One of the city’s finest Cuban spots, Victor’s Cafe is situated in a lush, light-filled space draped in dangling greenery and accented with colorful murals and turquoise chairs. Don’t miss the ropa vieja, Cuba’s national dish of slow-cooked, pulled beef, braised in tomatoes, garlic, onions, and peppers. The restaurant dates back to 1963, when Havana restaurateur Victor del Corral opened it on the Upper West Side. It has since moved to Midtown, and is a fantastic brunch option, too.

This quirky, surfer-themed bar quickly transports one from tourist-engulfed Times Square to a colorful, wood-filled space that channels a low-key beach town’s local watering hole. Reunion is often bustling post-work with the happy hour crowd, which includes specials like $6 palomas and $3 Pilsners. Happy hour also runs all day on Sundays.

Perched atop Gramercy’s Freehand hotel, this Miami transplant is packed with plants, a vibrant color palette, and a reggae-heavy soundtrack. The gorgeous space has two bar areas indoors decked out in a mishmash of wicker chairs, wood panels, and brightly patterned walls, and there’s nearly double the seating outdoors. The seasonal craft cocktails are accompanied by just as colorful Caribbean-Middle Eastern fare. Prepare for lines.

East Village Tiki bar Otto’s Shrunken Head opened in 2002 to address the dearth of tropical spots in NYC after the closing of Hawaii Kai and Trader Vic’s. The unapologetically kitschy space has big red tufted booths, floral patterns on the walls, and zebra-print chairs. There’s an eclectic range of live music on offer, plus the occasional open mic night, film screening, or live band karaoke.

The venerable Noho restaurant opened in 1984 and has long been a canteen for a cool, fashion-centric crowd. Its iconic palm frond wallpaper, glossy green leather booths, and gorgeous actor-model stable of servers might be more famous than the food itself, but the Vietnamese fare is still tasty, though pricey. It’s one of the few restaurants left with a definite Sex and the City vibe.

This standout Tiki cocktail bar comes courtesy of Ravi DeRossi, the restaurateur and cocktail bar mastermind who’s also behind critically acclaimed fine dining vegan restaurant Avant Garden. Mother of Pearl opened in 2015, in the former Gin Palace space, also run by DeRossi, and it’s filled with floral print-upholstered seating, totem pole bar stools, and punchy wallpaper.

It’s always packed at this popular and affordable Nolita restaurant, where much of the menu of Cuban and Mexican dishes is priced under $15. Head here for a weekday breakfast between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. for the shortest wait (if any wait at all). At any hour, try the excellent Cubano sandwich or the Mexican-style grilled corn. Pair with a tropical drink like a guava daiquiri or mango margarita.

Step away from the buzzing city for a drink at this recently opened rooftop summer lounge that’s supposed to evoke an alfresco cocktail party on the Italian Coast. Fruity, warm-weather cocktails like boozy lemonade are poured alongside food from the acclaimed chefs behind Greenpoint bistro Chez Ma Tante. Aidan O’Neal and Jake Leiber are behind a menu of day-drinking friendly fare such as Italian salumi, grilled calamari, a grilled cheese sandwich, and tuna carpaccio on cracker crisps. Plus, spiked popsicles are also on offer for a real beachy vibe atop the hip Wythe Hotel.

Clyde’s is a compact, atmospheric rum bar, owned by the team behind local comfort food spots Sweet Chick and Pop’s. Plus, it’s partly owned by Major Lazer’s Christopher Leacock, a.k.a. Jillionaire — the bar is an ode to his native Trinidad, with a soundtrack of soca, dancehall, and reggae music. Next door is Pearl’s, a Trinidadian restaurant, and behind the two venues, there’s a backyard patio with pastel chairs and picnic tables, reserved for Pearl’s diners when it’s busy but open to Clyde’s customers when it’s not. Try the strong punch bowls or rum flights with a group, and there’s a small menu of Trinidadian bar snacks to sample, too.

Satiating a seaside seafood shack craving sans the trek to the beach is possible in the middle of Williamsburg, thanks to Surf Bar. Housed in the former Hurricane Hopeful space, there are a number of surfboards suspended from the ceiling, a menu with options like chowders, fried seafood, and grilled fish, plus a back patio with seating that even has sand. It’s a tiny but effective escape from reality, at least for the duration of a plate of seafood and a few cocktails.

This whimsical spot in Carroll Gardens is a Tiki bar tricked out with a festive-feeling, bamboo-trimmed outdoor patio that makes it an ideal setting to linger over a couple of potent cocktails. Choose from the Singapore Sling, Mai Tai, or Blue Hawaiian, or if one’s feeling particularly adventurous, get the Scorpion Bowl, a strong and mysterious mixture billed as the “kitchen sink of Tiki drinks.” If it’s a hot summer day, go for the frozen drinks.

At this Tiki bar in Crown Heights, there are lots of rum-based cocktails to choose from, some served inside coconuts for even more flair and many garnished with bright straws twisted into shapes, in addition to paper umbrellas and a smattering of fruit. Drinks include a Galangal daiquiri, a riff on the old-fashioned called the Super Fashioned, and frozen Painkillers, packed with rum and coconut. There’s a nice outdoor space, too, with mod blue chairs and some greenery.

This Polynesian spot in Staten Island has been around for a few decades now. It started off with a Cantonese menu, founded by four brothers who had worked in Chinatown kitchens prior. Much of the menu still leans toward Americanized Chinese dishes, though there are indeed Tiki-inspired drinks, decor, and some nibbles (like a deep fried pu pu platter). It has a sort of Disneyfied, over-the-top take on the Tiki theme that looks a bit like cruise ship decor, with colorful totem sculptures and bamboo accents throughout. Drinks, predictably, come with paper umbrellas and some are served in hollowed-out pineapples.