Keko Moku

Keko Moku means ‘monkey island’, and accordingly the vibe here is a playful one, with episodes of Spongebob Squarepants shown on loop, bartenders kitted out in brash Hawaiian shirts and giant barrels upon which you can perch. Candles flicker away in corners to cast a warm glow over the pinup girls and tropical patterns splashed across the wall, creating a fittingly kitsch décor for your flaming zombie.

You’ll be hard-pressed to find a menu in here, as you’re expected to know your tiki classics. If in doubt, order a mai tai, or ask a bartender what they would recommend (a practice that all too many forget to take advantage of). As a standard, expect to pay around £8 for a cocktail, but do so knowing that, even when the tiny bar gets busy, the bartenders will always dedicate time to your tipple. As you’d expect for the £8 price tag, a lot of love, attention to detail and quality booze go into each drink, with fresh fruit garnishes, cocktail umbrellas, flames and more to jazz up the drop in a way the tiki theme demands.

With similar joints like Liars Club, Hula and Lola Lo’s, Manchester’s certainly not lacking in tiki bars, but Keko Moku is one of the original stomping grounds that’s a cut above many of its equivalents. Ultimately, the main reason that people head to Keko is for the staff, who have become the lifeblood to the bar’s playful reputation, known for their hyperactivity as they bound around the bar whilst making your drink. They’re not cocky, as some tiki bartenders tend to be, they're simply relaxed and sociable so that it feels a bit like you’re partying in their living room. In a good way.