Trader Vic's Bangkok

Just recently visited the land of the 'Temple of the Emerald Bhudda' and dropped in on Trader Vics in the Bangkok Marriot. Nice looking place, looking out on the river. Nice canoe waterfall in the Marriot.

It was mid afternoon when I got there so no chance of a feed till 7pm

If there is any interest I'll try and post some (grainy) pics of the empty restaraunt tho'

Thai New Year (Songkran) was a blast, the whole country just says 'waterfight!' No one is safe anywhere....

where is this again?
:wink:

Jeff(bigtikidude)

Pictures, good or bad (just not sideways :) ), are always appreciated here. Tiki is a visual medium.

On 2008-04-22 17:44, bigbrotiki wrote:
Pictures, good or bad (just not sideways :) ), are always appreciated here. Tiki is a visual medium.

Definitely post the photos.
Are there the beloved array of tiki mugs.
Lastly, how much did a round cost, either in USD or the Bhat?

Would love to see photo's

Fingers crossed for the upload, hope not too many pics.

Interesting canoe fountain in the hotel lobby

I got there at 3:30 and was hoping for a much needed drink. Getting around Bangkok is an absolute computer game, especially during Songkran, but no food or drink to be had until opening around 7pm.

At least they kindly let me take pics. I couldn't wait around for opening, and the individualised brass plaques for table reservations ie, reserved for Mr & Ms Spalding Dunghamper III, suggested that this might not be my crowd. I can't tell you what a round at TV Bangkok costs, but a fifth of Sang Som rum still goes for around 180 Baht (USD$6). Perhaps thats why alcohol related motoring fatalities average around 75 people each day during Songkran - the '7 days of danger'!

Looks good, probably loks better at night. Lights lower

The outside is cool. However, the interior appears to have a pretty low TIPSY factor. It also looks like Pottery Barn provided the bar stools and dining chairs.

The entrance and the bar ceiling are great...the rest is what we have seen in other new Trader Vic's: Generic, could-be-any-place tropical pleasantness. After the warehouse sale it seems more clear than ever that the days of masks, weapons and shields, Tiki posts and Tiki railings are gone forever.

Decor rating...

Entrance: Promising :)
The rest: Major letdown :(

Conclusion: Please don't let them close Atlanta and Emeryville

OR Munich or London or Havana....and lets not forget Dallas, please!

On 2008-04-23 16:13, teaKEY wrote:
Looks good, probably loks better at night. Lights lower

Many things in Bangkok look better with the lights lower...

I was fortunate enough to visit Emeryville a few years back and that set my expectations on TV.

The blandness can't be an economic decision, there is no problem getting wood carvings or Tiki mugs made, especially in Thailand.

Seems like they are trying to tap into the current western taste for South East Asia tropical formality.

Thats OK, but its not Tiki.

Enjoy, Spalding Dunghamper III.

[ Edited by: Vonratnick 2008-04-27 04:10 ]

On 2008-04-24 14:54, GatorRob wrote:
Decor rating...

Entrance: Promising :)
The rest: Major letdown :(

When I went in 2001, I thought the interior was pretty good, myself.

http://www.christophermerritt.com/family/TraderVicsThailand/Trader_Vics.html

Warning - those iPix links at the top & bottom are dead, but the shots I took are still working.

Actually, from your pics, the place does look much better. I saw no staples like tikis and tapa, other than at the front entrance, in Vonratnick's pictures. The lighting in your pictures definitely helps too. Wish your 360 view still worked!

Well, it was 7 years ago - maybe they have removed some of those elements...?

On 2008-04-24 11:02, bigbrotiki wrote:
The entrance and the bar ceiling are great...the rest is what we have seen in other new Trader Vic's: Generic, could-be-any-place tropical pleasantness. After the warehouse sale it seems more clear than ever that the days of masks, weapons and shields, Tiki posts and Tiki railings are gone forever.

Never in my wildest dreams did I think that Dallas would be a bastion of artistic culture on any level. But, amongst the new Vic's, the Dallas outlet stands out as the only one to adhere to the original aesthetic.

On 2008-04-27 09:10, GatorRob wrote:
... Wish your 360 view still worked!

3 tradervic´s pics + 360°-view here:
http://www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos/bkkth-bangkok-marriott-resort-and-spa/

If you ever visit this Trader Vics don't do what I did....
having been shopping at the largest shopping centre indowntown bangkok we thought we would go to Vics for a couple of drinks before heading to the Airport to fly home. So i asked a Tuk Tuk driver how much it would be as it was rush hour and a Taxi would be a nightmare, he told me 400 Baht!
I was like no way, you never pay more than 70- 80 baht to go anywhere, but he insisted as it was a long way.
Well I bargained him down and eventually settled at around 200 although he wasn't happy about.
To cut a long story short it was a long way out involing a death defiying ride on the rush hour freeways stuck on the back of a 3 seater lambretta.
Vics is nice but take a real Taxi if you decide to go.
Oh by the way I tipped him an extra 100 because i felt so bad.

On 2008-04-28 10:59, cheekytiki wrote:
If you ever visit this Trader Vics don't do what I did....
having been shopping at the largest shopping centre indowntown bangkok we thought we would go to Vics for a couple of drinks before heading to the Airport to fly home. So i asked a Tuk Tuk driver how much it would be as it was rush hour and a Taxi would be a nightmare, he told me 400 Baht!
I was like no way, you never pay more than 70- 80 baht to go anywhere, but he insisted as it was a long way.
Well I bargained him down and eventually settled at around 200 although he wasn't happy about.
To cut a long story short it was a long way out involing a death defiying ride on the rush hour freeways stuck on the back of a 3 seater lambretta.
Vics is nice but take a real Taxi if you decide to go.
Oh by the way I tipped him an extra 100 because i felt so bad.

MBK to Vics to the airport, thats keen. Tuk Tuk didn't take you to his tailor first?

If you take a Tuk Tuk during Songkran, you will have buckets of water thrown over you at the first corner you stop at - make for a great flight home!