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Shelter Island · $20–36 · Ranked in 3 lists
Last updated
Bali Hai is a Shelter Island spot ranked #2 of 8 in our Best Tiki Bars in San Diego list, scoring 90/100. Order the original mai tai. The classic San Diego tiki experience with a skyline view.
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Score 90/100 · Order: Original Mai Tai · $16–20
Bali Hai has been pouring since 1954 and the Mai Tai is famously strong. It's more restaurant than bar now, but no other tiki room in the city has that water-and-skyline setting.
Local tip: Sit on the patio at sunset; the downtown view across the bay is the whole point.
Score 87/100 · Order: Mai Tai and the pork belly · $30–50
Bali Hai has been a landmark since 1954. The food has improved considerably in the last decade and the patio remains one of the best sunset spots on the bay.
Local tip: Sunday brunch is the best value on the menu.
Score 81/100 · Order: Mai Tai, Polynesian plates · $20–36
Bali Hai's outdoor seating overlooks the bay toward downtown, and dogs are welcome outside. The Polynesian menu is more nostalgic than exceptional, but the setting has been a local landmark since 1954.
Local tip: The Mai Tai is famously strong — order one, not two, if you're walking the dog after.
Scored with our ranking methodology — tiki-bars, waterfront-restaurants, dog-friendly-restaurants.
Written and fact-checked by the Sandi Spots Editorial team — San Diego residents publishing under Sleep Coast LLC. Every place we recommend has been visited in person or verified against an official source, and no business can pay for inclusion or a higher ranking. Last updated .