let that deter you from spending adequate time at both places.)

Check the Free Day schedule at the museums, BTW. (And I know at least the Field is free with teacher ID any day!) Always nice to save a buck, especially as the parking is $$. And yes, The Art Institute IS a must. And don't miss the miniature rooms in the basement. Again, pools of my drool on the floor...

On a purely site-seeing, non-tiki note, I had a ball using the free trolley to buzz around downtown. It leaves from several points and you can hop on and off anytime. I sat by a family who had an extra ticket to the top of the Sears Tower, so - ok! It's a wonderful city with friendly people, amazing art EVERYwhere, and a good transit system. You will adore it.

If they could just get rid of that ass-freezing winter, I'd move there in a heartbeat :)

Formikahini wrote:

"(jt likes the Chef Shangri-La drinks better than the HK's , but don't let that deter you from spending adequate time at both places.) "

I agree on all counts!

Formikahini also wrote:

"If they could just get rid of that ass-freezing winter, I'd move there in a heartbeat "

This winter has been in the 30s and 40s.
Exceptionally warm (speaking relatively - January SHOULD be in the single-digits or less).

We only had one major snowfall all winter, and it was back in mid-December. It snowed a bit last night too, for the first time this year, really, but it was no big deal.

So when are you moving?
:)

You might want to check out the brand new "Cheeseburger in paradise restaurant/bar in Des Plaines too.

I'm really surprised nobody's mentioned the Aloha Grill. If you are on the Northside, anywhere near the Lincoln Park Zoo, that would be my choice of eats. Ivan and the gang make an INCREDIBLE authentic Hawaiian plate lunch. 2534 N. Clark St. (773) 935-6828 http://www.alohagrillbbq.com

-Amy

Thanks for the tips! I love TC!
BTW, we'd love to meet any of the Chicago ohana who might be up for drinks & such while we're in town. We plan on hitting the Chef/Hala Kahiki combo on Tuesday, April 25...and the Hana Hou Dance Review @ The Tiki Terrace on Saturday, April 29. Since we'll be in town for 5 days, I'm guessing we'll probably make a return trip to Hala Kahiki to soak up as much heartland-tiki-goodness as possible, and have plenty of free time to swing by the non-A-list tiki spots as well.
Mahalo!
Scottiki

Count me in for the 25th.

Don't forget to have a few Chicago menu items, if this is your first time here:

• Chicago hot dog
• deep dish pizza
• Italian beef

Right on, JT! We look forward to sharin' mai tais with you!
Re: other first-timer-musts:
Best Chicago pizza?
Best dog?
I hear Mr. Beef is the shizzle for Italian Beef sammiches.
Mahalo,
Scottiki

I can meet you both days (the 25th and 29th), but if it's a latenighter when you get to Hala Kahiki on the 25th, then I'll just be able to meet you on the 29th (due to the fact I have to work the next day on the 26th). Keep me posted.

I hear Mr. Beef is the shizzle for Italian Beef sammiches.
Mahalo,
Scottiki

the Mr. beef combo is the best hangover cure in the world...brother, it'll set you free........

Ha, are we talking non-tiki restaurants? Heck, let me start rattlin' off all the GREAT pizza, Mexican, Greek, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Egytian, Polish, Koren and etc. restaraunts there. Chicago is THE best place to eat! There is a great Italian pizza place just to the left of the Tiki Terrace that has awesome panzarattis and calzones and they are HUGE (like 2 full meals) and extremely inexpensive.

On 2006-02-12 19:41, Scottiki wrote:
Right on, JT! We look forward to sharin' mai tais with you!
Re: other first-timer-musts:
Best Chicago pizza?
Best dog?
I hear Mr. Beef is the shizzle for Italian Beef sammiches.
Mahalo,
Scottiki

I know this is an old thread, but as I am just making a return visit here now, I can't help but answer this, since I am lifelong Chicagoan...

Best Chicago Pizza? IMHO, its LOU MALNATI'S! http://www.loumalnatis.com/

Mmm MMM MMM!

Best Beefs? My choice, and many others, is PORTILLO'S! http://www.portillos.com/

Best Dog? Well, sorry, but its gotta be a Hot Dog at WRIGLEY FIELD watching the Cubbies!!

Bit of a Hi-Jack, sorry to get off topic but that's Chicago for ya. Hitting Hala Kahiki for my birthday soon, so that's why I popped in here and just had to chime in on my Chicago food favs.

Back to the Tiki discussions...

-- Dave/Zuke
My Website: www.spyderz.com

[ Edited by: Zuke 2006-04-17 11:19 ]

[ Edited by: Zuke 2006-04-17 11:21 ]

Mahalo for the tips, Zuke!
FYI, the wahine & I will be hitting the Windy City next week, and we can hardly wait!
On Tuesday, April 25, we'll be dining/drinking @ Chef Shangri-La, followed by drinks @ Hala Kahiki, with TC's most hospitable Chicagoan, JT. And on Saturday, April 29, we're heading to The Tiki Terrace for dinner, drinks & the early show (seating @ 4:45pm).
Anyone else interested in joining us East Coasters for our first trip to Chicago's tikiest spots?

Scottiki

[ Edited by: Tipsy McStagger 2006-04-17 19:43 ]

the museum of science and industry just opened their new da vinci exhibit.....you may want to check it out. The show runs for 6 months and focuses on his inventions and designs...lot's of interactive stuff and models of his inventions......

gotta pass on the 25th...one of my favorite bands, "damone", is playing at the beat kitchen that night...

perhaps another time....anyway, you're in good hands with J.T.

We'll be at the Chef tonight by 5:30, and then at Hala Kahiki by 8:00.

All TC-ers looking for some Tueeday night action are welcome to join us.