Fun, fun, fun is the order of the day at Las Iguanas, the still-independent national chain of Latin American eateries. If the promise of “carnival atmosphere” and “intoxicating Latin rhythms” sounds a little heady, fear not, for readers seem to enjoy the experience in spite of themselves. “Ideal for families” but “fun for couples” is a feat few restaurants achieve, but these colourful, buzzy venues don’t simply play it safe with crowd-pleasing nachos, fajitas, burgers and dulce de leche puds; they also roam around South America for lesser-known regional specialities such as Chilean pasteles (sweet potato and sweetcorn pie), Peruvian braised lamb and Brazilian moqueca (coconut curry). Everything is cooked to order and there are deals aplenty. Happy-hour prices help as exotic cocktails get things going for a fiesta every night.