MAI-KAI Restaurant and Polynesian Show

  4.3 – 6,255 reviews   • Polynesian restaurant

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Since 1956, we have captivated people with our warmth and magical aura. The MAI-KAI authentically recreates a Polynesian Village, complete with tiki torches, a thatch roof, tropical gardens, waterfalls and museum quality artifacts. The exciting Islander Revue is performed nightly by native Polynesian dancers in colorful hand sewn costumes. The Hawaiian wedding dance will seduce you, and the Samoan Fire and Knife dance will leave you speechless. The Revue is a favorite of all ages. The Molokai Bar – home of the sarong clad maidens offer Happy Hour specials from opening to 7 pm.

Festive local landmark serving up Chinese fare, tropical drinks & a Polynesian floor show.

✔️Lunch ✔️Dinner ✔️Dine in ✔️Take out MAI-KAI Restaurant and Polynesian Show 33308

Hours

Thursday4–11 PM
Friday4 PM–12 AM
Saturday1 PM–12 AM
Sunday12–10 PM
Monday4–11 PM
Tuesday4–11 PM
Wednesday4–11 PM

Address and Contact Information

Address: 3599 N Federal Hwy, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Phone: (954) 563-3272

Website: http://www.maikai.com/

Menu Photos

Order and Reservations

Reservations: maikai.com

maikai.com

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The MAI-KAI Restaurant & Polynesian Show

Escape to one of the most unique dining & entertainment experiences in the world. Delicious Polynesian cuisine, cocktails, and live performances daily!

Mai-Kai Restaurant and Polynesian Show | Fort Lauderdale FL

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Reviews

crystal noelle
My family and I returned for the second year in a row to celebrate my nephew’s 12th birthday, and once again it was an incredible experience. We were seated right next to the stage, which made my nephew beyond excited and truly set the tone for the night.
We ordered all of our drinks from the bar, and while the wait was a little longer—which is completely understandable with a large group seated at once and the entire restaurant —it was absolutely worth it. The drinks were amazing.
We immediately noticed some major changes to the menu, and wow—what an upgrade. The menu has been elevated in such an impressive way. We started with appetizers, including the coconut shrimp and a few others, and everything came out hot, fresh, and absolutely delicious.
When it came to our entrées, my entire family was blown away. The improvement in the food since last year was remarkable. We all sampled each other’s dishes and couldn’t stop talking about how amazing everything was. Truly an outstanding job by the kitchen.
Some of the items we ordered and highly recommend:
Coconut Shrimp & Crab Rangoons
Hawaiian Ribeye
Luau Baby Back Ribs (the table favorite)
Lobster Bisque
Chicken Teriyaki
Miso Grilled Salmon
Chicken Fried Rice
Chicken Pad Thai (our least favorite, but still decent)
The show was amazing, as always. We know a member of the brand—my dad has been friends with him for many years—and he came down to say hello to our entire family, which made the experience even more special.
We’ve always had great experiences here, including last year when we celebrated both my nephew’s birthday and my mom’s birthday. However, this visit was by far the best overall experience yet. From the food to the service to the atmosphere, everything was exceptional. We can’t wait to come back again.
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ade
What a fun dining experience! From the moment you arrive there are so much to see that before you know it. It’s time to sit down because you lose time taking pictures having a nice time viewing all the greenery, It’s beautiful! It’s also important to mention that we did have a reservation, so the wait time wasn’t long at all! We got seated in a perfect place where we were able to see the show perfectly. The show is very interactive with the crowd which we really liked and how we were celebrating a birthday, they actually go out table to table celebrating everybody’s birthday, which I thought was very cute. As a vegetarian, I find that this place was really good too, my tofu Pad Thai was good, but I would definitely come back for the overall experience again to enjoy with some friends!!
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Marilyn Besasie
You can visit here for free if you plan it right. Friends who are really into Tiki told us to not miss the Mai-Kai if we were going to be in the Ft. Lauderdale area. So we did our research ahead of time, reading all the reviews and we were well-prepared. The reviews talk about how overpriced the place is, so we knew going in what to expect. We decided to see if we could do the experience for just the cost of a couple of drinks (the menu is online, you can see the prices ahead of time; they range from $12 to $100). You don’t have to do the valet parking which costs $8.00. You can park elsewhere for free and walk into the place; there’s a door that leads right into the Molokai bar area from the public sidewalk (see photo). We got there early on a Saturday (it was Valentine’s Day), around 3:00 p.m. and there was no line to get in and no wait for the valet, which we decided to pay because we knew the rest of the experience would be just the cost of drinks. We sat in the bar and marveled at all the tiki decor, it really is magnificent. Then we walked all through the building, the outdoor gardens, the Asian room, the restaurant, the gift shop, the bathrooms. The place is like Disneyland, how well it’s decked out. We spent a good long time there looking at everything. Interestingly, the many tall tiki torches are all lit during the day and you can see some of them are so close to leaves on the trees that the leaves are singed. We didn’t order dinner, and we didn’t see the show, so no cost there. But you can glimpse the show through the gift shop windows. You can also see a bit of the show from the side of the stage as you’re walking to get to the gardens, but you probably can’t hang out there for too long. Our drinks were good and the ambience beautiful. The bartender was attentive and friendly, helping me pick out a coconut-flavored drink. The bathrooms are beautiful, the gift shop had lots of cool stuff in it. I especially liked the assortment of old Polynesian vinyl albums for sale, and the books on history, and the Hawaiian shirts, all very expensive. We bought one tiny little souvenir for $12.00, a refrigerator magnet. We also bought a souvenir for the friend who told us to go there in the first place, a tiki mug for $55.00. So again, you can walk into and out of the Mai-Kai without spending a penny. Just look at everything and don’t buy anything — no valet parking, no drinks, no dinner, no show, no souvenirs. If you do want any of those things, be prepared to pay their prices and don’t complain afterwards. You’ve been warned!
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PhatGirlFoodie
I visited MAI-KAI Restaurant and Polynesian Show and overall it was a really enjoyable experience with strong island vibes throughout. The outdoor paths are beautiful and set the tone as soon as you arrive, making it feel like a mini getaway. The cocktail menu is extensive with lots of fun and creative options, and the food is good. What stood out to me the most was the Polynesian show, it is definitely the highlight of the night and worth coming for this alone. There are multiple bars to grab drinks, a gift shop to browse, and even the bathrooms were very nice and well maintained, which I appreciated. Our server was great. The atmosphere, show, and overall experience makes this place perfect for a fun night out.
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Dagan McLennan
This was the most amazing restaurant!! We had the best time soaking in the atmosphere and exploring the nooks and crannies of this incredible place. The tiki bar, tropical gardens, detailed decorations, theme music, and adorable hidden spaces create an immersive top-notch experience. And the show is incredible too! Excellent musicians and dancers. Better than any luau we’ve been to! Would come again anytime we’re in town.
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Miss Traveler
Best tiki place on earth. Lot of selections. Service is always great- we love being served by Francesca- she is
Very helpful and nice to talk with everytime we are sitting at the bar. Garden is always relaxing to go to. The show is really good.
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Stefan Grenstad
This adventure starts already on the road, driving straight into what feels like a full-blown Polynesian fantasy world. Credit where credit’s due — the theme is nailed. Immersive, bold, and unapologetically theatrical.

Valet parking is mandatory and costs $8 — smooth, fast, and honestly the right call for a place like this.

We were seated quickly, and the menu is tight and well-edited — not bloated with endless options, just enough to keep you focused. Refreshing.

We kicked things off with the bun and gyoza, and here’s the surprise: both were genuinely good. High quality, full of flavor — impressive for a place where the food often just plays second fiddle to the spectacle.

For mains, we went with the Pad Thai with shrimp and the beef tenderloin.
The Pad Thai was well-balanced and properly executed, and the shrimp were firm and perfectly cooked, just as they should be.
The beef tenderloin was good, but a bit too loose in texture for my personal taste — still an okay choice.

This is clearly a celebration destination. The family-friendly show adds a fun layer to dinner, and the fire finale is a strong, dramatic finish. The show itself isn’t spectacular — but it’s entertaining and fits the experience.

Bottom line:
Better food than expected, pure escapism in atmosphere, and once again — Americans prove they’re masters at creating themed restaurant experiences that actually work.
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Emma Lopez
The new location is beautiful. The gardens are really lovely. The food was pretty good. We had the filet mignon and the ribs which both were very good, however the sauce that comes with was not to my liking. The lobster bisque was ok, have had better. The key lime pie was good. The espresso! DON’T ORDER IT, NOT WORTH IT AND IT COST $4! I don’t drink mixed drinks so I had a couple of Red Stripe beers. Nice and cold and strong. The service was ok. Nothing out of this world. Overall a very nice experience.
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Lilia Leiva
I hadn’t been to Mai-Kai in years, and this was my first visit since they reopened — it did not disappoint! The show was absolutely amazing, the food was delicious, and the atmosphere was beautiful. The service was also excellent; everyone was so attentive and welcoming.

I went for my 37th birthday with family and friends, and we all had a wonderful time. My 5-year-old son especially loved the show, exploring the garden, and his favorite part — the volcano dessert! It was such a fun and memorable experience overall.

So happy to see this iconic place back and better than ever! ✨
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Brandi Dittrich
I started going here for happy hour with my friends for the rum barrels in the pirate ship 13 years ago, before they ever renovated. We never came here for the food but for happy hour inside the pirate ship since it was half off for both drinks and appetizers, sold. Being able to walk around the garden out back with a drink was very relaxing. Moving forward to now, it’s incredible to see the transformation of this property and business. You can tell from the second you pull up that Disney is now involved and not in a bad way (except for the gift shop pricing in my opinion). After visiting recently, yes, the happy hour menu has changed but if you’re going for their staple rum barrel, you win not be disappointed. If you were happy about their outside garden area before, let me just tell you, your mind will be blown and you will be so excited and thrilled to see how the garden looks now.
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