Post #396593 by bigbrotiki on Fri, Jul 25, 2008 7:41 PM

The Polinesio is located in the basement of the Habana Libre Hotel, which used to be the Havana Hilton. There is a whole chapter dedicated to this mid-century modern gem in Peter Moruzzi's "Havana before Castro" book (see Tiki Marketplace).

As stated above, the restaurant can now only be reached from the outside, and the entrance is so far back that this sign is the only thing visible from the street:

The fact that hotel bars must be supported by the guests makes its situation dicey. Once you see the entrance, it is quite impressive:

As you enter you first see the bar:

...which has the classic circular hut ceiling the Chicago Trader Vic's used to have:

The dining rooms are quite large. Funnily, since there was no Tapa available in Communist Cuba, the solution to replace it was to paint Tap patterns on the wall:

On the ceiling, we can make out the classic "birdcage" lamps Trader Vic's used in all his early franchises:

...which were borrowed from here to decorate the nightclub set in I am Cuba:

In return for having sent over my Book of Tiki some years ago, I received some gifts from the manager:

The old Polinesio menu, basically the classic Vic's design, with slight alterations :) :

A previously unseen skull mug:

...and a Starboard Light glass, here filled with the appropriate libation, in my glamour shot from Pete Moruzzi's new book!: