09/16/2025
🍹 The Kahiki Supper Club, located in Eastmoor on Broad Street, was one of the largest Polynesian-themed restaurants in the world. The restaurant was unlike anything else in the Columbus and left its mark on generations of people who grew up and lived in Columbus.
More on the history of the Kahiki:
🌺 Post-Fire Reinvention
After their first restaurant, The Grass Shack, burned down in 1959, owners Bill Sapp and Lee Henry invested $1 million to build the Kahiki. It opened in February of 1961.
🏝️ Polynesian Palace Design
At 20,000 sq. ft., it was the largest tiki restaurant in the U.S., seating 500 guests. The dining room featured a 20-foot waterfall, seven Polynesian war canoes, and a rainforest with thunderstorms every 30 minutes (rain included!).
🌧️ Indoor Thunderstorms
The "Rainforest Room" simulated storms every 20 minutes with rain sounds, flashing lights, and mist.
🍹 The Mystery Girl And Over-The-Top Cocktails
Bartenders dazzled guests by pouring flaming liquor into a glass skull’s eye sockets to make the “Mystery Girl” drink. Other cocktails arrived in coconuts or ceramic tiki mugs, which are now collector’s items.
🌟 Celebrity Clientele
The Kahiki hosted stars like Zsa Zsa Gabor, Milton Berle, and Jack Hanna (who held his wedding reception there). Even the King of Tonga dined under its thatched roof.
🐠 Aquarium Dining
Guests could eat beside massive saltwater aquariums housing 100+ tropical fish, including pufferfish and lionfish. The tanks were maintained by a full-time marine biologist.
🏛️ National Recognition
Added to the National Register of Historic Places for its iconic mid-century tiki architecture.
🚧 Closure & Demolition
The Kahiki closed on August 26, 2000, with the property sold to Walgreens. Fans stripped the building for souvenirs, buying everything from tiki mugs to roof thatch. The demolition sparked citywide outrage.
❄️ Frozen Legacy
Before closing, the owners launched Kahiki Foods in 1991, selling frozen versions of their famous egg rolls and entrees. Today, the brand is sold in 15,000+ grocery stores nationwide.
🛒 Acquired by Hormel
Hormel Foods acquired Kahiki Foods in 2018 for $125 million, ensuring its pineapple-glazed meatballs and “Mai Tai Chicken” live on—even if the Moai statues don’t.
🗿 Tiki Remnants
One original Moai statue stands at Tiki Botanicals Lounge in Columbus. The frozen egg rolls remain a cult favorite.
🍜 A Local Family Connection
Jeff Tsao (son of final Kahiki owner Michael Tsao) owns Fukuryu Ramen, which has three locations in central Ohio.
