Trader Vic’s

Staying at the hotel (Hilton) above and decided to stop in for some mai tais and apps. The bouncer (?) was rude and said no trainers (sneakers) or jeans but decided to let us in ‘this time’. Mind you half of the restaurant was filled with others wearing casual attire– its a tiki bar… not Nobu… our waiter was kind but hovered a bit much. The drinks were great– the food was ok. The Trader Vics in Dubai is far superior and has friendlier service. You get the impression they are trying to class up a place that serves drinks in little ceramic men– get over it Hilton/​Trader Vics. You’re a glorified pub with mediocre Chinese food.

Trader Vic’s are pushing out the boat, or should that be canoe, with their 4^th July US Independence Day dinner. £49 per head with tasty barbeque treats from their amazing Chinese wood-​fired ovens using an ancient cooking method dating back to the Han Dynasty. The ribs are delicious — and tasty, no need for the accompanying dips. Known for their cocktails in branded cups, they are evolving their London menu to make it much more of a destination dining spot.
It was Vic «The Trader» Bergeron who first put Chinese dishes alongside contemporary Continental cuisine in the late 1930s, creating the original fusion menu. It’s much the same today, but true to their slogan «Taste The World» you can expect some updates to the menu in the next few months.
The tapa cloth wallpaper used in Trader Vic’s comes from Tonga, where paper mulberry trees are sliced, starched and hand– painted to create these exotic textures and patterns.
Each piece is different, and made individually for the 26 Trader Vic’s restaurants around the world.
Call 020 7208 4113 or email
To celebrate the 4^th of July
Delicious! Tender BBQ spare ribs from the original 1972 recipe.
Vic said: «You can have more fun with a flower behind your ear, a Mai Tai in your hand and good friends.»
He certainly got that right.
Trader Vic’s, 22 Park Lane, London W1K 1BE
Copyright alan greenhalgh © 2015

Great night here, live Latin music, dance floor. Nice choice of drinks and sharer cocktails, staff were very thoughtful and moved our bigger group to a good seating area.

Trader Vic’s in London makes me very happy. I love Trader Vic’s around the world but the London location is my absolute favorite. It has such a great history and the Mai Tai’s RULE! They recently did some renovating, so it’s fresh and welcoming. Yeah, it’s a little cheesy but it does what it does so well. Have drinks at the bar or sit in one of the tables near the live entertainment. Either way, you’ll feel like you went back in time to an exotic Polynesian place. Look out for the werewolves of London…

Not for me. Expensive, drinks were loaded, and the Tiki vibe does not work for me in London. We’re lead to believe that the Mai Tai was invented here. Well, yes, at Trader Vic’s, but in Oakland, CA. We only came here because it was open late. Ordered drinks at 12:30 AM and kicked out at 1:00 PM.

Our favourite tiki bar. Awesome drinks (flipping strong) and authentic kinda vibe inside. I prefer to come during quieter periods as it gets very crowded and loud.

As good as it gets in the underground Tiki bar category. There aren’t many Trader Vic’s left in the world, so savor this one Londoners. A great place to crawl into for some liquor fueled debauchery.

We went to this place for a birthday and although the place was quite empty (Friday night and as busy as you would expect a Monday night to be), we had to wait A LOT to be served. The cocktails were all done in the same two types of glasses and not in nice one like the ones in the menu, so it was a bit disappointing.
The live music was good, but none seemed to enjoy it.
And they followed us up the stairs to let us know we forgot to pay 50p of the service charge. Not that was intentional, but really after spending 100 quid, I found it quite shocking.

Fantastic is one word I would say about it
The bartender was very nice and personable and no matter how busy it got, we were still given attentive service. The prices were not outrageous and the crowd was hip.
They had live music was was rather good and not too loud. We did end up sitting at the bar on the opposite side of the music, but we still were able to hear it and enjoy the ambiance.
It does look like a tiki bar. so cool décor!

Welcome to the home of the MAI TAI!
The founder of this restaurant supposedly created the drink for his friends visiting from Tahitit! He opened the original Vic’s in California and included his drink on the menu. Now it’s become a world-​wide sensation.
Located in a hidden away area, under the Hilton, it’s pretty hard to find. I would have been roaming around London for a while if my friend’s cab had not picked me up. Shame that it’s not more advertised/​present because I really enjoyed this place. Lots of tropical décor and tribal masks really set what they describe as a Polynesian atmosphere. Strange as the place is pretty upscale but it just works. I would definitely dress up a bit to go here, especially if I were sitting in one of the more secluded dining tables. The food is no-​doubt pricey but understandably so as a lot of their meat is cooked in the ‘roti’ style, meaning that it’s roasted in a traditional wood-​fired oven. Also explains why it takes a while for it to come!
The place was packed when I came here, with live music and dancing in the Mai Tai Lounge. They boast over 200 cocktails and I tried umm… a few. They hit my friends pretty hard but I found them to just be quite tasty. My friend’s beef was great although my aromatic duck was objectively a bit too crunchy and oily. However, I loved it!
Basically if you want an upscale place to drink, eat great food, and dance with an exclusive London club nearby (Whisky Mist), this place can’t be beat! PS: Book reservations if you can, especially on weekends!

Sehr gutes Essen und schöné Lokalität Service manchmal etwas vergesslich. Dennoch 5 Sterne für dieses aussergewöhnliche Restaurant Preise für Londoner Verhältnisse gerade noch o.k.

Falls Sie die Trader Vic’s Frenchise nicht kennen, verpassen Sie etwas! Vor über 70 Jahren wurde in Kalifornien die erste Bar eröffnet, nun hat es über 20 überall auf dem Erdball. Ich kenne bloss die Restaurants in Tokyo, Osaka, Dubai Madinat und London, war leider noch nie in München oder Hamburg.
In London (eröffnet 1963) gehört es zum Hilton Park Lane. Man geht eine Treppe ins Untergeschoss, und da musste ich beim ersten Besuch vor 22 Jahren lachen, hinter dem Empfangspult war ein Schild mit einer gezeichneten lachenden Kuh angebracht, dazu die Ueberschrift: «Make a Cow happy, eat a Fish!» — ich hab immer noch das Foto davon, leider keine elektronische Version.
Trader Vic’s sind im Polynesischen Stil gehaltene Betriebe, mit einerseits den berühmten Cocktail Bars/​Lounges sowie den exotischen Restaurants, welches hauptsächlich eine Mischung aus Asiatischer und Polynesisch inspirierter Küche anbieten. Endlose Geschmacksabenteuer sind Ihnen sicher. Viel Fisch, Meeresfrüchte, saftige Steaks & BBQ, erlesene Weinkarten — und eben, endlose Auswahl von Cocktails. Der Hausdrink seit eh ist der Mai Tai, erfunden vom T.V. Gründer Victor Jules Bergeron. Zu den Drinks eignen sich die schmackhaften Appetizers (Tidbits) besonders.
Weil ich viel in Asien war, hab ich oft ähnliche Restaurants gesucht, fast in jeder Kapitale hat es welche. Erinnere mich an melancholische Abende, wenn Hawaiianische oder Polinesische Musik und Tanz dabei war. In Tokyo z.B. gibt es in Shinjuku ein Tiki Tiki, sicher von Trader Vic’s inspiriert, da war ich mehrmals. Wo immer man solche Restaurants/​Bars findet, denkt man immer an das Original, unübertroffen. Schade hat es keinen T.V. in der Schweiz, sonst wär ich sehr oft dort. Ich fühle mich so wohl in dieser Atmosphäre… als Weltbürger. Die Einrichtung mit all dem Bambus, Objekten aus Fischerei, Schifffahrt und Kolonialzeit, erleuchteten Kugelfischen, sowie natürlich die exotischen Holzmasken und Tiki-​Stammesschnitzereien aus der Südsee verleitet zum Reisen… oder zumindest beim Cocktail davon träumen. Das Kanu zur Reise hängt oft an der Decke!

Trader Vic’s is my bar of choice for a more sophisticated and relaxed tiki experience. The bar boats all of the old-​world Polynesian charm that you will take you away to another time and place, and opts for the more up-​market décor. Easily surpassing the likes of Mahiki on this front, expect canoes suspended from the ceiling, illuminated puffer fish and nautical nick-​knacks. The cocktails are simply excellent and the four page menu offers a huge range that will keep even the most ardent lush busy for days to come.
Price-​wise it’s on par with most London tiki bars and you should be prepared to part with between £9 and £12 for a drink, but, perhaps unusually for most London cocktail bars, Trader Vic’s leaves you feeling that you’ve actually had rather good value for money. The drinks are served in generous vessels and the bartenders are liberal with the alcohol, so expect to feel lightheaded after having a few! For those who can’t do without themed mugs and sharers, there is a generous selection that will see you sipping from barrels and bowls. If you feel like splashing out for a party, be sure to opt for the ten-​gallon canoe. I sampled this during a Qype event and I guarantee that it will impress your guests.
Trader Vic’s is a serious candidate for a 5 star rating. With an impeccable setting, a warm and welcoming atmosphere and top-​quality cocktails, I have no hesitation in giving it my highest commendation.

Really fantastic place to eat I’m sure. I was here with others for the «my kind of phone» event and it was like walking into another world. I absolutely love the kitch and yet sofisticated environment they have created inside.
I’ve always wanted to go to one since I saw it in Toronto but just never had reason to descend the stairs and experience it. Now I know what I was missing all those years.
Whether you’re kicking back for a cocktail as we were or in there for a meal I’ll bet the staff are as absolutely brilliant as they were for us.
The whole ‘no shorts’ thing was a bit weird but other than that it was the most amazing expereince.
I wish every place had staff that attentive, that professional and that friendly. If they did, London would be the service capital of the WORLD.

It’s a landmark bar, more popular then the venue above it, which is quite amazing for something attached to a 5 star hotel and a layabout daughter. My first visit wasn’t great but maybe I’m a little raw about being told that I can’t stand next to a table to talk to a friend (as it’s not that kind of bar) or that the service charge doesn’t reflect the forty minute time taken to get a drink ordered or seated next to fantastically large stewpots meant a five degree rise in ambient temperature.
A second visit thanks to My Kind Of phone and Qype proved a different experience with access to the Kon Tikki canoe filled with a orange based punch and some strong signature Mai Tais. I guess it could have been an unlucky first visit, the service from the staff that night was exemplary and live music is rather special if you’re lucky enough to be seated in that quadrant. The porcelain cocktail bowls are very unique and are very pretty. The décor hasn’t changed (and doesn’t need to) since the swinging sixties with the old bamboo and grass adorning gurning faces from the walls. Look out for the cheeky sailor on the way to the toilets, Chatham will never seem the same again.
If the prices seem a little steep, remember that it is a five star cocktail bar and that the drinks include the history and experience of the venue, which does make for an incredibly special night out.

Trader Vic’s was a new venue for me when a group of us Qypers ended up there at the end of Microsoft’s My Kind Of Phone photo treasure hunt.
Themed cocktails seem to be what everyone admires about the place, and the ten gallon canoe from which drinks can be served is certainly a talking point — if a little too gimmicky in my opinion.
It is listed as a restaurant and although I have not eaten a proper meal there, I must say the pork ribs and fried prawns made for an excellent snack. The restaurant meals are presumably of a polynesian theme and good too.
Most impressive for me were the staff who were professional and courteous. The kind of staff you find in an expensive up market hotel which may be appropriate as it is located under the Hilton Hotel.

I have heard of Trader Vic’s before, but had no idea what to expect. When I stepped through the door and was greeted by Polynesian statues, I got the giggles — this would be fun, I thought to myself!
As I walked down the stairs, there was a mix of décor — from the carpet that seemed like it belonged in a Ruby Tuesday’s to the coral, shells, tiki men and … oh my gosh is that really a canoe filled with fruity cocktails?!
Indeed, folks! This place is full-​on themed from the walls to the staff. It seemed out of place for the location, but the clientele was easy on the eye! ;)
They had a great bar and the staff was very attentive. I cant say much about the food, as I only had a (pretty decent) BBQ rib, but this place could be a whole lot of fun for a party.

I’m going to glaze over the irony that the dress code of this polynesian themed bar forbids shorts because once we were in the service was very friendly.
We had ended up here after a Foodie treasure hunt sponsored by My Kind of Phone, using our mobiles to take photos of various food related sights on the way from Covent Garden. A lot of fun that was too, but it was nice to finish with a canoe full of rum punch. Fruity and light this refreshing beverage was in sharp contrast with the Mai Tai’s which, while tasty were clearly extremely alcohol-​heavy.
Anyway, it’s a fantastic place, right by/​underneath the Park Lane Hilton hotel with bamboo and woodcarvings covering every corner and setting the atmosphere wonderfully.
I hear this place has been going since the 60s and I can well believe it because of the attention to detail which doesn’t just settle in overnight — this place is pretty immersive.
The food we had was a selection of nibbles and it whet the appetite for more. Jucy ribs, delicious pork, prawns and some unidentified wonton — was it crab? was it cheese? who knew but some people were addicted.

I first went to Trader Vic’s many years ago with my ex husband’s family. My ex-​father in law was from Beverly Hills, so knew about the one out there and used to frequent this one a lot to remind him of home. It’s a giant place with an almost museum like quality, dark lighting and with weird and wonderful artefacts dotted around the walls.
It was certainly novel to have cocktails served from a canoe.
We were served a tasty selection of hot Polynesian snacks. The ribs were some of the best I have eaten, non fatty (I like to imagine) or should I say non greasy, with nicely cooked smoky meat. They were popular with the Qype event crowd and certainly worth going back for.

I love Trader Vics! It’s one of the best places in the capital for a cocktail and for those with a penchant for themed cocktail bars like me, it really is a tiki paradise. The themed cocktails are fantastic and served in a range of fun styles. Some come complete with little mementos, I got a parrot with mine and my mum got a plastic tiki man. There’s something for everyone here, non-​cocktail drinkers get a wide selection of beers and cocktail drinkers are literally spoiled for choice.
I recently went here for a Qype event, and tried Trader Vic’s food for the first time. I have to say that I was seriously impressed and will be sampling them again. The highlight was a crab and cheese bite, that the Qypers were addicted to, but the spare ribs were also fantastic. The barbecue sauce that was used was just the right side of sticky and not to sweet.
The highlight of the visit was definitely the wooden canoe, a life-​size canoe filled with a delicious peach flavoured punch that guests can book for a very special occasion.

Trader Vic’s! My favourite place for a cocktail (
) in London! And one of the last of the world’s greatest tiki bars. Since the closure of the original Trader Vic’s in Beverly Hills, the London location is now the oldest in world. Opened in 1963, this swank tropical-​themed restaurant/​bar has much of the same décor as when opened. It’s definitely of another time but not really passé or run-​down. In fact, it appears to have been lovingly cared for all these decades. Crammed from floor to ceiling with South Seas and nautical bric-​à-​brac (I’d hate to be the one to dust this joint!), it’s as evocative a place to drink as any you’ll find … anywhere!
Go. Order a Mai Tai. Forget about your troubles.

The first time I got absolutely hammered with my Dad was at Trader Vic’s.
When he first moved to London in the 1970’s, this place was IT. All the cool kids came here; he had plenty of great stories to tell, many memories (or lack there of), and of course, the Mai Tai’s, which I believe were actually invented by Trader Vic himself.
The place is in the basement of the Hilton; it’s dark, a little dingy, but full of life. Just the right place to reminisce the good olé times with Pops and down buckets of Mai Tai’s, chicken skewers and jalapeño cheese balls (omfgyummmm).
It’s not very London. It’s not very anywhere. It’s just an interesting place and that’s the way I like it.