While wandering around the Universal Studios theme park, we happened upon Mulligan's Irish Pub. It was a small place, on the corner of two "streets." We peeked in and saw people sipping Guinness and then noticed the large selection of various liquor bottles. There was an empty spot at the end of the bar so we went over and caught the attention of the bartender.

"What can I get for you?" "Can you make a Mai Tai?" "Yes, but it'll have to be from scratch, not a mix." "Great!" (We were secretly jubilant!). The Mai Tai was made with Myer's Rum, Bacardi, Grenadine, Lime Juice, and Orange Curacao, pretty close to the original "scratch" recipe. It was served in a plastic cup, which we might normally have objected to, but it did allow us to take the Mai Tai out of the bar and wander around the rest of the amusement park.

Did you hear that? I had a Mai Tai and I was wandering around a major theme park. Having been raised on alcohol-free Disneyland (yes, we are aware of the secret club there...), this totally blew my mind. It was like forbidden fruit! While we have been to theme parks where beer is available, having something as exotic as a Mai Tai was a first, and a pleasant surprise. Then the rum started to hit me... and let's just say the park took on a whole new look!

The $6 Mai Tai actually tasted pretty good. Before we left, we talked to several other patrons, and the bartender, about keeping Mai Tai mix around. I heartily recommended the excellent Trader Vic's Mix. The place was small, but lively, just like a good Irish Pub should be! There were lots of the standard photos and the like which really added to the ambiance.

So, was this the best Mai Tai we've ever had? Well, not really. But the experience as a whole was among the most unique we've ever had with a Mai Tai.

Taste:
Atmosphere:
Date Visited: August 20, 1999
Reviewed By: Kevin Crossman