El Caribe Sunset Cafe, Rock Hill

Hanging lamps cast their warm light across the vibrant paintings that hang from El Caribe Sunset Cafe’s pink and yellow walls. The café’s decor draws its influences from Mexico and the Caribbean islands, as does its menu. A tropical heat envelops the kitchen, where seafood, steak, and chicken simmer in tangy sauces and plantains crackle in frying pans of garlic and butter. Meanwhile, bathed in the neon glow of a Presidente sign, bartenders fill glasses and waterproof sombreros with frozen margaritas, mojitos, and imported beers.

The Caribbean doesn’t feel so far away on warmer nights, thanks to a front patio lined with lime-green umbrellas and speckled with tables and chairs. The café hosts a number of special events throughout the year, from live music and dance parties to raucous games of pin the tail on the enchilada.