3 Unique Mai Tais to Try in Honolulu
And a brief history on this tiki cocktail commonly associated with the Islands.
Mention a mai tai and people might think of dimly lit bars adorned with tiki torches and wooden masks, or maybe people lounging under swaying palms sipping cocktails garnished with tiny umbrellas.
No matter the specific imagery, when most people think of mai tais they also think of Hawai‘i. And while the mai tai didn’t originate here, the two are undeniably interwoven.
Enjoying a mai tai in Waikīkī.
Photo: Getty Images/yuruphoto
A Brief History of the Mai Tai: A Tiki Staple
Trader Vic (Victor J. Bergeron Jr.) crafted the first mai tai at his Oakland restaurant for friends from Tahiti. The story goes that after tasting it they exclaimed “Maita‘i roa a‘e!” translating roughly to “the best” or “very good” and thus a shortened version, “mai tai,” became the name for his new tiki cocktail.
His original version, commonly referred to as Trader Vic’s 1944 Mai Tai, featured a hefty portion of aged Jamaican rum mingled with a smaller balanced mix of orgeat, orange curaçao, sugar syrup and lime juice.
Bergeron’s recipe and version of how the mai tai came to be is widely considered the famous cocktail’s authentic origin story, but it wasn’t always so. The mai tai’s true beginning was the subject of a long-standing dispute between Bergeron and Ernest Gantt (aka Don the Beachcomber)—both of whom are considered the founders of tiki culture.
Gantt is credited with establishing the first tiki restaurant in Hollywood in 1934, with Bergeron’s own tiki bar opening shortly after, and both men created hundreds of unique tiki drinks over the years, frequently including many of the same ingredients. As the mai tai grew in popularity Gantt himself—and many others—claimed he had actually created an earlier version of the cocktail that inspired Bergeron, even though Gantt’s drink included dramatically different ingredients like grapefruit juice, absinthe and Angostura bitters.
Although both of the rivaling restaurateurs popularized the tiki concept of drinks and décor, it was Trader Vic who first brought the mai tai to Hawai‘i, where it was acclaimed around the world. It’s no surprise that the mai tai flourished in the Islands as much of tiki culture itself is largely inspired by Polynesia.
Tiki cocktail culture has slipped into and out of the mainstream since its beginnings in the 1930s, but the mai tai has remained a staple in Hawai‘i since Bergeron brought it here in the early 1950s. Now the Hawai‘i-style mai tai has taken on a life of its own—from bars that simply mix spiced rum with tropical juices and top it with a dark rum float, to others that carefully craft their own recipes often with a topping of foam or their own macadamia nut rims.
There’s no shortage of places to go for an amazing mai tai on O‘ahu, from Duke’s Waikīkī, known for its tiki-style glass and, of course, heavy dark rum float, to Monkeypod Kitchen, with its liliko‘i foam-topped version, to the classic Mai Tai Bar at the Royal Hawaiian Hotel—the first Island home of Trader Vic’s cocktail and where the Hawaiian version was born.
All of these restaurants are worthy stops on any mai tai tour, but here are three newer spots on O‘ahu where you can savor quality unique mai tais while also soaking in some Island ambience.
Bar Leather Apron
E Ho‘o Pau Mai Tai.
Photo: Courtesy of Bar Leather Apron
Bar Leather Apron, opened by Justin Park and Tom Park (business partners of no relation) in Downtown Honolulu, has received multiple accolades, including most recently the prestigious James Beard Award for outstanding bar. The intimate space’s leather furnishings and polished wood create a moody vibe.
Here, three-time Big Island mai tai competition winner Justin Park serves his 2015 winning recipe: Raisin-infused rum, spiced orgeat and vanilla are just three of the ingredients used to create his E Ho‘o Pau Mai Tai, a smoky, spiced libation that his fans say is incomparable. It’s not just the distinct flavors that make it spectacular, it’s also the presentation. A tiki head spills out kiawe wood smoke and lifts to reveal the drink beneath, garnished with a singular orange-peel zest.
This distinguished bar accepts walk-ins but is often fully booked. So if you’d like to experience this award-winning cocktail, be sure to make a reservation online.
745 Fort St., #127A, Downtown Honolulu, barleatherapron.com, @barleatherapron
Skull & Crown Trading Co.
‘Awa‘awa Mai Tai (left), Dagger Mai Tai (right).
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Located in Honolulu’s Chinatown, this traditional tiki bar has Polynesian-inspired décor with a dark twist. Fishing nets, skulls and treasure maps line the walls and ceilings; at times you feel as if you’re sipping cocktails on the deck of Blackbeard’s ship. This bar not only delivers on ambience but has an extensive list of signature and classic tiki cocktails to choose from, including three kinds of mai tais.
Its ‘Awa‘awa Mai Tai has a refreshing agricole rum base with a strong and lingering Campari bitterness that balances out the sweetness of the liliko‘i. Garnished with a flaming sugar cube, the drink is delightful for all the senses. The Dagger Mai Tai is the bar’s signature “secret” drink, as only two people know the actual recipe. My palate picked up a spiced earthy flavor—possibly from aged Jamaican rum—and a hint of cinnamon mixed with berries. The overall experience of the tasting was an invigorating mystery.
62 N. Hotel St., Downtown Honolulu, (808) 372-0620, skullandcrowntrading.com, @skullandcrowntradingco
Heyday Restaurant
Mai Money Tai (left) and Cool Kid Mai Tai (right).
Photo: Aaron K. Yoshino
Heyday restaurant in the white sands hotel is a serene oasis amid Waikīkī’s bustling urban center. The boutique hotel recently underwent a remodel but managed to maintain its retro and intimate feel. The bar itself is a large outdoor tiki-style hut furnished with swings—yes, swings—rather than traditional stools.
Heyday’s bar menu boasts four kinds of mai tais, two of which are made only here. The cool kid mai tai incorporates concepts from both Bergeron’s and Gantt’s original mai tais by including flavors like grapefruit and orgeat with added bitter and citrus notes from Campari. The mai monkey tai uses Hawai‘i Island māmaki tea-infused rums as well as agricole rum as the base. The tea infusion lends a naturally sweet yet earthy flavor and the agricole adds a slight vegetal note. Both of these mai tais are reminiscent of the original 1944 recipe, but with their own distinct flavor additions.
431 Nohonani St., Waikīkī, (808) 475-6864, heydayhawaii.com, @heydayhawaii
This story was originally published in our Summer 2024 issue. Buy a copy here.
