Polynesian Pop enthusiasts from around the world flocked to the Sunshine State for three days of retro-themed festivities, along with a healthy dose of educational entertainment, when the second annual Tiki-a-Go-Go took flight in Orlando. The event featured a non-stop array of bands and performers, symposium presenters, bartenders and brands, plus lots more.
April 4-6 – Tiki-a-Go-Go at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. Featuring 30+ symposiums and classes (Sven Kirsten, Tim “Swanky” Glazner, Garret Richard, Spike Marble, David “Mcbiff” McNeley, Matt Pietrek, Jonpaul Balak, Tiki Tom-Tom, Margo “Rocket Betty” Scott, Dave “Basement Kahuna” Wolfe, David “Dr. Skipper” Marley, How Bowers, Jim Bacchi, Tommy Tam, et al.), guest cocktail bars and bartenders, live music (Tikiyaki Orchestra and Tikiyaki 5-0, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, Les Greene and the Swayzees, more), supper club and burlesque, artists and vendors, plus more. Bonus event:Magical Tiki Meet Up on April 6 at the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World.
* Tiki-a-Go-Go on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group Atomic Grog preview: Tiki-a-Go-Go enhances immersive Tiki weekender for a new generation
Following is a selection of photos, video and live reports from attendees posted on social media during and after the revelry at the Caribe Royal Resort as well as Sunday’s Magical Tiki Meet Up at Disney World. We’ll continue to update with more recaps and special video coverage. RELATED:Mai-Kai joins top Florida bars at Tiki-a-Go-Go
Updated June 13, 2025 Let us quench your thirst for the most detailed information, photos and deep dives into the cocktails served at the Mai-Kai restaurant in South Florida, est. 1956. This page will include reports by journalist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward along with news and official updates passed along by beverage director Cory Starr as he resurrects the storied bar program, originally developed by legendary mixologist Mariano Licudine. This blog post will serve as a supplement to our Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide, which will soon be updated with new reviews and recipes. If you’re looking for updates on the restaurant’s restoration and reopening, along with anything beyond the cocktails and bar program, be sure to follow this story:
• Exclusive ongoing coverage of the Mai-Kai reopening
In May, the Mai-Kai updated its bar food menu and introduced live bands with Skinny Jimmy Stingray performing in the Molokai lounge. Click for larger image. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Mai-Kai bars welcome special guests, live music, new cocktails
Posted May 26, 2025
Mai-Kai beverage director Cory Starr and his team are on the cusp of expanding the cocktail and entertainment offerings in their signature bars, while also hosting and attending a full schedule of special guests and events.
The month of May started with Starr traveling to Italy, where he participated in the inaugural Tikitaly in Livorno on May 2-5. An updated food menu was rolled out in the Molokai and Bora Bora bars on May 16, featuring more appetizers and small plates.
Beverage director Cory Starr spread the word about the Mai-Kai at the first Tikitaly on May 4, 2025. Bar manager Michael DeMahy and Hurricane Hayward greeted Black Tot Rum global ambassador Mitch Wilson at the Bora Bora Bar on May 22. (Tikitaly and Atomic Grog photos)
On May 22, Starr and the Mai-Kai welcomed Mitch Wilson, the global ambassador of Black Tot Rum, for a special tasting event followed by cocktails featuring the brand’s blended Caribbean rums. After happy hour, the Molokai Bar hosted its first live local band since the November reopening with Skinny Jimmy Stingray rocking the house.
The evening served as a perfect preview of what’s to come. Some of those drinks are destined for an expanded Bora Bora Bar menu, while the live music will continue on select Thursdays. The Hukilau is right around the corner, featuring special events and guests, plus live bands on Wednesday, Friday and Sunday (June 4, 6 and 8).
Following is a recap of all the activity, plus a look ahead.
Updated June 13, 2025 This blog post will feature continually updated information from official sources at the historic Mai-Kai restaurant in South Florida. It will also include in-depth coverage and photos from journalist Jim “Hurricane” Hayward, along with information gathered from other reliable sources. Bookmark and return for the most accurate and complete guide to the reopening of the Tiki landmark, est. 1956.
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive SEE ALSO: Mai-Kai bar and cocktail news, reviews and exclusive insights
Molokai Bar rocks as Mai-Kai gears up for return of The Hukilau
Posted June 2, 2025
It’s been six years since The Hukilau guests had full access to the Mai-Kai during their annual Tiki weekender, which has called South Florida home since 2003. For 17 straight years, visiting the beloved Polynesian Palace was a highlight of the event for thousands of guests who traveled for around the world for a vintage Tiki experience that included live music, seminars, guest bartenders, and many memorable special events.
Who can forget Dawn Wells (Mary Ann from Gilligan’s Island) visiting the Mai-Kai in 2015, or top exotica and surf bands including Tikiyaki Orchestra and Los Straitjackets performing during the main event when the entire restaurant was taken over by Hukilau revelers. The Mai-Kai hosted a virtual event during the pandemic in 2020, then remained active in Hukilau festivities at the hotel on the Pompano Beach oceanfront over the next four years during the closing and renovations.
The 2006 event celebrated the fifth anniversary of The Hukilau and 50th anniversary of The Mai-Kai.
Last year, many Hukilau attendees got an exclusive sneak preview of the restored Molokai Bar and dining rooms, but nothing compares to the full experience that will return this year when The Hukilau welcomes hundreds of guests to both the Beachcomber Resort & Club and the Mai-Kai on June 5-8.
The Mai-Kai will host a Hukilau pre-party on Wednesday (June 4) along with official events on Friday and Sunday. You can find an overview of the schedule below, along with links to more Atomic Grog coverage. In advance of the influx of Tikiphiles, local bands returned to the Molokai Bar in May, kicking off a regular Thursday night live music night. Click here or scroll down for photos and video of the first two events.
Other highlights during May included an updated food menu for the bars and ongoing work in the Tiki gardens. Click on the links or scroll down for those updates. We also continued to monitor the work on the new path through the indoor gardens, which was finished by the end of the month when the metal railings were transformed into faux bamboo. [See full coverage, photos and video below]
Also check out our related coverage of the cocktails and bar team for news on beverage director Cory Starr’s appearance at an event in Italy, plus a rum and cocktail event that offered a sneak peek at new Bora Bora Bar cocktails.
“Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller showed off his work restoring the distressed vintage lamps during a symposium at The Hukilau in June 2023. You can admire the work of the creative director and his team in the showroom (April 29 photo), and throughout the Mai-Kai (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
The Hukilau is whole again with Mai-Kai back on the schedule
Tickets are still available at the link above if you’d like to become a “villager” and immerse yourself in the full experience. Click above for a full preview. Media coverage:Mai-Kai reignites the flame for The Hukilau 2025 (Resident magazine)
For locals, the one-day Palm Pass is a good way to dip your toes into the sand. You’ll have access to a full day and night of fun on Saturday, including daytime pool parties featuring live music from top independent garage, surf and exotica bands; the Tiki Treasures Bazaar marketplace with dozens of eclectic artists and vendors; late-night bungalow parties featuring free cocktails from top Tiki bartenders; plus more!
For the first time since 2019, The Hukilau villagers will fill the Mai-Kai showroom for two performances of the Polynesian Islander Revue. (Official Mai-Kai photo, February 2025)
Following is a rundown on all of activities related to the Mai-Kai.
More than a quarter century into the modern revival, the appetite for Tiki weekenders has never been more voracious. But if you’re creating a new event, how do you stand out on an ever-more-crowded calendar?
For the organizers of the inaugural Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando, it was simple: Go back to the roots of the revival with an emphasis on what inspired the fascination with retro culture in the first place.
Their location in Central Florida in the shadow of the theme parks also makes the perfect setting to focus on Florida’s role in 20th century kitsch in addition to the over-arching Tiki craze. The icing on the cake is a partnership with the annual Magical Tiki Meet Up that folds that Disney World gathering into the weekend.
The result is a distinctive new event that adds even more depth and nuance to the annual Tiki event calendar. Event passes sold out in late March, with only a few tickets remaining for additional activities for passholders.
Tiki-a-Go-Go will host Tiki revival veterans including author Sven Kirsten, beverage director Marie King of Don the Beachcomber, and clothing designer Margo “Rocket Betty” Scott. (Tiki-a-Go-go / Facebook)
April 5-7 – Tiki-a-Go-Go at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando (Friday-Saturday). Featuring symposiums and classes (Sven Kirsten, Tim “Swanky” Glazner, Ed Hamilton, Spike Marble, “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller, Tiki Tom-Tom, Rocket Betty, David “Dr. Skipper” Marley, et al.), guest cocktail bars, live music (The Hula Girls, The Intoxicators, The Disasternauts, The Kreepy Tikis, Hot Rod Hornets, more), supper club and burlesque, artists and vendors, plus more. Magical Tiki Meet Up (Sunday) at the Magic Kingdom and Polynesian Village Resort at Walt Disney World. More below:Personalize your experience | Q&A with the organizers
* Tiki-a-Go-Go on social media: Instagram | Facebook page and group
The venue is the Caribe Royale Resort, which will host all the Friday and Saturday events. The property was recently completely reimagined with the perfect tropical atmosphere and amenities for Tiki-a-Go-Go guests. All the rooms are suites with the standard one-bedroom including a living room with a sleeper sofa. Maximum occupancy is five in a suite and six in a villa.
The Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. (Official photo)
There’s a giant pool with a 75-foot waterslide, a spa and hot tubs, multiple fitness and sports activities, plus eight restaurants and bars (including the Rum Bar). Most important for the purposes of Tiki-a-Go-Go, the resort features more than 240,000-square feet of meeting space.
Tiki fans packed a conference room early on the first day of Inuhele: Atlanta’s Tiki Weekend on Jan. 20, eager to hear and see details of the upcoming multimillion-dollar refurbishments planned for the historic Mai-Kai restaurant in South Florida. The Atomic Grog was happy to oblige, presenting exclusive photos, renderings and video of the project that is poised to shift into high gear in the coming months.
Hurricane Hayward kicks off his presentation, “Okole Maluna! The Return of The Mai-Kai,” at Inuhele in Atlanta on Jan. 20, 2023. (Photo by Tim Glazner)
Jim “Hurricane” Hayward sprinkled the presentation on the 225-seat room’s large screen with new images and architectural plans. Appearing via pre-recorded video, creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller took viewers on 10-minute walk-through of his work in The Molokai bar, one of the restaurant’s oldest dining rooms, plus a stroll through the gardens. The video received a great response after the interior designer and craftsman urged attendees to enjoy their Mai-Kai cocktails after the presentation.
Other upcoming projects were detailed for the first time, including new Mai-Kai mugs and other merchandise by contemporary Tiki artists, plus a signature rum blend from two historic Caribbean distilleries. After digesting all the news, the approximately 175 guests were invited to quench their thirst with authentic Mai-Kai cocktails in a poolside VIP lounge for a meet-and-greet event.
The fourth Inuhele event was held Jan. 20-22 at the Atlanta Sheraton Downtown, just two blocks from the historic Trader Vic’s location, where many attendees paid a nightly pilgrimage. Highlights included a wide array of presentations all three days, an authentic luau, rocking live bands, a marketplace featuring many top artists and craftspeople, daily room parties and special events, plus more. Check out our event preview for an overview of the diversity and creativity of Inuhele’s offerings. Event recap and more photos coming soon!
Judging by the turnout for the presentation at Inuhele in Atlanta, there’s a great deal of interest in The Mai-Kai’s refurbishment plans. (Atomic Grog photo)
It was a pleasure to share all the latest exclusive information on The Mai-Kai refurbishment plans with an enthusiastic audience. It was the first presentation on the first day, and the line to enter the “Jungle Room” stretched down the hall and into the lobby.
Mahalo to Jonathan and Allison Chaffin and their expert staff for the great event. And okole maluna to hospitality director Lucky Munro and Mai-Kai historian Tim “Swanky” Glazner for their help with the cocktails. The support staff at the presentation was also very gracious, helping us solve a few technical issues and get the event on track as fast as we could. We hope to see y’all next year!
Swanky pours the Black Magic while Hurricane Hayward handles the Barrel O’ Rum. (Atomic Grog photo)
Inuhele, which started in 2018 as the Atlanta Tiki home bar tour, means “cocktail journey.” So I thought it was only fitting to kick off the show by talking about my personal cocktail journey at The Mai-Kai. My fascination with the delicious drinks, and the Tiki revival in general, started there around 15 years ago and is still going strong. Go to The Mai-Kai Cocktail Guide to see the results of this journey.
Past presentations at The Hukilau and The Mai-Kai have included deep dives into the cocktails, the menu, and the restaurant’s historic rum collection. In 2022, we turned our attention on the blog to the massive renovation project, posting exclusive news and photos as work progressed. When the opportunity arose to share our insights at Inuhele, we jumped at the chance.
None of this would have been possible without the crucial cooperation and assistance of several key members of The Mai-Kai team who have be extremely helpful over the years with all of our coverage: General manager Kern Mattei and public relations director Pia Dahlquist. Also mentioned at the top of the presentation was the leader of the new ownership team, Bill Fuller, a founder of both real estate development firm Barlington Group and restaurant management group Mad Room Hospitality.
I thanked Fuller for having the vision to restore and reimagine The Mai-Kai, and for providing access and graciously answering all my questions as I continue to cover the most magical restaurant in the world.
Images from the title slide show three eras of The Mai-Kai: The 1950s, when the restaurant was built in a desolate area far west of the popular beachfront. A recent view from what is now a very busy Federal Highway. And a rendering by “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller of the planned event center addition, coming in the second phase of the renovations.
CHAPTER 1 – The Legacy
While most Tikphiles in attendance knew quite a bit about the 66-year history of The Mai-Kai, we couldn’t discuss the significance of the current renovations without a brief tour through the past. Opened Dec. 28, 1956, in the small Fort Lauderdale suburb of Oakland Park, The Mai-Kai became a local and national historic landmark in 2014.
The dining rooms were outfitted with authentic artifacts from Polynesia, along with much work by budding restaurant decor firm Oceanic Arts. Massive Tikis by legendary carver Barney West were installed in the early 1960s. Sadly, only one survives. But it’s due to be restored as part of the refurbishments.
The Mai-Kai’s Polynesian Islander Revue was the longest-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii) until the 2020 closing due to a roof collapse over the kitchen and back-of-house area. The show’s original bandleader, Toti Terorotua, came from Don the Beachcomber in Hawaii and continued to perform until shortly before his death in 2020. Inuhele guests were treated to the sounds of Terorotua & His Tahitians, his band from the 1950s, before and after the presentation.
A slide from the Inuhele presentation: The 1970 expansion increased the restaurant’s capacity from 350 to its current 450, plus another 150 in The Molokai. For the next five decades, The Mai-Kai could service more than 700 diners comfortably at any one time during the busy season.
Launched in 1962, the stage show is poised for a comeback under the leadership of Mireille Thornton. She started as a dancer, soon became the show producer and choreographer, then married owner Bob Thornton. The family, led by daughter Kulani Thornton Gelardi, remains part of the ownership team and will continue to run the restaurant and serve as its creative force.
The Mai Kai was already considered a landmark when it expanded in 1970. The $1 million project (see image above) included new dining rooms, lush landscaping of what is now the Tiki gardens, and the construction of the 7,000-square-foot back-of-house section that was compromised in October 2020. Also added were the kitchen’s rare Chinese wood-burning ovens, which were saved and will be relocated.
Also added: A redesign of The Molokai lounge using decor salvaged from the Marlon Brando film Mutiny on the Bounty (1962). The nautical theme extends to the entrance area and back of house. One of the bar’s signature features is windows that are covered in a constant faux rainstorm that adds to the illusion of being trapped in a turn-of-the-century seaport saloon.
The 1970 additions would be the last major construction project at The Mai-Kai until 2022. For the next five decades, the restaurant cemented its reputation as the most grand Polynesian palace built during the mid 20th century.
A slide from the Inuhele presentation shows the area damaged and later lost after the October 2020 roof collapse. Photos by The Atomic Grog (top) and The Mai-Kai.
CHAPTER 2: The Deluge
The Mai-Kai managed better than most during the early days of the pandemic in 2020. While indoor service shut down, cocktails and food were available to go, and the restaurant fully reopened after two months. But the old adage “when it rains, it pours” proved to be true (literally) when a massive storm hit in late October at the same time a pipe burst in a main sprinkler system line, leading to the collapse of the roof over the 1970s-era kitchen.
