The Polynesian - New York

Manhattan, New York, New York, United States

The Polynesian was an upscale modern restaurant in midtown Manhattan, near Times Square. It was located on the third floor of The Pod Hotel 42, and opened in May 2018. The space was sleek and airy, with more subtle nods to Polynesian art and culture. Seating dividers were made from sticks, clearly inspired by traditional Oceanic sailing maps; graphic repeating patterns on the floor and behind the bar appeared to be very-abstracted echoes of tapa or quilt designs of the Pacific. The dominant colors in the space were warm wood and ocean blue, and select pieces of Oceanic art were on display.

The restaurant was created by New York's Major Food Group, with help from bartender Brian Miller, who had been hosting regular tiki drink nights around New York for several years. Miller's menu included not just nods to drinks from the history of tiki bars, but incorporated nods to actual Polynesian history. The food menu was limited and tended toward the snack end, with some classic fare like Crab Rangoon.

Signature mugs by Tiki Diablo from this location were highly coveted.

The bar closed temporarily in 2020 as a consequence of COVID shutdowns and never re-opened.