The Lush, Intoxicating Bubble Known as the Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show is Almost Ready for Reopening
The iconic Oakland Park restaurant is set to reopen on November 1, nearly four years after a burst kitchen sprinkler pipe caused significant damage, nearly wiping out the business.
A New Era for the Mai-Kai
Mai-Kai developer Bill Fuller describes the restaurant’s reopening as a new era, with a $17.5 million facelift that includes a brand-new, A-frame roof, a rebuilt Molokai Bar, new banquet spaces, and fresh landscaping designed by a team of Disney and Universal Orlando imagineers.
A Polynesian Paradise
The 489-seat tiki paradise will reopen with a Polynesian theme, featuring a lush jungle of subtropical plants, a volcano caldera sculpture at the entrance, and a rebuilt Molokai Bar. The restaurant’s nightly dinner shows will feature fire-knife dancing and live Polynesian music, with a lineup of 24 performers connected to Polynesian culture.
The Creative Vision of "Typhoon" Tommy Allsmiller
Typhoon Tommy Allsmiller, the creative director behind the Mai-Kai’s redesign, has a personal connection to the restaurant, having exchanged vows with his wife onstage in 2020, one of the final weddings before the pandemic and the roof cave-in. Allsmiller is proud to have brought the old girl back to her original glory, saying, "When I first started, it was falling apart and in disrepair, so I’m really proud to bring the old girl back to her original glory. We just gave her another 68 years of life."
The Mai-Kai’s New Entertainment Director
Teuruhei KalaniuĘ»i Buchin, the new entertainment director, is of Hawaiian and Tahitian descent and has performed in Polynesian dance troupes since turning professional at age 11. She has assembled a lineup of 24 performers connected to Polynesian culture, including Mireille Thornton, the widow of Mai-Kai cofounder Bob Thornton, and the great-grandchildren of Merehau Tekurio, who designed the Mai-Kai’s original tropical gardens.
The Restaurant’s New Additions
The Mai-Kai’s new features include a bridge leading from Federal Highway into the property lined in coconut palms and clusia plants, a new gift shop called the Mai-Kai Trading Post, and more than 250 Polynesian and Tahitian lamps restored and retrofitted with new lighting. The restaurant’s new service bar, visible through a porthole in the gift shop, is also a notable addition, offering customers a glimpse into the mixing of cocktails by five bartenders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When does the Mai-Kai reopen?
A: The Mai-Kai reopens on November 1.
Q: What are the new features of the Mai-Kai?
A: The Mai-Kai features a brand-new, A-frame roof, a rebuilt Molokai Bar, new banquet spaces, and fresh landscaping designed by Disney and Universal Orlando imagineers.
Q: Who is the creative director behind the Mai-Kai’s redesign?
A: Typhoon Tommy Allsmiller is the creative director behind the Mai-Kai’s redesign.
Q: What is the new entertainment director’s background?
A: Teuruhei Kalaniuʻi Buchin is the new entertainment director, with a background in Polynesian dance troupes and a connection to Polynesian culture.
Q: What is the address of the Mai-Kai?
A: The Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show is located at 3599 N. Federal Highway, Oakland Park.
