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Miami’s 15 Essential Cocktail Bars, Mapped

Drink up.

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Miami’s cocktail scene has grown up. With a slew of award-winning watering holes popping up throughout the city, it’s safe to say that Miami has officially become a cocktail bar hub.

So, with that in mind, below is an updated list of Miami’s go-to cocktail spots to grab a well-balanced drink. This list only includes cocktail bars in the most traditional sense (i.e., ones that are more focused on drink than food — and doesn’t include breweries, wine bars, or newcomers to the Miami bar scene) and have been open for at least a year or more.

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The Sylvester

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Housed in the former Bardot space, The Sylvester “pays homage to old and new Miami” with cocktails and bites from the Beaker & Gray team like the “Vaxxxed & Waxxxed” made with Don Julio Blanco, Vida mezcal, Chinola passion fruit, and habanero bitters. The space also keeps with the Miami theme in decor, boasting colorful vintage wallpaper, tropical touches, and repurposed antique furniture, alongside games, including a pool table, pinball machine, foosball, and plenty of board games.

The Broken Shaker

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The Broken Shaker has helped evolve the Miami mixed drink scene bringing the stiff drinks out of the parlor and into the open air. It's not the velvet slipper and smoking jacket type of cocktail club some out-of-towners may be used to. Patrons sip their drinks scattered around the pool and beneath the over-growth.

Dante's HiFi

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Self-described as Miami’s first “listening bar,” which is modeled after the style of Japanese bars where guests come for the music, this small and intimate space is all about the tunes. Holding just 50 people at a time, audiophiles and imbibers can listen to Dante’s extensive library of vinyl records from resident music director Rich Medina’s personal collection while sipping on Japanese highballs and snacking on wasabi peas.

This Wynwood cocktail bar might advertise its "Cold Beer" and "Air Conditioning," but its cocktails are nothing to be ignored. Its laid-back atmosphere and strong — yet balanced — drinks make it the perfect spot to begin or end the night.

Sweet Liberty Drink & Supply Co.

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The brainchild of Miami bar legend John Lermayer, Sweet Liberty features a Miami Beach chic vibe complete, some of the best cocktails on the beach, and a kitchen open to 4 a.m. nightly. And don't miss its bar food, which is just as good at the beginning of the night as at the end.

Esotico Miami

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This bright and colorful tiki bar creates various drinks influenced by tiki-cocktail history. Think drinks like the Kix, a clarified cocktail made with Hawaiian vodka, Matcha green tea, and passion fruit puree, or the Day Off cocktail with Dewar’s 12yo Double Aged, pineapple ginger shrub, lemon juice, yuzu, and lime soda. To soak up all that booze, Esotico Miami will serve up a full dinner menu with a variety of tiki-with-a-twist offerings, like octopus hot dogs and omakase platters.

The Corner

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The fanciest thing about The Corner is the cocktails, and that's a good thing. Dark, rough-cut wood and dimly lit, as a proper speakeasy should be. Open late every night, making this spot a perfect nightcap destination.

Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery

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As the name implies, rum is the star at Swizzle, with a versatile cocktail list focusing on classic and contemporary cocktails and a mix of spirit-forward drinks and tropical libations. The decor even boasts a mural and walls lined with photos highlighting the history of rum that is meant to be museum-like, which the bartender will give tours of when they aren’t too busy.

Jaguar Sun

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After a winter hiatus to run their popular pop-up Sunny’s Steakhouse, Jaguar Sun has returned to its original outpost in Downtown Miami with a refreshed menu merging its staples with favorites from its pop-up. A well-thought-out beverage menu is still at the core of Jaguar Sun, but its small but mighty kitchen is still putting out some of the best upscale comfort food in town. The plates of pasta are a must-order but don’t skip out on the Parker house rolls topped with honey butter, the wagyu beef tartare, or the kouign amann housed ice cream sandwich for dessert. 

Mama Tried

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This self-proclaimed “upscale” dive bar — from the people behind places like Sweet Liberty and Blackbird Ordinary — features retro-vibes, strong drinks, and plenty of entertainment like a Pac-Man arcade game, jukebox, pool table, TVs, and a Bookleggers library.

Over Under

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The eclectic watering hole slash restaurant offers well-crafted cocktails, booze-filled slushies, and a menu filled with items like a much-buzzed-about burger that is akin to a high-end Big Mac, smoked fish dip, and sour orange pie.

Lost Boy

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This laid-back, two-story Downtown Miami bar boasts an interior inspired by the American Southwest, traditional English pubs, and “drunken sailor bars,” along with a straightforward cocktail and food menu with classics like the gin and tonic, Old Fashioned, Negroni, and Penicillin, along with well drinks, wines, coffee, and tap only beers served in English imperial pint glasses.

Casa Florida Miami

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This popular Florida-inspired cocktail bar boasts signature millennial pink decor in a hybrid indoor/outdoor setting, inventive tropical cocktails, and Little Havana location, plus a must-try brunch every Saturday and Sunday.

Better Days

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Sure, once upon a time, Better Days called itself a "pop-up" bar, but this laid-back watering hole has become a permanent go-to spot for the Brickell crowd, serving up unique, handcrafted cocktails in a very un-Brickell-like setting.

Blackbird Ordinary

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From shooters to cocktails to punch bowls, drinks come in various sizes at Blackbird Ordinary. A dark interior combined with the indoor/outdoor space, live music, and throwback hits creates an upbeat take on where to get one of the city's best-mixed drinks.

The Sylvester

Housed in the former Bardot space, The Sylvester “pays homage to old and new Miami” with cocktails and bites from the Beaker & Gray team like the “Vaxxxed & Waxxxed” made with Don Julio Blanco, Vida mezcal, Chinola passion fruit, and habanero bitters. The space also keeps with the Miami theme in decor, boasting colorful vintage wallpaper, tropical touches, and repurposed antique furniture, alongside games, including a pool table, pinball machine, foosball, and plenty of board games.

The Broken Shaker

The Broken Shaker has helped evolve the Miami mixed drink scene bringing the stiff drinks out of the parlor and into the open air. It's not the velvet slipper and smoking jacket type of cocktail club some out-of-towners may be used to. Patrons sip their drinks scattered around the pool and beneath the over-growth.

Dante's HiFi

Self-described as Miami’s first “listening bar,” which is modeled after the style of Japanese bars where guests come for the music, this small and intimate space is all about the tunes. Holding just 50 people at a time, audiophiles and imbibers can listen to Dante’s extensive library of vinyl records from resident music director Rich Medina’s personal collection while sipping on Japanese highballs and snacking on wasabi peas.

Gramps

This Wynwood cocktail bar might advertise its "Cold Beer" and "Air Conditioning," but its cocktails are nothing to be ignored. Its laid-back atmosphere and strong — yet balanced — drinks make it the perfect spot to begin or end the night.

Sweet Liberty Drink & Supply Co.

The brainchild of Miami bar legend John Lermayer, Sweet Liberty features a Miami Beach chic vibe complete, some of the best cocktails on the beach, and a kitchen open to 4 a.m. nightly. And don't miss its bar food, which is just as good at the beginning of the night as at the end.

Esotico Miami

This bright and colorful tiki bar creates various drinks influenced by tiki-cocktail history. Think drinks like the Kix, a clarified cocktail made with Hawaiian vodka, Matcha green tea, and passion fruit puree, or the Day Off cocktail with Dewar’s 12yo Double Aged, pineapple ginger shrub, lemon juice, yuzu, and lime soda. To soak up all that booze, Esotico Miami will serve up a full dinner menu with a variety of tiki-with-a-twist offerings, like octopus hot dogs and omakase platters.

The Corner

The fanciest thing about The Corner is the cocktails, and that's a good thing. Dark, rough-cut wood and dimly lit, as a proper speakeasy should be. Open late every night, making this spot a perfect nightcap destination.

Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery

As the name implies, rum is the star at Swizzle, with a versatile cocktail list focusing on classic and contemporary cocktails and a mix of spirit-forward drinks and tropical libations. The decor even boasts a mural and walls lined with photos highlighting the history of rum that is meant to be museum-like, which the bartender will give tours of when they aren’t too busy.

Jaguar Sun

After a winter hiatus to run their popular pop-up Sunny’s Steakhouse, Jaguar Sun has returned to its original outpost in Downtown Miami with a refreshed menu merging its staples with favorites from its pop-up. A well-thought-out beverage menu is still at the core of Jaguar Sun, but its small but mighty kitchen is still putting out some of the best upscale comfort food in town. The plates of pasta are a must-order but don’t skip out on the Parker house rolls topped with honey butter, the wagyu beef tartare, or the kouign amann housed ice cream sandwich for dessert. 

Mama Tried

This self-proclaimed “upscale” dive bar — from the people behind places like Sweet Liberty and Blackbird Ordinary — features retro-vibes, strong drinks, and plenty of entertainment like a Pac-Man arcade game, jukebox, pool table, TVs, and a Bookleggers library.

Over Under

The eclectic watering hole slash restaurant offers well-crafted cocktails, booze-filled slushies, and a menu filled with items like a much-buzzed-about burger that is akin to a high-end Big Mac, smoked fish dip, and sour orange pie.

Lost Boy

This laid-back, two-story Downtown Miami bar boasts an interior inspired by the American Southwest, traditional English pubs, and “drunken sailor bars,” along with a straightforward cocktail and food menu with classics like the gin and tonic, Old Fashioned, Negroni, and Penicillin, along with well drinks, wines, coffee, and tap only beers served in English imperial pint glasses.

Casa Florida Miami

This popular Florida-inspired cocktail bar boasts signature millennial pink decor in a hybrid indoor/outdoor setting, inventive tropical cocktails, and Little Havana location, plus a must-try brunch every Saturday and Sunday.

Better Days

Sure, once upon a time, Better Days called itself a "pop-up" bar, but this laid-back watering hole has become a permanent go-to spot for the Brickell crowd, serving up unique, handcrafted cocktails in a very un-Brickell-like setting.

Blackbird Ordinary

From shooters to cocktails to punch bowls, drinks come in various sizes at Blackbird Ordinary. A dark interior combined with the indoor/outdoor space, live music, and throwback hits creates an upbeat take on where to get one of the city's best-mixed drinks.

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