It took 90 years for Trader Vic’s to make it to trendy South Beach, but the new Bamboo Room concept could be the right bar in the right place at the right time.
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• The space | The cocktails | Updated menu, more
Exclusive: Q&A with Trader Vic’s CEO Rhett Rosen
Bonus cocktail recipe: Suffering Bastard
Tucked into the newly renovated 1920s era Esmé Hotel Miami Beach, the speakeasy-style craft cocktail bar is stylistically a throwback to the pre-Tiki, post-Prohibition early days of founder Victor “Trader Vic” Bergeron.
In fact, the Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s, as it’s officially known, is a callback to a tropical space inside Bergeron’s original Hinky Dinks restaurant in Oakland, Calif., circa 1934. Soon after, the Trader Vic’s brand took the world by storm as a dynamic Polynesian restaurant and bar concept, expanding globally as interest in South Seas exoticism dominated the pop culture consciousness in the mid 20th century.
Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group remains a venerable force worldwide with 25 locations in 11 countries. To augment the flagship brand, new concepts are positioned to expand the Trader Vic’s name into previously untapped markets and remain relevant in the 21st century.
PREVIEW: Trader Vic’s launches new Bamboo Room concept in South Beach
In making upscale South Beach the first location of the new Bamboo Room concept, the hospitality group is returning to its roots as a luxury brand. This is a far cry from the previous branded bar and restaurant in Florida, the middle-of-the-road Trader Vic’s Island Bar & Grille in Sarasota (2010-2013).
Opening with a menu of just seven cocktails priced at $20-$25 would be risky just about anywhere else. But in one of the world’s top hospitality markets, it’s more like a Bam Adebayo slam dunk. One of the Miami Heat star’s predecessors, Chris Bosh, owned a lavish mansion just up the road that sold for a cool $38.5 million in 2022.
Let’s just hope potential guests have the willingness to seek it out, then appreciate the craft and care that went into both the space and its inventive cocktails. I will recommend it to anyone who lives in the area or visits for any reason, such as a show or event at the nearby Miami Beach Convention Center and Fillmore Miami Beach Theater.
Following is a full recap of my visit at the end of the opening weekend on Sunday, Sept. 15. As I sampled my way through the menu, I was privileged to meet and talk with two Trader Vic’s Hospitality Group executives who were in town for the opening. This story includes insights from both CEO Rhett Rosen and vice president of operations Raquel Rodriguez.
Beyond the Bamboo Room, I gained a new understanding of the Trader Vic’s brand, including exclusive details on an upcoming location planned for Hawaii, the first ever 100% company-approved outpost in the South Pacific. Also featured below is a Q&A with Rosen just before the opening.
Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s – 1438 Washington Ave. in the Esmé Hotel Miami Beach, (305) 809-8050. Open seven days from 5:30 p.m.
• BambooRoomMia.com | Instagram | Esméhotel.com
• TraderVics.com | Instagram | Facebook
The space: From 1920s gambling den to exotic cocktail lair
Esmé is a luxury boutique hotel in the heart of South Beach at the intersection of Washington Avenue and Espanola Way (see map), a historic former artist colony that dates back to 1925. The cluster of buildings was transformed into a hotel in 2021 after a $40 million renovation by Infinity Hospitality Group. It quickly became a stylish destination listed in the Michelin Guide.
The hotel offers valet parking, or you can find multiple public garages within a short walking distance. I found a reasonable rate at a garage on 16th Street, a 5-minute walk away. Your GPS or rideshare may drop you off at the hotel’s valet stand and understated entry facade, where there is no mention of bars or restaurants within, but don’t fret.
Simply enter the lobby area and take in the neo-Spanish-Mediterranean vibe as you proceed along the red carpet through this small building and the double doors at the end of the hall. This will lead you into a quaint outdoor courtyard and building painted with striking green and white stripes. That’s your destination, as the small green sign near the door will confirm.
