Tom Lai’s Restaurant was on the waterfront in front of the old downtown tall buildings near the aircraft carrier (USS Midway Museum) now on display. It offered one of the best views looking West across the San Diego Harbor Bay. The sunset dinner patrons always got a great view. Hello, From our Baja road trip hassle, our dad took us to this restaurant in San Deigo. He had been told by some friends that it offered great food and had a view facing West that seemed to cover the whole wester portion of San Diego harbor. In contrast, in looking back at the downtown area including the USS Midway sitting in front of the tall waterfront downtown buildings, our sailing days always gave us great views of the skyline. On Harbor Island is an old restaurant reinvented to current standards called Tom Ham’s Island Restaurant. The food here is excellent and the view is outstanding as it looks toward the downtown skyline. Tom Hams Island Restaurant, Harbor Island But, opening in 1953 was the same owner, Tom Ham’s Shelter Island semi circular restaurant looking across the Western end of the harbor, looking across to the Island restaurant and the city downtown skyline called Bali Hai Restaurant. The food here is also, excellent and the views are outstanding. There is even a webcam on the internet that is placed on top of the roof and all live activity on the bay waters and skyline, is recorded daily, day and night. We told our relatives in the Midwest to check us out sailing on the bay on a certain day and time. Hopefully, it showed up as we sailed across the bayfront location several times. Yes, as a treat, we dined at the restaurant, many times, for a great dinner and the incredible views facing the downtown bay and skyline. Jnaki The San Diego Harbor offers plenty of unusual attractions, including the daily routes of the big freighters going in and out of the vast harbor. Plus, when the military ships come in, it is always a celebration. As far as public venues, the aircraft carrier is a museum open to the public. But, across the bay, (the same view from the old restaurant below ) is usually another aircraft carrier getting some work done to upgrade it to current standards. Note: One day, my wife and I were on a strong wind tack heading to the older aircraft carrier being worked on and we were moving quite fast. As we figured out the place to tack back across the channel, a small boat with a machine gun came out of nowhere and started heading for the warning buoys. As if we were going to attack the huge aircraft carrier!!! But, just close enough to wave to the Navy folks, we turned around and headed back across the bay to the downtown side. Sometimes, if we did not use the construction aircraft carrier as a shield, prior to a tack back across the bay, when we sailed past the tip of the carrier, the West winds increased and if we were not paying attention, one rail would take a steep dip until we got control of our sailboat again. It was like looking around a huge block wall and going past the end was a very windy surprise waiting for those unaware. YRMV
The Jalopy Journal
