Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar

The first time I ate at Trader Sam's was back in 2016. I remember the food being alright but the drinks were fun. And I remember how chaotic it was inside since it was first come first serve open seating. Well not anymore!I have been able to dine here a few times this past year and the experience has improved significantly. Firstly, they have a reservation system. You either have to book 60 days in advance on the Disneyland app or get lucky to snag a cancelled reservation. Otherwise, there is a walk-up list and I heard it can take more or less 2 hours to be seated inside. I've only come to dine with reservations and I have been seated right away inside.They do have an outside terrace that is usually not as busy. However, eating inside where the bar is at is the best experience as there are cool effects when a certain cocktail is ordered and the servers are interactive. I love the new reservation system because before it, people would come in and hover over you like a vulture because they want to claim a spot. I'm glad that's a thing of the past since it's much calmer inside and you get to enjoy your time without people crowding you.The food is actually really good! Everything I've ordered has been delicious and filling. Some of my favorites are the burgers, pupu platter, and Hawaiian plate with tender short rib. I can't wait to try their ramen bowl next. The drinks are the fun part of the experience as well. My favorite is the Krakatoa Punch. But if you come with a friend, sharing the Uh-Oa or Sea Monster's Embrace is a must! The drinks are super strong and it's best to be prepared to walk it off in downtown Disney or Disneyland.The service is amazing. The staff are very friendly and they make the dining experience so entertaining as they yell and spray water at the crowd like they're on a ship. It's definitely an exciting experience you have to try once!To get parking validation, be sure to park at the Disneyland Hotel Lot--NOT downtown Disney. Your server can validate your parking ticket for 3 hours free.

Had never been here before, not sure when it opened, but I feel I've missed out on a tiki bar. Either way, finally found out about it and here we are! Obviously, you can't go to a tiki bar and not have a drink, or three. We each grabbed a cocktail, as well as a bowl to share for the table. The drinks were definitely on point, and they make a big show of some of the drinks when they are brought to the table. Take home headed: drinks are delicious and fun! For food, we started with the Pupu platter and the Hawaiian platter. The short rib was cooked well on the Hawaiian platter, while the Pupu platter felt a little small for four people to share and none of the items really stood out in any way. Entrees, the Wagyu Hawaiian burger felt a little dry, probably overcooked, and adding the pineapple and bacon really didn't make it stand out too much. Felt like a "Hawaiian" burger you can get many places. The Tonkotsu ramen was an interesting item, not something you would expect to see at a tiki bar. And, bring I love ramen, I had to try it. Unfortunately, it didn't hit like I wanted it to, though the broth wasn't bad, it, too, wasn't very memorable in the end. Overall, fun little tiki bar, would say to definitely go if you're looking to drink but don't have high expectations when it comes to the food. Just enjoy it for what it is and drink, drink, drink!

Omg, so fun! Went here for dinner, drinks and of course the entertainment! Super friendly and fun place to go, research the drinks so you know the best options.

Probably a one and done for me!We were unable to get a reservation, but we put our name on the wait list. For a group of 5, it wasn't bad for a Friday night! For groups that size, it's outdoor seating only.The ambiance outside is great-- the decor and vibes were cute! Service was good too, but drinks were kinda watery and super duper icy. We ordered the Pupu Platter to share and it was pretty bad..... Nothing was even 'good', but merely edible. Overall, it was nice to experience, but I don't see myself or the people in my group coming back.

I haven't been to Trader Sam's Enchanted Tiki Bar in about 10 years, so my recent experience to the restaurant/bar felt like the first time. My family and I knew that there was probably a long waitlist to get in, especially since it was a Friday evening around 9pm. We had no preference to outdoor vs indoor seating, so we took the first available table, which would be outside. Despite Trader Sam's being busy, we waited 10-minutes max. I also do think that we beat a rush of folks coming from the park, which helped minimize our wait time. The night air was a little chilly since it was early January, but we were comfortable with the nearby heat lamps. Service was excellent. Our waitress was very sweet. The drinks came out first and then the food, but everything came out in a timely manner. The entire party ordered Piranha Pool, which was like a blended lava flow but with Blue Curaçao. It was delicious. I also appreciated that the alcohol didn't overpower the taste, which I typically find at Tiki bars. My sister got her cocktail with the souvenir cup that was an impressive looking piranha. We wanted some light bites to snack on while having our drinks. We ordered the Pupu Platter to share so that we can sample their popular items. Overall I thought this dish was just OK. It dish consisted of pork gyoza, tempura fried green Beans, shrimp tempura, and chicken wings. I don't eat pork but heard from the group that the pork gyoza was fine. I personally loved the chicken wings the most. They were extra crispy and had a tasty spiced dry rub. The shrimp tempura was standard, but I liked its dipping sauce. I thought that the green beans were too salty and flimsy even though they were deep fried.

Ambiance is a 4.5But I'm sorry, the dole whip is so overrated and it's $9.50. They forced us to pay for the ugly nightmare before Christmas cup that it comes in. We bought two dole whips thinking it would be worth it but it tasted like pineapple flavored soap. I can't believe I paid over $20 for two. You could easily split 1 for 4 people. I wouldn't come here again just for the dole whips. I might change my mind if I come here again to order other stuff.

We were lucky to have reservations for lunch and were seated promptly after receiving a text message from the host table. That guarantees indoor seating, but even if we didn't have reservations, the weather was nice enough to have an outdoor lunch. Our experience was for a family of four and we loved having a lunch break away from the theme parks. The experience indoor was quiet and dark until someone orders a special drink, and that is when the staff puts on a short show. There are not many tables inside and they can fit 4 people max, so this is not a place you want to come in a large group. The food was served quickly and everything we ordered was good. It was not priced too high either, so definitely consider eating here if you have the munchies. Our waitress was very accommodating to our requests and questions about the menu. I've been here for evening drinks before, but having lunch here with the family was great and definitely a must do if you can get a table here.

We were able to snag a reservation for the inside part of Trader Sam's, and it's always so fun. They recently changed their menu (and I do like the old one better), but the food is still good and what you would expect. They were super busy the night we went and we didn't get to see our server much, but it was the holidays and I'm chalking it up to that. The inside of the space is so on point, and the staff make it even better by making it an immersive experience. We will be back!

What an amazing first time experience at Trader Sam's Tiki Bar!! Better than what I had in mind from watching Jojo's World (Jonathan, if you're reading this by any chance, HIII!! and don't worry, I couldn't pull the sword today at Disneyland), always a wait and it's always busy but what a Christmas miracle it was, given it was a Saturday the 21st of December. The time we headed there was noon, Disney Downtown was PACKED! But my bestie snagged a reservation as we were walking near the Frontier Hotel and boy, we were lucky to be even seated. This review is just for drinks and services, we didn't order food since we ate at Ballest Point. Not outdoor patio seating, no, no. THE BAR COUNTER!! Yes, you might be thinking why the bar? Why not indoor dining table? Let me tell you a brief story on how, as an adult, who loves Disney only ever drank at the park two times. One in 2017 Cove Bar but now it's Lamplight Lounge and in 2023 for my golden birthday, at Pym Tasting Lab, all of course in DCA. Fast forwarded until 12/21/24, weather was perfect, low 60's and accompany by best friend who is a Disney Adult, Sara; we sat at the bar stool and was greeted by Jenny, told her it's my first time here and what kind of drinks would she recommened for someone who likes alcohol but on the sweeter side. Mosquito Mojito was one of them but something about dragon berry rum didn't fit my forte so I asked is there a secret menu kind of drink and she suggested BLUEBERRY LEMONADE. I WAS SOLD!! WHY? Well I had already picked out what souvenir cup I wanted to commemorate this celebration of my first time being at Trader Sam (See pic on which cup I picked out) Place the ordered and wooohoooo!! (Not to sound like an alcoholic) But that drink hit that spot for me, a core memory has been made and I can't wait to come back here with more friends to celebrate. Even if it's small victories. Thank you to Felipe and Jenny for making my first time at Trader Sam a wonderful experience! Ya'll went to infinity and BEYOND!!

It's always a great experience at Trader Sam's! My favorite on the menu is the pupu platter! Sooo good! Especially the green beans! It's always a hit with everyone!