Updated April 20, 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:
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LATEST NEWS BELOW: Mai-Kai cocktails at events near and far, new menus coming soon NEW
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Jump to more news below
• Mai-Kai joins spirits festival, welcomes brands for cocktail and rum tasting events
• New Bora Bora Bar menu just a taste things to come
• Beverage director Cory Starr interviewed on Shift Drink Podcast
• Photos & video: Mai-Kai joins Miami Rum Congress festivities
• Is it 1956 or 2024? Forward-thinking Mai-Kai menus sport retro flair
• Mai-Kai welcomes Cory Starr as new chief mixologist

Mai-Kai cocktails at events near and far, new menus coming soon
Posted April 20, 2025
The first two weeks of April featured a flurry of events for the Mai-Kai bar team, a precursor of more to come this spring. On top of all this activity, beverage director Cory Starr is planning the launch of two new permanent menus.
Starr and his bartenders hit the road in early April for events in south and central Florida, then paid tribute to Mcbiff with a special pop-up menu during the artist’s print-signing event. In May, Starr will be one of the featured bartenders at an inaugural Tiki event in Italy. In June, enthusiasts from around the world will descend on South Florida and the Mai-Kai for The Hukilau, the long-running Tiki weekender hosted at a nearby beachfront resort.

Following is a rundown on all the events, past and future. After that are details on the new after-dinner and bar menus in the works.
Starr and the Mai-Kai participated in the Pinko de Mayo charity event on Thursday, April 3, at Cielo Farms in Southwest Ranches, a Broward County town about 25 miles to the southwest. The event raises money for the foundation that supports women through breast cancer, survivorship, surveillance and prevention. The Mai-Kai served three cocktails, Starr said, including several featuring sponsor spirits.
Guests enjoyed a Mai Tai with Planteray Rum and a Saturn with Citadelle Gin, similar to the drinks featured at the Tropical Spirts Festival after party on March 9. The third was a very untraditional Western Sour that Starr said was more “Jet Pilot-esque with guava.” The result was a pink cocktail that fit the theme, along with the other two. The event also featured the debut of the Mai-Kai’s new portable, traveling bar.

Mai-Kai joins top Florida bars at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando
Quickly becoming one of the must-do events on the Tiki events calendar, Tiki-a-Go-Go is a three-day gathering at the Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando. The second annual festival – held Thursday-Sunday, April 4-6 – featured symposiums and classes, live music and entertainment, artists and vendors, plus more.
Live coverage: Photos and video from Tiki-a-Go-Go
One of the major attractions is the lineup of cocktail bars and bartenders who serve hundreds of thirsty guests from pop-up bars throughout the weekend. Beverage director Cory Starr was joined by bartenders Michael DeMahy and Joey Sunshine, making their debut as a team at a major Tiki event.
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