As the only beachfront nightspot in Nassau, Cocktails and Dreams always has a hip scene. The music varies from night to night ­ rock, calypso, reggae, old R&B ­ but everyone dances no matter what the tunes are. Bars are located inside and on the beach, making drink replenishment an easy task, and there's a menu of simple but tasty pub grub should you like a little food to accompany your cocktail. Pool and darts are inside, too, and the place has good drink specials, particularly on Wednesday nights.

Situated on East Bay Street between the two bridges to Paradise Island, Hammerheads is the epitome of an island bar and grill. It's usually filled with a good mix of locals and tourists who enjoy the laid back atmosphere, great happy hour specials, and satisfying pub grub like burgers, conch fritters and grilled fish. On Friday nights fun local bands play on the patio, so get there early!

A small chain with locations in Mexico and the Caribbean, Senor Frog's caters mostly to tourists, functioning as a festive family friendly restaurant by day and a lively nightclub by night. The menu is big, with enough choice to please everyone, even kids. The unique Mexican Shrimp Cocktail is fabulous, and south of the border salads are hearty and satisfying. In addition to specialties like Winter Sabana (a thin beef filet covered with refried beans, salsa verde and Monterey Jack, served with a side of tortillas), there are a few American favorites as well, such as steaks, burgers and ribs. Tuesday, Friday and Saturday nights Senor Frog's welcomes live bands, and other nights there's karaoke or a DJ, but whatever the entertainment, you can be sure the crowd will be dancing and partying til the wee hours.

The two words most often used to describe this bar are 'rowdy' and 'dive.' That being said, it's still one of the most popular on the island, especially among locals, cruise ship employees and late night partiers. Whatever you call it, the expansive basement space is always cooler and the crowd is always convivial so it's a good bet you'll have a blast hanging out here. Eats are cheap too, and served right up until closing time (which varies, but is generally well past closing time at other bars).