Destination Daycation: Channel the tropics during winter at these Pittsburgh-area tropical-themed eateries

Jan. 7—Craving some island vibes but stuck in wintertime Pittsburgh?

Take a daycation destination to these tropical-themed bars and eateries that offer a beach-themed escape from the winter doldrums.

From lobster specialty sandwiches and nachos to Caribbean-influenced cocktails, these independently owned restaurants put the paradise vibe in Pittsburgh.

The Hula Bar & Grill, Verona

You can't miss the vibrant exterior of The Hula Bar, tucked away near the railroad tracks in downtown Verona, complete with grass skirt accents, garage doors that open to outdoor seating (weather permitting) and palm tree decor.

Co-owners and married couple Randy and Sherry Satz have poured their passion for the tropics into their tiki/beach-inspired bar and grill.

"We want customers to step inside the Hula thinking they're on vacation," Sherry Satz said.

The vibe is colorful, with oversized hand-painted beach-themed murals by local artist Angela D'Ambrosio of Angelina Designs of Adams Township.

The lobster has top billing at Hula. The Satzs, of the North Hills, are committed to offering a fresh food experience and relaxing time for customers.

"We get the lobster fresh from Maine and we don't use ground meat, it's Angus steak," Sherry Satz said of the in-demand lobster burger. "We grind it ourselves and it's a really old-fashioned process, but it makes for a juicy burger."

The rockin' lobster burger ($34.99) and lobster roll ($24.99) are two top-sellers, each offering fresh Maine lobster on buttered rolls and melted garlic butter.

The deluxe hulachos ($11.99) offer a tropical twist on traditional nachos, with hot pepper rings, taco meat and jalapenos added.

The seafood dip ($14.99) appetizer is made with real shrimp and crab meat and served with gyro or tortilla chips.

Not into seafood? The menu offers traditional American fare at all price points.

The couple decided to open a Hawaiian tropical eatery and visited Hawaii once. A large wooden Hawaiian warrior mask is on display between two windows, a souvenir from their trip.

The Hula sauce — a top secret recipe — is served with Hula fries and as a condiment with numerous menu items. "I can't say but it does have fresh pineapple and jalapenos," Sherry Satz said.

"We were influenced by the outside of the place — it looked pretty tropical — and the previous owner had a palm tree outside and a beach-themed photo outside," Randy Satz said.

A wedding decorator who is originally from Hong Kong, Sherry said she loves her "Hula" time.

"It doesn't seem like work here. It's fun. A lot of our customers are like family," Sherry Satz said. "Everybody praises our food and we like to create recipes."

"We took a chance (with tropical) and the customers love it. We always try and put our touch into everything," Randy Satz said.

Sean Manion of Regent Square first visited Hula Bar in February for National Margarita Day.

"I ordered the lobster burger as a special treat at the end of our fall racing season," said Manion, 50, a member of Steel City Rowing Club. "It did not disappoint and really was a perfect combination of surf and turf on a bun. I've lived in different cities and eaten at a lot of different places, and I haven't seen anything quite like it — simple, special and well-executed."

The Steel City Rowing Club, located in Verona, has added the Hula Bar to their after-practice rotation of neighborhood places they patronize.

"Hula's burgers are great in general, but I appreciated that they told me the lobster burger was topped with an actual lobster tail section dressed in butter, rather than some chopped up seafood in mayo," Manion said.

759 E. Railroad Ave., Verona

412-828-6919

Hidden Harbor, Squirrel Hill

A modern Polynesian-inspired tiki experience awaits at Hidden Harbor, tucked away on Shady Avenue in Squirrel Hill.

Serving island eats and tropical specialty cocktails, customers are invited to say "aloha" and find refuge from life's stormy seas.

Co-owned by a trio of attorneys — Adam Henry of Squirrel Hill, Peter Kurzweg of Deutschtown and Matthew Kurzweg of Squirrel Hill — the friends opened Hidden Harbor in January 2016.

The men kept revisiting the idea of a tiki-themed establishment. The space became available after they opened their first bar, the Independent Brewing Company, next door.

"It had most recently been a real estate office and required a complete gut and renovation," Henry said. "With such a blank slate, we considered a number of concepts for it, but kept coming back to tiki, despite Squirrel Hill maybe not being the most obvious neighborhood for a high-concept, themed bar."

Inspired by the tiki tradition of the 1930s, developed in Southern California, Hidden Harbor offers more than 350 bottlings of rum and in-house juiced drinks. Henry serves as cocktail director.

Made-from-scratch island-infused specialties include coconut chicken dumplings ($13), calamari and rock shrimp ($16), fish tacos ($13) and a Korean fried chicken sandwich ($16).

Whimsical shared tropical drinks include the Monsoon Mist (serves 2, $30) presented in a pufferfish container full of tequila, lychee, yuzu (East Asian citrus fruit) and more.

Rough day? Order the Painkiller ($13), dubbed the professional's pina colada, featuring a seven-rum navy-style blend (a blend of aged rums from Barbados, Jamaica, Guyana and Trinidad), fresh pineapple and toasted coconut.

Drinks are available in potent, extra potent, look out and frozen varieties.

Learn as you sip on Tuesdays during Tiki Time Machine, a popular guided journey through tiki history, offering a special drinks menu and a reward for customers who finish.

Hidden Harbor has a full-kitchen menu that includes seasonal modern East Asian and globally inspired menu features that pair well with tropical drinks.

"Our street noodles with sweet and spicy pork is a favorite, but we also sell plenty of burgers and salads," Henry said. "We love food and drink and love serving people, which is what keeps us going in this."

1708 Shady Ave., Squirrel Hill

412-422-5040

Sharky's Cafe, Latrobe

Landlocked Latrobe offers a casual beachy escape at Sharky's Cafe.

The Pier at Sharky's has a year-round tropical cocktail menu amid a giant mounted shark over the fireplace and shark-themed merchandise.

Fish and Chips Friday ($11.99) began about two months ago and is a hit with patrons.

"We did it because a lot of places don't serve fish and chips. It went so well, we're keeping it around," said general manager John Heiple. "We are so appreciative of our customers."

Sharky's offers a variety of seafood menu items alongside American fare, in a sports setting.

Tropical-themed cocktails include Tropical Mai Tai, The Berry Hurricane and Summertini ($10), a martini made with watermelon pucker, strawberry vodka, pineapple juice and cranberry and served with a sugar-coated rim.

Founded in 1994, Sharky's is owned by Ligonier resident and businessman John Huemme.

The Pier is open year-round and Heiple said the restaurant's goal is to provide an enthusiastic and friendly dining experience.

"We want it to be a local getaway with an upbeat, awesome experience, in a fun way," Heiple said. "We like to open up the doors, get the wind going and provide some sunshine."

3960 State Route 30, Latrobe

724-532-1620

Joyce Hanz is a Tribune-Review staff writer. You can contact Joyce by email at jhanz@triblive.com or via Twitter .