In what amounts to a very expensive but insightful research-and-development project, the owners of the Don the Beachcomber brand have decided not to reopen the namesake restaurant and bar in Madeira Beach, which launched with great fanfare in February but was severely damaged by dual hurricanes that slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast in September and October.
Takeaways from this story
• Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach will be replaced by the Tiki Docks concept. [MORE]
• Brand owner 23 Restaurant Services is accelerating the rollout of Gantt Reserve Collection bars. [MORE]
• A flagship Don the Beachcomber is still on track for Central Florida. [MORE]
• Author plans more Donn Beach books after biography is released. [MORE]
• New custom mugs available in online store. [MORE] Bonus cocktail recipe:Tribute to Marie King’s The Seminole Heights
“There’s no reason to be concerned about the health of the brand moving forward, or whether or not we’re going to opening any more restaurants,” creative director Justin Peterson told a crowd of concerned Tikiphiles at the Inuhele weekender in Atlanta on Jan. 25. “Every project we had in the pipeline is still going forward. On top of that, we have stuff we can’t even talk about today, exciting stuff that is going to blow your mind when we get around to it.”
Peterson and beverage director Marie King broke the news on behalf of parent company 23 Restaurant Services, which added the legendary Tiki concept to its portfolio of a half-dozen brands in 2022. After dispensing with the Madeira Beach update – which Peterson admitted was “a total bummer” – the pair spent the remainder of their 45-minute seminar getting us up to speed on the company’s more positive advancements related to Tiki’s founding father, Donn Beach, aka Don the Beachcomber.
This includes an aggressive rollout of more small cocktail-focused bars in the Gantt Reserve Collection, an umbrella grouping of speakeasies that pay homage to Beach’s given name (Ernest Raymond Gantt). The first, Morgan’s Cove, made its debut in downtown Tampa in July. The next location may open in Plantation, west of Fort Lauderdale, in early 2026. All will have unique names and theming related to their location. Past coverage:Don the Beachcomber launches Morgan’s Cove speakeasy in Tampa
The loss of the Madeira Beach restaurant, which will be replaced by the company’s more streamlined and tropical-themed Tiki Docks, will mean that the company will be without a branded Don the Beachcomber restaurant until what promises to be a spectacular new venue opens in Hamlin, just north of Walt Disney World, in 2026. From all accounts, it will be worth the wait. In the meantime, the pair spoke of keeping the brand in the public eye with pop-up appearances and an impressive array of merchandise.
Don the Beachcomber biographer Tim “Swanky” Glazner (left) joined creative director Justin Peterson and beverage director Marie King for a presentation on the state of the brand at Inuhele in Atlanta. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / Jan. 25, 2025)
Author Tim “Swanky” Glazner, whose long-awaited biography (Searching for Don the Beachcomber) is on track for a fall 2025 release, joined his friends to talk about the book and reassure the Inuhele attendees that Beach’s legacy remains in good hands. “I believe they’re going to do a great job,” Glazner said of not only King and Peterson, but the entire 23 Restaurant Services team.
The presentation was perhaps the most information-packed and definitely produced the most breaking news from the entire event. Inuhele celebrated its sixth gathering of the tribe at a new venue (the Omni hotel) in downtown Atlanta with three days of symposiums, a Tiki marketplace, live entertainment, cocktail and rum tastings, room parties, and much more. A highlight was a luau and live music at another historic Tiki venue, the vintage Trader Vic’s that dates back to 1976. Related coverage:Inuhele, Atlanta grow together into a Tiki powerhouse
Following is a detailed breakdown on what we learned from Peterson, King and Glazner during the symposium. Please note that there are no set dates for any of the upcoming projects, just estimated dates as detailed below. Peterson wanted to make clear that these can change on a daily basis. So temper your expectations, but know that progress is being made.
Riding a wave of success following the February opening of the first of many new Don the Beachcomber restaurants, the team behind the ambitious brand re-launch took the stage at Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando earlier this month to offer a sneak preview of new locations planned for Florida.
The presentation before hundreds of faithful fans gathered in an expansive ballroom at the Caribe Royale Resort did not disappoint, revealing new details about the flagship restaurant that will be built just a stone’s throw from Walt Disney World. Parent company 23 Restaurant Services also broke the news of a new “brand within a brand” dubbed the Gantt Reserve Collection from Don the Beachcomber.
The new Don the Beachcomber bar concept was unveiled at Tiki-a-Go-Go in April 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
This smaller, more bar-centric concept will be rolled out much faster than the 300-seat restaurant in Madeira Beach or the even larger one planned for the Orlando area. If the build-out goes according to plan, guests will be enjoying elevated Don the Beachcomber cocktails at Gantt Reserve Collection bars in Tampa this summer, then Plantation in southeast Florida in the fall.
We also learned that the Don the Beachcomber in Hamlin (opening in summer 2025) will feature not only views of the nightly fireworks at the Magic Kingdom, but also another Gantt Reserve Collection bar tucked inside, speakeasy style. Our full recap below will include details on these projects, new custom mugs, plus more information gathered after Tiki-a-Go-Go.
Justin Peterson (right) introduces the participants in the ‘Don the Beachcomber Returns!” panel at Tiki-a-Go-Go in April 2024. From left: John Mulder, Sven Kirsten, Marc Brown, Marie King, and Tim Glazner. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Don the Beachcomber presentation caps first annual Tiki event in Orlando
The juxtaposition was intentional. The inaugural Tiki-a-Go-Go kicked off April 5 with a panel discussion on the restoration and reopening of The Mai-Kai, Florida’s historic Tiki temple that will soon return from a nearly four-year slumber. The daily programming wrapped up 30 hours later with a presentation on another legendary brand that recently re-launched in the Sunshine State with bold expansion plans.
The April 6 panel Don the Beachcomber Returns! was hosted by 23 Restaurant Services creative director Justin Peterson and featured company President Marc Brown, beverage director Marie King, author Tim “Swanky” Glazner, historian Sven Kirsten, and Eekum Bookum mug master John Mulder.
Before unveiling the news on planned openings, the group discussed the flawless debut of the first new restaurant and bar based on the legacy of Donn Beach, who kick-started the Tiki bar craze in 1932 with his groundbreaking speakeasy in Hollywood, Calif. His influence is still felt today with a new wave of tropical cocktail bars around the world paying him respect, inspiring a new film and upcoming book.
Bartenders set up for the grand opening of the Don the Beachcomber in Madeira Beach on Feb. 23, 2024. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Peterson praised King and Jennifer Paci, director of new restaurant openings, for the smooth debut. “The food and drinks are just immaculate,” he said. He also gave a shout-out to the the artists who built the interior, notably Daniel “Tiki Diablo” Gallardo, Patrick Vassar, Tom Fowner, and Dave “Basement Kahuna” Wolfe.
King said she designed the cocktail menu based on historic Don the Beachcomber recipes, adding her own spin where appropriate: “I had the daunting privilege of re-creating a Don the Beachcomber menu with the mindset of ‘What would Donn do today?’ ” King is a veteran manager and bartender with decades of experience in the California scene, including a stint at the last Don the Beachcomber in Huntington Beach as well as 11 years at the venerable Tonga Hut in Los Angeles and Palm Springs.
Marie King talks about her experience as beverage director for the new Don the Beachcomber restaurants during Tiki-a-Go-Go in Orlando on April 6. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Another hurdle that took King out of her comfort zone was training the large, mostly inexperienced, staff on the nuances of Don the Beachcomber and Tiki culture. “We taught them who Donn was, who Sunny (Sund) was, what the business was, Hawaii, L.A., Chicago, the Mob, everything,” King said.
The training included everyone “from dishwasher to host,” utilizing the systems that Paci and 23 Restaurant Services employ to ensure a well-versed staff. “Everyone you come into contact with has a little bit of knowledge about what the legacy means,” King said. “You as the guests should feel like you’ve just walked into a Don the Beachcomber under their tutelage.”
But King’s most intense training was saved for her young bartenders, who she lovingly calls her “kittens.” She said she spent three days of boot camp “before any other soul walked in the building” with just the bartenders. “We did drills, we did mock service.” The end result speaks for itself, as many have corroborated.
Sven Kirsten speaks during the Don the Beachcomber presentation at Tiki-a-Go-Go about his experience at the new Madeira Beach location. Seated on the panel are Marc Brown (left), Marie King, and Tim Glazner. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward / April 6, 2024)
“I was blown away,” said Kirsten, who visited the Madeira Beach restaurant for the first time just three days earlier. “It’s in a very nondescript building, and in that way it really fulfills the purpose of being an escape. You step from a mundane world into this incredible escapist space.” Kirsten literally wrote the book on this topic. His influential contributions to the culture include The Book of Tiki and Tiki Pop.
Kirsten was also impressed with the packed house and the eclectic crowd, which he said was comprised of many families with “little tykes having a great time.” He added with a laugh: “It wasn’t just you Tiki nerds.”
“That’s what Tiki needs,” he continued. “It needs everybody to get into the act. It was wonderful to see that in Madeira Beach.”
Mulder added to that topic, talking about a recent visit with his granddaughter. She loved the non-alcoholic drinks and the desserts, while he was also enamored by the environment. “The decor is perfect,” said the creator of the signature Legend Returns mug. “It’s really immersive. You really feel like you’re in a Tiki bar. I was really, really impressed.”
An image shared at Tiki-a-Go-Go in April 2024 shows new Rum Barrel mugs from Don the Beachcomber and Tiki Farm. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
Peterson took the opportunity to reveal some new mug designs expected to roll out in Madeira Beach and elsewhere in the coming months. You can also expect to find them in the online store, Shop.DonBeachcomber.com.
By popular demand, the first to arrive will be a classic Rum Barrel mug, currently in production by Tiki Farm. Peterson said they hope to have them in hand by July, just in time for Tiki Oasis.
The creative director also showed off his first Don the Beachcomber mug design, based on his new signature logo of Donn Beach’s profile. He said he wanted it to be different than the other mugs created over the years inspired by Beach’s likeness.
Attendees at the ‘Don the Beachcomber Returns!’ presentation at Tiki-a-Go-Go on April 6 got a peek at Justin Peterson’s concept art for a new mug, along with the sculpt by Tiki Farm. (Photos by Hurricane Hayward)
The audience saw slides featuring Peterson’s conceptual artwork as well as photos of the sculpt created by Tiki Farm. The final glaze will have a matte finish that looks like wood, he said. The lei and flower will be pink and yellow, respectively, and the logo will be white.
Peterson called it “a dream come true to have a mug with my name slapped on the bottom of it,” adding that he’s hoping for a late summer release.
Also touted were several mug collaborations with noted Tiki artists. Big Toe is designing a bowl that Peterson said is as intricate as Mulder’s Legend Returns mug. Mitchell Spain Ceramics, which has perfected a method of creating what looks like rust on ceramics, is making “vintage style tumblers” that may be ready in time for The Hukilau in June. Also in the pipeline is a mug from Taboo Relics, due later this year or early next year.
Renderings, plans for Orlando restaurant revealed
The highlight of the Don the Beachcomber Returns! presentation April 6 at Tiki-a-Go-Go was the discussion and details on the new locations expected to open over the next several years. The excitement level was high, not just because of the historic nature of the news. Many attendees live not far from ground zero of the expansion in Florida.
An updated rendering of the new Don the Beachcomber restaurant planned for the Orlando area, revealed April 6 during a presentation at Tiki-a-Go-Go. (Photo by Hurricane Hayward)
First on the agenda was the previously announced build-out planned for Hamlin Town Center, just north of Disney World, which has moved up on the schedule slightly to summer 2025. “We plan to break ground relatively soon,” said Peterson, the creative director. “When that opens, it will be the crown jewel in our collection.”
