Long known as one of America’s best cities for food, drinks, and good times, Miami has grown into one of the world’s best cocktail destinations featuring some of the planet’s best bars
Miami finds itself in unique territory as a drinks destination. In Miami Beach, you can drink at bars till 5 a.m., giving it an obvious advantage when it comes to building cocktail programs and serving them to customers much later into the evening than in most places. But what makes Magic City so special has even more to do with its geographical location and diverse population. Caribbean and Latin American influence abound throughout the 305, giving it access to rums, tequilas, mezcals, cachaças, aguardientes, and a variety of other spirits on top of those more common across the U.S., like whiskey, vodka, or gin. Thanks to all of this, the city offers a plethora of incredible spots for cocktail lovers. Here are our choices for the best bars in Miami.
Best Bars in Miami
Cafe La Trova
Cafe La Trova has long been considered one of America’s best bars, and doesn’t look to be giving up that title any time soon. Mixology legend Julio Cabrera continues to head the bar program, while James Beard-winning chef Michelle Bernstein runs the kitchen. Add in live music every night of the week, plus a daily happy hour, plus a rotating cocktail menu that manages to up its game with each new edition, and it’s no wonder that Cafe La Trova remains a drinks destination for anyone and everyone in Miami.
What to Order: Daiquiri Clásico
There’s always something new and fun on the menu, but if you’re looking to start somewhere then go with the three-ingredient classic. Made with Bacardi Superior Rum, lime juice, sugar, the Daiquiri Clásico is the perfect way to start (or end) any day or night.
Elcielo
If you think Michelin-starred Elcielo is solely a dining destination, then you’ll miss out on some of Miami’s most imaginative drinks. Colombian-born Chef Juan Manuel Barrientos runs the kitchen, but also lends his creative mind to the bar, which offers its own Experience offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy a curated selection of signature cocktails that are paired with snacks.
What to Order: Chimberito
If you’re looking for something citrus and tropical, the Chimberito should be right up your alley. Inspired by the Colombian spirit of “Chimba,” the cocktail is crafted to bring a cool and lucky vibe to your experience. Made with Bacan aguardiente, soursop juice, thyme syrup, and yuzu juice, this low-ABV cocktail is a perfect starter for any experience.
ViceVersa
Despite opening just a few months ago, ViceVersa has already become one of the Magic City’s favorite cocktail stops. Created by award-winning bartender Valentino Longo and the founders of now shuttered Jaguar Sun, the Downtown bar looks to offer a modern approach to classic Italian cocktails paired with small plates and pizza. The drinks feature a blend of Italian spirits, vermouths, bitters, and amari alongside seasonal ingredients from in and around South Florida.
What to Order: Americano
Made with the house’s own MI-TO blend, ViceVersa’s force carbonated Americano is simple yet imaginative and showcases the base blend at the heart of the bar’s Negroni section.
Champagne Bar at The Surf Club
Churchill, Sinatra, Elizabeth Taylor, and hundreds of other celebrities have graced the Champagne Bar at The Surf Club ever since it first opened its doors in 1930. Now located inside what’s become a Four Seasons Hotel, the bar remains one of Miami’s best offering delicious cocktails, rare spirits, a cigar collection, and, of course, an impressive Champagne collection inside its Cathedral-like space.
What to Order: Azucar
Made with Milagro Tequila, dry vermouth, and guava, the Azucar is inspired by the vibrant spirit of Cuban singer Celia Cruz and the renowned ice cream shop in Little Havana from which the drink gets its name.
Sexy Fish Miami
In short, Sexy Fish is nuts. The food, the space, the art, the dancers, this outpost of one of London’s celebrity hotspots is pure spectacle. We’re talking about Damien Hirst artwork, Frank Gehry light fixtures, life-sized Mermaid sculptures, and that’s just the start. The food features the same over-the-top appeal as well as its 700 bottle-deep wine cellar. The cocktails (and the post dinner bar scene overall) might be the most mesmerizing of all thanks to its collection of fascinating concoctions and pages deep tequila and mezcal list.
What to Order: Tequila
Usually, we’d suggest one of the bar’s rotating list of colorful cocktails, but what makes Sexy Fish Miami stand out from other high-end dining extravaganzas is its list of agave spirits. There are over 60 blanco options alone, making this the ideal stop for any tequila lover.
Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery
Located just off a short staircase from the Stiles Hotel lobby, Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery feels like a mix between a speakeasy and a tiki bar giving it a uniquely Miami vibe. The dimly lit space is lined with over 150 rums and mixes up some of the most exciting cocktails around that go down way too easily.
What to Order: El Pescador Cobbler
Made with Copalli Rum and Lo-Fi Gentian Amaro shaken with fresh raspberries, honey lavender, fresh lime juice, and dashes of Angoustura Bitters, the El Pescador Cobbler comes garnished with flambe cinnamon raspberries making it as beautiful as it is deadly.
Alegria By El Rancherito
Offering elevated Colombian cuisine and thoughtful cocktails, Algeria is filled with colors, music, and bold flavors that recall the best of Miami’s cultural landscape. The bar and restaurant sits in the heart of the city and offers an authentic culinary experience, but with some modern twists and is open for all-day dining.
What to Order: Guaro Knees Bees
Made with Bacan Guaro 24, honey coffee syrup, lemon juice, and a drop of coconut oil, this modern play on the Prohibition Era cocktail, the Guaro Knees Bees was created by Juan David Zapata. “This cocktail draws inspiration from the vibrant spirit of Colombia and its unique diversity,” he tells us. “Bacan guaro, the heart of the drink, reflects the strength and passion of the Colombian people. The touch of coffee and honey symbolizes the warmth of our coffee-growing mountains, while the lemon brings a lively freshness reminiscent of the land. Finally, a drop of coconut oil pays homage to Colombia’s tropical coasts, adding smoothness and complexity to every sip.”
MO Bar and Lounge
Situated on the waterfront in Brickell Key, MO Bar at the Mandarin Oriental knows what it’s doing. More than just another hotel bar, the space delivers flawless cocktails to a glamorous set of clientele alongside breathtaking skyline views. To go along with the delicious drinks and an impressive wine list, the bar offers a variety of Asian small plates as well as sushi, salads, sandwiches, and a caviar experience for two.
What to Order: Your Favorite Classic Cocktail or Macallan
It’s not strange to find a few bottles of Macallan at most upscale bars, but MO Bar takes things deeper offering a collection of eight different expressions including a few you’ll be hard pressed to find anywhere else. If you’re not a Scotch drinker, then go ahead and opt for your favorite classic cocktail, which the bartenders will deliver perfectly.
Medium Cool
Oozing with 70s-style sophistication from inside the windowless basement of the Gale South Beach hotel, Medium Cool offers great drinks to go along with a lively atmosphere that includes DJs Wednesday through Sunday as well as jazz and samba nights. The cocktail program is where things get really cool, however, as former Dante NYC creative director Naren Young creates a menu that’s as fun as it is engaging.
What to Order: Pina Daiquiri
Yes, the Pina Daiquiri is just what it sounds like and everything you dreamed it would be. Shaken not blended, this cocktail offers the best of both worlds delivering a mix of pineapple and coconut that makes every night in Miami into the glamorous spectacle it ought to be.
Dante’s HiFi
Japanese-style listening bars have been popping up all over the U.S. over the last few years, but few do it as well as Dante’s HiFi. The Wynwood-located bar combines its absurd analogue sound system with a collection of creative highballs and creative house cocktails. What makes Dante’s different from the Japanese versions of these types of bars is that conversation is encouraged.
What to Order: Classic Hi Ball
Made with Toki Japanese Whisky served ice cold with seltzer, bitters, and lemon zest, this perfectly made version of the classic cocktail delivers on every level and fits perfectly into its listening bar surroundings.
Asiatiko Robata Bar
This kosher Japanese robata-style steakhouse focuses on dishes slow-grilled over hot charcoal, sushi, and astounding cocktails. From Korean BBQ Cashew Ribs to Miso Japanese Eggplant to Smoked Wagyu Brisket, the food here is a can’t miss, but it gets even better once paired with one of the bar/restaurant’s Asian-inspired cocktails.
What to Order: Ji Hao De
Made with Bacan 29, homemade garden syrup (lemongrass, cucumber, and basil syrup), and clarified lemon, the Ji Hao De is inspired by a blend of Asian and Colombian cultures. “Ji Hao De” means “Incredible” in Chinese, which is similar to the Colombian expression “Bacano.”
Bar Kaiju
Bar Kaiju feels like it’s pulled straight out of the world of anime. Located on the mezzanine level of The Citadel food hall, even the menu is an anime comicbook and each drink gets its own colorful page. With blue and red lights, the bar itself feels like it’s transporting you far away from its Little River home and into a futuristic Tokyo.
What to Order: Rodan
“Drawing inspiration from the volcanic habitat of Rodan, this margarita showcases rich, complex spicy pepper notes without the heat, enhanced by earthy undertones from the peppers,” says Bar Kaiju. “It concludes with a clean, herbal finish, featuring minerality notes from Contraluz mezcal. Adding a playful touch, a spicy lollipop made from Hagave and isomalt accompanies the drink.”
Sweet Liberty
A local staple that pulls in everyone from industry professionals to tourists, Sweet Liberty has long lived by its pink neon motto, “Pursue Happiness.” Founded by the late John Lermayer and co-owned by James Beard-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, this Miami institution offers top-of-the-line cocktails along with comfort food and happy hour oysters for just over a dollar each.
What to Order: Big Apple Martini
There’s no counting how many New Yorkers have made Miami home over the years and the Big Apple Martini pays homage to them, mixing the classic cocktail’s essence with big fruit flavors. Made with Grey Goose Vodka, calvados, and Noilly Prat Dry, and fresh green apple, it’s the type of martini that fits any time of day.
The Broken Shaker
Despite a recent change in ownership, The Broken Shaker remains the place that turned Miami into a cocktail destination. Stacked with fun umbrella drinks and adjacent to the Freehand Miami Beach pool, the bar is a picturesque version of what many out of towners have come to expect from Magic City, and there’s nothing wrong with that in our minds. Especially when that ideal comes with seasonal drinks, oversized punch bowls, tacos, burgers, and guacamole.
What to Order: Punchbowl
While the menu is constantly rotating, it’s always worth considering a punchbowl if you happen to arrive at The Broken Shaker with a group looking to enjoy some sun and a good time. They’re the perfect choice for that always-summer atmosphere Miami is known for.
Gramps Getaway
A well-priced, waterfront bar that actually makes good cocktails in Miami can be surprisingly hard to find, but maybe that’s because Gramps Getaway has managed to corner the market. Despite being new to the scene, Gramps Getaway already feels like a classic and offers up its tiki style space and seats under its thatched roof to everyone from local fishermen to overpaid bankers. How Miami has gone this long without a bar like this is the only real question.
What to Order: Beer and a shot
There are tons of fun fruity drinks here, so don’t let us steer you away if that’s what you’re looking for, but Gramps Getaway is also the kind of laid back destination made for chilling out with a Tecate and a pour of your favorite affordable spirit.
