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Category: Restaurants
9 Anchor DriveMon-Fri. 4-6…
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Cool decor, a nice view of the bay, and great service. Our Austrian waitress was charming and adorable. I imagine this would be a perfect place to take parents or grandparents visiting from out of town.
The food doesn't match the prices. That is to say, the Crispy Duck was tasty, but not $27 tasty.
They serve a Delicious Mai Tai, I suppose it had better be if they invented it. The Scorpion is quite nice as well, not overly sweet, and the fresh gardenia floating on top means you get to smell fresh flowers with every sip.
Reservation Nazi
Went there last Friday night without reservations, just spur of the moment. The lady maitre d' looked around the half empty room and seated us in the worst table in the whole joint - right in front of the narrow entry way to dining area. When I asked for different table she said they were all reserved. It was 7 PM. We reluctantly sat and ordering drinks. For 5 minutes wait staff and guest came through bumping into the table as they had to make a shape right turn upon entering the main dining area. Guest who hovering over our table scanning the room in order to get oriented. I asked our waitress to move us, and she consulting with the "dragon lady" out front before we were moved one table over. Only a slight improvement. I give our waitress high marks for trying.
As for the food, my date ordered the macadamia nut encrusted mahi-mahi and loved it. It was good size piece. I ordered the halibut with wine sauce and it was tiny and covered with a very heavy dark butter sauce laced with nuts. The sauce I scraped off with twice the size of the meat. With two drinks each and a single dessert of ice cream egg rolls covered with chocolate, the final bill came to $107.
We left at 9 am and the place was still half empty. We were punished for not having reservations on a Friday night.
People thought this was:
Trader Vic's had always been on my pricey list. I went there about 3 years ago when my current bf and I just started dating; for a nice dinner... which, from what I could remember, it definitely was. But that was 3 years ago... and I might be forgetting some details, or was entranced by my then, new fling's handsome good looks.
Anyway, tonight, I took my mom there for her birthday, and when we first got there, it was pretty promising. We were greeted by a very nice girl who said that a window side table had just been vacated and that she could either seat us at a non window table now or the one that's now being cleared in about 5 minutes (very very genuinely); so we opted to wait. Then we were greeted by our server who was also very nice and helpful. She gave some suggestions, and very politely took our order. We got the filet mignon and the mahi mahi plates and for drinks we got their two signature cocktails: the green marina and the mai tai.
The drinks were actually very good; for my mom she doesn't like the taste of strong alcohol, and the green marina's description included "great drink without a lot of alcohol" so it was perfect! She actually couldn't taste the alcohol and started gulping it down way before the food came.. I had to slow her down :) The mai tai for me was also great, very strong but not overpowering.
Then came the food: the fliet mignon was -- good, but was on the dry side; we ordered it to be cooked-- medium, but it was completely brown all the way though and pretty rough and dry-- my mom thought it was probably over done and she wanted more sauce to compensate.. The mahi mahi was also a little dry, but still pretty decent; it was encrusted in macadamia nuts and came with garlic mashed potatoes and some green and yellow string beans. I enjoyed the dish; and was stuffed afterwards; but was also left wishing there was more sauce.
Overall, I think the setting is really unique for the east bay, and it's an experience in it self to go inside. The service is great, people are very nice and pretty, the drinks are a must (especially since I see that there is a happy hour...!?) but the food could use a little more .. juice? and sauce :)
People thought this was:
Unless I'm in the mood for the scorpion bowl drink that comes with several straws, I rarely go here. The regular happy hour drinks are very weak. I've mostly been here for lunch, and I'm never very inspired by the menu. It's overpriced. There are seats with a good marina view, however.
What really irritates me, however, is the valet only parking. You don't need valet parking when there's a huge parking lot 10 yards away from the door.
I haven't been here for years but decided lets give it a try plus opentable gives you 1000 points for early seating. The evening started with friendly and attentive service but as the dinner service progressed it became slow and inconsistant.
Appetizers ribs were quite delish, but the shrimp and rangoon were just OK.
I love hearts of palm and ordered this salad. When it was delivered I told the waiter, "Excuse me I ordered the hearts of palm salad" He said that 'this is the heart of palm salad' , I asked "where is the hearts of palm?" He didn't answer and quickly ran off. I dug through the lettuce, tomato and mushrooms and found exactly 5 small slivers of palm. Beware, don't order this salad if you expecting to taste hearts of palm. Big disappointment.
We ordered another round of drinks hoping they would arrive before the main course. Main course was served and the drinks arrived halfway through our meal. The server was apologetic but I wanted my wine with my meal.
I had the crispy duck w/pancakes. The pancakes were stuck together and fell apart so I couldn't make my "duck burritto", The duck was very dry I had to drench it with the hoisen sauce to make it palatable.
My friend had the Wasabi steak which was not cooked to order but he ate it anyway and my other friend had the Miso Sea Bass. It was a nice big piece but was over cooked.
After they cleared off our table they gave us sesame cookies (which were quite tasty) and mints, I was wondering why they didn't ask us if we wanted dessert? They probably thought we were full since two of us did not finish our meals.
Unfortunately the food did not warrant the $195.00 with tip. We paid for our bill and as we left we heard the silver haired group next to us ask the server, "we are hungry, where is our food?" It looks like I went on a bad day and I don't think I'll back anytime soon.
It would have been a 1 star rating but I'm coughing up the extra star for the servers who tried to make it a good experience.
People thought this was:
I was pleasantly surprised by Trader Vic's. The place had always seemed so cliche, even though I had never been there. The setting was lovely, the service was a bit spotty, but certainly attentive when present. The food was good. I thought the prices were fair. The drinks were ok. I am thinking a bit generic, with no brands of rum listed, which would have really boosted the desirability for me. So, lots of rum and pineapple, rum and fruit juice etc. I had a drink with a gardenia. It was a nice experience. My friend and I commented on how nice it was to sit over the water with the lights over the bay. The atmosphere was pleasant-tiki, not overly cheesy. I would enjoy going back.
Oh... I had the tasty scallops, my friend had the duck breast. We began with the ahi poke with taro chips which was nice. Dessert was coconut/pineapple ice cream with sauce which was very tasty.
My girl friend and I tried to go to Trader Vics on 4th of july and they were close. So we recently checked them out at lunch. The mai tae was okay...a little too sweet but the food was good. Nice size portions and the little bread cracker things they give out was a yummy addition. They were out of peanut butter but the waitress some how found us some...it was good too...
It was really quite and seemed really mellow.
We had my son's rehersal dinner here in Sept. for about 45 people. We picked this restaurant pretty much because of the fun and festive decor along with the bay view. This restaurant really came through for us with flying colors. Our guest had either the bbq fillet or the sea bass, both were excellent. The service was great, the bartender was awesome and the drinks perfect. I would not hesitate booking this restaurant for any type of special event or celebration in the future. They are easy to work with and go the extra mile.
Went late August. I have been curious about the place for a while, I know there is one in LA. The service has to be the weirdest and worst experience for our large group. We were not introduced to our waiter and he came at weird times and was not there when we needed something. Mandatory valet parking was weird too. Don't know if I would go back or with a much smaller group.
I've always been curious about Vic's ever since I first saw their shamelessly obtrusive logo covering the corner of Beverly Hills Blvd. I just knew... KNEW that it would be some kind of antiquated 60's idea of what Pacific/Asian food should be like in America. The kind that's sort of novel and "exotic" for the octogenarian set.
Pretty little Asian women (not legitimately Polynesian - clearly Chinese) sashaying around with flowers in their hair. I guess people dine here for the "atmosphere/experience". Or, as it seemed to me, "plastic tiki poles/inexperienced Asian servers".
But getting to the food - In all honesty, I didn't expect too much. It felt like I was on a cruise, so I was expecting cruise food. I was pleasantly surprised. The dishes I had were pretty good. With the exception of a gnarly Singaporean rice that had too many raisins, I actually liked the food. It wasn't worth the price but at the same time, it wasn't bad. Our ahi tuna salad was pretty much all tuna and no salad. There were no greens at all, just a bit of seaweed. The duck "tacos" were particularly good. Sort of like the Peking duck you put with julianned cucumber, scallions and hoisin sauce in a fluffy white, steamed bun - except this was with a deep fried, crispy wonton. And as we all know, everything is better fried.
Our main dish was a type of stew that consisted of a mix of seafood (that was cooked just okay - kinda dry), over a bed of sauteed spinach in the most awesome saffron sauce. It was extremely buttery and went wonderfully with the spinach over steamed rice. I have to say, I really liked it. It was still cooked like cruise food though.
Oh yeah, and did you know Trader Vic's is the home of the ORIGINAL Mai Tai? I certainly didn't. But after tasting theirs, I then discovered why I hated them.
People thought this was:
I'm bumping them up one star. This bump up is for the Happy Hour menu.
Good Lord, I have never gone here for Happy Hour and guess what? I couldn't have been happier.
They have a specialty drink menu that is 50% off from 4-6pm. 50% OFF PEOPLE!!!!!!
I went with the Rangoon Ruby and the husband went with the Mai Tai, as always.
We got the Calamari, Crab Rangoon and the Duck Taco's.
The fricking Duck Tacos almost made me do the scene from When Harry Met Sally and I almost had a fake orgasm. Why don't they put these on the regular menu? They are the most amazing thing I have ever eaten here! I would have paid double for them.
Crab Rangoon, stellar as always with real crab and cream cheese.
The Calamari was kind of gross. I had two pieces and said "No Thank You." The wasabi sauce couldn't even save them. They tasted like how a pair of old shoes would smell in the back of your grandmas closet.
We left with a $45 dollar check. $45? Are you kidding? I had a buzz and I was full. For $45, that is unheard of my in my universe.
Trader Vic's Happy Hour is the one of the best things going these days.
People thought this was:
The menu does lack a little bit here. Even if you find something that you like here the menu changes… Read more »
I'm sure this is the right kind of restaurant for some people, but it wasn't really my kind of place. I came here over Valentine's Day, and everyone but me seemed to be 50 and up. The whole place felt really pretentious, which surprised me since I was expecting a fun Hawaiian place. There's supposed to be mandatory valet, which is kind of ridiculous for this restaurant, but in protest I found street parking across the way and stumbled to the restaurant in pouring rain, under my too-small umbrella. Our waiter was a little annoying too, as he stared at us throughout our meal. He also tried to convince me to order a different type of lamb, which likely not-so-coincidentally happened to be over twice as expensive as the one I wanted. I stuck with my original order, which tasted just fine, thankyouverymuch.
All in all, this restaurant's just too expensive for average food and weird service. The drinks were delicious, though. God, I love a strongly made mai tai.
People thought this was:
Trader Vic's is not just a Tiki bar, it's an institution. I have noticed that some reviewers give this place bad marks for the overly attentive service, that's strikes me as weird as half of the bad marks on Yelp come from people complaining of bad, slow or non-existent service. Where else can you go these days when you have no less than 3 people attending to your every need.
To those that say the drinks are expensive...WAKE UP!!! 2 Trader Vic's drinks will get you HAPPY quick! Try that at an uptown SF restaurant, where the pre-drunk giggles don't even hit you until the third $14 drink.
Also I have noticed that some reviewers have complained about the non-stated "dress-code", for god's sake wear a decent shirt and slacks and some decent shoes, and remember this: You're the customer, you're paying the bill, act like you're in charge, they'll respect you for it!
The food, it has seen better days, but if you stick to the clasics like the Kau Kau lunch (cheap, quick and good) you'll be happy.
Give this old classic a try, and when you're there try and relax, TURN OFF your cell phone and enjoy the service, atmosphere, the drinks, and most importantly enjoy the people you're with.
People thought this was:
I wouldn't say this place is super awful or anything, but it could do for some changes. Food is alright but probably overpriced by about $5-$10 on each dish. The presentation and ambiance is nice, but if it wasn't for a friend's free giftcard to discount everything, it would have been a bad experience. Aside from price another thing I don't like about this place is the parking. Sorry, I don't like people driving my car and forcing me to valet is NOT a way to get on my good side. I understand that fine dining restaurants probably operate in such a manner, but this is a place that doesn't need it (especially if your theme is exotic island fusion).
As previously mentioned, best part of this place is that it feels like you're not in the bay, yet you still are.
People thought this was:
.. so not-ironic it is! The original tiki-themed island exploitation restaurant is ripe for a late 00's retro revival. Your grandparents probably thought this place was super cool and so do I. And you know, the rum punches were plenty strong back then. Those cats cut their teeth on cheap gin, not Midori, so they knew how to drink you whippersnappers under the table.
I shared apps and rum drinks and was in no way disappointed. The "Queen's Park Swizzle" was my personal standout/ice-pick to the forehead.
People thought this was:
I came here for one reason only, to try the Mai Tai. I got the "Original" Mai Tai and my two buddies got the more homemade San Francisco style Mai Tai. Mine was sweeter, and although original, I would have to say that I liked the flavor of the San Francisco Mai Tai more (and it seemed much more powerful too.) The wait staff were nice, the view was great, and the place was packed with people that have been coming here for 30 years. We didn't try food, so this 4-star review applies only to the drinks.
People thought this was:
I've been coming here for my birthday ever since i was a little person, screaming and running through the restaurant buck naked. I used to be a little more reserved ; )
Anyway, this is a great place for events, families, etc. Great food. I personally go for the crispy duck or the crispy noodle chowmein. Also they have some epic drinks here. First and foremost because i've been drinking it forever, their hot tea is amazing. Otherwise they have a drink called a scorpion~this is what you need for a good time, trust me.
Check it out! Nice, fancy place. Overlooks the water, beautiful.
Seriously, this is the best one out of the chain!
People thought this was:
I feel offended as soon as I pull up to the mandatory "valet" parking!
I give it 1 star for the semi-good drinks. other then that, why would anyone pay more then $20-30 on Hawaiian food that isn't authentic!?
Who charges that much on fake hawaiian food?? Who pays that much for authentic hawaiian food!? Please do not try pass off Trader Vic's as authentic Hawaiian food, when there's change of plate services between appetizers, or the fact that there's "appetizers", or that we drink out of fake coconuts.
This place reminds me of all the ABC stores in Hawaii, or cliche hawaiian weddings with fake grass skirts and exploited hawaiian culture...
Please don't encourage it...
Don't take yourself so seriously, Trader Vic's! For a place that has images of boobies and people grinding on its menu, it sure was stuffy. We should have done some research prior to coming here but we thought it would be just a bit more lively. It was mostly families and older folks, not the happy hour crowd we expected. It was weirdly quiet in there, even when the staff sang "Happy Birthday" to one party. The seating was uncomfortable, especially considering that I was in a booth. I could deal with all of these things but there's one area where I draw the line. The use of excessive amounts of crushed ice in their drinks! I don't like filler and I am no fool, in this regard at least. This is a place that's known for their drinks and I'm appalled that they've really gotten by all this time using these practices.
Now before you go thinking I'm a total Negative Nancy, I can recognize the good just as well as the bad. See, look. The food (aside from the crackers, which were blah) was really good. We got Crab Rangoon to start, which is an automatic winner. Crab, cheese, fried...Yum! I had the Chai Tea Smoked Duck, which was also very delicious and had a great sauce. I wanted to lick my plate but I try to resist in public. The salmon was good too.
Perhaps I'll go back in my golden years when I'll fit in better.
People thought this was:
Steak/veggies/garlic mashed potatoes + community Rum Punch for TWO = Yumskie.
This Hawaiian (Polynesian) fusion restaurant is artfully decorated with many of Trader Vic's own sculptures, carvings, artworks, and worldly collectibles he's acquired during his travels. Situated perfectly on the waterfront, it's the ideal place to look over the dock and bay - and if seated just at the right location, a possible view of the city (otherwise you're staring at the freeway).
The hostess was sweet and soft spoken, and our waiter tried to be as helpful as possible with our questions about the food and drinks. He was an old Asian man that reminded me of my Lolo. Yay.
We got there just before closing, and the chef kept his stove and grill on to cook one last meal. Our meal.
A great experience in a fun and new setting.
People thought this was:
We decided to try this place for happy hour, cuz we heard it was decent. Upon walking in, I noticed that the whole place smelled like old people...and there were a bunch of old people (no one under the age of 50). My sister and I felt like oddballs considering we look like we're still in high school. The prices were decent, since it was 50% off of the bar food and drinks. I had a Green Marina (which tasted a bit like Windex...maybe it was because of the vibrant green color?) and we also had Pork sliders and Tuna sashimi salsa with taro chips. Both were pretty yummy, but on the smaller side when it comes to portions.
The decor seemed funky outdated, and we couldn't figure out what they were going for...waitresses in chinese dresses, dead turtles on the walls...? Service was ok...nothing spectacular. I probably won't be coming here for another 20 years or so...i hope...
Let me explain my two stars. If you ask me to rate Trader Vic's solely on its drinks and its atmosphere (a bit cheesy, but fun!), I'd give it 4-5 stars -- no doubt I had the best mai-tai in my life last night -- but the food was AWFUL. I had "crispy duck," which is supposed to be sort of like Peking duck which you're supposed to eat in a mushuu wrap/bun with hoisin sauce, cucumber, and scallion. The duck was not crispy (the mushuu wrap was) but dry (so was the mushuu wrap), and it was tasteless, so I only had a little and gave the rest ($27) to my golden retrievers. A friend had a stir-fried beef dish, which he repeatedly commented that my improvisation at home was a lot better. The service was impeccable though -- we were waited on by 4 different people. May be that's because the place was empty.
Anyway, with 4-5 stars on the drinks, and really 0-1 star on the food, we're rating Trader Vic's with 2 stars. BTW, they are closed next Monday through Thursday, if I remember correctly from a sign I saw last night, for renovation. Do call before you go to make sure. We'll definitely return for happy hour, but never dinner.
My boyfriend took me to Trader Vic's for dinner because he had a $100.00 gift card. We had the Duck Taco appetizer. They were pretty tasty. I had the Chilean Sea Bass for dinner. It was very good but it wasn't cheap. $31.00 for the plate. The portion was a good size and it was served with broccolini and a side order of hot rice. We eat a lot of Japanese so we had to try the wasbi mash potatoes. There was a hint of wasbi in there but I would have preferred way more wasbi but that is because I'm a wasbi freak. He had some kind of Tuna plate that I don't see on the menu. I shared several bites of my Chilean Sea Bass with him. They don't have a kid's menu so we ordered my son a side of Malayan Chicken Skewers with an extra bowl of hot rice. He seem to have enjoyed it. I have to say that the Mai Tai was darn good. I was pretty drunk after one drink and that never happens. We had a nice table in the bar lounge area that overlooks the boats in the marina. Overall the ambiance was very nice. I gave them only three stars because somehow the gift card we had only came up too 43.80 when it really had $100.00 on it. We just had lunch the day before and spent 50.00 at a sushi restaurant in Dublin so we didn't expect to spend another 80.00 when we had a gift card. Anyways, he paid the tab and we left only to find out that waitress screwed up the gift card on the tab.
I have to write a rebuttal to my first yelp experience at Trader Vic's. I was contacted by the PR department of Trader Vic's. I explained to them the situation with our $100 dollar gift card. I have never been contacted by a restaurant for posting a review on yelp. They were so thoughtful they reversed the charges back to my boyfriend's American Express for dinner that night and are sending us another gift card for $100.00. I am really impressed by Trader Vic's for reaching out to us. I really liked the food and the drinks at the restaurant. We would have went back again because the food was really good but I am truly impressed by the customer service to rectify the problem we had that night. Thanks Tara O'Leary of Trader Vic's you are very thoughtful and I give Trader Vic's five stars for great food and customer service. You guys ROCK!
People thought this was:
It was a Wednesday night (June 10th), and although it was busy due to graduations, I wouldn't say it was packed. We were seated immediately without a reservation.
Right away the head waiter for our section made me feel underdressed, which did not at all match the casual atmosphere set by the decor. I'm all for a casual feel at a place with $20-$30 plates, but not when the staff apparently disagrees, and I certainly don't agree with prices that don't match what's on the plate.
I thoroughly enjoyed waiting 45 minutes between placing my order and receiving 6 disgusting prawns ($4 a piece). They tasted like they had been frozen for about a decade. Perhaps thawing them out is what took so long. Everybody at the table agreed that my prawns were far from fresh tasting.
The spinach and jasmine rice that came with the prawns had to have been jokes. I mean - sauteed spinach without any added flavor, and rice that I had to add a TON of salt to so I could taste anything at all?
The dinner took 2 hours when we had expected to be out of there in less than 90 minutes. Perhaps they should move some of the snobby, idle waiting staff into the kitchen to speed things up.
I wish my dad had saved his hard-earned cash and taken us to In-N-Out. In-N-Out has never given me a flavorless or frozen patty in my $3 Double Double, and our meal-time expectation would have been guaranteed.
People thought this was:
Went here for a birthday dinner. Here's the lowdown on this place. My review will get increasingly more negative, so I'll put all the decent stuff first.
AMBIANCE - Good romantic place to take someone out for a drink for.
SERVICE - Kind of slow, just enough so that I noticed. The servers were very friendly though, so I give them that.
DRINKS - Expensive as hell. Then again, what do you expect when they give you drinks served in *gasp* a bowl with straws? If I ever had to come here again though, the drinks would be all I'd get.
FOOD - Horrendously bad. My friend got scallops that were appallingly unfresh to the point where we thought they might be bad. Most of their food is generally bland. AND as for the supposedly tasty Cesar salad, it's not very tasty at all!
Basically, unless you're here to stop by for a drink or two, don't bother wasting your hard earned money! And if it's not hard earned, don't waste it here anyway!
People thought this was:
This place is an island themed restaurant from hell!
We met some friends here for dinner on Saturday who made reservations for 7pm so we would have enough time to catch a comedy show in the city at 10pm. We arrived a bit late, met our people at the table where they had been waiting 20 minutes for drinks! When their drinks came we ordered ours and waited another 15 minutes for them to arrive.
The stale crackers on the table should have been a huge red flag on the hot mess (or cold in this case) we were about to experience.
We ordered Crab Cakes ($17) and the Filet Mignon ($32) and waited a good 45 minutes to get the worst food on the planet! I have never ever had anything worse than those crab cakes! They smelled fishy and tasted like canned garbage. The filet was okay but cold when we got it and was served with 2 asparagus spears and 4 small potato wedges. We laughed when it came to the table but were so hungry we had no choice but to eat it.
Our waiter was ridiculously absent which added to the fact we waited what seemed like an eternity for the bill.
All in all, everything about this place is awful. A definite must skip.
People thought this was:
The most expensive inedible meal I've ever had.
Six years ago, I attended a banquet and the cocktails were tasty and food was fantastic. I went again hoping for the same greatness but I realize that the cocktail to food ratio was probably pretty great.
Anyway - sad that it just ain't what it used to be.
People thought this was:
I went here for a NYE dinner, and it was spectacular. We drove up, and valet took my car away. We were greeted at the door and it was opened for us, like true royalty. We had reservations, and didn't have to wait a second.
The ambiance was perfect. A table next to the window, with a perfect view of the marina, Bay Bridge and SFC skyline.
Our service was great. Our waitress got right to us and put our drink orders in. I had a mai tai, pretty much "had" to, since this is where it all started. It was pretty good, really delicious, a bit strong, but good all the same.
For dinner I had a prime rib, which was HUGE, and super delicious. She had lobster, which was just as good. I let my waitress suggest a red wine to pair with my red meat, and it was PERFECT, and only $12 a glass. After boxing up all of the leftover food we had, we didn't really have room for dessert, but still shared a creme brulee, and it was delicious.
Though the drinks, food, service, and atmosphere is spot on, I don't think the bill was fitting. For 2 drinks, 1 glass of wine, our dinners and desert was a little over two hundred dollars. Seems a bit steep compared to other nice restaurants I've eaten at, but I guess thats the price we pay for quality.
People thought this was:
I love this place and have been going to the E'ville location for 20+ years now (the one that recently closed in SF was a disaster--I'm glad it's gone, frankly).
The food quality definitely ebbs and flows, but the service is usually very attentive if somewhat "slow" by some people's standards. It's clear they want you to linger over the pricy appetizers and drinks, but . . . so? Isn't that kind of the point of coming to Vic's anyway? I'm not suggesting TV's should be your once-a-month Asian food restaurant of choice, but every once in a while it's fun to take a trip back in time and have a drink with some atmosphere.
People thought this was:
Nice place for appetizers and cocktails (they are quite delicious).
A nice non-stuffy place to take a date, or have a small calibration.
However, the main-meals are not special enough to justify the high price tags attached to each dish. I remember this place being alot better 5 or so years ago.
Now, that I've been going to this flagship location, it's really won me over. When I go to Trader Vic's I expect great food and drinks. It's classy and classy ain't cheap. I always leave feeling that it was worth it.
The polynesian atmosphere is steeped in rich tiki history and feels elegant and yet relaxed.
I definitely can recommend trying the spareribsfor an appetizer, cooked in their special Chinese ovens, . The ribeye steak is always perfectly cooked.
For drinks, you need to get a classic mai tai(ask for SF style) and the navy grog. Some of the other drinks are hit or miss for me, but these two are must haves, if you want to experience the true taste of an expertly mixed tropical drink.
A trip to Vic's doesn't have to be a big dinner occasion. You can also just stop in for a couple drinks in the bar and have some appetizers(see ribs). It's especially great during sunset.
Now, I'm really thirsty for a mai tai!
People thought this was:
You can tiki it up at this institution with an older, somewhat entitled crowd in the dining room,… Read more »
They earned this 1 star:
Its my girlfriend's 21st birthday, so I try to make it special by going to a nice restaurant with her friends.
We are sitting there waiting to order for about 45 minutes eating those horrible crackers they serve instead of bread. We finally order and about 1 hour later the food comes out. But... they forgot one of the entrees. I ask the waitress if all the food is at the table, and she says yes. After we are about 1/2 way through eating she comes over and I tell her that we are missing an entree, but still nothing. I eventually go find some other waitress who goes into the kitchen and finds the entree... which is now cold and soggy!
We eat the food (it would be decent tasting if they served it at Denny's, but not at these prices). Then comes dessert about 30 minutes after we are already done eating and waiting around. It tasted so bad we didn't even eat it. We ask to have our leftovers bagged up.
So now it comes time to pay the bill. I hand them a gift certificate and a credit card for the remainder, pretty simple right. Since i was with a group and paying, I tried to be discreet about the gift certificate. After another 20 minutes or so of us just sitting there, the waitress comes back with the gift certificate and loudly says "who's gift certificate is this. There is no money on it." Quite embarrassing, especially since its never been used! I inform her of that fact, and she goes back with it, and another 20 minutes of sitting later, she comes back and says it did in fact have money on it. I sign the receipt. Still not leftovers.
As we are still waiting for the leftovers, getting up to leave, she comes back and asks for my card back! She then gives me my signed receipt back and asks me to sign the new one because they somehow messed up the other one. Also, no discount was given for forgetting the entree, and still no leftovers. We finally sign that and go to leave. I have to go around the restaurant asking for someone that can get my leftovers.
Seriously, I wouldn't go back there even if I was given a gift certificate.
People thought this was:
Another great experience at a Trader Vics. This time I treated my man to a surprise V-day/B-day dinner. He had no idea where we were going, and once the taxi pulled up and he figured it out - he was so excited!
We had to start off with a couple of Mai tais and a hibachi steak appetizer. That was fun.
Dinner was perfect. I had a seafood platter which consisted of pieces of ahi, salmon, mahi mahi, scallop, shrimp and lobster. OH MY! Couldn't have been any better. And the price was so great!
Jay had the Pork Chops, and his review on his dinner was "best dinner I have ever had!". Wow, that is certainly saying a lot.
Service was awesome, we were promptly seated, thanked sincerely at the end of the night.
Great experience.
People thought this was:
I was not too impressed with this restaurant. Coming in, I had pretty high expectations about this place, with it being the founder of the Mai Tai and all. So of course, I had to order a Mai Tai with my meal and it was made just right...so no complaints there. The food on the other hand was not very tastefully done. I came here for a birthday party so I was able to try a variety of items on the menu, but none of them impressed me. Everything is pretty pricey here...at least in comparison to their quality of food (or lack thereof).
To sum this place up: If you just want to get a couple drinks and enjoy a nice scenery, this spot may be for you. If you come here looking to satisfy your belly, you may come out disappointed.
People thought this was:
Great decor! You can actually see how they grill the meat using their old-school ways!
But aside from the decor, great view of the bay bridge, and the side entertainment with the food grilling, the over food itself is average. Nothing too special.
People thought this was:
Whenever I come here I order the same thing, NY steak Teriyaki (it's not on the menu). It is really, really good. The food we get when we go is always delicious. The Morel Mushrooms on toast is also extremely delicious. The drinks are equally great. The Mai Tai's are awesome.
Trader Vics is a bit formal though. It is recommended that you wear a jacket. If not a jacket, than a nice sweater. The service staff is not as good as you would expect. Most of the wait staff (everyone but the waiters/hostesses) don't speak english. This can be frustrating when you try to tell the person taking your plate away that your not finished eating yet.
Whenever I go with my family, my dad orders dinner and he gets the respect from the staff he deserves (he is paying top dollar for it). But when I took my girlfriend for her birthday, I was told that items I always order with my family could not be prepared. It seemed like the waiter didn't have much patience. whatever... it was not a good experience for a restaurant that is a lot of money. My mentality is that if you pay a lot of money, no matter who you are, what you look like, how old you are, you show them the same respect and service you would any other customer.
I would have given it 3 stars because this incident bothered me. But this only happened once, and every other time I've been there, it has been great.
Get the Kobe Beef Teriyaki, it's the best.
People thought this was:
Tried Trader Vic's for the first time on Sunday night, as part of the East Bay Gourmet Week, wherein several higher-end restaurants in the East Bay offer prix-fixe menus for one week out of the year for only $30 per person, which includes an appetizer, entree and dessert. This is a great opportunity to try a higher-end restaurant without paying a fortune.
The atmosphere at Trader Vic's is pretty great for the location. It's kind of an Asian/Polynesian feel, and the restaurant overlooks the Bay, which is really lovely.
I had chicken skewers with chutney as my appetizer (nothing to write home about, but tasty), a wasabi-crusted filet mignon cooked to perfection as my entree, and grilled pineapple with vanilla ice cream for dessert (not wowed by that). My husband had the Trader Vic's salad (your basic mixed green and veggies in vinagrette), the filet of sole (which he said was kind of bland), and some kind of chocolate-dipped something for dessert (which I thought was nasty).
The service was really bad (but what else is new in the East Bay). I think our table was located in a part of the restuarant that was easily forgotten. The wine menu was good, as were the specialty cocktails.
All in all, I'm really glad we tried this place for cheap as part of the East Bay Gourmet week, because it's definetely not worth dealing with the bad service and really expensive prices. I wouldn't recommend it.
People thought this was:
I will not return. The food is alright, if not outrageously priced. The drinks are good. I will avoid this place like the plague on account of Paul. And if you are female and single, you should do the same thing. Let me explain:
Paul chatted me up at a local diner, told me I was pretty (shoulda known right there that he was full of it!) and asked me for my number. We agree to meet at Trader Vic's for drinks; his suggestion not mine. After 10 minutes of chit-chat, he tells me that he lives right next door in the condo complex. I digest this bit of news with an "aha" as to why he picked this place to meet. He informs me that "it's too expensive to eat here" and again suggests that we go over to his place. He throws in, "I have a really comfortable bed" in case I missed all of his obvious signs. Ugh.
Ladies, please, do me a favor. Watch out for this guy. He likes to rub on this hairy chest then look at you and ask "do you want some of this?" Dead. to. real.
Paul, button up your shirt and lose the gold chain. Maybe if you aren't so obvious and cheesy, you might actually get laid. Oh, yes, and spring for the check. Sure the food and drinks are expensive, but it will increase your chances of having someone go check out your "really comfortable bed".
People thought this was:
My best friend had her wedding on their patio. My friend is a tiki freak and because the in-laws are hard to please, she had to find a nice place to have the wedding without breaking the non-existent bank. She went to Trader Vic's on a whim and was shocked that having the wedding there was not only possible, but it was reasonably priced. The food was good, the wedding was fun, and it really was one of the most fun weddings I've been to. The view was gorgeous, since we had the ceremony at sundown, so we had a gorgeous blue/purple/pink/orange sky.
We've returned on a couple of occasions. She always must have her planter's punch, while I like to have a pina coladas and we'll sit there, munching on appetizers and just hang out. Trader Vic's is always a fun time.
Came here because we had a gift certificate, but it was still awful. Service was a joke, drinks a disaster, and food just sorry. We sat in the bar area for dinner so we could take advantage of the view. After asking for a menu 3 times our waitress finally brought it. It took her another 15 to take our drink order, and I can't remember how long for the food. I had the mai tai since that's what they're supposed to be known for. It was ultra sweet with no alcohol taste. For dinner we had the mac crusted fish and the pork chop. Both were boring and lacked flavor. When we finally got our waitress to bring us the check, it took us at least another 15 minutes for her to figure out how to apply the gift certificate. Overall, the place is just a sad mess. Too bad because I've been to the one in Taipei which is surprisingly nice.
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Emeryville, CA
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