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- December 06, 2024
Every visit to Greater Miami & Miami Beach is filled with fun and exciting things to do, especially at night. With so many bars featuring everything from killer happy hour deals to late-night dancing, there’s truly a place for everyone. There are haute rooftop hangs, casual wine bars and even dive bars open until the wee hours of the morning, and it seems like there’s something new popping up every month. These are the coolest new bars in Miami you should check out immediately.
Bamboo Room by Trader Vic’s is the coolest new spot at the Esmé Hotel in South Beach. This sophisticated cocktail lounge has brought classic 1930s tiki culture with a hint of modern-day elegance to Miami Beach. Those craving tiki vibes will love the bamboo accents and tropical decor found throughout the large indoor/outdoor space. The cocktail menu is designed to take you on a journey around the world, with each drink dedicated to a specific city or region that has shaped Trader Vic’s global legacy. At Bamboo Room, the Hinky Dinks cocktail – a creative twist on the classic Mai Tai, famously attributed to Trader Vic – pays homage to this beloved drink. Other cocktails include The Park Lane, a London-inspired drink made with gin, pineapple amaro, coconut, passionfruit and a dash of white chocolate, and the El Polinesio, a tribute to Cuba made with aged rum, grog infusion, mint and lime. Think of this as a tiki version of a mojito.
You’ll have to find the entrance to Panamericano Bar, a speakeasy hidden in the heart of Brickell. It’s behind Novecento restaurant in Mary Brickell Village; you’ll press a buzzer to get inside. The ambience is dark and moody, exactly what most people want in a speakeasy. The menu is filled with spirits, liqueurs, wines and beers sourced exclusively from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean and features a range of spirits from countries you wouldn’t expect: vodka from Peru, gin from Mexico and Patagonia, agave from Ecuador, rum from Colombia and Belize, whiskey from Mexico, bourbon from Illinois and, of course, Florida-made vodka, gin, whiskey and rum. Some of the drinks involve special ceremonies during which guests are blindfolded or asked to interact in some way, making Panamericano a fun place to take a date or celebrate a birthday or bachelorette party.
From Bar Lab Hospitality, producer of several popular bars in the destination, comes a second location of Margot Bar & Bistro, on the ground floor of Flamingo Point in South Beach. The airy space boasts a '70s Scandinavia meets '80s Italy aesthetic, with cool sunset colors, minimalist furniture, original artwork, and a retro soundtrack playing an eclectic mix of disco, funk and old school hip-hop. Margot’s cocktail menu takes creative license with classic cocktails, with drinks like a Flamingo mojito, a spicy mango margarita, and fermented Pimm’s Cup. Taking a play out of the original Margot’s book (its wine-focused sister bar in Downtown Miami), the menu also features a carefully crafted natural wine list and a low-ABV cocktail selection. Unlike the original location, this one has a full-service food menu with several shareable plates, like ceviche with spicy aji amarillo and coconut, hand-chopped steak tartare, and butterflied branzino with heart-of-palm chimichurri.
If dive bars are your style but you prefer them without some of the hard edges, like sticky floors, Brother’s Keeper is where you should be hanging out. This intimate, chill bar, on Alton Road in South Beach, is named after the first episode of “Miami Vice” and is filled with so much old-school Miami charm that you’d swear it’s been around for decades. Cocktails include a martini menu (don’t skip the Bread Service Martini served with a warm croissant) and modern twists on classics like the Millionaire Swizzle, made with Bacardi Ocho rum, apricot, lime, sloe gin and raspberry. This neon purple bar accented with a massive fish tank along the wall is run by the same team behind Downtown Miami’s beloved Lost Boy Dry Goods. In the kitchen you’ll find chef Josh Elliott and Ellie Groden of QP Tapas slinging out delicious coastal Florida-inspired offerings like fried gator bites and dill pickles, tuna poke nachos, and a smoked fish dip served with crackers and crudités.
Helmed by award winning bartender Valentino Longo and the team behind the now-defunct Jaguar Sun restaurant, ViceVersa, in the lobby of The Elser Hotel, is one of Downtown Miami’s hottest new spots. It’s an aperitivo bar featuring cocktails that highlight Italian spirits: a deliciously refreshing Sbagliato served in a hilariously oversized wine glass; a classic Negroni garnished with lemon, lime and orange; and a margarita made with sweet vermouth and a Barolo wine reduction. Chef Justin Flit is in the kitchen (you may know him from his days at Proof in Wynwood) creating crudos, salads and wood-fired pizzas. Stop in on Mondays for a secret off-menu burger that’s one of the best in the destination. ViceVersa is the perfect spot to pop into before or after a visit to the Kaseya Center for a concert or a Miami HEAT game.
Willy’s Neighborhood Bar in Wynwood is an LGBTQ+ bar that hosts numerous fun events for the area’s queer community. At this small yet magical bar, the drinks are affordable and everyone is welcome. Cocktails include delicious tropical offerings like a spicy watermelon mezcalita and a mango mojito. Pop in for happy hour to enjoy deals on cocktails and bar bites, with an array of tequeños, mini empanadas and pastelitos from locally loved Milly’s Empanada Factory. Willy’s is open Wednesday to Sunday, and there’s almost always a themed party happening, from weekly “RuPaul’s Drag Race” watch parties to Big Gay Sundays to Taylor Swift sing-alongs and lots of LGBTQ+ DJs.
Located at the new Miami Worldcenter in Downtown Miami, Sixty Vines is a Texas-based restaurant chain known for its vineyard-inspired menu and wine-on-tap system. The massive space at the chain’s new Miami location features a huge outdoor patio, communal tables and banquettes, making it a fantastic spot to hang out with a large group of friends for a glass of wine. Thanks to the wine-on-tap concept, you and your crew will never have to agree on one bottle; everyone can order by the glass, and with over 60 wines from all over the world, you can sample wines you’ve likely never tried. Wine not your vibe? There’s also a full bar with a selection of cocktails, ciders and beers. Of course, you’ll need something to nosh on, and that’s where the customizable charcuterie boards, salads, hand-tossed pizzas, and entrées like Atlantic salmon, pan-roasted chicken, and wood-grilled Bavette steak come in.
Thirsty for more? Explore unique cocktails at some of Miami’s best bars.