Here's a freshly updated version of Eater's cocktail heatmap, a guide to the hot drinking dens and restaurant bars of the moment in South Florida. Rather than feature the perennial favorites and classic go-to's (you can find those here and here), this guide focuses on operations that have opened roughly one year or less.
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10 New Bars With Great Cocktails in Miami
Bottoms up

Bar Kaiju
This small, second-floor bar inside the Citadel food hall serves up quirky, monster-themed cocktails under moody, dimly-lit red neon lights. Sip on beverages like the King Kong, made with rum, sherry, oleo, and clarified fruit, or the Bigfoot, a whiskey-infused chocolate-flavored cocktail.
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Higher Ground
The new third-floor outdoor bar inside the Arlo Wynwood hotel is led by none other than the Bar Lab Miami team, who are widely credited for helping put South Florida on the cocktail map. It serves as the perfect spot to begin or end the evening in the lively neighborhood.
Medium Cool Cocktail Lounge
Miami Beach’s Gale South Beach hotel is home to Medium Cool, a 1970s-themed cocktail lounge complete with bronzed surfaces, velvet ropes, and a disco ball. Open Wednesday to Sunday, it offers jazz music and creative cocktails by Naren Young, formerly of Sweet Liberty, with a menu divided into sections like “Drinks With Bubbles,” “Sort of Martinis,” and “Boozy Stuff.”
Jolene Sound Room
Jolene, a retro-themed basement sound room at mega food hall Julia & Henry’s, is inspired by the queen herself, Dolly Parton. Developed by BarLab, the team behind the twice-named World’s 50 Best Bars recipient, Broken Shaker, the space comes equipped with a top-tier sound system, catering to guests seeking late-night dancing and plenty of cocktails.
Miami Sound Bar
Japanese-inspired “listening bars” have become all the rage here in the United States, and the latest one to arrive in South Florida is the Miami Sound Bar. The cozy spot encourages guests to listen to DJs spin vinyl on a high-quality sound system while sipping various cocktails, beers, and wines.
Terras
Little Havana’s first and only rooftop bar is back after a long hiatus. First debuting just weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic shut all restaurants and bars down nationwide, the lush tropical bar and restaurant is back with a brand new drink and all-day food menu. Sip on cocktails like the herb-filled gin and tonic or the rum-based old fashioned while dining on bar bites like black bean dip and chicken tacos.
Rosa Sky Rooftop
This new rooftop Brickell bar from two longtime Miami nightlife pros features panoramic views of the Miami skyline, colorful cocktails, tapas-style bites, and a large music lineup.
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The Gibson Room
This new speakeasy-era bar and restaurant, from the team behind Coconut Grove’s Ariete and Chug’s Diner, takes over the former the Mighty space on Coral Way. The dark and intimate space boasts a grand piano, walls adorned in taxidermy, a decadent food menu, and cocktails that are strong and creative with an element of yesteryear added in.
John Martin's Irish Pub & Restaurant
John Martin’s, one of South Florida’s longest-running restaurants and bars, has reopened its doors with a new look and new ownership after shuttering nearly three years ago during the COVID-19 pandemic. The space still features plenty of its original architectural elements. Still, it showcases a black-and-white color scheme, a new indoor “garden,” and a moss-covered brick wall bordered by portraits of the founders. An extensive menu of spirits, including more than 300 types of whiskey, as well as beers, wines, seltzers, champagne, and specialty cocktails such as the Shamrock Shake and the Miracle Mile Margarita, can be found on the menu.
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Vinya Table
The wine pros at Key Biscayne’s Vinya Market have debuted their latest spot: Vinya Table in Coral Gables. While there is plenty of food to be had, winos can choose from an extensive by-the-glass program or drink one of its creative cocktails like the Chin Chin Tonic made with Tanqueray 10, lime peel, Chinola drizzle, tonic, parsley, and dill.