Kahiki Supper Club is a legend in the tiki world � a massive polynesian palace in the frozen land of Columbus, Ohio. Kahiki founders Bill Sapp and Lee Henry started work on the Kahiki after their bar, the Grass Shack, burned down on this site in 1959. Sadly, I never got to see Kahiki, it closed in 2000. The Kahiki's building was a classic example of midcentury polynesian pop architecture, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997. Despite this, Walgreen's purchased the building and bulldozed it. The Kahiki company now is focused on selling a line of frozen foods.

Some of the interior decor had been stored in a warehouse, and there was talk of the restaurant reopening in a new location. The potential for that seems to have ended: some of the decor was installed in the frozen food factory; the Kahiki's last owner, Michael Tsao, has died; and many of the remaining artifacts appear to have been sold at auctions.

However, the Kahiki has not entirely died... in 2006, former employees opened a new restaurant in a strip mall in nearby Hilliard, called Tropical Bistro

history

Tropical Bistro

Hilliard, OH

Bar & Restaurant

7.7

. It doesn't have the Kahiki's grand looks (much of the decor comes from the space's earlier, typical Chinese buffet incarnation), but the food and drink recipes remain the same, and drinks are served in tiki mugs.

Comments

MelloMan

MelloMan has visited Kahiki Supper Club.

June 24, 2018, 12:12 PM

When I was 12 or 13 years old I worked all summer painting street addresses on curbs to save money for a date. Then I had my older brother rent a limo for me and took a girl on my first date - it was to Kahiki. I had almost forgotten about it until I was 30 and realized how much either that love for the magic of tiki was in me to start or shaped me for the future.

bdeconnick

bdeconnick has visited Kahiki Supper Club.

February 21, 2018, 10:05 AM

I went to the Kahiki on Sept 10, 1970 for my 21st birthday. Went other times too, but I remember this date. It was special.

NicholasB

NicholasB has visited Kahiki Supper Club.

July 5, 2017, 3:30 PM

Wow, Thanks for this great site. My grandmother used to take me to Kahiki in the 1980's. I loved the place. You might mention that at that time it also featured thunder sound effects, simulated lightning, a restaurant length fish tank on the left hand side and a bird-filled "tropical rainforest" on the right. I used to always want to site on the side with the birds and the rain that used to come down the glass. For a kid it was magical! I am 41 now and tell my daughter and wife about the place and the great memories I had from the place. Thank you so much for keeping this up. I never know what happened to it until I saw your site. Thank you!

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