Tonga Room temporarily spared; may be moved?

The fate of San Francisco's Tonga Room has been in limbo as the owners of the Fairmont Hotel have been working through plans to renovate the facility and ultimately demolish the restaurant. At the end of October, there were some glimmers of hope that the 65 year-old restaurant may survive in one form or another.

First, SFGate.com reports that the current plans to renovate the hotel failed to pass the Planning Commission's muster, delaying its closure to at least the commission's next meeting in January.

Read Tonga Room takes some barbs, but final decision delayed | Mahalo, Otto!

Meanwhile, San Francisco restauranteur Peter Scully of Bin 38, The Republic, and Apartment 24 has signed a letter of intent with the Fairmont hotel to move the Tonga Room to an undisclosed location (queue the **** Chaney jokes).

“If it’s the Tonga Room, I want to make it as exact or close to the same, and I sure as **** am gonna try to do that, 1000%,” he says, noting that ideally, it would include the pool, too, though it might not be as deep.

The commission meeting in January would also be the first opportunity for this plan to be floated, but it's hopeful news.

Read Peter Scully chats about his plans to take over the Tonga Room at Inside Scoop SF

---

Tonga Room memorabilia on eBay:

Add to the Discussion

comments