Don The Beachcomber, Las Vegas, Bella Ladies V-Neck Tee

Description

Among the many themed dining experiences that flourished in mid-century Las Vegas, few captured the imagination quite like the renowned Don the Beachcomber at the Sahara Hotel. Opened December 1, 1962, the restaurant brought Polynesian escapism to the heart of the desert, immersing guests in a lush, tiki-inspired world that stood in sharp contrast to the arid Nevada landscape outside. Don the Beachcomber was the brainchild of Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt—later legally known as Donn Beach—who had pioneered the tiki bar concept in Southern California during the 1930s. However, he was not involved with the Las Vegas Don the Beachcomber outpost at the Sahara. It was his former wife, Sunny Sund, who took over the business and carried forward the Don the Beachcomber famed themed experience of transporting guests to a tropical paradise through elaborate décor, exotic food, and rum-soaked cocktails. Stepping inside meant leaving the casino floor and entering a fantasy filled with bamboo walls, tiki carvings, waterfalls, and the gentle sound of island music. The restaurant became especially popular with Sahara guests looking for a break from the clatter of slot machines and the glitz of the showroom. Its menu offered a mix of Polynesian-inspired dishes, Cantonese favorites, and continental fare, reflecting the mid-century American fascination with “exotic” cuisine. The cocktails, of course, were the main attraction—mai tais, zombies, and flaming bowls served in communal vessels, all presented with dramatic flair. In a city built on spectacle, Don the Beachcomber fit perfectly. It gave Las Vegas conventioneers, honeymooners, and showgoers a chance to dine and drink in an atmosphere that felt both escapist and stylish. For many, it was an unforgettable part of their Sahara stay—a place where the allure of tiki culture mingled with the glamour of the Strip. The restaurant remained a fixture at the Sahara for decades before eventually closing around 1990 as tastes and hotel concepts evolved. Yet its legacy endures as part of the golden age of Las Vegas dining, when themed restaurants were as much an attraction as the casinos themselves. Today, Don the Beachcomber at the Sahara is remembered as one of the city’s most beloved Polynesian playgrounds, a symbol of the mid-century tiki craze, and a reminder of how Las Vegas once specialized in transporting its guests to worlds far beyond the desert.