A time to every season: Farewell Trader Vic's SF.

Reading those citysearch reviews had me thinking i should share my recent Emeryville Trader Vics experience. I went two days after christmas with my family. I live in LA and I wanted to see the oldest TV location before it disappears (not that it is scheduled to, but it will be gone soon seeing as how things are going with the company). My trip was prefaced by a story a few Berkeley friends told me: They tried Emeryville on night, the food and service was bad, the lights were too bright and it was depressing. But I thought I should go anyway. We had to be at my cousins house in Alameda at five p.m., we got there at four with just enough time to get a drink and let it metabolize before getting back in the car. We sat down, it was cold as hell, which considering my mother and uncle are very frugal with the heat in their private homes, must have been pretty damn cold. Long story short, a surly old lifer waitress took our order. We were one of three parties in the bar.Nobody was in the dining area. it was dead. The bartenders seemed to be having fun making jokes and talking about stolen bicycles, I thought maybe the drinks were being prepared in the service bar. I excused myself to survey the decor and explore, expecting my drink to be waiting when I got back. I was fortunate enough to witness a bartender flush and not wash his hands when I used the men's room, and when I got back to the table the drinks had still not arrived. I had to grab a busboy, it was like four-thirty. After five minutes our surly waitress came over and asked what the problem was. As if we needed to explain, we did, and she headed over to the bar to ask the bartender about our drinks. "Oh, I didn't see this order at all." It as the only one in front of him, I don't know how he could have missed it. We got up and left and told them we needed to be somewhere but thanks anyway.
Most all my experiences at Trader Vic's follow this storyline. I liked going to the original Beverly Hills location because I used to work at the Getty and it was close enough to slurp a drink after work. The bartenders knew the menu and could mix a damn good drink. Beyond that, dining there sucked and the service was always abysmal. Trader Vic's, as Martiki pointed out, is overlooked by inquiring minds on the very drink they invented. Why? Who cares! They have no business sense and, I've said this before, coconut shrimp, crab rangoon and chow mein ain't fine dining any more. It certainly isn't worth the money they ask for it. Only the drinks demand top dollar, even then, it's a stretch when the he/she bringing it to the table is a crotchety old scrooge. I'm glad S.F. closed.

WooHoo! Now I understand why it closed. How ya gonna compete with Quizno's.

Quizno's Crawl 08 coming up. Details here soon.
Who's in? Just think, sandwiches at every stop, and the drinks are doozies. Really looking forward to this.

I'm sorry to hear that it's been closed but not surprised. When I was out in SF earlier this year people we met were talking about Forbiden Island and some other bars. No mention of TV in SF. It seems that the small owner-operated places are the way to go now.

On 2008-01-07 09:18, tastysp wrote:
It seems that the small owner-operated places are the way to go now.

Very true, and the owner-operated are more deserving. Usually, but not always, When a company is incorporated, corners are cut to save money and to help inflate profit margins.
Trader Vics could use to take some tips from the independent owners of such places like Tiki Ti, Forbidden Island, Purple Orchid, I'd even throw in Bahooka for good measure...They all seem to have the right chemistry to make great bars(and food where applicable), and the prices are all reasonable for what you receive, unlike the present day Vics...
"You get what you pay for" doesn't apply in all circumstances, and TV definately tests that adage...

As a small tiki bar owner I have a hard enough time making sure that my staff offers great service esp. when it's really slammed. Corporations depend on managers to do this and in most cases the managers just don't have the enthusiasm necessary to keep on top of this.

On 2008-01-07 07:37, Jungle Trader wrote:
Quizno's Crawl 08 coming up. Details here soon.
Who's in? Just think, sandwiches at every stop, and the drinks are doozies. Really looking forward to this.

IN! If there is a limited number commemorative paper cup.

On 2008-01-07 09:18, tastysp wrote:
I'm sorry to hear that it's been closed but not surprised. When I was out in SF earlier this year people we met were talking about Forbiden Island and some other bars. No mention of TV in SF. It seems that the small owner-operated places are the way to go now.

Possibly, but such may overlook the success TV has enjoyed as a chain. Also, TV "target" audience was broader than just those who frequent Tiki bars. It seems that the operation cost required too high of a dinners & drinks served and that their location was not will situated to take advantage of the tourist trade.

A shame.

On 2008-01-05 22:33, Registered Astronaut wrote:
Reading those citysearch reviews had me thinking i should share my recent Emeryville Trader Vics experience... I'm glad S.F. closed.

ouch! That was a bad experience you had in Emeryville. I am NOT glad that The San Francisco Vic's closed, though. RAZZ!!!

A cursory obituary in the Chronicle. This was copied from the SFGate website:

*And over in the Civic Center, closed doors, at Trader Vic's (555 Golden Gate Ave., near Van Ness), presumably just for the holidays prompted concerned e-mails and phone calls.

Indeed, the mai tais will flow no more - the tiki restaurant with a long and storied background is no longer operating, and the answering machine says it's closed for good.

The San Francisco institution ran for many years in the space that currently houses Le Colonial. After closing 12 years ago, it opened in 2004 in its current location, the previous Stars. But it seems the reopened spot was never quite able to get on its feet.

Repeated phone calls and messages to Trader Vic's offices went unreturned, so it's anyone's guess as to what ultimately was the final straw. Two other Bay Area locations - one in Emeryville and the other in Palo Alto - remain open. *

I read a few pages of the reader comments, they were akin to an earlier age's "note tied on a rock thrown though a window" approach. While lacking in subtlety many made up for it with sincere ignorance and pedestrian bile safely administered behind a veil of internet anonymity. Suffice is to say the more reasoned opinions centered on the high-priced yet too common menu and the less than inspired execution thereof.

Nonetheless, it is sad to think SF will no longer have a Vic's and likely won't ever again. That said, support your, or better yet my, local tiki bar.

I come not to praise Frisco Vic's, but to...
midnite

Le Colonial was a great location, near the Theater District and Union Square.
Too bad it could not have reopened in that location.
It is all about location.

Yeah, location, like palm trees. Unless you can dress up the inside like F.I. with great service or the Tonga Room with a killer interior. Less concrete, more green.

Jungle Green