Tiki is dying fast in Waikiki - International Market

Aloha TC,

It is with great sadness that I update you on some of the current happenings in Waikiki. With our Stor being there, I walk through the International Market everyday on my way to work. In the past few weeks, they have removed almost everything related to tiki, for which they used to be so well known.

On the Kuhio Ave side of the Market, near the new Hart and Huntingdon Tattoo shop, there were 3 very tall tikis that were the sign for the Market. As I recall, they were at least 10-15 feet tall. The maintenance people even just repainted these last month. Last week, as I walked by, all that was left were 3 stumps, as they were gone, just sawed off at the base. I have snooped around and asked some maintenance people, security guards, and the management office. Everyone has basically said that the city/county forced them to take them down as they didn't meet code, which doesn't make any sense as they are old enough they would have been grandfathered in before any new code/law.

In the center of the Market Place, near the food court is the circular building that was the old Trader Vic's. It is now Capt. Zack's and Bobby G's Spot bars on the lower level, and a work shop on the upper level. Well, as I walked by today, they have already put up a fence around it and will be tearing down the building this week. They were also removing one of the big old trees next to it, most likely so that they can bring in heavy equipment. There were about 5 great tikis that were still on the walls of the building, but they were already gone by this morning. Word is the maintenance people did take them off.

There was also one room on the second level of the Market, which had become known as the Tiki Treasure Room. It was just an old storage room, that had one little window that you could peek into, and see hundreds of old tikis, signs, and other elements of the Market. This room has since been cleaned out, but from what I can find out, they did just move the stuff, and did not trash it.

I went up to the management office today to see if I could find out any info, but they were not that willing to give out much. They have been very secretive about the whole project, and not many know what is really going on. They did say that all of the tikis were being kept and that they are in storage now. The one thing to remember is they said the exact same thing about the 2 old moais from Don the Beachcomber's. They were removed a couple of months ago, but did end up going into the dumpster (luckily another shop owner saved them). I take everything they say with a grain of salt now.

I will monitor what is going on, and keep everyone updated.

Weeping in Waikiki...

Very sad. We'll be in Waikiki in June. As I understand it, the Marketplace is undergoing a multi-million dollar "upgrade", yes? Is this part of that renovation?

Its called urban renewal. Countless Historic buildings and districts fall prey to this malignant activity every day in the U.S. Developers are running amuck at such a rate that they are nearly out of control. City Planners and elected officials typically have no backbone when it comes to the temptation of the dollar. Also, and I hate to admit it, the lack of local interest tends to be the key. I see this crap everyday in my line of work.

Swamp.

[ Edited by: Swamp Tiki 2007-01-05 16:54 ]

Very Sad!! :cry:

Last year, there were articles in the paper about the Marketplace "upgrade". It was a monstrous project, with the final drawings really just looking like Ala Moana Mall. That was all kind of canceled/put on hold. I think people made a big deal about it because it included the removal of all the old banyan trees. They might just be trying to do some of it now, gradually, "under the radar".

That sucks man! Make some friends with some sympathetic maintenance guys I think - bribery with cocktails/merchandise might help. You wont be able to stop it, but you might be able to save some tikis from the bin!

The International Market Place was always my favorite spot in Waikiki. But it seems that nowadays most tourists would rather wait in line for two hours to eat at the Cheesecake Factory on Kalakaua Ave then take a stroll through the International Market Place.

Here's a few pictures I took at the Market Place on my last visit:

That's a shame. I used to work in Waikiki as well; managing Pink Cadillac night club for 4 years and then working at the Hawaiian Quilt Collection. I enjoyed the days when Waikiki still had lots of tikis.

There are 2 auctions on ebay right now for what they are claiming as tikis from the Trader's in Hawaii and Bali Hai. I don't know if anyone recognizes them, take a look and see what you think. I wish I could afford them...
panampia

Item number: 290067813313

Item number: 290067818062

Item number: 290067818062

If I have to see these missbegotten, mutant mofos peddled as vintage restaurant Tikis one more time on e-bay Im gonna go there and torch them myself! Arrrgh!

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=22327&forum=5&3

Well, I guess they are not genuine. I have alot to learn, thank you to all of you for your experience and knowledge. I'll get there someday!
Panampia

In the center of the Market Place, near the food court is the circular building that was the old Trader Vic's.

Also...just a bit across from that building was a great large doubled-sided glass sign frame on a post...that still had the Trader Vic logo on top carved in wood. I always wanted that piece. Bet that's gone too.

I'm going to be visiting Waikiki very soon for a few nights arriving on January 23rd, and I'm staying right next door to the International Marketplace at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani. I got a feeling it's going to be a very sad sight. :(

[ Edited by: PremEx 2007-01-07 07:45 ]

Here are a few pictures I shot a coupla' years ago of some of the old boys around the IMP... Sorry to see 'em go.
Enjoy.
:tiki:

That it some fine urban archeology there T.R.! The forgotten sentinels of the glory days of the International Market Place will live on in these pages, even as defaced with garish colors as some of them are...

Here a few vintage memories: The I.M.P. was actually initiated by Don The Beachcomber, and intended as a ONE LEVEL village of little South Seas trading posts. It was sort of an irony that the Spencliff's Trader Vic's opened there later. Here's the entrance:

See the sign on the right, with Don's place being the main attraction. The posts with the Malanggan masks on the left were carved by Edward Brownlee, who also did the Waikikian/Tahitian Lanai. They were later copied on this Californian restaurant's menu cover:

And here is Don in front of his Waikiki restaurant, which was embedded in the Market Place:

All this was long gone, but Don's special dining place for two, his tree house, was not torn down until about a year ago. Here is a photo of it from 1999, with my son Diego on the bridge:

Bye bye I.M.T., the last traces of Don's vision will be soon erased.

When I was there in the late 70's the treehouse was an Elvis Memorabilia store. I loved going there...

I don't understand how city planners can erase a town's history... it really breaks my heart that they have no historic attachment to the marketplace. I can understand if it was run down, termite ridden, etc. to tear it apart, but why they wouldn't restore it or rebuild it in it's former glory is beyond me.

Truth be told, the place is kind of a pit. With the exception of the two old buildings that front Kalakaua, the International Market Place is a confusing mix of 70's era buildings, abandoned shops, and winding paths choked with carts selling the worst tourist crap imaginable. The Romantic Past is long gone - even those great photos above show the weathered and hideously painted tikis emblematic of the site. The tikis that aren't painted are crowded in by sunglass, mac nut, and T-shirt displays.

There really isn't much of the charming Don the Beachcomber International Market Place left to restore. A clean sweep may be the best solution, but I would certainly like to see the two oldest buildings retained.

As to the tikis being removed - remember that the International Market Place is owned by the Queen Emma Foundation. Many native Hawaiians aren't too keen on perceived exploitation of their culture (at least by non-Hawaiians), and Poly Pop tikis could be viewed negatively. Perhaps that's why they're being removed. I would hope they're offered to those who want them instead of being destroyed - that would be a shame.

On 2007-01-07 23:05, Koolau wrote:
Truth be told, the place is kind of a pit. With the exception of the two old buildings that front Kalakaua, the International Market Place is a confusing mix of 70's era buildings, abandoned shops, and winding paths choked with carts selling the worst tourist crap imaginable. The Romantic Past is long gone - even those great photos above show the weathered and hideously painted tikis emblematic of the site. The tikis that aren't painted are crowded in by sunglass, mac nut, and T-shirt displays.

I think you are being a little to hard. Yes, it does sell stuff to tourists, but that is hardly unusual in the islands. A nice, open air mall with a cultural museum like Whaler's Village in Maui is nice, but it lacks the historical charm of the IMP.

In my opinion, there are enough clean, ABC stores around to balance out the IMP.

It needs the eye of a romantic to appreciate even the little that was left of the International Market Place. :)

The Book of Tiki, Chapter 1:

"But just as Paul Gauguin was fascinated with the melancholy atmosphere of decay in Papeete, Tahiti's capital, detecting the 'blurred surface of some unfathomable enigma' in this already tainted paradise, so can today's urban archeologist appreciate remnants of that Paradise Lost we call American Tiki style."

Tiki Modern, Chapter 7:

“In the midst of desolation and ruin we looked back to the past, cleared away the gloomy forest, and fancied every building perfect, with its terraces and pyramids, its sculptured and painted ornaments, grand, lofty, and imposing”

John L. Stephens, “Incidents of Travel in Central America”, 1841

Sven has a point here. When I visited the IMP for the first time I was just in AWE to be there. Sure it didn't look like it did when they were shooting Hawaiian Eye but I just felt like it was a very historical place even though it had gone through many changes.

Crap, I was asking people at the Hilton Hawaiian Village where the Kaiser Aluminum Dome was back in 2003!!! I kid you not. After about 3 or four trys and a lot of blank stares I came across an elderly lady who worked at one of the gift stores and she said "Oh, they tore that down years ago."

I felt a lttle embarrased but then laughed about for hours!! It still brings a smile to my face when I think about it.

Cheers,
Jeff

That's because were are all kooks, off-the-rocker weirdos, Jeff! :)
The Kaiser Dome was still there in 1999...when I saw it, I was struck by how relatively small it was.

These photos are not mine. Someone else here posted a link to them a while back. These are from around 1960 I believe.

Closeups of the last picture (Arthur Lyman!):

On 2007-01-08 07:13, bigbrotiki wrote:
That's because were are all kooks, off-the-rocker weirdos, Jeff! :)
The Kaiser Dome was still there in 1999...when I saw it, I was struck by how relatively small it was.

True!!

That's cool you got to see the Dome before they tore it down. Did you happen to take any pictures? If it was relatively small this may explain why those Arthur Lyman records sound so good!

Cool pictures GatorRob. Thanks for posting those. Boy, what a show that would have been Arthur Lyman and Chick Floyd "live" at Don the Beachcombers!!!

Damn, where is that blasted time machine!!! :)

Cheers and Mahalo,
Jeff

Sven, that sentiment is why I really want to get to Cuba before the day comes when it is open again and is immediately renovated. Today I imagine it as a decaying time capsule. In ten years, it may look like every American beach resort, with every car on the street being new and shiney. It won't change that fast, but I bet over night there will be changes you can't begin to imagine.

That's cool you got to see the Dome before they tore it down.

We used to go to the Dome all the time. It was Don Ho's "home" for a lotta years, and he packed that not-so-tiny bubble to the gills almost every night! After Ho left the Dome...actor/perfomer Al Harrington (Det. Ben Kokua on Hawaii Five-O) took over as headliner there.

When they tore down the Dome, they replaced part of it with a mini-golf course for awhile...and then eventually added the Hilton's Kalia Tower there too.

Thanks Tiki Royale! That's exactly the Vic's sign I posted about and was lusting after.

And Thanks everyone else for the great vintage photos. It really is a crying shame such a iconic and cultural landmark as IMP, can have it's core urban architecture gutted like what is happening. Many other places of similar construction and condition have been "saved" with a little refurbishment and renovation work...rather than gutting and modernizing. Wish someone would have done that with IMP.

Just a shame that future generations will never get to experience the original...and will only have another modern shopping plaza to reference to the name. :(

On 2007-01-08 11:51, Jeff Central wrote:
Boy, what a show that would have been Arthur Lyman and Chick Floyd "live" at Don the Beachcombers!!!

Yes, could you just imagine being greeted at the door by Donn Beach himself (where he reminds you that the orchid lei he is wearing is for sale in the gift shop), then settle in to watch and listen to the Arthur Lyman Group perform selections from "Taboo", while sipping on a Zombie. Ahhhhh.....

The present is not all that bad, either.

I loved purchasing a Hawaiian-made "Ku" tiki, in the midst of the Banyan tree, water features and orchids.

I also liked being able to go on my urban archeology tiki hunt, for tikis of eras past.

Tiki Royale!

Great Tiki Pics! Sadly, out of all of your photos, only 3 of those tikis, as well as the stairs, still exist. All of the others are gone.

Here are some photos I took this morning. They have a big green fence around the whole building, so it is hard to take a photo from the ground.

I'm keeping my eye on these carved doors:

The awesome roofline:

PremEx - Here is the pole that held your Trader Vic sign. Still has the tiki bird and overhang. Not less than a month ago, there was a carved wood sign that read Trader Vic's Parrot Walk, but that disappeared recently too.

Traces of Tiki:

This is the cool design that is on the side of the building. I've walked by it tons of times, but never noticed until now that the carving is actually styrofoam.

Right now, even the guys working there don't know what is going on. Some say the whole thing is coming down, others say it is just being gutted. I also noticed today that the entire food court is closed now, but there is a sign that says temporary. Not only have they taken away my tikis, now they have taken away my cheap mexican food for lunch!!!!

Personally, I have learned to hate the market. Nothing but rude people who don't speak english who get pissed off at you when you don't buy the crap they are selling, which is the same crap that is on the next 30 carts you are going to walk by.

I always thought the market would be amazing if they turned it into more of an artist's bazaar, where local artists and craftsmen could sell their work. But that would mean someone would actually have to manage the place.

Here are some articles from the Honolulu Star Bulletin concerning the IMP renovation.

http://starbulletin.com/2003/09/11/business/story2.html
http://starbulletin.com/2005/07/21/news/story1.html
http://starbulletin.com/2005/08/13/business/story1.html

On 2007-01-08 12:22, Swanky wrote:
Sven, that sentiment is why I really want to get to Cuba before the day comes when it is open again and is immediately renovated. Today I imagine it as a decaying time capsule. In ten years, it may look like every American beach resort, with every car on the street being new and shiney. It won't change that fast, but I bet over night there will be changes you can't begin to imagine.

Damn right, Tim.

I've been saying for years that a week after Castro dies, there'll be a Wal Mart, a McDonalds, and a Starbucks in downtown Havana.

I was in Cuba a month ago, but I was on the GitMo base the whole time, so I didn't see much. Really reinforced my urge to get down there ASAP though...

On 2007-01-09 22:10, TikiPhil wrote:
Here are some articles from the Honolulu Star Bulletin concerning the IMP renovation.

According to the most recent article, the Queen Emma Foundation, the landowner, is merely waiting until 2010, when 14 additional acres come on line and a large, hotel village and mall can be created:

In 2010, the leases expire on about half the other 14 acres," Hastert said. Included are the Miramar Hotel next door to the center on Kuhio and land across Kuhio that houses a restaurant and the Food Pantry store. Some other properties coming back to the foundation in 2010 are of "fairly significant sizes" and there are many opportunities for profitable redevelopment, Hastert said.

One of the properties that reverts to Queen Emma when its lease runs out in 2010 is the Ohana Waikiki West hotel at 2330 Kuhio, near the Market Place, according to Mel Kaneshige, Outrigger Enterprises Inc. senior vice president and chief operating officer.

Kaneshige said the Queen Emma Foundation is right when it says the garden-like complex will enhance the value of the foundation's other holdings in the area.

"It could be sort of like the Hilton Hawaiian Village," where hotel towers surround gardens and retailing, Kaneshige said. In this case, it could be Queen Emma-owned hotel towers surrounding the trees and gardens and low-rise entertainment and dining of the new International Market Place, Kaneshige said."

On 2007-01-09 23:05, tikibars wrote:

On 2007-01-08 12:22, Swanky wrote:
Sven, that sentiment is why I really want to get to Cuba before the day comes when it is open again and is immediately renovated. Today I imagine it as a decaying time capsule. In ten years, it may look like every American beach resort, with every car on the street being new and shiney. It won't change that fast, but I bet over night there will be changes you can't begin to imagine.

Damn right, Tim.

I've been saying for years that a week after Castro dies, there'll be a Wal Mart, a McDonalds, and a Starbucks in downtown Havana.

I was in Cuba a month ago, but I was on the GitMo base the whole time, so I didn't see much. Really reinforced my urge to get down there ASAP though...

Just for those interested...

It is hard to get permission to fly to Cuba from the US. But it is easy to get a boat or plane to Cuba from Cancun. If you want to go, that is your route. Cozumel or Cuba...

Travel to Cuba is addressed in this thread:
http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=14698&forum=6

Aloha,

Here is a quick photo update:

Final Score:

Trader Vic's - 0
Bulldozer - 1

You can still see traces of bamboo, tapa, and woven mats.

Sad to add and report that the bulldozer continues to score, and that most of the stuff shown in Mo-Eye's last post of just 2 days ago, is totally gone now. :(

Checked into a lovely suite last night here at the Sheraton Princess Kaiulani in Waikiki, which is right next door to the International Marketplace. Looking down from my lanai, you can see the dozer at work and they're well into the complete demo of the old Trader Vic's:

I walked downstairs and over to the site just now, and took the following photos of this sad sight:

As you near the construction wall...I swear you can smell the years of booze (and history) that were soaked up in those walls and floorboards. Nothing much left of the building but the front facade you see in those photos. Looking through the front doors...you can see sunlight steaming in to what used to be a great piece of tiki history.

Arriving up to my room to make this post just now...I notice the scooper is already at work knocking down more of the building. Wouldn't be surprised if what I just now took pictures of and posted, was totally gone before I leave back to the mainland in 2 days. Could even be gone in a matter of hours.

Got a very low feeling here right now, in what is supposed to be a happy place. Despite the free suite upgrade...I'm sorta wishing I had stayed someplace else where there wouldn't be such a constant reminder of what's going on just below my windows and balcony. :(

Mo-Eye...if you've got the time for a quick drink at the Moana or someplace today...I'll buy you a drink and we can toast the old Vic's together. I'll PM you with my contact number.

I propose a wake by having all Tiki Centralites that own a T.V.s Waikiki mug mix a tropical concoction for it, and lift it in a silent tribute to yet another Tiki Temple being razed.

These crude vessels are maybe not the prettiest Polynesian pop pottery ever made (in the 1970s, nearing the decline), but nevertheless are a piece of its history (even the "Red Pants", I'm afraid! :) )

Auf Wiedersehen, Trader Vic's Waikiki!

I'm in with Sven! I'll mix up a Tiki Like, though I don't know the recipe. I'll start looking for one, tout de suite, if you know what I mean. My mug's even got some cracks in it, but I'll break it out anyway.
The Missus and I have been to the IMP on two separate Hawaii vacations now, once back in 2004, and again last year in October. I vaguely remember the treehouse from '04, but didn't remember seeing it this last time we were there. Sadly, I don't think I have many pictures at all of the area, so I'm very thankful for the people that are posting photos.
I am getting a little turned around though. Does anyone have like a map or something of the IMP so that we can get an idea of where some of these structures are at? I don't ever recollect seeing the Trader Vic's sign, despite walking around there for hours.
So, I'm a little confused about some other things, too. Was the TV above the food court? I remember seeing the upstairs portion, but never bothered to go up, because it didn't exactly look like it was open to the public. I'm really regretting it now.
I take it that the original Don's building has long since been lost. What stands there now? Or, if it wasn't knocked down, what took over the space? If I remember, the treehouse was close to Kuhio Ave. Was the restaurant near there? I don't recollect seeing anything that could house a restaurant in the area.

A friend of mine was given a few old postcards by his Mum for Christmas this year, one of which was from his Great-Grandma (or something like that) to her sister. She talked about seeing Martin Denny play at DTB's, and sitting near the piano or something like that. It was so cool to see. I'll ask if we can get scans of the postcards and writing.

I don't ever recollect seeing the Trader Vic's sign, despite walking around there for hours.
So, I'm a little confused about some other things, too. Was the TV above the food court? I remember seeing the upstairs portion, but never bothered to go up, because it didn't exactly look like it was open to the public. I'm really regretting it now.

Yeah...the sign that was posted above was on the upper level. But Trader Vic's itself (as an operating business) wouldn't have been open back during your 2004 visit. I think it closed its doors for good much, much longer ago than that. Maybe even well over 10 years ago? But the building housed some other restaurants and bars after Vic's.

Don't have a map, but as you walk into the Marketplace...you'd walk past the giant banyan tree on the left side of it, hugging the left...and you'd get to the Vic's building. It was a 2 story deal.

In just the short time since my last post, they lobbed off another huge chunk of history:

:(

I wasn't displeased with the plans that had been in the papers earlier about the marketplace renovations as it sounded ok..open air kiosks, a sunken hula stage, a stream meandering through and a new food court with open kitchens. But I had thought that was all on hold, but now the food court is closed....hey, I eat there alot! Relatively cheap eats in Waikiki.
I'm not surprised to see the treehouse buildings go as they haven't been used for anything but storage for years apparently.
Well, I don't like to see all the changes but I agree the place has become a bit of a dump and needs a face lift. Unfortunatly the present native political climate isn't too cool on "tikified" designs, so things end up looking generically tropical-Miami.
It will be interesting to see what happens in 2010. The other locations mentioned are actually across the street and I'm not sure about that becoming one massive complex of some kind, but I can definately see them working up something with the Miramar Hotel and the IMP as they are right together.
Interestingly, there was a bit of an uproar here earlier when they originally announced plans to close the market altogether and build something there. They then went back and made plans for a remodeled IMP that was then put on hold.
Time will tell, but I do hope WHATEVER happens they leave it open aired. It's really one of the last places in Waikiki to feel that you are in a bit of a tropical jungle and i would hate to loose that regardless of whatever kind of merchandise is pedaled there.
I think the saddest commentarty of all though is that directly across the street from the marketplace is the busiest, highest volume Cheesecake Factory in the United States. Sad really, but such is life.

[ Edited by: Kaiwaza 2007-01-24 14:28 ]

On 2007-01-24 14:02, PremEx wrote:

Yeah...the sign that was posted above was on the upper level. But Trader Vic's itself (as an operating business) wouldn't have been open back during your 2004 visit. I think it closed its doors for good much, much longer ago than that. Maybe even well over 10 years ago? But the building housed some other restaurants and bars after Vic's.

Okay, that's the spot I'm thinking of. That would explain why I had never seen the sign, or at least the remnants of it. I think you're right about the Vic's being closed long before '04. That's my understanding as well. I think there may have been a bar or nightclub in the TV location when I was there in '04. That sort of scared us off. When the Missus and I were there last October, I think the bar was gone, and the building looked as though it hadn't been used in quite a while.

So does anyone know where Don's was? The landscape has changed quite a bit from the pics that have been posted. I'm curious to know what's there now.

Mahalo Nui to filslash who met up with me tonight at the Halekulani's House Without A Key...and helped lift my spirits as we enjoyed a few perfect Mai Tais and some great island entertainment! :)

On 2007-01-24 23:56, PremEx wrote:
Mahalo Nui to filslash who met up with me tonight at the Halekulani's House Without A Key...and helped lift my spirits as we enjoyed a few perfect Mai Tais and some great island entertainment! :)

I love that place. The Tropical Itch is also a winner. I think that House Without a Key is easily one of the best bars (well, more of a lounge) on Oahu.

We stayed at the Halekulani years ago.
The gift shop has some great cds.
Hard to find local stuff.

At least they did. Check it out.

I'll be in Waikiki in June guys and I'll head to the House Without a Key and raise a Mai Tai glass to Don and Vic. Damn, this is a depressing thread.

I'm sitting in the post office in the Waikiki International Marketplace gazing out the window as a tremendous yellow back hoe tears into the deteriorated shell of one of the greatest and most appropriately located Trader Vic's.

Sure it's been a quarter century since my parents first brought me here, I actually remember daily pig roasts in the square here where dozens of Asian vendors now sell identical merchandise from cramped tightly packed kiosks.

Even though the once wondrous Int'l Marketplace now more resembles a Hawaiian Tijuana, I can't shake the feeling I'm watching someone drive a spike through the faintly beating heart of a long forgotten American Dream.

RIP Trader Vic's Waikiki. There's no coming back from this one.

Now you see them...

Now you don't.(The carved doors have vanished during our five days on Kauai.)

How NOT to move a priceless mid-century Chinese oven: With a Back hoe.

A small crowd of onlookers watch the terrible scene in stunned silence and disbelief...

I have been watching those doors! I put in a dozen calls trying to find out who to talk to about saving them. The people who run the market said they already handed over control of the whole place to the demo people, so they couldn't help. Most of the demo guys didn't speak English, so they weren't much help either. I talked to one of the head guys a couple times, and he was suppose to get back to me... then all of a sudden, they're gone!

At least my calls may have saved them from the bulldozer... but I should have just stole them myself when I had the chance!

Please tell me someone saved those tikis.
hodadhank, you'd better have them after the pictures.

TikiYaki just posted about an artifact from the demolition appearing on eBay, in this thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=22759

FYI...in that eBay listing, the seller makes the following statement:

(Note: Everything else there at the TV location is safe, saved and nothing went into the wood chipper. Mahalo for your consideration and let's lift a MaiTai to our old dearly departed friend. A Hui Hou, Trader Vic's!)

Almost forgot to post this Maori style stone thingy we literally bumped into dashing through an alley on our way to Legends Seafood for dim sum! It's located between the Intl' Maketplace and The Princess Ka'iulani Hotel (between Kuhio and Kalakaua Avenues).