Bloody Mary's Restaurant & Bar

Frommer's Review

Having a few drinks and a slab of barbecued fish at this charming structure is as much a part of the Bora Bora experience as is taking a lagoon excursion. Ceiling fans, colored spotlights, and stalks of dried bamboo dangle from a large thatch roof over a floor of fine white sand (stash your sandals in a footlocker and dine in your bare feet). The butcher-block tables are made of coconut-palm lumber, while the seats are sections of palm trunks cut into stools. Bloody Mary's is essentially an American-style barbecued fish-and-steak joint -- which can be a welcome relief after a diet of lard-laden French sauces. You'll be shown the seafood and beef laid out on a bed of ice. (If it's offered, choose the mouth-watering teriyaki-style wahoo.) The chef will charbroil your selection to order and serve it with a salad, vegetables, and your choice of sauce on the side. The lunch menu consists of burgers, fish-and-chips, and salads, which are not served at dinner.

Open all day, the cozy bar is cut from a beautifully polished litchi tree and is one of my favorite watering holes. You will have an evening of fun, as have the many famous faces posted on a board out by the road. Bloody Mary's American owner, Dexter Hewitt, shares the profits with the staff and sends them all to Las Vegas every December (when the restaurant is closed); given this incentive, the service here is among the best in French Polynesia.

Note: This information was accurate when it was published, but can change without notice. Please be sure to confirm all rates and details directly with the companies in question before planning your trip.

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