Best Bars and Lounges in Miami

Greater Miami & Miami Beach is packed with bars and lounges that mirror its culture, diversity and creativity. 

There’s everything from rooftop bars with panoramic views to craft cocktail lounges with fun drink menus. 

So whether you’re looking for a fun hot spot or a unique locale for an intimate nightcap, the destination’s best bars have you covered.

Award-Winning Cocktails at ViceVersa

Head to Downtown Miami for a visit to ViceVersa, where award-winning bartender Valentino Longo shares his passion for Italian aperitivo culture. 

The drink menu features 14 cocktails categorized into three sections: the Negroni Family, Martinis and Signature Cocktails. Don’t skip the carbonated ViceVersa MI-TO, Longo’s unique spin on the classic Americano. For those who love martinis, the Avanguardia, featuring Bombay Premier Cru gin and makrut lime, is always a winner. 

While sipping drinks at the striking emerald-tiled bar, you can feast on Neapolitan pizzas made with house-stretched mozzarella and a popular burger special that’s only available on Mondays. 

Drinks Inspired By Pokémon at Bar Kaiju

Hidden on the second floor of The Citadel food hall in Little River, Bar Kaiju (which means strange beast) is a speakeasy-style bar that’s dimly lit, red-hued and great for dates and catching up with friends. 

The creative menu is inspired by pocket monsters (aka Pokémon) and is displayed in the kind of binder used to collect trading cards. 

One of the most popular cocktails is the Maskinganna – aka the Demon of Deception. It’s basically an espresso martini, except it’s completely clear, so it plays a bit of mind trickery on its imbibers.

Get Bubbly With Bubbly at The Champagne Bar

For the ultimate treat-yourself cocktail experience, head to Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club in Surfside and plant yourself at The Champagne Bar. Here you’ll discover one of the classiest bar experiences in town. 

From Miami’s largest selection of bubbles to a carefully executed cocktail menu, no detail is overlooked. Every guest is treated like a VIP and welcomed with bar snacks and a tiny coupe of bubbles.

Rum & History at Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery

Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery is tucked into the back of Viajero Miami in South Beach, so you have to look for this Prohibition-style bar. 

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 bar even boasts a mural and walls lined with photos highlighting the history of rum. The bowtie-clad bartenders will give tours when they aren’t too busy.

Happy Hour & Late-Night Fun at Sweet Liberty

An absolute must-visit spot when craving cocktails, award-winning Sweet Liberty in South Beach is open daily from 4 p.m. to 5 a.m. (and at noon on Sundays, when you can enjoy an epic drag brunch). 

Start the night with happy hour oysters and cocktails or a massive order of cauliflower nachos and an ice-cold beer. 

There’s always music and often live bands and DJs, so you can dance the night away. 

Pro tip: The bar has a chef’s table-style booth that allows you to see the action behind the bar.

Cocktails For Your Entire Crew at Medium Cool

For those who want table service without having to commit to full bottle service, Medium Cool is the place to go. This velvet-clad bar, located on the lower level of the Gale South Beach hotel, is equally swanky and vibey with live DJs Wednesday-Sunday. 

Order drinks at the bar while dancing to the music, or snag a table, where everyone is treated like a VIP. 

Opt for one of the large-format cocktails for easy drinking. The Porn Star Martini and Lemon Drop Royale (with Grey Goose vodka, champagne and limoncello) are great options, and both can easily serve a crowd.

Views & Cool Cocktails at Gramps Getaway

When the urge to indulge in waterfront cocktails strikes, Gramps Getaway is the place to go. 

Located on Key Biscayne, it’s a laidback bar with a super-casual, come-as-you-are vibe, affordable cocktails, a full menu and stunning views of the Miami skyline and Biscayne Bay. 

From frozen cocktails to a spicy Gramps mule, the drinks are fun and refreshing. Order something easy to sip, like the Cucumber in Paradise, made with gin, cucumber and mint.

Cuban Cocktails & Fine Food at Cafe La Trova

Ranked 13th by “North America's 50 Best Bars,” Cafe La Trova in Little Havana serves Cuban-style cocktails; mojitos and classic daiquiris are the most popular drinks on the menu. 

Sip a refreshing cocktail while enjoying the live Cuban band and food by James Beard Award-winning chef Michelle Bernstein. You can’t go wrong with the empanadas or a heaping plate of arroz con pollo. 

Definitely check out the back room, where you’ll find 305 Bar, serving “Miami Vice”-era cocktails.

Drink Where The Rat Pack Drank at Bleau Bar

Aptly named Bleau Bar, the lobby bar at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach hotel in Mid Beach, is one of the best hotel bars in Miami. 

It’s a stunning space that’s great for people watching and sipping on perfectly made cocktails, like the M.I.A. Sour with Woodford Reserve whiskey or the Pretty In Pink with Grey Goose pear-flavored vodka, St. Germain liqueur and prosecco. 

Order from the expansive cocktail list or splurge on bottle service and make a night of it, perhaps before or after dinner at one of the hotel’s fine restaurants.

A favorite with locals and visitors, it was a beloved hangout spot for The Rat Pack in the 1950s and ‘60s.

Old & New Miami Meet at The Sylvester

Step into The Sylvester, in Midtown Miami and south of the Miami Design District, and you’ll feel like you’ve been transported into a mix of your aunt’s basement and your grandmother’s Florida sunroom: dimly lit with mismatched vintage furniture, plus a large disco ball to boot. 

Grab a drink at the bar before claiming a couch and settling in or making your way to the dance floor. 

The cocktail menu pays homage to old and new Miami, with bestsellers like the Vaxxxed & Waxxxed, made with Don Julio Blanco tequila, Vida mezcal, Chinola passion fruit and habanero bitters, and the Albino Gator, which is clarified and carbonated and made with Ilegal Joven, watermelon, cilantro, mint and jalapeno.

Music Takes Centerstage at Dante’s HiFi

Inspired by the listening lounges in Japan, Dante’s HiFi+ is all about highball cocktails and great music. 

This Wynwood lounge pulses with music played through one of the most advanced stereo systems in the area, filling the space with rich, precise sound. The tracks come from a meticulously curated vinyl collection, often spun by well-known DJs who take over a centrally located booth. 

There’s room for just 50 guests, so reservations are highly recommended.

Explore more great drinking spots throughout Miami.