Looking for breezy palm trees, tropical cocktails, and the perfect place to hang loose?! Then look no further than one of NYC’s many picturesque tiki bars! With all the paradise vibes of a tropical island without having to step foot out of NYC, these tiki bars make for the best place to live on that island time.
Here are the best tiki bars in NYC that you should visit for endless summer vibes:
How we handpick NYC’s best restaurants and bars
The Secret NYC team relies on personal experience, recommendations, editorial reviews, and customer feedback before recommending the best places to grab a bite or sip cocktails in NYC. Since we’re the city that never sleeps, this list is constantly evolving. Please check back regularly.
1. Tiki Chick, Upper West Side
From the team behind Jacob’s Pickles–THE place to go for Southern comfort food like fried chicken and biscuits–comes Tiki Chick–the place to go for a good tiki time. This retro tiki bar bringing all the tropical vibes and fun to the UWS, complete with a tiki torch-adorned patio, a jungle lounge, and lush decor throughout. As for the cocktails, they’re split into three categories–classics, originals, and frozens–and are all equally as good. Read more about Tiki Chick here.
📍 517 Amsterdam Ave
2. Zombie Hut, Carroll Gardens
Stylish, tropical, and serving up all the authentic tiki bar vibes, Zombie Hut is a go-to for tasty cocktails and a good time. They’re the perfect go-to in the summertime if you’d like to sip your drink al fresco on their heavenly back patio and feel as if you’ve been whisked away straight to paradise.
📍 273 Smith St #4739, Brooklyn
3. Otto’s Shrunken Head, East Village
A bit more on the unusual spectrum, Otto’s Shrunken Head gives the perfect Polynesian-esque tiki vibe while also pairing it with rock bands–but don’t worry, all the delicious cocktails are still there as well! The goal of this spot is to bring the laid back island vibe of the South Pacific to NYC–and they definitely did a good job of it.
📍 538 E 14th St
4. The Friki Tiki, Hell’s Kitchen
Serving up “abundant pleasure, big climaxes, and encores,” The Friki Tiki is a little bit of island paradise nestled right in the heart of Hell’s Kitchen. Every night, we transform into an rowdy entertainment venue featuring some of NYC’s hottest players–with a showtune singalong every Wednesday–and their menu has a whole bunch of goodness, from pork tacos and kimchi hot dogs to Aloha-Ritas and Sneaky Pete’s Frozen Painkiller.
📍 357 W 44th St
5. Broken Shaker, Gramercy
Broken Shaker is a tropical, rooftop oasis whose stunning NYC skyline views are the only thing that hint at the fact you’re not actually in paradise. Offering an eclectic menu of delicious cocktails and tasty bites, this James Beard Award finalist is a must-visit for the ultimate staycation and one of NYC’s best tiki bars.
📍 23 Lexington Ave
6. Gitano, Governors Island
NYC’s beloved seasonal restaurant and beach club Gitano whisks New Yorkers away to Tulum for the ultimate paradise vibes–making it way more than just one of NYC’s best tiki bars. This 27,000-square-foot waterfront restaurant and beach lounge features sand to dig your toes in and 500 tropical plants and palm trees, plus sun beds, cabanas, and a giant disco ball reflecting the New York Harbor! Read more about Gitano here.
📍 125 Carder Rd, Governors Island
7. The Happiest Hour, West Village
This whimsical cocktail bar and full-service restaurant offers a breezy space adorned with cartoon palm trees that evokes Californian and Floridian resorts. The space makes more the perfect spot to relax with a drink in hand and, if you listen close enough, you may just hear the sound of ocean waves crashing along the shore.
📍 121 W 10th St
8. Rockaway Tiki Bar, Rockaway
This funky beach bar serves up the most delicious tiki-inspired drinks that showcase flavors straight from the Caribbean. From their Mai Tai and Passionfruit Margarita to their new drink The Twister, made with Caribbean dark rum and white rum, passionfruit syrup, orange juice, lemon juice, and grenadine, you really can’t go wrong. Plus you can make a day of it and head here after enjoying a sunny day at Rockaway Beach!
📍 6720 Rockaway Beach Blvd
9. Pineapple Club, East Village
One of NYC’s more upscale tiki bars, this tropical speakeasy serves the ultimate Caribbean drinks, food, and vibes in a more sophisticated setting. Between their frozen piña coladas and I’ll Never Lychee Go to their tropical bites like avocado fries, tuna tartare, jerk chicken, and sesame seared ahi tuna, regardless of what your sipping and munching on it’s too good to not try.
📍 509 E 6th St
10. Sunken Harbor Club, Downtown Brooklyn
Sunken Harbor Club calls itself a “tropical cocktail bar” where the drinks are just as nautical as the decor. The Downtown Brooklyn escape above the popular Gage & Tollner will transport you to another world, all while you sip on themed cocktails that range in alcohol strength from ‘In the Shallows’ to ‘The Abyss.’ The drinks here are probably some of the best on this list, so we recommend reserving a spot before you go or get there as they open to get the best experience.
📍 372 Fulton St (Floor 2), Brooklyn