A Rabbi, an artist, and an opera singer walk into a bar….
The Bali Hai Room was a popular cantonese restaurant and bar located on the lower level of Kansas City’s Bretton’s Restaurant. Owned by Rabbi turned restauranteur Max Bretton, upstairs you could order traditional jewish fare like Matzah Ball Soup, as well as Beef Wellington or Baked Alaska. Downstairs in The Bali Hai Room, the menu featured cantonese and Polynesian food. While not a typical tiki bar, Bali Hai was the first polynesian restaurant in town, and was named after the song from the musical “South Pacific.” The drinks were definitely tiki - you could order a Hurricane (limit 3) $1.80, Planter’s Punch for $1.30 and a Zombie for $1.90 They even had their own tiki mug.
Max and Mary Bretton loved all artists. Mary had toured the country as an opera singer, and famous people like Maria Callas and Edward G. Robinson would stop in their restaurant and bar while performing in Kansas City.
Bretton’s opened in 1945, the Bali Hai Room was added in 1954, and sadly everything closed in 1976.
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Men's / Unisex - 50% poly, 25% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton, 25% rayon, 40 single 3.8 oz.
