Recipes Archives - The Atomic Grog

July 25, 2026August 18, 2026

Photos and recap: The Hukilau 2026 takes over oceanfront resort; bonus cocktail recipes

Photos and recap: The Hukilau 2026 takes over oceanfront resort, plus bonus cocktail recipes

For the 24th time, Tikiphiles from around the world gathered under The Hukilau banner for a long weekend of Polynesian Pop revelry on June 3-7. For the past six years, the event has been headquartered at the picturesque Beachcomber Resort, located right on the ocean in Pompano Beach, just north of Fort Lauderdale.

The Hukilau official artwork by Chris Warner was sold as a limited-edition print.

More below: Reviews, tributes to top event cocktails
• We tasted 44 drinks; see the sweet 16
Bonus recipes: Coral Reef Cooler (Tiki Tiki Bang Bang) | Endless Summer (Tiki Tatsu-Ya) | Sunken Pearl (Boca Island Tiki Lounge)

In addition to the tropical environment of the beachfront hotel, The Hukilau’s anchor and nerve center since moving to South Florida in 2003 has been the historic Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park. The 2.7-acre Tiki temple is a destination unto itself, attracting fans for its vintage mid-century experience that was taken to the next level by a $20+ million restoration completed in late 2024.

Check out our previous story for photos, video and a full recap of all the activities that took place at the Mai-Kai, including an exclusive presentation by retro pop culture expert Charles Phoenix. That story also includes reviews and ratings of the special cocktails served at the Mai-Kai.

MeduSirena Marina and her mermaid friends frolic in the Beachcomber Resort pool during The Hukilau 2026 on Saturday, June 6. (Photo by Eric Anthony / @TheThirstyWalrus)

We previously published an extensive collection of social media posts, including photos and video plus our annual playlist spotlighting the performing bands. Mahalo to everyone who contributed!

This story will cover the events at the Beachcomber, pulling together the best photos and our key memories, plus contributions from Hukilau villagers. As a bonus, you’ll also find our cocktail ratings and reviews of the tasty libations we sampled all weekend, plus three bonus recipes.

We hope all this coverage gives you a taste of the event and inspires you to join us in 2027, when the Mai-Kai celebrates its 70th anniversary and The Hukilau hosts its 25th weekender.

Villagers enjoy The Hukilau's Saturday afternoon pool party at the Beachcomber Resort in Pompano Beach. (Photo by Goldie Moon / Dream Beauty Lab) — Villagers enjoy The Hukilau’s Saturday afternoon pool party at the Beachcomber Resort in Pompano Beach. (Photo by Goldie Moon / Dream Beauty Lab)

The Hukilau 2026 – June 3-7 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach and Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park. Featuring live music, special guests, symposiums and classes, 20 guest cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
• The Hukilau on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group

More Hukilau 2026 recaps
At the Mai-Kai: The Hukilau honors a legend, welcomes Charles Phoenix
Photos, video: Live coverage from social media

A limited number of event mugs, created by John Mulder and Eeekum Bookum, are still available for purchase online via the official website. This is a second edition, limited to 100 mugs with a new color scheme, released after The Hukilau. The mug pays homage to The Hukilau’s original event logo tiki by Kevin Kidney. [Previous coverage]

Continue reading “Photos and recap: The Hukilau 2026 takes over oceanfront resort; bonus cocktail recipes”

July 10, 2026August 5, 2026

Mai-Kai news & events: Updated Polynesian show, vintage cocktails at The Hukilau in June; special events in July

Mai-Kai news & events: Updated Polynesian show, historic cocktails at The Hukilau in June; special events in July

Summer can be traditionally slow for the tourism and hospitality industries in South Florida, but not at the Mai-Kai. The historic Polynesian restaurant kicked off the season in early June with The Hukilau, the annual Tiki weekender that attracts hundreds of guests from around the world. This was followed by a constant stream of special events that continues in July with some unique offerings.

New story, updated Aug. 4
Mai-Kai summer 2026 update: New mugs and menus, more events and entertainment

Charles Phoenix presents "Floridaland" on the showroom stage June 7 during The Hukilau. The pop culture historian made sure to check out all of the Mai-Kai's many exotic features. (Photo credits: Brian Crum, Charles Phoenix) — Charles Phoenix presents “Floridaland” on the showroom stage June 7 during The Hukilau. The pop culture historian made sure to check out all of the Mai-Kai’s many exotic features. (Photo credits: Brian Crum, Charles Phoenix)

Jump to the latest updates
Breaking news: Mai-Kai owner takes over historic Jungle Queen riverboat
Event previews: July spotlights Tahitian culture, vendor marketplace

News also recently broke regarding new ownership of another Fort Lauderdale landmark. Fans of classic attractions and dining experiences will be thrilled to know that the venerable Jungle Queen is now under the control of Bill Fuller, the Miami historic preservationist who is also the managing partner of the Mai-Kai. Look for full coverage below.

A villager joins in on the fun during the audience participation portion of the Mai-Kai's new Polynesian Islander Revue show during The Hukilau main event. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / June 7, 2026) — A villager joins in on the fun during the audience participation portion of the Mai-Kai’s new Polynesian Islander Revue show during The Hukilau main event. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / June 7, 2026)

Also below, you’ll find a rundown on the special Tahiti Fête cultural activities coming to the Polynesian palace this month, including craft and dance classes, special shows, and more. We’ll then share photos, video and first-person accounts of some of the unique events in June, starting with The Hukilau.

More below: Special event photos, video
• Heritage: A Polynesian Legacy, the Mai-Kai’s updated dinner show
• Tiki weekender honors a legend, welcomes Charles Phoenix | More events and news

The East Coast’s longest running gathering of Polynesian Pop enthusiasts, which ran from five days starting June 3, included Mai-Kai parties and special presentations on three of those. This included the debut of a revamped dinner show on June 5 and the exclusive Florida appearance of retro culture humorist and historian Charles Phoenix on June 7.

Distinctive food and drinks were offered to Mai-Kai guests during The Hukilau. Pictured: Demerara Float and Paniolo Burger. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / June 7, 2026)

Look for full coverage of all The Hukilau festivities at the Mai-Kai below, including reviews of the exclusive food and beverages that were served all weekend. We’ll take this opportunity to share a new tribute recipe for one of the classic drinks in advance of the upcoming relaunch of our Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide.

Food and drink reviews and recipe below
• Our take on reimagined classics | Tribute to Demerara Float

Check out our related story for lots of photos and video from the Beachcomber Resort and Mai-Kai shared from social media. We also plan another recap that covers the happenings at the hotel.

More Mai-Kai news is brewing, so stay tuned for some exciting updates.

Continue reading “Mai-Kai news & events: Updated Polynesian show, vintage cocktails at The Hukilau in June; special events in July”

May 30, 2026July 26, 2026

The Hukilau 2026 preview: Tiki weekender loaded with bands, bartenders and guest speakers

Posted May 30, updated June 4

Guests attending The Hukilau in South Florida on June 3-7 are encouraged to relax and enjoy the unique surroundings, a totally immersive escape from the craziness of today’s modern world. These “villagers” have ample opportunity to unwind at the oceanfront Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach, then step back in time at the historic Mai-Kai restaurant in nearby Fort Lauderdale.

HUKILAU 2026 RECAPS
Photos and recap: The Hukilau takes over oceanfront resort; bonus cocktail recipes
At the Mai-Kai: The Hukilau honors a legend, welcomes Charles Phoenix
Live coverage: Photos and video from the Beachcomber Resort and Mai-Kai

Highlights of The Hukilau 2026 include pop culture entertainer Charles Phoenix and simian surf band The Disasternauts, seen performing in 2024 (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

MORE BELOW: Sneak preview of the official event mug by Eeekum Bookum
• Bands and entertainment | Symposiums and classes | Bars and cocktails

But they can’t relax too much. Like most other Tiki weekenders, the 24th annual event includes a robust schedule full of live music and other performances, tastings of craft cocktails and spirits, symposiums hosted by experts in their respective fields, plus a marketplace containing 30 vendors selling a wide range of art and collectibles.

This is the event’s sixth straight year at the Beachcomber, a small boutique hotel just steps from the Atlantic, and the 19th full live event at the Mai-Kai (est. 1956), generally considered to be the last remaining mid-century Polynesian supper club in the world. Many of this year’s participants are new to both The Hukilau and Tiki events in general, so it will be fun to enjoy the diversity and variety amid the familiar surroundings.

2025 recap: We tasted 45 cocktails; here are the Top 15
Bonus recipes: You Remind Me of the Babe (Bar Tiki) | Blackbeard’s Ghost (Aku Aku) | Peach Emoji (Tiki Tatsu-Ya)

The Hukilau 2026 – June 3-7 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach and Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park. Featuring live music, special guests, symposiums and classes, 20 guest cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
Buy tickets: Weekend passes, Charles Phoenix presentation
Book a room: More info on the Beachcomber
• The Hukilau on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group

While the official schedule is full of activities every day, villagers can participate at their own pace, a literal “build your own Tiki adventure” weekend of sorts. We hope to guide you through some of the highlights with this extensive preview of the bands, symposiums and pop-up bars. Complimentary cocktails flow nearly non-stop every day and night, one of the most under-appreciated features of the event. Sponsors Ron Diplomatico and Tanduay will also offer complimentary rum tastings throughout the weekend.

Five-day tickets range from $489 for the Aloha Pass to $659 for the all-inclusive South Seas Pass. The best bet for locals and those coming in at the last minute is the two-day Palm Pass ($199), which gets you access to most of Saturday’s festivities (including unlimited cocktails and the vendor marketplace), plus Sunday’s finale at the Mai-Kai. Rooms at the Beachcomber are still available starting at $255 (plus fees) per night. You must buy an event pass online first, then call (954) 941-7830 to book through the resort.

The Hukilau's official 2026 glassware by H.C. Warner, free to South Seas passholders. The Atlanta-based artist also designed the event flyer above. — The Hukilau’s official 2026 glassware by H.C. Warner, free to South Seas passholders. The Atlanta-based artist also designed the event flyer above.

Check out the links below to our previous coverage. The first story includes details on the special tribute to the late Danny ‘Tiki Diablo’ Gallardo at the Mai-Kai, plus a full rundown on the Tiki Treasures Bazaar vendors. The second covers the exclusive Florida appearance of pop-culture expert Charles Phoenix during the Sunday finale at the Mai-Kai.

More Hukilau 2026 previews
• Bands and guest bars, new dinner show, new food and cocktails, Charles Phoenix
• The Hukilau honors a legend, welcomes new faces to 24th annual Tiki weekender
• The Hukilau welcomes Charles Phoenix for ‘Floridaland’ slideshow at the Mai-Kai

Sneak preview of the official event mug by Eeekum Bookum

Artist John Mulder’s design of The Hukilau’s 2026 mug pays homage to the event’s original logo artwork by Kevin Kidney.

Florida artist John Mulder has created some of the most distinctive mugs in recent Hukilau history, many inspired by the Mai-Kai. Last year’s release features the iconic Mystery Girl, while the 2024 mug is based on the distinctive tiki that peers through the window outside the Molokai Bar. More recently, he produced the Mai-Kai’s Christmas Rum Barrel. [Photos, video, interview]

For 2026, Mulder decided to go back to The Hukilau’s roots for inspiration. The mug is a nod to the event’s “Huki” character, designed by artist Kevin Kidney in the event’s early days. Kidney was inspired by Tangaroa, the principal deity of the sea, rivers and all aquatic life in Polynesian and Maori mythology. As envisioned by The Hukilau’s founders in 2002, the event’s name is a play on the traditional communal fishing tradition in Hawaiian culture, made famous in song.

The Hukilau official 2026 mug in production at Eeekum Bookum in St. Petersburg. (Photos provided by John Mulder)

At The Hukilau, the intention is to cast a net out into the ocean of Tiki culture and pull villagers to shore for a weekend of communal festivities. Kidney was an early influencer in the fledgling 1990s Tiki subculture, and also known for his extensive work (with partner Jody Daily) at Disney theme parks. In addition to the logo, he created other artwork for the event including glassware and the 2009 event mug based on Huki.

Mulder told us that the goal of the new mug is to “stay true to the Tangaroa and fisherman god with an eye to the Kevin Kidney logo.” The fish that you see front and center on the mug is also from Kidney’s design of the original logo. The mug is currently in the final steps of production in Mulder’s Eeekum Bookum studio in St. Petersburg. [See 2025 video tour]

Continue reading “The Hukilau 2026 preview: Tiki weekender loaded with bands, bartenders and guest speakers”

March 12, 2026March 13, 2026

Mai-Kai Rum No. 1: Everything you need to know about historic restaurant’s signature spirit

When the the Mai-Kai opened on the outskirts of Fort Lauderdale in 1956, the Polynesian restaurant quickly set a new standard for Tiki cocktails, earning fame for its reverential and original creations featuring fresh ingredients and perfectly balanced rum blends. This legacy continued for decades, even through a catastrophic back-of-house roof collapse that forced a four-year closing in late 2020.

A $20 million restoration engineered by a new ownership group led by historic preservationist Bill Fuller not only returned the historic property and its cocktails to their high standards, it also gave the Mai-Kai the opportunity to create something most elite bar programs have never done.

To honor the legacy of the Mai-Kai and its cocktails, Fuller and his team sought to create their own heritage rum blend to bring authenticity to the iconic drinks the founders created. Years in the making, the result is Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum No. 1, created in the Caribbean and bottled exclusively for use (and sale) at the South Florida restaurant.
New cocktail recipes below: Daiquiri No. 1 | Hammerhead Bite

The rum was released in November 2025, one year after the grand reopening. The road to the rum’s creation is long and winding, and the story is richly detailed. We’ll save that for a future blog post, but until then we’d like to share all the information you’ll need to appreciate this special spirit. The following FAQ was prepared in cooperation with the Mai-Kai and the company that handled the rum’s branding and package design, Roneros Rum Brand Makers.

Beverage director Cory Starr serves samples of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 during the release party on Nov. 28. A special display was created for the gift shop. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

More on The Atomic Grog
• Okole Maluna Society: The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening Guide

MAI-KAI RUM NO. 1: Frequently asked questions

What is Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, aka Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number 1?

A crafted, authentic blend in a mid-century style used to create the Mai-Kai’s cocktails by Mariano Licudine, master mixologist from 1956 to 1979. Dozens of his secret recipes are still featured at the restaurant today. Previous historic antecedents include the Dagger and Appleton punch rums. For more on those rums, check out this Atomic Grog story (last updated in 2021).

Hurricane Hayward shows off the Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 display in the gift shop, right next to the window into the historic back service bar. (Atomic Grog photo, February 2026)

Where can I buy it?

It’s available exclusively in the Mai-Kai Trading Company gift shop, which is open daily during restaurant hours. If you’re making a special trip to buy the rum, you can tell the valet. Check MaiKai.com and our related Mai-Kai FAQ for details.

How much does it cost?

You’ll pay $75 for a 1-liter bottle, $400 for a case of six.

Is this a limited release?

No, it will continue to be available for purchase and featured in cocktails at the Mai-Kai.

Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 is equally enjoyable served neat, or in cocktails such as the new Aloha Old Fashioned. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, December 2025)

Is it a “sipping” or “mixing” rum?

Both. While designed as the perfect mixing rum in Mai-Kai cocktails, the complex blend is also accessible as a sipper and should appeal to fans of both.

What does it taste like?

Continue reading “Mai-Kai Rum No. 1: Everything you need to know about historic restaurant’s signature spirit”

January 11, 2026July 26, 2026

Countdown to Don the Beachcomber biography begins with fundraiser, early special edition

Updated Feb. 22

Much has been revealed in recent years about Donn Beach (aka Don the Beachcomber), considered to be the godfather of 20th century Tiki culture. But we still don’t have a complete picture of the life and times of the enigmatic bootlegger-turned-restaurateur, who opened the first faux Polynesian bar in the 1930s and influenced countless imitators. That’s all about to change.
Preview the book below: Images and sample pages | Video
Bonus cocktail recipe: Beachcomber’s Silver

The back and front covers of the upcoming book, Searching for Don the Beachcomber.

Years in the making, the 208-page biography Searching for Don the Beachcomber will hit bookshelves in 2026, researched and written by Tiki historian Tim “Swanky” Glazner and published by London-based Korero Press. The hardcover book is due to be shipped April, and fans jumped at the chance to secure a special edition via a Kickstarter campaign that launched Jan. 20. More than $45,000 was raised in the first a week, smashing all goals. The total when the campaign ended was more than $60,000 (£45,230).

Early backers received several special rewards, including first-edition copies with an exclusive signed bookplate. A limited-edition mug by Eekum Bookum featuring Beach’s signature cannibal carvings sold out fast, and a second batch with a different glaze was added. The mug and book are now available for pre-order via the official website, along with 8×10 prints of Beach.

Glazner is co-founder of The Hukilau in the early 2000s and author of Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant (2016, Schiffer). It was during the research for that book that he starting uncovering fascinating facts and stories about the man who started life in 1907 as a Texan named Ernest Gantt and ended in 1989 in Honolulu as a lifelong supporter of authentic South Pacific culture.

Over those 82 years, Beach reinvented not only himself but America’s perception and appreciation of Pan-Pacific people. The book covers his entire life, including fascinating details and stories about his early years, which have remain shrouded in mystery. As it turns out, most of the tall tales and myths that have long surrounded Donn Beach were created and embellished by the man himself. But one thing is clear, Beach always lived up to his motto: “If you can’t get to paradise, I’ll bring it to you.”

Donn Beach in Hawaii, circa 1939 (left) and 1950. (Phoebe Beach archive)

In Searching for Don the Beachcomber, Glazner does his best to separate fact from fiction, but he also lets Beach’s rich archive of personal documents speak for themselves. The biography was made possible when Beach’s widow, Phoebe Beach, donated his personal papers, photos and other materials that she had been saving for the past 30+ years. Glazner has said they will end up in the collections of the Bishop Museum in Honolulu, which celebrates the history and culture of Hawaii and the Pacific.

Beach is best known today as the “Inventor of the Tiki Bar,” as the book’s subtitle states, a uniquely mainland American invention that he crafted in the shadow of 1930s Hollywood movie studios. But fate later brought the enterprising entrepreneur to the South Seas, where he spent most of the second half of his life, running namesake restaurants and spearheading projects that included the International Market Place in Waikiki. He was also a decorated veteran of World War II, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel in the Army Air Force.

Don Beach's military career in World War II is detailed in Searching for Don the Beachcomber. He's pictured above in Italy in 1943. (Phoebe Beach archive) — Don Beach’s military career in World War II is detailed in Searching for Don the Beachcomber. He’s pictured above in Italy in 1943. (Phoebe Beach archive)

Throughout his lifetime, Beach ignored racial barriers by quietly hiring and promoting staff who were immigrants from many Pacific and southeast Asian countries, decades before civil rights legislation was a reality. Reading Searching for Don the Beachcomber will give you a much more in-depth picture of not only the creativity, but the integrity and vision of Donn Beach.

Glazner details many significant storylines, including Beach’s unusual relationship with his first wife, Sunny Sund, and their precarious association with organized crime. The book is also chock full of more than 200 rare images and documents from Beach’s archives, plus an appendix that includes many of the influential mixologist’s original recipes from the 1930s and ’40s.

Continue reading “Countdown to Don the Beachcomber biography begins with fundraiser, early special edition”

January 7, 2026March 5, 2026

Photo and video recap: Mai-Kai’s Hulaween party returns from the dead in 2025

The grand reopening year at the Mai-Kai reached a fitting, frightfully fun climax on Halloween night with the Polynesian palace’s signature Hulaween party. Hundreds of revelers, many in creative costumes, enjoyed the event’s 13th edition, the first held inside the restaurant since 2019.

South Florida rockabilly favorites Slip and the Spinouts made their 10th Hulaween appearance, jamming all night in the Molokai Bar. Meanwhile, DJ Banzai Bill played an eclectic mix of tunes outside in the Bora Bora Bar, where the highlight was a costume contest with dozens competing for the $1,000 grand prize.

Slip and the Spinouts kick off Hulaween 2025 on Oct. 31 while the Molokai mermaids prepare to serve thirsty guests. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, the Mai-Kai)

See more below
Hulaween photo galleries: Design & decor | Oct. 31 Hulaween party
Bonus recipe: Tribute to the Mai-Kai’s Pineapple of Perdition

Oct. 31 was the highlight of a month filled with Hulaween-themed events, including Wicked Bingo, the Blue Hawaii Elvis Show with Dan Cunningham, a ’70s disco night, and a party for kids. This monthlong celebration was a first for the Mai-Kai, featuring elaborate decor throughout the grounds continually updated in the lead-up to Halloween night.

The two artists responsible for the highly themed artwork – Tom Fowner and LuRu – got into the spirit of the event, both earning a spot in the costume contest finals with their significant others.

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A post shared by Jim Hayward (@theatomicgrog)

The six finalists lined up under the porte-cochère in the new Bora Bora Bar, competing not only with their inventive creations but also joining an impromptu dance-off when Michael Jackson’s classic Thriller blasted out of the speakers before the winners were announced. If was definitely a scene to behold, one of the few times of the year when the Mai-Kai sets aside decorum and lets loose with abandon.

No doubt, the shenanigans were well-deserved and long-anticipated. It was the first Hulaween bash in five years, when a drive-in movie party was held in the parking lot on Oct. 30, 2020, amid the COVID pandemic and just days after the restaurant’s closing. Caused by a catastrophic roof collapse over the kitchen, this disaster was as scary as any horror movie. But, luckily, it has a happy ending.

Previous Hulaween coverage
• Hulaween resurrected as monthlong event featuring unique decor, cocktails
• Mai-Kai scares up nine new Hulaween drinks
• Hulaween history: Relive 12 years of madness at the Mai-Kai

An ominous sea monster and Tiki deity welcome you to Hulaween at the Mai-Kai in October 2025. (Official photo)

A sale to new ownership in 2021 led to a $20 million restoration and reimagination that consumed 2022, 2023 and much of 2024. But, like a classic creature that can’t be stopped, the Mai-Kai emerged bigger and better than ever last November. Hulaween 2025 fittingly served as a celebration of the Mai-Kai’s first year back from the brink of disaster.

The immersive decor and elaborate story only added to the anticipation of the Halloween night finale. In an alternate tale of the Mutiny on the Bounty, the Mai-Kai became ground zero of a battle between skeleton pirates and a giant sea monster. The scenes played out all along the entry driveway, the bubbling caldera, the walkway and Bora Bora Bar, the Molokai Bar and its new front deck, plus the sprawling rear tiki gardens.

Fowner estimated that the artistic team installed 60 pirate and 10 mermaid skeletons, plus 40 kraken tentacles containing 2,100 suckers. As he explains in a video walk-though we filmed three days before Halloween, you never see the actual monster, just the tentacles. Which is even scarier because it means its so enormous, you can’t see it all. “He’s everywhere,” Fowner warned.

Tom Fowner and LuRu are responsible for the elaborately themed decor during Hulaween 2025.

Continue reading “Photo and video recap: Mai-Kai’s Hulaween party returns from the dead in 2025”

August 31, 2025March 5, 2026

Relive Tiki Oasis 2025 with photos, video and a room party cocktail

Updated Sept. 20

The world’s first (and largest) multi-day event celebrating the Polynesian Pop revival celebrated its 25th anniversary with a bang Aug. 6-10, when Tiki Oasis literally took over the sprawling Town and Country Resort in San Diego. Thousands of guests enjoyed five days of non-stop fun with more than 25 musical guests and 30 DJs, 50 seminars on an endless array of topics, a Tiki marketplace packed with 150+ artists and vendors, plus lots more.

Bonus cocktail recipe below: Jungle Bum from the Mcbiff Cocktail Hour at Tiki Oasis 2025
Previous coverage: Tiki Oasis celebrates a quarter century as subculture’s preeminent event

Medusirena performs with The Tikiyaki Orchestra on Aug. 7 during Tiki Oasis 2025. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Tiki Oasis 25th anniversary: Aug. 6-10, 2025, at the Town and Country Resort in San Diego, featuring live entertainment (The Blue Hawaiians, The Bomboras, Lenny Kaye, The Ghastly Ones, The Hula Girls, Martini Kings, The Tikiyaki Orchestra), DJs, seminars and classes (Sven Kirsten, Charles Phoenix, Kevin Lively, Ian Burrell, King Kukulele, Medusirena), artists and vendors, cocktails and room parties, plus much more.
Official program: See all the participating guests, artists, and events
Listen to the bands: Tiki Oasis 2025 playlist on Spotify

We were privileged to attend and participate in this historic happening, teaming up with the Mai-Kai’s Cory Starr and “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller for the presentation Sneak Peek into the Historic Mai-Kai’s Secret Bar on Saturday (Aug. 9). Check out the photos below from our seminar and others. The warm welcome was much appreciated, and we hope to return next year for Tiki Oasis 26.

The main performance stage was a blast from the past, with some of the event’s most notable bands returning for the 25th anniversary event’s nightly concerts. We posted videos of some of the bands in a playlist on our YouTube channel. They’re also playable below, along with other performance clips.

The Don the Beachcomber brand was represented at Tiki Oasis 2025 by Erin Sullivan (left) and beverage director Marie King serving cocktails, and creative director Justin Peterson selling merchandise in the marketplace. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, August 2025)

Naturally, Tiki Oasis features the world’s largest marketplace catering to all things Tiki, where you could find just about anything your heart desires. Live music and pop-up bars enhanced the experience, captured in many marketplace images shared below.

Speaking of pop-up bars, the nightly room parties were another highlight as both professional and home bartenders hosted events small and large, serving both classic and creative new cocktails. See photos and video below and also try the recipe for a great drink we enjoyed at the Mcbiff Cocktail Hour party.

It wasn’t hard to find friends and VIPs everywhere with the event attracting some of the top names in the Tiki revival for its many activities and events. A list of everything we enjoyed would be extensive, so we thought a selection of social media posts would be the best way to showcase the overall vibe as well as the good time had by all.

Among the many seminars at Tiki Oasis 2025 were Ian Burrell (left) discussing the finer points of Jamaican Rum, and Adrian Eustaquio exploring the history of the Tiki-Ti and founder Ray Buhen. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, August 2025)

Mahalo to everyone who shared photos and video on public online social media pages. We’ve tried to include as many varied posts as possible. If we missed you and you’d like to be included, just shoot us a message on Facebook or Instagram.

Continue reading “Relive Tiki Oasis 2025 with photos, video and a room party cocktail”

February 24, 2025March 5, 2026

Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news, reviews and exclusive insights, 2024-2025

Updated Jan. 3, 2026
We hope this running story, compiled throughout 2025, helps quench your thirst for detailed information, photos and deep dives into the cocktails served at the Mai-Kai restaurant in South Florida, est. 1956. Below you’ll find reports by journalist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward along with news and official updates passed along by beverage director Cory Starr as he resurrected the storied bar program, originally developed by legendary mixologist Mariano Licudine. This page served as a supplement to our Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide as we enjoyed the the Mai-Kai’s grand reopening. In 2026, get ready for all new reviews and recipes at the link above, or MaiKaiCocktailGuide.com. If you’re looking for more on the restaurant’s restoration and reopening in 2024-2025, along with anything beyond the cocktails and bar program, check out this related story.
• Jump straight to the news archive below

Okole Maluna Society 2.0: All the Mai-Kai cocktails ranked
Check out the sneak preview of our updated ratings, and stay tuned for new reviews and recipes, coming soon.
SEE THE RANKINGS: Updated rundown of 50+ Mai-Kai cocktails

More Atomic Grog coverage
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive

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2024-2025 Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news

• Vintage cocktails return for 69th anniversary, more news
• The Mai-Kai’s Christmas cocktails explored: Ratings, reviews and insights
• Holiday treats come early with release of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, Christmas Rum Barrel
• Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 set for Black Friday release
• Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 to make a splash during 2025 Miami Rum Festival
• Hulaween recap, tribute recipe (photos, video)
• Halloween cocktails invade the Mai-Kai for October
• New cocktails and Cannibal mug revealed, Rum No. 1 on the way (August-September)
• New secret bar menu, Rum Barrel mugs are back (July-August)
• The Hukilau brings special events, guest bartenders (June)
• Bars welcome special guests, live music, new cocktails (May)
• Cocktails at events near and far, new menus coming soon (April)
• Mai-Kai joins spirits festival, welcomes brands for cocktail and rum tasting events (March)
• New Bora Bora Bar menu just a taste things to come (February)
• Beverage director Cory Starr interviewed on Shift Drink Podcast
• Photos & video: Mai-Kai joins Miami Rum Congress festivities
• Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair
• Mai-Kai welcomes Cory Starr as new chief mixologist

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Zula #1 (left) and Last Rites, two classic cocktails from the Mai-Kai's 1956 menu served at the 69th anniversary event on Dec. 28. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward) — Zula #1 (left) and Last Rites, two classic cocktails from the Mai-Kai’s 1956 menu served at the 69th anniversary event on Dec. 28. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

Vintage cocktails return for 69th anniversary, more news

Posted Jan. 3

The icing on the cake at the 69th anniversary celebration was a special menu of three historic cocktails, available in both the Bora Bora and Molokai bars. They were priced at $19.56 in honor of the Mai-Kai’s original opening date, but happy hour prices were in effect from 4 to 7 p.m., and we made sure to try all three.
Photos, video: Mai-Kai legends return to the stage for 69th anniversary celebration

Two of the drinks date back to the original 1956 menu. One of them, Zula #1, was only recently retired when the Mai-Kai reopened in November 2024. It was one of two classics dropped from the reopening day menu.

Don's Own Grog, a rare cocktail available at the Mai-Kai's 69th anniversary event on Dec. 28. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward) — Don’s Own Grog, a rare cocktail available at the Mai-Kai’s 69th anniversary event on Dec. 28. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

The other was Last Rites, another Mai-Kai classic that can be traced back to one of the groundbreaking tropical drinks created by Don the Beachcomber in the 1930s and ’40s. This is a personal favorite of beverage director Cory Starr, who brought it back at several special events over the past year. We last tried it at The Hukilau finale at the Mai-Kai in June.

The most rare was Don’s Own Grog, which pre-dates the Mai-Kai and was discovered by Starr in original mixologist Mariano Licudine’s secret notebook of Don the Beachcomber recipes. It was also featured at The Hukilau event, but using different rums. All three of these revived classics featured a healthy dose of the just-released Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, giving them added punch and spotlighting the new spirit designed to harken back to those golden days of Tiki cocktails.
Related: Holiday treats come early with release of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, Christmas Rum Barrel

Last Rites was our favorite, better than the previous versions made with premium rums. Rum No. 1 seems to bring perfect balance to this classic that agricole rums don’t. Not far behind was Don’s Own Grog, another great spotlight for the rum featuring bold cinnamon (perhaps Angostura bitters), lime and blackberry notes. Zula was very solid, but it veered a bit from the original with an overly boozy profile that obscured the distinctive pineapple and anise flavors. Starr told us later that he and bar manager Michael DeMahy had a challenge getting the rum blend correct, but I’m sure they’ll figure it out in time for its next appearance.

Mai-Kai beverage director Cory Starr (left) and bar manager Michael DeMahy host a special event featuring Spiribam products in the Bora Bora Bar on March 12, 2025. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Starr and DeMahy have lots of plans for the cocktail program in 2026, including a new menu for the Molokai Bar with more of a craft cocktail focus. But unlike the Bora Bora Bar, which has featured more modern-style cocktails, the older bar will take more of a classic Mai-Kai approach in keeping with its vintage theming.

DeMahy said they want to take “the classic Mariano, Trader Vic, Don the Beachcomber style cocktails and re-envision them as if they were alive today.” He said it will be “more of a modern twist, but paying homage to the history and the style.”

“You have to reset your mind and say, ‘I’m paying homage to these classics,’ but how would they think if they lived here today with the products that are now available versus what was available back then,” DeMahy added. “I’m very excited to start working on it.” The menu is still in the very early stages of development, however, with tentative plans for a release no earlier than the third quarter of the year.

Continue reading “Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news, reviews and exclusive insights, 2024-2025”

February 9, 2025July 26, 2026

Don the Beachcomber brand closes maiden venue, but navigates rough seas with dynamic expansion plans

In what amounts to a very expensive but insightful research-and-development project, the owners of the Don the Beachcomber brand have decided not to reopen the namesake restaurant and bar in Madeira Beach, which launched with great fanfare in February but was severely damaged by dual hurricanes that slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast in September and October.

Takeaways from this story
• Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach will be replaced by the Tiki Docks concept. [MORE]
• Brand owner 23 Restaurant Services is accelerating the rollout of Gantt Reserve Collection bars. [MORE]
• A flagship Don the Beachcomber is still on track for Central Florida. [MORE]
• Author plans more Donn Beach books after biography is released. [MORE]
• New custom mugs available in online store. [MORE]
Bonus cocktail recipe: Tribute to Marie King’s The Seminole Heights

“There’s no reason to be concerned about the health of the brand moving forward, or whether or not we’re going to opening any more restaurants,” creative director Justin Peterson told a crowd of concerned Tikiphiles at the Inuhele weekender in Atlanta on Jan. 25. “Every project we had in the pipeline is still going forward. On top of that, we have stuff we can’t even talk about today, exciting stuff that is going to blow your mind when we get around to it.”

Peterson and beverage director Marie King broke the news on behalf of parent company 23 Restaurant Services, which added the legendary Tiki concept to its portfolio of a half-dozen brands in 2022. After dispensing with the Madeira Beach update – which Peterson admitted was “a total bummer” – the pair spent the remainder of their 45-minute seminar getting us up to speed on the company’s more positive advancements related to Tiki’s founding father, Donn Beach, aka Don the Beachcomber.

This includes an aggressive rollout of more small cocktail-focused bars in the Gantt Reserve Collection, an umbrella grouping of speakeasies that pay homage to Beach’s given name (Ernest Raymond Gantt). The first, Morgan’s Cove, made its debut in downtown Tampa in July. The next location may open in Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale, in early 2026. All will have unique names and theming related to their location.
Past coverage: Don the Beachcomber launches Morgan’s Cove speakeasy in Tampa

The loss of the Madeira Beach restaurant, which will be replaced by the company’s more streamlined and tropical-themed Tiki Docks, will mean that the company will be without a branded Don the Beachcomber restaurant until what promises to be a spectacular new venue opens in Hamlin, just north of Walt Disney World, in 2026. From all accounts, it will be worth the wait. In the meantime, the pair spoke of keeping the brand in the public eye with pop-up appearances and an impressive array of merchandise.

Don the Beachcomber biographer Tim “Swanky” Glazner (left) joined creative director Justin Peterson and beverage director Marie King for a presentation on the state of the brand at Inuhele in Atlanta. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Jan. 25, 2025)

Author Tim “Swanky” Glazner, whose long-awaited biography (Searching for Don the Beachcomber) is on track for a fall 2025 release, joined his friends to talk about the book and reassure the Inuhele attendees that Beach’s legacy remains in good hands. “I believe they’re going to do a great job,” Glazner said of not only King and Peterson, but the entire 23 Restaurant Services team.

The presentation was perhaps the most information-packed and definitely produced the most breaking news from the entire event. Inuhele celebrated its sixth gathering of the tribe at a new venue (the Omni hotel) in downtown Atlanta with three days of symposiums, a Tiki marketplace, live entertainment, cocktail and rum tastings, room parties, and much more. A highlight was a luau and live music at another historic Tiki venue, the vintage Trader Vic’s that dates back to 1976.
Related coverage: Inuhele, Atlanta grow together into a Tiki powerhouse

Following is a detailed breakdown on what we learned from Peterson, King and Glazner during the symposium. Please note that there are no set dates for any of the upcoming projects, just estimated dates as detailed below. Peterson wanted to make clear that these can change on a daily basis. So temper your expectations, but know that progress is being made.

Continue reading “Don the Beachcomber brand closes maiden venue, but navigates rough seas with dynamic expansion plans”

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