Valentine's Day 2026 surprise at Bali Hai Restaurant and it couldn't have been a better pick. We kicked things off with one of their huge cocktail drinks and no exaggeration, it was delicious and way more fun than we expected. Definitely a "share it and take photos first" kind of drink. The fish and chips were a standout too. Crispy, fresh, and honestly something I'd go back for on their own. But the real highlight was the vibe. Gorgeous waterfront views overlooking the ocean and downtown San Diego skyline made the whole experience feel extra special. Super romantic, super chill, and just a perfect SD evening. Already looking forward to going back. read more

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I Love Poke Festival - usually once a year out on the patio overlooking San Diego bay and under the restaurant! Tickets were $80 for early bird this year! A few pictures from some of the best bites of the event. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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an elevator took us upstairs where we sat outside, enjoyed the busy view and enjoyed a couple drinks. the famous mai tai and a coffee. they don't make an iced coffee so i made my own if we weren't so full from lunch we'd have stayed for happy hour. read more

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Bali Hai Brunch 9:45-1:45 review. Best to make a reservation, just in case, either way there is a 5% surcharge at the end of your bill. There is a very large parking area, so no need to worry about parking. Service was good. The view of the water outside is beautiful! There was a nice selection of seafood: Cold crab legs, cocktail sauce & shrimp, smoked salmon + many island style foods, but also Prime rib, Yakisoba, pho, and an omelette station. Overall though food was decent, not amazing. You are given a glass of champagne, and you can add orange, pineapple, or cranberry juice to it. Or they also offer Apple cider, tea, and coffee. You are not allowed to order anything from the regular menu during the brunch buffet. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Sunday Brunch! - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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The mai tai here is famous or maybe even infamous, however you choose to think of it. (Incidentally, "infamous" does NOT mean "very famous.") It is also ridiculously strong. If you light a match near it, it could explode. This restaurant just may have the best view of any place in San Diego. I have been here probably a hundred times and it never fails to impress me. It's simply wonderful. I don't love the dinner menu but I enjoy their coconut shrimp, which they do well. If you don't want to commit to a full dinner, go for the pu pu small bites in the lounge. It's kid friendly and sometimes there is live music. You can get a small portion of coconut shrimp as an appetizer in the lounge. The only bummer about sitting in the lounge is there is no bay view. You could do a lot worse than some coconut shrimp, a truly deadly mai tai, and an amazing view. read more

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Our group of four lucked out and were able to sit near the window on a cool, sunny day for lunch. We were scouting the place for a women's group brunch later in the year, and were so happy to see the expansive view from the dining room. The tables were nicely set, and there was enough space for us to move all the extra menus and decorations off to the side so we all had space for our food and beverages. It did get a bit warm as it got later into the afternoon, but nothing intolerable. Food was pretty good, but not stellar. I ordered a teriyaki smash burger, which turned out pretty well, but they don't have gluten free buns, so I had it on a bed of lettuce. (I know, teri sauce isn't GF, but I do ok if I minimize.) My side salad was supposed to have li hing mui vinaigrette, but it truly did not taste like li hing mui at all. Maybe they needed to stir the dressing up before putting it into that little cup? My friends ordered Korean fried chicken, and we were all surprised that it wasn't spicy at all. I think we got regular teriyaki sauce, but I'm not sure. No green onion or sesame seed garnish, either, which I'm used to seeing on this dish. The beef skewers on the ali'i plate of appetizers were really good, probably the best thing on the table, along with the freshly brewed iced tea. Table service was absolutely on point, and we were really well taken care of. Keep in mind that there's an automatic 5% surcharge on the tab, not including whatever you might want to tip. read more

This place was fun to visit. Honestly, I would have probablyhad more fun sitting at the bar, having a drink, and listening to the music. Of course I went for the mai tai but when I was warned about how it was made, I decided against it. Pure alcohol! Apparentlyl that is the way it is supposed to be made. ??? I ended up with some other drink. I guess, being tiki, I expected it to be amazing, but it was typical. The food was good but it's something I could have ordered at other restaurants. I'm not saying that it wasn't good, but it just wasn't outstanding. I will bring friends here when in town just because I do feel they should check it out. I enjoyed looking out the window and watching the boats coming in from whale watching or the kayers paddling. I kind of wished I had my kayak. I would have been in the water. Server was pleasant. Visit this place at least once so you can say you did it. Maybe even try the Mai Tai. ........ v .. ..... read more

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I always look forward to coming here. The view of the bay is spectacular, especially if you arrive near sunset. This visit I ordered the Ahi tuna dinner with their famous Mai Tai. I usually order a different drink, however it being the Christmas season, I thought 'what the heck'! It was fine as long as I sipped it really slow, each sip felt like a shot of alcohol. Overall it was a really nice dinner, great ambiance with a live singer across from the bar area and impeccable service as usual. The lobby had a very pretty Christmas tree and the outside area included many colored lights. A great way to celebrate Christmas! read more

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Always enjoy my time and meal here. Food tonight was excellent! My table had the short ribs, gone! Tuna, gone! And I had the salmon with strawberries, who knew? Gone! This might be the Mai Tai talking. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

This was my first time here and I was pleasantly surprised. We were there on December 23rd for my Auntie's Surprise Birthday Party. We had the entire downstairs of the restaurant. Venue: Fantastic view from the downstairs I can only imagine the view upstairs. The tables had been placed along the windows. It was fairly cloudy but still beautiful. This allowed for casual mingling both inside and out. The staff were amazing and so so professional. We also met the owner who said that his family has owned the restaurant for 30+ years. Gave us a little history. Food: I apologize but I apparently didn't take any pictures of the food. However, some was good, some not so much. Of course being from Hawaii, I have different expectations of "Polynesian" food. There was Toss Salad, Hawaiian rolls, Island style macaroni salad, Rice, Kalua Pig & cabbage, Teriyaki chicken, and Mahi with a cream sauce. There might have been something else but I dont remember. For a buffet, it was pretty good. Best thing for me was the chicken. The fish was a little dry though. There was a cute area outside that we took a group photo. One of the wait staff took a picture from the 2nd floor in order to make us fit. Overall would highly recommend for a small event like ours. read more

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Amazing dinner. The location is phenomenal, the drinks were great and the food was 10/10. Our server was attentive and friendly. This place is a San Diego gem. The ambience is so cool, it feels like Hawaii. read more

Came here for date night for our anniversary. Not sure if that's why we got a table right by the window but HIGHLY recommend asking for that whenever you make your reservation. Please note they strictly don't start seating until 5. Before that it's open seating near the entrance. Okay let's get into the drinks first. Everyone raved about drinks here. They notoriously have the "strongest drink in San Diego." All I have to say is it was the strongest drink I've ever had in my life and just writing this is making my face do the sour-face "I remember my first shot" experience. It's their Mai Tai and it can be shared in a large punch bowl or can be split for two. Please note they limit it to two per person although I couldn't imagine drinking two solo. Other drinks we got were the Planter's Punch (highly recommend for people wanting fruity-sweet), the Big B's Bri-to (recommend for pineapple and sour lovers), and the Paralyzing Puffer Fish (recommend for sweet and sour). Now onto the food that actually kind of blew us away. We started off with the Ali'i Tasting For Two. You get two of everything: coconut shrimp, tuna poke, spinach lumpia, short ribs, and beef skewers. HIGHLY recommend. My personal favorite was the lumpia and the ribs but my husband enjoyed the shrimp. As for our main dishes I got the Korean Fried Chicken. It was slightly dry but the flavor was wonderful. Our waiter recommended putting the sauce normally used for the coconut shrimp on my side of rice and it really leveled it up. We also got the Crispy Ahi Tuna which was PHENOMENAL. All of their fish was terribly tasty. We also got a side of the Chinese garlic noodles which were 15/10. Special shout out to Nadeem who was our server. Just a really thoughtful person who kept checking in on us consistently to ensure we were having a great time but more importantly a wonderful experience. He was attentive, fast, and really kind. Will be asking for him exclusively when we return. I cannot comment on parking as we walked there (we parked down the street to do a stroll prior). This is the perfect place for a date, a place to have some drinks, or a must-go for a really lovely view of downtown. PS you can pay extra and take home signature tiki mugs/glasses with your drinks! read more

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Will was our server and he was great!!! The food portions were SO small... especially for the price... it was ok tasting. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Hawaiian Tuna Poke - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

This is one of my favorite places to eat when on Shelter Island. I've been here many times and its always hits all the boxes. Located on the picturesque coast with a million dollar view of the San Diego city and skyline. The appetizers are good and take the place of a meal. Ribs, shrimp or calamari its all good. Recently we came here as a party of 12 on Thanksgiving with a reservation. Im so glad we had a reservation due to being crazy busy. They got us in on time. The food on the buffet was really good. They had everything plus some faves like Kailua pig and lobster ravioli. They never ran out of anything. It's a pretty big place, didn't realize how big til I dined on the second floor. Very nice patio seating and great views+ read more

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Had a wonderful birthday celebration at Bali Hai Restaurant. Mario, our server, was great. Mario took really good care of us. The food was amazing, the restaurant with the beautiful water view really set the mood for a great evening. Great food, great location, great atmosphere. read more

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The first thing I notice about this place is that there is ample parking. No stress needed to search to find parking !! The ambiance is nice here. Beautiful view at any angle. We tried their Sunday Brunch Buffet . We were seated by the window with such a beautiful view of the water! Kevin was our server and he was very kind. There was a lot of food to choose from like various meats, carving station and sea food. Not too many vegetable dishes. There was also an omlet station and a lot of desserts to choose from. The food was okay. The meat was a little dry possibly due to sitting out for a while. I recommend that if you come here for brunch, be sure to come hungry!!! read more

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Came on a Monday evening for a business dinner. Made reservations for 2 the day before with request to be seated outside. Afternoon of, I increased the party size to 3. We parked in the huge parking lot with plentiful parking. We were seated right away at an awesome table outside. Gorgeous sunset view which gave way to a full moon. Diego was our server and he was on top of it with recos, drinks, appetizers, etc. One guy got a steak with the gravy on the side. He said it was perfectly cooked to order and good. Two people jointly ate the relatively large Caesar salad. Two of us each got the sea bass. It was tasty and because it was sitting on top of veggies, I could just gently dip into the sauce versus having the fish steeped in the sauce. Overall, it was a great atmosphere for a business dinner, had super easy parking, great view, solid service, and decent food. read more

They weren't kidding about the drinks. There really is no juice in the mai tai. I had to mix a little POG into my mai tai to make it drinkable for me. Came here with colleagues on a weekday afternoon while visiting San Diego with a reservation. We were seated in ten minutes or so since we were a little early. We all ordered something off the lunch menu. Started with the coconut shrimp to share. Delicious. The kalua pork lunch plate was tasty with a unique take on mac salad. I'm just used to what I grew up with and homemade but appreciate that everyone has their own recipe. The salad was also tasty and filling. read more

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My best friend and I tried Bali Hai during San Diego Restaurant Week and had such a great experience. We did the two course menu for $25 per person, which felt like a solid deal. For appetizers, we shared the coconut shrimp and the beef skewers. The beef skewers were a miss for us. They were described as banh mi inspired, but we didn't really see the connection and wouldn't order them again. The coconut shrimp though was a winner. Super crispy, tasty, and the shrimp were pretty big. I wouldn't have been mad at a little more coconut, but still very enjoyable. For our mains, we both ordered the swordfish with creamy orzo, spinach, and mushrooms and wow. The swordfish was juicy, meaty, and cooked perfectly. The orzo was creamy, rich, and packed with umami. Honestly, I would have ordered another whole plate of the orzo by itself, it was that good! Service was fantastic, the bartender was great, and you really can't beat that beautiful San Diego Bay view. Such a fun and memorable meal. We're already talking about coming back even after Restaurant Week! read more

Came on a Monday night around 6pm. There was 5 of us in our party. I took a poll at the end of the night to see how everyone felt about the experience. I rated it a 2 star. Two people rated it 3 stars. One person a 3.5 and one person a 4. We all generally ranked the food the same... 2.5 stars, the view, 5 stars, parking 5 stars, service, 4 stars but where we differed was the drinks, the intangibles, and the energy of the place. Food for me was extremely disappointing, especially at the price point. We all shared and the side dish of the Brussels sprouts was our universal favorite. Side dishes should not be the best part of the meal in my opinion. What made it great was that it's enough for two people easily, it was charred perfectly and had cheese, bacon, and balsamic. It was priced at 9 bucks. Second best dish was the 14 oz. wok fried bass The dish was corvina seabass, ponzu, and szechuan style vegetables. From the plating to the presentation to the taste, it's hard to find anything to complain about. With the flavors and how filling it was, the price of 44 dollars was on point. Third best dish was the side dish of the black bean chinese broccoli that was 8 dollars. After that, there was such a big drop off that I wouldn't really recommend anything else from what we had. The roasted whole fish was a Mediterranean bass and had coconut melange, and stir fried curry vegetables. Everything on the plate was a bit dry and the seasoning just wasn't there. Everyone at the table wasn't impressed. Especially given it was market priced. The crispy pork belly was the dish I was most looking forward to and at $30 I was ready for it to be great. It was crispy. Not crunchy. It was dished up with spiced lemon basmati rice, pickled pepper & onion, black vinegar & balsamic jam. None of it really stood out. The pan seared scallops at $40 which had garlic polenta, kombu and charred scallion miso, and tomato-basil salad was a split between being underwhelming (as in the description sounded better than what it actually came out to be) and middle of the pack. It's a pretty dish to look at and if you want something heavier than a salad but lighter than some of the other meals, I would suggest this. The seared salmon was on the cheaper side. It was 30 bucks and it had a chili-pineapple glaze, lemon-basil risotto, and strawberry relish. We all liked the flavors. And thought it was a unique combination. The outer crust of the salmon could have been seared a touch longer. The glaze needed more heat. We started the day with appetizers. We got the ali'i tasting for $28 which was worth it. It came with coconut shrimp, bali hai tuna poke, spinach lumpia, beef skewers, firecracker ribs. Ribs were amazing. We also got the spinach cream cheese lumpia which came with passion orange guava sweet and sour. It was $12. We ended the day with two desserts - Lemon Mousse Cake which had blueberry lemon curd, lemon lavender truffle, and blueberry muffin ice cream and the White Chocolate Cheesecake (GF) which had Raspberry sauce and Amaretti cookie. Both were fine. Both were 12 dollars. The blueberry muffin ice cream was delightful. The lemon cake in general was superior because each bite, you tasted something different. We were served by Diego. And nothing but praise for him. He was quick. He was fun to be around. He was ready with all the answers to our questions. He was just an overall great person to be around. The view was immaculate. And the parking situation is super easy. Spaces for dayssss. Usually I would recommend you coming here to try for yourself or even consider coming back here again but I think with the amount I tasted here, I can safely say that while great for our occasion and for our of town visitors. I wouldn't recommend it if you're local. I think other places serve more impressive food. read more

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Easter dinner always delicious. Plenty of variety. Service is quite good. Ambience is Oceanic view perfect San Diego perfect read more

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Bali Hai was one of the many restaurants I decided to scope out during restaurant week. I've heard such great things and was excited to try their set menu and try out the infamous Mai tai. The Mai tai lived up to its' reputation: strong, efficient, and boozy as hell. The food on the other hard .. I was underwhelmed. My personal favorite thing I tried were the beef skewers. These had great flavor. I was most excited for the coconut shrimp but they were nothing special in my opinion. The swordfish seemed flavorless and somewhat dull. I still genuinely enjoyed my time here since the view is so pretty and I had great company. I might return for a happy hour sometime and see if I can find something I prefer on that menu. read more

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Stopped in on a sunny clear day for lunch at the bay at it was such a disappointment for me and guests. For a location this close to fresh seafood it was surprising that the ahi poke was slimy in texture and overdressed!! The coconut shrimp was scrawny and over fried...skimpy portion also. Stay away from sliders! Drinks are overpriced with the exception during happy hour of their signature Mai tai. At $11.00 it is made with mostly rum and no juice! Our server was friendly and efficient and the view of the bay to the city skyline is perfect...too bad the food doesn't deliver the same excellence! Recommend for drinks and the view only!!! read more

Haven't been here since a Mothers Day brunch 10 years ago so decided to give it another try. Location and ambiance reminded me of Hawaii so I loved it. Service was okay. Not very attentive for it not being very busy but they were friendly and did get you what you asked for pretty quickly once you flagged them down. The con for me which knocks it down to a 3 Star is the food. Pricey for what you get. The Kailua pork needed seasoning. I had to add soy sauce and sriracha to give it flavor and the portions were small for the price. Fast Hawaiian places give you more and for less. Was hoping to love it but it was just meh. My friend added the chili dipping sauce and salt to her swordfish. The shrimp and salad were good but not worth returning just for those. read more

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We love to go here for happy hour at the bar, especially when Desi is playing in the lounge. One of the few places we've found anywhere to get an authentic Mai Tai. Oh my gosh, the views! The happy hour pupus are tasty and soak up the extreme strength of those mighty cocktails. Bartender service is usually very friendly. Sitting in the lounge is also great to get a better listening experience for Desi's Polynesian tunes. We recommend Bali Hai to anyone visiting San Diego. It's an experience! read more

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We popped into Bai Hai for a quick taste while seeing the food highlights around town. This place is super unique and a fun atmosphere, well worth a stop while in town. We sat at the bar and enjoyed talking with Ezra the barkeep while he made us some cocktails. We skipped the mai tais as they are described as the strongest drink you'll ever have, and we had a long day ahead of us. Still, Ezra created a couple of suggestions pared toward our tastes which turned out fantastic. We ordered the ali'i tasting plate. The food came out quick and everything was tasty. Perfect for an afternoon snack for two. The views of downtown and boats moving around the harbor is absolutely worth making a trip here. read more

Went with some friends out for a bit today...We were gonna go to Torrey Pines Beach hit it started getting cloudy and cold so we wound up down by the harbor overlooking the downtown area which was really lovely. Bali Hai is a pretty cool place, especially for an event like a wedding or some other type of celebration. We went for dinner which was good, i wouldn't say great. They had a super strong seafood smell in there which is fine since they are mostly a seafood place, but me being allergic to seafood made it a little more difficult and less appealing overall. I was limited to one thing on the menu since everything else pretty much was contaminated by seafood. Still had a really fun time and the view was amazing! Our server was so great and she made sure that my dinner didn't come anywhere close to any type of seafood whatsoever. Def recommend this place if you love seafood! read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - bali hai city view - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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A very unique and historic restaurant with awesome views of San Diego Bay. I've used their catering services for a gathering downstairs and it was amazing! The food served was delicious. My favorite was shiitake mushrooms gravy with tender and delicious Tri-tip beef. I'll never forget that! And the service impeccable. And dinners upstairs is so special. Restaurant menu extensive and great drinks and cocktails. Unique museum quality artifacts. Lots of parking. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - The Entrance - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Had a team dinner here with 8 members of my team, food was amazing, drinks were great, but the server didn't fill our water cups once without me trying to flag him down, 20/30 minutes of no water was brutal, as someone who drinks a lot of water. It took my attention away from the dinner. I also asked for the check and it took like 25 minutes to get the check, constantly looking over my shoulder for our server. It was a Saturday so it was busy, but my assumption was he saw a group of young twenty year olds and assumed they wouldn't tip well so he wasn't going out of his way to assist. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

Great drinks, great views. The legendary Mai tai doesn't disappoint. It is definitely strong, so beware! They're not kidding when they're limiting that to 2 per person. It has no pineapple juice but somehow I taste traces of pineapples. Magic. It's amazing! You have to get this when you're there. The Big B's Brito is not bad but it pales in comparison to the mai tai. The Korean fried chicken... If you're not expecting Korean fried chicken, it's not bad. Don't expect it to be crispy fried Korean chicken because it's not. It's more like Chinese stir-fried chicken with sauce, kinda sweet, almost teriyaki-like in flavor. read more

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We had their Mother's Day brunch. The food was OK, but there were no sides to go with the proteins such as prime rib, swordfish, etc. Usually, there's some kind of side to go with those items, but there were only breakfast potatoes on the buffet. We expected side vegetables and there were none. The stone crab claws were not very good, possibly frozen? The prime rib was good and we enjoyed the dessert. Most of the items on their buffet for Mother's Day, which was quite pricey were breakfast items. We expected better food for the cost of the brunch. Service was very good. read more

Husband and I had dinner at Bali Hai. The outside landscape is gorgeous with a Polynesian flare. Parking is plentiful. The views were outstanding with a scenic view of San Diego. Inside the restaurant was a bit too warm and loud. We dined outside with the cool breeze. It felt like a mini vacation. We enjoyed the tasting for two appetizers. It was flavorful. We shared their Asian salad and Sea Bass Entree. Unfortunately, the seas bass was a miss for us. It was deep fried with no flavor and dry. We had to sprinkle some salt and pepper. The vegetables were stir fried and did not complement the sea bass. The portion of the fish was big and clunky and sat on top of the veggies. The Asian salad was okay. Wish they had more dressing options and added Mandarin oranges. I did enjoy their berry Iced tea (unsweetened). read more

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Attended an international women's day event here and the catered selection was delicious. The teriyaki chicken was juicy along with the herb roasted potatoes. The Tri tip was soft and the gravy served with it was a great pairing. Also enjoyed a piña colada after the event was over and it was super tasty. read more

I think this will always be my favorite happy hour in San Diego. Great music Great views Great Service Great drinks Great food easy parking oh lunch and dinner and brunch is also quite fabulous ...but i prefer appetizers and drinks so happy hour is for me. read more

Bali Hai Restaurant - Asian Fusion Near Me - San Diego, California

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Food is tasty and everytime I book ahead and request a good seated area with a view they accommodate it which is lovely! I would say however it can be disappointing to dine out and expect to be able to have your favorites only for the item to not be available. This has happened the past two visits for me so I'd figure I'd share that it's common at times. I ended up trying Korean fried chicken for first time and was not very impressed it didn't give fried at all it was very soft and squishy when I asked staff about it he kinda laughed it off and was a bit rude but besides that I do enjoy their drinks and service most the time. read more

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I visited LA and SD this past week and this may have been the best food I ate. I came with a large group of people, and we ordered semi-family style which allowed all of us to try a ton of different food. I ordered the ahi tuna for myself, which was not a ton of food but delicious. For the table, we split a 14 oz wok fried seared bass and a ali'i tasting platter. I especially liked the seared bass - wow - and the beef skewers. I also got a mai tai. I'd never had one, and should've probably not ordered one after the server told me that it had 4 shots in it, but it is strong! If you're looking for something easy to drink, I'd avoid it. Otherwise, our server was really kind and the views were phenomenal, but the food took a very long time to come out and we were at the restaurant for quite a while as a result. read more

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We got married here in 2022. Everything was perfect. The communication through the process was amazing, top notch. Good tasting was such a hit. The food here is YUM. I recommend the Mai Tai, you can only order two. Yes they are that strong. The view.. you can see the bay and Coronado. Even with the wind and overcast our day was perfect. It gets pretty busy, make sure to make a reservation. It's worth it! read more

Greeting was good and hand off to Rocky's was great. Service is on point here. The view is incredible of the bay! Drinks? Tried a Zombie? Pre batch no alcohol just sweet crap? Resorted to just a straight rum shot ... finally a something good just rum straight out of the bottle can screw that up, food was really bad had a coconut shrimp, beef skewers, lumpia( egg rolls with Spanish and cheese) very limp not crispy and asked to reheat and was told this was their best they can do. We did not eat anything after first bites yuck! Drinks were crap too sweet no booze? Best to come here full and drunk already for just great sitting and views. Mahalo From Jason the Tiki expert read more

The food was delicious and the restaurant was very clean. Our server really nice and offered a lot of suggestions for our drinks. We went during happy hour, and I'd definitely go back. read more

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The food was great! We ordered the BALI HAI TUNA POKE and it was so amazing! The avocado cream cheese was delicious! We had the best server Olive! She was FANTASTIC and super detailed with her answers about the menu or drinks. She was super welcoming and very nice. The restaurant overall was great and everyone was as super friendly. The atmosphere was great and the view was beautiful! I recommend this place and if you are in the Harbor Island area I recommend!! read more