Trader Vics Mai Tai Bar?

Interesting concept, just remove the restaurant and keep the bar. I always prefer sitting at their bars for food & drink.
Trader Vics Mai Tai Bar

Whoa, did you notice the new United Airline drinks on the Hawaii flights?

Flaming scorpions!!

I did notice that on those flights they offer a Mai Tai and a Margarita. Now as far as I know Trader Vic’s doesn’t have a Margarita on the menu ::pulls out Trader Vic’s menu::, nope it’s not there. Of course they could make one but still, that’s just not right.

With that said I think that having a bar only TVs is a great idea. I've only been to the bar area but that alone was a great experiance which I look forward to repeating.

[ Edited by: sporkboyofjustice 2006-08-25 11:57 ]

On 2006-08-25 09:59, Robertiki wrote:
Whoa, did you notice the new United Airline drinks on the Hawaii flights?

Flaming scorpions!!

I wish. And keep the fire extinguisher handy for air turbulence accidents! :)

As a over 40 year United flyer and a United Premier Executive 1K Million Miler (their frequent flyer program's highest elite level and where my "handle" here comes from...sorry to sound sorta boastful there...just qualifying myself on this subject :wink: ) on United, who just last week flew this Trader Vic service flight over here to Hawaii where I am right now...afraid it's just the old reliable Trader Vic's Mai Tai on these flights. Not that I'm complaining! They are pretty decent Mai Tais. In First Class they start with Trader Vic's Silver Rum, then Trader Vic's Mai Tai Mix, lime juice, then a float of Meyer's Dark Rum, garnished with a United Tiki swizzle-stick with pineapple spear, lime slice, and a cherry. In a real Mai Tai glass. Don't know what they're doing back in Economy. :wink:

The food items in First are a selection of 3 Vic's entrées and assorted accompaniments using Trader recipes and ingredients. Ice Cream sundae topped with the Trader's Praline sauce topping. Very nice.

United has had a long on again/off again relationship with Trader Vic's over the years. This one is just their latest.

United is one of the only major airlines that serves Mai Tais to/from Hawaii. Even when there is no official Trader Vics marketing promo going on...United serves basically the same Mai Tai...only sometimes substituting Mr. T's Mai Tai Mix for the Traders brand.

My United collection has tons of old Trader Vics/United paraphernalia in it. Tiki swizzlers, tiki coasters, glasses, promotional tiki key chains, etc, etc. Even United/Trader cookbooks that were sold in stores. :)

United's pretty much the only one of the majors where you get some Aloha spirit to Hawaii. Most of the others...it's just a flight like any other.

Although I do miss the old days when the United Flight Attendants (or Stewardesses as they were known then) wore special Aloha uniforms and mumus. :wink:

isnt there one of these in Long Beach above the bubu gump shrimp company? Its not doing all that well. I think its the same concept and people.

I don't think the LB Mai Tai Bar is affiliated with Trader Vics--no TV cocktails on the menu and no TV logos on the premises.

The only one listed is in Estepona (on Spain's Costa del Sol). If anyone goes or has been, post a report!!

[ Edited by: Pepe le Tiki 2006-08-25 15:48 ]

On 2006-08-25 15:47, Pepe le Tiki wrote:
The only one listed is in Estepona (on Spain's Costa del Sol).

Right. I've heard some rumblings of negotiations at other locations, but nothing firm yet.

I think these things are going to be a bit like a Vic's Jr. Just a mai tai bar with a limited food menu. Smaller venues where they can drop them into locations with minimal startup expense. And rather than the 60's style dark Tiki Bar type look...I think it's going to be more of a contemporary Tiki style along the lines of Tommy Bahama's Tropical Café in Wailea, Maui...but with a shorter menu.

I blogged this a bit ago HERE.

The one in Spain will open after the one in Hawaii, which is actually the one pictured on the Spain TV site. It is a scaled down TV with a focus on the high profit margin stuff and a very much smaller start up cost and time line. $500,000ish and be open in a few months. They have plans down to 2-3,000 square feet.

I think we could start seeing thes pop up all over the place. It's a great concept.