Super 7: Best Cocktail Bars
Meet Miami's worst kept secrets
Courtesy of Panamericano Bar
Presidente
It is always a good rule to avoid any bar or restaurant in Miami with a doorman and a velvet rope. Presidente makes us rethink this guideline, with a dark, sexy, modern atmosphere that still feels surprisingly relaxed. The music is just the right level of loud without making you scream, and drinks are creative, Italian/Argentine creations like the Negroni Presidente with hibiscus-infused Bombay Sapphire, house vermouth, and Campari. It’s what landed the Buenos Aires original on the list of World’s 50 Best Bars.
Pro tip: Be nice to the staff, and they just might invite you back to the secret Bibliotecha. The one phrase you know in Spanish finally comes in handy.
@presidentebar // 146 NW 28th St., Wynwood
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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
Courtesy of Panamericano Bar
Panamericano
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
Kaori
Kaori likes to bill itself as a “listening lounge,” which if you’ve ever gone on a date with someone from Brickell you know is a desperately-needed skill. Sadly, Kaori won’t teach your date to stop talking about himself but will serve up Miami’s best Asian-inspired drinks with a world-class sound system in the background. Try the Isan Daiquiri with Brugal 1888, coconut, lemongrass, ginger, lime, and cilantro.
Pro tip: Head in for one of Brickell’s most underrated happy hours, where you can score $1.50 oysters and $12 cocktails. In Brickell, that’s still a bargain.
@kaorimiami // 871 S. Miami Ave., Brickell