Posted Oct. 5, 2025 / Updated April 28, 2026
You’ve seen them on social media. Grinning guests at South Florida’s historic Mai-Kai restaurant, posing in front of an array of distinctive icons and immersive features that immediately tell you where they are.
Your first instinct is to be happy for them, to give them a “like” and even a “wish I was there with you!” comment. But it’s also hard to suppress the jealousy. You might wonder: “Why didn’t I think of that photo spot?”
We’re here to help you, as well as the many newbies who may be making their first visit and feel overwhelmed when confronted with the 2.7-acre property filled with dozens of scenic vistas. Take your time and enjoy the moment, of course. But you want to return home with some cool memories of your visit.
That’s why we’ve created this guide to getting those classic shots of you and your friends and family on your next trip to the Mai-Kai. These 16 locations are the ones that scream “Mai-Kai!” with no explanation needed. We could have added a dozen more exotic areas to photograph, both with and without smiling faces in your viewfinder. But we’re sure you’ll discover those on your own.
SEE THE TOP 16: Jump straight to the tour below
When we told Matt “Spike” Marble about our plans for this guide, he jumped at the chance to film an exclusive walk-through video of these 16 must-capture images during his visit this summer. We were joined by model Brittany on July 20 for what became the “Mai Kai Photo Safari” episode on his popular YouTube channel, Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour.
You can stream the video below, or better yet click here to watch in a separate window or app before, during or after you take our photo tour below. This story will go into more detail and offer additional tips and photos, both historic and recent.
More from The Atomic Grog
• Latest news and exclusive coverage of the Mai-Kai reopening
• Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news, reviews and exclusive insights
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive
Marble’s visit to the Mai-Kai yielded other videos that have drawn a big audience, including talks with general manager and beverage director Cory Starr and creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller. Here are the direct links to those episodes:
• The Polynesian Casa Bonita: Rescuing the Mai-Kai (with “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller)
• Inside the Mai-Kai’s Cocktail Secrets (with Cory Starr)
• Saving the Lamps of the Mai Kai (with Scott “Flounder” Scheidly)
Keep an eye out for more coming soon, and bookmark the full playlist of all of Spike’s Mai-Kai videos.
A professional photographer, Marble also shot still images of the Mai-Kai during his week-long visit. Some of the more casual shots he posted on social media are included in this story. Click here to see more photos and coverage of Marble’s tour with Allsmiller, and look back at our original story on our video tour of the photo locations.
Plan your next visit
• Answers to frequently asked questions about the Mai-Kai
• Okole Maluna Society 2.0: All the Mai-Kai cocktails ranked
• Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide: Full archive of reviews, ratings, history more
Without further adieu, let’s get on with the tour …
Guide: 16 essential photos to take at the Mai-Kai
This list includes 10 classic locations that date back 50 or 60 years, plus six new features added just before or after the grand reopening in November 2024. Seven are inside the historic building while nine are outdoors. Of those, two are in the rear Tiki garden and seven are spread around the entrance, porte-cochère and front of the property.
You don’t need to make a reservation or sit at a particular table or seat to capture these images. They’re all within easy access of most guests, with some caveats listed below. While the restaurant can get crowded at times, it’s rare that you’ll find guests blocking your access to these picture spots. Except, perhaps, others looking to get that perfect shot.
Some may require you to wait just a bit for guests to disperse. For others, you may need to schedule your walk through the front or back of the showroom at times when there is no active performance on stage. But barring special events or areas being closed due to unforeseen circumstances, all of these spots should always be available.
It’s also important to note that many of these features were created by artists, past and present, who deserve a lot of the credit for their iconic status. We’ll provide details below on the creation and history of each along with tips on how to best achieve the perfect photo.
Also note that some of the outdoor images may be better after dark when the more than 80 torches are lit across the property and special lighting enhances the mood. Others benefit from a little daylight. If you only have one window of opportunity, we’d suggest the hours before, during and after sunset when you get the best of both.
We hope you also check out our video with Spike and Brittany by clicking here or watching below. Note that while the video and many of our suggestions are designed to help you take photos of another person (or yourself), these locations are beautiful in their own right (model not necessary).
Expert video editing makes it appear that we completed our journey in just over 30 minutes, but it actually took us several hours. We enjoyed multiple cocktails in the Molokai Bar between strategic jaunts around the property. Plan your journey around your own preferences.
If you’re sitting in the bars, it’s perfectly acceptable to get up for an extended walk around the restaurant. (Tip: Bring your cocktail or mug for added eye candy.) Just let your server or bartender know what you’re doing. If you’re seated in the showrooms for dinner, that’s a good time to snap photos there. Below the top 16 below, you’ll find a list of the locations broken down by area.
For the benefit of those who enjoy the video, we’re listing the 16 photos in the same order below. The list at the end of the story breaks down the photos into more logical groupings that could be checked off as mini-tours. Also note that the [VIDEO] links below will take you to that exact spot in the Spike’s Breezeway show.
1. The showroom, lamps and A-frame
[VIDEO] We can’t say enough about the job Allsmiller and his crew (which included artists Scott “Flounder” Scheidly and Tom Fowner) did restoring the vintage decor in the multiple showrooms, which seat more than 300 for the nightly performances of the Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue, the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii). Watch Allsmiller tour the area with Marble during their Spike’s Breezeway episode.
Due to this area being reserved for dinner and show seatings, we recommend just one very special shot as you pass through. Stop in the center of the main thoroughfar, and you should be in perfect position for a wide shot of the entire room. Be aware that this path may be off limits during the shows, which last about 45 minutes.
If you happen to arrive before or after dinner seatings and the rooms are empty, don’t hesitate to walk around and find additional spots to photograph. The elevated Tonga Room offers the most sweeping view of the entire showroom, its soaring 40-foot A-frame, and the mind-boggling array of restored vintage lamps.
If you have a dinner reservation, get there early and explore as much as you can. There are many potential photo ops in all the showrooms. Also in Tonga (but viewable from the path through the showroom), look for the historic “Tahitian cannibal carvings” that have been symbols of the Mai-Kai since 1956 (see No. 10 below).
• Click here to reserve seats at MaiKai.com
Did you know? The Mai-Kai’s A-frame was not originally enclosed as it is today. In the years before air-conditioning was dominant in South Florida, the roof was screened in, allowing sun, wind and rain to enter. It created a unique jungle-like atmosphere, but large glass panels were subsequently installed that could open and close when needed. By the 1980s, the panels were permanently sealed off by a new roof, creating the dark and exotic ambience we enjoy today.
2. Indoor gardens: The A-frame from behind the stage
[VIDEO] This area has long been an exotic escape for guests who want to explore every nook and cranny of the Mai-Kai. When the A-frame was originally enclosed by screens and glass, this allowed a real garden to flourish and guests to sit amid tropical foliage. Water features ran throughout the restaurant, including beneath the Samoa Room, an original 1956 dining area. (The room is currently being used by the show performers, but we’re told that it will eventually return as a guest area.)
When the roof was sealed, the path behind the stage became a dark and mysterious area that took guests from the showroom to the rear gardens. That all changed in 2025, when a new entrance was created from the new deck outside the Molokai bar. You can now walk from the very front of the Mai-Kai to the rear, bypassing the showroom entirely.
The work on this new portal was just completed in April. Check out our previous coverage and the video below. The path previously was not accessible from the front of the restaurant, only via the rear gardens and the showroom. (The showroom entry point remains closed until the Samoa Room reopens.)
It’s a spectacular new addition that yields two photo ops. Just beware that the doors will be closed to guests during stage performances, so time your walk accordingly. Stop near the top of the steps and you’ll have a backdrop of the expansive A-frame and colorful lamps. This is the bookend to photo No. 1, taken from the opposite end of the showroom.
The lighting can be challenging in this area, but it’s worth the effort. Note that this thoroughfare is not fully accessible for handicapped guests due to its steep steps in the center. However, wheelchairs should still be able to partially enter from either side and get similar photos from slightly different angles.
Did you know? As you pass through, look up toward the Molokai Bar and you’ll see windows (some open) that allow guests in the rear “poop deck” area of the bar unique views of the indoor gardens. That secluded area of the lounge is actually the remnants of a former dining area (the O’ahu Room) that existed in the early days of the restaurant.
3. Indoor gardens: Water features and tikis
[VIDEO] For the second photo at this stop, simply walk to the central point where the paths meet and shoot up toward the exotic background of vintage tikis, water features, and lush flora.
The handrails throughout this area appear to bamboo poles, but they’re actually sturdy metal posts that have been finished and sculpted to make them look like natural materials. The windows along the front of the building are covered with faux parchment paper, designed by Allsmiller to glow in the sunlight similar to the hanging lamps high in the rafters.
Video: See Allsmiller show off his work on Spike’s Breezeway
Did you know? The faux flowers and plant life throughout the area were contributed during the restoration by California designer Shawna Marie Tice (The Pleated Peacock), who did similar work for Disneyland’s Enchanted Tiki Room. The large tiki that dominates the background was honored by one of the most rare mugs created for The Hukilau event. In 2019, participants in the Okole Maluna Cocktail Academy received the mug designed Tiki Diablo (see photo). Show it off in your photo for extra credit.
4. The new Mai-Kai lobby bench
[VIDEO] If you find yourself needing to rest your weary bones, or just wait for family and friends while they’re in the gift shop or nearby restrooms, there’s now a perfect place to do so. Crafted by Fowner from leftover wood planks during the restoration, the large bench near the host stand fits perfectly in the space where there used to be nothing more than a display for brochures and menus.
You’ll want to position yourself next to the Mai-Kai logo for that perfect shot. This is also one of many locations where you could fit multiple people into the frame. Even on it’s own, it’s a cool piece of woodwork to photograph.
According to Fowner, a Fort Lauderdale artist, it was Allsmiller’s idea to create a bench for the lobby made from leftover timbers from the rebuilding of the rumbly entrance bridge. “I could not be happier with the way it came out, and I hope everyone takes pictures on it for many years to come,” Fowner wrote on social media.
Fowner said his efforts so impressed managing partner Bill Fuller, he was quickly tasked with building all the new benches outside around the Bora Bora Bar, plus new seating areas in the rear gardens. “So enjoy the seating,” said Fowner on his Facebook page. “If your butt in on a bench, my hands were on it – the bench that is!”
Did you know? The Marquesan-style tiki that stands just to the left of the bench was carved during the closing by Bill Collins, an artist in Hawaii. It was used as a prototype for a new mug you can pick up in the gift shop and show off at this photo stop.
It’s also used to feature a new cocktail, The Marquesan, which was added for the reopening. This is probably not the tiki’s permanent home, so it’s not included as part of this photo op. But it’s a solid honorable mention that could be added in the future.
5. The gift shop’s window into the service bar
[VIDEO] A visit to the Mai-Kai would not be complete without a stop in the Mai-Kai Trading Company, the gift shop that occupies a space directly behind the showroom. This former dining area (the Bangkok Room) features an elaborate Asian theme that matches the award-winning women’s restroom.
During the restoration, a partition was removed, opening up views of the main showroom that had been unavailable since the gift shop moved here in the late 1970s. While all these features are fantastic, the best view (and photo op) in our humble opinion is the new window that was added for the reopening that gives guests a peek into the formerly secret back service bar for the first time ever.
Space does not allow full explanation, but fans of Mai-Kai cocktails probably know that since 1956, bartenders traditionally worked behind the scenes in the main bar (just as they still do in the Molokai Bar). This is mainly to to speed production and to keep the recipes secret, but it also keeps guests fully immersed in the Polynesian theme and not subject to bar and kitchen noise.
Seeking to put a spotlight on this historic space where magical cocktails are made, Fuller directed Allsmiller and his team to give the back bar a total reimagination that elevates the look to the same level as many full-blown Tiki bars. This was done mainly to make the employees feel like they’re working in a special place, not a service bar.
During the restoration, Fuller and Allsmiller came up with a plan to add a window. It’s still a service bar with no guests allowed, but we appreciate the window into the magic, and the photo op that comes with it. For more photos and details on the spectacular reimagination, check out the coverage of The Atomic Grog’s symposium featuring Allsmiller and beverage director Cory Starr at Tiki Oasis 2025, Sneak Peek into the Historic Mai-Kai’s Secret Bar.
Did you know? The large photo on the wall in the back bar is an old image (colorized by Allsmiller) of Mai-Kai founding owners Bob and Jack Thornton flanking master mixologist Mariano Licudine, who created the bar program in 1956 after coming from Don the Beachcomber in Chicago. Many of the secret recipes still featured on the cocktail menus were crafted by Licidine and based on 1930s and 1940s drinks created by Tiki’s founding father.
“Okole Maluna Society” is a reference to a short-lived loyalty program in the Mai-Kai’s early days in which guests were challenged to consume every cocktail on the menu. The name and concept live on as part of our Mai-Kai Cocktail guide.
6. The Molokai Bar entry sign
[VIDEO] The entrance to the bar just inside the front doors is a familiar sight for those who love Mai-Kai cocktails and have been flocking here for decades. The signature lounge has been around since 1958, but the nautical Mutiny on the Bounty theming (featuring set pieces from the 1962 film) was added during a massive 1970 expansion.
The restoration by Allsmiller returned the lounge to its vintage glory. He and Scheidly spent many months meticulously restoring woodwork that had suffered water and termite damage during the closing, along with the general wear and tear of being open nearly non-stop for 50 years.
Past coverage: Inside the Molokai Bar and tour of the Mai-Kai restoration
The iconic sign with the inviting bar looming in the background is a natural stop on our tour. This area can get busy, so mind the foot traffic, but you should be able to get a great shot if you’re patient.
When sourcing wood to use in the restoration efforts, Allsmiller found a longtime mill that had been in business just as long as the Mai-Kai. When he brought a piece of unique trim from the Molokai there seeking something similar, he found a perfect match. Did the company supply the original materials? The chances are good.
Video: Allsmiller tours the Molokai on Spike’s Breezeway
Did you know? The Mutiny on the Bounty decor was acquired when the MGM studio in Hollywood closed its prop warehouse and auctioned off its vast archive on May 3, 1970. This coincided perfectly with the re-theming of the Molokai Bar. The nautical elements were installed by experts familiar with authentic ship’s rigging.
7. The Molokai maiden
[VIDEO] There are many potential photo ops inside the Molokai, including the windows with cascading water, the vintage maps and model ships, and the bust at the very front of the bar. Many of these areas can become inaccessible if there are guests seated in front of them, but they’re all recommended if you happen to be in the bar when it’s relatively empty.
But the one spot that’s almost always accessible, no matter the crowds, is the iconic “maidenhead” bust from a ship’s prow that juts out from the wall near the windows facing the new outdoor patio. If you aim your camera correctly, you may also be able to capture the large tiki peering through the window.
We’re not sure this is a piece from MGM, but it has become synonymous with the Molokai over the years. When it was re-installed in November 2023, it became symbolic of the restoration. Said Conrad Teheiura Itchener, an artist working on the project and also a lead musician in the house band: “Now it feels like The Mai-Kai’s coming back, now that she’s up there.”
Just as distinctive is the large, anatomically correct tiki carving that seemingly watches the activity in the bar from the outside deck. This area was not always open to the public. But since the renovations added the new access via the bar’s back door, you can now admire the vintage carving from all angles. If you aim your camera correctly, you can get the tiki in the photo for bonus points.
Did you know? Both the maiden and the distinctive tiki have been honored over the years with their own mugs. Artist Crazy Al Evans created the Molokai Maiden in 2014 in association with Tim “Swanky” Glazner, author of Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant (2016). [See video] Evans has resurrected the mug multiple times over the years for very rare, limited edition runs.
In 2024, John Mulder of Eeekum Bookum paid tribute to the tiki behind the window with the official mug for The Hukilau event, which has been held annually at the Mai-Kai since 2003. Extra special bonus points if you take a photo in this spot holding either of these mugs.
8. The tikis under the banyan trees
[VIDEO] Three tikis carved by Florida artists Will Anders, Tom Fowner and Jeff Chouinard were installed in May 2016 under the porte-cochère, where guests dropped off their cars with valet. The Tangaroa-style (Fowner), Hawaiian Lono (Anders), and Marquesan (Chouinard) tikis were sourced from Central Florida cypress wood.
The new carvings replaced the remnants of three fern wood tikis that dated back to the early days of the Mai-Kai. Note that after they were removed and refinished during the restoration project, the first two carvings exchanged places. Fowner’s carving is now on the left, followed by Anders and Chouinard. Creative director Allsmiller said he liked the symmetry of having the tallest one in the middle.
With the reimagination of the entry experience, these tikis are now center stage in the Bora Bora Bar, rather than an afterthought as you drop off you car. There is bench seating and some small tables around the area, but in the worst case scenario you can usually get a photo in front of one or two of the carvings.
The lighting and nearby flaming torches give the area and even more exotic mood after dark. The banyan trees that pre-date the restaurant soar nearly 100 feet, adding to the experience. Banyans, which can be found in the United States primarily in the tropical climates of Florida and Hawaii, can live for hundreds of years.
According to Allsmiller, the Mai-Kai added more than 60 new gas torches during the final stages of the restoration. “We went from having 16 torches to 82 because you can never have enough fire,” he said in our video walking tour in January.
Did you know? Fowner’s carving is based on a vintage Tangaroa-themed decanter designed by Al Kocab and featured at the Mai-Kai in the early 1960s. Replicas have been produced over the past several decades, one by Tiki Farm (designed by Squid) in 2003, another by Eekum Bookum (designed by John Mulder) in 2016. A rare item worth adding to your photo.
9. The caldera
[VIDEO] Designed by Orlando landscape architects Perry-Becker Design, this towering water feature is the most spectacular enhancement added during the restoration. You can’t miss it when you arrive by vehicle via the main entrance, the sight and sound of the erupting faux volcano beckoning from the middle of the new traffic roundabout.
A caldera is a basin-shaped depression, typically formed when a volcano’s summit collapses into the space left after a massive eruption. Allsmiller and the Perry-Becker designers wanted this man-made wonder to feel natural, like it was always there, bubbling lava. It’s 18 feet tall and features water, sound and lighting effects.
Video: Allsmiller and Marble check out the caldera on Spike’s Breezeway
Perry-Becker brought extensive expertise in themed entertainment to the job of the Mai-Kai reimagination. The company’s designers have worked on many high-profile projects, including Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, Disney’s Wilderness Lodge, and Universal’s Epic Universe theme park.
A good time to take a photo here is around sunset or dusk, before it gets too dark. You’ll get a more clear view of your subjects as well as the rock work and lighting effects. The tribal drumming sound effects powered by massive speakers also create an exotic background for a short video.
The caldera (and some of the other new faux rock water features) were installed in 2024 by COST of Wisconsin, which like Perry-Becker does extensive work for theme parks. You can find photos of the work in progress as part of our extensive coverage of the restoration in June-July 2024 and August 2024,
Did you know? The pavement around the caldera was sand-blasted with symbols typically found in tapa cloth, a material native to the Polynesian islands. [See plans] This and other theming you may notice on the pavement throughout the entry area is designed to connect the grounds to the cultural history and legacy of the Mai-Kai.
10. The cannibal trio by Tom Fowner
[VIDEO] Newly added for the grand reopening in November 2024, these three signature carvings are the last thing many guests see as they leave by the property, positioned behind the banyan trees near the driveway exit to U.S. 1. They hold a sign that says “Mahalo a hui hou,” which means “thank you and until we meet again” in Hawaiian.
Fowner, the South Florida artist whose handiwork was featured in No. 4 above, created these tikis in the style of the Mai-Kai’s longtime signature logo, the “three cannibals” (aka Tahitian cannibals). There’s a deep back story to these images, connecting to the early days of the Mai-Kai and beyond.
Previous coverage: The cannibal trio: Mai-Kai’s signature iconography
The founding Thornton brothers likely picked these images for their “logo tikis” after seeing them featured at the Don the Beachcomber restaurant in their native Chicago. Donn Beach was a fan of these symbols, which he likely picked up during his travels in Tahiti. When the Thorntons opened the Mai-Kai in 1956, they used the cannibals on everything from signs to menus to advertising to actual carvings that adorned the front doors.
Fowner carved the new trio in September 2024 out of Florida cypress logs in the Mai-Kai parking lot, believed to be the first time tikis installed on the property had ever actually been carved there. He continued his creative spree with four more tikis while he was still working full-time in the unusual role of staff carver. You can find them inside, awaiting their final homes. [Photos, past coverage]
The classic image of the cannibal trio is still featured on menus as well as T-shirts, pins, sweatshirts and other merchandise available in the gift shop. The latest addition is The Cannibal mug, designed by author/historian Sven Kirsten and produced by Tiki Farm. The mug is also used as the vessel for a namesake cocktail introduced in September 2025.
After you buy your new mug, head over to pose with the carvings, which are just a short walk along the path from the Bora Bora Bar around the banyan trees, just past the valet stand. It’s a nice place to escape and enjoy the covered seating, which was designed as a pick-up spot for guests awaiting rides. For more, see our Secrets of the Mai-Kai video on Instagram.
Did you know? The original cannibals from the old front doors are still around, preserved in a display box on the south end of the Tonga dining room directly above the walkway through the showroom. If guests are seated nearby, you may not be able to get a close view, but they’re visible to your right as you walk toward the rear gardens.
• See photo | Video: Allsmiller shows Marble the cannibal carvings
11. The new Will Anders carving
[VIDEO] Installed in June 2025, this is the newest of four icons on this list created by the diminutive South Florida carver. The Marquesan-style tiki is 10 feet tall, carved from a 6,000-pound Florida cypress tree log.
Previous coverage: Mai-Kai unveils two large tiki carvings during The Hukilau 2025
Anders had been working on the giant log since October, posting photos and sharing his progress on the Tiki Central message board. The longtime Mai-Kai contributor has two other signature carvings on the grounds, which we’ll see in future stops below. Anders talked about his new carving and visiting the Mai-Kai in his youth in a video posted on Instagram.
The yet-to-be-named icon is hard to miss as you walk up to the Bora Bora Bar and entrance to the restaurant just past the valet area. It looms over probably the most high-traffic area of any of these locations, which should make it a favorite photo spot for years to come.
12. Hotu Matua: The new Tiki Ray carving
[VIDEO] A new “greeter tiki” introduced June 6 along with the new Anders carving is the work of Arizona’s “Tiki Ray” Kieffer. He carved the 6-foot, 5-inch Hotu Matua from Mexican fan palm wood.
The two new carvings were installed but kept covered in the days leading up to their June unveiling. Starr and manager Kern Mattei presided over an unveiling ceremony, which we captured on video.
The name translates into Marquesan king. As you enter, you should rub his belly for good luck, Kieffer advises. The artist also contributed pendants featuring other distinctive imagery (including the Will Anders carving featured as No. 15 below) that have been sold in the gift shop since March.
Before you enter the front doors, don’t forget to look up and admire the restoration work Allsmiller and Scheidly did on the vintage lighted panels, beams and other features of the original porte-cochère.
Previous coverage: The porte-cochère: Restoration meets reimagination (November 2023)
13. The historic Barney West carving
[VIDEO] One of the oldest icons on property, this 10-foot carving was installed around 1964 and is the last large tiki on the property credited to legendary mid-century artist Barney West. It has been located at the north edge of the U.S. 1 frontage for the past 60 years, far removed from the hubbub of the restaurant. [See photos]
A larger and even more iconic Barney West carving stood facing traffic at the opposite (south) end of the frontage until 2017. Dubbed “Big Barney,” the 20-foot moai sadly fell during Hurricane Irma. Now, only little Barney remains, very rough around the edges but standing strong as everything around him was refurbished. [Video: Removal of Bora Bora building]
Previous coverage: Beyond Bora Bora: Reimagination of Mai-Kai entry experience evokes original vision
UPDATE: The carving was totally restored in early 2026 by Fowner, the artist whose work is featured above in photo spots 4, 8 and 10. He spent weeks meticulously repairing and recreating the carving in exactng detail, which you can read about in this special report:
Mai-Kai’s classic Tiki carving restored as reimagination continues
Take an inside look at the restoration of the vintage carving by artist Tom Fowner, including exclusive photos and step-by-step guide to his work. Direct links: Barney West tiki revived | Photos, in-depth recap
As a result of the restoration, this iconic tiki should remain a top photo location for years to come. To find Barney, simply go out to the sidewalk in front of the Mai-Kai and walk north. It straddles the property line with the neighboring furniture store, just as it has for decades. .
The real Barney, aka Mr. West, was a prolific artist – based in a shop near San Francisco dubbed Tiki Junction – who specialized in large carvings, some as tall as 40 feet. He learned to sculpt from natives in the Marquesan Islands while in the merchant marines during World War II. According to legend, he swam to a nearby island when his ship was torpedoed, then lived with the natives for six months. [More on Barney West]
Did you know? The official mug for The Hukilau 2008 was a reverential replica of the Barney West carving, designed by Paul Nielsen and manufactured by Munktiki. With only 300 produced, this rare mug can fetch outrageous prices online. If it weren’t so valuable, we would recommend taking it to a streetside photo shoot. Do so at your own risk.
14. The A-frame and streetside sign
[VIDEO] Arguably the most recognizable image of the Mai-Kai is the front of the A-frame that faces Federal Highway. It’s been featured in countless promotional photos and postcards over the past 68 years, literally the face of the restaurant.
It was also one of the last areas to complete its refurbishment due to the age and complexity of the extensive water features and rock work. But when this work was completed in March, the results were spectacular. The entire front of the property is now lush with palm trees and tropical vegetation, plus waterfalls that had not been fully operational for decades.
Video: The Mai-Kai’s reimagined frontage and water features (March 2025)
Before the 2020 closing, hardcore fans never hesitated to go out the front door and traverse the driveway or small sidewalk alongside the Molokai Bar to enjoy this view. But since the massive reimagination of the property, it’s now much easier (and more scenic) to make your way out front.
Previous coverage: Historic water features running, new front deck completed
The back door of the Molokai Bar now opens directly onto a new deck that not only allows for access to the indoor gardens (see photo spot No. 2 above), it also connects directly to both the Bora Bora Bar and the entrance bridge that takes you out to U.S. 1 (aka Federal Highway). Just mind the driveway traffic rolling over the famous rumbly bridge.
• Videos of the bridge: Allsmiller with Spike’s Breezeway and The Atomic Grog
If you aim your camera correctly, you can capture not only the freshly painted and restored building, but also the restored water features and the distinctive Mai-Kai sign. Night shots are more of a challenge, but you’ll be rewarded for your efforts with the presence of multiple flaming torches and new colored lights that accentuate the A-frame.
Did you know? The Polynesian pattern on the front of the building was restored in the fall by the same company that originally created the mural in 1973. Two crew members, including current Colonial Decorators owner Tim Ellis, worked on the original, created by Ellis’ grandfather 52 years ago. The company has done much of the Mai-Kai’s specialized painting for the past half century.
• Photos: Ellis working on the mural in 1973, 2023 and 2025
15. King Kai’s court in the outdoor Tiki gardens
This vast outdoor gardens behind the dining rooms have tons of eye candy: Flowing water features, dozens of exotic carvings and artwork, torches everywhere, plus a completely reimagined and fully accessible walkway. There are more seating areas and places to get away from the hubbub inside, including a new corridor behind the building on the southwest side of the property. But there are two specific picture spots that have been closely associated with the Mai-Kai for decades.
Video: Walk-through of the Mai-Kai’s restored Tiki gardens (March 2025)
[VIDEO] A 10-foot Hawaiian Ku created by Will Anders was part of a major infusion of new carvings in 2016. Sourced from a Florida Black Olive tree trunk, the giant idol had to be dropped over the nearby fence by forklift.
After the garden paths were reimagined, there’s now more room to gather around the carving, a veritable court for the king. New benches created by Tom Fowner give guests a place to sit, and an elevated area nearby (formerly home to an early Anders foam tiki) is now used for weddings and other special events.
Read the plaque on the base of the carving for more details on the installation. This area has seen a long line of historic tikis and is one of the oldest iconic photo spots on the property.
Past coverage: King Kai leads procession of new Tikis into the Mai-Kai
In South Seas tradition, a special ceremony was held to bless King Kai when the carving was installed in May 2016. Two performers from the dinner show who were natives of Hawaii sang in their native language as the Ku formally joined the gardens. In the years since, it has become an essential photo spot, recently inspiring a pendant by “Tiki Ray” Kieffer that’s available in the gift shop. Wear the pendant in your photo for bonus points.
Did you know? In addition to his giant carvings, Anders spent years re-casting most of the smaller concrete tikis that are found throughout the property, especially in the gardens. Bob Thornton, the founding co-owner, wisely came up with the idea to create molds of the original art pieces before they decayed in the Florida weather. The carvings were copied in concrete form, but these too eventually began to crumble after decades in the sun and rain. When the molds were discovered in the Mai-Kai warehouse, Anders took on the task of restoring them, a job he only recently completed.
• Previous coverage: Inside (and outside) the Mai-Kai with Will Anders
16. Hiroa Nui and the Mai-Kai sign
[VIDEO] Just six months after King Kai’s arrival, another Will Anders carving was placed in the gardens in another perfectly positioned picture spot. Hiroa Nui, carved out of Florida oak, looms 12 feet above guests (including the 7-foot tiki’s 2-foot base and 3-foot pedestal).
• Previous coverage: New giant carved Tiki added to The Mai-Kai’s outdoor garden in time for 60th anniversary (December 2016)
This is another spot that has featured multiple carvings over the years. Set back a few feet from a split in the pathway through the gardens, this traditional Tahitian tiki offers the perfect angle to also include the Mai-Kai’s street sign featured in No. 14.
Prior to the refurbishment and 2024 reopening, it took a bit of finesse to get the correct angle and frame the photo with the sign in the background. But the refurbishment included opening up a new path that should allow you to get that signature shot. If the jungle is a bit overgrown, just hold the foliage out of the way.
With our without a person posed in front of Hiroa Nui, this may be the No. 1 photo spot at the Mai-Kai, as declared by Spike at the end of his video.
Did you know? Hiroa Nui was inspired by a historic carving that was photographed in the embrace of one of the Mai-Kai’s dancers, Mireille, a native of Tahiti. The iconic photo appeared in the 1963 Mai-Kai calendar and promotional postcards, long before Mireille married owner Bob Thornton. She later became owner when her husband passed away in 1989, remaining head of the family business until the sale in 2021. A colorized version of that photo is now available as a postcard in the Mai-Kai gift shop. [See photo]
Guide to the photo spots by area
Negotiating the massive Mai-Kai property can be daunting, especially for newbies. We’ve split the 16 locations down into geographic areas to further assist you in your adventure, roughly in order of how you’ll see them as you arrive and wander around. The numbers refer (and link) to our stops during the Spike’s Breezeway episode.
THE ENTRY EXPERIENCE
• The caldera [#9 in video]
• The new Will Anders carving [#11]
BORA BORA BAR
• The tikis under the banyan trees [#8]
• The new Tiki Ray carving [#12]
DRIVEWAY AND STREETVIEW
• The cannibal trio by Tom Fowner [#10]
• The historic Barney West carving [#13]
• The A-frame and streetside sign [#14]
THE MOLOKAI BAR
• The entry sign [#6]
• The Molokai maiden [#7]
THE SHOWROOM
• The stage and hanging lamps [#1]
THE TIKI GARDENS
• King Kai carving [#15]
• Hiroa Nui and Mai-Kai sign [#16]
INDOOR GARDENS
• Behind the stage and A-frame [#2]
• Water features and tikis [#3]
LOBBY & GIFT SHOP
• The new Mai-Kai bench [#4]
• The window into the service bar [#5]
Have you taken photos at all 16 picture spots? Share as many as you can on social media and tag The Atomic Grog on Instagram and Facebook. We’ll share your shots on our channels. Or join us over on the Friends of the Mai-Kai group on Facebook and post your photos for the nearly 34,000 members to see.
MORE WALKING TOURS
Spike’s Breezeway on YouTube
• Deep inside the $20 million restoration with “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller (July 2025)
• Saving the Lamps of the Mai Kai with Scott “Flounder” Scheidly (July 2025)
The Atomic Grog on YouTube, January 2025
• The showroom and Tiki gardens with Typhoon Tommy
• The new entry experience with Typhoon Tommy
From the archives
Follow along with photos and listen to our audio walking tour with Will Anders and Kern Mattei in July 2018.
FOLLOW THE MAI-KAI
Official sites and social media
• MaiKai.com | Facebook page | Instagram
More on social media
• Facebook: Friends of the Mai-Kai group
• Instagram: Classics of the Mai-Kai
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