After 5 Years Jimmy's Honolulu Restaurant is Closing.

[daddymention]

The end of Jimmy Buffett's at the Beachcomber in Waikiki...

http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/brea ... =265277541

[Tiki Torches]

Maybe he's angling to start a chain of Coral Reefer head shops or horror of horrors, the downsizing/shifting of his business ventures will lead to Buffett concentrating more on his music.

[daddymention]

I think his enterprise has just gotten too big...like his song, it's Overkill...The novelty has worn off and all that's left is mediocre food. It used to be a special brand...now we just take it for granted because it's everywhere. With this Margaritaville TV...concerts don't seem so special anymore when I can watch them at home...sure the friends at the tailgating make it worth it to go....but you start to think about it...$135. a ticket X 4 family members = $540. + food, gas, beverages, parrothead gear, etc...easily a very expensive outing....for me after 25 shows...last one being 2+ years ago...I doubt I'll be going to anymore...

[daddymention]

I wish it went back to being about the music....but his latest record didn't thrill me. I really didn't care for the tone he put on his voice in most of the songs, it was annoying...and Too Drunk To Karaoke is tied for worst song ever with Math Suks.

[Tiki Torches]

People don't seem to like it when I voice my opinion but I've never set foot in any of his restaurants and I stopped attending his concerts in the mid-90's, both for a variety of reasons, all of which I have gone into on here countless times in the past. Despite what others may think, none of that makes me any less of a fan. I still continue to follow his career and also still buy any new music he releases. I was one of a few folks here that actually enjoyed much of his new album but even upon voicing that opinion, I was taken to task because I evidently have committed the unspeakable crime of holding Buffett to a higher standard. Artists of his age group somehow still manage to turn out quite worthy efforts that far surpass most anything Buffett is able to offer at this stage of his career. For whatever reason, it seems he's unable to live up to the original promise he showed as a songwriter in the 70's. No less an authority than Bob Dylan has heralded him as one of his favorite songwriters but even then, that's based on his peak output from the 70's. It appears Buffett got sidetracked by business ventures that ended up detracting from his music, which is what drew me to him to start with. The current outcry by several here about the proliferation of cover songs in his sets is only further evidence of just how far he is slipping. It is sad to witness such a once great artist no longer challenging himself or his audience by choosing to pander to them instead. I keep holding out hope that someday he will surprise us all with a different, more intimate approach to performing that relies far less on theatrics and more on artistry or by pulling a rabbit out of his hat in the songwriting department but the more time that goes by, I'm convinced there's even less of a chance of that happening. I may be among Buffett's harshest critics as a fan but it doesn't mean I'm any less passionate than the most diehard of his hardcore Parrothead fan base.

[Jmacboi]

I happen to really like his latest album and so does my wife... I think it's some of his best work in years!!! I'm also happy that the Beachcomer isn't closing until late August because my wife and I are going to Honolulu and staying at the Holiday Inn Beachcomer in about a week from now... I think Jimmy is doing what Jimmy should do, and appreciate it for what it is... He's Still Here and He's Still Packing The House Everwhere He Goes!!!

[daddymention]

Very well said TikiTorches, I agree! Jmacboi, I'm glad you get to go before it closes. I never got a chance...we vacationed a few times in Kauai, but never to Oahu to go to the restaurant.

[bob3435]

I guess I will be one of few that get to say I saw him play his last performance there last December. Although the food isnt great, it was a very special evening. He even recognized me and reached out (over others) to shake my hand. I like his latest album and of course will be seeing him several times this year as captain of the Land Yacht Tour 2014. I completely understand those that stopped seeing him perform since the early days, as did the Mistress of Agave and I did when he went corporate, but we decided to just enjoy the music we love and know our hearts have been there from the beginning...or very close to it.

[palmettopirate]

You probably hit it daddymention. "The novelty has worn off ". After you go to one of these high priced, tropically decorated, Buffett themed places places a couple times it's, "OK, been there, done that". It takes more than 'cute' these days to bring back customers. That doesn't mean we don't like the man or his music any less it's just that at some point people want to eat where the locals eat, whether it's seafood or BBQ.

[surfpirate]

The Duval Street Mville Cafe is the only one I ever liked,
and even that one has changed from my first memories
of when it opened in 198?.

The only other locations I ever went to have been
Myrtle Beach and Orlando ... they were "theme park" restaurants to me,
none of the small original feel of the Duval Street Cafe.
I still stay in touch with a couple of the original bartenders we met from those days.

Last year we stayed at the Pensacola Mville Hotel for a week.
I was very pleasantly surprised and enjoyed that vacation.
It wasn't too over-the-top. Nice atmosphere, hotel, restaurant and outdoor bar.

I'll stop by Duke's and Jimmy Buffett's at the Beachcomber in Waikiki in a few weeks,
before the Beachcomber closes later this summer.
I'm sure I'll have a few drinks and buy a souvenir shirt or two ....
I'll enjoy the moment and the location, but we have other places to visit.

[RinglingRingling]

having gotten chewed for expressing my opinion elsewhere, I gotta agree that the "novelty" of an M'ville or other Buffett-inspired restaurant has worn off. The turning over the food side to some corp and letting them license out M'ville restaurant franchises in airports (like Moscow...) makes it no better than a freakin' McDonald's. Putting them in every major casino in the country, at Dollywood, in Phoenix.. meh. Have some good memories of times at the one in Orlando, and in KW, and really do need to visit the one in NO, but beyond that... like others have said: been there, seen that, already have a bunch of t-shirts.

[RainTree]

Agree that the novelty has worn off. I've been to the Vegas ones multiple times - due to business trips out that way. Many years ago went to the ones in Orlando, Mohecan Sun, and Glendale. This year we were in the FL panhandle and stopped at the one in Panama City Beach - looked around but did not eat there or buy anything in the shop. Then I finally made it to Key West. It was OK, but the rock music was so loud, and so not JB or tropical or new or good, that we could not even stand it to buy a drink. We went to lunch there the next day, and it was OK. Did buy a tee-shirt, because I wanted one to remember Key West.

Have always wondered about the menu. The opening line from the song is "Nibbling on Sponge Cake" and they have never had that on the desert menu! There could be Sponge Cake with Hot Fudge and ice cream, with tropical fruit, with warm buttered run sauce, etc.

Anyway, I'm no longer interested in going to any of the restaurants - even any in an airport. Just no more novelty and not enough interesting/good food.

[Tiki Torches]

Sounds like I've not missed out on anything by never going to one of his Margaritaville locations. Rather hit the less touristy spots anyway.

[2muchcoffeeman]

UPDATED: Not closing. New local management, keeping the name with some presentation tweaks.

The operators of Hawaii chef and restaurateur Peter Merriman’s Monkeypod Kitchen will take over the Jimmy Buffet’s at the Beachcomber restaurant, which closes at the end of this month, Outrigger Enterprises Group said Tuesday.

Outrigger, which manages the Holiday Inn Waikiki Beachcomber Resort, said Tuesday that Handcrafted Restaurants LLC, will continue to operate the restaurant under the Jimmy Bufett’s brand following a one-week closure from Sept. 1-7 while the space in the upper lobby level of the hotel undergoes a renovation.

“We are honored to carry on Jimmy Buffett’s great operation in Waikiki and look forward to expanding on its popularity with a few changes to the facilities and new additions to the menu that highlight Hawaii local flavors,” Bill Terry, partner at Handcrafted Restaurants, said in a statement. “The interview process is currently underway with restaurant management and staff and we expect a quick and easy transition.”

Handcrafted Restaurants, a partnership between Merriman and Terry, also operates Monkeypod Kitchen by Merriman’s two locations in Ko Olina Resort in West Oahu and Wailea on Maui.

Jimmy Buffet’s, which opened in 2009, is part of the Margaritaville’s restaurant group that has 21 locations in the U.S., Mexico and the Caribbean, according to its website.

Hawaii chef Peter Merriman, partner to take over Jimmy Buffett's in Waikiki - Pacific Business News

[pbans]

I wish it went back to being about the music....but his latest record didn't thrill me. I really didn't care for the tone he put on his voice in most of the songs, it was annoying...and Too Drunk To Karaoke is tied for worst song ever with Math Suks.

Not even close to a tie for me.....Too Drunk is not only the worst Buffett song ever, but quite likely the worst song ever.

[daddymention]

Not even close to a tie for me.....Too Drunk is not only the worst Buffett song ever, but quite likely the worst song ever.[/quote]

Now that I've thought about it, you're exactly right.

[SeattleParrotHead]

Where the restaurant was is now a construction zone with this sign in front


And what was the 'Honolulu Surfing Museum" is now the 'Hawaiian Aroma Caffe'


I wonder what JB did with all the surf boards and other memorabilia http://www.surfline.com/surf-news/_116500/

[ASaltyPieceOfLand]

I wish it went back to being about the music....but his latest record didn't thrill me. I really didn't care for the tone he put on his voice in most of the songs, it was annoying...and Too Drunk To Karaoke is tied for worst song ever with Math Suks.

There are way worse songs than those two.

[ASaltyPieceOfLand]

His last LP was good... if you remove about 5 songs.

The Margaritaville... chain is beyond out of control. But keep this in mind: according to what happened with the company that took it over, he really doesn't have much, if any, say in what happens. The New Orleans Margaritaville is closed and it looks like it will never be again. So far.

I only went for the conch fritters anyway.

I'd prefer less covers and no stupid songs but since he's going to do a new LP in 2017 who knows, he'll probably have both with a handful of great tunes to decent tunes. And at this point, it doesn't really matter. There's always his entire 1970s catalogue to listen to, which just continues to get better every day.

[palmettopirate]

The novelty does indeed wear off. Many of us are older folks now but still appreciate the Buffett message. But as we age all we really want is good music, and good food at a fair price. I wonder if the younger generation really cares about the same things in the world of Buffett that we enjoyed so much as younger people. I'm thinking they don't. Oh they may be devoted fans but when it comes to restaurants, silly tee shirts, and crazy hats I think they couldn't care less. Oh there are some for sure who like all that stuff but we older fans really went overboard. Yes, I went to the restaurant at Myrtle Beach once, and that was enough. It's basically a tourist trap. That's OK. And when Jimmy opens a new joint he shows up and has a fabulous standing room only grand opening, mainly because he's there or there are rumors that he will be there. But he really pours a lot of money into those places with all the tropical decorations. So you go there, and then you go for your second visit, and it's just not the same. And that's about it. The next time you hunt a good restaurant that the locals recommend.