Walking into the Kahiki Supper Club felt less like entering a restaurant and more like stepping into another world. Back in 2000, you were greeted by giant Moai statues, waterfalls, tropical plants, flickering torches, and one of the most unforgettable examples of tiki architecture ever built. It wasn't just dinner—it was an experience. 03-01
Here's a view of the exterior
of the Kahiki
Columbus, OH Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
The Kahiki opened in 1961 and quickly became one of America's premier Polynesian-themed restaurants. Designed with a soaring A-frame roof that resembled a South Seas meeting house, the massive building became impossible to miss along East Broad Street. Inside, guests wandered through a tropical fantasy complete with lagoons filled with fish, lush landscaping, bamboo, carved tiki figures, and a towering stone Moai fireplace that anchored the dining room.
Long before you reached the front door, though, the Kahiki was already making an impression. Its freestanding roadside marquee featured towering carved tiki figures and tropical styling that hinted at what waited inside. It wasn't just a sign advertising a restaurant—it was the beginning of the adventure.
The building itself looked unlike anything else in Columbus. The enormous peaked roof soared nearly forty feet into the air, creating the illusion of an oversized Polynesian meeting house rising from the middle of the city. Even from a distance, there was no mistaking what it was.
As the sun went down, the Kahiki became even more dramatic. The glowing marquee, flaming torches, illuminated waterfalls, and warm lighting transformed the restaurant into something that looked more like a movie set than a supper club. It was one of those places that practically demanded a nighttime visit.
Close up of the roofline
Columbus, OH Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
Every detail was carefully planned. Massive carved tikis watched over the entrances, tropical landscaping softened the edges of the building, and winding pathways led guests toward the front doors. Instead of simply walking into a restaurant, visitors felt as though they were leaving Ohio behind and stepping onto a South Pacific island.
Even today, it's difficult to think of another roadside restaurant that embraced themed architecture on such a grand scale. The Kahiki wasn't satisfied with adding a few decorations to the dining room—it created an entire environment. From the marquee out front to the smallest carvings inside, everything worked together to transport guests somewhere else for a few hours.
The Kahiki Marquee
Columbus, OH Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
Part of the fun was that every visit felt like a little adventure. Flaming drinks arrived with plenty of fanfare, waterfalls echoed throughout the building, and the famous "Mystery Drink" was announced with the ringing of a giant gong before being delivered to the table. Even people who came for the first time usually left talking as much about the atmosphere as the food.
By the 1990s, the Kahiki had become one of the country's most celebrated surviving tiki restaurants. It earned a place on the National Register of Historic Places in 1997, recognizing not only its unique architecture but also its importance to America's mid-century fascination with Polynesian culture.
Sadly, historic recognition wasn't enough to save it. The Kahiki closed on August 26, 2000, and demolition began just a few months later to make room for a Walgreens. Few losses have hit roadside enthusiasts quite as hard. Replacing one of the country's greatest themed restaurants with another chain drugstore was a difficult trade to accept.
The Entrance
Columbus, OH Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
This would be the view for visitors about to walk through the front of this tiki gem. Usually they would come with an empty stomach and equally empty bladder. Check out the tikis in front. You can't get more authentic than this. With the loss of the Kahiki, the USA and not just Columbus, OH lost a bit of its history.
UPDATE: According to the Kahiki website, the Kahiki is a producer today providing foods for supermarkets and stores. 04-08
Kahiki Supper Club
Columbus, OH Postcard courtesy Michael Sekeres
UPDATE: Here's a postcard image of the Kahiki from back in its heyday. Again, this place was such a gem back when it around. Just imagine how fantastic it looked at night. The outside and inside is a lost treasure. Many thanks to Michael Sekeres for update. 02-09
The tiki front
Columbus, OH Photo courtesy Dirk Burhans
Fortunately, not everything was lost. Many of the restaurant's menus, mugs, carvings, and other artifacts found their way into museums and private collections, helping preserve a small piece of the Kahiki's legacy. One of the original entrance Moai statues was even restored and placed back on public display in 2025, giving longtime fans another chance to see one of the restaurant's most recognizable features.
UPDATE: The Kahiki Supper Club is gone, and the site is now occupied by a Walgreens. Thankfully, several artifacts were preserved, the Kahiki name lives on through the frozen food company it inspired, and memories of this remarkable restaurant continue to grow with each passing year. It's a shame future generations won't have the chance to experience it in person. 07-26
The remarkable Kahiki
Supper Club in Columbus, Ohio is threatened to be demolished and turned
into a Walgreen drugstore. To help save this treasure from becoming the
next entrant into "Where Are They Now", the Kahiki needs your
support!
Please click on this website http://savethekahiki.bizland.com/
(site no longer active) for more details.
Many thanks to Nathalie Wright of the Society of Commercial Archeology
for this information.
Here's a view of the exterior
of the Kahiki
"Easter Island" statues
Close up of the roofline
The Kahiki Marquee
The Entrance
The tiki front
