Mai Tai Recipes: Trader Vic's vs. Royal Hawaiian

A well-made tiki cocktail is transportive. No matter where you may be or what the weather is like outside, drinks like the Mai Tai takes you to a carefree, tropical state of mind. Part of that may be due to the generous amount of rum and bright, fruit juices. There's also all the accoutrements -- teeny tiny paper umbrella, tiki-style swizzle stick and decorative fruit garnishes. But tiki drinks also contain intrigue.

For instance, with the Mai Tai, the rum and juice are balanced by orgeat, a sweet, almond-y aromatic syrup that slightly thickens the drink and imbues it with an intriguing opacity. If you never tasted orgeat on its own, you wouldn't know what was the 'secret' ingredient in a Mai Tai.

I recently make orgeat syrup from scratch, an easy recipe that also keeps for a long time. It freezes well too. One batch is enough for many rounds of Mai Tais, as well as to dress up a very easy almond cake. For many years, I omitted orgeat from my Mai Tai, thinking it was good enough. But, with orgeat on hand, my Mai Tai situation at home is top notch, excellent.

Who invented the Mai Tai plus tiki culture

Many credit Victor J. Bergeron, the colorful owner of Trader Vic's in Oakland, California to crafting the mai tai. Bergeron said he invented it in 1944. However, Donn Beach claimed that he he did it first, in 1933. Perhaps Beach's drink, the QB Cooler cocktail, set the foundation upon which Bergeron crafted the subsequent Mai Tai, which is named after the Tahitian term maitaʻi that means "good" or "excellent." The two cocktails share similar ingredients. Both Bergeron and Beach pioneered tiki bars and restaurants.

Tiki culture is culturally problematic because it's built upon faux concepts of island culture. The New York Times succinctly and fairly discusses its history and evolution away from thatched huts and kitschy decor in this article.

Bergeron was a good mixologist, restaurateur and marketer. His Mai Tai is what people remember more. In 1953, Bergeron crafted a tropical island version of the Mai Tai for the Royal Hawaiian and Moana Surfrider Hotels in Hawaii. A year later, he added fruit juice to sweeten things up for the vacationing crowd that was streaming in, via the ocean liner company that had hired him.

Difference between mainland and island mai tais?

From my casual cocktail mixer's perch, it seems simple. Fruit juices are employed in the Hawaii version, primarily pineapple and orange juice. Plus, there's an extra dark rum floater to set you in an extra maita'i mood. The mainland version has a lime juice kick.

My first Mai Tai was at the Royal Hawaiian restaurant in Laguna Beach, California. I thought that was the definitive one, until I dined at Trader Vic's in Beverly Hills and finally in Emeryville, California. The decor in Emeryville is stunning. However, the sunset at the Royal Hawaiian's bar on Waikiki Beach is spectacular. Below, the beach and grounds of the RH on Waikiki. The Mai Tai Beach Bar is tucked into the far left of the hotel grounds in the right hand photo. Were there in 2024 with friends.

The view from the RH in Laguna Beach isn't bad either. The RH in Laguna isn't related to the one in Hawaii and it now offers the Trader Vic's and the Royal Hawaiian versions on its menu.

Spirits and juice notes

I made terrific mai tais with the following brands of spirits. If you have curacao or Cointreau, use it. Otherwise, affordable triple sec works well, especially if you're just trying this out for the first time.

The fruit juices brighten and counter the rum and sweet orgeat syrup. I like fruit so my heart is more fond of the Hawaiian-style Mai Tai. That said, the drink should not be cloyingly sweet. Choose the fruit juice wisely.

Print Recipe

Mai Tai — Royal Hawaiian Style

A strong tropical drink, this will serve one person quite well but you could easily split this between two glasses and share.

Course: Drinks

Cuisine: American

Keyword: mai tai, peach cocktail, tiki

Servings: 1

Equipment

• 1 cocktail shaker

Ingredients

• 1 oz golden rum
• 1 oz dark rum, plus extra for optional floater
• ½ oz triple sec, orange curacao, or cointreau
• ½ oz Orgeat syrup (see Note for recipe link)
• 2 oz pineapple juice, fresh or canned
• 1 oz fresh tangerine or orange juice
• Garnishes: Pineapple wedge, lime wedge

Instructions

• Fill a shaker half full of ice. Pour in the spirits, orgeat, and juices. Close and shake vigorously until very cold. Open the shaker and strain into an ice filled tumbler. Add a floater of dark rum, if you like. Garnish with the pineapple and lime. Drink up!

Notes

Make orgeat syrup for this drink and others! Here's a very good orgeat recipe. 

Print Recipe

Mai Tai — Trader Vic’s Style

Tasty, bright, and potent, drink this Mai Tai slowly or share with a friend!

Servings: 1

Equipment

• 1 cocktail shaker

Ingredients

• 1 oz golden rum
• 1 oz dark rum, plus more for optional floater
• 1 oz fresh lime juice
• ½ oz Orgeat syrup (recipe link in Notes)
• ½ oz of triple sec, orange curacao, or cointreau
• Garnishes: Mint sprig, lime wheel

Instructions

• Fill a shaker half full of ice. Pour in all the liquids (spirits, juice, and orgeat) — everything but the garnishes. Close and shake vigorously until very cold. Open the shaker and strain into an ice filled tumbler. Add a floater of dark rum, if you like. Gar­nish with the mint and lime. Drink up.

Notes

For excellent Orgeat syrup, make this recipe.