Mai-Kai Restaurant

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3599 N Federal Hwy
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

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(954) 563-3272
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Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Mai-Kai Restaurant - Fort Lauderdale, FL
Reviews
( 12 )
( 5 )
( 9 )
( 2 )
( 7 )

Best

Always a great time when myself, friends, and family visit Mai Kai. The drinks specials are a good plus too! Great idea for a business meeting, birthdays, and major accomploshmen...

Worst

My husband and I were eagerly anticipating our evening at the Mai-Kai while we were in Ft. Lauderdale for our honeymoon. We are terribly disappointed to say that our server was ne...

Editorial review from Citysearch 9/5/2012

Different, exciting, like going back in time to the 1950s the Mai Kai is one of the last remaining original Tiki restaurants. Trendy NYC joints are now trying to mimic it. This is the real thing. Apps are the best value, order several and share. Can't beat the 2-for-1 drinks for happy hour, but at regular price they are expensive - $12-$18, but still worth it. You don't go here to get a Cosmo, you go here to get strong, exotic cocktails made with secret recipes and garnished in giant pineapple chunks and orchids. Show is fantastic. NOT for people who think Olive Garden is a great place to eat. Live a little, try the Mai Kai. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 8/12/2012

The show was really good. the food was good. but it was a bit too expensive... if you want to see the show you have to pay $11/ person and each plate was no less than $16 more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 8/5/2012

Tonight august 5th was my first time experiencing this restaurant and it was my sister birthday dinner. This experience was HORRIBLE and I will NEVER come here again. The issues started from the beginning with them messing up my sister's name for her reservation. The hostess was impatient and did NOT make us feel welcome. Our waitress was very nice but besides her the staff was not friendly and did little to make sure we enjoyed our experience. We were the LAST table to leave and it took about 40 minutes just to get things wrapped up with checks etc. Thinking things could not possibly get any worst as we were heading out our take home food was left on a table by the host stand and was not even put in bags for us. A staff member came by and asked if we needed our stuff bagged and we all said yes but then he walked around and we heard him say " i am not doing this". Needless to say we bagged our own food which btw we paid a pretty good penny on. Next the same staff member was moving something under a cabinet and literally elbowed me on the side and did NOT even excuse his-self. I was out raged and immediately lost it. The same rude staff member heard me and came briefly around the corner and not even to my face yelled a " I'm sorry " and left. HOW rude! I did everything from paying 5 dollars to self park and tipped the guy . ( note: at this place its free to valet with recommended tip but 5 dollars to self park) my waitress tip was 11.00 and for just myself i paid 72 for my food. Then to turn around and receive such POOR service!!!! If you want to have a good time obvious you may want to think about coming to this location. I would NOT recommend it and will NEVER come back!!!\r \r FYI- if you have a staff member that is RUDE to your customers that help you keep in business you should firer them or simply tell them to go home!!!! Because of your poor choices my first experience was HORRIBLE and first impressions are EVERYTHING!!!!\r \r For record the reservation was under (correct spelling) JAMILLAH more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 6/1/2012

The Mai-Kai has a special place in my heart because it reminds me of my childhood and my grandmother (she used to live very close to it and we'd go with her a lot). I recently went back for the first time in years and it lived up to what I have always remembered. The tropical atmosphere is unbelievable..it makes me feel like I am in a far away exotic land. The bar area is especially nice..I love the water running down the windows!! Anyway, on my most recent visit, I had a very tasty drink called the Zula (they have tons of unique drink options). I also had the the pupu platter, which is basically an assortment of all of their delicious appetizers. Oh, and it has been a South Florida landmark for over 50 years, so obviously I am not the only one that loves it!!\r \r P.S. It's another place for great happy hour specials :) more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 4/3/2012

For the first sight this place looks really nice. \r But the food is horrible and so expensive. And for the show you have to pay 11 dollars extra. Thats too much!I would definitely not recommend this place! more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 3/14/2012

The show was great although we had a side view. Food waaaay overpriced for what it is. Had I gotten the same Cantonese Shrimp at a restaurant without the draw of a show, it would have been $10 cheaper. Kids meals are $18-$20! And that is for food I can make at home. Desserts also severly overpriced for what they were. A little too dimly lit during the dinner portion, but great atmosphere/interior design. Will probably not go back here just due to the prices but it was a good experience overall... just not for the bank account! more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 1/19/2012

Great happy hour before the show and pretty impressive show for trying to make a big impression. Make reservations to get good seating and get there early to make sure you have good seats. If people know of any other places like this, by all means, let me know. Show is a little loud so it will be a big distraction and hard to converse with the people/person you are with. Other than that, a solid place that's been here for a long time. Make sure you plan to go there when they have a show as the times vary on the weekends as I recall...it's called making a reservation to check ;-) They have an a la carte menu and an all-inclusive one that includes the show charge. Very good food and impressive show. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 12/14/2011

Let's be real here... you are not coming here for a gourmet experience... DInner is very basic Asian style food that they can pump out quickly to a large number of people before the show ... it reminds me a bit like if you had a food court cater your wedding... the food was basic but tasted good. \r \r The show was quite entertaining and it gave you a good feel for what you would see if you visited the areas outlined in the show... the girls were excellent and the guys will get better ... I would say the guys were newer and just needed to sharpen their 'moves' but over all I enjoyed it. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 11/24/2011

Food was awful! Bland, cold, and if I had actually ate any if the peanut chicken I may have found it to be a bit raw!!! One taste of it and NOT one bit of concern from the server!!! I mean there was an obvious reason that it was all left on the plate...right? Appetizers all tasted the same, like bits of "something" deep fried in grease. Show was just okay. Announcer for show was too annoying! She was totally trying to sell the gift shop, really people buy Mai-Kai paraphernalia? Tried it because we wanted something different, unique. All we got was a really, really, really bad dinner for $255!!! Crazy cafeteria style food factory!!! more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 10/12/2011

I've been here for the dinner/show and also for the happy hour. Self-parking is $5. The decor is interesting with a nice garden outside featuring a waterfall for an interesting photo stop. \r \r The entrees (which are required to see the show) are pretty much awful and not worth the prices (think lousy dry and charred ribs). The show is a $10 surcharge per person; it is mediocre and should be free as you are already obligated to pay high prices for lousy food.\r \r Now to the positive, happy hour is great! The appetizers are delicious and inventive. Try the pupu platter, Javanesian beef and the nams; all great and half price during happy hour. Only place I know where you can get 2 glasses of wine and a bunch of apps for under $60 including tax and tip. Think Tapas!\r \r So the moral is, go for happy hour try the apps, enjoy the half priced wine and mixed drinks, and end it with dessert (cherries bengali for 1 is enough for 2 and is very good). \r \r Skip the main entree and the show as they are sure to leave you with a hefty bill (spent $130 for 2) and a bad taste in your mouth. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 8/7/2011

I had a really nice time!!! The food was OK and the service was too. But what was really fun was the Polynesian Dancers and instrumental group. And the firebreathing was pretty cool!!! \r I would not come back because I feel it is way too expensive for what it is. This is a major tourist trap. BE WARNED!!! more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 7/2/2011

Amazing show ...wonderful food....great libations!!!! more
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Yummmmyyyy 6/17/2011

Always a great time when myself, friends, and family visit Mai Kai. The drinks specials are a good plus too! Great idea for a business meeting, birthdays, and major accomploshments as they host a lovely show! more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 6/16/2011

Really overpriced for what you get. Show is fine but nothing out of the ordinary. Food is above average Chinese Polynesian style but prices are sky high Service was impersonal and just not that great either (one host was rather obnoxious actually). Drinks are interesting and fun but also expensive. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 4/29/2011

Great Polynesian food with live entertainment , expensive but good. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 4/8/2011

This place is like going back in time to the Tiki-riffic days of the 50's. The food is average, but the experience is incomparable. You can't get tropical drinks like this anywhere else. The gardens are beautiful, the bar is like being in a sunken ship, and from the moment you drive in onto the wooden valet stand, you're transported to another place and time. I've come to this place at every stage of my life and haven't forgotten a single trip. From a small child, to a college kid, to a newlywed...it's always special. This place was so special, in fact, that we road-tripped down from Milwaukee to sprinkle my father's ashes in the fountain outside. We like to think he's enjoying an eternal "Shrunken Skull". Go for some drinks and appetizers and you won't be disappointed. As I said, the entrees are average and quite expensive. If you're in SE Florida, it's a must-see. This is a dying breed of restaurant/bar, and I'm willing to bet the only other place you can get drinks like this is the Tiki-Ti in L.A. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 3/30/2011

The bacon-wrapped chicken is soo good, our group ordered it twice! First at the bar and again as an appetizer. The rest of our meal was apparently disappointing, with the steak, bacon-wrapped steak and salmon all losers. However, the green curry was actually quite good. You're really here for the show, and I have to say the performers were amazing, even before they began the fire spinning portion of the show. Everyone should celebrate a birthday here once. more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 2/7/2011

The place and show are always great. The food is ok, not great but not bad. Then again, you're not there for the food but rather for the whole Polynesian atmosphere. The drinks are fruit juicy rum goodness. Must get a mystery drink if in a group of 4 or more which comes complete with a gong dance from a hula girl. Also be sure to ask for the $45 fixed menu that they always seem to "forget". more
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Editorial review from Urbanspoon 11/29/2010

The food is atrocious but the show is great more
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Great happy hour with live music on Friday's 5-7pm 10/27/2010

Great local historical Polynesian get away on busy Federal Highway. When I'm at the Mai Kai, I feel like I'm on vacation! more
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Menu for Mai-Kai Restaurant


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Editorial

  • In Short
    Founded in 1956, Mai-Kai is a visual marvel that's also one of the country's last true tiki bars. It boasts a thatch-roof exterior and multiple dining rooms--each decorated in...

  • 6/29/2006 Provided by Citysearch
Additional information
  • Hours: Monday and Tuesday 5 pm - 9.30 pm. Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday 5 pm - 11.30 pm
  • Payments: American Express, Visa, Discover, Diner's Club, Master Card
  • Neighborhoods: Coral Ridge Country Club Estates, East
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