Opened in 1935 and back after a $10-million renovation, multilevel, mixed-crowd Clifton's defies description. Order drinks from a Gothic church altar amid taxidermied forest animals, watch burlesque performers shimmy in the shadow of a 40ft faux redwood, or slip through a glass-paneled door to a luxe tiki paradise where DJs spin in a repurposed speedboat.
Located on the 4th floor, the tiki bar is our favorite of Clifton's booty of bars, its look a Polynesia-Manhattan mash-up and its smashing tropical libations including an addictive Painkiller (concocted with house-made coconut cream). Head up by 9:30pm to avoid the queues, especially on weekends.
