SNEAK PREVIEW: All the Mai-Kai cocktails rated; reviews and updated recipes coming soon

I first discovered the depth and breadth of the cocktails at South Florida’s beloved Mai-Kai restaurant during my early years at The Hukilau, learning the history from authors Jeff “Beachbum” Berry and Tim “Swanky” Glazner as I made my way through the entire menu. The result was the first Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide, launched in June 2011 just after the creation of this blog.
QUICK LINK: Jump directly to the new ratings

Guests can now watch Mai-Kai bartenders hard at work in the main service bar (aka the Okole Maluna Bar) via a new window in the gift shop. The large photo behind the bar features original owners Bob and Jack Thornton flanking mixologist Mariano Licudine in the 1960s. (Photo by Jim Neumayer / Jan. 7, 2025)

Dubbed the Okole Maluna Society, this detailed guide explores the back stories, historic recipes and my own tributes with pages dedicated to all 50+ drinks on the current menu, plus many that had been retired over the years. Over the years, this section became easily the most popular feature of the blog.

It inspired home and professional bartenders to create fantastic versions of their own, and it paved the way for the return of some of those lost classics. And started me on another journey, presenting my research in symposiums at special events starting with The Hukilau 2017. I reminisce more about these days in a story honoring the blog’s 10th anniversary in 2021.

MAI-KAI COCKTAIL COVERAGE
• Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news, reviews and exclusive insights
• Okole Maluna Society – The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide

When the pandemic arrived and a roof collapse caused the Mai-Kai to close in October 2020 for what turned out to be 5 years, we gathered online to share our passion for rum and cocktails. The Mai-Kai soldiered on, filling the void during those years with takeout quarts and gallons, plus special event appearances. Since it was not possible to visit the Mai-Kai and sample all the drinks on the menu, I decided to put the Okole Maluna Society on hold, freezing all the ratings as they were before the closing.

To everyone’s delight, the Mai-Kai returned spectacularly in November 2024, documented in great detail elsewhere on this blog. Along with the reimagination that paid tribute to the past, the Mai-Kai also brought in a new beverage director who is dedicated to honoring the storied bar program while also pushing it forward.

The Mystery Drink (serves four) is an iconic cocktail at the Mai-Kai, which now features male dancers performing the ceremonial service in addition to the classic Mystery Girl. (Official photo)

Cory Starr is the perfect man for the job considering his history as a leader and key member of top bar teams across the country, including Tiki Tatsu-Ya (Austin, Texas) and Three Dots and a Dash (Chicago). Starr revived the classic menu and added some new twists of his own, which we documented in a story in December.

Since then, we’ve worked our way through the entire menu and put every cocktail to the test. We’re now getting ready for the launch of the Okole Maluna Society 2.0, which will come soon after the introduction of the the long-awaited Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, currently on its way from Barbados after being blended by master distiller Don Benn at the West Indies Rum Distillery. This potent 100-proof rum (also featuring rum from the Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica) will be featured in classic recipes that were created by the Mai-Kai’s legendary mixologist Mariano Licudine using such iconic blends as Dagger Punch and Appleton Punch. [More on the rums of the Mai-Kai]

MORE ON THE MAI-KAI
• Exclusive ongoing coverage of the Mai-Kai reopening
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive

Starr is just the fifth head mixologist since Licudine retired in 1979, and we’re confident he’ll put the new rum to good use in the dozens of recipes that call for it, elevating those cocktails to heights not seen since those golden days. When that happens, expect us to roll out a full cocktail guide featuring all new reviews, many revised and new recipes, and maybe a few surprises. We’ll also tackle all of the new drinks created by Starr and his head bartender, Michael DeMahy. We hear they have many new drinks waiting in the wings for a new Bora Bora Bar menu, plus ambitious plans for the Molokai Bar.

So sit back, relax, and enjoy your Mai-Kai cocktails at The Hukilau and beyond. If you need help figuring out where to start, let us be your guide …

The Mai-Kai's updated menu features 54 cocktails, including 38 classic rum drinks and 12 new creations by head mixologist Cory Starr. Click for larger view. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, November 2024) — The Mai-Kai’s updated menu features 54 cocktails, including 38 classic rum drinks and 12 new creations by head mixologist Cory Starr. Click for larger view. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, November 2024)

MAI-KAI COCKTAIL RATINGS

By Hurricane Hayward / The Atomic Grog
Current menus as of May 2025

NOTE: A quick primer on ordering cocktails and bar logistics at the Mai-Kai. You should be able to order most (if not all) of the drinks listed below at both bars, the main showroom, and any non-showroom dining areas. The main cocktail menu above is the standard. However, guests in the Bora Bora bar also have a special menu for the outdoor seating area currently featuring 11 cocktails from the main menu (plus a standard Painkiller) that can be made to order in the small bar. If you’re in a hurry, or want to get a rare glimpse of Mai-Kai cocktails being made, this is the way to go. You can still order from the main menu, but it takes a little longer for the drinks to come from the main back-of-house bar that services all the dining rooms (take a peek via a window in the gift shop). The Molokai bartenders (also hidden in a back-of-house area) make most of the drinks served in that bar. Confused? Don’t be. Just order a delicious drink and you’ll be fine.

If you want to explore the back stories and try out the ancestor, authentic and tribute recipes we posted before the reopening, check out the links below. Updated and new recipes coming soon!
• Reviews of all the Mai-Kai cocktails prior to 2024
• Try 100+ Mai-Kai cocktail recipes

The deadly Shrunken Skull is served with a side of danger (151 Demerara rum). (Official photo)

Drinks are ranked in order from top to bottom, even within each star rating category. For instance, we rank the Mutiny slightly above the Black Magic, though both of these classics earn 4 1/2 stars.

CLASSIC COCKTAILS

5 STARS
Zombie (strong)

4 1/2 STARS
Special Planters Punch (strong)
151 Swizzle (strong)
Shark Bite (medium)
Mutiny (strong)
Black Magic (strong)

4 STARS
Barrel O’ Rum (strong)
Sidewinder’s Fang (strong)
Jet Pilot (strong)
Mystery Drink (strong)
Cobra’s Kiss (medium)
Mai Tai (strong)
Yeoman’s Grog (strong)
K.O. Cooler (strong)

When you order the Kona Coffee Grog, a server or bartender will make the flaming drink at your tableside, almost exactly as it has been done since the Mai-Kai opened in 1956. Left: Photo from Esquire magazine, 1959. Right: Dinner service in the Tonga Room, November 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

3 1/2 STARS
Deep-Sea Diver (medium)
Special Reserve Daiquiri (medium)
Shrunken Skull (strong)
Kona Coffee Grog (after dinner)
Bora Bora (strong)
Mai-Kai Swizzle (mild)
Rum Julep (medium)
The Hukilau (strong)
Moonkist Coconut (medium)
S.O.S. (mild)
Oh So Deadly (mild)
Samoan Grog (mild)
Pina Passion (medium)
Derby Daiquiri (mild)
Floridita Daiquiri (mild)
Mara-Amu (medium)
Planters Punch (medium)
Pina Colada (medium)
Hot Buttered Rum (after dinner)
Hidden Pearl (medium)
Tahitian Breeze (medium)

Classic cocktails on the Mai-Kai's rebooted menu include the Mara-Amu and Floridita Daiquiri. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / Nov. 16, 2024) — Classic cocktails on the Mai-Kai’s rebooted menu include the Mara-Amu and Floridita Daiquiri. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / Nov. 16, 2024)

3 STARS
Malayan Mist (mild)
Mai-Kai Special (mild)
Martinique Milk Punch (mild)
Tahitian Coffee (after dinner)
Mai-Kai Cappuccino (after dinner)
Banana Daiquiri (mild)
Strawberry Daiquiri (mild)

Not yet rated
Chocolate Snowflake (after dinner)
Mai-Kai Blizzard (after dinner)
Wahine Delight (after dinner)

NOTE: After-dinner menu is not yet printed.