TLDR: Worst dining experience I've ever had. BEYOND BAD VALUE: AN OUTRIGHT SCAM. Blatant false advertising, exorbitant pricing, shameful quality, and utterly unhelpful staff.

My two friends and I booked the Tonga Room's 2024 New Year's Eve Luau Experience @ $159/person, plus mandatory 20% gratuity, for a total bill of $613.57 after tax. (See images #1&2, attached). This was a prepaid booking, so full payment was required in advance. The event description stated the following,...

Had heard about this place on the Travel Channel's - 'Anthony Bourdain's-'The Layover-San Francisco' and hiked up Powell Street from Union Square to the posh Nob Hill neighborhood to check out this historic hotel, and home to the infamous Tonga Room: Hawaiian Restaurant and Bar. To give just a little backstory on the history of this amazing building I was interested in its original owners the Fair sisters, who have a Rhode Island connection where I live. (See this info later in the...

I live in San Francisco and have been here twice - once 30 years ago and once last night. I’ll start with the good things first. The food and drinks were actually pretty good (island-themed). The environment is nice - tiki huts with occasional rain. This is what I remember from 30 years ago and it’s kitschy and nice to hear the rain. Our server and the hostess were all super professional and nice.

Ok, on to the reasons this is only 2 stars for me. The first time I went (30 years ago) I...