Mai-Kai: History and Mystery of the Iconic Tiki Restaurant

Quintessential Mai-Kai Book (the only really!) Time did a great job, the archival photos are awesome. Love the inside "stories"!. Five Stars Paulie Mendonca Highly recommended for Tiki enthusiasts.. Beautifully illustrated with historic photos and ephemera Beautifully illustrated with historic photos and ephemera, an exhaustive historical look back at the grandest surviving Tiki temple of them all - the Mai Kai.

It now stands as the lone preserved testament to the golden era of the Tiki restaurant and bar. My family has been steering the Mai-Kai for more than 60 years and we are glad he is telling the world how special this place truly is. He has created something we can all be proud of. Whether it's mixing a perfect tropical drink while wearing a cabana outfit or overseeing the precise production of replica Mai-Kai mugs, Swanky is a stylish fixture of the Tiki scene. Swanky has been a huge supporter and friend for over a decade. And if you then share the results of that passion, its energy will transfer on the recipients of your work: Any true labor of l

Focusing on the period 1955 to 1971, it is the story of how the Mai-Kai and its iconic elements came to exist, and the men and women who shaped it and went on to shape the world. The Mai-Kai became the playground of celebrities and playboys, and the beautiful women working there used it as a jumping-off point for adventure and fame. In 1956, a few brash young men created the Mai-Kai Restaurant and bar in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, by poaching key staff from Don the Beachcomber's, a Polynesian-themed Chicago restaurant. Through first-hand stories and more than 400 images, this book documents the history, allure, and enduring legacy of the mid-twentieth-century Tiki era. Now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, Mai-Kai is the only place on earth that still serves the "Rum Rhapsodies" that kicked off that indulgent era.