An upscale tiki-themed restaurant chain with locations in cities as far flung as Abu Dhabi and Las Vegas, Trader Vic’s opened an outpost in Chicago’s Gold Coast earlier this month. The restaurant, with its massive wood-burning oven and wooden decor imported from Indonesia, has event capabilities for groups of eight to 200 guests.
The Mai Tai bar area, where bartenders wear Hawaiian shirts and serve fruity drinks from a list of 76 specialty cocktails, can accommodate 100. The main dining room seats 127, while a private function space—attached to the main dining room via a tiki-statue-lined hallway—can seat 80 and hold 100 for cocktails. For more intimate gatherings, a semiprivate area dubbed the Office, located just outside the function room, provides seating for eight.
Available for full buyout, the restaurant can host receptions for 200. Menu selections include macadamia nut mahi mahi, Cantonese steamed sea bass, and wasabi-crusted filet mignon.
