Bali Hai, San Diego, CA (Restaurant)

Stainless Steel Tiki wrote:

I didn't get to check out the gift shop when I was there, as it was closed.

It wasn't open at the posted hours when I was there but they happily got ahold of the gift shop manager, who opened it for me. I got the impression they were rather casual about the hours, for better or worse.

From an August 1969 WESTWAYS magazine:

"As interesting as Shelter Island is by day, it is at night that it becomes truly enchanting - the South Sea paradise it strives to be. The Polynesian architecture of the restaurants, the light-accented palm trees, hibiscus blooms, tiki torches, the Hawaiian music - all set against a background of moonlit water and sailboats gently rocking at the dockside - bring both tourists and natives back again and again."

[ Edited by: Sabu The Coconut Boy on 2004-09-26 11:56 ]

On 2004-09-14 23:59, tikijackalope wrote:
Stainless Steel Tiki wrote:

I didn't get to check out the gift shop when I was there, as it was closed.

It wasn't open at the posted hours when I was there but they happily got ahold of the gift shop manager, who opened it for me. I got the impression they were rather casual about the hours, for better or worse.

The Mr. Bali Hai mugs are also available at the bar.

Are those bathroom door handles Mayan tiki?

tikijackalope posted

Cristiki295 asked

Are those bathroom door handles Mayan tiki?

I'm no expert, but it looks like you're right, especially about the one on the left. Of course, we tend to look at things through the lens of our preferences so I see the lines under the mouth and think of Maori tattoos.
Its funny you'd mention this; I was just reading about August Holland (artist of the Pearl of Wisdom, et al) and noticed that many web references to the print refer to the figure in it as a "Mayan god", when it looks tiki to me...and now you call our attention to apparently Mayan/Aztec/Olmec inspired hardware in a Polynesian restaurant.
Maybe in addition to "poly-pop" we need the more general "archeo-pop" or "ethno-pop."

[ Edited by: tikijackalope on 2004-09-27 23:42 ]

Name:Bali Hai Restaurant - according to Charles Phoenix
Type:restaurant
Street:2230 Shelter Island Dr
City:San Diego
State:CA
Zip:92106
country:USA
Phone:619.222.1181
Status:operational

Description:
From Charles Phoenix's Slide of the Week:

BALI HA’I RESTAURANT, SHELTER ISLE, SAN DIEGO, 1962. On the marquee: EXOTIC CANTONESE CUISINE – DANCING TONIGHT – POLYNESIAN FLOOR SHOW - near the marquee: A 1959 Rambler.

Last week I couldn’t leave San Diego without enjoying a tiki-taste-treat sensation of the highest order- the lunch buffet at the Bali Hai. Architecturally the restaurant is a cross between a Tiki hut and a flying saucer.

You may arrive by boat. They have a dock. It is on Shelter Isle after all. But I arrived by car. The first thing you notice when you get out of the car is what they call “The Goof” on the roof. Upon closer inspection he seems to be half man-half tiki donning a chef’s hat and large hoop earrings similar to those worn by the lord of the manor, Mr. Bali Hai himself, a half Mr. Potato / half Tiki God who greets customers at the front door. Like countless others and I have been before, I was charmed by his big wide eyes, red lips, hoop earrings and friendly spirit (you can see him on the left in the slide).

Once inside, I ogled the vintage décor until it was upstaged by the lunch crowd that I would be dining with: a group of sensible seniors that were most likely bussed in from somewhere far less exotic. Together we lined up at the bank of chafing dishes helping ourselves to sweet and sour pork, chicken chow mein and macaroni and cheese - which by the way are especially good when stirred together on your plate into a pan-Americana goulash. And when washed down with a big gulp-scale mai tai served in a Mr. Bali Hai souvenir Tiki mug – your stomach will thank you. If you can bear to take your eyes off of your plate or the buffet table, the view across the bay to the city’s skyline is absolutely picture perfect. One wonders (but not out loud of course) how this space age Polynesian restaurant has survived on this perfect plot of land for more than five decades.

After I piled my final plate high with a slice of lemon cake decorated with real live orchids and cottage cheese garnished with rip kiwi slices (I eat healthy), I stumbled into the gift shop and just couldn’t resist a pair of Mr. Bali Hai salt and pepper shakers. Yes, any restaurant with a gift shop is VERY special. And the Bali Hai is no exception!

Here to you and another 50 years of the Bali Hai!
Charles Phoenix
http://www.godblessamericana.com

Charles Phoenix's Slide Of The Week:

I have never been to the Bali Hai restaurant but think I may have occasion to go there this coming Saturday. My parents told me they went there years ago (1970s probably, maybe 1960s) and said the food was "senior citizen food" and everybody working there seemed old and doddering. Before they told me that I had been thinking of taking a date there but now I'm not so sure. Can anybody alleviate my concerns or am I better off checking it out when I'm not with anybody I'm sort of trying to impress? I don't drink so I'm mostly concerned about quality of food and overall tiki atmosphere (my haole parents met at a luau in 1964 so tiki is in my blood).

Why not take a peek at the Dinner Menu? Check out Kona Cuisine & Chef's Corner sections. The view's beautiful, the drinks are strong, the menu's been updated a dozen times since your parents were there, but it's up to you as to whether you want to go. You could always go to Mr. Tiki's Mai Tai Lounge or The Islands Restaurant at the Red Lion Hanalei Hotel instead. Also, click on the Critiki icons above for any of these places for Humuhumu's take on these places.

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-02-01 13:47 ]

Sneaky,
Im here to belay your fear! I grew up in SD and I visit the Bali Hai every time I go to the fair city. I was just there 2 weeks ago. The Bali Hai is not a "retirement community" restaurant at all. The bartenders are young guys, the wait staff is mixed but on the younger side. I had an older asian woman waitress once, and she was very nice. The view is spectacular--panaramic of downtown SD from across the bay! The food is pretty good-I've had some great dishes and some ok, nothing terrible though. Do yourself a favor and get a Mai Tai. The BH's mai tais are the strongest and tastiest ones I've found! Their "Mr. Bali Hai" drink is good too and you can order it in their signature headhunter mug. Its a very relaxed atmostphere, but not geriatric by any means. You'll dig it.

Freddie,
I'm not too sure about Mr. Tiki Mai Tai Lounge. My wife and I must be the only couple who had a terrible time there. We went last month for the first time. The interior is nice, the food and drink menues looked impressive, but we had the worst service there--and we were only sitting at the bar! There only a few people at the bar; not crowded at all. The four bartenders were too busey talking about themselves to pay any attention to us.

[ Edited by: Digitiki on 2005-02-02 10:45 ]

Wandering a little farther off topic, I've only gone to Mr. Tiki the one time with the TC ohana and I think they went out of their way to make us happy to build Word of Mouth. I'm planned to go back again several times, but my wife keeps wanting to go to the Bali Hai instead (I'd say that's a mark on the plus side for the Bali Hai, don't you?). I remember our group saying that the food at Mr. Tiki was really good but they had to work on the drinks (most of the complaints were of the "not tart enough" variety), and I've read the SD Union-Tribune foodwriter review of the place that basially said the oposite (the food was ho-hum, but the drinks were great & brought her back to the good-old-days).

I personally love the Bali Hai's food, everything from Chicken of the Gods & Evil Jungle Prince to the Pepper & Coriander crusted Seared Ahi & the Furikake Salmon.

edit: Let me clarify, In my previous post when I mentioned Mr. Tiki & the Islands I was only listing 2 other respected Tiki places in San Diego, I personally love & prefer the Bali Hai. I like the fact that the Bali Hai has kept the old favorites like Chicken of the Gods & Evil Jungle Prince while updating the menu with more authentic & modern fare like Pepper & Coriander crusted Seared Ahi & the Furikake Salmon.

If Sneaky is still worried about the Bali Hai being "senior citizen food" he could try Mr. Tiki, if he's worried that the dining room's ambiance isn't very Tiki (most of the Bali Hai's Tikis are in other places than the dining room) he can go to either of the 2 I mentioned & sample their tikiness. But I think he would be happy with the menu, and I don't think that he can do better than the Bali Hai's view of the Bay.

Personally I'd suggest a personal mini-crawl: The Islands for Lunch, Mr. Tiki for Pu-pus, Bali Hai for dinner.

Rev. Dr. Frederick J. Freelance, Ph.D., D.F.S

[ Edited by: freddiefreelance on 2005-02-03 09:41 ]

My wahine and I took a trip out to SoCAL last week and hit the Bali Hai while in SD. Here's a quick rundown...

I read there weren't many tikis left in this place, but there seemed to be plenty when I went (yes, the dining area is bare). The view of San Diego bay was gorgeous. The food was good. The wahine got the Beef and Pea-pods, I got the Chicken of the Gods.

As for the important stuff (aka drinks) I knocked out two here. Numero uno, the Bali Hai Mai Tai. This drink truly was "out of this world".

Next I tested out their Navy Grog. One word: strong! It tasted good too but you really knew the rum was in it (nothing wrong with that of course). This was my first NG so I don't have much to compare it too - it will make a great benchmark though.

The drink prices were very reasonable too, if I remember correctly both drinks were under $7. What a bargain.

I only wish there was someplace in RI that treated tiki drinks with respect. The best Mai Tai you'll get here is white and tastes nothing like a Mai Tai - argh, when will the revolution begin.

[ Edited by: johnman 2005-10-24 20:25 ]

... bali hai - one of the best values in sd... regulars tend to be the local sailing set, not so much tiki folks... sailing in & outside sd bay, then docking at the bh... great way to finish the day... make sure your skipper has not been drinking though... no overnight docking...

Living barely ten minutes from the place, I go to Shelter Island's Bali Hai as often as possible, and would favorably compare their signature drinks to any I've sucked up in NorCal. We actually had visitors from the SF Bay Area the week after Christmas an since they always take us to Vic's in Emeryville or the Tonga Room at the Fairmont, I enjoyed the opportunity to show them around our own SoCal tiki paradise.

At night the two lane Shelter Island Drive itself feels mysterious and exotic beginning with the torches and palms at Trader Mort's. Lined with dark towering A-frames, palm trees and boat masts, it feels less like a millionaire's yacht basin than a deserted Polynesian village. They gasped as we neared the roundabout that separates The Bali Hai from Humphrey's Half Moon Inn.(The Half Moon is spectacular at night.)

Although rarely packed, Its good to reserve a window table just in case, even if you're just having pupus and cocktails. From the dining room, the panoramic view of San Diego's city lights reflected in the dark bay is always breathtaking. At our candle lit table nestled under one of the rooms huge diagonal pillars, we ordered a non-flaming pupu platter (I'll have to ask next time if I can BMOS (bring my own Sterno!)) served in a towering superstructure with coconut shrimp, crab cakes, wonton nachos, egg rolls, BBQ spare ribs and two extra plates of shrimp and ribs. My favorite BH drink is their tasty Navy Grog. My girl had a Missionary's Downfall and our guests ordered a Planter's Punch and their unconventional "World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai" boasting NO FRUIT JUICE ADDED which arrived sporting a frozen pineapple slice and orchid! The last place I had an orchid flower floating in my Mai Tai was on Waikiki Beach!

The BH's mostly Chicano wait staff is friendly, attentive and apparently embraces the notion of "tapas" so they were happy to have us order several rounds, suck em up and snack. Thoroughly buzzed and on our way out, we sneaked into the quiet banquet room downstairs where i understand a full scale Polynesian floor show was preformed to bid aloha to the lingering essence of Arthur Lyman...Our friends loved it.

Next time maybe the Hanalei or Mr Tiki's.

(BTW which Lyman album was recorded at the Bali Hai?)

[ Edited by: hodadhank 2006-01-04 08:41 ]

Since I lifted my nom de internets from the Bali Hai along with my weblog mascot, I feel that I should chime in. I went there for the first time a couple of years ago when I was teaching a class at the Naval Air Station on Coronado Island. It was Christmastime, and the annual regatta of sailboats festooned with holiday lights paraded right past the big windows of the restaurant as I was sipping my before-dinner Mai Tai. Just doesn't get any better than that. The drinks were pretty good, but the flavors aren't quite as balanced as they are at Vic's, so the rum tends to be a tad overpowering. Still, much better than average. I had the Kona Combo for dinner, which was very good, and the service was excellent throughout.

I took my whole family to SD in 2004, also during Christmastime. Unfortunately, we arrived right as a giant storm was moving in, and it was extremely windy with rough seas, so no sailboat regatta this time, but the food, drinks, and service were again excellent.

June 29, 2006

I dunno, I prefer this look:

Hey, I propose to strike that misleading "Sam Choy's" from the header of this thread, it is outdated for several years now, and it was never really "his"!

Ooooh, love that vintage pic. It's hard to tell from the more recent picture, but is there much of a difference other than the green awnings and, of course, the hip car? I know the big Mr Bali Hai carving was restored not too long ago. I do like the look without the awnings... looks like a big film reel.

im going here for prom on saturday, im glad i live in san diego

The "Hip Car" Is a Messerschmitt KR 200

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messerschmitt_KR200

".... including a steering bar reminiscent of that of an aircraft..." They essentially were German fighter plane cockpits on wheels :)

The Bali Hai is a class act! I recently took the family on a trip to San Diego and we made the trek to the Bali Hai. Imagine my disappointment when I ordered the Mr. Bali Hai drink(with signature mug) and was told they were out of stock. Major bummer!! Upon my return home, I contacted them to give them some feedback on the experience. HERE IS THE GOOD PART!!! They sent me an email a few days later saying they were very sorry and could they have my mailing address .... HMMMM interesting I thought. Just yesterday I received a package in the mail from the Bali Hai - it was TWO sets of Mr. Bali Hai salt and pepper shakers!! Very Cool indeed. In my experience, this is way above and beyond what any other restaraunt would do. Please continue to patronize this establishment. I will certainly make a return visit if I ever get to San diego again.

I’m just back from a five-day trip to San Diego and got to visit the Bali Hai four times. Not a ton ‘o tiki, but enough to warrant checking it out…if not for the tiki then certainly for the historical significance. I spent a lot of time at the bar, ate a couple of meals and got to meet a few of the regulars. Here are my impressions after visiting just four times:

As I think was mentioned earlier, the crowd mostly consists of guys with boats and women who dig guys with boats. Most of the friendly boaters seem to be from out of town, but I did come upon some local boaters who were just there to drink beer and start a fight with anyone from TX.

During my first visit and my first drink, a regular told me I needed to get a Mai Tai because he said the Bali Hai “makes a classic Mai Tai the way they’re supposed to be made.” I thought, “Hmmm, this guy doesn’t know what he’s talking about, but what the hell.” The bartender warned me that they were strong and he wasn’t kidding. I watched him make several more after mine…fill a glass with ice, pour in unmeasured amounts of light rum and dark rum, top with water and stir. That’s basically it…rum and ice. I didn’t like it at all but people were buying them by the boatloads! An acquired taste? Possibly, but then I took a closer look at the drink menu: “Coruba Jamaican Dark Rum, Ron Rico Light Rum, Orange Liqueur & Sweet and Sour.” I can tell you there was definitely no orange liqueur or sweet & sour, just rum and ice. I didn’t say anything to the bartenders because no one likes a wise ass, but DAMN! These were awful, or I should say most unpleasant to me. Then on my last night there I watched the barkeep make someone another Mai Tai. To my amazement, HE added the orange liquor AND Trader Vic’s Mai Tai Mix. I don’t mind so much that he used a Trader Vic’s product at the Bali Hai, but it did bother me that the drinks are not consistent (plus the menu says “sweet & sour” which TV’s Mai Tai Mix is not). Were the other bartenders just cutting corners? Who knows. I also noticed that none of the drinks were shaken…not even the ones with lots of fruit juice…just pored into a glass and occasionally stirred. To some people I’m sure it doesn’t matter but to me it did.

I did try the Navy Grog, the Goof Punch and the Zombie, all listed as STRONG on the drink menu and they all were. Missionary’s Downfall was OK but nothing like the original. Planters Punch didn’t taste too strong but was definitely potent. Aloha Kiss was WAY too sweet for me. The clear winners were the Singapore Sling and the Mr. Bali Hai, which comes with or without the mug. Those were the only two I drank more than once. The Mr. Bali Hai is an exceptional drink and one I would highly recommend.

And speaking of the drink menu, why so boring? I can certainly understand the need to save $$$ where you can and these are not printed on any high gloss laminated paper…just a heavy matte. Still, they could have zazzed it up a bit. I’m no graphic artist, but it wouldn’t take much to make it a little more appealing:

Also had a couple of appetizers: Hawaiian Nachos were very good but more than one person could possibly eat. Coconut Shrimp was excellent. The entrees I tried were the Island Sampler (very good) and the classic Chicken Of The Gods which was fantastic. The portions were generous and came with soup AND salad. Unfortunately I can’t give equal kudos to the Chicken Fingers on the kids menu. My kids ordered them and gave a prompt veto. I tasted one and it was like eating a breaded twig.

Went to the gift shop…no S&P shakers! Apparently they had recently received a badly damaged shipment and were waiting for the replacements. On my second visit I learned they had located a good set and were holding it for me…so mahalos to the girl in the gift shop!

To sum things up, I enjoyed my first experience at the Bali Hai and it was fun to dine and drink at such a historic temple of tiki culture...just wish they were more consistent with the drinks. When I return to SD will definitely visit again.

Wow, I go all the time and the only consistency issue with the Mai Tais I've encountered is the balance - sometimes there's more dark rum, sometimes a bit less... Personally I love 'em, especially when they're extra dark. Bali Hai Mai Tais are among my favorite things on Earth.

I've watched various bartenders over many nights and have always seen the same ingredients go in; sometimes one may just have a heavier hand with the dark rum (which has occasionally fluctuated between Coruba & Meyers). The Trader Vics bottle is Orgeat, not Mai Tai Mix. Despite what the menu says, I believe they use just orgeat, not full orange liqueur. I'm not positive, but I think the squirt from the fountain hose on top is the sweet & sour. They do just pour everything over ice, usually with a quick stir, so stirring again can certainly alter the overall flavor.

I know there are experts out there who can be more accurate on the recipe, though. I've watched from the bar a lot, but am just as often at a table enjoying the view & my Schezuan Chicken.

The Trader Vics bottle is Orgeat, not Mai Tai Mix. Despite what the menu says, I believe they use just orgeat, not full orange liqueur. I'm not positive, but I think the squirt from the fountain hose on top is the sweet & sour. They do just pour everything over ice, usually with a quick stir, so stirring again can certainly alter the overall flavor.

That's very possible about the TV mix as he was quick with the bottle...I may have misread the label. Other bartenders definitely did not use it. I only saw one bartender pour rum from 2 bottles, then TV Mix and what appeared to be orange liqueur. The others just did rum, a squirt of something and that was it.

Strange. It is really hard to catch all the specific ingredients since they go so quickly, so I'm not 100% on anything. When I've been watching, I've always seen the same hand movements, though. They start with dark rum in one hand and light rum in the other. Then the light rum hand switches bottles (I believe to the orgeat), while the dark rum keeps pouring. Now I'm trying to remember whether there is another quick splash of something else (I guess orange) before the squirt from the hose & straw go in. Like I said, I'm sure someone more expert will set it straight!

I know the recipe in Intoxica is a little different than what they're doing now (no shaker, Meyers vs. Coruba); I don't know what was original, what was switched, etc. I don't have one to verify with, but I am pretty darn sure the menu & table cards used to refer to the original recipe, unchanged since 1954 (or '55), and they don't anymore.

All this is making me wanna go over and have one for lunch, though.

Regarding the drink menus, I'm guessing that too many people were taking them home as souvenirs. So they started printing up these cheap versions.

However, that doesn't explain why the graphics and layout are so crappy. Someone with graphic arts experience should offer his/her services gratis just to make the menus a bit spiffier.

I recently acquired a much older version and it was very basic as well. Maybe simple menus have just been the Bali Hai's "thing"?

Who needs a drink menu at Bali Hai? We all know what to order :wink:

Here is a pic from the Clouseaux show last night.

And the new Mr. Bali Hai mug.

The downstairs bar tasted just like the upstairs bar!

Thanks Larry! You are a great host!!

Went to Bali Hai a few years ago with friends on a Tiki Road Trip. Stayed at Humphrey's which is walking distance, very good for after your visit, stumbling back to the hotel...

Here's a few pix from that trip:

Bali Hai

Mr. Bali Hai at entrance

Humphrey's Half Moon Inn on Shelter Island

Trader Morts

Caliente Tropics Palm Springs

Tiki

In the Lobby

This room was in a Hotel in LA, I forget the name but I think they closed it, not sure, it was an amazing room

On 2007-07-22 14:01, TikiMookie wrote:

This room was in a Hotel in LA, I forget the name but I think they closed it, not sure, it was an amazing room

Ah, so sad!! No Mookie that is, errr, rather was the Islands restaurant at the Hanalei here in San Diego. The restaurant is no longer and the hotel is about a third of what it used to be.

Always one of my favorite restaurants, the Bali Hai is still going strong. Last night I enjoyed the Chicken of the Gods with two Mr. Bali Hai's. Of course I kept the mug - and what a great mug it is. It seemed to me that the gift shop was preparing for Tiki Oasis and stocking up on "stuff".

I had a few coworkers in town for the evening, so I thought it would be a great idea to bring them out to the Bali Hai last night. As always, it was definately worth it to call ahead and get reservations for a window seat. The view was fantastic as always. My wife and I try go out the Bali Hai on a semi-regular basis, but I was suprised and thrilled to find the place much more hoppin' then usual last night. There were a TON of people there!

So to the point, I got a new Mr. Bali Hai mug last night and when I got home, I lined it up with my other three Mr. Bali Hai mugs.

I didn't see any other posts on the specific subject of the different types of Mr. Bali Hai mugs, so I thought this would be the best thread to have the discussion and show the photos.

The one of the far left is obviously a vintage OMC concave bottom mug.

The second from the left is one I am a bit unsure about. I got it at the restaurant either in 2000 or 2001. It is the only one of the four that I have that says "Shelter Island, Calif" on the bottom as opposed to "San Diego, Calif" like the others. It also features a two-tone brown coloring, where a darker color brown paint is painted over the main brown glaze, similar in style to the old OMC version. Is this an Tiki Farm version or was this made by someone else?

The third from the left I got at the restaurant last year. I think this is a Tiki Farm version.

The final and fourth from the left is the new one from last night - which I think is a huge improvement over the the stranger one from last year. I really like the new design. I'm also fairly certain that this one is from Tiki Farm as well.

I can also say that the size of the mugs have decreased over time. Each newer mug being smaller then the last.

I'm curious if there are any more designs out there. I know that there is a flat-bottomed OMC mug, but I don't have that one.

Here they are!

Hi - I'm no expert, but I knew I remembered a thread about this with a shot of a whole Mr. Bali Hai line up. I found it here:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?topic=18986&forum=5&hilite=bali%20hai%20mugs%20older

I think the two I have are the from the same batches as your older two. I like the newer mug with the splotchier coloring better than the last version, too.

I had another delicious outing there the other night, myself (and was very, very happy to see the skinny noodles were back in my Schezuan Chicken). Ya can't really go wrong!

Mai Tai Madness!

Found a bit about a Bali Hai promotion in the little "Dining Around" column in today's paper (under a silly bit about the allegedly improved Hanalei Islands room) - I can't find it online to copy, but it says they're looking to sell their two millionth Mai Tai.

Starting Saturday, if you go in between 4 & 6pm and get a Mai Tai, you can get an appetizer for half price. Heck, I don't even care about the appetizer deal - but a monthlong event called Mai Tai Madness sounds good to me.

There's a bit on page 4 of the Our San Diego section, and another on page 30 of the Night & Day section.

Took Mama Hodaddy to brunch there on our way from the airport last week and was happy to see their Witco cold salad bars complete with tiki accented sneeze guard and flared ice trough still in regular use!

See the Late Great Daddy Hodaddy was right. Quality furnishings can last a lifetime!:)

Bali Hai has replaced the missing idol in the display case over the stairwell. The Easter Island idol has long been missing.

It is nice to see it all back together again.

The display case as it was (photo by Alnshely).

The display case with the replaced moai.

Closeup

would be awsome if they mass produced,(complete with idols) and sold those maps in the gift shop there!

I found these old photos of the Bali Hai in a cookbook titled "Bull Cook and Authentic Historical Recipes and Practices" from 1969.

:up: In this first photo you can see the Goof on the roof, and in the lower right-hand corner, you can see the prow of an outrigger canoe. Here's a better picture from a postcard :down:

I asked the owner about the canoe on my last visit and he says that it rotted away years ago.

This next picture from the cookbook is really interesting. I had no idea that these two Moai existed on the grounds :down:

I'll have to ask about them as well.

Sabu

Once again, Fine work Sabu!!
Al

Sabu,

Great to see you back posting your finds again. I picked up a postcard of that outrigger at Bali Hai some years ago, and yours is the only other one that I have seen. Here are a few more from my collection.

These are some older exterior shots

These are from an oversized card with several different views and a nice shot of a Mr. Bali Hai mug.

Here is an aerial photo

The male hula dancer

A few matchbooks.

And finally, the table card from the Polynesian Floor Show in the South Pacific Room (also in the BOT).

Check out the story on the back of the card for the Whalers Punch, this is great! Notice the limit of 3 drinks per customer.

[ Edited by: Dustycajun 2008-08-11 18:25 ]

I was just in SD for an overnight to hang for a birthday for one of my wife's friends. My subconscious, I guess, told me not impose my Tiki obsessions for the night and I didn't even think of going to the Bali Hai. Next day like a light bulb on a Tiki lamp I remembered SD=Bali Hai. We headed over but unfortunately they were having a small wedding and weren't open for lunch. To make a long story short, the gift shop wasn't open either BUT through the good graces of common humanity they opened the door and I was able to purchase some goods. A Mr. Bal Hai mug, a Goof mug, and a Bali Hai Mai Tai glass. That place probably has the best gift shop out of any Tiki joint I have been to. Even better than the Mai Kai.

I did basically the same thing on Saturday: requested the gift shop be opened and bought two goof mugs. A few days earlier I called and asked what the gift shop hours were. The woman who answered the phone put me on hold for a couple of minutes while she checked (??) and then came back and said, "Well, usually on the weekends, so, like, Friday, Saturday or Sunday. But anytime you're here and want to buy something, just ask and we'll open it up."

Seems like an odd way to do business, but whatever works.

Wow, can we get the bali Hai to decorate the place like that again ?

Yeah the old decor was pretty cool!

I finally made my way down to the Bali Hai for the first time. I took pics, thought I would share.