The Mai-Kai is honoring its cultural legacy on its 69th anniversary, inviting more than 20 past performers from the Polynesian Islander Revue to participate in a two-day event Dec. 27-28 at the South Florida restaurant. The national historic landmark opened its doors Dec. 28, 1956, adding an authentic dinner show in the early 1960s. Live coverage below:Photos, video of alumni anniversary weekend
• Saturday (Dec. 27) features alumni shows at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. with a meet-and-greet from 7 to 8. • Sunday (Dec. 28) showcases a 69th anniversary show at 1, 4, and 7 p.m.
The stage show combines music (by the Mai-Kai Serenaders) and dance (by the Mai-Kai Islanders) into a flamboyant but culturally accurate tribute to the islands of the South Pacific, running up to three shows a night, seven days a week for the past six decades. After a four-year interruption when the Mai-Kai was closed for a $20 million restoration and reimagination, the revue remains the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii).
Since the Mai-Kai reopened in November 2024, the show has returned bigger and better than ever, featuring second and third-generation performers. The bond between the current and past has never been stronger, creating a familial atmosphere that opened the doors to this year’s unprecedented reunion.
Pasefika Iosia performs the fire knife dance at the Mai-Kai in 1975. He was also an accomplished musician and member of the house band (top left). (Mai-Kai photos)
The festivities will be dedicated to the memory of a legend who we recently lost. Pasefika Iosia, a native of Samoa who spent more than three decades as an entertainer at the Mai-Kai, passed away Dec. 1 in Port St. Lucie, Fla., at age 87. Many whose lives he touched gathered at the Mai-Kai on Dec. 14 to remember “Fika,” who started his career as dancer in 1970 and later performed in the band.
The Mai-Kai paid tribute in an official social media post: “His talent and charisma on stage were unforgettable, and off stage he brought people together through friendship, sports, and laughter. Pasefika wasn’t just a performer – he was family. Thank you, Pasefika, for the joy, spirit, and memories you shared. You will always be in our hearts.”
Among those who came to pay their respects was Mai-Kai matriarch Mireille Thornton, who was one of the original dancers before taking over as choreographer and cultural director for the next six decades. She married owner Bob Thornton, leading the family ownership group after his death in 1989 through the 2020 closing.
Mileto (center) takes a bow at the end of his final performance as a member of the Mai-Kai Islanders, led by Polynesian cultural director Lono (right). (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Dec. 19, 2025)
On Dec. 19, a new name was added to the list of alumni when Luiz Mileto ended a more than 25-year run as one of the Mai-Kai’s signature fire knife dancers. Mileto (aka Letz) received an on-stage tribute during his final show, garnering a flurry of leis from his fellow performers and a standing ovation from the hundreds of attendees in the audience. He has long been the Mai-Kai’s most recognizable male dancer, the elder statesman known for his good humor, but serious and skilled on-stage talents.
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)
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.
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.
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.
The Mai-Kai’s general manager and beverage director, Cory Starr, introduced Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 during a Miami Rum Festival seminar (left) on Nov. 8. The next day, he was joined by Molokai Bar server Hannah Almanzar in serving up samples during the event’s grand tasting. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Look for full coverage of the presentation hosted by ambassador Adrienne Stoner of Maison Ferrand in an upcoming deep dive into the 100-proof blend, which is being produced exclusively for the Mai-Kai. The quick answer to the burning question: Sorry, there is currently no plan for distribution outside of the Mai-Kai Trading Company gift shop.
It’s a unique rum that bypasses normal distribution, sent directly to the restaurant from the Caribbean via a bottling plant in southwest Florida. The blend of rums from historic stills in Barbados and Jamaica was a unanimous hit at the Coral Gables festival, including the main grand tasting event on Sunday, Nov. 9.
This story will offer a quick recap of the festival and look ahead at the upcoming release. But that’s not all. Starr gave us the exclusive inside scoop on many other exciting plans for the Mai-Kai during the 2025 holidays, plus more to come in 2026.
Special menu, early shows welcome Thanksgiving diners
The Mai-Kai will offer a special holiday dinner and show on Thanksgiving Day with two seatings: 2 p.m. (show at 3:30) and 5 p.m. (show at 6:30). The bars open at 1 p.m. with happy hour running from 4 until 7, offering most cocktails priced at 50% off.
A special dinner menu is available, along with the full regular menu. Thanksgiving meals include a choice of three appetizers, entrees and desserts for $75. Main courses are Huli Huli BBQ Turkey, Palm Sugar Salmon, and Kalua Roast Pork. [See the menu online]
If you want to attend the dinner show, it must be booked separately online through the official website. Tables are filling up fast, so make your reservations now.
Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 set for Black Friday release
After shopping yourself ragged in search of holiday gifts, treat yourself (or the special rum lover in your life) to a very special present on Friday, Nov. 28. During the release party that begins at 5 p.m. in both the Molokai and Bora Bora bars, you’ll be among the first to be able to pick up a bottle (or more) of Mai-Kai Old Style Special Rum Number One.
The rum will be priced at $75 for an embossed one-liter bottle in a custom box, both featuring distinctive Mai-Kai imagery. It will also be available by the case (six bottles) for $400, Starr said. The gift shop will also have some special exclusive merch and offers available during the party.
Also look for a special menu of Rum No. 1 cocktails at the event, including a flight of classics.These may include the Mai Tai and Zombie, which were served at the Nov. 6 sneak preview event.
In addition to the cocktail flight, you will be able to buy small samples of the rum at the bar to try it out. A new sipping rum menu is in the works. Starr said he’s been collecting rums since he joined the team as beverage director before the reopening last year. The rum list, which will likely be paired with the after-dinner drinks and desserts on a combined menu, will favor quality over quantity, Starr said. “We’re going to start with around 50, then get to 100 at some point.”
Beverage director Cory Starr pours cocktails and serves samples of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 during a sneak preview event in the Molokai Bar on Nov. 6. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Like other Fridays this month, the 28th will also include live music in the Molokai Bar with Smerks and the Night Mares performing from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Makani Ryel will entertain Bor Bora Bar guests starting at 5 p.m..
The Miami Rum Festival offered guests a unique chance to learn about (and taste) Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 at a Nov. 8 seminar at the Coral Gables Marriott hosted by Adrienne Stoner, an ambassador for Maison Ferrand and all of its brands. The French company also owns the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados, where the Mai-Kai rum is blended and shipped to Florida. A portion of the blend also includes rum from historic pot stills at the Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica, where Maison Ferrand shares ownership.
Stoner gave us an inside peek at both distilleries and profiled some of the key members of the team who craft the rums. She broke down the historic stills and some of the key components in Rum No. 1, most notably JAWS – a unique, high-ester rum sourced from the historic Vulcan pot still that dates back to the 19th century.
Beverage director Cory Starr (left) and Maison Ferrand ambassador Adrienne Stoner discuss Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 during a seminar at the Miami Rum Renaissance Festival on Nov. 8. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
We enjoyed a neat sip along with Starr’s updated version of the Mai-Kai’s Planters Punch as Stoner explained the rum’s creation and distillation process in Barbados. We also tasted a 120-proof sample of the JAWS rum, which is considered to be the first long fermentation, high-ester rum component crafted in Barbados in the past 80 years. You can clearly see how this is the key element in the Mai-Kai blend.
On Nov. 9, the festival hosted dozens of rum brands, including the Mai-Kai, for more than four hours of tastings at the historic Coral Gables Woman’s Club. Starr was joined by Mai-Kai manager Salomé Sepulveda and Molokai Bar server Hannah Almanzar in greeting guests and serving samples in their colorfully branded booth. They also passed out Starr’s reconfigured version of the Mai-Kai’s classic Bora Bora cocktail featuring the new rum.
Right next door was a booth from Roneros Rum Brand Makers, the firm that developed the Mai-Kai rum’s distinctive branding, packaging and marketing. This includes the new MaiKaiRum.com website, which features the story behind the rum as well as more than a dozen cocktail recipes you can try after you pick up a bottle. If you’re feeling crafty, you can even submit your own.
Bar manager Michael DeMahy makes the Bora Bora and Zombie cocktails using Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 at the Nov. 6 sneak preview event in the Molokai Bar. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Lucky attendees at the Nov. 6 sneak preview in the Molokai Bar got a head start and were able to take a bottle home when Starr released a small batch for purchase. Some 30 or so guests were treated to samples of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 plus four different Mai-Kai cocktails, shaken up to order in the “poop deck” area of the bar by Starr and bar manager Michael DeMahy. It was a rare chance to see these two master mixologists in action close-up in the Molokai, where drinks are usually made in secret in the back bar.
Two of the cocktails – the Planters Punch and Bora Bora – are reconfigured versions of classics featuring a full serving of the new rum. Both are noticeable improvements that will likely find their way onto the permanent menu in their reimagined form. Those who tasted them raved about both.
The two others we tasted, the Mai Tai and Zombie, were also excellent versions featuring a hefty dose of the new 100-proof rum. These two “No. 1 versions” will likely remain special menu items, Starr said, served in addition to the classic variations that feature blends of multiple rums and are tried-and-true favorites.
This won’t be the case for every cocktail, but Starr promised other off-menu drinks featuring the new rum. Deciding which drinks get which treatment is still a work in progress. Most cocktails that were designed to include a “dark Jamaican” style rum will simply be updated to include the new rum instead of the Mai-Kai’s previous blend that has been in use since the Kohala Bay brand stopped production in 2017.
The rum will be stealthily added, and Starr noted that the intention is that it goes undetected to most guests. “We’ll roll them out, but I don’t know when,” he said. “It’s more like a secret kind of rollout so people don’t really notice it happening. It’s going to be kind of a slow change.”
The Mai-Kai has long sought a proper replacement for Kohala Bay, and now thanks to the new ownership team and managing partner Bill Fuller, it has become a reality.
12 Drinks of Christmas, limited-edition mug highlight jolly holidays
The Mai-Kai has not leaned into the holidays in a big way since 2019, when it introduced its first lineup of Christmas drinks to pair with festive but tasteful decor. In the years since, the thirst for Christmas pop-up bars has grown exponentially.
Last year’s holidays came too quick after the reopening, but Starr and bar manager Michael DeMahy have an ambitious lineup of themed cocktails planned for 2025. Dubbed the “12 Drinks of Christmas,” these limited-time cocktails will be split among menus in the Molokai and Bora Bora bars, plus the showroom. This is even more than we enjoyed during the recent month of Hulaween hijinx.
The Christmas Rum Barrel Mug was created for the Mai-Kai by John Mulder of Eeekum Bookum. (Official photo)
Similar to Halloween, it will be a month-long celebration that Starr said they hope to kick off on Monday, Dec. 1. Be sure to mark your calendar for Wednesday, Dec. 3, when a special holiday mug will be introduced at an event attended by its creator. Doors open at 4 p.m.
Starr tapped a noted Florida mug designer, John Mulder of Eeekum Bookum in St. Petersburg, to craft and produce a special limited edition Christmas Rum Barrel Mug.
You can buy the mug in the gift shop for $125, but it’s a limited run of 250, so don’t delay. There will be two versions: A very limited 50 green and white barrels, and 200 of a more traditional brown Barrel, Starr said. There is a limit of one mug per person when you shop in the Mai-Kai Trading Post.
Master of ceremonies Lono and members of the Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue. (Mai-Kai photo, January 2025)
Performers from the past to return for anniversary events
The events will include a reunion of past performers from the Polynesian Islander Revue, which dates back to 1961 and has long been considered the longest running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States. The driving force of the troupe for more than five decades was Mai-Kai matriarch Mireille Thornton, who joined the restaurant’s original show in the early 1960s and went on to become not only its choreographer and spiritual leader, but eventual owner of the restaurant. She married owner Bob Thornton, assuming leadership of the family empire when he passed away in 1989.
Mireille Thornton was a dancer and choreographer of the Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue from the early 1960s through 2020. (Mai-Kai photo)
Two of her children ran the day-to-day operations, but it was “Mrs. T,” as she’s lovingly known, who eventually saved the Mai-Kai when she signed off on the sale to historic preservationist Bill Fuller of Barlington Group in September 2021. [Past coverage] Now in her 80s and retired to north Florida, the native of Tahiti consulted on the revival of the stage show she led for more than 50 years when it returned in November 2024. [See video]
The performances are now being guided by longtime emcee Lono, who has taken over as Polynesian cultural director after the departure of Teuruhei Kalaniu’i Buchin in August. We’re told that Lono, who started with the Mai-Kai in 2009 and spent a decade under Thornton’s wing, is working on plans to bring back some of the classic show elements, though we may not see those changes until 2026.
Many of the show’s original members and backing band were accomplished performers in the South Pacific. Now, more than 60 years later, the Mai-Kai has its own cultural legacy.
Multiple members of the troupe have been there for decades, and several are second and third generation Mai-Kai. Dancer Varua (aka Nicholas Mattei) is the son of longtime manager Kern Mattei. His grandmother was in the show and his mother was a Molokai Girl. [See video] Michael, the AV director and Lono’s assistant, is Mireille Thornton’s grandson.
With this spirit of ‘ohana (or family) in mind, the Mai-Kai is inviting back many past performers for the anniversary weekend. You’ll even be able to see some of them perform on stage during the Saturday dinner shows. The formal anniversary celebration Sunday. Starr teased other additions to the weekend, including bands in the Molokai and Bora Bora bars.
A new event center is being built on the other side of this wall along the back corridor in the Mai-Kai’s outdoor garden. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, May 2025)
New event center will complete Mai-Kai reimagination in 2026
Last but not least, Starr confirmed that preliminary work has begun on a new event center that will occupy back-of-house space adjacent to the kitchen that was formerly used for storage. When asked if it’s moving forward, he replied: “It definitely is.”
This large multi-purpose space will be available for a wide range of special events, from weddings and reunions, to corporate meetings, to music and social events such as The Hukilau. The plans for this addition were approved along with all of the Phase 1 enhancements back in 2022, but this part of the project was put on hold to expedite the November 2024 reopening. Related coverage:The Hukilau returns to the Mai-Kai for five days of Tiki festivities
The Mai-Kai’s new event center will be accessed via a door in the old Chinese oven room, which has been reimagined by creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller. The lettering was salvaged from the outside of the building. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, February-March 2025)
The public will access the event center via a door in the renovated room that used to house the kitchen’s Chinese ovens. This area was redesigned by creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller with a lavish Chinese theme to match the building and surrounding area. The outside of the building, which appears dilapidated but is actually a clever feat of themed design, features a new Chinese saying across the top after the old lettering was moved inside. [Previous coverage]
• Spike’s Breezeway:Watch a video tour with Typhoon Tommy
This room is accessible both via the dining rooms and the outdoor garden. The plan also calls for the new corridor in the southwest corner of the garden to feature a door into the event center. This large area can also be used for the events.
The back-of-house area that contained the large storage room and massive 1970s-era kitchen remains without a roof after the October 2020 collapse that precipitated the Mai-Kai’s closing, sale and $20 million restoration. A new, smaller kitchen was built in old offices and other spaces that survived the roof collapse. Additional temporary kitchen structures were added to the open space in order for the restaurant to serve its thousands of loyal guests when it reopened last November.
Plans presented during a city of Oakland Park online meeting in 2022 show the future event center (left) and kitchen highlighted by managing partner Bill Fuller. The area in blue is the current bar and kitchen.
But now, after chef Justin Sherrer took over in March, the Mai-Kai is preparing for a change. The Phase 2 project includes a reconfiguration of the kitchen, as detailed in an earlier report. Some of the temporary buildings will be removed, and it’s possible the old Chinese ovens will return in some form.
The plans have changed slightly since Allsmiller’s original 2022 designs for a large, enclosed A-frame structure. [See 2022 coverage] It will remain a large A-frame, but we’re told it’s probably going to be more of an indoor-outdoor space, not unlike the new Bora Bora Bar under the old entry porte-cochère. [Past coverage]
“It’s not exactly the same, but it’s in the same vein,” Starr said. As for an opening timeframe, he said they’re planning for it to be available in 2026. “It will be done as soon as we can,” he said.
Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 to make a splash during 2025 Miami Rum Renaissance Festival
There will be multiple ways to enjoy the long-awaited signature rum as part of the 16th annual Miami Rum Festival. Enjoy a sneak preview Thursday at the Mai-Kai, learn more at Saturday’s seminar day in Miami, then sip along with hundreds of other spirits at Sunday’s Grand Tasting.
Mai-Kai’s Hulaween party returns from the dead in 2025
The historic restaurant was transformed into a haunted Polynesian island during October, culminating with the 13th Hulaween party on Oct. 31 in the Molokai and Bora Bars.
Mai-Kai October update: Hulaween returns bigger than ever, new food menu debuts
Halloween revelry and artistic decor have engulfed the historic South Florida restaurant all month with multiple special events. Check out the full preview, plus a recap of all the past happenings and a detailed look at the new food menu, plus more.
Halloween cocktails invade the Mai-Kai for October
Featuring fire, smoke and detailed theming, the new drinks capture the spirit of the season. Check out our ratings and reviews of these scary offerings, plus other recent special cocktails.
EXCLUSIVE:Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening Guide
Check out all past news, photos, video and deep details on the refurbishment and resurrection of the Polynesian palace.
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.
The Mai-Kai’s volcanic caldera and indoor tiki garden are two of the many one-of-a-kind photo locations spotlighted by Hurricane Hayward. (Atomic Grog photos, April 2025)
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
Watch the “Mai Kai Photo Safari” episode of Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour before, during or after checking out the detailed guide below. (Spike’s Breezeway)
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.
Our guide to the essential Mai-Kai photos, as documented on Spike’s Breezeway Cocktail Hour with model Brittany, includes both classic and new locations. (Photos by Spike Marble, July 2025)
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.
Rewind to the summer of 2001: Sven Kirsten’s The Book of Tiki, the influential bible of what would become known as the Polynesian Pop renaissance, was less than a year old. Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log, which lit the fuse of the Tiki cocktail revival, was barely 3. Tiki Central, which would explode into an online gathering place for enthusiasts from around the world, was a year away from leaving Yahoo to become a stand-alone website. The first modern Tiki bar (Taboo Cove in Las Vegas, designed by Bosko Hrnjak) would not open until September.
Official Tiki Oasis artwork by Derek Yaniger: The 2005 event was the last in Palm Springs. This year will mark the event’s 25th anniversary, and 20th year in San Diego.
Into this pubescent scene burst Tiki Oasis, making its debut as the world’s first all-encompassing event dedicated to celebrating the art, architecture, cocktails, fashion, music, history and overarching aesthetics of the forgotten 20th century pop culture craze that took hold in the 1930s, peaked in the 1950s and ’60s, but never really went away. A new generation, led by a loosely knit clan of California bohemians, was fully immersed in creating a new movement that has lasted well into the 21st century. Tiki Oasis became their playground.
It’s still called the Tiki “revival,” but there seems to be no end in sight. The scene remains joined at the hip with Tiki Oasis, begun humbly by Otto and Baby Doe von Stroheim in Palm Springs. Otto was instrumental in both documenting the golden days and nurturing the nascent movement in his Tiki News fanzine (1995-2001). He also put together the first big Tiki music event (Exoticon ’95) and the genre’s first major art show (21st Century Tiki, 1996), both in Los Angeles.
He was also long notorious for his wild backyard Tiki parties featuring vintage mugs and cocktails, authentic music, and just a touch of anarchy that came naturally for the generation that grew up on punk and other underground subcultures. After he joined forces in 1996 with the creator of the Baby Doe’s Obsessed website, they set their sights on bigger and better events. She produced the first-ever burlesque convention, Tease-O-Rama, in 2001.
Tiki Oasis began as fundraiser for historic hotel
Baby Doe and Otto von Stroheim visit the Mai-Kai and manager Kern Mattei in January 2025. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The original intent of Tiki Oasis – which made its debut on Aug. 18, 2001 – was altruistic: Raising money and awareness to preserve the vintage Caliente Tropics Resort in Palm Springs. The first year was modest, featuring around 50 guests. But the event grew rapidly over the next four years, selling out the small hotel and precipitating a move to San Diego in 2006. (The hotel has not only survived, it has thrived amid the Tiki revival, serving as the current host venue of the long-running Tiki Caliente and Circa Caliente events.)
The popularity of both Tiki culture and Tiki Oasis exploded during the next 14 years at the Crowne Plaza (formerly the historic Hanalei Hotel), expanding into a five-day event that has defined the concept of “Tiki weekender” for a new generation. The von Stroheims also added new events to their portfolio, including Arizona Tiki Oasis in Scottsdale (2019-present) and Resort-O-Rama in Santa Rosa, Calif. (2023).
• 2014 flashback: 5 questions with Otto von Stroheim
Tiki Oasis spent one year at the expansive Paradise Point Resort during the COVID restrictions of 2020, then moved in 2021 to the Town and Country Resort, where it has remained for five years. The 23-acre property in Mission Valley oozes mid-century style and charm.
The Town and Country Resort provides the perfect setting for a salute to mid-century Tiki culture. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, August 2023)
The event takes over the entire 600+ rooms and nearly 300,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor event space. Originally built in 1953 as a roadside lodge, the Town and Country has a rich history that was honored during a major renovation in 2019.
Tiki Oasis will honor its legacy, as well as the early days of the revival, with several symposiums this year. On Friday, Aug. 8, at 9:30 a.m., Sven Kirsten will host The Book of Tiki Turns 25, discussing how photographing and collecting the remnants of the lost mid-century culture led him to understand its unique qualities, and how that convinced him of the importance of documenting and preserving it.
The von Stroheims have lined up an array of guest speakers for 25 Years of Tiki Oasis, hosted by David “Dr. Skipper” Marley at 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 9. They promise “rarely seen photos and untold stories from Tiki Oasis’ past, followed by a lively Q&A.”
History, reimagination of legendary Mai-Kai back bar to be revealed
The Atomic Grog’s seminar for Tiki Oasis 2025, “Sneak Peek into the Historic Mai-Kai’s Secret Bar,” will explore the mysterious space from the early days of mixologist Mariano Licudine through the reimagination by “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and bar program of Cory Starr. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
We’ll reveal details and show exclusive photos of the multimillion-dollar restoration that preceded the November 2024 relaunch after a four-year closing due to extensive damage to the back of house kitchen and bar. Given a clean slate to rebuild, Allsmiller took the former utilitarian space to a new level and made it a showpiece that’s now on the same level as the guest areas, some of which date back to the 1956 opening.
Starr will serve up a reinvigorated classic cocktail from those early days, enhanced by a new rum that’s due to be released in the coming weeks. We’ll also serve samples of Mai-Kai Rum No. 1, a 100-proof blend sourced from historic stills at the West Indies Rum Distillery in Barbados and the Long Pond Distillery in Jamaica. Event attendees will be among the first to get a taste of the final product. Related: Mai-Kai Rum No. 1 coming soon, symposium and tasting planned for Tiki Oasis
The Mai-Kai welcomed two towering Tiki carvings to its reimagined entry area during The Hukilau main event on June 6. One was created locally by a familiar artist, the other came from Arizona thanks to a veteran carver who traveled to South Florida to be a part of the unveiling.
A new 10-foot carving by Will Anders was installed June 3 at the Mai-Kai next to the building and near the valet pick-up. Like the mysterious tiki added near the main entrance doors, it was covered until the June 6 unveiling. (Photos by Kern Mattei, “Tiki John” Atkins)
Both were installed in the days before the event, but they were wrapped like mummies, adding an air of mystery to the occasion. The largest of the two was placed next the north side of the building near the valet stand. You can see it on the right as you walk toward the porte-cochère and Bora Bora Bar. The other greets you under the thatched roof, directly left of the front doors.
If you follow this blog, you probably had a good idea what the big one was. Back in March, we wrote about a 10-foot carving by Will Anders that was awaiting installation. The Fort Lauderdale carver is best known for the two large tikis in the back gardens, along with one of the three to the north of the Bora Bora Bar. Previous coverage:New Tiki carvings await installation throughout the grounds
Hotu Matua, the new carving that stands at the entrance to the Mai-Kai, was created by Arizona artist “Tiki Ray” Kieffer. You can pick up a variety of his custom pendants in the gift shop. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / June, April 2025)
The source of the second was later revealed to be “Tiki Ray” Kieffer, whose pendants have been featured in the gift shop. One of those wearable tikis is a tribute to King Kai, the 10-foot Anders carving in the gardens. Having the two artists on hand when their new pieces were unveiled made the event even more special.
Kieffer made arrangements to travel from his Arizona home. After the June 6 unveiling, he spent time in the Mai-Kai Trading Company, where guests lined up to meet him and have their pendants signed. Arriving a few days early, he joined The Hukilau pre-party festivities on June 4.
The Wednesday happy hour was a great opportunity to hang out with Tiki artists. The Hukilau’s Build Your Own Tiki Bar Conference kicked off at the host Beachcomber Resort in Pompano Beach, featuring a who’s who of builders and fabricators, including two who helped restore the Mai-Kai: “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and Scott “Flounder” Scheidly. When I met up with Anders and Kieffer in the Molokai Bar, I made sure to snap a photo with other Mai-Kai craftsmen out on the front deck.
Five craftsmen who have contributed their artistry to the Mai-Kai gather in front of the Molokai Bar during The Hukilau pre-party on June 4: Conrad Teheiura Itchener (left), Tom Fowner, “Tiki Ray” Kieffer, Will Anders, and Todd Ashbaugh. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
When discussing carvings, it’s also worth noting the contributions of South Florida’s Tom Fowner, another key member of the restoration team who has cranked out six new medium-sized tikis since the November reopening. Three comprise the iconic “cannibal trio” that greets vehicles on the right side of the immersive new driveway as they leave the property. [See past coverage] The other four, detailed in our March story, remain inside the restaurant but likely will find permanent homes around the outside of the property.
All told, these nine new tikis that can now be seen around the Mai-Kai mark the largest influx of original wood carvings since the 1960s or ’70s. There was no better way to mark the occasion than The Hukilau main event, making its return to the Mai-Kai for the first since 2019. The Mai-Kai’s 2020 closing and subsequent restoration efforts limited activities during the following years to several outdoor cocktail events, plus indoor tours for small groups of villagers, as the event’s attendees are known.
The Hukilau, the world’s second oldest Tiki weekender, moved to South Florida and the Mai-Kai for its second annual event in 2003. For the next 16 years, it became the hub of Mai-Kai appreciation as villagers flocked from around the world to visit the last remaining example of a grand mid-century Polynesian supper club. If anyone could appreciate the style and craft that went into the new tikis, it was this group of fans.
“Tiki Ray” Kieffer rubs the belly of Hotu Matua, his new carving for the Mai-Kai uncovered by beverage director Cory Starr. Meanwhile, Will Anders admires his towering carving that was also unveiled on June 6. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Excitement built as the Friday night event approached, but the two figures remained under wraps. Around 5 p.m., most of The Hukilau’s villagers had arrived for an extended happy hour and two seatings of the Polynesian Islander Revue, the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii). Outside in the Bora Bora Bar, Eva & Kully took a break from performing retro-classic tunes as guests were urged to gather by the main entrance.
The Hukilau 2025 – June 5-8 at the Beachcomber Resort & Club in Pompano Beach and Mai-Kai restaurant in Oakland Park. Featuring live music (The Untamed Youth, The Swingin’ Palms, The Sound Minds, The Hilo Hi-Flyers, Slowey and the Boats, Eva & Kully, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Skinny Jimmy Stingray), special guests, symposiums and classes, guest cocktail bars, pool parties, Tiki Treasures Bazaar, plus more.
• The Hukilau on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group
Hundreds of Tikiphiles flocked to Inuhele: Atlanta’s Tiki Weekend at the end of January for three days of artists and vendors, live music and entertainment, rum and cocktail tastings, plus a healthy dose of “edutainment.” The Omni hotel and Trader Vic’s were abuzz Jan 24-26 as enthusiastic guests enjoyed seminars and presentations on a wide range of topics. Previous coverage:Event overview, plus photos and video on social media
The Luau Lads (Kurt Rogers and Michael Bloom) and Tiki Lindy were among the rum and mixology experts at Inuhele 2025 in Atlanta. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
We gained a new appreciation for the work of pioneering artist Bosko, got mixology tips from the Luau Lads and Tiki Lindy, and received an exclusive update on the future of the Don the Beachcomber restaurants and upcoming book. The Atomic Grog was privileged to participate with an update on the reimagination and reopening of the Mai-Kai. Previous coverage:Don the Beachcomber brand closes maiden venue, but navigates rough seas with dynamic expansion plans
This was a follow-up to our 2023 symposium, Okole Maluna! The Return of The Mai-Kai, when we revealed details and a sneak peek at what would become an ambitious $20 million project that’s still ongoing. After the grand reopening in November, there was a lot new to report.
The famous “Mai-Kai that never was” painting by Al Kocab of a planned design that was abandoned before the 1970 expansion. It’s available as a 4-by-6-inch postcard, suitable for framing, in the restaurant gift shop along with 14 others for just $2 each. Click for larger image.
Following are some of the highlights of our slideshow, including two walk-through videos with creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller. Click on the images for a larger view. Below are notes pertaining to each slide.
Paradise Reimagined: Deep Inside the Mai-Kai Restoration
Presented at Inuhele in Atlanta on Jan. 26, 2025 Historic photos from the Mai-Kai, Tim “Swanky” Glazner, and other sources. Current and recent photos by Hurricane Hayward and the Mai-Kai unless noted.
↑ Charles McKirahan was one of the foremost architects of the Mid-Century Modern movement. The Mai-Kai design was Inspired by Canlis in Hawaii, featuring a 40-foot steel A-frame allowing an open main area, flanked by dining rooms. McKirahan was responsible for some of South Florida’s most iconic buildings of that era.
↑ After attending Stanford University, Bob and Jack Thornton borrowed money from their parents and went on to create the biggest Tiki temple of them all. The Mai-Kai grossed $1 million during its first full year of operation (1957) as the 150 seat-restaurant served 1,000 customers a night. The colorized image is available as a 4-by-6 postcard in the gift shop.
This is part 1 in a series exploring the new cocktail and food menus at the historic Mai-Kai in South Florida, est. 1956. The restaurant reopened in November 2024 after four years and a $20 million restoration project that’s still ongoing. First, we’ll take a look at the menu design and esthetics. In future stories, we’ll examine the drinks and the food in depth.
The Mai-Kai’s Tonga dining room offers not only a prime view of the showroom stage and the Polynesian Islander Revue, but also a display case containing traditional cannibal carvings that have been used to promote the restaurant since its 1956 opening. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / Nov. 22, 2024)
Since the Mai-Kai celebrated its grand reopening in mid-November, fans flocking back to 3599 N. Federal Highway in Oakland Park have been dazzled by the renovation and reimagination of the 67-year-old Tiki temple. This includes a painstaking rehabilitation of the Molokai Bar, the massive showroom under the vintage 40-foot A-frame, as well as all the surrounding dining rooms and other guest areas.
But there are a few new additions to this throwback experience that may have escaped notice, right under the noses of many guests. The food and drink menus now boast a retro look and feel that dates all the way back to the early days of the Mai-Kai. Let’s take a closer look at menus, their links to the past, and some news on what’s coming next.
The cocktail menu: Welcome back to paradise, 1950s style
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)
It’s easy to be swept away to paradise when you open the Mai-Kai’s new cocktail menu and gaze upon more than 50 tropical drinks, many of them classics that have been frozen in time since 1956. But after you place your order for one of those delicious drinks crafted by beverage director Cory Starr and his expansive team of bartenders, take a gander at the menu’s design and artwork.
The cover art and tri-fold format is nearly identical the original 1956-57 menu, which included 43 cocktails ranging in price from 90 cents for Oh So Deadly to $2 for the signature Barrel O’ Rum. Both of those drinks are still on the menu, along with 28 others from that initial grand opening. The prices many have changed, but the recipes remain nearly identical, one of the unique features of the legendary bar.
The Mai-Kai replicated the menu design in great detail, from the distinctive logo to the familiar artwork of three cannibal tiki carvings. The wood grain and folding panels are meant to simulate the Mai-Kai’s original front doors. We don’t have a copy of the original menu, but images posted online during an eBay sale show virtually the same cover and inside layout from 1957:
The Mai-Kai’s new 2024 cocktail menu was designed to look very much like this original menu from 1956-57, including the same cover and vintage-style images.
The old tri-fold menu style was gone by the end of the 1970s, replaced by a bi-fold menu that remained in place (in varying sizes) until the 2020 closing. [See the 2018-2019 menu] Another classic feature is back on the new menu with a return to having the individual cocktails depicted by representational artwork.
The original artwork was replaced by photos in a 2014 menu overhaul. This was a major change from the original style used during the first 57 years of menus. But the old look is back, thanks to California artist Eric October.
Mai-Kai managing partner Bill Fuller reached out to October after seeing his botanical cocktail prints for sale online. The longtime Mai-Kai fan was hired to create the custom images using watercolor in the same style used on the original mid-century menus. Some of the cocktails have also been turned into T-shirts featuring the same artwork.
Mai-Kai manager Kern Mattei (right) meets Eric October at Tiki Oasis in San Diego, where the artist was selling his distinctive botanical cocktail prints. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward, August 2023)
These images include more than just the signature mild, medium and strong rum drinks – plus the four non-alcoholic options. October also depicted the 12 new creations by Starr that fill out he 54-drink menu and offer alternatives for fans of other spirits (bourbon, tequila, et al.).
It’s hard to imagine more interest in a restaurant reopening than the hoopla surrounding the return of the historic Mai-Kai after its $20 million rejuvenation in November 2024. More than three years in the making, the restoration and reimagination not only returned the 68-year-old Polynesian palace to its vintage 1970s-era look, it also created an entirely new experience outside and around the grounds. Just as important, it created a solid infrastructure that will ensure its survival for generations to come.
Photo and video tour: The 16 most iconic photo spots at the Mai-Kai Learn how to get those classic shots on your next trip to the historic South Florida restaurant. We take you on an adventure via new and vintage photos, plus video from Spike’s Breezeway to document the top locations inside and outside the historic Tiki temple.
When you cross the rumbling wooden bridge to enter the Mai-Kai, you’re immediately redirected onto what looks like a red clay road in a South Seas paradise filled with lush tropical foliage and dozens of tiki torches. As you exit, look for the new carvings by South Florida artist Tom Fowner, based on the signature “cannibal trio” that has appeared on Mai-Kai signs and menus since 1956. “Mahalo a hui hou” means “thank you and until we meet again.” (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / Nov. 15 and Nov. 20, 2024)
The following FAQ was created for the Friends of the Mai-Kai group on Facebook, which includes nearly 24,000 members and continues to grow. Due to the overwhelming response, we wanted to provide the most official information we can find, along with our own tips and advice. MaiKai.com:Check out the official FAQ here
If you’re looking for more extensive coverage, including photos and video, just check the AtomicGrog.com homepage and our page dedicated to the Mai-Kai restoration and reopening. There you’ll find news and info going all the way back to the temporary closing in late 2020, along with lots of features in the works.
This page will be updated in tandem with Facebook, containing the latest helpful info for anyone planning a visit to the Mai-Kai. Feel free to follow either, or both. As always, go to MaiKai.com for the most official info and sign up for the email list to receive the latest news. If you have any other questions, join us in the Facebook group or post a question in the comments below.
The outdoor Bora Bora Bar is a new feature added during the Mai-Kai’s $20 million restoration project. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward, February 2025)
A highly immersive Polynesian-themed restaurant, dinner show and tropical bar that reopened in November 2024 following a four-year closing, refurbishment and reimagination estimated to cost more than $20 million. Located in Oakland Park, adjacent to Fort Lauderdale, in Broward County on Florida’s southeast coast. Established in 1956, the Mai-Kai is both a local and national historic landmark. The address is 3599 N. Federal Highway on the west side between Commercial and Oakland Park boulevards. [Google map]
• For more on the history, check out this page at MaiKai.com.
• Go to MaiKaiHistory.com for deep dives and order the book Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant by Tim “Swanky” Glazner.
WHEN IS THE MAI-KAI OPEN?
The bars and restaurant, including the dinner show, is open seven days a week from 4 p.m. Monday-Friday, 1 p.m. on Saturday, and noon on Sunday.
HOW DO I GET OFFICIAL UPDATES?
Sign up for the email list at MaiKai.com and follow the official social media pages on Facebook and Instagram.
Seating for the Mai-Kai’s long-running Polynesian dinner show includes prime seats in the New Guinea Room (left foreground) and the Hawaii Room (left top). To the rear of the showroom (right), the elevated Tonga Room offers sweeping views. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward / Nov. 22, 2024)
DO I NEED RESERVATIONS?
You can reserve seats for the daily dinner shows (up to 45 days in advance) via the booking engine at MaiKai.com. The reservation system asks you to choose from three three pricing tiers and select your seats (exact location not guaranteed). If you can’t find seats on a particular date and time, try a different party size or a different time/date. Before you make a payment, you can alert the Mai-Kai to any dietary restrictions or special occasions. IMPORTANT: If anyone in your party has special mobility needs (wheelchair, etc.), please add to the reservation notes. Reservations open up occasionally, so please make sure to check back! Groups larger than eight should contact the Mai-Kai to make arrangements via the form on the website.
• Click here or the image below to see the seating chart
Walk-ups may be accommodated, space permitting. Inquire at the front desk upon arrival. There is also plenty of seating available in the bars and Lanai dining area in the outdoor gardens, no reservations needed. [Book online]
