Post #448685 by Hinano_Paul on Tue, Apr 21, 2009 3:52 PM

Been following this thread since it began, and all I can say is WOW.

Obviously Ikya99’s original post asking some simple questions for comparison to their experience has been blown way out of proportion.

A little research into older posts will clearly show anyone who wants to take the time to look, that in fact the service has been poor at best for any event since the place originally re-opened as Sam’s. On the positive side the demeanor of all the staff (mostly all new I believe) has improved 1000%! Personally I was under the assumption food was not originally going to be served inside the event (Chuck/Ryan/Art correct me if I am wrong), so many planned on arriving early to try to ensure that they would have time to eat prior to the event starting. I know that Chuck knows the issues with trying to serve that many people at an event here and I am certain they are trying to rectify the situation for future events, and I cannot believe I agree with BTD, but they really should look at supplemental staffing for the events.

Additionally one should realize that as the transition is taking place and as the reputation grows they will serve more and more guests on a nightly basis and as food is an expensive perishable item, if you have a place that say has 100 guests a night on average now hit them with an event where you don’t know if 10 or 500 are going to show up, who could you possibly know how much food to have on hand, too little and everyone complains, too much and now you need to sell it before it spoils, kind of a catch 22 in my eyes, and in this economy I would assume they would side on running out rather that tossing it out.

As for the drinks, one must first realize that they are basing them on original recipes from Donn, so they are inherently different from the Trader Vic’s versions many of us (myself included) have learned to love, so yes you are correct they do taste very different, as they should, they are a different recipe. So obviously they will not appeal to everyone. Come to think of it even our beloved Forbidden Island offers an Island Mai Tai with pineapple juice. So watch out Mike I guess you are next for the “that’s not a Mai Tai” rant. Now for the pre-mixed cocktails, I for one think this is a travesty, but I also understand. Take a limited bar staff, who other than Ryan and Patrick, probably have no idea how to make a real Mai Tai or Zombie so I would consider them tiki drink virgins and then hit them with 100 or so power drinkers (you know who you are ahem-cough, Hinano_Paul, SoccerTiki, BTD..this is a long list), and there is no way they could keep up at this point in their mixology career, I know I couldn’t, and I know how to make the drinks! I know for a fact that making an authentic tiki cocktail takes time, see how long you wait at FI on a busy night where you have bartenders that know how to make the drinks and I am sure there were four times the people here than could fit into FI. (No ill will meant here Mike and my beloved FI staff you guys rock!) So again give them the time to make the adjustments here.

We as Tiki and Hawaiiana enthusiast need to heed Bens words here, Sam’s was turned into a tiki temple in the 60’s, 40 years later we almost lost this West Coast icon. Now insert Art/Chuck/Ryan, they are trying to correct their issues and save this place and it cannot happen over night. Also keep in mind that those of us who enjoy Donns’ for what it is, the history and artifacts, are in fact a very small group in the grand scheme of things. We are not there nightly supporting their efforts and helping the business grow, but we will descend on them like locust’s for an event and blast them for every one of their short comings.

And I do have one complaint, Art/Chuck, Mac n Cheese with SPAM, was amazing bring it back! Get rid the current Mac n 3 cheeses – very deceiving when you get literally Kraft Mac N Cheese, shame on you, I say shame on you sir!

So all in all I say, if you are not willing to support the place long term, you should take it with a grain of salt and not condemn them for offering us a great place, an excellent show, and mostly good food and drink if you can get it, hey, two out of three aint bad. Give’em a try on a normal night and see how it compares. Now if a year down the road when the transition and growing pains are over if nothing has changed I say blast away, but till then, let’s give the boys some slack.

I am in no way connected to DTB other than as a supporting patron, so let the hate mail begin!

Mahalo for your time.

HP