A Look Back at Chicago’s Vanished Island-Themed Escapes and Their Complicated Legacy
A recent highlight of Chicago’s architectural and social history has brought renewed attention to the city’s bygone era of elaborate, island-themed hospitality. A discussion sparked by the handle @rumormill points to three specific heavyweights of the mid-century “Tiki” craze—Trader Vic’s, Don the Beachcomber, and Kon-Tiki Ports—reminding residents of a time when the Midwest served as an unlikely hub for Polynesian pop culture.
During the mid-20th century, these establishments offered Chicagoans an immersive form of escapism. Don the Beachcomber, originally established by Donn Beach, is historically credited with igniting the genre, introducing the “Rhum Rhapsody” style of mixology and complex faux-tropical environments. Trader Vic’s, which maintained a long-standing residence at the Palmer House Hilton, became an institution for upscale dining and is famously associated with the invention of the Mai Tai. Kon-Tiki Ports, a Steve Crane concept located in the Sheraton Chicago, was perhaps the most theatrically ambitious, featuring distinct rooms designed to replicate various international ports of call with movie-set quality detail.
However, the nostalgia for these “island-themed hangouts” is frequently met with contemporary objections regarding their cultural origins. Anthropologists and cultural critics often characterize the classic Tiki era as a form of “cultural appropriation,” noting that these venues presented a Westernized fantasy that conflated distinct Pacific Island cultures into a commercialized pastiche. The criticism centers on the use of religious iconography and cultural artifacts as mere decor, arguing that the genre historically glossed over the realities of colonialism to provide entertainment for American consumers.
Despite these valid concerns regarding cultural sensitivity and authenticity, the impact of these venues on the culinary and cocktail world remains undeniable. They revolutionized restaurant design, moving away from utilitarian spaces toward “eatertainment” and immersive environments. While the physical locations have long since closed, leaving only photographs and cocktail recipes behind, the debate surrounding them offers a complex view of Chicago’s history—one that balances architectural appreciation with a critical re-examination of how other cultures were represented in the 20th century.
