The famous landmark restaurant Mai Kai in Fort Lauderdale is coming back!
Lovers of tiki culture rejoice! The South Florida tiki institution, Mai-Kai Restaurant, recently announced it will be soon reopening to the public.
The Thornton family, owners of the Mai-Kai, shared an exciting message earlier last week on Facebook announcing the restaurant’s reopening following a year of closure:
“To our loyal customers and supporters,” started off the announcement. “We’re grateful and excited to share some big news about the future of the Mai-Kai. Yes…the Mai-Kai will reopen!”
For the reopening, the Thornton family has teamed up with development company Barlington Group and Mad Room Hospitality, the proprietors of Ball and Chain in Little Havana and Los Altos, to bring the Mai-Kai back to its former glory.
The Mai Kai, which is now on the National Register of Historic Places, first opened in 1956 and quickly became an institution of Tiki culture in South Florida. The restaurant had entertained locals and tourists alike with its Polynesian music and dancing and its popular rum drinks until October of last year when it was forced to close in October of 2020 after a burst pipe damaged most of its kitchen.
Earlier in January, the restaurant was put up for sale much to the dismay of many, however, it sounds like Mai-Kai fans can rest easy now. The reopening date has not been announced yet, but by the sounds of it, when it does open again it’ll be better and bigger than ever.”We’re excited to bring back the Mai-Kai better than ever before — and for you to be a special part of it! Aloha and see you soon.”