Trad’r Sam

Trad’r Sam is a tiki bar in SF (map). I’ve heard that it’s one of the oldest tiki bars, so I put it on my to-do list, and I recently went here in March of 2023.

The neon sign outside of Trad'r Sam, though it’s not lit.
The entrance looking out. Oh hey, it’s daylight out. Are we starting early or ending really late?
The bartender making a blended drink and some patrons watching sports on TV.
Folks standing and sitting at the bar.

Drinks

You get a lot of bang for your buck here. Speaking of bucks, this place is cash only, so don’t be surprised ‘cause there’s a lot of signs about it. You won’t have to spend a lot, though, because the drinks here are strong and cheap. They’re tasty too, so maybe you will spend more. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

We got a “scorpion bowl” for $20. This is a 4 person drink. And it’s $20. “Oh, well maybe it’s a weak drink”, you say. Nope, it’s strong, and I like fruity drinks so I liked this one a lot.

The bartender pours a whole bottle of something to top off the scorpion bowl.
The scorpion bowl, as served.

They have typical tiki bar cocktails like Zombies as well. I got one of those later on. I think it was $10.

For the 3 of us drinking, I think we only spent like $30 + tip here, and it was more than sufficient.

Decor

Pretty typical tiki decoration here, but more dive-bar tiki than upscale tiki. Like, if you want fancy tiki you’d probably go to the Tonga Room, Zombie Village, Pagan Idol, etc. I, however, enjoy dive bars. This place to me is like a tiki version of Li Po Lounge.

There was a decent amount of seating (although we went on a Sunday night, so that’s a bad gauge). The seating was torn in places, and some cushions were covered with wooden boards. Maybe this is an aesthetic. Anyway, it was still comfortable. The worn seats probably just hint to this place’s popularity.

Some tables and seats along the walls.
Another view of the seating. The cushions are either covered or torn from years of use.
More seating, as seen from the corner table where we sat.
Even the bar stools are torn. So maybe it’s intentional? There’s also an arcade cabinet, but I didn’t see what it was.
And here’s the bar up close.

I’d easily go here again. I think one of our other friends didn’t recommend this place, but I’m going to disagree with them and recommend it. If you’re in the area and you want a drink, check out Trad’r Sam.