Bali Ha’i at the Beach opened in 1958 and was located near the entrance of the Pontchartrain Beach amusement park, which was open from 1939 to 1983. It was known as Pontchartrain Beach-Combers before a lawsuit from Don the Beachcomber resulted in a 1959 name change to Bali Ha’i at the Beach.
The exotic experience began even before arrival at the restaurant. A bamboo-decorated “Sampan Taxi” would pick diners up from the parking lot and deliver them to the Bali Ha’i entry port, an impressive bamboo A-frame peak. There were also shuttles running from the restaurant to downtown New Orleans, complete with onboard Tiki drinks.
The bar menu was glamorous and theatrical. There was even a large carved volcano that dispensed drinks to customers.
The Cantonese menu brought new dishes to New Orleans diners, including moo goo gai pan, chow mein, rumaki and eggrolls. The new spices and sauces livened up familiar seafood, but American standards were also available for the less adventurous diners.
Bali Ha’i became the place for celebrations for decades – weddings and anniversaries, proms and graduations and, of course, the perfect first date. Private parties could book the Bora Bora Hut, the Lanai Hut or the Samoan Hut.
Although Pontchartrain Beach closed in 1983, the restaurant stayed open for a few more years. By 1988, the furnishings and memorabilia had been sold off to the public.
Two tikis and an A-frame gazebo with a sign from the Bali Ha’i have been relocated to Veterans Memorial Park in Kenner, LA. The Bali Ha’i signature mug was a copy of the logo mug from Tiki Bob’s in San Francisco.
Otagiri Mercantile Company (OMC). The company was an importer of porcelain, stoneware and giftware in the San Francisco area for more than 46 years. The products were made in Japan and were imported for distribution and sold to high end Restaurants, Bars, Department Stores and Gift Shops worldwide. Otagiri products were handcrafted, hand painted and highly sought after.
