Imagine you’re sitting by a lagoon, with a cocktail served in a coconut in your hand. A barge floats in to view, and there is a band aboard playing popular tunes. From time to time you hear thunder, and a lightning storm blows through, complete with tropical rain….. and it’s all in the basement of one of San Fransisco’s most glamorous hotels.
There is no place like the Tonga Room, a tiki themed bar and Polynesian restaurant that has become an iconic institution. It was designed by Mel Melvin, MGM’s leading set director at the time, and opened in the basement of The Fairmont Hotel, where the swimming pool had once been, l in 1945.
The Tonga Room has remained largely unchanged since then, and today it’s retro, kooky Polynesian decor and vibe have attracted fans the world over.
We recommend a lagoon-side dinner to give you a great view and enough time to enjoy the full Tonga Room experience.
Zombies for everyone!
One hundred billion thousand stars.
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Northern California #1 - last visited August 2021