13 Must-Try Hawaiian Cocktails

This bright blue cocktail might look like a popsicle, but don’t be fooled–it has a strong punch of alcoholic flavor. The color comes from blue curacao liqueur, which has a sweet flavor with bitter undertones akin to bitter orange. The beverage also has vodka, rum, sour mix, and fruit garnishes (the best options are pineapple and cherries if you have them). This is a party drink if there ever was one, so make it in a big batch if you want to party hard with friends.

The lava flow cocktail is a combo drink: it has a sweet strawberry slushie on the bottom with a creamy coconut blend on the top layer, creating the look of a lava flow. Its core ingredient is rum, but there is room for special fruit surprises, such as bananas.

The Spicy Mango Sake Rum Cocktail is a unique tropical beverage and an ideal choice when you want to impress your friends. The drink has an excellent blend of spicy and sweet flavors and reflects the large Japanese diaspora that has influenced Hawaiian culture. It’s especially good for small dinner parties with a tropical flair–or for simply treating yourself.

The next item on our list is another spicy-and-sweet cocktail, the Hawaiian Bonfire. The drink’s fiery name is inspired by its smoky flavor, which comes from the mezcal mixed into it. At the same time, though, this drink is more delicate than sweet tropical cocktails, and the jalapenos add just the perfect touch to the spice. On top of that, it uses plenty of pineapple juice, so this drink is the ideal choice for people who like pineapple. 

Do you want to feel like Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw but with a Pacific twist? Reach for this Hawaiian Pineapple Cosmopolitan Cocktail. This beverage is very citrusy, with orange and lemon flavors to complement the pineapple. Plus, don’t forget the mint leaf garnish for an extra classy touch! Between its classic inspiration and its subdued flavors, this Cosmopolitan variation is a good cocktail if you don’t want to go over the top with your Hawaiian tropical theme.

The Paradisio Tropical Cocktail is another original production of the Hawaiian Royal Hotel. It’s a bit of a deep cut into the history of the tropical cocktail world, but it still belongs to the category of classic tropical cocktails. In terms of flavor, this one is sweet but dry, owing to the effect of its prosecco, its tuaca (an Italian vanilla/orange liqueur), and Chambord (a French black raspberry liqueur). This rich flavor combo makes for an eminently class vacation beverage.

This gin-based drink is a nice variation on the conventional vodka and rum based beverages. With a delightful combination of liquor, lemon juice, pineapple juice, and orgeat, the drink brings a ton of natural sweetness without the loudness and excess of tropical flavors. 

As this cocktail’s name implies, this cocktail is a traditional whiskey sour with a subtle island twist. Its ingredients take the conventional whiskey, lemon juice, and bitters, and then add some orgeat syrup–which is a great way to make any cocktail tropical in a pinch. Whether you are looking for a summer nightcap or are in a jam while hosting a tropical-themed party, use this cocktail as a fallback.

This Instagrammable drink has an ombre effect that layers the drink from dark red to light yellow. The basic ingredients–grenadine, rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, and coconut cream should tell you one thing: this is a super sweet drink. That said, it’s a crowd pleaser regardless of whether people like alcohol or not, as it tastes like fruit juice (be careful with that!).

If you want a tropical surprise, make a big batch of Hawaiian margaritas for your next tiki-themed party. This recipe adds pineapple juice and coconut water to a traditional margarita to make a combo that is arguably better than the original, with the tartness and sweetness merging into a dynamic flavor.

For connecting with your inner child, try out this boozy punch–it’s perfect for setting out in a big bowl on the buffet table. With vodka and rum, plus strong pineapple and orange flavors, this cocktail can go with any adult-only dinner party menu.

People who usually do not like martinis might enjoy this slightly sweeter version, which uses pineapple juice and coconut rum to imbue tropical flavors into the beverage. This is a vodka martini, but in theory, you could switch it up and make it a tropical gin martini if you like. That said, any martini is a bit more effort to make correctly, so you should wait to make this one for date night or a tiny get-together with intimate friends.