Tonga Room   

950 Mason Street
San Francisco, CA 94108
415-772-5278
www.fairmont.com

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The Fairmont Hotel is a stately mansion, all about luxury, architecture and gorgeous views. But its ground-floor bar, the Tonga Room, is an island of island kitsch, with tropical-paradise trappings like thatched-roof tiki huts, palm trees and a buffet served on the deck of a boat. Every so often, thunderous "monsoon" rainstorms hit the large "lagoon" in the middle of the bar. You'll stay dry, unless your laughter turns to tears. Drinks are more appropriately called concoctions. Served in hula-girl and tiki-head glasses, the potent mixtures are sweet and juicy and packed with rum or vodka. The bartenders mix a decent mai tai, but don't have more than one zombie or you may feel a little undead yourself the next morning. On weekdays from 5PM to 7PM, stop by for Tonga's happy hour buffet. Drinks are substantially cheaper, and for $7 you can stuff yourself silly with appetizers like ribs, Shanghai noodles, potstickers and fruit. There's a one-drink minimum to partake of the buffet -- but that won't be a problem, will it? Aside from the happy-hour crowds, the Tonga Room is a great date spot. It's dark and atmospheric, the cheesy decor gives you much to talk about and the punch-packing drinks certainly liven things up. After 7PM, Thursday through Saturday, you can dance to pop covers from a live band floating on a raft in the water.