Miami’s best cocktail bars aren’t just a collection of easy-to-find speakeasys. They’re one of the last bastions of true creativity in Miami, where local mixologists showcase their skills from Little Havana to Midtown. So if you’re looking for the best cocktail bars in Miami, here’s a look at the best seven.
Bar Shishi
Before Bar Shishi ever opened, I didn’t know there was such a thing as an Ice Carving Master. But Miami is nothing is not an endless education, and watching Kevin Lee hack away at unsuspecting ice spheres is like watching Michelangelo cut through clay. Ok, that might be a little hyperbolic, but it’s part of the show at Shishi,, where you’ll enter by putting your hand in a lion’s mouth, then order up Japanese spirit-based drinks in a dark, sexy lounge. It’s the perfect place to take out of towners who want to see something “in the know,” and feels completely secluded from its South Beach surroundings.
Pro tip: Sit at the bar if you can. Part of the $25 you’re dropping for your drink is the ice carving show.
@barshishimiami // 1691 Michigan Ave., Suite 322, South Beach
Swizzle Rum Bar and Drinkery
Basement bars are a little hard to find in South Florida, what with that whole water table thing sitting just underground. Swizzle is about as close as we get, where you’ll descend into the depths of Miami Beach – about 5 stairs worth – and into what looks like the captain's quarters of a 19th century ship. Walls are lined with maps and rare rums, and the drinks come to us from former barkeeps at Employees Only (RIP). Swizzle also doesn’t take reservations, so it pays to go early.
Pro tip: Drinks here are sneaky strong, and as delicious as they may be you’ll want to stop at two.
@swizzle_rumbar_drinkery // 1120 Collins Ave., South Beach
Sweet Liberty Drink and Supply Co.
Usually the only thing Miami tourists and locals agree on is our city’s overwhelming lack of turn signals. The other exception: Sweet Liberty, a South Beach cocktail lounge and restaurant where you’ll find just as many beach denizens as you will curious visitors. They’re drawn by the creative cocktail menu from the late John Lemayer, including pre-made frozen drinks that are perfect for post-beach cool-offs. The $1.49 oysters at happy hour don’t hurt either.
Pro tip: Get the burger. The cheesy, smashy creation is low-key some of Miami’s best drunk food, and is also surprisingly good sober.
@sweetlibertymia // 237 20th St. Suite B, Miami Beach
Panamericano
Courtesy of Panamericano Bar
Who among us hasn’t bellied up to a cocktail bar, ordered a drink, and said “Ya know, this would be a lot cooler if I was blindfolded?” Such is the concept behind Panamericano, a hidden Brickell speakeasy where each drink comes with a big side of theatrics, including the occasional blindfold. Spirits are sourced from all over the Western Hemisphere, so you can try Canadian whiskey and Argentine rum in the same go.
Pro tip: If you’ve ever wanted to try ayahuasca, minus the, ya know, violent purging, try the San Pedro ceremony.
@panamericanobar // 900 S. Miami Ave., Second Floor, Brickell
The Sylvester
Remember that aunt who always had a house full of mismatched furniture and kinda smelled like menthols? If she turned her house into a cocktail bar it would probably look a lot like the Sylvester, a midtown staple from Ben Potts of Beaker & Gray fame. Eschewing the usual cramped speakeasy aesthetic, the Sylvester feels downright roomy, with plenty of places to sit and a long menu of drinks you can enjoy in lighting that won’t require a flashlight.
Pro tip: If, like everyone in Miami, work is “flexible,” try and get here by 5 pm. The happy hour prices start at $8 from 5-6, and go up from there.
@thesylvesterbar // 3456 N Miami Ave., Midtown
Cafe La Trova
Miami’s cocktail maestro Julio “Papa Double” Cabrera opened this old Havana cocktail bar to give his old neighborhood something to brag about that doesn’t involve cockfights. He’s been more than successful, landing Café la Trova on multiple lists of the world’s best bars. You might not expect it from a place that serves drinks inside old slippers, but such is the magic of Cabrera’s creation. Most nights, you’ll find a live Cuban band accompanying the action, with tuxedoed bartenders shaking along with the music.
Pro tip: Head to the back bar on the weekends and you’ll find a magical time warp to Miami of the 1980s. No, that’s not our creative way of telling you where to find drugs.
@cafelatrovamiami // 971 SW 8th St., Little Havana
Mae’s Room
Though I had high hopes that Mae’s Room would return Coconut Grove to its rightful place as a drinking destination, somehow the rest of the neighborhood has yet to catch on. No matter. This little 27-seat spot from the guys behind Scapegoat offers the ideal after-dinner drinks destination, where they keep the volume quiet and the cocktails creative. The Direct Martini is a show stopper, already among Miami’s Best. And if you do get hungry, you can easily order burgers from Chuggie’s next door.
Pro tip: Mae’s Room does not take reservations, so if you head in on a weekend evening you might be in for a wait.
@maesinthegrove // 3444 Main Hwy., Suite 17, Coconut Grove