First established in San Francisco, there are now 28 locations of Trader Vic's including the one right here in Hotel New Otani for you to enjoy. A variety of unique styles of cuisine from around the world recreate the atmosphere of the South Pacific. Choose from more than 100 concoctions of tropical drinks or try some of our house specialties of smoked meat, fish and fowl prepared in our famous Chinese ovens.
Karim Belgnaoui
General Manager, Trader Vic's Tokyo
After working in various Trader Vic’s locations around the glob Karim is currently the General Manager of the Tokyo branch since 2014. Karim welcomes you to join him in this island paradise resort and to enjoy the traditional fusion cuisine together with an array of tropical cocktails.
Masato Hamada
Chef, Trader Vic's Tokyo
He is the youngest chef to serve as the head chef of Trader Vic's main restaurant, and is an up-and-coming chef who has served the world. He has established seven restaurants in Chicago, Saudi Arabia, and other countries, and now brings to you the unique taste of Trader Vic's, a fusion of Japanese sensibilities and Trader Vic's traditions.
Trader Vic's Worldwide has a rich and storied history of success and innovation that all began in 1934 when the ebullient Vic "The Trader" Bergeron built a cozy little saloon on San Pablo Avenue in Oakland, California that he called Hinky Dinks.
After embarking on an adventure to Cuba to refine his skills as a bartender and explore the subtleties of rums from around the world, The Trader eventually landed in Hawaii and completely immersed himself in island living and culture. Upon his return home his objective was clear: inject the spirit of the island into our everyday lives.
In 1937, The Trader transformed Hinky Dinks into a tiki-bedecked tropical retreat aptly named Trader Vic's and put into practice his research on rums. Years ahead of his time, Vic began serving simmering plates of island-style cuisine, and Trader Vic's quickly became one of America's first fusion restaurant concepts. As his travels continued, Vic found himself along the Spice Route. Inspired by the flavors of the exotic global cuisines he found there, he began incorporating them into his dishes, famously using ingredients like green peppercorns and morels - a tradition that continues to this day.
Then one day in 1944, a bit of serendipity happened that would place The Trader at the forefront of rum-soaked cocktail mixology earning him a place in history. He pulled down a bottle of 17-year-old Jamaican Rum from the bar, added a squeeze of lime, a dash of rock candy syrup, a splash of orange curacao, some French orgeat, and poured the concoction over cracked ice. He handed it to a friend who immediately exclaimed, "It's Mai Tai Roa Ae!" (Tahitian for "Out of this world - the best!"), and the first Mai Tai was born - Paradise In A Glass™.
As popularity of Vic's tiki haven grew, Trader Vic's successfully opened its first franchise in Seattle, Washington in 1940 and expanded to international shores in 1963 at London's Hilton Hotel on Park Lane and Lane and in 1974 1964 at Tokyo. Following a booming success in the Middle East in 1994 with multiple franchise openings, Trader Vic's introduced its new concept "The Mai Tai Lounge" to the world opening in Dubai in 2007. This unique and exciting concept features freshly grilled bar bites and a bevy of Trader Vic's world-famous signature concoctions.
Today, the Trader Vic's family of restaurants is known as Trader Vic's Worldwide and is recognized across the globe. Taste The World® through exotic cuisines and happily imbibe from a collection of expertly crafted libations at Trader Vic's, the Home of the Original Mai Tai®.
