MAI-KAI Restaurant and Polynesian Show — Restaurant in Oakland Park

The mighty Mai-Kai is so synonymous with Polynesian pop culture that it is impossible to do a proper review that doesn’t paint it as a mecca for all things Tiki. But that’s the long and short of it. For Tiki connoisseurs and lovers of all things kitsch and fun, the Mai-Kai is the ultimate destination, much like the Sacred Mosque or the Wailing Wall. But why does the Mai-Kai command so much more love and attention than any other Tiki bar or restaurant in the world? That’s tough to answer unless you’ve made the pilgrimage to Fort Lauderdale.

On my most recent visit (my sixth overall), I was instantly greeted by a friendly host at the front desk who took our reservations and told us it would be a short wait before we were seated. Reservations are highly encouraged if you want a good seat for the Polynesian show. We once tried to get in without a reservation and were seated in the gardens until the show started. Not the most ideal situation, but they will find a place for you if there is room.

To the left of the entrance is the Molokai Lounge, a full-service bar built to look like sunken pirate ship. The bar was packed this Friday evening, as was happy hour underway and cocktails were flowing. After a few minutes at the bar and a quick visit to the gift shop (Mai-Kai Aloha shirts were in stock), we were escorted to our seats, located towards the front of the first raised section, center-stage — possibly the best seats I’ve ever had for the Polynesian show. The main seating area is as legit as Tiki gets — dark wood is adorned with darker bamboo and carved Tiki gods punctuate every section. Lighting is simple and you need to squint or use your phone’s flashlight to read the menu, but the atmosphere is second to none.

We started off with cocktails, ordering a Hidden Pearl and Deep-Sea Diver from the medium-strength drink menu. Both libations were flawless, served with a perfect balance of rum and fresh ingredients that left us buzzed enough to forget the outside world, yet sober enough to enjoy dinner and the show. Speaking of the Polynesian show, I’ve been to numerous fire/Aloha/pig roast/Polynesian revues around the world (including Hawaii) and the Mai-Kai’s show is the best. For 45-minutes, the show narrator walked us through dances and cultural traditions particular to the different islands of Polynesia. Every time I see this show it gets bigger, longer and more elaborate, and this year was no exception. The show ended with a ferocious fire dance that’s so intense, you can’t help but wonder what the fire code is like for the place.

Dinner was served during the show and it did not disappoint. I ordered the macadamia nut-encrusted mahi mahi and my wife got the crispy tofu with soba noodles. Both dishes were cooked to perfection, served in decent portions and flavorful. To be clear, the Mai-Kai is not a cheap restaurant. Prices are in line with higher end Tiki establishments like Trader Vic’s and the quality and freshness of the food reflects the prices. The seafood and fresh fish options are my favorite, but I’ve heard high praise for the beef and chicken options, too.

We finished the meal with chocolate mousse pie, which in most restaurants could be a gamble, but we were treated to a decadent dark chocolate delight that was rich without being overly chocolaty. Afterwards, we toured the gardens that engulf the back of the establishment and were transported to a tropical paradise. Winding paths are filled with original Mai-Kai Tiki, as well as some new additions from legendary tribal carvers.

We left before the next show started, taking another quick pass through the gift shop to look at the latest Tiki mugs by Tiki Diablo. It’s next to impossible to describe just how Tiki the Mai-Kai is and that’s not really the goal here. What matters is that the Mai Kai means as much to Tiki culture as Tiki culture means to the Mai Kai — they go hand in hand. Everyone that truly loves Tiki culture must make a trip to Fort Lauderdale and spend an evening at the greatest Tiki bar...

This one is challenging to convey because I genuinely want to acknowledge and emphasize the positives as well as the tremendous effort that has gone into the revamp.

They offer two shows on weekdays and three shows on weekends, with seating tiers priced at $33, $28, and $23, which only cover the cost of the seat itself and nothing more.

We attended two shows within a couple of weeks due to family visiting—one in the daytime and the other at night.

Where should I start?

The breathtaking landscaping surrounding the property is absolutely stunning. The concrete work, stone features, and wooden accents are incredible. The lighting, fire elements, and fountains truly transport you to another world. Exiting the show last night, the windy weather made it feel as though you were on an island. Upon closer inspection of the intricate details, it undoubtedly looks like a Disney design team was involved; no detail was overlooked.

Inside, however, the seating arrangement is quite cramped, with tables placed very close together. Once seated, navigating around can be a challenge if you need to get up. Again, the atmosphere captures the Polynesian essence through the woodwork and lighting. Some of the spotlight fixtures on tables might need adjusting; if you're at a table for 42, it feels like you're onstage. They could benefit from dimmers. I also noticed last night that the cute little lamps with battery-operated lights on each table did little to enhance the ambiance. The bathrooms can get quite crowded after the show.

Now we venture into disappointing territory, which makes you think twice about returning. You might go more frequently if you didn’t feel like you were getting taken advantage of or if it didn’t feel like a Disney resort rip-off.

There’s no denying that they offer a fun selection of tropical cocktails, with a variety that ranges from light to strong. I, along with family and friends, have tried several, and we've all concluded that they contain hardly any alcohol. Essentially, you’re drinking mostly juices and ice. While they are tasty, charging an average of $20 and up for these drinks feels unreasonable. I had a couple of older women with me who don’t drink, and they said they couldn't taste the alcohol at all.

They do have happy hour at the outdoor bar until 7 PM, with all drinks half off, which makes things a bit more reasonable. The wine pour is disappointing too; it looked like a mediocre 5-ounce glass of Cabernet, which adds to the letdown.

Moving on to the food—it’s clear this place is doing well financially, especially after their extensive renovation. Surely, a significant amount of that time, energy, and money went into the menu and the hiring of an executive chef.

Everyone knows about the classic pu pu platter, which costs $28. It comes in a charming little warm bowl with three decent sauces, but you're left with just four small hors d’oeuvres, each different from the other. I've tried both versions of the crab Rangoon since they changed the recipe a few weeks ago, and both have been disappointingly flavorless with minimal filling. The cheese bites were actually better a couple of weeks ago than they were during my last visit. The egg roll was nothing noteworthy, while the bacon-wrapped chicken bites were the highlight of that dish.

If you're going to charge $28 for a small fried platter, it should be memorable and truly exceptional. You can find some of the best Rangoon in Fort Lauderdale at various top-notch Thai and Chinese restaurants—take a culinary tour for some inspiration.

The ribs had a good sauce but were excessively large and fatty. What’s the deal with the calamari rings resembling onion rings? They were lukewarm, the plate was cold, and nobody expects to be served an onion ring when...

I went there on the first week the show started. I must say I am impressed and excited for more changes to come. First off I am speaking from experience as I grew up working and dancing at the Mai-Kai. The nostalgia and ambience is most definitely worth visiting. This restaurant is a landmark in Fort Lauderdale and there is a lot of History there. Research before you go so that you can appreciate it more. Here was our night- We got there 5 min before our 4:15pm reservation on a Saturday night. The valet did great. We did not have to wait long. They are also dressed super cute and matching.

Because the outside bar is NEW we ate there (outside) and we loved it. If you have kids I recommend also sitting outside. Lots of space and the new area is great to explore.

There was 4 of us so we ordered two Pupu platters (egg rolls, cheese tangs, Shanghai chicken, crab Rangoon with the classic dips.... Bbq , hot mustard, sweet and sour sauce) because you HAVE to order it! Brought back so many memories! Tasted great.

We opted for nonalcoholic tropical drinks (left side of menu). There are lots of tropical drinks there so a tip- they are categorized into how strong the drinks are from left to right as you are looking at the menu.

We got there early so it was happy hour and we got 50 % off on our drinks. Tip! If you are going to see the show.... You can bring the second one in show room.

Entrees - we tried the Teriyaki Beef, Chicken Teriyaki, Pad Thai .... All came with rice. It's was good.

All in all about the food .... I know that there will still be changes and improvements to the menu as they just opened. I am hoping for some classics to come back - goat cheese salad, seared tuna, French onion soup, escargot, etc...

The shrimp phyllo .... Keep it! It's super yummy.

The waiter was nice and did his best. I would suggest he explain the menus and drink menus more though but that all comes from more training which I'm sure they will have in the future.

From there I asked Management if there was any extra tables for the show at 7pm and sure enough there was!

We watched the show as we finished our tropical drinks. We ordered two desserts.... A macadamia pie and a flan type dessert with coffee. Our waitress was Lucy whom I have known for years.

The show was awesome. I'm excited to see what else they will be adding on to an already great start to the show. Definitely will be back to find out.

TIPS! If you have down time between dinner and show .... EXPLORE. The restaurant has not opened all of the areas due to construction but they will soon. The places they have opened.... Use your time to look around. There are so many hidden gems.

Each area of the main showroom is named after a different island in Polynesia and decorated as such. The bathrooms itself were restored and the ADA bathroom is beautiful the way they redid it.

The gift shop is behind Tonga section on the rise. Go and shop for some tiki mugs or Mai-Kai merch. They also built a new window that you can see a bar and how they make the drinks. They have never had the bartenders visible before but now you can see them.

Lastly go and check out the Molokai Bar.... Check out the Molokai girls. This area you can sometimes catch the musicians play between shows. Free entertainment while enjoying your drinks.

Take tons of pics all around the restaurant. There are so many great spots for selfies, group pics, and more. Many of the decorations are from the islands and are artifacts and vintage. It's really thoughtfully decorated and designed and even more so now.

The Mai-Kai is Family so I'm happy there were investors that recognized its value and hoping it will be around for another 65...