Idol Worship

Though the Kon Tiki hotel made the most repugnant Blue Hawaiians on God's green Earth, we wept when it was razed in 1993, marking the end -- we thought -- of Phoenix's once-thriving Polynesian-lounge scene. But the stone gods are smiling again thanks to a new generation of retro hipsters...

By Clay McNear

July 19, 2007

[
        {
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Inline Content - Mobile Display Size",
          "component": "18478561",
          "insertPoint": "2",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "2"
        },{
          "name": "Editor Picks",
          "component": "16759093",
          "insertPoint": "4",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "1"
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Air - MediumRectangle - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759092",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 8,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "7",
          "maxInsertions": 25
        },{
          "name": "Inline Links",
          "component": "17980324",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        },{
          "name": "Air - Leaderboard Tower - Combo - Inline Content",
          "component": "16759094",
          "insertPoint": "8th",
          "startingPoint": 12,
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "11",
          "maxInsertions": 24
        }
      ]

Though the Kon Tiki hotel made the most repugnant Blue Hawaiians on God's green Earth, we wept when it was razed in 1993, marking the end -- we thought -- of Phoenix's once-thriving Polynesian-lounge scene. But the stone gods are smiling again thanks to a new generation of retro hipsters hungry for some of that South Seas cheese that Ernest "Don the Beachcomber" Gantt pioneered and Victor "Trader Vic" Bergeron franchised.

Local hipsters hang at Scottsdale's posh new Trader Vic's, The Drift, and Giligin's, and now even Phoenix's Rhythm Room is tentatively dipping its toe into the tiki tide pool with the Surf Rock Tiki Luau Party. Valley bands Surfside IV, The Shadowcasters, and The Swamp Coolers will lay down some bitchin' sounds, and there'll also be tiki art, DJs spinning "vinyl exotica," a live tiki carving, and tropical-drink specials.

KEEP NEW TIMES FREE... Since we started New Times, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Phoenix, and we'd like to keep it that way. Your membership allows us to continue offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food, and culture with no paywalls. You can support us by joining as a member for as little as $1.