Tahitian Lanai brought tiki culture to Waikiki

If you lived in Hawaii in the 1960s and 1970s, you probably dined many times at the Tahitian Lanai. It was an exotic outdoor restaurant and bar with tropical drinks and tiki-torch ambience. It opened in 1956 at the Waikikian Hotel, between the Hilton Hawaiian Village and what would become the Ilikai in 1964.

As its name suggests, it was Polynesian-themed, with several thatched-roof huts that could hold 10 to 12 people, and tables around a pool. It overlooked the Hilton Lagoon. The cast of the TV series "Hawaiian Eye" used to hang out there. Connie Francis and the Lennon Sisters sang there.

The Tahitian Lanai was part of the Spencecliff chain, which at one time owned 50 restaurants in Hawaii. Spence Weaver loved Tahiti and married a Tahitian woman. The Tahitian Lanai was famous for its banana-nut muffins, served free with breakfast, and eggs Benedict.

Delorese Gregoire worked at the Tahitian Lanai on and off from 1964 to 1973 under the name Tanya. All the waitresses had "working" names.

"I worked at the TL, as we called it," Gregoire reminisces, "usually in the Papeete Bar as a cocktail waitress. Spence Weaver would come in every Saturday for lunch and wanted me to be his server at the Long House, one of our grass shacks."

"He’d bring his buddies with him, such as restaurateur Pete Canlis. They were a boisterous group of men."

On one occasion Spence ordered an open-faced club sandwich — something not on the menu. "I didn’t even know what that was. It wasn’t common 40 years ago. I brought him a regular club sandwich."

When she served it, he said, "I wanted an open-faced sandwich!"

"Well, what’s an open-faced sandwich anyway?" I asked meekly.

"It doesn’t have a top," he replied.

"Good," I said. "Here’s the top off," I replied, removing it. "Here’s your open-faced sandwich."

"Well, he cracked up. The whole group of them went into hysterics. And he gave me a pat on the butt. In those days that wasn’t politically incorrect."

"As a bar waitress I wasn’t used to carrying heavy trays of food. I was wearing my pareo, a haku lei and flip-flops, for another lunch. Just as I walked past one of the tables near the pool, a patron pushed his chair back, not knowing I was behind him, and knocked me into the pool. The food went flying everywhere. Everybody around the pool got up and clapped. I got a standing ovation. It was so funny."

"And the guy gave me a $100 tip. That was a lot back then (about $450 today). I was very happy. That was the most expensive dip I ever had."

On another occasion it was Spence’s birthday, and his family and friends were all there. "At one point I had to bring out a birthday cupcake. It had a little candle burning atop it. I said, ‘Happy birthday, Spence,’ and held it in front of him. But before he could, I blew out the candle. He laughed. I had the kind of personality that let me get away with those things."

"Spence was a really nice man, kind and rigorous. He was a taskmaster. If you did your job, you’d never get in trouble with him. He did nice things for his employees. You got your birthday off, and they had a birthday party for you, and a birthday cake the day before your birthday."

Tanya also served both Prince Charles and Marlon Brando. Prince Charles came to town and played polo with Fred Daily, who owned the Waikikian Hotel. Daily’s son Mike was close to Prince Charles, who was in his late 20s at the time.

"A select group of TL waitresses were called upon for the private party in the prince’s room," Gregoire recalls. "Charles was very young and not a bad-looking guy. He was well built from his polo and other physical activities. The waitresses thought he was charming. A real Prince Charming."

"Marlon Brando was staying at the Waikikian with his Tahitian wife, Tarita Teriipia, on another occasion," Gregoire recalls. "He ordered a martini, and I was asked to deliver it. Instead of putting it in a silver container, it was poured into those triangular glasses on the tray. It sloshed around as I carried it. By the time I arrived at his room, there was hardly any martini left. I was really embarrassed. But he just laughed and drank it."

The Tahitian Lanai closed on Dec. 31, 1997. Many patrons felt they were losing the last bit of old Hawaii in Waikiki. Ron Miyashiro, who played at the piano bar at TL for seven years, and other musicians have moved to La Mariana, where they continue to entertain on Thursday nights.

Gregoire left TL in 1973. In 1984 she founded Winners Camp, a weeklong program to help teens find the right path.

She says working at TL was one of the best experiences of her life.

Bob Sigall, author of "The Companies We Keep" books, looks through his collection of old photos to tell stories each Friday of Hawaii people, places and companies. Email him at Sigall@Yahoo.com.