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

7.5

. 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

TikiKenobi

TikiKenobi has visited Kahiki Supper Club.

August 2, 2019, 6:54 PM

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.

codykaty

August 27, 2018, 5:30 AM

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.

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.

View all 14 comments