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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 in our Best Tiki Bars in San Diego. Order the original mai tai. The classic San Diego tiki experience with a skyline view.
We scored Bali Hai 90/100 in our full editorial review.
Read the full Bali Hai reviewBali Hai is in Shelter Island, San Diego. Give yourself a few extra minutes for parking on weekends — Shelter Island fills up early on sunny days.
Explore Shelter IslandOn our Best Tiki Bars in San Diego list, Bali Hai lands at #2 of 8, just behind False Idol (93/100) and ahead of Grass Skirt (89/100). False Idol holds #1 with 93/100, so the gap is 3 points. It also appears on 2 other lists in our San Diego coverage.
See the full Best Tiki Bars in San Diego rankingBali Hai scores 90/100 against a best tiki bars in san diego field that averages 87.5, running from 83 at the bottom to 93 at the top. That puts it 2.5 points above the category average and ahead of 6 of the 7 other places we scored. It lands 2nd of 8, and the category leader is 3 points clear.
Judged criterion by criterion, Bali Hai separates itself most on atmosphere (95/100 versus a 89.3 category average). Its softest showing is value at 80, 3.3 points under the field. Those two numbers are the honest summary: this is a place you pick for atmosphere, not for a clean sweep of every category.
| Criterion | Bali Hai | Category avg. | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Experience | 91 | 88.8 | +2.2 |
| Consistency | 92 | 87.3 | +4.7 |
| Value | 80 | 83.3 | -3.3 |
| Atmosphere | 95 | 89.3 | +5.7 |
| Uniqueness | 92 | 87.6 | +4.4 |
Scores are Sandi Spots editorial judgments, compared against every other place we ranked in best tiki bars in san diego.
Shelter Island is dense enough that Bali Hai rarely needs to be a standalone trip. We have scored 2 other ranked spots in the same neighborhood, so it is easy to stack a visit with Humphreys Concerts by the Bay (89/100 in our best live music venues in san diego list) or Kona Kai Resort bar (83/100) and turn one stop into an afternoon.
89/100 · #5 in best live music venues in san diego · $50–150
83/100 · #8 in best tiki bars in san diego · $16–22
Yes — worth going out of your way for.
Bali Hai scores 90/100 in our Best Tiki Bars in San Diego list (#2 of 8). It is strongest on atmosphere (95) and consistency (92). The classic San Diego tiki experience with a skyline view.
Skip it if value matters most to you — that is its weakest category (80/100).
Bali Hai is a good fit for tiki bars and waterfront restaurants. Because it ranks #2 on our best tiki bars in san diego list, it makes the most sense to pair it with nearby stops in Shelter Island rather than build a day around a long cross-town drive. Check live hours and availability before leaving, especially for a weekend visit.
Best tactical tip: Sit on the patio at sunset; the downtown view across the bay is the whole point.
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Score 90/100 on this list's criteria · 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 on this list's criteria · 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 on this list's criteria · 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.