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
. 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.
The legendary restaurant. My wife grew up with it and when we moved to Columbus after college, she took me there and I fell in love. I regret to this day not visiting more before it closed. Nothing else will ever compare to it.
My parents took us to Kahiki about 1965. It was fabulous. I loved the rain forest side with the thunder and lightning. My favorite dishes were the tangerine sherbert and kapopo (not sure if this is how it was spelled or even if it is the name). Sure wish it was still there. It was my parents go to restaurant for special occasions. I remember there was a ceremony when a certain drink was ordered where a girl would walk slowly to a drum beat and offer it to the Tiki god before delivering it to the table. Last time we went there was 1969 before we moved out of the state. I have told my own kids about it. We never got back there before it closed unfortunately.
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.
The legendary restaurant. My wife grew up with it and when we moved to Columbus after college, she took me there and I fell in love. I regret to this day not visiting more before it closed. Nothing else will ever compare to it.
My parents took us to Kahiki about 1965. It was fabulous. I loved the rain forest side with the thunder and lightning. My favorite dishes were the tangerine sherbert and kapopo (not sure if this is how it was spelled or even if it is the name). Sure wish it was still there. It was my parents go to restaurant for special occasions. I remember there was a ceremony when a certain drink was ordered where a girl would walk slowly to a drum beat and offer it to the Tiki god before delivering it to the table. Last time we went there was 1969 before we moved out of the state. I have told my own kids about it. We never got back there before it closed unfortunately.
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.
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!
I adored this place. We were from eastern Ohio, south of Steubenville, but we occasionally got to Columbus. In the sixties, my parents took us there. In the seventies, as young adults, we made trips to Columbus with friends, just to go the Kahiki. In the eighties, I took my own kids there. In the nineties, I went whenever I was in Columbus on business. In the mid-2000's my daughter moved to Gahana and I was so excited because it was so close to the Kahiki. Then she told me it had closed. The food was good, but the atmosphere has never been equaled by any other restaurant. To me, this was the Red Ryder BB Gun of restaurants. The greatest restaurant I ever went to or will ever go to.
My dad used to be a valet at Kahiki in the 1960s. Back then everyone wore formal attire and it was very classy. Over the years it became more of a family-style restaurant.
My family had numerous birthdays, anniversaries and celebrations there. Any time we had visitors in from out of town we'd take them to Kahiki. My husband and I even had our wedding rehearsal dinner there in 1999.
Like most other locals, we were really sad to see Kahiki go. It was a very special place for us. Thankfully we have some pictures of our fun times there and lots of great memories.
Thanks for sharing the information and photos you have on Kahiki. It was such a unique place and I'll never forget it.
I grew up in Whitehall, the town just east of the railroad line that ran past the Kahiki (the tracks are gone, too). My family only went there a few times when I was a kid. Wish I'd kept the tiki charms they gave out to younger guests.
Sad to say, I didn't stop by as an adult when I had the chance. I couldn't imagine it wouldn't always be there. I used to commute to downtown Columbus by bike and passed it scores of times. Its exterior never failed to impress; the roof line alone was visible for blocks in either direction.
I was living in Cincy during the demolition. I didn't even know about it. The hole it left in the sky is still there. . . .
My parents were invited to the Grand Opening by one of the three original owners who they knew from the Jong Mea. My son refuses to shop at ANY Walgreens to this day. I miss the torches when I drive pass.
When a job transfer put me in Columbus in the autumn of 1999, I leased an apartment not too far from East Broad Street where the Kahiki was located. One day, while checking out the area, I drove past the Kahiki and did a double-take. I immediately turned around, determined to see what exactly this place was all about. As soon as I approached the front door I was in love! I especially enjoyed the Mystery Drink with the long straws and "smoke" coming out of the them. lol
I was shocked and saddened when I found out it was closing in 2000 and going to be razed for a Walgreens, of all all things. I was glad I kept a paper menu and the leis from our visits. I had to be out of town the day they sold things to the pubic so I could not get another souvenir. So sad. So my love affair with Kahiki was brief, but I think of it often.
I'm working on a poetry collection about the Kahiki Supper Club in Columbus, Ohio. Trying to find people who purchased artifacts from the restaurant before it was razed. Please contact me at rikkirs@hotmail.com Thanks.
For anyone interested, the Hills Market in Columbus,OH is hosting a "Kahiki Day" on Saturday, May 1st. Details in the link below. It should be a ton of fun!
I completly agree with PackmanWSU01. I too visisted for birthdays when I was a kid and likewise have since lost a peice of my soul to it's closing. My favorite part was the simulated rain storm that would hit. You would hear a clap of thunder and rain coming down then streams of wated would pour over the windows you were sitting next to. I was quite happy when I seen something opening near Gahanna area but then found out it was just a store for there products and not a reincanation as I had hoped.