Trader Vic's Portland -- The Wait is Over.

Wife and I will be in Portland soon, can't wait to stop in...

Quickly:

Stopped in for a fast drink on Friday.

Although it is on a busy street corner in a trendy neighborhood, the daylight fades fast as you get towards the core of the place; sitting at the bar deep inside the concentrically-designed space feels exactly like being in a Trader Vic's ought to.

When I lamented the lack of Tortuga on the menu, bartender went off of the abridged menu to make it for me, and wouldn't hear otherwise when I protested... she was great, smiling, friendly.

More comments shall be posted elsewhere, but my first impression was very positive. One of the better Neo-Vic's I've seen in a while. Yay!

Trader Vic's Portland is doing well. We've been going multiple times per week and it's always packed. Just tried to make a dinner reservation through opentable and it said it was booked for the next 8 weeks. Way to go, Vic!

[ Edited by: tiki kupcake 2011-08-24 15:19 ]

On 2011-08-22 13:58, Tiki Kupcake wrote:
Trader Vic's Portland is doing well. We've been going multiple times per week and it's always packed. Just tried to make a dinner reservation through opentable and it said it was booked for the next 8 weeks. Wat to go, Vic!

It must be the time you picked, as I just booked on the 30th. (Only 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM, and 9:30 PM were available.)

Wow, that is astounding! But you can just do a walk-in at the bar, right?

On 2011-08-22 17:25, bigbrotiki wrote:
Wow, that is astounding! But you can just do a walk-in at the bar, right?

Yes, and in the upper lounge area as well... but the last few times that I've gone to the bar, I've had to stand for a bit until a seat opened up. Business seems to be great, even during the middle of the week!

On 2011-08-22 16:02, MikeyTiki wrote:

On 2011-08-22 13:58, Tiki Kupcake wrote:
Trader Vic's Portland is doing well. We've been going multiple times per week and it's always packed. Just tried to make a dinner reservation through opentable and it said it was booked for the next 8 weeks. Wat to go, Vic!

It must be the time you picked, as I just booked on the 30th. (Only 6:00 PM, 9:00 PM, and 9:30 PM were available.)

Weird. I tried from 6-9:30.

A newly opened Tiki temple that is filled to the hilt everyday, in this economic climate !? Thank you PORTLAND for proving it is possible!

And for those of you that don't know Sneaky Tiki and the Lava Lounge Orchestra is going to be playing at Trader Vic's on the 30th: Sneaky Tiki and the Lava Lounge Orchestra plays Trader Vic's

If you missed their performance during the recent TikiKon this would be a good opportunity to hear them!

Do it right and it will succeed,
do it wrong, or in the wrong area,
and disaster.

the Jury is still out on Downtown LA,
I am not a fan of that area.

Can't wait to get up to Portland sometime
this Vics is on my to do list for sure.

Jeff(btd)

Now that the euphoria of opening a new place has had its time I thought I would add my experience. Based on my visit a couple weeks ago, this TVs has to start sweating the details. While the bar was relatively busy this weeknight two hours before closing my friend and I were able to find seats at the bar. Service was efficient, though brusque. I was given a damp, wrinkled, and torn drink menu. The bar was need of a wiping down, which it never received. On the upside, the Tiki Puka Pukas and Honi Honi we had seemed to be nicely mixed.

TT

Here's a couple great picture of the front door!

[i]On 2011-07-27 09:47, bigbrotiki wrote:

One great concept of Trader Vic's Portland is that it has its bar in the center:

Hostess stand with bar in background

The bar is open from three sides, and the restaurant radiates out from it in circles...

Happy Tiki revelers

My favorite seating would be these two booths, slightly elevated, with a view thru to the kitchen behind them:

A Five-Star, extraordinary high Tipsy rating, Tiki mecca!

best part of the Portland trip...
tough to find parking but worth the wait...
great place...
good food, great free huge drink with rum barrel buy (thanx bartender)...
left with rum barrel mug, S&P shakers, and a buz (wife driving)...

I'll be back...

WOW
I did the last post also.
Was in town and had to stop in,
got there at 3pm just as the doors flew open.
We were the only ones there, for a while...

A couple of weeks ago Val and I traveled to Portland for the second time and made a couple of return visits to Trader Vic's Portland. Looking back over this thread and the one in General Tiki, I'm a little surprised that I hadn't posted any of my photos from 2011. In any case, our return in 2012 was just as nice as our 2011 visit...maybe even a bit better. We went for happy hour on a Monday, and then returned Tuesday for happy hour/dinner/night cap on Tuesday (as you do). Courtney was our bartender both Monday and Tuesday and she was awesome (she even gets a mention in James Teitelbaum's new book "Destination Cocktails"). Courtney had a keen interest in matching people to drinks they'd like if they were undecided, and an enthusiasm for talking about tiki cocktails in particular.

October is Zombie month at Trader VIc's Portland and we navigated though most of their Zombie offering between the 2 nights. The Zombie menu included a couple of variations I had not seen before and they were interesting takes on the drink. The vibe at this Trader Vic's is what I'd like them all to be. I'm happy to have a Trader Vic's close to me (LA Live) at all, but the differences between the two are vast. A DJ was spinning exotica and hawaiian music all night on Tuesday (I believe that's a regular Tuesday happening). It was a great way for us to spend our anniversary.

Keep up the good work, Trader Vic's Portland people! We hope to be able to visit you many more times in the future.

Higher resolution versions, and some from 2011, are available on Flickr.

kevin

--
if it's not a little complicated, it's probably not worth it.
http://twitter.com/heylownine

EDIT: Meant to post this in Locating Tiki, so I'm going to cross post there. Apologies in advance.

[ Edited by: heylownine 2012-10-21 13:34 ]

Ill be there in 2 minutes if anyone is close by...

Jon

Ahhhhhhhhhh

Mai-Tai

Worst sound ever, slurp of an empty tiki mug through my straw!!!

[ Edited by: hang10tiki 2013-03-20 17:18 ]

Mango Mai-Tai

Maui Mai-Tai

Guava Mai-Tai

Having fun? :wink:

:)

Wish I was there with ya!

Have a great time!

Do you have a favorite Mai-Tai?

Luna- come on up
TDB- the traditional Mai-Tai

But I had to make sure
:)

Or, well, lets see, maybe, Maui,
What the heck, they are all good!!!

Hang10, I highly recommend the 1944 top shelf Mai Tai and the Nelsons Blood! Oh! and the happy hour ribs. Have you been to the Alibi yet? I don't recommend their Mai Tai but I think it was a scorpion that was passable also some ok plate lunch to coat your stomach for further drinks.
aloha

I second the recommendation for the 1944 Mai Tai - it was ONO! Can't wail to return to Portland in October to re-visit Trader Vic's (...and run the marathon)

Ok, thanks guys, walking over now...

Just did a zombie at Alibi tonight. :( Yuck

Then did a Mai-Tai at Hale Pele. :) Awesome

Off to TV

:)

Bonus, happy hour in 4 min

Traditional Mai-Tai

Mango MT

Oh my

That's all for now

Phone at 2%