California / L.A. Tiki hotspots?

Alooooohaaaaa!

Amateur Urban Archaeologist here. Considering Central FLA has zip on Tikis (except for the Polynesian Hotel at Disney and the "Tiki Bar" in Clermont/Minneola), I'm curious about Tiki hotspots in Southern California. I'm taking a trip there in May and would love to get some photos.

Any suggestions?

HorizonsOne

HorizonsOne,

Aloha and welcome to Tiki Central.

STAND BACK AND BRACE YOURSELF FOR THE DELUGE OF SUGGESTIONS TO YOUR QUESTION!

On 2003-02-25 15:53, HorizonsOne wrote:

Amateur Urban Archaeologist here.

HorizonsOne,

I suggest you practice those Urban Archeology chops a bit more in Central Florida before heading out to LA -- if all you've found is the Polynesian Resort then you haven't really been looking.

Do a search on TC for Orlando, Central Florida, and Daytona Beach to get started.

-The Muggler

Do a search on TC for Orlando, Central Florida, and Daytona Beach to get started.

-The Muggler

I've visited Daytona, Cocoa Beach and the like and have found some. The Aku Aku Hotel and the Mai Kai in Daytona are classic! It just seems that a lot of the "tiki bars" in Central FLA (outside Orlando) are nothing more than "grass huts" that leave me unsatisfied. Thanks for the suggestion though.

H1

There's a ton of smaller places but the ones you basically gotta hit are:

Sam's Seafood - Sunset Beach (restaurant)
Bahooka's - Rosemead (restaurant)
The Purple Orchid - El Segundo (bar)
Tiki Ty - Hollywood (bar)
The Lava Lounge - Hollywood (bar)
Oceanic Arts - hawaiian decor and supplies

This topic seems to come up often, maybe Tiki Central should get to gether with the Tiki Bar Reviews and set something up where people can check out different regions for tiki spots.

There's a tiki bar in Sunset Beach? I mean, yeah there is a tiki bar in Sunset Beach... The Best!

Also, if you are in that area check out BIlly's by the Beach on Coast Highway in Newport Beach and the Royal Hawiian in Laguna Beach. The Royal Hawiian just replaced the stolen and deteriorating tikis with new fresh ones. Anybody heard who carved them? I haven't seen them myself yet so I couldn't describe them but I'll get the camera out soon and take a drive.

I thought I saw a new tiki there the other day. Don't know who though.

The HMS Bounty in east Hollywood is a good bar with a nautical theme, from the '50s or '60s. They have a good jukebox too. It's a bit of a dive bar, but these themes are going the way of the Dodo, while Caribbean and the like are taking over. Skip any of the Islands Burger chains.

I've visited Daytona, Cocoa Beach and the like and have found some. The Aku Aku Hotel and the Mai Kai in Daytona are classic! It just seems that a lot of the "tiki bars" in Central FLA (outside Orlando) are nothing more than "grass huts" that leave me unsatisfied. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I think he meant to search Tiki Central's archives using the search function with those keywords. There's a lot to be found ...

~Hanford

[ Edited by: hanford_lemoore on 2003-02-26 02:26 ]

Hey Lucky and Chiki,

I saw those new tikis at the Royal Hawaiian too and wondered who carved them. The old tiki with the light up eyes is still there but they moved it behind the wood fence in the garden.

H1, if you go to the Royal Hawaiian, skip the full dinner and have the pupu platter in the bar. They have great ribs and they make a mean Lapu Lapu -- the best!

I also gotta put in a plug for my usual haunts in my hometown, HB -- Sam's is the best, but T and like to do the local thang downtown to Aloha Grill (tiki/surf - great fish), The Longboard Pub (surf) and Duke's Surf City - dedicated to the great Duke Kahanamoku. You can walk to all these places near the HB Pier.

Have fun.

Horizons One,

You also have a personal invitation to visit Bong's Tiki Hut for a complementary Mai Tai or Lapu Lapu.

Just send me a private email and I'll get you the information on how to contact me.

Aloha

Maybe not a true tiki place but went to the Warehouse Restaurant in MDR and the Mai Tais where pretty good. Has a little of the 60's 70's tiki feel. Was going to go to PO in El Segundo but had too many Mai Tais

Greetings all! This is my very first time on any message board. I am quite aware of a great little shop that has full size wooden tikis, hand carved mugs and awesome huts, ect.. The shop is in Orange, on Tustin Blvd. between Collins and Mayfair, (I think). I have been inside and the employees are really friendly and splinter-free. Haha. Address is 655 N. Tustin. It's called Jungle Safari. Just thought everyone would like to know. They also have cool art by Shag, Mark Ryden and The Pizz. Framing is their specialty so ask for John. He's the God of Framing! Enjoy your stay!

About the Royal Hawaiian... who carved those tikis? Perhaps John at Jungle Safari might know. He just stopped by my place and mentioned to me about a new friend that carves awesome tikis for quite awhile now. I'll do more research on this..

This is cheeky tiki! :wink:

Aloha Ren, welcome to Tiki Central. Hey, I pass Tustin Blvd on the way home from work everyday and didn't even know that place existed! Thanks for the tip. I'm going to have to stop by and say hello sometime.

I think there are upwards of 9 new TIKIS in front of the Royal Hawaiian. And I saw the carver one day in front but did not get a chance to stop and chat. It looked like he was doing work on the inside as well.
He had a older greenish chevy truck.
He was about 45 with a big ass smile on his face after I honked and threw him the chaka-bra. Rumor is he is from San Diego.
I think a TC night at The Hawaiian is in order to pay tribute to such a huge effort to keep the TIKI alive.
Right now I think it is in the top 5 if not top 2 TIKI entrances I have ever seen.

Hey! Ho! Let's go!

Always down for the RH. I passed by there again yesterday and got a better look. These tikis remind me of the carvings done by some guy in malibu. Same feel to the big ones.

You know I'll be there. Sabu, Z, Bonger, Pop, Al, Shelly, Ben, Tina, and anyone else? Howabout it?

Yeah! When??

:tiki:

I somehow knew that Spike, (Luckydesigns), would be up for get-together at the Royal Hawaiian. Doctor Z and myself are rarin' to go as well. Let's pick a good time.

Sabu

I'm down for sure. However, next weekend I and few other TC'ers will be at some event - the SF Tiki Crawl, I think they're calling it.

Let's setup sometime after that weekend. I don't want to miss it!

Hi all! Found out who carved those cool tikis in front of the Royal Hawaiian. His name is Zack Zachary. He has been carving for years and has done some for hollywoods finest. I didnt get a phone number but now we know. Oh, thanks for nice welcome, Poly Pat. Do stop in there when you get a chance, it's really kewl!
Ren

OOpps, sorry bout that POLY POP (not Pat) although Pat isnt bad... hehehe

It may be time to fire up the 'ol Tiki Bus for OC Pubcrawl II! I was talkin' with Ben about this last week. Last time, RH was our first stop and we didn't do it justice. I'm always down for the Royal, just can't do it the weekends of 3/15 or 3/22.

Bong, any info on that mini-bus you used last time?

Aloha Tiki Brothers and Sisters,

Uncle Arty, Ben got me the bus contact, but I'd be interested in getting something going again. Who's in? (a loaded question indeed).

I wonder if we could all pay Bax 20$ each and lay down in the back of his MONDO trailer . The he can take the cash and donate it to the Terissa/Kilohana broken bones fund. Bax???

Maybe just a night for the RH only?

[ Edited by: RevBambooBen on 2003-03-03 10:34 ]

Well, since I missed the last one. I'm definitely in for this one..

On 2003-03-03 09:29, Tiki_Bong wrote:

Who's in? (a loaded question indeed).

Yeah, I'll show you loaded.
I think I may be able to make this crawl.

Hey Bong,

As long as I'm available, I'm in! Count the Mrs. in too!

And yes, Reverend, we can just do RH but the reason I inquire about "the wheels on the bus" is because of "DUI country" on PCH! That stretch between HB and Laguna is "hairy!" Smokey's point, Bong! But remember,

"Smokey don't surf!"

I think since Bong and I did it last time, Sten and Lucky should should do it this time. Step up to the plate Boys and move this over to "Tiki Events!"

How about Damons in Glendale!

Okay, gang!

Gonna move this sucka to 'events.' But sounds like were split on full pubcrawl and a visit to the Royal Hawaiian.

So I'll put it up for discussion out there.

Sorry that, H1! We get carried away sometimes as seen in the 'Congratulations To The Stentikis' thread!

CHEERS !!!!!!!!! YIP-ee!!!!!!!!!
Another IPA please!!!