Tonga Room in SF features indoor rain, thunderstorms, and a floating stage. The atmosphere is fun with tropical decor and live music reminiscent of wedding cover bands. While the experience is enjoyable, the food quality is inconsistent, with bland salads and over-spiced edamame. The kalua pork is the standout dish but better enjoyed in sliders rather than with rice. Service can be slow, with servers often absent for long periods. It's recommended to focus on drinks rather than a full meal, despite an added charge for live performances.
There's nowhere quite like Tonga Room in SF, what with its indoor rain and manufactured thunderstorms, a pool converted into a floating stage, and live music reminiscent of a wedding cover band. Even after repeat visits, the novelty of the Nob Hill tiki bar and restaurant doesn't ever seem to wear off, and its intense commitment to all things vaguely Polynesian and theatric makes Tonga Room fun.
In between those moments, you'll deal with inconsistent food and slow service. The Island Crunch Salad is bland, edamame is over-spiced, and macaroni salad has too much mayonnaise.
The best of the bunch is the kalua pork, though we recommend getting it in the sliders instead of with a mound of rice that tastes like it's been sitting out a while.
That said, avoid having a full meal here and opt for drinks at the bar, which gives you easy access to cocktails and the dance floor.
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