Tiki bar posts pineapple cocktails

An X post on May 23 circulated photos of pineapple-garnished cocktails, indoor waterfalls and neon-lit tropical décor from what appears to be the Mai-Kai, a long-running Polynesian restaurant and bar in Fort Lauderdale. The post described the venue as giving off “1960s vibes,” a characterization that matches the restaurant’s midcentury roots and its heavily preserved tiki aesthetic. Public listings and the venue’s own website identify Mai-Kai as a South Florida destination with waterfalls, lagoons, gardens and multiple bars. ### Which bar does the post appear to show? Mai-Kai’s official website lists the restaurant at 3599 N. Federal Highway in Fort Lauderdale and says it has operated “since 1956.” The site markets the property as a “South Seas hideaway” and highlights tiki cocktails, entertainment and a long-running themed dining experience. OpenTable’s current listing for Mai-Kai says the venue “authentically recreates a Polynesian Village” with tiki torches, a thatch roof, tropical gardens, giant tiki sculptures, lagoons and waterfalls. (maikai.com) Those details line up with the visual cues described in the social post, including the water features and retro tropical setting. ### Why are people calling it a 1960s-style spot? (maikai.com) Mai-Kai opened in 1956, according to both the restaurant website and third-party listings. That places the venue squarely in the postwar tiki era that shaped many U.S. Polynesian-themed restaurants and cocktail bars. Florida Rambler reported that the restaurant closed for four years after water damage and reopened in 2024 following a renovation costing more than $20 million. (opentable.com) The publication said the project kept the historic interior while redesigning outdoor areas and preserving the show-driven, old-school atmosphere that has long defined the property. (maikai.com) ### What stands out in the drinks and décor? Mai-Kai’s website says guests can expect “renowned Tiki cocktails,” while Florida Rambler reported that mixologists there prepare more than 50 specialty drinks. The same report said the current menu includes both updated drinks and Mai-Kai classics, many of them rum-forward. OpenTable’s listing describes the restaurant as known for “creative cocktails,” and Florida Rambler said happy hour includes half-priced exotic cocktails from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. (floridarambler.com) Pineapple garnishes and elaborate presentation fit the style the venue promotes across its dining and bar experience, though the social post itself is what specifically showed pineapple-topped drinks. (maikai.com) ### Is it just a bar, or more of a dinner-and-show destination? OpenTable says standard reservations are for non-show dining only and directs guests to Mai-Kai’s website for the Polynesian show. The listing also says the venue features the “Islander revue,” with Hawaiian dance and Samoan fire knife performance. Florida Rambler reported that performers from Hawaii, Tahiti, New Zealand, the Philippines and Samoa appear in the current revue. (opentable.com) That helps explain why social clips from the property often focus as much on the setting and spectacle as on the drinks. ### What can someone book now? Mai-Kai’s website says its current hours are 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. (opentable.com) Monday through Friday, 1 p.m. to midnight on Saturday, and noon to 10 p.m. on Sunday. The site also advertises happy hour at the Molokai Bar and Bora Bora Bar from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. daily. OpenTable shows current dinner reservations for the Fort Lauderdale address, while the venue’s website directs guests to book the show separately. (floridarambler.com) For anyone trying to identify the place featured in the May 23 post, those live booking pages are the clearest public references for the property now operating in South Florida. (maikai.com)