A Tropical Landmark Steeped in Local Heritage
Holds ceremonies and receptions
AWARD WINNER (3X)
Thanks to recommendations from couples on The Knot
Bali Hai Restaurant is a unique wedding venue located in San Diego, CA. This destination has a rich history that is peppered with the romance of mystery and Hollywood. To this day, the establishment remains one of the largest original tiki temples in the world.
The restaurant opened in 1954, but its history began even earlier. To understand restaurateur Tom Ham’s accomplishment at Bali Hai Restaurant, the past must be delved into, focusing on about 20 years prior. It was in the year 1935 that a movie titled “The Bounty” was filmed on Catalina Island. This film starred actor Clark Gable, who played a man named Fletcher Christian. A Tahitian village was erected on the island, creating the set for the cinematic tale. To support the crew as filming took place, a bar was built below Gable’s sleeping quarters. This bar was fondly referred to as Christian’s Hut, named after his character. The bar was subsequently relocated to Newport Beach after shooting, inspiring franchises to spring up in various locations. The last surviving of these was San Diego’s. Tom Ham saw an opportunity in the bankrupted building, bringing it back to glory and renaming it Bali Hai. In addition to this endeavor, he also opened a functioning lighthouse, thus creating lasting landmarks in the San Diego region. With elements from the roots of the establishment, including a goofy and lovingly conserved tiki-head, the Bali Hai Restaurant was refurbished in 2010. This helped to bolster the location’s success in the modern era, influencing the Ham family’s growing record of Mai Tais sold.
This island environment is an enchanting wedding location with a picturesque backdrop. Couples and their guests will be able to enjoy scenic views of San Diego Bay and the downtown city skyline. Events large and small can find an ideal spot on the island, and there are plenty of versatile event spaces to choose from.
A private event team is on-hand to assist a betrothed couple’s every need. This team is prepared to provide their expertise in event planning in order to make a wedding celebration one to remember. They are skilled in offering both solutions and guidance throughout the entire process, making events run smoothly with practical finesse. Should couples have questions about spaces or services, they are encouraged to reach out to Bali Hai Restaurant to have a chat about their wedding possibilities.
Veteran-owned and Woman-owned Business
Amenities + details
Amenities
Ceremony Area
Covered Outdoors Space
Dressing Room
Handicap Accessible
Indoor Event Space
Outdoor Event Space
Reception Area
Guest Capacity
Up to 200
Settings
Beach
Waterfront
Garden
Restaurant
Venue Service Offerings
Bar & Drinks
Food & Catering
Rentals & Equipment
Service Staff
Awards and Affiliations
Any questions?
Reviews
4.8
out of 5.089 reviews
Your trust is our goal. Our community relies on honest reviews to help you make those big decisions with ease.
Review Summary
This AI-generated summary is a snapshot of this vendor's ratings and feedback.
Bali Hai is highly praised by multiple reviewers for their exceptional service, beautiful setting, and delicious food. The staff, including Brittany, Jenny, Ashley, Lesley, and Courtney, are commended for their professionalism and helpfulness throughout the wedding planning process. The venue's tropical and elegant vibes, paired with stunning views and efficient communication, made for a seamless and enchanting experience for couples and their guests. Additionally, the pricing structure and vendor recommendations added to the overall positive experience, making Bali Hai a highly recommended choice for weddings and events.Review photos
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Shelby G
5.0
11/17/2025
What a great and fun place to have our wedding reception. Perfect for our 55 person wedding in the South Pacific room. Plenty of room to move around. Wonderful wonderful food,
Dylan B
5.0
10/27/2025
Absolutely a dream come true having our wedding at Bali Hai! Working with the Bali Hai staff was amazing. Lesley and Courtney were exceptional as they were always there to answer all our questions. We truly recommend this venue and staff to everyone! The ceremony space is perfect and the Hawaiian village decorated with the banner / lights was breathtaking. The view of the water and city in the background was magical. Thank you all so much and we will be back soon for more great food and Mai Tais!
Any questions?
Nikki S
5.0
10/07/2025
Our wedding at Bali Hai was truly a dream! As most couples do, we were considering a few venues and we always say how happy we are we chose Bali Hai. It was such a gorgeous setting to celebrate our marriage and was the perfect tropical yet elegant vibes we wanted. Working with the team there was super easy and they helped us so so much. All our guests rave that it was the best wedding food they've ever had and we have to agree!
Hazel S
5.0
1/04/2024
We are absolutely thrilled with the outstanding service provided by the Bali Hai Reception Events Team for our wedding venue. From the moment we began planning, Brittany and Ashley displayed exceptional efficiency, professionalism, and informative guidance.
Our guests, hailing from different states and countries, are still singing praises about the seamless and enchanting experience. The team's prompt and articulate communication made every step of the wedding process incredibly smooth. They were always there to respond, ensuring our confidence in the success of our special day.
The attention to detail and dedication showcased by the team were truly commendable. We appreciated the thoughtful wedding card and delightful sweet treat, adding a personal touch to our celebration.
We look forward to visiting again soon and express our deepest gratitude for the wonderful collaboration. Wishing the Bali Hai team a Happy New Year filled with continued success.
Best,
Matthew & Hazel Chow
Michelle Z
4.0
9/27/2023
Pros: This was a great place to have a wedding! We chose the outdoor area. The service was really great and communication. The view is unbeatable! Everyone loved the drinks.
Cons: I would give the food a 3.5/5. I wish the decor/furniture was more modern. It would have been nice to dock our sailboat overnight at their dock but it was not allowed.
Larisa S
5.0
7/12/2023
We can’t thank enough everyone at Bali Hai, especially Brittany and Jenny, who made all of our wedding dreams come true! From the first meeting to the wedding day and even after then we’re very responsive, upfront, helpful and so kind! I am a native San Diegan and having been going to Shelter Island and Bali Hai since I was little and always knew I wanted my wedding there! You cannot beat the view, scene, and atmosphere. Even when we had rain for the ceremony the whole Bali Hai staff were soo quick and professional you never even know it was supposed to be outside! Actually being inside was better and it made for the most amazing after rain photos! They also worked very well and and efficiently with our other vendors, and it was very helpful that they had a list of vendors they had used before that we could go over, and we ended up using for our floral and dessert vendors. We also liked how the pricing was split into 3 payments spread apart, which helped a lot with budgeting. The food was delicious! When we had our tasting everything was soo good it was hard to narrow down! Having the famous Bali Hai Mai Tai at cocktail hour was a necessity and a hit! Highly highly recommend! Thank you again Bali Hai! 🌺 💜🤍
Kate L
5.0
6/21/2023
Wow, words can’t even describe how amazing our experience was with Bali Hai and their staff. Everything was absolute perfection. There is no doubt we picked the right location for our wedding ceremony and reception. The views, the tropical ambience, the service, and the communication were the best. They definitely know how to do weddings and they are damn good at it. Brittany, Jenny, and Ashley were so accommodating throughout the entire process and answered all of the million questions that we had. It’s always tough to have a wedding at a destination that you don’t live in, but they made it so easy and seamless.
The ceremony and reception itself was nothing but beautiful and we can’t thank them enough for executing it so perfectly. Everything flowed so well and you can tell that their extensive experience shined. All of the staff were so attentive, from the staff captain to the bartenders to security, and it made our night so special. All of our guests thoroughly enjoyed their time and could not stop complimenting how beautiful Bali Hai was and how they truly felt that they were in a tropical paradise. From the view of the water to the bonfire pit outside, everything was amazing.
anonymous u
5.0
5/07/2023
Bali Hai was the perfect venue for us!
The view was amazing. It gave us the relaxed beachy wedding vibes we wanted. Also the food was delicious. We did buffet style and people were going back for more. Lastly the staff was very friendly and helpful. I definitely recommend this venue for a party and/or wedding.
Jenny B
5.0
4/14/2022
Thank you SO much to the amazing Bali Hai staff who worked our wedding. We had the most amazing night and everything was perfect. We got so much great feedback from our guests about how great the food and drinks were, how fun the bartenders were, and how smoothly everything went all night. I would like to personally thank whoever worked their absolute magic on my cake. The company I ordered my cake from originally actually lost it and never delivered it, meaning I ended up handing three small, smushed grocery store cakes to the Bali Hai staff. I just said "is there anything you can do with this?" and they whisked the cakes away, returning with the most beautiful cake. I can't even believe it was the same cake, I am so grateful you completely saved the day. Thank you again for everything!!
Kristina S
5.0
3/15/2022
Beautiful backdrop and the food was amazing. We loved our wedding venue.
Julia G
5.0
12/15/2021
My husband and I got married at the Bali Hai on November 6th. We had a wonderful experience there and have absolutely no bad things to say. Jenny and all the Bali Hai staff members were responsive, accommodating, courteous, and professional. Despite changing regulations due to COVID, I maintained communication with Jenny for about a year during the planning process. As the wedding date approached, we smoothly transitioned to fine-tuning details and creating a wonderful event. All of our guests raved about the food and cocktails- everything was an absolute success! Thank you so much to Jenny and her staff for a wonderful evening filled with new memories.
Emily H
5.0
11/04/2021
I'm am so happy Bali Hai had openings on my wedding day (10.23.21). They were very reasonably priced for the San Diego area, the people I worked with were incredibly nice and professional, and the venue itself is breathtaking and picture-perfect. Working with Jenny was amazing -- she kept me super well-informed during the planning process, and was a dream to work with. She worked with us so we got the biggest 'bang for our buck' food/beverage-wise, and everyone was incredibly happy with the food and drinks! I seriously have zero cons about this place -- if you're looking for value, professionalism, gorgeous views, and amazing food, Bali Hai is your spot!
Allison B
5.0
7/14/2021
We booked the Bali Hai for our wedding reception. The main coordinator Jenny made the planning portions so simple. She was extremely responsive over email. We loved that the Bali Hai provided the linens, tables / chairs, and food / drinks for the event all together. We ended up in the Hawaiian Village area outside & it was a simply gorgeous experience. Everything was prepared for our arrival at 3pm - tables, place settings, bar. Jenny stopped by several times to ensure we had everything that we needed. The wait staff were SO kind - they made sure our sweetheart table (for the bride/groom) was fully stocked with water, food, drinks & checked in on us multiple times. The bartender Mia was excellent and accommodated our guests various custom drink orders throughout the night. Our guest said the reception was a 12 on a scale of 0-10 (10 being amazing). If we ever have an important event to celebrate again as a family, we'd definitely return to the Bali Hai!
Stacey F
5.0
7/11/2021
My husband I were married at the Bali Hai a few weeks ago and it could not have been a more perfect and fun day! We worked with Jenny Benitez who was just so amazing, patient, and as informative as possible during the pandemic and times of uncertainty. We are so grateful to her for her part in making our day so special. The venue itself was also amazing! It is a gorgeous location and the views are unbeatable! It was so great to have the ceremony and reception just steps apart and beyond convenient to have the Bali Hai team set up all the tables, chairs, and linens for both events. The food and drinks were incredible and we are truly grateful for such a memorable day! If you live in San Diego and are looking for a "destination wedding" feel - the Bali Hai is the place to go!
Brianna A
3.0
5/08/2021
I was hoping BH would follow up after our wedding & I could express these concerns privately, but a week later & nothing, which demonstrates my concerns.
Our original venue cancelled our wedding & Bali Hai opened up. We booked immediately & began quickly planning. Planning was smooth & their coordinator is very nice and accommodating. We had our walk through & tasting. Everything was great & we were so excited.
Flash forward to wedding day. We get BH & there is absolutely no signage/directional or staff member to guide guests. Everyone was just standing around lost & no one came up to the group. Finally, my mom asked a server. To get to our area, they had us walking through a dining room full of patrons & the attitude of the staff was that we were interrupting their dinner service not welcoming a wedding.
We had the Hawaiian Village outside booked for our reception. They have these gates to signify/separate your space, which is great. However, they had outside dining tables SO CLOSE to the gates that we didn't even feel comfortable leaving our card box out. There was ample space for them to at least leave a gap of four tables worth of space to make it obvious that this was an event. Instead, it was again awkward walking through diners. It really felt like we were just another dinner reservation to them. The only people that offered me & my husband “congratulations” when walking through were the patrons, not the staff.
My bridesmaids helped my coordinator with last minute touches prior to guest arrival. The bartenders apparently thought the event started at 5:30pm (not 5) & were rushing to set up the bar. One of the bartenders pushes his fruit caddy and knocks over our custom bar sign, cracking it. A similar situation happened later in the evening when one of our toasting flutes went missing from our sweetheart table. Thinking it must have been bussed, my coordinator went to ask the staff. Their response was “oh, it broke.” So obviously it was broken when clearing the table at some point but they weren’t even going to say anything.
The food at the tasting was great. We even upgraded to a ribeye. We had roasted potatoes and Asian stir fry veggies as the sides. I was shocked when the entrees were served & there were literally 4-5 little pieces of potatoes & even less veggies. All just slopped on the plate with the meat. If this is how it was served to us – the bride & groom- I can only imagine what our guests received. The ribeye was good but many complained the sea bass was tasteless, when it was so good at the tasting ☹. The cake was next, provided by us, but cut & served by BH. We got served ours first & I thought everything was great until later when guests started asking me when the cake would be served. Surprised I went around asking & it seems several tables were not offered cake, which made sense when I was given back 2 whole cakes.
The night ended & I was immediately given the check. This isn’t the end of the world but it did solidify the feeling that our wedding was nothing more than another dinner to them considering they had my credit card on file authorized & everything but the night of bar bill was paid.
The Bali Hai is a great location with hotels nearby & a great tropical feel which is why I still give it 3 stars. Unfortunately, I think collecting money is more important to them than making your event memorable. You can’t get your wedding day back – what you remember is how you were treated & how you felt.
Response from Bali Hai Restaurant on 05/12/2021
Hi Brianna,
Thank you for expressing your concerns about your recent wedding. We were una...
ware of any issues and would have welcomed a phone call or email to discuss your concerns had they been brought to our attention.
After reading your review and, as someone who was on-site for the wedding, I can assure you that our staff and bartenders were ready to serve guests at 4:50pm. We offered to have guests come in at 4:55pm since a majority of the guests had arrived early and were eager to enter the reception site; however we were instructed to wait until exactly 5pm as there were some personal items still being set-up. Additionally, our restaurant owners were at the front of the restaurant greeting wedding guests and informing them that the reception area would open at 5pm. Once it was 5pm, they personally escorted the guests to the Hawaiian Village.
We did have dining room guests seated outside on our front patio due to the COVID restrictions in effect at the time of the wedding. We had our brown gates as dividers between the private event space and the public areas of the restaurant and thought that it created enough of a separation. I apologize if their placement and/or our dining room staff made you or your guests feel uncomfortable or unwelcome.
One of our bartenders did accidentally knock over the bar sign which resulted in a small crack. He apologized to the gentleman who was setting up the sign and offered to try and fix it. Our banquet servers did not break a champagne flute and typically do not remove the personal flutes from the sweetheart table. They were asked if the flute was accidentally taken with the others and responded that they couldn't find it with our items, not that they had broken it.
As for the cake cutting, the staff offered both the coconut cake and the funfetti to the wedding guests and most of the guests asked for a slice of both which was provided to them.
At the end of the day, our goal is have our guests leave with happy memories and if we failed in doing so, we sincerely apologize.
We truly wish you and your husband a lifetime of happiness together.
Mahalo.
Annie D
5.0
10/23/2020
We had our outside reception at the Bali Hai for our September 2020 wedding Jenny was awesome to work with. The reception was perfect with great food, and beautiful stunning view. The Bali Hai staff were fabulous. All the COVID precautions were maintained, and everyone had a great day. WE highly recommend the Bali Hai for your wedding. You will happy you did.
Nicole G
5.0
6/13/2020
Best wedding venue! The staff were amazing, beautiful views during the day and at night. The food was delicious and our guest still talk about the food and the views today. Jenny and Kendal are both amazing and very helpful!
Cheyanne D
5.0
4/22/2020
When I saw the photos of Bali Hai, I fell in love. We signed our venue prior to seeing it in person. When my husband & I were able to visit to see the venue & do our menu tasting we found that the photos truly don’t do Bali Hai justice. The view is absolutely gorgeous. Jenny is an amazing coordinator who made the whole process seamless - we had no stress throughout the planning process or on our wedding day. My MIL has severe food restrictions, and Jenny worked with us & the chef to craft a meal specifically for her, that she loved. The staff are genuine & friendly - they truly cater to you on your wedding day, and the food is delicious. Quite a few of our guests told me this was the best wedding food they’d ever had! If you’re looking for a wedding venue that truly gives a Polynesian, beach/island vibe, this is IT. We had a wonderful wedding, and will be returning to San Diego specifically to visit Bali Hai & eat there again.
Tim W
5.0
4/07/2020
Wow, Wow, Wow, Bali Hai's wedding coordinators Jenny and Kendall are as professional, accommodating, very responsive, easy to work with and stress free as we could have asked for. After calling around, interviewing and visiting 10 different venues, Bali Hai stood out above the rest for both affordability and for the unbelievable venue site right on the water over looking San Diego bay. After deciding on Bali Hai and locking in a early 2020 wedding date we have had nothing short of a perfect experience with both Jenny and Kendall. They are easy to talk to and very attentive to our request, not to mention the food is amazing. We feel very fortunate to have been able to work with them and highly recommend Bai Hai as a dream island wedding venue in San Diego. Thank you Jenny and Kendall for what you do!
Mahalo, Sharon and Tim
Ashley R
5.0
4/01/2020
Jenny and Kendyll were an absolute pleasure to work with! They were so helpful and supportive every step of the way from our first time touring the venue to our wedding day. They were extremely responsive which we appreciated. The venue is absolutely stunning, the views of downtown are an amazing backdrop for a wedding. The food and drinks were outstanding. They offer a variety of different packages and we were able to find one perfect for us. I would highly recommend this venue to anyone who is considering.
Carly D
5.0
1/13/2020
Bali Hai was an amazing wedding venue! The views are unbeatable, food was great and the whole venue has a fun, friendly vibe. Jenny and her team made the whole event go super smoothly and they worked very well with all of our vendors.
Kathryn P
5.0
11/19/2019
The best decision we could have made for our wedding was hiring the Bali Hai as our reception venue. From the staff, to the food, to the beautiful views, everything about the Bali Hai was perfect. Jenny and Kendyll were so prompt to respond to any and all questions I had regarding the venue, and were very flexible with some rescheduling due to my husband's deployment, and a death in the family. I come from a large Italian family, so we've been to our share of weddings, and everyone in my family is saying this is by far the best wedding they'd ever been to. The food was fantastic, and you just can't beat those views. Do yourself a favor, and book the Bali Hai for your wedding!
Danielle L
5.0
8/07/2019
Bali hai was absolutely the best venue for the pricing. Beautiful views and wonderful food. We loved Bali Hai and loved working with Jenny and Kendal.
jason c
5.0
8/02/2019
The venue was awesome. The back drop of the San Diego skyline as well as the bay made a beautiful place for pictures. Jenny and kendyl were amazing working with us while we were in a different state. Their hard work and dedication made our special day amazing. The food was great. It was especially awesome for the owner to great us and made sure everything was inline and if that there was anything we needed just let him know. It was awesome that they had security ensuring no one would interrupt our outdoor wedding. We highly recommend the Bali Hai to anyone that is looking for an amazing venue, awesome staff and the best two ladies ensuring that your day goes off without a problem!!!!
Arianna F
5.0
7/08/2019
Bali Hai is simply the best! We got married 2 weeks ago, and every time we've chatted with any of our guests, they rave about what a great venue Bali Hai was - the food (tri-tip and salmon were AMAZING), the drinks (we recommend the punch bowls!), the view, it all makes for a great party! Working with the Jenny and Kendyll was a breeze and they took care of everything for us. We used the Hawaiian Pavillon for our reception and loved being outside. Our guests liked the fire pit right outside and being able to walk along the water if they needed a breather from all the dancing. Definitely check them out, I couldn't be happier with how our big day went.
Kathleen H
5.0
6/28/2019
Bali Hai has a completely professional and efficient staff that made the wedding day run very smoothly! The food was great and the flow of the evening was top-notch. The Hawaiian Village was a perfect indoor-outdoor venue for dinner, and we used the South Pacific room and patio for cocktails and after-dinner cake and dancing space. Banquet staffers Jenny and Kendyll were sensitive to costs, made helpful suggestions, and clearly care about making Bali Hai events special. They worked with us on bringing in our own wine, and even unloaded and chilled it for us.
Beautiful venue, amazing views, great staff, great food, great service! We are fans for life of Bali Hai, and will come back whenever we visit San Diego.
Patrick K
5.0
6/14/2019
We had our wedding here this May and it was great! The event coordinators at the Bali Hai were super easy to work with and accommodating to our requests. We really wanted to have our wedding our the bay for the scenery and because we have done a lot of sailing together there. What sealed the deal for me was the Bali Hai has their own dock and I was able to arrive and depart by boat. The day of the wedding, I took my Best Man and brothers sailing, tied up and then got ready for the ceremony. My bride got ready in a room they have upstairs for that purpose. Most of our out of town guests stayed at the Bay Club hotel nearby and were able to walk to the venue. Shelter Island has other Hotel options and for those on a budget there would be other options nearby. For those that drove, there is plenty of free parking. The view of San Diego from the Bali Hai at night is outstanding. We chose to have a buffet and was little a concerned about how the quality of the food would be when it was served, but it did not disappoint and exceeded our expectations. I didn't hear one negative comment about any of the food from our guests and feel they all had a great time! We have no regrets choosing the Bali Hai and would highly recommend it.
Christina H
5.0
6/11/2019
This is the most beautiful wedding spot in San Diego! I had many people tell me at our wedding that it was the most amazing wedding they had ever been to! You can not beat the San Diego bay view during the day and the city lights and San Diego skyline is spectacular at night! I would highly recommend this venue! The food was delicious too! Jenny and Kendyll were awesome and helped make the whole wedding process as smooth and seamless as possible! They answered emails fast and met with me at the Bali Hai several times over the year I was planning our wedding. We had our reception at the South Pacific room and it was just gorgeous! The location makes for the most incredible photos ever! I am just in awe over our wedding pictures! I would 100% recommend this venue to everyone!
Jodi T
5.0
6/11/2019
Great value for what you pay for. The food is good and this was a top priority for my husband and I. We have high standards for food as do our family members and they executed the meal in mass quantity well! We also had pie for our dessert and Bali Hai was accomodating enough to hold them in their fridge/oven during our ceremony/reception. Their event coordinating staff is highly organized, very responsive and detail-oriented. Plenty of great views and I highly recommend the Hawaiian Village for an open, yet covered, space :)
Daniel A
5.0
5/28/2019
It was purely an accident that we found the Bali Hai restaurant for our wedding. But, oh my goodness, did we ever find a treasure!? The experience and the setting could take your breath away! It was the perfect venue for our wedding and the 75 guests who came from all over the country and California. Having lived in Hawaii, we felt that we were able to treat our guests to a special Aloha spirit and hospitality! Regardless of what you choose for dinner (the choices were all excellent!), you definitely have to try the coconut shrimp as an appetizer! We can't say enough positive things about the help provided by Jenny and Kendyl from the beginning of our planning to the very last song on our special night. We loved having our ceremony right on the harbor with the sunlight shining on San Diego in the background. When the sun went down, the lights of San Diego "wowed" our guests. Without a doubt, the Bali Hai helped our dream wedding to come true.
Ivonne H
5.0
5/19/2019
Right from our first meeting, Jenny was amazing! She answered all our questions, and trust us there were many. She shared a lot of information based on her management and coordinating experience which helped us in our planning and timeline. The entire team was professional, responsive and accommodating to all of our requests, including providing a peanut free meal and venue for our wedding reception since we had a guest with a severe allergy.
The venue is a great value. They offer a ceremony venue with a backdrop that can’t be beat and a reception area with panoramic views, which will have your guests in awe. The food was talked about by all of our guests, many of which wanted to take home the leftovers. We would highly recommend the Bali Hai and working with Jenny to anyone looking for a wedding venue.
Kati V
5.0
4/16/2019
DREAM TEAM! The people at Bali Hai made our experience from the first planning day to our wedding day absolutely seamless, convenient, and awesome! Their willingness to answer our MANY questions, patience as we coordinated over 50 out of town guests, and flexibility with other vendors was so appreciated. Jenny and Kendyll went above and beyond for us, and our guests were blown away by the amazing buffet, downtown/bay views, outdoor ceremony spot, and the South Pacific room for our reception. THANK YOU for the incredible hospitality and helping facilitate our perfect day!
Ashley Y
5.0
4/05/2019
My husband and I chose Bali Hai because they gave us the option of renting out both inside and outside venues, so we essentially rented the entire downstairs for our guests. Everything went smoothly from our ceremony, to our cocktail hour, to our reception. We had dinner outside and then moved drinks and desserts (with the Photo Booth) inside. The fire pit was an amazing addition. Most of our guests were from out of town. So they were able to escape the East Coast glum and enjoy the San Diego skyline and the amazing food and drinks. The Mai Tai was a hit (as was the consumption bar we chose to do). I wish I could do it all over again.
Liz R
5.0
3/02/2019
Decadent ocean views, amazing food - and most importantly, one-stop-shop wedding accommodations truly make Bali Hai the BEST San Diego has to offer! My husband and I recently got married here and can not say enough wonder things about Jenny and the entire Bali Hai team! The gorgeous venue and legendary mai tai cocktails speak for themselves; but what really made the experience so great was the option to book an affordable, all-inclusive wedding that took the work out of planning. They did it all! The venue, food, drinks, flowers, decor, cake, photographers, DJ - EVERYTHING! Instead of searching all around town to book one vendor here, and one vendor there, Bali Hai brought them in for us at one flat rate. Oh, and p.s. these we're not just some middle of road vendors, we looked them up - and they all had 5 stars and delivered exactly what we wanted (i.e. Tess Flowers, MyDJs, V.G. Donuts, True Photography - all top notch)! All we had to do was send sample pics to Jenny and her team took care of the rest :). Thank you for making our day so special and magical Bali Hai!
Kelly W
4.0
2/26/2019
Bali Hai was the perfect venue for our wedding on 2/16/2019. Jenny and Kendyll are so nice and helpful. Every question I had as always answered so quickly. Jenny was amazing at the rehearsal and especially wonderful on the day of the wedding. So many of our guests said our wedding was the best wedding they have ever been to. The view is beautiful and the food is delicious. I wouldn't change a single thing about our wedding. If you are considering having your wedding at the Bali Hai, do it! I promise you wont regret it!!! THANK YOU BALI HAI!!!!!
Lori O
5.0
2/10/2019
Mai Tais and Good Vibes. This venue was magical! The view of the San Diego skyline was beautiful. We were outdoor in the Hawaiian Village on a perfect December night in San Diego. Jenny and Kendyll were great to work with. They were quick to respond to any questions or concerns we had. Having open house nights were also very helpful as we were able to check out the venue multiple times throughout our planning while also meeting other vendors who have worked with Bali Hai several times. Food was great! The food actually tasted better the night of the event than when we did the tasting! The banquet staff were very friendly and always made sure Bride and Groom were taken care of. Bali Hai was perfect for us and was very fitting for our tropical themed wedding. I would love to relive our wedding day with them again. There wasn’t anything more we could have asked for in a venue.
Response from Bali Hai Restaurant on 02/10/2019
Hi Lori,
Thank you so much for going out of your way to write this review! We enjoyed havi...
ng you and Thomas here and are so happy to have been a part of celebrating such a special occasion! As you may not be able to relive that night, the Bali Hai will be here for you to come back to and reminisce as well as create other wonderful memories yet to come! Also, if you like please feel free to email and share photos, as we love to have these on hand to help showcase beautiful weddings here at the Bali Hai.
All the best and once again, congratulations to you and Thomas!
Felicia G
4.0
10/23/2018
First of all, Jenny and Kendyll at the Bali Hai were both excellent at communicating and accommodating to our requests. My fiancé and I chose the highest buffet package which included plenty of options for the main course and sides. The package included three tray passed appetizers, wine at dinner, the champagne toast, and an hour hosted bar during the cocktail hour. We ultimately chose to have both the ceremony and reception at the venue to make the most of our money and most of all our time that day. This was a great decision as we never once felt rushed, and our guests didn’t have to travel in between two places. The venue is gorgeous, the food was good, the guests liked it and we did receive compliments, the drinks and banquet staff were awesome. The staff took care of my fiance and I in particular so well during the night of the event, we arrived to our table full of food just for us, and our glasses were full all night long.
We honestly had THE best night of our lives, and we will never forget it. This is definitely due in part to the venue and the staff at the Bali Hai. BUT, I must say that there were some aspects of our experience that didn’t sit extremely well with me. The Bali Hai runs like a well-oiled machine when it comes to their events, but at some points it really felt like that; a machine with not a lot of human touch. From our first visit to the Bali Hai I knew that I loved it, but it was because I knew that it would meet all of our needs and be a great canvas for my vision for our wedding. But I never really felt like our wedding mattered a great deal to them, which a real bummer is considering how much money we were committing to give them. Now, I know that weddings are SUCH a business these days, but I really think it would do venues well to put in just the little extra effort. I had to reach out to inquire about our tasting, months after I had already put money down. And, I didn’t even hear a word from them as far as well wishes or checking in to make sure everything went well on our night after we left at midnight on the dot at the end of our wedding.
With all of that being said, I would still highly recommend the Bali Hai for an event, but just something to know going into an event with such significance as a wedding.
Melissa D
5.0
9/21/2018
My husband and I were married at the Bali Hai in San Diego on August 25, 2018. Jenny and Kendyll were both very helpful! My husband and I went to 17 different venues, and specifically chose the Bali Hai to the beautiful scenery, family atmosphere, warm welcome, delicious food, outstanding customer service, and high level of attention to details. The Bali Hai spent ample time with my husband and I to address all of our questions and special requests, and were so patient and compassionate. The entire staff at the Bali Hai was friendly, family oriented, had superb customer service, and went above and beyond to make our wedding day so beautiful and special. Kendyll was extremely helpful throughout our entire engagement, and always followed-up with our questions and requests. Kendyll always remained positive, helpful, took initiative at solving everything wedding related, and was always warm and friendly. Any wedding scenario that arose, Kendyll was able to solve swiftly and confidently, while always maintaining a focus on making our wedding day so special and full of love. It was evident that Kendyll has poured her heart and soul into the wedding industry and truly believes in her work. The Bali Hai communicated all details, addressed everything as promised and on time, and was also friendly, positive, and made a beautiful assembly for our wedding! All of our guests complimented how beautiful the scenery was, how delicious the food was, and how helpful and friendly the staff was! Both my husband and I highly recommend the Bali Hai for your wedding venue! All of our guests constantly communicated how perfect and beautiful our wedding was (and we had a large wedding party with a lot of special requests). The sunset on the harbor added a special touch with photos as well! Many thanks to Kendyll, Jenny, and the staff at the Bali Hai for all of their help, assistance, compassion, high attention to detail, and making such a beautiful day and night for us on the most important day of our lives!
Carly H
5.0
9/04/2018
We had an amazing wedding at Bali Hai. The location is beautiful right on the bay and the food and service were exceptional. The event staff is very accommodating and quick to reply to emails. If I could do my wedding again I would have it at Bali Hai!
Lindsey B
5.0
3/20/2018
My husband and I got married at Bali Hai in November 2017 and it was absolutely perfect! You truly can’t beat the views, and we got so many compliments on the food. We opted for a brunch daytime wedding, so the food was an eclectic mix of typical breakfast food and the more typical island/Polynesian food served at Bali Hai. I should also mention that we were trying to keep costs down while still having a fun, beautiful, enjoyable atmosphere for our guests, and the Bali Hai delivered 110%.
Jenny and Kendyll were wonderful to work with and so helpful in answering all of our many questions. They were also very flexible with us in terms of setting up the rehearsal and accessing the space a bit early for set up.
It’s an absolutely beautiful space, and if you’re considering it as a wedding venue I would highly recommend it.
Jessica W
5.0
3/04/2018
Me and my wife Jessica held our wedding reception at Bali Hai August of 2017. As a long standing customer and having attended a reception in the past it was not hard to choose Bali Hai. The staff was highly accommodating and friendly and the food was delicious and something everyone loved and couldn't stop raving about. The entire ceremony was everything we had dreamed and concluded the best day of my life marrying my wife Jessica. We couldn't be more thankful for the entire Bali Hai staff and all they did for our dream wedding. The people, food, venue, location, and views make it a place you can book for any event with confidence as there will be no disappointment only smiles and good times. Thank you!
- McCall Wollman
Karina F
5.0
2/27/2018
My husband and I have always loved the Bali Hai. The food is always delicious and the Mai Tai’s are always on point. So, when we started looking at wedding venues, the Bali Hai was on our list. Now, we got married on 12/31/2017. The Bali Hai is more of a spring and summer venue but hey, we decided to check it out because the one thing my husband asked is that we be able to see water when we got married. Since I had the say in almost every other decision for the wedding, I could at least give him that. So we ended up meeting with Kendyll and she went over the wedding packages with us. Kendyll was super friendly and answered all of our questions. We went back a week later and gave our first deposit. In the months leading up to the wedding, Kendyll and Jenny were AMAZING! They were quick to respond to any emails I sent and flexible on dates we had to meet with them.
One of my concerns for the night of the wedding was the weather and the possibility of rain. Jenny worked with us and said we could have our ceremony in the Hawaiian Village room since it was not booked and it is covered just in case it did rain. Thankfully it did not rain, and it was a beautiful clear night. They also arranged to have heaters placed so my guests were perfectly comfortable during the ceremony and they had an awesome view of the San Diego skyline.
We had the reception immediately following the ceremony in the South Pacific Room. We chose the Kauai Buffet Package because it included everything we wanted. We had tray passed appetizers, a buffet style dinner, and a hosted bar. Everyone said the food was incredible! The staff did a great job helping with the set up and something really sweet was one of the servers pulled me and my husband aside and fixed a plate for us to make sure we ate. Since we had a NYE wedding, we definitely wanted to have the countdown during the party. So our wedding started later than most of the weddings they do. They worked with us and let the wedding go till 2am! I absolutely loved my wedding at the Bali Hai and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a wedding venue!
Elyssa H
5.0
2/27/2018
We were so grateful to have our wedding at Bali Hai! We really wanted to capture a tropical/Polynesian wedding vibe. My family is from Hawaii and I really wanted to create a tropical oasis here in San Diego. We looked at many venues and I was getting discouraged. I’ve been to Bali Hai many time before for Sunday Brunch and it never crossed my mind that Bali Hai did weddings.
We got married at Bali Hai on Friday, September 8, 2017. We had the post spectacular sunset full of vibrant red, pink, and purple colors. Our DJ played Hawaiian Island and reggae music. And the swaying of the palm trees in the wind really enhanced our Island wedding vibe. It was magical!
Our wedding ceremony was outside near the water. The ceremony area is surrounded my so much lush greenery. So many different types of palm trees, birds of paradise, and flowers. You can see the beautiful San Diego city skyline in the background. It looks so peaceful and romantic. We chose to have our receptions in the South Pacific Room. This space is awesome! Its is circular room with floor to ceiling windows, great views of the water/city sky line. This room has these wood posts that really capture a tiki-Polynesian feel, and also has its own restrooms so your guests do not have to go upstairs to the actual restaurant to use the restroom. This space also has a great sized bar and included two bar tenders (that all my guests kept busy) lol! I wanted to bring the outdoors in and we lined the tables with palm and monstera leaves, and orchids from Hawaii. It really enhanced the tropical vibe I was going for. It was simple and simply beautiful. We had about 140 guests and there was plenty of room for everyone to sit, eat, and dance. Our guests really enjoyed both the indoor and outdoor space. So many of our guest said the space with picturesque and very romantic.
We did luau buffet style for food. We wanted our guests to be able to pick whatever they wanted to eat and feel free to help themselves. Our buffet consisted of tray passed appetizers: coconut shrimp, peanut crusted chicken satays, and vegetable spring rolls. Our entree items were roasted tri tip, honey walnut shrimp, spicy miso glazed salmon, steamed rice, bacon-cheddar mashed potatoes, island style macaroni salad, island style potato salad, kale salad, bead and butter. The food was absolutely delicious, tasty, and our guests were so satisfied.
The staff at Bali Hai are incredible! We had such an amazing experience! From our first visit meeting with Jenny and Kyndall to tour the venue to the day of our wedding with the set up and tear down and all the caters serving our guests. They were so kind and professional. I couldn't think of a more accommodating staff. They really handled all the little things so that we could enjoy this celebration with all our family and friends.
Looking back, I couldn't be more thankful for how our wedding turned out and everyone at Bali Hai who helped make our special day one that we’ll remember for a lifetime. I highly recommend Bali Hai for weddings, brunch, dinner, or any life celebrations! This place has it down! Thank you to everyone, especially those in the background who made our wedding day so special. We’ll definitely continue be regulars at Bali Hai… this special place will forever remind us of our special day!
I’ll share some pictures too :)
Kelly R
5.0
2/24/2018
My husband and I got married at the Bali Hai back in September 2017 and it was absolutely amazing! I would highly recommend the Bali Hai as a wedding venue for anyone. I did a lot of online research prior and we narrowed it down to 4 venues to see in person and as soon as we met Kendall and saw the space we knew the Bali Hai was the perfect spot for us!
We had our ceremony on the patio area which was perfect! I loved that they provided almost everything you needed including, arch choice, runner, chairs, etc. We then had our reception immediately following at in the Hawaiian Village. It was perfect for us as we were looking for an out door venue that was water front, but early September can be really hit or miss with how hot it was so we loved that it was covered with fans for our guests. We chose the Kauai Luau Buffet Package as it was the most reasonably priced and it included everything we were looking for. The tray passed apps were amazing, we picked the coconut shrimp, spring rolls and bacon wrapped scallops. People raved about them! We also loved that the buffet included multiple salads, main dishes and a carving station. We had several people say it was the best wedding food they had ever had. It was fun food and delicious! We also hosted an open bar, and this is one thing that really sets the Bali Hai apart from other venues, they really let you customize it and work with you. We did 5 hours open bar but because wine was served at dinner closed the bar for an hour at dinner which helped save us a lot of money! They also include one hour in the package price so really we just paid for 4 additional hours per person, it was one of the most affordable open bars we found. We chose the well menu but my husband loves Makers Mark which they consider premium so I asked how much it would be to include that and they did it at no extra charge!
Kendall and Jenny were so easy to work with, they responded to my every question and truly went above and beyond. They also coordinated docking a boat with the harbor police and reserved that portion of the dock for us even over night! They even helped us save a ton of money in draping/lighting by helping us coordinate with the brides the day before and after us so we could share the cost.
The tasting was perfect, they accommodated us on a different day that they usually don't do tastings so that my parents could join from out of town and they even allowed our wedding coordinator to taste at no additional charge and despite not having apps on the tasting menu, Jenny heard that my husbands favorite thing was coconut shrimp so she had a small tray brought out just for him. It was such a fun afternoon, they make wedding planning fun and stress free!
The day of everything went off perfectly, from the ceremony to the reception it was simply the best day ever! If you are looking for a fun, beautiful venue with great food and a view at a reasonable price especially for San Diego and lots of free parking (also rare in SD) then the Bali Hai is for you! So many people told us it was one of the most fun weddings they had ever been to it would not have been possible without the amazing Bali Hai team. We also love that it's a restaurant that we can go back to and relive that amazing day!
Marilyn B
5.0
2/20/2018
I got married on a Friday evening in August 2017 and the Bali Hai was the perfect location for our wedding. We had over 200 people and had our ceremony on the patio overlooking the bay and the reception in the outdoor covered pavilion.
The events team at the Bali Hai made planning the wedding SO easy. They were great to work with, quick to respond to all of my requests, and helped me have the wedding I dreamed of without breaking the bank.
On the day of the wedding, the banquet staff made sure everything went according to plan. The food was delicious! My husband really wanted a roast pig and the Bali Hai made it happen! And the drinks made the night even better.
We loved everything about the venue and our special day and can't thank the Bali Hai enough.
Linh N
5.0
2/20/2018
We had our reception at Bali Hai and couldn't be more happy. Bali Hai is an amazing venue with magnificent view of the water and downtown San Diego. Everyone at the reception was blown away by the food, view, and service. Our event coordinators, Jenny and Kendall, went above and beyond to ensure all of our requests were met. We kept thinking about how great our reception was months after the wedding. We highly recommend Bali Hai for any private event you may have.
Linh and Ryan Eliason
Ben P
5.0
2/20/2018
We were married at the Bali Hai this past November and had a fantastic experience. The property was the perfect setting for our wedding and you can't beat the view. Everyone we worked with on the events team was so accommodating and helpful.
The day of the reception everything was seamless. We choose the buffet option - the food was great and far exceeded our expectations. It had a lot flavor and was fresh (not typical banquet food). Everyone had so much fun - the night still feels like an amazing dream.
Stephanie W
5.0
2/20/2018
My husband and I were married here in October and we couldn't have asked for a better experience. We planned the wedding from out of state and their email response time was very quick and the staff was very friendly and helpful. The ceremony site was beautiful and the views of the bay and downtown skyline were stunning. Our reception was held in the South Pacific room. I was a little hesitant about the indoor reception (the outdoor area was booked for our date), but the room was perfect and had a very indoor/outdoor feel and the nighttime views were beautiful! Our guests have referred to our wedding as magical and beautiful and have all raved about the food! Our only disappointment was that we didn't have time to eat so my husband and I are planning on having dinner at the Bali Hai next time we are in town. Don't miss the Mai Tai's and coconut shrimp!
Natalya G
5.0
4/28/2017
Bali Hai was an incredible reception venue. The food was so great, buffets aren't always great but I did not receive one complaint from any of my guests. They had such a wide variety to choose that it was hard to narrow down our chooses. They were very accommodating for our vegetarian guests that they even set aside veggie dishes for them. The overall experience was wonderful and the servers made sure that my groom and I were fed and hydrated. Two comments about the location is that it gets warm quickly if you have alot people dancing and that there were alot of party crashers that I personally had to kick out.
Kristen E
5.0
8/27/2016
We had our wedding ceremony and reception at the Bali Hai this June and everything was absolutely fantastic! We had the most perfect day and Bali Hai helped make that happen! Our guests are still raving about how great the venue was! Everyone from Jenny and her catering team to the owners Larry and Tommy were incredibly accommodating and pleasant! We loved the Hawaiian Village as our reception venue and our guests did too! We had a sail boat as our getaway vehicle and we absolutely loved that part as well. The food was amazing and the drinks outstanding! We would highly recommend that Bali Hai to everyone! Here are some pictures http://cloveandkin.com/blog/tag/kristen-patrick/
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Bali Hai Restaurant
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