Polynesian Tiki Bar – Tiki Jo – Postcard Unposted #1

Tiki Jo's in Santa Monica was a popular tiki bar located in the Miramar Hotel (now the Fairmont Miramar) that opened on July 23, 1959 and enjoyed success throughout the 1960s. It featured a tiki carved by Eli Hedley, the grandfather of Bamboo Ben. The bar's interior incorporated various tropical motifs and decor from different regions like the South Pacific, the Philippines, Africa, and Mexico, with elements like bamboo, matting, totem poles, and glass floats. It was also known for its signature dish, curry and for being a hangout spot for celebrities. 

The Miramar Hotel, where Tiki Jo's was located, has a history of its own. The building is a prime example of Spanish Churrigueresque architecture, designed in the mid-1920s by the firm of Morgan, Walls and Clements, and later designated as a Los Angeles Historic-Cultural Monument in 1983. The space previously housed other notable restaurants like the Cafe Opera and the Vagabond's House. 

Tiki culture, which heavily influenced the bar's design, began in the 1930s with the opening of Don the Beachcomber by Donn Beach and is rooted in the romanticized view of the South Pacific, particularly Polynesia, as seen in Hollywood movies and tourism. Tiki Jo’s, with its tropical decor and rum-based cocktails, was a product of this cultural movement.