As we jump into 2025, let’s pause for just a second to look back at 2024, which by any standard was an INCREDIBLY important tiki year! It’s gonna be hard to top, actually….We know that everyone has their most-remembered event, their most-remembered drink, their most-remembered bar, their most-remembered [fill in the blank]. We get it. But in the mix of our choices, we tried to capture some of the biggest, most memorable moments that almost everyone can agree on. And by the way, one of these events isn’t necessarily a great thing (number 8), although it’s a tribute to a great person. So, grab your favorite libation, and let’s take a short spin down the 2024 Tiki Trail. Here’s our Top 10 BIGGEST Tiki Moments of 2024.
1. The mighty Mai-Kai re-opens in Ft. Lauderdale, FL!
It’s not hard to argue that the biggest tiki moment of 2024 was the re-opening of the beloved MAI-KAI, Ft. Lauderdale’s iconic Restaurant and Polynesian Show! Back in early 2021, we reported that the last-remaining grand Tiki Palace was closed and in danger of never opening again. The restaurant, which opened in 1956 and is on the National Register of Historic Places, closed in late October 2020 after a flood damaged the kitchen. It was put up for sale in January 2021. At that time, the Thornton family, owners of the property, put out a statement that included the following: “As you know, like the entire restaurant industry, covid had a devastating effect on the Mai-Kai. Add on a water pipe burst in our kitchen ceiling causing catastrophic damage. These combined events caused our family to go out into the market and seek a partner, while ensuring that the legacy of the Mai-Kai can live on.” Fast forward to November 2024, and the grand ole Mai-Kai swung open its doors once again, thanks to a $20 million refurbishment… and we all rejoiced and checked our calendars for the next time we could hightail it down to Ft. Lauderdale.
2. The Donn of Tiki documentary premieres.
Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, i.e. Don the Beachcomber—the man who brought Tiki culture to the states—finally got his Hollywood moment (again, since his first tropical restaurant and bar was on Hollywood Blvd.), as a documentary about his life and lore premiered. First, The Donn of Tiki premiered during the Florida Film Festival at the Enzian Theatre in Maitland, FL, April 13 and 18, with directors Alex Lamb and Max Well in attendance for a Q&A. Then, on June 28, it screened at the Dances with Films festival in Hollywood, Calif., with a massive tiki crowd (were you there?). The screening was so successful, that a second night was added.
3. Trader Vic’s announces a return to Los Angeles!
The eponymous Trader Vic arrived at the Beverly Hilton in 1955 with a massive restaurant and dinner show and quickly became a Hollywood and Southern California mainstay, hosting some of the biggest celebs and Polynesian fans the world over. But after 52 years, Trader Vic’s closed its Beverly Hills flagship outpost in 2007, leaving a gigantic hole in the tiki-loving heart of Southern California. But according to LA Magazine, the legendary TRADER VIC’s is coming back to Los Angeles, opening up a flagship restaurant and tiki bar in West Hollywood in 2025, located in a century-old brick building at 9091 Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood. The full classic Trader’s menu is returning, along with live music, tiki mugs and everything else!
4. The Revival of the Don the Beachcomber brand across Florida!
It’s impossible to discuss the history of tiki without mentioning Don the Beachcomber, the brand most associated with Donn Beach, the man credited with creating the Polynesian-themed mixology movement that fills our mugs today. With both a movie (The Donn of Tik,) and a book (Searching for Don the Beachcomber) in the works, the time is perfect for a revival of this storied brand, and that’s exactly what’s happening. In February 2024, the company called 23 Restaurant Services reintroduced Don the Beachcomber on the first floor of the Cambria Hotel in Madeira Beach, FL. And before we worry too much about Don’s beloved brand being mishandled, we can rest assured that the new owners are doing things right. For example, the new director of beverage for 23 Restaurant Services is Marie King, former general manager of the wonderful Tonga Hut in Los Angeles. She was part of the team that ran the Huntington Beach location, so the drink legacy is in good hands. The next location is scheduled for Hamlin (just north of Disney World in Winter Garden’s Horizon West), in the Hamlin Town Center in fall 2025. We hope to be there!
5. First-ever Tiki-a-Go-Go launches in Orlando, Florida, April 5-7.
Okay, okay, so with the re-opening of the Mighty Mai-Kai, and the re-emergence of the Don the Beachcomber brand across the state, is it any wonder that Florida is quickly joining California as tiki royalty? And to prove that point, this past year a brand-new tiki weekender launched in Orlando and lured luminaries from across the Polynesian Pop playground. Tiki-a-Go-Go arrived as a new premiere tiki destination, quickly selling out. And what’s so special about this new event? As detailed in Jim “Hurricane” Hayword’s article in Issue 25 of Exotica Moderne, “What sets Tiki-a-Go-Go apart is its prime location near the Orlando theme parks,” including the magisterial Polynesian Village resort at Walt Disney World (with the ever-popular Trader Sam’s Grog Grotto tiki bar), and the Enchanted Tiki Room at Magic Kingdom. But also, Tiki-a-Go-Go was the go-to place for updates about the then not-yet-opened Mai-Kai, and the quickly expanding Don the Beachcomber brand. Organizers Mary & Jason Wescoat and Jenna & Jose Villasana have created something pretty unique—a weekender that caters to family travelers.
6. Tiki Caliente in Palm Springs celebrated 15 years!
Here at The Tiki Freaks, we’re kind of partial to the annual TIKI CALIENTE weekender in Palm Springs. We love the location at the tiki-themed Caliente Tropics Resort. We love the town of Palm Springs, one of the early incubators of tropical-themed dining and drinks. But most of all, we really love hanging out with Rory Snyder, and attending his events. Rory has an infectious spirit that keeps the party going. And this year, this cool “intimate” tiki weekender celebrated its 15th year! With three tiki bars within walking distance (including the onsite The Reef), Tiki Caliente is the perfect reason to head to the desert and chill out.
7. EXOTIKON in Los Angeles hosted the SVEN KIRSTEN ROAST!
In its second year, Los Angeles’ EXOTIKON proved the right mix of both big and intimate events. Organizer Jordan Recheik, of Peekaboo Gallery, made sure this second year of the event was honed perfectly for maximum effect. And even though the Mayan theater provided a great backdrop for a day of cool large-scale programming, for our money, the biggest cultural moment came at the SVEN KIRSTEN roast, a private event held at the famous Tonga Hut in North Hollywood. For those who may not know, Sven is a cinematographer, photographer, and author who has written five books about tiki, his most recent being Palm Springs Tiki: Polynesia in the Desert. But it was his first book, The Book of Tiki, published in 2000, that is credited with helping to re-ignite the current tiki renaissance we are now enjoying. As a living legend in the Polynesian pop movement, his roast was a celebration that all Southern California tiki-philes were clamoring to attend.
8. Robert Van Oosting passed away in October.
On October 13, 2024, we lost one of the true pioneers of tiki culture, Robert (Bob) Van Oosting. Together with his partner Leroy Schmaltz, Robert co-founded the world-famous Oceanic Arts, the world’s largest supplier of tropical and Polynesian decor. They literally outfitted the world with tiki’s finest carvings and designs, supplying the tropical décor for installations around the world, from displays of thousands of Pink Murex Shells for the Pago Pago Intercontinental Hotel in American Samoa, to Outrigger Canoes for the King of Bahrain. One of their big early projects is when Oceanic Arts supplied all of the décor for Walt Disney World’s Polynesian Village Resort Hotel. Oceanic Arts closed its doors in 2021 with a multi-day grand flourish of dinners, programs, and an auction of the many artistic creations. And even though both Robert and Leroy have passed, their memory and influence will far outlive us all.
9. Tiki turned 90 Years Old!
Tiki and Polynesian pop culture celebrated 90 years in 2024. In 1934, Donn Beach opened his first bar and restaurant in Hollywood, California, and named it “Don the Beachcomber.” This establishment would become the epicenter of tiki culture, introducing Americans to exotic cocktails and a romanticized vision of the South Seas. After the great wars, servicemen returning from their deployment in the Pacific Theater had memories of the beautiful and exotic locations, and yearned for a bit of that escapism closer to home, thus creating a desire for the mid-century tiki style. All these years later, and long after that first restaurant opened its doors, we’re still chasing escapism within our faux Polynesian environments, drinking tropical drinks, and hoping that someday we’ll be able to “leave it all behind” and live out our days in paradise. Until then… we’ve got tiki!
10. I FINALLY Got My Plaque for the Loyal Order of The Drooling Bastard at Tonga Hut!
Okay, okay, this last one is decidedly personal…. but it made for one of the best moments of 2024 for me. The Tonga Hut is L.A.’s oldest continuously running Tiki Bar, and they have this loyalty program that’s a lot of fun. Drink all 78 Tiki drinks from Jeff Beachbum Berry’s Grog Log in 1 year at the Tonga Hut and become a member of The Loyal Order of The Drooling Bastard! The Order is named after the Drooling Bastard water fountain inside the restaurant, the unofficial mascot of Tonga Hut. Once you’re a member, you get to create a cool plaque and have it hung inside the bar for all to see. Me and my two drinking buddies, Cheeseman in Paradise and Captain Nemo (Luke and Bill), finished the Grog Log in 2023… and then Luke and Bill had their plaques created and hung up in 2023…. For me, though, it took a bit longer, but FINALLY, in December of 2024, I received my awesome plaque from my friend Mel. It was an awesome night… you can see my plaque in the photo above. For me, it was the perfect ending to a pretty amazing year in tiki!
