In news that shouldn’t have been news in the first place, a Melbourne bar has apologised after its Vietnam War theme didn’t go down well. 

Rickshaw Bar rightly copped flak after its remarkably insensitive aesthetic was picked up by social media this week. Pictures on its Instagram showed fallen helicopters, dog tags, and a lurid orange colour theme which could have been referencing the Agent Orange chemical weapon used during the Vietnam War.

People quickly started to question the self-awareness of the bar’s owners. “You guys need to rebrand, apologise to Melbourne’s Vietnamese community and pay reparations for this atrocity,” commented one person.

Don’t they know that Vietnamese food is delicious and enough reason to visit anywhere without making it a theme bar around a terrible time in the country’s history? An extra layer of controversy was added by the fact the bar is located in Richmond, historically home to a large population of Vietnamese immigrants.

Unsurprisingly, the pictures soon disappeared from the bar’s Instagram page, replaced with an apology. “In response to the reaction Rickshaw Bar has had in these last few days, we want you all to know we are sympathetic to the issues raised,” it read.

“So much so, that the social media positioning of the brand has been completely wiped and the the business is currently closed effective immediate. We have listened to your comments and although it was never our intention to offend, we accept that it has.

The brand narrative wasn’t intended as it has been interpreted. We chose orange as a branding colour to reflect the embers of the kitchen’s charcoal-driven cuisine and flambéed cocktails. It was never our intention to infer any specific reference or subliminal message from the colour choice.

We take the criticism onboard and are considering your commentary very seriously in our next steps. A genuine thank you and sincere apology to all those offended and also the people that took the time to make their position clear.”

While it’s positive that the the bar has owned up to their mistake, it really shouldn’t have come to this. The entire theme sounds like a parody of millennial innovation, something that would have been suggested on Nathan For You?

And if someone out there really just craves a nation-themed night out, worry not. Tucked away in Chinatown of all places is Berlin Bar, a cocktail bar where “Capitalist opulence confronts Communist austerity.” Sit on the East or West side, whichever feels right. Enjoy your Bloody Mary under a looming picture of a stern Stalin. Seriously.

Check out this guide to Vietnamese food in Richmond:

Get unlimited access to the coverage that shapes our culture.
to Rolling Stone magazine
to Rolling Stone magazine