In 1956, brothers Bob and Jack Thornton took out a hefty loan to build a Polynesian village in the middle of Fort Lauderdale, and somehow it worked spectacularly. The Mai-Kai grossed a million dollars its first year and never really looked back. The place is enormous, multiple dining rooms named for Tahiti, Samoa, Tonga, Hawaii, and beyond, a massive Tahitian canoe strung from the ceiling, tiki torches flaming along a bar constructed from surfboards laid nose to tail. The nightly Islander Revue has been running continuously since opening night. In 2014, the whole thing was added to the National Register of Historic Places. After four years of storm-related closure and a 0 million restoration, it reopened in late 2024. Critiki once named it the best tiki bar in the world. The Beach Bar Bum is not in a position to argue. Order a Mystery Drink and let the torches do the rest.
Thirsty for more? Dive into the Bum’s full guide to the best beach bars in Florida.
