LONG BEACH — Its owners are thrilled to announce the summertime opening of Dark Harbour, a new polynesian-themed tiki bar currently under construction in the restaurant space at Chautauqua Resort and Conference Center.
Dark Harbour promises a unique eating and drinking experience with a focus on rum and innovative tiki cocktails in a laid-back escapism oasis.
Led by co-owners Robyn Murphy and Jason Alexander of Tacoma’s Devil’s Reef and the Gilman House Room 428 fame, the restaurant’s menu will feature the more traditional tiki items such as rumaki and musubi, but will also include a coffee-rubbed steak, a burger, a niçoise salad, salmon chowder and oysters on the half shell, as well as some comfort food and small plates.
“Our vision is to create a unique space where you can take a vacation from your vacation in a dark nautical setting while sipping on some original exotic cocktails as well as featuring classics from a well-rounded and diverse back bar that is approachable, yet esoteric,” Alexander said in a written statement
“We are excited to bring this concept to Long Beach and provide a memorable dining experience to both the local and tourist community. We stepped into the restaurant and bar space at Chautauqua and immediately fell in love with what we could do here.
A leader of the venue space says the concept will work well with Long Beach and the Chautauqua.
“We were looking for the right timing and the perfect fit and certainly feel like Robyn and Jason helped us deliver on both. The tiki bar theme is perfect for its uniqueness, and they have arrived just as Chautauqua’s many renovations are firmly taking shape. As many on the Peninsula know, having the Chautauqua restaurant back up and running with a quality operator helps complete the experience for both guests and locals alike,” said Chester Trabucco, the owner of Long Beach Hospitality Ventures, LLC, who manages the properties for Chautauqua Homeowners Association.
Murphy and Alexander are set to come ashore at Dark Harbour in late August to bring their unique brand of dark nautical escapism to the Chautauqua Lodge. Until then, they look forward to meeting everyone at a June 19 open house, 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., where they will be providing three drinks for attendees to sample, including the namesake cocktails Devil Reef, Gilman House Special and Dark Harbour.
Follow their social media, @devils_reef, where there will be periodic updates until things become more official with a website for Dark Harbour.