Tonga Room & Hurricane Club

Oh man. This is my second time here. And it was even better the second time. And the first time was great!!

Took my family here for the first time. We loved EVERYTHING. The food was great. The pupu platter filled my mom and I up so much we didn't end up ordering dinner. But my husband and uncle ordered some seafood thing that they both loved.

But most importantly, the drinks... we upgraded each drink with the 151 dragon fruit shot. OMG. Don't do it any other way!! We were happy campers by the end of the night.

The live music was great. Such amazing atmosphere. I can remember the last time I had that much fun.

Our waiter was great too. He was so on it. He remembered everything and never let us go without for a moment.

Just so there's no surprises, this place is EXPENSIVE. but we were treating ourselves, since we were in vacation and knew we wouldn't be doing anything like that again anytime soon. But it was definitely a highlight of our trip. I'd do it again for sure.

Mediocre! Prices are HIGH not to mention they charge $15 pp when a live band is in attendance - no exceptions.

Food: We received 6 wings for $26! It was a dry rub and lacked major flavor. The poke bowl was delicious & flavorful. The sweet beef onion was really good with a tiny side of rice. Small menu, not many items to choose from.

Service: Not the best. The doorman was arrogant & rude. The waiter was nice but not attentive. Our waters didn't get refilled. The place is extremely loud so he couldn't hear us call for him.

Prices: Very high. Dinner dishes are $28 & higher.

Location: let's be real it's SF. The location always sucks.

Atmosphere: The theme was Pirate/Tonga. Little confused as to why Pirate decor. Anyway, it was really dark we had to use our phone flashlight to see the menu. They had a dance floor for people who didn't want to sit and eat (but no one was dancing)

Overall: this place is overrated & overpriced. Nice experience but most likely won't be back.

As a curious diner seeking adventure, my mother and I recently ventured into the famed Tonga Room tucked away in the basement of the opulent Fairmont Hotel. Let's break down my experience:

1. Chaotic Atmosphere:
Upon entering, I expected a bustling zoo of tourists, but surprisingly, it wasn't overrun--yet. However, the chaos soon unfolded. Children darted around like tropical birds, disrupting any semblance of a tranquil evening.

2. Thunderstorms and Live Band:
The centerpiece--a blue lagoon--was intriguing, but the real showstopper was the simulated thunderstorm. Every half hour, rain poured down, and the band, aptly named The Island Groove, played on a thatch-covered stage floating near the pool. The catch? The volume was cranked up to "deafening." Conversations drowned in a sea of tropical beats.

3. Quirky Food Menu:
The menu danced between whimsical and bewildering. Items like the Pineapple Boat Surprise and the Volcano Nachos raised eyebrows. While some embraced the novelty, others scratched their heads, wondering if they'd accidentally stumbled into a Polynesian-themed Alice in Wonderland.

4. Pricey Drinks:
Let's talk dollars. A 1944 Mai Tai set me back a cool $20, and my colleague's Hurry Kane--a tiki tribute with an even heftier price tag--made my wallet wince. Yes, tiki drinks are an art form, but these prices felt like a tropical storm hitting my bank account.

5. Service Drought:
Picture this: I sat at our table, waiting for service like a castaway on a deserted island. Fifteen minutes ticked by--no menu, no water, no friendly face. Perhaps the staff was busy navigating the tiki jungle, but it left me parched and puzzled.

6. Value vs. Cost:
Finally, the elephant in the room--the bill. Tonga Room's prices soar higher than a seagull riding a thermal updraft. For what you pay, the return on investment feels like a deflated beach ball. Good food is essential, but it shouldn't require a treasure map to find.

The Silver Lining: Ambitious Vibes
Despite the quirks, the Tonga Room embraces its over-the-top identity. If you're up for a wild ride--complete with thunder, tiki drinks, and a dance floor made from lumber schooner planks--this is your spot. Just brace yourself for the bill.

Remember, my experience is subjective, and others may find joy in the Tonga Room's eccentricities.

Finally made it to the Tonga Room!

You're definitely paying for the ambiance. When you enter, you feel like you're on a ship complete with a pool (no jumping in the pool!), indoor rain, tiki huts and live music. Literally feels like you're being transported elsewhere.

Drinks are around $20, and the sampler platter - which has three pieces of each appetizer - will cost you $66 (so $22 per person). Not to mention the $15 cover charge fee per person for all those who are present during the live performance.

They don't advertise it, but they do have two punch bowls available to share. I forget what the other one was, but we got the scorpion bowl in addition to our cocktails. Drinks were definitely on the strong side. Not sure if it's because of that, but it felt like the drinks were being delivered to us way too quickly XD. Notable drinks: Tiki Meister (formerly known as the Tiki Hunter) and the scorpion bowl.

Service was patient and efficient! Our waitress was great and kept us hydrated, took pictures for us, and took the time to answer some questions we had about the bill after.

Overall, great place to grab a drink (and just a drink in my book!) with a group and enjoy the ambiance!

It's been over 20 years since I have been to the Tonga room and as we were in the City and had time to kill before dinner we decided to stop by!

It's fun.... Touristy, retro, silly and fun! Love the cool tiki vibe and decor, the indoor rain and thunder storms and the tropical tiki drinks which are around $22 a pop are actually well priced for the city and Fairmont location.

Service was fast, drinks delicious though mine was champagne based and could have been a bit colder! Nevertheless it was good!

Fun experience that's definitely worth a visit in San Francisco!

I knew what I was getting into, and other reviews are accurate. Definitely not worth the price, especially if you get screwed by the $15 per person band charge. Luckily we were told we'd be charged that but we weren't.

I went in with very low expectations for the food but I was pleasantly surprised by my curry dish. While it was 90% peppers, the seafood and broth that was in there was delicious. Desserts were mid, I would skip and maybe spend that money on a drink. I wasn't drinking that night but I think the atmosphere would be more fun if you were drinking and in a big group.

We went at the wrong time (6pm) because we thought it would potentially be a long wait if we went later. I'd recommend going at 7 because that's when the band starts and things really get going, and there were still a few empty tables at that time on a Saturday night, so I wouldn't worry too much about waiting.

My coworker recommended this place bar for most fun.
We decide to get a table to order food, instead of stand at the bar for drinks only.

I had the Wiki Wiki drink, consist of a variety of rums, passion, orange and lime juice. It was strong, I suppose you get what you pay for.

For food, we had the Tanga Platter of 5 items - Veg spring rolls, Chicken wings, Edamame,, Fried shrimp patty, Beef jerky. All were just meh to me.

Music started at 7pm, we were told there would be $15 cover charge per person if we stayed beyond 7pm. It was easy listening oldies, good for background.

Our server was incredibly attentive and had a knack for recommending the perfect cocktails to suit our tastes. We decided on the espresso martini, divine dragon, and tropical itch--all of which were nothing short of stunning. The presentation of each drink was a visual feast, truly elevating our experience. Our only quibble would be with the strength of the drinks; we felt they could have packed a bit more punch, especially considering their price point.

That said, the ambiance and vibe of the place more than made up for it. It's clear a lot of thought has gone into creating an atmosphere that's both welcoming and exciting. If a tiki bar experience is what you're after, look no further. This spot has it all: charm, style, and a flair for delightful concoctions that are sure to impress.

Had a great time at the Tonga Room! Was pretty pricey but would absolutely go back. Went on Saturday night so there was live music which was cool. Great cover band. Cover charge was $15 if you wanted to sit and eat. Free if you wanted to stand and get drinks at bar. Me and my date got the pupu platter and split it which was $66. All the food on there was good but $60 is a lot for what was given. Drinks were to be expected. Around 15-22$. 4 drinks and the platter plus cover fee for two people ended up being $200.

Great atmosphere. Loved the music. Loved the "rain". If you're deciding whether or not you should go this is your sign to go.

When I was told we were having our company kickoff event at a restaurant in the Fairmont, the Tonga Room was about the LAST thing I was expecting ahahaha. The best comparison I could make was it was like being in line for the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. Tiki bar energy but a little darker.

It was the most polarizing room I could possibly imagine. 55% of the employees hated the place, 45% LOVED it. It became a kind of us vs them mentality. I'm really shy and insecure so I was just kind of like an NPC in this situation, but it was exhilarating to observe. I would sort of guess who would be in which camp. You can tell a lot about a person if they love or hate the Tonga Room tbh.

There is literally a 75 foot pool in the middle of the place ahahaha like why??? That's just the Tonga Room being the Tonga Room I guess. Tonga gonna Tonga.

There is unnecessarily a platform that floats out in the middle of the completely unnecessary pool, and that's where the band was playing. I was standing in the corner of the dance floor because I'm really shy and was just like is anyone else seeing this? The band is just floating out there rocking out, rattling off hit after hit after hit.

I began to realize that two unnecessary things can fuse together to become super necessary. I didn't know how bad I needed the band on the floating platform in the pool until it was right there in front of me. I couldn't get that Henry Ford quote out of my head "If I'd asked customers what they wanted, they would have told me, 'A faster horse!'" Big Hen might have been onto somethin...

I wasn't drinking, but I know the drinks were strong because everyone was LOADED ahahaa. Even my big homie, Big Fhim, was pretty toasted and I've never seen anyone handle their liquor like Big Fhim! As I'm sure you can imagine, Big Fhim was in the Pro-Tonga camp. Really makes you wonder.......

People were hating on the food but it honestly got the job done. I think they were hating on the Tonga room just to hate. It's easy to hate on the Tonga Rooms of the world.

THE TONGA ROOM: WHERE DREAMS TURN TO REALITY!

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