One of the longest-living survivors in an string of beach joints on Pacific Coast Highway, Sam's Seafood in Huntington Beach is now reportedly set to close in early June after one final Polynesian-style party this Saturday.
Employees at the restaurant said they'd heard the rumors—again—but were unable to confirm anything. But fans of 1950s tiki culture—the, er, art of dining in thatched-roofed, Hawaiian-shirted, tropical-drink-fueled South Sea Island-esque splendor—say Sam's days are indeed few, and they are preparing to belly up to the table for a last meal. The menu calls for cocktails at 4:30 p.m., and dinner—buffet-style, with barbecued spareribs and Hawaiian chicken—at 6:30 in the Hidden Village room. Entertainment, emceed by your host King Kukulele, features the loungey stylings of the Martini Kings, plus the Freaky Tikis, the Tiki Taix and the Smokin' Menehunes.
Admission is kind of steep, but it gets you in the running for the door prize: tiki mugs by Munktiki and a memorial tiki carving by Tiki Diablo.
Farewell to Sam's Seafood, 16278 South Pacific Coast Hwy., Huntington Beach, (562) 592-1321; www.samsseafood.com. Sat., 4:30 p.m. $35; children 12 and under, $17.
