BambooZA

You're walking along the Esplanade on a Friday night and the place just has energy. BambooZA sits bang on the waterfront where locals actually congregate, not where tourists get funnelled. The tropical theme could be naff, but it works here because nobody's pretending it's anything other than a fun excuse to drink something colourful with an umbrella in it. The crowd's mixed—groups of mates, couples, the odd solo drinker propping up the bar—and the vibe shifts from relaxed afternoon drinking to properly buzzy come evening. Cocktails are competent, prices are reasonable for seafront, and the staff know what they're doing without being fussy about it.