Post #452203 by TabooDan on Wed, May 6, 2009 9:14 PM

You know, two weeks ago I was in Vegas and decided we should at least go and see if it was as bad as everyone was saying. Could a Trader Vic's actually be this bad?? I just had to see it myself.

I too, like Koolau above, was not going to add anything to this thread. After reading this post, I just had to agree. My experience was exactly the same.
We walked in and really were disappointed with the decor. We sat at the bar because the patio was full of people yelling at each other and just all around being too loud. But heh, we were here and we would make the most of it.

Well, we couldn't. We sat at the bar and after waiting for someone to serve us, we were asked what we wanted to drink. There was no bartender either and we were given our drinks and then they disappeared not to return. Actually, anybody for that matter. Didn't see another bartender except for the one outside. The guy that made our drinks didn't even ask for our payment. We sat there had our 'fruity' drinks in our PLASTIC cups and discussed how Trader Vic would turn over in his grave if he knew this place had his name on it.
Absolutely everything he strived to create in a business and everything that he had passed on and so strongly believed in has been thrown out the window at this location. We put our money on the counter, and walked out. Nobody, ever should spend that little amount of time in a Trader Vic's.

This place has put a black mark on the name but at least you have new locations, like Chicago and L.A., that are opening with great excitement and are more authentic to the decor and roots of what a Trader Vic's restaurant actually is. And I guess, truly, it is not Trader Vic's that did this. It was Vegas that did this and people in office's who make all the decisions.

That Hawaiian place, Cheeseburger, is in the same mall as the Trader Vic's. That place was busy. Lot's of customers. Now I am not comparing this place to Trader Vic's but the decor there was pretty cool to look at and go through and they did serve a half decent Mai Tai. That is, for one served in a mall anyway!!
At least they serve it in a glass!!

Here's a shot of the entrance in the mall:

The very busy and full interior:

And here's a bad shot of the bad behind the bar area:

I do hope this location either completely changes and goes through a huge over haul or it closes it's doors. This location is not what a Trader Vic's is, was or has ever been. It's a Vegas version that clearly did not work.

TabooDan