Tiki bar at the Waldorf

The Tiki Bar is part of the Waldorf Hotel's entertainment complex, along with two restaurants and nightclub/live music venues. On some nights, a cover charge grants admission into everything, but earlier in the week the tiki bar is a stand-alone venue without a cover. The semi-circular room is gorgeous, with a big, curved, red-topped bar and behind it a wall of mirrors reflecting the rest of the room. Around the outer curve of the wall are tables and chairs up a couple steps from the bar level, leaving plenty of room to stand when the crowds come in. The ceiling is painted a dark blue with lights that twinkle like stars, and large fake palm trees and velvet paintings complete the look.

The menu is a surprise, as it is not focused on tropical libations but instead on vintage and modern classics including the Air Mail, Red Hook, and Penicillin. Tiki drinks, mixed in with the others on the alphabetically-ordered menu, include the Blue Hawaii, Mai Tai, Zombie, and a couple cocktails served from a coconut shell. Though not on the front lines of the classic tiki cocktail revival, the Tiki Bar is a fun space to bring a big group of friends to fulfill your quota of kitsch.