Bali Hai Restaurant

Tried this place for restaurant week. This restaurant is awesome! Beautiful view, attentive and friendly staff. I love their calamari, the lobster taco — not so much, the surf and turf was fantastic! (It’s not on the restaurant week menu, but it’s worth it), the spare ribs was melt-​in-​your-​mouth good, the morrocan lamb was also good (also not on restaurant week menu, but a must try if you’re into lamb), the roasted chicken was so perfectly tender. I know, sooo much food, but there’s 5 of us at our table and we got to try each other’s food .
After dinner, a walk behind the restaurant a perfect way to end the day. Beautiful view of San Diego. Definitely going back again

Finally food on my San Diego trip that I enjoyed. The view is amazing, the servers super friendly and fast. The place can get a little noisy, but not loud to bother you. There Mai tai is definitely on the stronger side. Loved my first go at Polynesian cuisine. We had some chicken dish on a leaf base which was simply delicious and the desserts were yummy!

Came here for restaurant week. And can’t wait to come back. Did half restaurant week half standard menu at the suggestion of our server and I’m glad we did. Ahi was amazing, sandwich was amazing, steak sticks were amazing.
Annnnnd sure enough when they say that Mai tai is strong they weren’t kidding. Like pow!
Server I think was kona, what an appropriately themes name right?

Nice restaurant by the ocean! However the food is way pricey! Even for a kids menu my son got a steak, but it was only 6 small strips and the fries were clearly frozen French fries! I had the crunchy spring rolls and man were they delicious! Also I had the albacore for restaurant week it was light but gave me a full stomach! I would probably only come here for a special occasion though!

After a long wait I FINALLY went to Bali Hai! I’ve been wanting to go here ever since ²⁰¹¹⁄₂₀₁₂ when I first heard about it but none of my friends ever wanted to go. I even tried to come here for my graduation dinner years ago but they couldn’t accommodate my family.
I came here with two friends yesterday for lunch, my second stop of restaurant week. The lunch deal for SDRW is $ 15 for appetizer and entrée.
What we ordered: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW!
Bread: Yes, they give warm bread and butter! AMEN!
Appetizers (pupus): 1) Albacore Poke– really really good! texture so soft feels like human flesh. Get this!
2)Curried chicken lettuce wraps– Don’t order it! not that good. Has an Indian curry taste to it. I love curry but I don’t think it should have been in the lettuce wrap.
Entrees:
1) Curry chicken katsu– SUPER DRY! we took one bite and didn’t finish it. It comes with mac salad that was also dry and lacking mayonnaise. L&L is 10x better.
2) Crab cake sliders– Good! The bread on it tastes like siopao. Definitely the better choice on the menu.
3)Spicy seared albacore– Don’t order it. We all took one bite and we were done. Dry as well. Something tasted off about it…
Overall I expected the food to taste better. Maybe I had high expectation because I’ve been wanting to come here for a long time. I feel like the concept of the food was good but the execution of the dishes didn’t turn out right. Yes, the ambiance is nice. There’s a beautiful view from the restaurant. Their service was good so I’m not going to give them 2 stars. Perhaps I just ordered the wrong things. I might be interested in trying the buffet still. we’ll see.

Why do so many people go goo-​goo gah-​gah over this place??? Not bashing… but yea. I can’t really complain since my friends and I came here for SDRW lunch time for only 15 $. GREAT FRIENDLY customer service, yes ill give them that — Our waitress has the most beautiful blue eyes!
Any way… the best thing on their menu that we enjoyed was the curry lettuce wrap and ahi poke. FRESHLY made! I said freshly made because the main entrée looked and tasted like it’s been sitting out (definitely was not fresh) — the chicken curry, spicy seared albacore and sliders were cold and DRY — it was ok, we had them pack it up to go.
Pretty view of SD skyline

Food Amazing, Drinks: whole new level, and the ambiance/​setting is beautiful (looks out of the San Diego bay and you can see and beautiful shot of the San Diego Sky line)
I know this isn’t too original but I can’t say it enough… these Bali Hai Mai Tais are crazy potent! They will get you very drunk fast. I had ONE and was already feeling it about ¼th of the way in (note: I am no lightweight– this was crazy). They are unique because most Mai Tais are made with fruit juice but these aren’t! Just straight up rum. Proceed to get crazy and make sure you have a DD!
Other notable yummy delicious items: DON“T miss the calamari (the sauce is unique and so amazing). Also the Brussels sprouts are to die for (super amazing and flaky). But then again… those Mai Tais might make you think anything is amazing!

Bali Hai is a Polynesian restaurant located on the northern tip of Shelter Island that serves up Asian-​inspired cuisine. Their menu features a variety of menu selections made with farm fresh ingredients that are particularly inspired by Hawaiian, Chinese and Japanese dishes.
At first glance, you would think you were in a Honolulu resort with all the native plants and open space. The interior design and décor includes Bali Hai’s collection of more than a hundred Polynesian artifacts — including tiki figures, antique tapa cloths, wood weapons, ocean charts, maps and native pictures — creating a museum-​like space for guests to explore. With that, you’ll get spectacular views of the San Diego bay and the downtown skyline. Along with a dining room upstairs, they have three different and versatile private rooms. Great place to take guests if they’ve never been to San Diego and want a taste of something different.
We were lucky enough to get a window seat without reservation. Our server was super friendly and accommodating and we loved everything that we ordered. Definitely looking forward to coming back again, especially for brunch!

Went here specifically for drinks.
Spacious, clean and organized setting with the bar as the center of the restaurant.
The bartenders were nice and on top of it when it came to making their patrons’ drinks. Offered us a food menu as a courtesy.
The boyfriend got Mr. Bali Hai, Gilligan’s Island for me, and they split World Famous Bali Hai Mai Tai for us. I gotta admit that the Mr. Bali Hai was yummy, and the mug was pretty cool. Gilligan’s Island was definitely sweet, but it wasn’t strong to begin with and practically juice. LOL. That Mai Tai made up for it though. The boyfriend seriously cheated when he just dumped the rest of that class into whatever was left in his mug… Mai Tai has no juice added.

This review is solely for drinks. Ordered the famous Mai tai — which advertises as one of the strongest drinks you’ll have (outside of just doing a plain shot!).
It’s literally 3 – 4 shots of rum and a few sprinkles of bitters. It was pretty strong and it’s not your typical Mai tai that you would get on a resort bar. They have a counter that shows all the Mai tai orders ever and year to date!
I also got ordered a mojito, but they ran out of fresh mint. My second option was the strawberry daiquiri — good strawberry flavor and wasn’t that strong.

it’s been too long Bali Hai! i’m so glad that i finally got to see you again.
we came here for HH (M-​F 3 – 6) …arrived about 3:45 and we had our choice of table (of course it was Cyber Monday so most people were probably glued to their computer screens at this point).
We had a HH feast!
started with wasabi fries ($ 4) & edamame ($ 5)…wasabi fries were to die for! perfectly crispy fries drizzled in a wasabi mayo. yum! …
edamame was like any other… kids devoured it
then ordered Ahi ($ 11)…yum!!!
coconut shrimp (5 pieces $ 9)…yum!
calamari ($ 6)…nice. i personally didn’t care for it… kids loved it and it was a generous portion… great deal!
believe it or not… we ordered more…
hubby and i got the ribs ($ 8) to share… my personal favorite of the night (and i wasn’t hungry anymore so that speaks volumes)…
kids went for the kids menu…
mac n cheese ($ 6)
burger sliders w/​fries ($ 6)
drinks…first got the mai tai ($ 5.25)…because i had to!
mai tai goes up to $ 6.25 from 4 – 5 & $ 7.25 5 – 6
i opted to have a different second drink… got the Mr bali hai with the mug!
pops had the tahitian beer… i tasted. it was yum.
looking forward to returning =)

Came here for brunch to celebrate my dad’s birthday. We had a party of 15. We had made reservations ahead of time, so we were seated soon after.
The view is gorgeous. We were seated by the window so we watched sailboats cross and had a great view of the city.
Sunday brunch is all you can eat. Custom made omelet stations are always my favorite. They also had a custom noodle soup station, but didn’t try that. Crab legs were one of the main reasons we came. There is a good selection of breakfast items such as bacon, waffles, pancakes, potatoes, sausage. There are lunch entrees such as ribs, chicken, also available. A good selection of desserts and ice cream.
Brunch also comes with champagne and there’s juice as well if you want mimosas. Great selection of food and awesome view.
Service was the only thing missing for 5 stars. We had to ask several times for someone to pick up used plates and for drinks.

We have only tried the happy hour at Bali Hai so will most definitely return to try dinner and a more complete experience. We came at around 330 and received the Mai Tai special for only $ 5.25. for the amount of booze (only booze) in this drink, my husband says it’s the best deal in san diego. Their happy hour runs from 3 – 6 Monday thru Friday and consists of many appetizers, $ 1 off beer and wine, and the Mai Tai special.
Although they are known for these amazing and toxic drinks, I found it far from enjoyable. Strong. absolutely but definitely not a nice drink to go with a meal. I would only order one to pregame for a wold night. There is even a warning on the menu since the Mai tais consist of purely rum; no juice. I tried the frozen Piña colada which was by far one of the best I’ve ever had. Creamy with the perfect consistency and much more enjoyable than the Mai Tai.
Food wise we tried 3 of the happy hour appetizers; the poke (amazing), the calamari (great flavor but a tad overdone), and the beef skewers which were served with a great fresh mango and cucumber salad. We can’t wait to come back and try more!

It’s too expensive, it really is.
BUT, those mai tais, though. One of those will get you rockin and rollin.
The ahi tuna was light and delicate, but seemed a bit sparse. The swordfish filet, however, was out of this world. The sauce took it to the moon and back.
We also had the brussel sprouts appetizer, which was a winner.
My advise? Grab one of those killer mai tais, check out the view, and call a cab. You’re gonna need one.

This is a good HH spot with a great view of the bay and the San Diego Skyline. The HH prices are very reasonable and the food is good.
We ordered:
Hawaiian Tuna Poke
Coconut Shrimp
Crispy Calamari
Island Beef Skewers
Fire Cracker Ribs
Guac + Chips
I liked the poke, coconut shrimp, and calamari. The shrimp and calimari were not heavily breaded and had a nice crisp to them. And poke, you can’t go wrong with it. The fire cracker ribs were on the saltier side.
After eating, its nice that you can take your drinks to the patio and enjoy the views. It’s a relaxing place to enjoy the great weather and the view of the bay; makes us appreciate why we live in such a great City. We had to go upstairs to get drinks to bring down, so it would have been nice if the downstairs bar was open.

Having been to many good to great restaurants in my time… I must give this place props. This is an oldie but goody!
Located on the other side of Shelter Island, is this hidden gem.
I was fortunate enough to be invited by our friends as a thank you gift for being chosen as their child’s Godparent. I’ll add the food was heaven sent!
We had a private room, with our own TV, which came in handy as it was Football Sunday!
All the options on their brunch menu were so delicious. I’m actually regretting that you have to wait a whole week to go back to enjoy the bountiful feast.
I enjoyed the baked salmon, fresh crab legs and the peel shrimp. The prime rib was made to perfection.
The only items I tried from the breakfast side was the chef’s scramble and the eggs Benedict… both highly recommended. There was chocolate chip pancakes as well as waffles but I didn’t want to fill myself up with all the carbs…
If you like Hawaiian Food, the Pork will truly satisfy.
The service was on point! Servers topping off all our champagne, water and cider while clearing out any dirty plates and utensils.
There was plenty of parking and the view was perfect.
We all won by filling our stomachs, plus the Chargers won in heart-​attack fashion — last second field goal.
Can’t wait to come back here to celebrate any occasion.

5.10 I read plenty of reviews before booking a reservations for mothers day. Yeah all catching up on my reviews. .
So my initial thought is maybe this is not the place for mothers day dinner. The reviews on the foods sounded so horrible, can it be that bad? There were some good ones but most of the reviews mentioned that happy hour is the better route.
Upon arrival with reservations we waited about 10 minutes. We were seated next to the bar crowd and away from the window. I specifically requested window n yes there were two open tables but nope we got the worst seating ever. I think they just added the table because it looked like an odd location. Ok let’s just tough it out. The view is nice kind of even though we can’t really enjoy it.
We ordered and try to forget that the whole reason I booked this place was for the view.
I ordered the Miso Cod, small but delicious. It definitely was cooked perfectly. I can’t believe how perfectly cooked it was. I was craving for more, unfortunately it was small, it doesn’t look small based on my pictures but if you look at the green beans you can kind of get an idea.
The Salmon was another dish that I liked. Also cooked perfectly. They know how to cook fish the right way. I was a bit surprised actually.
Don’t order the Brussel Sprouts, it was cooked poorly too oily. Over the top.
The Crispy Ahi was a surprised, we had no ideas it came out as rolls, not crispy at all but delicious and simply fresh.
I was definitely blown away by the food. If it wasn’t for the perfectly cooked fish this place would have been a 2 stars. It’s a bit pricey for fish, however since the server was actually nice I thought for now this place gets a 3.5 rounded to four stars.
A few warnings, make sure to be away from the bar seating area, it was so loud we couldn’t talk to each other, horrible. Wish there was a wall. heheh. Expect this place to be busy as everyone seem to come here for happy hour. Outside seating is nice but not as a great view as the middle of the restaurant indoors.
Definitely beautiful view.

Went here to celebrate the in-​laws anniversary. Yes, my parent-​in-​laws actually tolerate me.
Our party of 13 ½ were seated immediately by the hostess. I had to crack up when she told us there was a two hour time limit. I’ve been to many buffets but this is the first time I’ve been told that. Was she worried I was going to pull out a lawn chair and just camp out all day through dinner? Just how fat do I look? Were the stretchy pants a dead giveaway? Maybe it was the empty Tupperware containers that I was carrying that concerned her.
It’s your standard buffet with a Polynesian flair. Now if you have any island ties like I do then you have to take this with a grain of salt or at least a giant Mai tai.
Kalua pork: I grew up on this stuff and I actually was going to pass until my dear cousin said that it was «really good.» Maybe to others it would be but with years of my mom’s Kalua pork in my system I found it just ok. It lacked smoke and needed a little sea salt.
Spicy miso salmon: I love salmon and was excited for this. Unfortunately, and you buffet veterans know, the stuff does sit in warming trays after being cooked. It was well seasoned but totally dry. I was confused about why it would be so dry already as they had just started service. Either it’s overcooked in the kitchen or they out the tray out way too early.
Egg Benedict: I had started my first course with a plate of fruit and a Caesar salad and noticed that my cousin was eating the bennie. The yolk was flowing well and I decided to get one after my «healthy plate». So maybe a 15 minute gap? I got the egg stuck a fork in it and nothing. Sitting in the tray again had overcooked the egg. Stupid Sterno. Thankfully on my third trip up (hey don’t judge) a server was just replacing the egg Benedict tray. I quickly side kicked him out of the way and scooped one out. This was perfect.
I did the other standard breakfast food getting a few pieces of bacon (nicely crisped) some pork sausage links (good snap) and French toast (not as thick as I would prefer but good).
They also have:
Omelette station: my wife concocted a veggie omelette and the eggs were done well with generous cuts of peppers, onion, mushrooms, and just enough cheese to bind but not overwhelm.
Phở station: this was a new concept for me as far as buffets but after the Kalua pork and miso salmon I wasn’t going to fall for any other «yes we make great Polynesian or Asian» food traps. As is my two kids did try it but said the broth was bland and the noodles were too chewy as compared to prior phở experiences. Again a grain of salt here.
Desserts: I had a really nice lemon tart and tiny blueberry cheesecake round. Liked both. I did brave the «Hawaiian bread pudding.» While the texture and moisture was spot on for bread putting I really couldn’t tell what was so «Hawaiian» about it. My kids had a blast at the ice cream station (chocolate or vanilla) by grabbing cookies and making sandwiches.
Our server Hannah had a very warm welcoming bubbly personality and made sure each person’s champagne, coffee, or water were full. I was really tickled on how she convinced all the kids to get sparkling cider. Dishes were cleared very quickly by bus boys.
Everyone seemed to have a great time and the location is just beautiful.

«My sisters and I are so hilarious. I feel bad for the people who don’t get to listen to our conversations and enjoy our hilariousness. Let’s have another drink in memory of those poor souls.» Our talks – richer than gold, so priceless… oh em gee… My epiphany after a few shared bottles of champagne and pitchers of freshly squeezed OJ. Well, what happens at a bachelorette party, stays at the bachelorette party, yeahhhh?
It was Sunday and our party of 9 enjoyed the brunch buffet at Bali Hai to recover from the previous night. Oh girrrrrrl – it was exactly what we needed. The atmosphere and view was an amazing 5 stars – complete with a full ocean view and perfect beach breeze! The OJ was refreshingly tasty and the champagne was endless — everything we could have hoped for as our last meal to conclude this Bachelorette weekend away.
The food and service was more like 3 stars… Meh, there was a decent variety of food but nothing too elaborate. There was the typical seafood, asian food, limited Hawaiian variety, standard breakfast options, minimal carving section, even more minimal dessert section, etc. Everything tasted alright, but nothing memorable. Our laissez faire waitress refilled drinks and took away plates when we requested it, but she never really checked up on us until it came time to give us the check.
Thus, the 4 star average. Prices were reasonable for the overall experience. If y’all visiting the area, want girls brunch out, or the typical romantic couple’s meal – check out Bali Hai! I’ll come back to try their dinner & check out the sunset view! Until next time, Bali Hai!
Tip: Brunch prices are set at $ 38/​adult, $ 18/​ages 6 – 12, and free/​ages 5 & under
Tip 2: Make sure to make a reservation to skip the wait!

I’ve gone to multiple champagne brunches in San Diego. This isn’t my favorite but it’s still really good. I love coming here because of the view.
Try to make a reservation If you know in advance that you’re coming here!
The waitress frequently comes around to fill your champagne glass. They have orange juice, pineapple juice and cranberry juice if you want to add it to your champagne. The juice is self serve where you get the food, but the waitresses are usually nice enough to bring the juice to your table.
There are some good breakfast foods to choose from — bacon, sausage, breakfast potatoes, eggs Benedict, waffles and pancakes. When I went, they had banana chocolate chip pancakes… Super delicious! I could have eaten that all day.
They had a few salads to choose from if you want to go the healthy route… But I didn’t go that route. I had a bite of the Thai Caesar salad which was ok.
The Korean short ribs were really good. The spicy miso salmon was not good. It was really dry and there was no flavor.
They have a station for phở, stir fry and omelette. I got the omelette and it was really good. You get to choose what you want in it, and I got lots of cheese and shrimp!
I was way too full for crab legs. Darn.
The little chocolate desserts I got were really good.
I’m sure I’ll be back here!

Das Bail Hai Restaurant ist einfach ein Traum für jeden Südsee-​Tiki-​Hawaii-​Retro-​Fan!
Seit 1953 besteht es und gilt als eines der letzten verbliebenen Original Tiki-​Restaurants die in den 50ern sehr populär waren.
Sehr romantisch auf der Shelter Island gelegen mit kleinem Garten und eigenem Bootsanlegesteg.
Das Essen war sehr gut, an das genaue Menü kann ich mich nicht mehr erinnern, es gibt auch immer eine wechselnde Karte.
Der eigene Shop lässt keine Wünsche übrig, man kann sich mit jeder Menge Hawaii-​Kitsch eindecken.
Tipp: Die Tiki-​Mug von Mr. Bali Hai! Schöner kann man Cocktails daheim nicht geniessen und vom Bali Hai träumen!