Red Robin

This weekend my daughter and I went to the local Red Robin, a gourmet hamburger stand. Anyway they have a summer theme that revolves around Tiki's. They have cheesey tiki masks on the walls, people wearing grass skirts, and a whole tiki menu, and even a tiki menu for the little ones. Well inside this tiki menu are a few drinks one beinging a Mai Tai in a special tiki mug, it is about 4 1/2" tall, clear glass, and seems to be inspired by Steven Crane. Now I don't know if the mug is supposed to go home with you, but I took it and nobody said a word to me. I was going to take a menu as well but I'll save that for another time. As a side note here in Reno, NV. we have one of the coolest tiki bars around, Trader Dicks, inside the Nugget Casino.

Thanks for the info. Red Robins burgers used to be great, but the last time I ate there (few years ago) I decided it'd be the last time I ate there. I guess I better go steal a menu...Something I'm against, but as the menus will be stolen by others anyway...(OK, I'll wave a Big Lincoln around and ask the waiter how much for a menu...I'll take my nieces and tell 'em to look extra cute.).
Give us a review of the current state of Trader Dicks...I've only read one on the Tiki Bar Review page.

I'm sure the Seattle-ites know, but in the 60's Red Robin was a somewhat ass-kicking college bar in downtown Seattle that looks nothing like it's current state.

Hi woofmutt, actually the food at the Red Robin is usually kick ass, its the service you have to watch out for you. I usually leave a lincoln on the table and take a one of the pint glasses anyway, so what the heck! Now to discuss Trader's, I have also read the review on the tiki bar review bag and was kind of disapointed. I go about once a month either to eat or just to drink. When we do eat there I usually have the prime rib, its like a 20oz. slab of meat with all sorts of other food for around 19 or 20 bucks. Now for the drinks I always start with a fog cutter or navy grog, both will but you on your ass by the time you finish the drink. They have a hugh drink menu with the standard selections. The funniest thing I ever saw there was these two drunks come stumbling up to the bar and order a scorpion for two and left with the one drink, about 20 minutes later they came back ordered another one and sat at the bar and drank it, my buddy myself and the bartender could not stop laughing while we watched them drink it.

A: Yeah, Red Robin, like Starbucks and Brendan Frasier, is another Seattle evil set loose on the world. In ye days of olde the mug of pop was bottomless (unlike Starbucks) and it was free refills on the fries (unlike Brendan Frasier). And the burgers weren't overpriced mushy slop globs.

B: I wanna know about Trader Dicks the PLACE...How Tiki is it? What's the atmosphere like?

Trader Dicks is way cool tiki wise. Lots of masks surround the small dance floor, where great lounge acts play and around the top of the bar. There is also a couple of tiki poles at the entrance, with a few more around the entire restaurant. The atmosphere is also great, dark lighting with red/blue spot lights here and there, plam trees and other plants everywhere, big booths to hide in, and the best service at any restaurant I've ever been to.

Tiki Jones. Went to Red Robin based on you post. Coool TIKI menu.
I had two Mai Tai's which were very wicked and good. The Mai Tai Tiki mug by the way is not included in the price.
I can't believe you lifted the mug but not the menu.
I was with my family and felt guilty as hell but sent my wife to the restroom with my older daughter as I surreptitiousy stuffed the menu in the diaper bag while my 10 month old looked on.
The promo is on till July 21st for those interested. At that point I may go back and officially ask for there Tiki stuff which they probably will trash anyway.
P.S. I had the Luau chicken kabobs with coconut rice very tasty.

Actually BONBONVIC I was thinking of taking the menu, but unfortunately I had no daiper bag. Next time I go it will be my two daughters w/bag, the wife, and me Mr. Sticky Fingers. I just can't believe you even asked about the mug, for the six or seven bucks they charged for that drink the mug better be included. But this weekend we went to Trader Dick's and they had a new drink menu and now I have a new menu as well and they are very cool with it also you get to keep any mug they give you drinks in.

[ Edited by: TikiJones on 2002-06-11 07:36 ]

I saw a TV ad for Red Robin's "Tiki Summer" (I think that's the name of it) promotion. It features a wood grained moai inspired Tiki with a voice over by the Tiki. The Tiki is frowning at the beginning of the ad and I was happy to see at the end of the ad that they did not make the Tiki smile. What I assume to be a Blue Hawaiian and a Mai Tai are featured in the ad. The Mai Tai is in that glass 2 facer mug (sometimes described as "crystal" by eBay sellers who must think a stick of gum comes wrapped in sterling silver). Good news: Red Robin still has all you can eat fries!

If for some "odd reason" any of you end up at a Tommy Bahama to eat, they have these cool Bamboo napkin rings that "seem" to be complimentary if you "stash" them before they clear the table. Let's see, in the last year and a half, I've made 14,000 napkin rings for a corp. by the name of Viewpoint. Hmmmm. A never ending job!!!! I even beat China's price!! Cheers to the USA!!!!

Maybe the various Red Robins are handling their Tiki thing differently 'cause the one I stopped in at this evening sure wasn't worth the walk across the parking lot. The only nod to the special Tiki menu was a few grass skirts tacked up as fringe near the entry. I didn't find the Tiki menu art all that interesting, sort of watered down Shag. It seemed very much like Tiki Denny's. The Mai Tai recipe included orange and pineapple juice (a real sin the purists claim). It was $6 (I decided I'd rather spend that sort of drinks money at the Alibi in Portland next weekend). Explore your local Red Robin with extremely low expectations and maybe you'll be surprised.

Yes woofmutt, but you forgot that you get to "keep" that "crystal" mug, if you "stash" it before they clean the table. Then you can sell your super-rare never seen before tiki mug at a stupid ebay price with a clean concious, I'm sure. And really your suppose to go to Red Robin for the all you can eat fries and that poor guy you walks around in the lame suit, my daughter calls him the "Hula Chicken" because he had a grass skrit on when we went.

On 2002-06-16 01:03, woofmutt wrote:
Explore your local Red Robin with extremely low expectations and maybe you'll be surprised.

My wife and I went in last night WITH low expectations and they actually exceeded them (not in a good way).
We never saw a server for 15 minutes (it wasn't busy), the hostess actually came and took our drink orders, then no one came to take our food order. We had to ask for the Tiki menu...they said "Oh, it's just some other stuff we can make."
We finally gave up on being served anything and got up to leave, as a server finally appeared with our drinks. Too little, too late. They done pissed off my wife.
We had a terrible experience there two years ago, I had to talk my wife into going just for the mug! "C'mon, honey, it couldn't possibly be as bad. They probably had so many complaints they fired all the bad help."
Guess I was wrong. I complained to the manager, and all he could say was "I'm sorry. I wish there was something I could do." I was so mad I didn't think to ask him to give me a mug to shut me up :wink:

TikiJones: You mentioned that the tiki mug was possibly "Stephen Crane inspired". From looking at the Red Robin web site, it looks more like the clear Disney "two faced" glass.
(Gotta admit - I was disappointed upon seeing them on the web site.)

I may still make the trek to Columbus to get one, don't get me wrong. But those glasses never really did much for me. However, any establishment that is promoting tiki certainly deserves my attention and a buck or two, right?

Thanks for the tip.

-C.

No one should go out of there way to Red Robin just for the two faced glass Tiki mug, it would be too sad. Those things are all over the place, even non Tiki joints will use them for a Mai Tai or something similar (I think some Mexican chain restaurants may use them too as they look vaguely Aztec). A bar supply place here in Seattleville quoted me a price of fifty bucks a dozen for the things...Check around locally and maybe you can stock the home bar (giving your friends something to steal!). Of the frosted Disney version of the mug Chris Pfouts in "Hula Dancers and Tiki Gods" said "On the collector level you just about can't give these away. Good for what they were intended for, though."

biotron200: My last (and final) experience with Red Robin was similar to yours. Amazingly the chain survives. The Ordinarys' thirst for bad service and poor food in a crummy atmosphere seems unquenchable.

The glass "tiki" face mugs are good for candle holders. I put a votive candle in mine and it looks great through the amber colored glass.

Although I agree the mug isnt worth my 1.5 hour drive to Easton Town Center in Columbus, (because every little bamboo vendor at the flea markets have there mugs to put little plants in), I think you're missing my point.

I would go to support the "idea" or the tiki theme. No more, no less.

Remember, we are a bit more desperate out here in the midwest. And if a restaurant chain says "Hey, we did this 'Tiki summer' promotion and it went over really well..." well, then perhaps someone will say, "Hey, you know, since Kahiki has gone, I think the people around here need a new tiki establishment..."

It's just a support chain. And a whole lot of dreaming.

As for driving that length for the mug...no. Have I driven that far (and then some) for a Trader Vics amber stem glass or a Stephen Crane bug eyed mug? Hell yes! And I'd do it again.

-C.
:sheckymug:

Just wanted to report of the Red Robin at Easton Town Center in Columbus.

Service was great - food was awesome!

And, although I did swipe a tiki menu, I did not get the Mai Tai.

Now, the mug is served in the drink but you're not supposed to keep it. Our waitress said you could buy them for like $2.00, but also added that if we wanted to keep it, she would not care. (Nice girl!)

But, we decided to go back in two weeks when we will be there for a car show anyway, and then have a couple of cool "Tiki Time" drinks.

Glad I went.

Thats is my report.
-C.
:sheckymug:

oh geez, the red robin tiki menus have hit ebay. this guy wants 20 bucks for one!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2118471701

I'm just assuming the origin of the menu in question, but doesn't eBay have a policy against selling stolen merchandise?

Perhaps in some form of Tiki Central thread convergence, that artist discussed in the "Is this even LEGAL?!?!" thread in the Collecting Tiki section will start doing knock off Shag paintings based on stolen Red Robin menus...

This is kind of a weird question, but can you get vegetarian food at a Red Robin? More than a salad? A veggie Burger perhaps? Cause Mr. Tikifish won't take me unless he knows we can eat more than 2 things on the menu....

hay tikifish! they have a portobello burger. their menu is at http://www.redrobin.com

Duh! I never thought to check for a website. Thanks! I also noticed that you can get any burger made with a veggie patty. And, they have 2 kinds of veggie patties as well as the mushroom burger. Very surprising for a chain! Looks like I will get my corporate burger chain tiki experience after all. Thanks!

heh, i've talked hubby dearest into a red robin lunch tomorrow, lured him with the bottomless steak fries. but if it looks too scarey, we'll just have japanese food instead.

On 2002-07-06 20:43, tikifish wrote:
Duh! I never thought to check for a website. Thanks! I also noticed that you can get any burger made with a veggie patty.

I think all of their burgers can be made veggie. I think you can get them with chicken or turkey patties as well, but I might be confusing them with another burger place I frequent.

Looks like I will get my corporate burger chain tiki experience after all.

If you want some peace and quiet while you feast remember to ask the host(ess) to seat you in the non-screaming section.
:roll:

I work with two brothers in their early twenties and I have been educating them in the ways of Tiki. Last weekend they went to a Red Robin and told me about the Red Robin Tiki stuff. "What did you think of it?" I asked in a quiet Obi-Wan sort of way. "Lame" and "Looked like crap" were the responses. I was very proud.

Hey, just for the record, that was not me selling my menu. And, the waitress gave it to me - it was not stolen...per'se.

Tikifish, my wife got some kinda wrap with chicken and it was awesome. Highly recommended.

Signed, the terrible-tiki-menu thief,
-C.
:sheckymug:

Just went to a Red Robin in PA and got the Mai Tai in the two faced clear tiki mug/glass. I loved our waiter, he was very attentive. Food wasn't too bad. I asked him if I could buy the the glass and he said hey, keep it, just don't tell my manager. I wrapped my coat around it and felt like a thief walking out of there but I like it. I tipped him extra for that.