My Nightmare

While eating lunch today I was flipping through the Dec 28th issue of Time Out Chicago and noticed a listing for a kid's event: "Trader Todd's Tiki Transit Holiday Lights Tour" My interest was piqued and I skimmed the blurb enough to get the website (I should have read the blurb much more closely). I thought I'd check it out, find out who this Trader Todd is, and what his Tiki Transit is all about.

My mistake.

Unbeknownst to us there has been a bar operating in Wrigleyville for at least a couple years now that apparently advertises that it's a "A Great Place For Karaoke." If that does not scare you off, consider "Saturday and Sunday Football Specials include: $2 Burgers, $1 Hot Dogs, $10 Buckets of Bud and Bud Light, & $5 Bottomless Basket of Wings." If you still are curious and think to yourself "How bad can it be, maybe I'll just try their Mai Tai" ... be warned. Their special recipe is: "O-Mai-Tai – You’ll be saying O-My! After one sip of this potent concoction. Made with Bacardi Select, Bacardi Limon and Bacardi O, fresh squeezed orange juice, pineapple juice, and a dash of grenadine." Still not frightened? "The Tiki Transit will also be servicing the neighborhood during the Jimmy Buffet concerts."

Glutton for punishment? Enter at your own risk:
http://www.tradertodd.com

Sorry.
-Duke

p.s. I'm afraid this is what propagates people's misconceptions of what Tiki is about. A shame really.

The huge 'Conch Republic' flag should serve as a terrible warning. Once again, Jimmy Buffett raises his evil parrot head.

If I were in Chi Town, I would probably stand out front of the joint, grab people by the lapels as they tried to enter and shout in their face: "What the hell are you thinking?!?!?!?!?!?!?"

Like to check this place out, do you know if the bus stops by this place?

Per the website: "The Tiki Transit is available for charter rental. And mobile Karaoke can be arranged for any chartered trip. For more information, call Todd"

I just noticed the photo of their neon sign says (due to defective neon) "Playboy Say's Trader Todd's F__ Karaoke"

Uh, ok. "F" Karaoke... if you like.

-Duke

I hear they put on a hell of a flair bartending show.

Duke, your timing here is perfect.

After ignoring this place for many years, pretending that it doesn't exist, or is (as you say) a bad dream that we all hoped would go away, I had to visit for the first time just last week.

I turned in the final manuscript for a major writing project on New Year's Day, and knew that for good or for evil, I had to look at Trader Todd's for the sake of completeness. So I checked it out on December 29.

It is just as bas as Duke's comments make it out to be.

I actually spent $8 ($10 after tax and tip) for the O-Mai Tai, and it was basically sugar and cheap rum in a pint glass. The place (and the drink) is a disaster.

If you want to spend $10 on a cocktail in Chicago, go to Nacional 27 (not at all Tiki - it's a trendy South American place), at 325 W. Huron, and have Adam (manager) or Kelli (bartender who looks like Jessica Simpson) make you a Trinidad Beachcomber ($9).
Fucking awesome.

Can someone post a shot in Tiki in strange places of the bus and bar?
I'm willing to bet they have that Bufffet song about the "Chiki" bar being open at karaoke.

On 2007-01-03 20:29, boutiki wrote:
While eating lunch today I was flipping through the Dec 28th issue of Time Out Chicago and noticed a listing for a kid's event: "Trader Todd's Tiki Transit Holiday Lights Tour" My interest was piqued and I skimmed the blurb enough to get the website (I should have read the blurb much more closely). I thought I'd check it out, find out who this Trader Todd is, and what his Tiki Transit is all about.

My mistake.

Unbeknownst to us there has been a bar operating in Wrigleyville...

You should've stopped right there, nothing in Wriggleyville is as good as even the exact same thing outside of Wriggleyville.