I visited the Tambu Lounge for drinks and a snack on a
Thursday evening in early December 2018. The bar is open daily from 7:30 am
until 10:00 pm. Reservations are not accepted, nor does this bar participate in
the dining plan.
The Tambu Lounge is
located at the Polynesian Resort in their Great Ceremonial House (main
building), adjacent to the restaurant 'Ohana on the second floor. (Sometimes
Tambu can get busy when guests are waiting for tables at ‘Ohana.) Tambu
offers seating at its three-sided bar topped with a thatched roof, or at nearby
tables and chairs, some of which enjoy a view of the lush property from floor-to-ceiling
glass windows, and others that spill out onto the second floor mezzanine to
benefit from the open and spacious high-ceilinged lobby area. Tikis, tribal
art, and other island decor complete the theme.
The Tambu Lounge offers a brief menu of small plates such as
carpaccio, ceviche, spring rolls, and shrimp cocktail. I enjoyed the mixed grill kebabs (skewers
containing 4 peel-and-eat shrimp, 1 piece of chicken, and 1 piece of beef,
served with a peanut sauce), which was a nice dish but more of an appetizer
versus an entrée. I couldn’t resist one of their frozen fruity cocktails, some
of which are available on the rocks, and others that are served in hollowed out
pineapple shells. (Truthfully, I’m not sure which drink I tried, but it was
mango-flavored; I simply noticed the delicious-looking drink that the woman
seated next to me had, and said “I’ll have what she’s having!”.) The bar also
serves draft and bottled beer, wine, and spirits.
The Tambu Lounge is worth a stop when you visit the
Polynesian!
