Trader Vic’s Tiki Comeback: New Locations and More Mai Tais | Eater
"Set beneath a visible thatched roof on the marina, this long-running tiki restaurant leans hard into classic Polynesian kitsch — bamboo swaths, wooden carvings and totems, Hawaiian music, pu-pu platters, and theatrical rum-forward cocktails such as the Samoan Fog Cutter (rum, brandy, gin, and sherry). Opened in 1973 to replace the 1934 original, a 2010 renovation deepened the tiki aesthetic with artifacts collected by the founder and corporate sourcing from South Pacific islands, while the menu now includes lighter options alongside its signature, sweet, showy drinks. The venue embodies nostalgic escape and excess celebration for longtime fans, but also draws criticism for outdated and appropriative imagery — from caricatured drink toppers and tiki mugs modeled on Maori and Tahitian motifs to menu art that some find offensive — leaving it caught between plans for brand expansion and contemporary concerns about cultural sensitivity." - Lesley Balla
