Miami's Best Bars For Cool Cocktails

Greater Miami and Miami Beach is home to countless bars with lively atmospheres, talented bartenders and deliciously creative specialty drinks. From low-key neighborhood gems to fancy hotel bars, classic Cuban joints with live music and rooftop bars with stunning views, there’s absolutely no shortage of places to drink in Miami where delicious cocktails flow and the vibe is just right.

Séptimo

Head up to the seventh-floor hotel bar at Four Seasons Hotel Miami in Brickell to discover Séptimo (which means 7th), where cocktails and bites are both incredibly unique and delicious.

Our favorite drinks include an oyster martini and a savory spicy margarita. But the most popular cocktail on the menu is the Tomato and Vine, made with olive oil-infused vodka, tomato water and basil syrup. Think of it as a caprese salad in a glass.

Pair these fun beverages with bites that include a lobster roll, Cubano sandwich and the most elevated version of a fast-food chicken nugget topped with caviar.

Over Under

Looking for a fun, casual spot in Downtown Miami with some of the best drinks in the area? Head to Over Under, where the cocktail menu features refreshing frozen cocktails, beer-and-a-shot combos and plenty of tropical concoctions, plus surprisingly delicious bar bites (like the best veggie burger in Miami).

Opt for the peel ‘n’ eat shrimp and a Frozen Muscle Relaxer (offered in varying degrees of strength). There’s also weekly karaoke and an entertaining crowd. It’s the kind of spot that’s equally as great at happy hour as it is for a late nightcap before heading home.

ViceVersa

Another Downtown Miami favorite, ViceVersa is a James Beard Award-nominated, aperitivo-inspired bar at the base of The Elser Hotel. Helmed by acclaimed mixologist Valentino Longo, ViceVersa also took home the esteemed Best U.S. Hotel Bar title at Tales of the Cocktail 2026.

This cool and casual spot serves cocktails using primarily Italian spirits, from a classic Aperol spritz to the slightly lesser known sbagliato to negronis garnished with lemon, lime and orange as an ode to the tropics. Pair these beverages with wood-fired pizzas and creative crudos, and you’re bound to have a fantastic time.

Monterrey Bar

Monterrey Bar, easily among the tiniest cocktail bars in Miami Beach, can be found tucked off the lobby of The Standard Spa, Miami Beach. This dimly lit nook is the kind of spot that’s perfect for a cozy date night or intimate catch-up, with a long horseshoe bar, a few banquettes and a smooth soundtrack of expertly curated vinyls. 

The menu highlights classic cocktails with a slight twist, and a few Miami-inspired drinks, like the Miami Mylk made with toasted coconut cream rum, white rum, banana, pineapple and cinnamon; or the Belle Isle Bump made with sotol, mezcal, blackberry liqueur, rosemary and lemon.

Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Co.

Open until 5 a.m. every day, Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Co. is one of the most awarded spots in Miami – and having a full kitchen serving a menu by James Beard Award-winner Michelle Bernstein doesn’t hurt. From a famed piña colada made with a house blend of special rums to a savory oyster martini with Fords Gin, manzanilla sherry, mignonette, white pepper tincture and fresh horseradish, this beloved South Beach bar has a creative cocktail for every type of imbiber.

Pro tip: Call ahead to reserve the special bartenders’ table, their version of a chef’s table. You’ll feel like you’re in the middle of all the high-volume action, and have plenty of space to add an order of the excellent cauliflower nachos.

Brother's Keeper

Step into Brother’s Keeper and you’ll think this friendly dive has been around for decades. But don’t let the neon tube lights, pool table and large fish tank fool you. Located right off Alton Road in South Beach, this neighborhood gem is a modern cocktail haven with a menu that’s anything but basic.

Explore one of the high-brow cocktails, like the Bread Service Martini made with either gin or vodka, Martini & Rossi dry vermouth, sea salt, olive oil and house brine and served with a fresh, warm croissant; or a spicy margarita with a hint of Thai chilis for that kick of heat. Of course, there are also cheap beers and a food menu with elevated eats like spinach artichoke croquettes and mozz sticks with a spicy vodka sauce.

The Champagne Bar

If you’re looking for fancy, treat-yourself-worthy cocktails, head over to The Champagne Bar at Four Seasons Hotel at the Surf Club in Surfside. Appropriately named, with the largest Champagne collection in Miami, this stunning, emerald-green bar is surrounded by a large lounge area.

Drink offerings include way more than Champagne. You’ll discover light and bright flavors in the Surf Club Cosmo, made with Grey Goose vodka, Cointreau liqueur, cranberry and lime; and herby, bittersweet flavors in the Olive & Bergamotto cocktail, with Bombay Sapphire gin, Italicus liqueur, Rinomato Bianco olive cordial and Franciacorta sparkling wine.

Gramps Getaway

Perched right on the waters of Key Biscayne, Gramps Getaway is the island escape everyone flocks to when craving a tropical cocktail in Miami. This spot is home to several $12 cocktails (a rarity in the area), a great DJ, plenty of TVs playing the game, and fresh seafood from locally loved Lazy Oyster – plus an entire menu of salty staples and creative spins on classic bar grub.

Grab a dozen oysters, shrimp cocktail and watermelon salad, all of which pair effortlessly with the fun, fruity cocktails these talented bartenders are whipping up. Our go-to is obviously the frozen piña colada made with Diplomatico Reserva, coconut, pineapple and lime (adding a dark rum floater is optional, but recommended). The Cucumber in Paradise is another favorite, essentially a cucumber-infused spicy margarita.

Cafe La Trova

Ranked No. 42 on 50 Best’s list of the best bars in North America, Cafe La Trova on Calle Ocho transports you to Cuba’s heyday with classic cantinero-style bartending and nightly live music in the heart of Little Havana.

Award-winning bartender Julio Cabrera and his team of cantineros (bartenders specially trained in the Cuban tradition) bring the retro atmosphere to life with artisanal, handcrafted cocktails and synchronized preparations. Keep it classic with the Hemingway daiquiri or a mojito, the best you’ll find in Miami. Chef Michelle Bernstein lends her culinary prowess with a contemporary take on Cuban-style dishes.

Bar Kaiju

Located on the second floor of The Citadel food hall in Little River, Bar Kaiju is a moody, monster-inspired cocktail den where every drink has been created with a fictional character in mind. Dimly lit in red, this hidden gem invites guests to flip through an elaborate menu that calls to mind an old-school card-collector’s binder.

It’s updated periodically, but you can expect an array of wildly imaginative and highly technical beverages that take cues from the monsters and folklore of Japan and beyond. Must-haves include the Chukwa, a carbonated milk punch with mango lassi; and the Maskinganna, a clear espresso martini made with Cristalino tequila. Hang out at the bar and watch the magic happen, or get cozy in the casual lounge area.

The Sylvester

After a day of shopping at The Shops at Midtown, drop by The Sylvester, located right across the street. You’ll find a long room filled with mismatched vintage furniture and tchotchkes, reminiscent of an old Florida sunroom somebody’s grandparents might have had in the 1980s.

The nightly DJs are decidedly modern, and so is the menu, full of drinks with entertaining names like Sunny Daniels, a clarified and carbonated cocktail of Ketel One vodka, vanilla yogurt, verjus and passion fruit; or the Coochie Couture, with El Tesoro Blanco tequila, raspberry cordial and coconut foam.