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    Otto's Shrunken Head

    3.8 (528 reviews)
    ModerateTiki Bars
    Open 4:00 pm - 2:00 am (Next day)
    Updated 3 months ago

    Otto's Shrunken Head Photos

    Business Info

    OTTO'S SHRUNKEN HEAD ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Divey
    Moderate noise
    Live music
    Outdoor seating

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    Recommended Reviews - Otto's Shrunken Head

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    Cecilia W.

    It's a divey, college bar. Stronger drinks but low on quality. If you want to be sweaty and reminisce, it's a vibe.

    Jasmine V.

    I could've sworn they had a fish bowl drink,but it turns out the drink is called a volcano bowl.My friends & had a blast except for the dj doesn't know how to dj.He couldn't let not one finish before putting on the next song & I know how it should work because my dad dabbles with q dj system when I was growing up.Also I know plenty of death in the goth scene that doesn't do what this dj did on the night I was there(3/27/2026),but all in all everything else was fine.

    Vintage Photo Booth (I covered the photos I promise it works perfectly!)
    Julyssia O.

    I came to Otto's for their vintage Photobooth but stayed for the atmosphere! The interior of this bar is super fun, the employees had great energy and were very helpful, and the drinks were good! They have a special menu of drinks that come in different fun shaped a take home cups! I couldn't resist and took home the cutest ceramic pig! Otto's is on my NY travel trip everyone from now on and I will be collecting every take home cup!

    Alex P.

    Randomly came across this themed bar and decided to pop in for a drink, relax for a bit, and listen to some music before our local commitment. The bar had a great vibe with plenty of people, but it did not feel too crowded. The bartender was friendly and busy mixing everything from standard drinks to unique creations. We ordered a couple of their signature cocktails, and they were delicious. The atmosphere was cool, and the crowd was chill too. I would definitely come back to this place.

    Hunter S.

    I wanted to rate it higher for the quirky neighborhood bar vibes, as well as some of the 80s synth music they played. There were some interesting characters hanging around, including one colorful guy with a mohawk and punk aesthetic and a drunk guy named Shaun/Shaun/Sean who wouldn't leave the average person alone. The inside is divey and cool, with Hawaiian velvet paintings and cool colors. The drinks just weren't great. Watered down and just didn't taste great. I say this after coming from Paradise Lost, a new tiki bar on the LES, which boasts fancy tiki drinks with prime ingredients, albeit more expensive. I had the shrunken skirt (mango, pineapple, cranberry). The wicked willie (passion fruit, pineapple, and a surprising kick, whatever that means). And ruby jewels (sweet cherry, tart fruit, tastes like summer all year round, except it didn't). The drinks were just not up to par. Service was decent. I am pretty sure based on my bill (for which the receipt was delivered by text and isn't itemized), they charged me for one of the tiki cups. For reference, this place charges you a deposit if you get a drink in a tiki mug, or you can choose a plain cup, or you can buy the mug outright. I chose the deposit every time, because I wanted the experience, but not the mug. I know two of them were refunded. I'm pretty sure the third was not. Anyway, dive bar neighborhood vibe. I don't regret trying this place out, but won't back. I consider my charge for the tiki mug that I didn't purchase as a contribution to the "LES culture preservation club."

    Melissa N.

    Just a fun dive bar with a punk vibe featuring live rock bands and creative strong cocktails served in tiki cups. I don't know how to describe this place. It's not your typical Tiki Bar. It's unique - it's colorful yet edgy, and sort of gritty. 4 stars - Overall, very fun and great live music.

    Montage of images from Otto's Shrunken Head
    Ed U.

    I was reading Time Out's 2018 list of the "absolute best" tiki bars in NYC and saddened that several had closed their doors in the interim presumably due to the pandemic. Gratefully, Otto's has survived as Jamie W. and I were in the mood to get our heads similarly shrunken in the middle of a colorful East Village stroll. When we saw the fake grass, patio furniture on top of it, and a variety of tropical tchotchkes in the window on East 14th, we knew we found the place. It was retro-cool on the inside with old-timey floral wallpaper, blowfish light fixtures, naugahyde booths, zebra-skin stools, and bamboo wainscoting below the bar. There was also a back room where it looked like they have live music, and we definitely want to come back for that. But we settled ourselves quite easily in one of the booths and reviewed their extensive cocktail list like tax auditors. Pricing was straightforward. Each cocktail was $16 poured in a pint glass, but if you want one of their decorative tiki mugs, you pay $23. You get the difference back if you don't want to keep the mug. Jamie tried Otto's Octane, quite an intoxicating mix of pineapple rum, coffee liqueur, and a banana "concoction" that they described as "speeding you to your destination". I'm not sure where they thought Jamie was going unless they meant slumped over the table. I went for the Singapore Sling which I paid them to serve me in one of their tiki mugs (photo: https://bit.ly/3yQGugF). They chose a mug that looked like either Fu Manchu or Charlie Chan. I knew it would be on the sweet side as it has cherry liqueur, grenadine, benedictine, and pineapple juice mixed with the gin. It was the first time I had one since I had my first one in, believe it or not, Singapore where I had a bright red one at the Long Bar in the Raffles Hotel where it was first introduced. It brought me back. Feeling no pain, we went for a second round. Jamie ironically went for the Frozen Painkiller. It combined dark rum with pineapple, coconut, and nutmeg and was brightened with a little pink umbrella. I had them clean my mug and fill it with a Coco Bango, appropriately named as the mix of coconut rum and vodka was enhanced with a banana liqueur, fresh mango, and my very own pink umbrella (photo: https://bit.ly/3EPojM5). Yep, we were sloshed, and the music wasn't Don Ho twangy but thumping underground rhythms we couldn't quite make out. Maybe our heads did shrink and shrivel up. COCKTAILS - 4 stars...potent sweetness with pink umbrellas AMBIANCE - 5 stars...they nailed a look that's part Trader Vic's and part rock club SERVICE - 4 stars...quietly effective bartender and an enthusiastic manager TOTAL - 4 stars...no shrunken heads required RELATED - Thirsty or hungry in NYC? Here's a collection of places I've tried and reviewed: http://bit.ly/2YS9ELs

    Outside look
    Jenny C.

    This place is super fun and has all the tiki vibes! It's also connected to the Chinese place next door so you can order your food directly from them and they'll deliver it to you. We sat outside and it was super chill and really enjoyed my time here. The drinks are ok- normal for tiki bar but I'm giving 4 stars mainly because they have this really cute lucky cat mug I bought from them and I'll treasure it forever. We left right when they started playing live music and I assume they play live music all night!

    Loanne N.

    Stumbled upon this place on a Saturday night and do not regret a single moment of it. A very strange eclectic place with a very mixed age crowd that makes for a fun, chill night. Drinks - the drinks come in fun tiki inspired glasses which you can purchase if you want! They put a $7 deposit down for the tiki glasses, which they refund you if you return it. We decided to keep it because, why not? Crowd - a very interesting mix of older and young people which made it super fun and chill. I would come back again but make it as a pre-game spot or just a fun interesting time to bring friends in. Theres a back area where a live band was playing surfer music and a small small dance area. Lots of people just standing around enjoying the music. They also have some temporary tattoo sheets at the door which we snagged. Overall such an interesting vibe and place that I would totally come back to again, for a fun interesting place.

    The Nell
    Armita P.

    Was eyeing Tiki Bars to take my Tiki-head of a friend to. He's overly familiar with the West Coast scene (Bali Hai, False Idol, Tonga Hut, Tiki Oasis, etc.) and by osmosis I know what to look for. My only catch was I didn't want to have to leave Manhattan because I knew once the rum started flowing we would be there *a while* and the shorter a ride home the better. Enter Otto's. We posted up at the bar and were greeted by an enthusiastic tender who told us all about the place once he learned we were familiar with the Tiki scene. We had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Nell, who entertained us with stories and has a vodka cocktail named after her on the menu. So if you aren't as big on the rum (like me) there are other options that will tickle that tropical taste bud. You've got the opportunity to actually buy the themed mugs that you'll see at Tiki establishments instead of telling your friend to not walk off with it and avoid a big ol' fine on the tab. Is it some hidden speakeasy tucked behind a fridge? No. But it's got the right vibe and is the perfect Tiki dive-bar; complete with a dance floor in the back for nights where entertainment comes in. I'm already in love with the East Village so the fact it's close to some of my favorite eateries is a bonus. I overheard a handful of people mentioning they came from Cali and made this bar their stop; So if you're looking for your Polynesian-esque fix in NYC, this is it.

    Main entrance and bar
    il'ya S.

    Otto's is a treat. We came in for a quick drink and potential light eat. The menu was surprisingly vast with assortments of dumplings and "small bites." We ordered steamed veggie dumpling and crab Rangoon. After we waited about a half hour, I ventured outside and found another restaurant serving similar items next door. I ordered fried veggie dumps and was surprised to see our bartender come in to order our dumplings & rangoons. As for drinks, you can order all sorts of cocktails and they'll def be tailored to everyone's individual taste. I love Lychee and Passionfruit so the Squealer was my choice and I ordered it without the tiki glass. A+, i could drink one of these everyday. My +1 got a painkiller, which def tasted medicinal but was a decent drink overall. There were two DJs, one spinning digital rockabilly and the other bringing classic rock vinyls. TVs had Elvira playing before getting stuck on the DVD loading menu. Drinks totaled to $16 a piece, which is a hefty price for a pre made beverage. Would return again for sure

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    20 days ago

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    1 month ago

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    2 months ago

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    1 month ago

    I enjoyed Otto's well enough! On the more dive-side of tiki, but it was solid. Drinks were totally fine and the service was friendly.

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    8 months ago

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    11 months ago

    Really good taste in selecting musical acts. Very unpretentious decor does the job in discouraging pretentious people from taking over.

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    2 years ago

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    1 year ago

    Great if you like a dive bar vibe. Was less tiki than we were expecting but still good.

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    3 years ago

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    3 years ago

    Drinks are whimsical, but kind of overpriced and not very strong. It's a bit of a gimmicky place.

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    2 years ago

    Where to start.. live music is alive and thriving here. A tiki bar with lots of character and characters...

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    3 years ago

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    Page 1 of 14

    Ask the Community - Otto's Shrunken Head

    Are they teen friendly or 21+?

    21 and up.

    No credit cards? How much cash is recommended for 2 drinks?

    $28 for the tiki drinks

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    Paradise Lost - Beautiful interior

    Paradise Lost

    4.5(165 reviews)
    0.5 miEast Village

    Paradise Lost is a speakeasy tiki bar located on 2nd Ave in the East Village. A friend & I went…read morethere after having dinner at Spicy Moon a few blocks away. We wanted to have after-dinner cocktails in a chill space, so we searched on our phones & saw Paradise Lost address via Google. We proceeded to walk down & was unable to find the establishment due to their being no front sign. After walking back & forth a few times, we saw another group walking towards the door & they confirmed the place. We walked inside the front door pressed a "doorbell" & lo & behold we gained entry after the previous group went inside. Definitely an incognito entrance. Once inside that door there is someone to greet you, & take your information. There is a forest/ grass/ jungle-looking foyer/ hallway we walked down to get to the next door. Before we knew it, we were near the "Paradise Lost No Vacancy" neon sign w/ an arrow pointing towards the snake-shaped knob door. It gets opened & a supercool speakeasy awaits.... Paradise Lost has mixed style table / seating arrangements throughout the place. A bar seating section, booth-style seating area, lounge- style seating area, etc. We got there a little after 7pm, so the afterwork crowd was in full swing. Paradise Lost has interesting atmosphere. At times a Gothic / Medieval Vibe, meets place w/ shipwreck decor, meets eleganct /club vibe w/ beautiful ceiling lighting, etc. Music played in the background. Staff are friendly, energetic, & attentive. We were pleasantly overwhelmed w/ the vast selection of tiki cocktails that were on the menu. Paradise Lost also have an intimate selection of snacks/ food menu items. This included Popcorn, Tater Tots, Devilled Eggs Rangoon Dip, etc. We ordered some cocktails served in unique tiki mugs & a bucket of popcorn to munch on w/ our drinks. The popcorn is flavored w/ Sea Buckthorn & Browm Butter, which gave it an special flavor profile. Our cocktails were well-prepared & nice & strong. Paradise Lost has individual unisex bathroom stalls & a communal vanity & sink area. The bathroom stalls have spooky voices coming from a speaker as you use the bathroom. I was so humorously taken aback, it had me laughing when I came out...Definitely a different thing to experience in the bathroom - lol. Before we left we watched one of the bartenders do a cocktail "fire" presentation for some patrons in a booth seated area. Wow.... Paradise Lost accepts walk-ins only, no reservations. Paradise Lost accepts groups of 8 or less, unless you are requesting to book the space for a private event. Ages 21+ paradiselost.nyc @paradiselostnyc Paradise Lost is open everyday - 5pm-2am.

    Very cool cocktail bar with super interesting decor. It's more of a gothic tiki bar with ska music…read morethan a traditional tiki bar which was cool but I found the music to not really be my thing but thought the decor was just so cool. The drinks were very interesting and creative. The seawater martini I will say was a bit too strange for my taste but I still thought it was good. Service was very good as well. Would definitely recommend to visit if you like gothic stuff and tiki bars.

    Photos
    Paradise Lost - Amazing atmosphere!

    Amazing atmosphere!

    Paradise Lost - Beware the shark!

    Beware the shark!

    Paradise Lost - Damned Dumplings ($10) and Kappa Krab Roll ($15)

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    Damned Dumplings ($10) and Kappa Krab Roll ($15)

    Sunken Harbor Club - Shallows drinks

    Sunken Harbor Club

    4.5(115 reviews)
    2.7 miDowntown Brooklyn
    $$$

    I've been trying to go to Sunken Harbor for over a year now. I don't know how it's possible but…read moredespite being local it always seems to have a private event whenever we have plans to go. The stars finally aligned this winter and I had the opportunity to try it out. The vibes are perfect. Fog and bubbles, sea noises and all of the art go together seemlessly. Drinks were great. We had three and left suitably sloshed for the night with no aftereffects. We didn't have too many bites but the food was very good for a bar. I'm excited to go back and I hope we have just as much luck getting in next time.

    This is a "speakeasy" above Gage and Tollner. An undersea Tiki style adventure with a sexy mermaid…read moreheading up the bar. Nautical theme throughout with weathered leather, ropes, fish. Cocktails are made with various types of rum and ingredients like grapefruit, maraschino, wormwood amaro, falernum, thyme, Assam tea, spiced lime, allspice, coconut, cucumber, nutmeg, sour orange. All the drinks keep with the tropical, fruity taste with a hint of spice. They are also broken up into categories (dry land = no alcohol, shallows = average amount of alcohol, and abyss (larger amounts of alcohol). The abyss section has some cocktails that are limited to two per customer. They have some bar bites like fried green tomatoes, shrimp toast, broiled oysters, ricotta, dumplings, sliders. I had the French fries with kimchi ranch, which were underwhelming. Bartenders were cool and kept the drinks coming. I got in immediately without an issue or a wait, but it was right after a snowstorm. I've seen some people struggle to get in or have a long wait.

    Photos
    Sunken Harbor Club - View of the bar

    View of the bar

    Sunken Harbor Club - Mary Pickford - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Mary Pickford - IG @bougiefoodieboi

    Sunken Harbor Club - Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner

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    The Woo Woo - Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls

    The Woo Woo

    4.4(344 reviews)
    2.2 miTheater District, Midtown West
    $$

    Who knew a random Tuesday could feel like such a vibe? From the moment you walk up and give the…read morepassword to get in, you instantly feel like you're part of something special. The whole experience is fun, a little mysterious, and honestly just exciting. The inside is just as stylish as the staff--everyone fits the energy perfectly and makes the night even better. And the food? Surprisingly really good, not just an afterthought like most spots like this. Definitely one of those places that turns an ordinary night into something memorable.

    The Woo Woo is loud and touristy--and honestly, that kind of sums it up…read more They market it as a speakeasy, which... technically yes. You need a password (easy to find online), and you go through a hidden door down a staircase. But it feels more like a novelty than anything else. NYC has way more iconic speakeasies, so this isn't somewhere I'd go out of my way for more than once. Nothing wrong with the vibe--it's Times Square, so you already know what you're getting--but it's definitely a one-and-done kind of spot. The drinks are good and super fun, but they're very extra (smoke, presentation, all that), so between that and how packed it gets, it can take a while just to get one cocktail. Didn't try the food. Overall, go for the pics and TikToks--it's perfect for that. I'd recommend checking it out once, but I don't really see it being a repeat spot.

    Photos
    The Woo Woo - Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls

    Buffalo Chicken Spring Rolls

    The Woo Woo - A speakeasy bar in the basement

    A speakeasy bar in the basement

    The Woo Woo - The end of the bar. Pay no attention to that small TV.

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    The end of the bar. Pay no attention to that small TV.

    Jungle Bird - Thai Chili Crunchy Chickpeas

    Jungle Bird

    4.1(238 reviews)
    1.4 miChelsea
    $$

    Nice staff, comfy seating, good drinks and food, and quick but attentive service. Fun decor as…read morewell. I have no complaints, and would definitely recommend this place!

    Jungle bird was great! Great food and good drinks! The vibe and atmosphere is chill but very New…read moreYork. Jungle bird is a dimly lit, aesthetically pleasing establishment with all walks of life dining. My friend and I got different cocktails twice and each of our drinks we enjoyed very much. The drinks are well made and balanced. JB serves itself to a tapas style type of dining to those who choose to do so with a nice variety of options to choose while you sip on a crafted cocktail. Our highlights were the pork bao buns, chicken and lemongrass dumplings, charred broccoli, chicken satay, and the ribs were yummy (loved the star anise flavoring) however, they were a little on the dry and overcooked side. Still very good flavor. The service was good. Our waiter was very attentive but also a bit pretentious when we sat down. We ordered close to 10 items and he didn't write anything down. He remembered 9 out of the 10 (kudos to him) but forgot our fries. We never received it and luckily weren't charged for it. He probably should write everything down next time so that he doesn't forget anything. We took our time and didn't feel rushed out on a busy Friday night which was nice. I would definitely come back here to try their other drinks and different food items on their menu. The Jungle Bird drink is their signature drink and I recommend trying for sure!

    Photos
    Jungle Bird - Like A Prayer Cocktail

    Like A Prayer Cocktail

    Jungle Bird - La Bailadora

    La Bailadora

    Jungle Bird - Like A Prayer

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    Otto's Shrunken Head - tikibars - Updated May 2026

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