Williamsburg, Brooklyn · restaurant
Echo Lake skips the tiki kitsch in favor of chenille booths and rum cocktails with a little more imagination. Sugarcane spirits show up infused with sea buckthorn, mango, and cardamom, while the $12 rotating daily daiquiri makes a compelling case for becoming a regular. Rum arrangés (fruit, herbs, and spices steeped directly into the spirit) reward a closer look, and small plates like the warm crispy rice salad make staying for another round an easy decision.
Mezcal and charanda meet hibiscus and pasilla chile — the most adventurous pour on the menu.
Paul McGee's Chicago signature: Jamaican rum, pineapple, passionfruit, and red bitters.
Always $12, always a different rum — shaken, up, or frappé-style.