Category: Cocktails

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Event preview: Inuhele, Atlanta grow together into a Tiki powerhouse

Event preview: Inuhele and Atlanta grow together into a Tiki powerhouse

From humble beginnings, Inuhele: Atlanta’s Tiki Weekend has risen to become one of the must-visit events of the year for tikiphiles, an alternative to the many summer events and an eclectic mix of modern and vintage art, music and culture. The sixth annual weekender returns Jan 24-26 at the downtown Omni hotel, with Saturday night’s luau and live music at the historic Trader Vic’s nearby.
See below:
• Take 5: Q&A with co-founder and organizer Jonathan Chaffin
• Mai-Kai seminar, more event highlights | Daily schedule

Artist Derek Yaniger and some of the official mugs at Inuhele 2023. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward) Artist Derek Yaniger and some of the official mugs at Inuhele 2023. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

Jan 24-26 – Inuhele: Atlanta’s Tiki Weekend at the Omni Atlanta Hotel at Centennial Olympic Park and Trader Vic’s. Featuring expert symposiums, artists and vendor marketplace, live music and entertainment, authentic luau, rum and cocktail tastings, plus more.
Quick link: Get your tickets now

Advance sales end Wednesday (Jan. 15) at 11:59 p.m., so don’t miss out. Weekend passes, priced at $225, may be available at the event if any remain. Day passes won’t be sold. Save $50 in advance when you order a standard pass ($175) online, which includes entry to the vendor hall; panels all weekend; live contests, bands and shows; live demos; the Big Uke Jam, Caftan Strut, Swizzle Swap, and more. Already sold out is the VIP pass, which includes entry to Thursday’s welcome party, early entry to the vending hall, a ticket to the Saturday night luau, a VIP swag bag, plus other VIP events.

What started as a bus tour of the city’s vibrant home Tiki bars in 2018 has evolved into a full-blown convention-style event in a city known for its pop-culture conventions. Like many of those fan-centric gatherings, Inuhele puts guests and VIPs into the same immersive fishbowl together. Like other Tiki conventions, the atmosphere is based on a shared love of Polyesian Pop art and culture.

The annual Swizzle Swap, as seen in 2023, is a staple at Inuhele. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward) The annual Swizzle Swap, as seen in 2023, is a staple at Inuhele. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Inuhele has relocated to the Omni after one year at the Marriott Century Center and the past four years at the Atlanta Sheraton Downtown. Located in the heart of the Centennial Park District (built for the 1996 Olympics), the hotel is also adjacent to State Farm Arena and the Georgia World Congress Center. In addition to skyline views, guests can enjoy many nearby attractions (World of Coca Cola, Georgia Aquarium, Center for Civil and Human Rights, Center for Puppetry Arts). The pet-friendly hotel also boasts a heated pool, fitness center, plus three restaurants.

It’s just 1.3 miles to the Hilton Atlanta and its famous subterranean Trader Vic’s, est. 1976. One of the last remaining restaurants built during the lifetime of company founder Victor Bergeron, the vintage space is notable for its decor and artwork, which remain relatively unchanged after nearly 50 years.
• Venerable Trader Vic’s brand marks 90 years with a return to its roots

The Frigidaires from Atlanta will perform Saturday night at Trader Vic's. (Official photo) The Frigidaires from Atlanta will perform Saturday night at Trader Vic’s. (Official photo)

Check out our interview below with Jonathan Chaffin, who founded Inuhele with his wife, Allison. Together, they also run Horror In Clay, producing horror-themed Tiki mugs, barware, art, and accessories. The couple likes to keep the event very much a family-run passion project, and it shows. Their self-funded FlipKat Productions depends on ticket sales to pay for the event, along with a growing list of sponsors.

Event sponsors for 2025 include Trader Vic’s, Don the Beachcomber; The Bamboo Room Tiki Bar; Tiki Underground; The Luau Lads and Lark’s Head Rum; Spiribam (Chairman’s Reserve, Rhum J.M, Clement Rhum); Tandauy Rum; Bacardi (Bacardi Ocho, Santa Teresa 1796, Havana Club); Hilton Head Distillery; BG Reynolds Cocktail Syrups; Tip Top Cocktails, Fresca Mixed; Cerveza Pacifico beer; Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Co.; Black Lagoon Coffee; and Uke Republic.

Take 5 with Jonathan Chaffin

With minimal editing for space and clarity, here’s an insightful Q&A with the co-founder of Inuhele.

Jonathan Chaffin with Hurricane Hayward at Inuhele 2023. (Atomic Grog photos) Jonathan Chaffin with Hurricane Hayward at Inuhele 2023. (Atomic Grog photos)

Question: This will be the sixth Inuhele weekender. How do you think the event and the Atlanta Tiki scene have evolved since the first event in 2019?

Continue reading “Event preview: Inuhele, Atlanta grow together into a Tiki powerhouse”

Minimalist Tiki
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Iconic restaurants revived: Don the Beachcomber, Mai-Kai, Trader Vic’s are top Tiki stories of 2024

Iconic restaurants revived: Don the Beachcomber, Mai-Kai, Trader Vic's are top Tiki stories of 2024

Annual retrospectives always include some bittersweet news alongside the happy achievements, and 2024 was no different. We sadly said farewell to some legends as well as a few beloved watering holes. But there was much to celebrate as new Tiki establishments opened and events were launched. The good certainly overshadowed the bad at the top of the list. Three major storylines dominated the year in Tiki, and we’re happy to report that 2025 promises to be even better for three iconic names that are poised for their biggest years in recent history.
Related: The Year in Tiki 2024: A look back at the top events in photos, video
Bonus cocktail recipe: The Dirty Banana by Mike “Jetsetter” Jones

1. (TIE) CLASSIC TIKI REBORN: The Mai-Kai reopens after $20M restoration, Don the Beachcomber brand resurrected in Florida

The Mai-Kai and Don the Beachcomber

It was impossible to choose one of these two highly significant events as the top story of the year, so we’re declaring it a tie. The importance of both cannot be understated. When all is said and done, this may qualify as the top story of the decade. Imagine a future without the Mai-Kai, and Don the Beachcomber just a figure in books and movies.

In mid-2021, we were still mired in the pandemic, the Mai-Kai had been closed for nearly a year and had yet to find new owners, and we had no clue that the historic Don the Beachcomber name had been acquired by a little-known restaurant group from Tampa.

By September of that year, the Mai-Kai was sold two a new ownership group, becoming the No. 2 story of the year. In 2022, the historic South Florida restaurant was in the midst of a multi-year, multimillion-dollar reimagination that grabbed the No. 5 slot. By 2023, Don the Beachcomber grabbed headlines (and the No. 2 top story) with an ambitious announcement of a revival of the brand by 23 Restaurant Services. The massive Mai-Kai renovation efforts, which we documented in great detail, was No. 4.

LIVE COVERAGE & REVIEW: Don the Beachcomber grand opening in Florida is a smashing success
Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach was the first location to open as part of a planned national rollout of the iconic brand. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

Which brings us to 2024, when both stories deservedly bolted to the top slot. Don the Beachcomber made news first, opening its first new restaurant Feb. 23 in Madeira Beach on Florida’s southern Gulf Coast. The full-service restaurant, located on the ground floor of the Cambria Hotel just blocks from the beach, was designed by Daniel “Tiki Diablo” Gallardo and a crew of artists and craftspeople. The cocktails are in the highly capable hands of beverage director Marie King.
• Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber grand opening in Florida is a smashing success

In April, the team behind the ambitious brand re-launch took the stage at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando to offer a sneak preview of new locations planned for Florida, plus a new “brand within a brand” called the Gantt Reserve Collection from Don the Beachcomber. These smaller, speakeasy-style venues will allow the company to more swiftly expand. While the next large restaurant – a flagship location just north of Disney World in Central Florida – isn’t expected until at least 2025, the company was able to turn the key on its first cocktail-centric bar just three months later.
• Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber announces new bar concept, upcoming locations in Florida

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Don the Beachcomber launches Morgan's Cove speakeasy in Tampa
Morgan’s Cove in Tampa is the first Gantt Reserve Collection bar from Don the Beachcomber. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

Morgan’s Cove, featuring a whimsical seafaring design executed perfectly by Gallardo and his team, swung open its secret door on July 18 on downtown Tampa’s Morgan Street. The city’s long history of pirate lore makes the theme a perfect fit. King rose to the challenge with a menu of elevated classic cocktails and unique takes on Donn Beach’s vision.
• Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber launches Morgan’s Cove speakeasy in Tampa

All that momentum came to a crashing halt in September. Hurricane Helene slammed the Gulf Coast, causing extensive damage to many homes and businesses, including Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach. The restaurant has not yet reopened, but an official statement in December promised a return in early 2025. We look forward to the reopening, along with other new Don the Beachcomber venues coming soon.

Don the Beachcomber restaurants: Official website | Online store | Facebook | Instagram | Morgan’s Cove on Instagram

Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025
• Previous coverage: Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025

Meanwhile on Florida’s southeast coast just north of Fort Lauderdale, work was progressing on the Mai-Kai, built in 1956 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2014. It closed in late October 2020 after a roof collapse took out the 1970s-era kitchen and revealed an aging structure in need of a lot of TLC. And, it turns out, even more money and time than projected. Luckily, the new ownership group led by historic preservationist Bill Fuller of Miami’s Barlington Group has deep pockets and even more patience.

Far from your typical restaurant restoration, this project demanded a high level of expertise. Creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller rose to the challenge, joined by a team of artists and longtime manager Kern Mattei. The excitement level started to build in June, when guests of The Hukilau received exclusive tours of some of the newly restored areas, including the Molokai Bar and showroom.
• Previous coverage: Inside the Molokai Bar and tour of the Mai-Kai restoration

The Mai-Kai showroom comes back to life during the grand reopening on Nov. 21. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The Mai-Kai showroom comes back to life during the grand reopening on Nov. 21. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

With a fall reopening in sight, hiring began in August, including performers for a rebooted version of the Polynesian Islander Revue, the oldest continually-running authentic South Seas stage show in the United States (including Hawaii). In September, Cory Starr (formerly of Tiki Tatsu-Ya in Austin and Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago) was named beverage director, overseeing one of Tiki’s most storied bar programs.
• Previous coverage: Mai-Kai welcomes Cory Starr as new chief mixologist

Even the parking lot received a creative makeover. Designed by the architects at Orlando’s Perry-Becker Design, whose resume includes Disney’s Polynesian Village Resort, the arrival experience became totally immersive with new waterfalls, lush foliage and a simulated volcanic caldera. The old porte-cochère was reimagined into the Bora Bora Bar with outdoor seating and another layer of story-telling for guests to enjoy.

The big day finally arrived on Nov. 15, when the bars reopened for a series of sneak preview events. On Nov. 21, a special grand reopening ceremony featured show performers and local politicians, who joined Fuller in officially opening the doors and enjoying the debut performance of the new Polynesian review, led by cultural arts & entertainment director Teuruhei Kalaniu’i Buchin.
• Previous coverage: Latest news and exclusive coverage of the Mai-Kai reopening

The Mai-Kai's outdoor Tiki garden reopened for the 68th anniversary on Dec. 28. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The Mai-Kai’s outdoor Tiki garden reopened for the 68th anniversary on Dec. 28. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

The Mai-Kai has been open every day since regular service began Nov. 26, including a 68th anniversary celebration on Dec. 28. The building and grounds look fantastic, but the $20 million project is far from complete. The expansive Tiki garden reopened for the anniversary, and several rear dining rooms are still being renovated. Allsmiller has more tricks up his sleeve as his work continues in 2025, but don’t hesitate to make a pilgrimage to Tiki’s mecca, a Polynesian paradise that defied the odds and returned bigger and better than ever in 2024.

More Atomic Grog coverage
• Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair
• Answers to frequently asked questions about the grand reopening

The Mai-Kai: Official website | Facebook page | Instagram
Facebook group: Friends of the Mai-Kai

Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening
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.

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2. THE DONN OF TIKI: Fans flock to premieres, boost film’s profile

The Donn of Tiki

The godfather of Tiki, Don the Beachcomber (aka Donn Beach), finally got his due in 2024 with the long-awaited public debut of The Donn of Tiki on the film festival circuit in April. By the end of the year, it had made the rounds at more than a half-dozen events and garnered numerous awards. In September, Kickstarter contributors were able to screen the movie at home.

Continue reading “Iconic restaurants revived: Don the Beachcomber, Mai-Kai, Trader Vic’s are top Tiki stories of 2024”

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Cocktail recipe: Set sail for a potent holiday adventure with the Atomic Navy Nog

Cocktail recipe: Set sail for a potent holiday adventure with the Atomic Navy Nog

There’s nothing more ubiquitous during the Christmas season than a traditional eggnog, whether its a non-alcoholic version for the whole family or a boozy variation featuring whiskey, rum and/or brandy. It’s hard to mess up this holiday standard if you know what you’re doing, so we saw no need to weigh in with a unique recipe of our own. Until now.

Jeff "Beachbum" Berry serves up a tasty nog at Sippin' Santa. (Official photo)
Jeff “Beachbum” Berry serves up a tasty nog at Sippin’ Santa. (Official photo)

Over the past decade or so, we’ve tasted some excellent examples of modern nogs at the annual Miracle and Sippin’ Santa pop-up bars. In general, the craft cocktail revival has raised the bar on this formerly cringey classic that was more often served out of a carton.

Esteemed author and barkeep Jeffrey Morgenthaler is widely credited with championing eggnog with a craft cocktail slant, leading to a plethora of modern recipes. The recent explosion of local Christmas pop-ups that followed in Miracle’s wake has made the options even more plentiful.

But even in its most elevated form, eggnog is not typically a showcase for bold and aggressive rums. Kevin Crossman’s Ultimate Egg Nog is solid, but it splits the base with bourbon. Inspired by Derek Cole’s Tiki Eggnog, updated this year on his Make and Drink channel on YouTube, I sought to lean into the Tiki spices but also bring to the table the most flavor-packed (and potent) rum(s) in a classic eggnog format.

Hamilton Beachbum Berry's Navy Grog Blend (114 proof) and Planteray Mister Fogg Navy Rum (111.4 proof) are robust and flavorful mixing rums. (Official photos)
Hamilton Beachbum Berry’s Navy Grog Blend (114 proof) and Planteray Mister Fogg Navy Rum (111.4 proof) are robust and flavorful mixing rums. (Official photos)

The result is the Atomic Navy Nog, featuring not one but two Navy-style rums that have been calling my name since their release. Both Beachbum Berry’s Navy Grog Blend from Hamilton Rum and Mister Fogg Navy Rum from Planteray are outstanding mixing rums that deserve a lot more use beyond the namesake Navy Grog.

You could easily use one bottle or the other in this recipe if that’s all you have, but the 50/50 blend is surprisingly not too muddled or muted. In the Don the Beachcomber tradition, two rums are indeed better than one, even if they already are complex three- and four-country blends. To complete the link back to Donn Beach, I tried to employ some of his other favorite ingredients (cinnamon syrup, Gardenia Mix) to give the nog some depth of flavor beyond the rum.

The result, I hope, is a spicy and rummy eggnog that retains its classic form but gives rum and Tiki aficionados an extra special treat.

Continue reading “Cocktail recipe: Set sail for a potent holiday adventure with the Atomic Navy Nog”

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Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025

Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025

This year has been significant for the Tiki and Polynesian Pop scene in the Sunshine State for both its ups and downs. Luckily, the high points have been more plentiful than the lows with 2024 marked by the arrival of the first new Don the Beachcomber restaurant in decades, the debut of the Tiki-a-Go-Go event, and the triumphant return of the Mai-Kai.
NEW: Iconic restaurants revived: Don the Beachcomber, Mai-Kai, Trader Vic’s are top Tiki stories of 2024

The calm before the storms: The Don the Beachcomber crew, including Justin Peterson (left) and Marie King (right), at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando in April 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The calm before the storms: The Don the Beachcomber crew, including Justin Peterson (left) and Marie King (right), at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando in April 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

But in true Tiki fashion, there’s always a little bittersweet that goes into any potent cocktail. In this historic year, that meant a tumultuous hurricane season that wreaked havoc on the Gulf Coast, leading to the temporary closing of Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach, and heavy damage elsewhere.

Tiki bars feel the brunt of the storms
• Don the Beachcomber: Down but not out
• The Honu: Turbulent season takes its toll
• Bar Tiki: Weeks of closures but miraculously unscathed

But resilience is a hallmark of the southernmost mainland state, and we’re happy to report that this year’s hurricane season did not deliver a knockout punch. To the contrary, many of those affected by the storms have emerged stronger than ever, poised for an even more memorable 2025.

The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season was an extremely active and devastating one, reportedly the second-costliest on record with more than $220 billion in damage. Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida: Debby (Aug. 5), Helene (Sept. 26), and Milton (Oct. 10). The category 1 Debby brought heavy rain, flooding and widespread power outages to Florida’s Big Bend, but it was just a hint at what was still to come.

Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida in 2024.
Three hurricanes made landfall in Florida in 2024.

Jump to more below
• Florida Tiki spotlighted in Exotica Moderne magazine
Bonus cocktail recipe: Hurricane Dunder

The category 4 Helene caused widespread damage from the Gulf Coast to North Carolina. It was the deadliest hurricane to affect the continental U.S. since Katrina in 2005, with more than 150 deaths. In Florida, the storm cut a path of destruction from Naples and Fort Myers through Sarasota, Tampa and all the way to Tallahassee.

The category 3 Milton brought significant damage with a destructive storm surge resulting in many homes and businesses damaged. Milton’s impact still lingers with debris clean-ups across Central Florida and residents near bodies of water still dealing with flooding, according to Orlando’s WESH 2.

Hurricanes Helene and Milton both severely impacted Florida's Gulf Coast and beyond.
Hurricanes Helene and Milton both severely impacted Florida’s Gulf Coast and beyond.

Our deepest condolences to everyone impacted by this year’s calamitous tropical weather, especially those who lost loved ones. This story is intended as snapshot of how several of Florida’s most high-profile Tiki establishments were impacted and how they pulled through in a time of crisis.

As my story in the current issue of Exotica Moderne shows, we’re all looking forward to a fresh start in 2025 as we build a bigger and better Tiki community. Check our Tiki Times guide for the latest event announcements and follow our continuing coverage on the blog all year.

Continue reading “Florida Tiki weathers an unwelcome 2024 hurricane season, poised for promising 2025”

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Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair

Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair

Updated Jan. 19

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.
January 2025 update: Tiki gardens and new dining options open as Mai-Kai menus get a refresh NEW

Jump to more below
• The cocktail menu: Welcome back to paradise, 1950s style
• The food menus: A modern take with traditions intact
• The cannibal trio: Mai-Kai’s signature iconography

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)
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.

Much of the interior looks as good as it has since a 1970 expansion project that marked the last major design overhaul. For this, we can thank creative director “Typhoon Tommy” Allsmiller and his team of artists, including Scott “Flounder” Scheidly, Tom Fowner, and Conrad Teheiura Itchener.
• Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive

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 breaking news on what’s coming next.

More Atomic Grog coverage
• Mai-Kai timeline, 1956-2024: Iconic restaurant marks 68 years of Polynesian Pop history
• Mai-Kai grand reopening 2024: Answers to frequently asked questions
• Latest news and exclusive coverage of the Mai-Kai reopening

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)
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 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 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)
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.).

Continue reading “Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair”

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The Mai-Kai welcomes Cory Starr as new chief mixologist in advance of grand reopening

The Mai-Kai welcomes Cory Starr as new chief mixologist in advance of grand reopening

Updated Dec. 5, 2024

The revered cocktail program at the Mai-Kai is in experienced and enthusiastic hands as the historic restaurant prepares for its grand reopening in November. The new beverage director and head bartender is Cory Starr, most recently general manager and beverage director at the acclaimed Tiki Tatsu-Ya in Austin, and before that a key member of the team at Three Dots and a Dash in Chicago.

Cory Starr, the Mai-Kai's new beverage director and head bartender, in the restored Molokai Bar in October 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Cory Starr, the Mai-Kai’s new beverage director and head bartender, in the restored Molokai Bar in October 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

Jump to more below
• Take 5: Q&A with Cory Starr
• Bonus cocktail recipe: One Way Ticket

While Starr is used to creating unique offerings at his previous gigs, he’s equally excited about the challenge that lies ahead. “I feel a great responsibility for maintaining the standards of the past,” he said in an interview with The Atomic Grog just after his arrival.

Starr worked at Tiki Tatsu-Ya from 2019 until September 2023, creating the cocktail program from the ground-up before the spectacularly immersive restaurant opened in September 2021. Prior to that, he bartended at the Spirited Award-winning Three Dots and a Dash from 2015 to 2019, often joining beverage director Kevin Beary at events across the country.

The Arizona native cut his teeth as a tropical bartender at the Four Seasons Resort Hualalai on Hawaii’s Kona Coast from 2011 to 2015. Starr was also invited to compete twice (2018 and 2019) in the prestigious Don the Beachcomber Mai Tai Festival at the Royal Kona Resort (finishing second and third). His time in Hawaii cemented is love for Tiki culture and launched him on a trajectory that has taken him to one of the most legendary Polynesian restaurants of the mid-20th century.

Cory Starr behind the bar at Tiki Tatsu-Ya in Austin, September 2023. (Photo: RaeAnn Serra / Starchefs.com)
Cory Starr behind the bar at Tiki Tatsu-Ya in Austin, September 2023. (Photo: RaeAnn Serra / Starchefs.com)

More Atomic Grog coverage
• Mai-Kai timeline, 1956-2024: Iconic restaurant marks 68 years of Polynesian Pop history NEW
• Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair
• Mai-Kai grand reopening 2024: Answers to frequently asked questions
UPDATES: Latest news and exclusive coverage of the Mai-Kai reopening in 2024
Mai-Kai Restoration & Reopening: Full story and photo archive

At 40, Starr brings to the Mai-Kai a youthful energy, but also vast experience with high-level and high-volume cocktail programs. This will all serve him well in re-establishing the storied bar program begun by Don the Beachcomber alum Mariano Licudine in 1956. Most of the restaurant’s historic cocktails remain the same as they were when the “Houdini of the Liquids” retired in 1979.

“Stepping into this role is unlike anything I have done before,” Starr said. “While Tiki cocktails have so much history tied to them already, the Mai Kai drinks are legendary and my job here is more preserving history and bridging the gap from the Mai Kai that we all adore to the new era of the Mai Kai.”

Continue reading “The Mai-Kai welcomes Cory Starr as new chief mixologist in advance of grand reopening”

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PHOTOS, REVIEW: Trader Vic’s blends pre-Tiki vibe with contemporary cocktails at new Bamboo Room in South Beach

Trader Vic's blends pre-Tiki vibe with contemporary cocktails at new Bamboo Room in South Beach

It took 90 years for Trader Vic’s to make it to trendy South Beach, but the new Bamboo Room concept could be the right bar in the right place at the right time.

See more below
• The space | The cocktails | Updated menu, more
Exclusive: Q&A with Trader Vic’s CEO Rhett Rosen
Bonus cocktail recipe: Suffering Bastard

With a capacity of 50, Bamboo Room by Trader Vic's is a small and elegant space that blends in perfectly with the Esmé Hotel and glamorous South Beach. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Sept. 15, 2024)
With a capacity of 50, Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s is a small and elegant space that blends in perfectly with the Esmé Hotel and glamorous South Beach. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Sept. 15, 2024)

Tucked into the newly renovated 1920s era Esmé Hotel Miami Beach, the speakeasy-style craft cocktail bar is stylistically a throwback to the pre-Tiki, post-Prohibition early days of founder Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron.

In fact, the Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s, as it’s officially known, is a callback to a tropical space inside Bergeron’s original Hinky Dinks restaurant in Oakland, Calif., circa 1934. Soon after, the Trader Vic’s brand took the world by storm as a dynamic Polynesian restaurant and bar concept, expanding globally as interest in South Seas exoticism dominated the pop culture consciousness in the mid 20th century.

Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group remains a venerable force worldwide with 25 locations in 11 countries. To augment the flagship brand, new concepts are positioned to expand the Trader Vic’s name into previously untapped markets and remain relevant in the 21st century.

PREVIEW: Trader Vic’s launches new Bamboo Room concept in South Beach

A bartender pours an inventive new cocktail (The Park Lane) while a Latin jazz band performs in the intimate Bamboo Room by Trader Vic's on Sept. 15. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
A bartender pours an inventive new cocktail (The Park Lane) while a Latin jazz band performs in the intimate Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s on Sept. 15. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

In making upscale South Beach the first location of the new Bamboo Room concept, the hospitality group is returning to its roots as a luxury brand. This is a far cry from the previous branded bar and restaurant in Florida, the middle-of-the-road Trader Vic’s Island Bar & Grille in Sarasota (2010-2013).

Opening with a menu of just seven cocktails priced at $20-$25 would be risky just about anywhere else. But in one of the world’s top hospitality markets, it’s more like a Bam Adebayo slam dunk. One of the Miami Heat star’s predecessors, Chris Bosh, owned a lavish mansion just up the road that sold for a cool $38.5 million in 2022.

Let’s just hope potential guests have the willingness to seek it out, then appreciate the craft and care that went into both the space and its inventive cocktails. I will recommend it to anyone who lives in the area or visits for any reason, such as a show or event at the nearby Miami Beach Convention Center and Fillmore Miami Beach Theater.

Look for the small sign next to the entrance to Bamboo Room by Trader Vic's inside the Esmé Hotel Miami Beach. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Sept. 15, 2024)
Look for the small sign next to the entrance to Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s inside the Esmé Hotel Miami Beach. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Sept. 15, 2024)

Following is a full recap of my visit at the end of the opening weekend on Sunday, Sept. 15. As I sampled my way through the menu, I was privileged to meet and talk with two Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group executives who were in town for the opening. This story includes insights from both CEO Rhett Rosen and vice president of operations Raquel Rodriguez.

Beyond the Bamboo Room, I gained a new understanding of the Trader Vic’s brand, including exclusive details on an upcoming location planned for Hawaii, the first ever 100% company-approved outpost in the South Pacific. Also featured below is a Q&A with Rosen just before the opening.

Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s – 1438 Washington Ave. in the Esmé Hotel Miami Beach, (305) 809-8050. Open seven days from 5:30 p.m.
• BambooRoomMia.com | Instagram | Esméhotel.com
• TraderVics.com | Instagram | Facebook

The space: From 1920s gambling den to exotic cocktail lair

The entrance to the Esmé Hotel Miami Beach on Washington Avenue. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Sept. 15, 2024)
The entrance to the Esmé Hotel Miami Beach on Washington Avenue. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Sept. 15, 2024)

Esmé is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of South Beach at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Espanola Way (see map), a historic former artist colony that dates back to 1925. The cluster of buildings was transformed into a hotel in 2021 after a $40 million renovation by Infinity Hospitality Group. It quickly became a stylish destination listed in the Michelin Guide.

The hotel offers valet parking, or you can find multiple public garages within a short walking distance. I found a reasonable rate at a garage on 16th Street, a 5-minute walk away. Your GPS or rideshare may drop you off at the hotel’s valet stand and understated entry facade, where there is no mention of bars or restaurants within, but don’t fret.

Simply enter the lobby area and take in the neo-Spanish-Mediterranean vibe as you proceed along the red carpet through this small building and the double doors at the end of the hall. This will lead you into a quaint outdoor courtyard and building painted with striking green and white stripes. That’s your destination, as the small green sign near the door will confirm.

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PREVIEW: Trader Vic’s launches new Bamboo Room concept in South Beach

Trader Vic's launches new Bamboo Room concept in South Beach

The venerable Trader Vic’s brand is returning to Florida for the first time in more than a decade with a new concept that promises an intimate and sophisticated cocktail experience. Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s opens Friday (Sept. 13) in a luxury boutique hotel in South Beach.

PHOTOS, REVIEW: Trader Vic’s blends pre-Tiki vibe with contemporary cocktails at new Bamboo Room in South Beach

Bamboo Room by Trader Vic's

Billed as a “lush, tranquil oasis” that “embraces the essence of escapism and indulgence,” the 1,000-square-foot, 50-seat bar in the Esmé Miami Beach Hotel will be a far different animal than the last Trader Vic’s concept in Florida. Trader Vic’s Island Bar & Grille, located in an old R.J. Gator’s restaurant space in Sarasota, closed in 2013 after 3 1/2 years in business.

“We’ve long dreamed of bringing the Bamboo Room to life, and when the opportunity arose to partner with the Esmé Miami Beach Hotel, we knew it was the perfect match,” Rhett Rosen, CEO of Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group, was quoted as saying. “With the rich history of both our brands, this collaboration offers a unique experience that we’re thrilled to share with the Miami community.”

Rosen is no stranger to the Sunshine State. He’s a Florida native who earned a degree in marketing and business administration from the University of Central Florida. He received a doctorate from the Shepard Broad Law Center at Nova Southeastern University in Davie, not far from the new Bamboo Room.

Bamboo Room by Trader Vic's is an intimate space in the Esmé Miami Beach Hotel. (Official photo)
Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s is an intimate space in the Esmé Miami Beach Hotel. (Official photo)

The Bamboo Room is one of several new concepts listed on the Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group website. The pioneering Polynesian restaurant chain, founded by Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron in California in 1934, recently celebrated its 90th anniversary with a weekend of events at its flagship location in Emeryville, Calif., (open since 1972).

The hospitality group, formerly known as Trader Vic’s Worldwide, has for decades sought to expand the scope of its offerings beyond the traditional Tiki-centric restaurants by touting its “fusion flavors, tropical vibes, and Mai Tais.”

Bergeron famously created the iconic cocktail in 1944, and the “Trader Vic’s Original Mai Tai” remains a signature at most of the locations around the world. Successful expansion has recently been limited mainly to the Middle East.

With the Bamboo Room concept, Trader Vic’s appears to be embracing a more streamlined approach, similar to how Don the Beachcomber plans to roll out smaller Gantt Reserve Collection bars. Seeking an insider’s view, we sought out one of the Tiki scene’s foremost experts on Trader Vic’s (and the Mai Tai).

Bamboo Room promo photos featured on the Trader Vic's Hospitality Group website.
Bamboo Room promo photos featured on the Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group website.

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Preview and recipes: Book reveals long-lost secrets and stories of P/Fassionola

Preview and recipes: Book reveals long-lost secrets and stories of P/Fassionola

A much-anticipated book dedicated to unraveling the enigmatic history of “the taste thrill of the century” has been welcomed with open arms by the Tiki community and beyond, quenching our insatiable thirst for esoteric topics. Not to mention tasty tropical cocktails.

The softcover and hardback editions of "Fassionola: The Torrid Story of Cocktails' Most Mysterious Ingredient" during the special April pre-release at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
The softcover and hardback editions of “Fassionola: The Torrid Story of Cocktails’ Most Mysterious Ingredient” during the special April pre-release at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)

So what is this taste thrill that caused so much intrigue? Rum? Bitters? Pineapple or some other exotic tropical fruit? Not quite, but close. Of course, we’re talking about Fassionola: The Torrid Story of Cocktails’ Most Mysterious Ingredient, researched and written by Gregorio Pantoja and Martin S. Lindsay.

More below: Read Hurricane Hayward’s foreword to the book
• New Passionola syrup follows historic recipe

The authors not only dug up the complete story of a unique product that was in danger of becoming a footnote in 20th century mixology, they also uncovered the original “P/Fassionola” formula from the 1930s and have begun releasing it to the public with the help of noted mixologist Daniel “Doc” Parks.

Fassionola: The Torrid Story of Cocktails' Most Mysterious Ingredient

The 288-page book, self-published by the authors, is loaded with historic photos and images plus more than 100 recipes. Among these are many unpublished classics as well as new drinks by some of today’s top cocktail creators. This includes an exclusive new tribute to a Mai-Kai cocktail that had previously not been posted on The Atomic Grog blog.

After a late 2023 digital release, hard copies became available in late spring and can be purchased at Shop.ClassicSanDiego.com in both softcover and limited-edition hardback signed by the authors and Parks.

Bonus cocktail recipes below
• Mona Punch (Don the Beachcomber)
• 151 Tribute Swizzle No. 5 (Vatos Who Tiki)
• Mission Valley Daiquiri (The Atomic Grog) NEW
See also: Sidewinder’s Fang (Mai-Kai tribute) | Once A Villager (Doc Parks)

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We’ll get into more details below, but first let’s set the stage with the foreword I contributed to the book.

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PHOTOS & VIDEO: Don the Beachcomber launches Morgan’s Cove speakeasy in Tampa

PHOTOS & VIDEO: Don the Beachcomber launches Morgan's Cove speakeasy in Tampa

The revival of the iconic Don the Beachcomber brand has entered a new chapter with the opening of the first Gantt Reserve Collection bar in downtown Tampa. A sneak preview of the Morgan’s Cove speakeasy was held July 13, with the official public opening announced July 18. The hidden door swings open daily at 4 p.m.

Don the Beachcomber presents Morgan's Cove

More below: Speakeasy celebrates Tampa’s pirate past
LIVE REVIEW: The experience | The cocktails | The menu

Tampa-based 23 Restaurant Services launched its first Don the Beachcomber venue in February in nearby Madeira Beach, a full-service 250-seat restaurant with South Seas decor and many traditional Tiki flourishes. It’s tucked into the Cambria Hotel, just a few blocks from picturesque Gulf of Mexico beaches in tourist-friendly southwest Florida.
* Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber grand opening in Florida is a smashing success

Another large restaurant – considered to be the brand’s flagship – is in the works for Hamlin, near Disney World in Central Florida. This ambitious, ground-up buildout is not expected to be finished until next summer. Other restaurant locations are planned, but in an effort to expand the brand in a quicker (and less costly) manner, 23 Restaurant Services announced a creative new “brand within a brand” concept in April.
* Previous coverage: Don the Beachcomber announces new bar concept, three upcoming locations in Florida

The revival of the Don the Beachcomber restaurant concept was kicked off in Madeira Beach in February 2024 by 23 Restaurant Services. (Official photos)
The revival of the Don the Beachcomber restaurant concept was kicked off in Madeira Beach in February 2024 by 23 Restaurant Services. (Official photos)

Gantt Reserve Collection bars will be much smaller, concentrating on elevated cocktails and immersive decor. The themes will vary based on location, but all will try to maintain the high standards established by Donn Beach (born Ernest Raymond Gantt), when he created the world’s first Tiki bar as a speakeasy in 1932.

Indeed, it didn’t take long to get Morgan’s Cove up and running in just three months after the announcement. There are many reasons for this, which we’ll detail below. The next Gantt Reserve Collection bar won’t be open until early 2025.

Marc Brown, president of 23 Restaurant Services, says he hopes to open the yet-to-be-named speakeasy-style bar in February in a space adjacent to the company’s Ford’s Garage restaurant in Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale. There will also be a speakeasy located inside the Hamlin restaurant, a tribute to Donn Beach’s original Dagger Bar.
* Previous coverage: Upcoming South Florida location uncovered

Marc Brown (left), the 23 Restaurant Services president, welcomes designer Daniel "Tiki Diablo" Gallardo to the sneak preview party on July 13. Gallardo and his team created a spectacularly immersive space. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
Marc Brown (left), the 23 Restaurant Services president, welcomes designer Daniel “Tiki Diablo” Gallardo to the sneak preview party on July 13. Gallardo and his team created a spectacularly immersive space. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)

We were privileged to attend a sneak preview of the Tampa bar on July 13. Mahalo to Brown and his team for the exquisite hospitality. Following is a comprehensive recap.

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