The Search for the Ultimate Mai Tai
Traveling the Bay Area and beyond to find the best Mai Tai in the world! Tiki, cocktails, and adventures by Kevin Crossman
Waiana tiki bar is located in Zürich’s old town, though seems to be on hiatus for the time being. We happened across it on our first day in town while exploring the Medieval streets and were bummed to have missed it.
The owners are doing occasional pop-ups so keep an eye out on social media for updates. We wish them the best and hope for a reopening.
We were looking for another bar/lounge after finding Hexenbar too full, and soon found ourselves in the lounge at Resort Hotel Alex. This large resort had an eye-catching logotype font on the exterior but even better was the design inside with several fireplaces, cushy chairs, and vintage photos of Zermatt. The interior was so relaxing and we ended up at the bar complete with chairs featuring carved wild goats and cowhide cushions.
I noticed there was a non-pineapple Mai Tai on the menu and asked what kind of rums they used. Our bartender Niklaus said it was Goslings and Havana Club 3, but since I was in the mood for a more traditional version I asked if he could make it just with Myers’s. He said yes, but the concept of using both a dark and white rum was so ingrained he didn’t just use Myers’s but split the base. Thankfully, Niklaus made an excellent choice and used Kingston 62 Jamaica rum for the white rum, and this turned out really great. A very flavorful Mai Tai in perfect balance, one of the best of 2025.
I scanned the rum list and saw Rum 1823 from Switzerland and since I’d never had Swiss rum before I gave it a shot. It’s made in Switerland from Jamaican molasses and then aged for 7 years in Bourbon barrels. Though the still type isn’t listed it seems light enough to be from a column still, though this was by no means a dud even at 40% ABV. 1823 was very nice to sip on, and I’m glad I tried it.
Mrs. Mai Tai’s cocktails were similarly of high quality. The relaxing atmosphere of the lounge at Hotel Alex was an amazing find for us and the kind of place you’d love to return to.
We had a nice visit to Hexenbar in Zermatt Switzerland, a witch-themed pub with a pretty nice selection of cocktails and spirits. Mrs. Mai Tai went with the Espresso Martini that was really great, and we enjoyed the witches displayed throughout the cozy venue.
The menu is provided as a book of spells, which means that the spell could be good or it could be bad. I saw they had a Mai Tai on the menu: “3 Rumsorten, Cointreau, Amaretto, Maraschino, Orangen- und Ananassaft”. 3 rums? Several liqueurs? Sounds great.
Now this is really where I should have busted out a translate app because I recognized a lot of stuff and incorrectly assumed “Orangen” was a liqueur – which actually didn’t make any sense given Cointreau already being listed. Instead these last two items were orange and pineapple juice.
So, it was one of those kind of Mai Tais. Actually not too bad in this format and the juice did taste fresh. But not the spell I was looking for.
We tried to return to Hexenbar a second night but found it to be so packed that we decided to find a different place for drinks. Nonetheless, Hexenbar was really nice and is recommended if you’re ever in Zermatt.
This Vic’s location has a bad rep amongst some people for drinks that are overpriced and lacking quality, but during two visits we found the cocktails at Trader Vic’s Munich to be just as good as the stateside Vic’s we frequent and pricing to be comparable to other cocktail bars in Europe. One visit was in the bar where the bartender stoically and efficiently kept up with orders.
So, we have very positive things to say. But unfortunately we lead with some disappointment.
The Mai Tai here leans heavily on aged Saint James Rhum Agricole and needs a richer pairing than the Pampero Gold that’s also included, resulting in a cocktail that’s too grassy for my liking. I asked if they had any Jamaican rum and Myers’s was the only one they had, but it would have helped as I feel Myers’s or even a Demerara rum like Pusser’s would be way better than Pampero to balance the Rhum Agricole. I did spot a bottle of Appleton 21 but the pour cost for a Mai Tai would have been €80, so I dropped that idea. Not a bad Mai Tai overall but ought to be better at this venue.
The Menehune Juice was the star of our visits, and not just because the Menehune come home with you. The floral flavors have a pleasant but mild rum flavor and this sips so well that Mrs. Mai Tai ordered this on our second visit and I was tempted to as well.
Munich Sour is the signature cocktail for this location, a variant of the Eastern Sour family of drinks. This one uses local German Brandy that adds richness to the mouthfeel, but the best part was the zingy citrus notes that were just a touch sweet. Too often, Vic’s recipes with lemon and orange lean way too tart, but the Munich Sour was anything but. This was probably the best Vic’s Sour I’ve had at any bar anywhere.
The Samoan Fog Cutter compared very well to the ones I’ve had stateside, and also balanced the lemon quite well. The sherry float is my favorite part, which means this cocktail finishes better than it starts, and the signature mug is always a treat. Finally, I tried Vic’s Itch, a good riff on the Tropical Itch that features bourbon and passionfruit.
Mrs. Mai Tai went with the Banana Dreams and Sea Dreams during our visits. Both lean sweet as constructed, though neither was too much so, and both drinks were comparable to the versions we’ve had before. The Sea Dreams wasn’t in the Seyhorse mug as pictured on the menu, our biggest complaint.
Overall, we had way more hits than misses in Munich and included a couple cocktails that were among the best we’ve had at any Trader Vic’s location.
We’re on a trip across European Christmas Markets, but we made sure to find a special place to celebrate Thanksgiving by making a reservation at the Trader Vic’s in Munich. Restaurant manager Heike reminded us that this is the oldest surviving location in the franchise, and Vic’s was quite busy but we still enjoyed responsive and helpful service and a delicious meal.
The food prices here are a little higher than the locations in the States, but we felt the quality was very high. The Crab Rangoon and Bao Buns were great options from the Pupu menu, and the Wonton Soup was also very good. Our main dish was Walnut Chicken that paired well with some fried rice and white rice, with lots of walnuts and a savory sauce.
As we noted in our visit last year, this Vic’s location is a true time-capsule back to the 1970s thanks to a basement location and elaborate Polynesian decor. There are so many little rooms and we even spotted a private space near the staircase entrance. If peacock chairs are you thing, this Vic’s will be your favorite as it seemed like every table featured at least one. The Hawaiian leaning soundtrack set the mood quite well.
We’ll discuss cocktails in upcoming posts, but are thankful that this amazing Trader Vic’s location is still going strong.
We returned to Matiki, Vienna’s tiki bar, with high expectations after last year’s outstanding experience. Located in the Spittleberg neighborhood, we arrived a little before opening and found a really great neighborhood Christmas Market nearby. Once Matiki opened there were several groups coming in behind us over the next twenty minutes.
The interior remains clean and modern with some display tikis but without traditional thatch and tapa cloth. The music on our visit was a really great set of early 70s soul that cohesively transported us and kept the energy in the room. Arik was serving as host and bartender and did a wonderful job getting and making drink orders.
I was impressed by the Mai Tai last year so much it made our Top 10 of 2024, and this one hit almost as good and is currently ranked at 14 for this year. I was interested in the Hibiscus Punch that is listed as including “dark rum.” I asked what the dark rum was and was told it was Planteray (no surprise) and asked if they could use Smith & Cross instead. Arik said it was not a problem and it came out so well, with the Jamaican rum working perfectly with the Averna and Hibiscus syrup – I was really amazed by this cocktail.
Mrs. Mai Tai’s drinks were the same as last time, the Humuhumukunukuapua’a and Tutti Flirty, and both were stellar. Both are nicely presented in mugs, including the little note for those looking to get flirty. Both cocktails were very well balanced and approachable for the tiki newbies who make up a large portion of Matiki’s clientele.
Feeling great with the drinks so far, we went off script for some highballs in the last round. I loved the Corona Amorosa made with the beer and with fresh Maracuja (passion fruit), and Mrs. Mai Tai’s Busty Betty with Bourbon, Strawberry syrup, and home-made Gingerbeer was just as stellar.
Matiki was one of the best cocktail experiences we’ve ever had at a tiki bar.
After a red-eye flight and connection through Frankfort, we finally arrived in Vienna where our tour of Christmas Markets starts on Monday. We explored the city a bit and landed back at our Imperial Riding School hotel for a nightcap before crashing.
For my first proper cocktail in Europe I had to go with a classic Daiquiri made with Havana Club 3 and it didn’t disappoint, crisp and limey. It was a really great drink and the Cuban rum never disappoints in this format, though being placed in a Martini glass rather than a coupe meant that I spilled it not once but twice. I hate Martini glasses! Though, in this case, sleep depravation may have played a part.
Mrs. Mai Tai went in a festive direction with a gingerbread Old Fashioned that was delightful, with some really great ice too. I wish my Daiquiri was served in that format.
