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Luau Hut, Washington, DC (Restaurant) |
Otto
Grand Member (3 years) 
Joined: Mar 29, 2002
Posts: 770
From: NorCal
|  Posted: 2010-03-08 11:02 pm Permalink
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On 2010-02-27 22:02, LuauHut wrote:
The Luau Huts were always a family operation: the band that is pictured was led by my very talented older brother :)
At first he performed in the basement lounge of the F Street location, but soon after he moved over to the 19th Street location he decided to have more of a big band sound, so in the next ad you can see the change in advertising.
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I have the Kim Tsoy & the Sauce lp live from the Luau Hut w Spinning Wheel and Aquarius. Great stuff, I DJ it all the time at my gigs.
Luau Hut, thanks so much for posting all this wonderful info
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Swanky
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Apr 03, 2002
Posts: 4806
From: Hapa Haole Hideaway, TN
| Posted: 2010-03-09 08:16 am Permalink
Wow! Thanks! So glad when people find us here and tel their family's stories!
I love seeing the people there. Everyone is so well dressed. Makes me sad how things have changed.
Thank you and please post more.
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Dr. Coruba
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Jun 02, 2008
Posts: 84 | Posted: 2010-03-09 11:07 am Permalink
Thanks for the great pictures.
Can't help but think, especially with all the parking right next door, that it would make a great Trader Vic's Island Bar & Grill (Hey, if they are going to have 'em, I'd like to have one in our neighborhood!)
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LuauHut
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 27, 2010
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2010-03-10 7:08 pm Permalink
[/quote]
I have the Kim Tsoy & the Sauce lp live from the Luau Hut w Spinning Wheel and Aquarius. Great stuff, I DJ it all the time at my gigs.
Luau Hut, thanks so much for posting all this wonderful info
[/quote]
Oh my gosh I had totally forgotten about that album! Wish I had a copy, but I am so glad that you are still enjoying it!
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LuauHut
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 27, 2010
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2010-03-10 8:06 pm Permalink
Hi Everyone - here are a few things from the F Street Luau Hut:
This is a photo of my mother, sister, brother, and me (I am on the far right) in the dining room - as you can see, the decor was very similar to the Silver Spring location:
Here is a matchbox specifically for the F Street location:
The matchbox shows the original Luau Hut symbol that was used on some mugs (a photo was posted previously by another member) and on the original hand-drawn business card:
Notice that the address for the F Street restaurant was always shown as "#14 F Street" - this was done because some people used to think erroneously that the restaurant was located at the corner of 14th and F Street, which at that time was not the best of areas in DC...
My musician brother Kim is shown here performing with his band in the Outrigger Lounge, which was downstairs:
I love how my brother and I are both wearing white boots in our photos - so stylish back then! 
And last but not least, this is an interesting column that appeared in the Washington Post - of course the stairs issue is legitimate (handicapped access laws have changed since then), but it mostly talks about the controversy of the pictures of naked women that were hanging in the Outrigger Lounge - very amusing. The Luau Hut is not mentioned by name, but it was the only restaurant that fit the description!
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Dustycajun
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Nov 16, 2007
Posts: 3923
From: Santa Barbara, CA
| Posted: 2010-03-10 8:43 pm Permalink
Luau Hut,
Thanks for the additional images of the F Street location. Nice to see the family photo.
I really enjoyed the article about the objections from the Federal Government workers, that was hilarious!
I zoomed in on your postcard showing the offending stairs and paintings on the walls of the Outrigger Lounge.
You should try to crop this image from your hi-res scan and post it.
Thanks again,
DC
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Johnny Dollar
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 01, 2003
Posts: 2916
From: Baltimore, Maryland, PNG
| Posted: 2010-03-11 06:42 am Permalink
Quote:
| the controversy of the pictures of naked women that were hanging in the Outrigger Lounge
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one of the many things about d.c. that i loved and reason that i left - there is this veneer of conservative propriety, but you know plenty of the people making that stink about nude paintings would end up going to the local strip joints on their personal time.
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rugbymatt
Grand Member (5 years) 
Joined: Jun 03, 2005
Posts: 1201
From: Sacramento
| Posted: 2010-03-17 1:33 pm Permalink
I have the more common brown and green Luau Hut mugs but recently came a cross a bright blue number but it had some glaze damage. Mahalo for posting the photos.
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Moai in the house!
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TabooDan
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Jul 18, 2004
Posts: 641
From: BC, Canada
| Posted: 2010-03-17 5:28 pm Permalink
A huge thank you to LuauHut for posting these awesome photos and for inviting us into your past!! Many Mahalos for this really cool behind the scenes look into these restaurants!
The Luau Huts turn out to be some pretty heavy hitters with their cool Tropical decor and Tiki atmosphere!
Glad you're sharing!!!
Here is another color version of the Hula Dancer mug:
In that close up shot that DC posted, it looks like you can see some possibly white versions of this mug on the counter as well as some bowls. Would be cool to see if LuauHut can blow up and crop this image for a better look.
Mahalo, TabooDan
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LuauHut
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 27, 2010
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2010-03-19 8:09 pm Permalink
Well, in response to requests, I have been trying different ways to try to upload a higher resolution image of the Outrigger Lounge, but this is the best I can do:
The tall white mugs are actually the ones that were used to serve the Virgin's Downfall and Bachelor's Downfall drinks (I love the equality!) - the red figure on it was a silhouette of a girl surfing. The bowl-shaped mugs with the palm tree tropical scene design going around the mug were used to serve the Flaming Volcano. Further down the bar you can also somewhat make out the tan tiki mugs with dark brown trim that were used for the Tiki Tumbler drink, as well as the tall green tiki mugs that you can occasionally still find for sale today (in green and gold glaze). See the images on the drink menu (courtesy of the Silver Spring Singular site):
Hope this is clearer!
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Johnny Dollar
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Oct 01, 2003
Posts: 2916
From: Baltimore, Maryland, PNG
| Posted: 2010-03-19 8:42 pm Permalink
thanks for the description, luauhut!
do you ever recall using this version of mug for the tiki tumbler or other drink? my sister-in-law's parents collected them years ago, and we think they were from the luau hut, but are not 100% sure.
thanks again!
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LuauHut
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 27, 2010
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2010-03-20 11:26 am Permalink
Quote:
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do you ever recall using this version of mug for the tiki tumbler or other drink?
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As I recall, there were a few different versions of the bisque-and-brown glaze tiki mug that were used over the years (some showing the restaurant name and some not), so although I cannot say for sure, they certainly look very much like the ones that were used
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LuauHut
Tiki Centralite
Joined: Feb 27, 2010
Posts: 13 | Posted: 2010-03-20 1:54 pm Permalink
As requested, here are some interior photos from the Island Lobster House in Freeport, Grand Bahamas, which is the last restaurant that included a Polynesian feel (please forgive the inconsistent quality of the photos, but I tried my best!). My mother and her husband Paul originally moved to Freeport to retire early, leaving behind the Luau Huts in the hands of family. But after a short while they became a little "itchy" to get back into the restaurant business so they opened the Island Lobster House.
My brother Kim eventually moved to Freeport as well, performing in the restaurant again, just as he did at the Luau Huts. Other types of entertainment were provided too, such as a calypso band.
They still served Luau Hut favorites such as Steak Teriyaki, Mongolian Fire Steak, Oola Oola Shrimp, and Shaslic Oriental/Flaming Shaslic, but the Caribbean island location of course meant that they served many more seafood dishes. The drink list was a combination of oldies with new tropical offerings:
Personally, I miss all the tiki mugs, rattan furniture, etc., but I remember that it was somewhat difficult and expensive to import a lot of things to the Bahamas at that time, so I'm sure that impacted a lot. Thanks for letting me share my journey through pictures!
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Bora Boris
Mr. Unreasonable
Joined: Mar 25, 2005
Posts: 2401
From: Boogie Wonderland
| Posted: 2010-03-20 3:23 pm Permalink
Luau Hut,
Thank you!
Thank you!
Thank you!
Your contributions to this forum have been immeasurable and are greatly appreciated!
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bigbrotiki
Tiki Socialite
Joined: Mar 25, 2002
Posts: 10561
From: Tiki Island, above the Silverlake
| Posted: 2010-03-21 12:19 am Permalink
Thank you Boris, thank you, you needn't....oh! ...you meant Moon Kim's daughter...  
Ha! Calypso and Tiki intersecting again, how cool.
Indeed, it is truly great to get the "inside track" of this particular facet of Poly pop, thank you much, L.H.
I can see what you mean by the cost of importing decor, like the posts are painted instead of carved. But it looks like the place had a couple of interesting murals with different themes, I can make out an Island beach view behind the bar, another one that looks like a sea life or island map mural, and one that could be a naive story board-style concept.
Since the decor of many Polynesian places was not exactly viewed as "art" back then, I doubt that you have photos of just those murals, but IF you do...
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