Where to Drink Cocktails in Miami Right Now

This cocktail bar and restaurant isn’t just a must-stop because award-winning bartender Julio Cabrera created the menu. Step inside and you’re in a 1950s Havana showroom, where a live Cuban band belts out old standards and tuxedoed bartenders shake to its rhythm. The drinks they’re mixing keep the Cuban immersion moving, offering standards like Hotel Nacional and Magic City Daiquiri alongside creative stuff like the Chancleta, a rum and honey drink served in a literal slipper. On the weekends, the back bar opens a portal to Miami in the 1980s, where classic Miami Vice plays on the TV and tributes to the decade that made Miami sit all over the bar.

Immersing yourself in the Miami experience doesn’t have to mean battling for bar space at a club or inhaling cigar smoke. It can also mean kicking back under a banyan tree, sipping on a fresh cocktail made from herbs growing nearby. That’s the scene at Broken Shaker, where bright cocktails and lush gardens combine for the city’s top outdoor drinking experience. The menu of craft creations is tempting, with offerings like the What’s Up Doc? which mixes mezcal and carrot juice in ways you didn’t know you’d love. But the move is almost always the Punch Bowl, a large-format custom cocktail bartenders whip up based on your spirit and flavor preferences.

When Miami’s outpost of vaunted NYC cocktail bar Employees Only closed its coral doors, the people making the drinks didn’t quit. Instead, they moved to the sub-basement of the Washington Park Hotel and opened Swizzle, where they’re mixing up the same brand of high-level cocktails. The dark, cozy space is decked out in maps, books, and rare bottles of rum — a little like what you might expect a captain’s quarters to look like. While you’ll do well with any pick on the menu, Swizzle’s hook is its unusual rum collection where you can try stuff from across the world, or as close as South Dade. The Florida Rum Experience rates you four rums from around Florida for $45, a fun way to see what sample Sunshine State spirits before delving into the full drink menu. No reservations. More info on Swizzle’s website.

Pastels, neons, and drinks with clever names make this bar feel a little like a Carl Hiaasen book come to life. Tipsy Flamingo leans on its Miami roots hard, with pink lights, light woods, and colorful décor creating an almost cartoonish version of the city. It’s the perfect backdrop to enjoy a menu of drinks with names like Elegant AF, Henny Pa Mi Gente, and My English Is Not Very Good Looking. Though our pick of the bunch is the No Flocks Given with Volcan reposado, lime, Ancho Reyes, mango puree, and black cardamom syrup.

You don’t often find cocktail bars showing up on Michelin’s list of Bib Gourmands. But the food at Jaguar Sun is just as memorable as its drinks, a big reason why this small space hidden under the Metromover has become a hangout for Miami’s in-the-know foodies. Belly up to the bar and you’ll find local food bloggers, writers, and off-duty chefs munching on Parker House rolls and cacio e pepe while chopping it up with owner/bartender Will Thompson. His master creation is the Green Ghoul, made with Tequila, mezcal, poblano, cucumber, and lime. The drink is delightfully easy to drink en masse.

Miami’s unofficial language has its own bar in Wynwood, where the BarLab team takes Cuban inspiration and infuses it into an unusual cocktail menu. The one that made headlines when the place opened was the Cafetera Old Fashioned, a mix of all the classic Cuban flavors in a glass. It starts with Brugal 1888 aged rum, then adds a little cafecito flair with cold brew coffee reduction, finishing off with smoky cigar bitters. Head in on Sunday, and you’ll find a whole menu of drinks only served on the lord’s day including the La Cura – pineapple-infused 1888 poured over a coconut ice sphere. Call 786-870-4258 for reservations.

The big box epicenter that is Midtown Miami doesn’t inherently seem like a place to find some of the city’s best drinks lurking across the street. But Miami cocktail maven Ben Potts is here to help. Pop into the Sylvester and you’ll find a setup a little like an old relative’s living room, where mismatched vintage furniture is set under odd chandeliers and plenty of mirrors. The trip to grandma’s hits a little different, though, when you’re met with a menu of drinks you’d never conceive, a big reason why this bar has developed a loyal local following. For something refreshing during summer, try the Redland Special made with Grey Goose watermelon and basil, St. Germain, snap pea infused Martini Ambrato, heirloom tomato, and lime.

A Broward County strip mall might literally seem like No Man’s Land to anyone who’s spent enough time in South Florida. And perhaps that was Big Brother star Memphis Garrett’s intention when naming his dark, sexy cocktail den tucked between a dry cleaners and a Chinese restaurant. It’s easy to miss, but if you manage to slip inside you can settle in at a royal blue booth that feels a world away from Federal Highway. The no-stove kitchen cranks out quality bites too, with sushi, oysters, and a foie gras Old Fashioned. Call 954-280-6291 for reservations.

The lush plants, beachy woods, and sexy lighting at Chica make drinking a glass of water at the bar feel  elegant. And while dinner at Lorena Garcia’s MiMo outpost is always a surefire date idea, the bar is an equally alluring experience. From the street, you can see beyond the couches and live music stage to the inviting backlit bar, where well-heeled bartenders are muddling fruits and setting herbs on fire. The scene begs you to come inside, where a good sized menu of Latin-inspired cocktails await. You’ll get the best bang for your buck with the Double Trouble – Tequila Mi Campo Blanco, Los Vecinos mezcal, and hibiscus watermelon, which if you ask nicely can also be served with a smoky rosemary garnish.

The late John Lemayer founded this lively South Beach cocktail bar, the rare place that’s just as popular with locals as it is with tourists. That’s because Sweet Liberty seamlessly combines tourist kitsch like its trademark “Pursue Happiness” neon sign with stuff residents return for like dollar happy hour oysters and one of Miami’s best burgers. It’s open during the day, too, offering a cool respite where you can enjoy a cold drink after a day on the hot sand. Though once the sun goes down the DJ starts up, and Sweet Liberty turns from cocktail bar into laid-back dance club free from pretension.

Pizza Craft along Ft. Lauderdale’s bustling Himmarshee Street used to hide Apothecary 330, a “secret” speakeasy behind a nondescript wooden sliding door on the way to the bathrooms. They decided the secret was better let out, and now you can mosey right over and peruse the menu of rare whiskeys without knowing a special knock. It still gives off serious speakeasy vibes, though, as you’ll never really know what time it is unless you look at your watch, and the lighting stays appropriately dim. Apothecary is at its best when handling whiskeys, and offers a build-your-own Old Fashioned menu with Old Forrester, Bulleit, Basil Hayden, and High West as the bases. Get more info at Apothecary 330’s website.

Swizzle takes its high octane cocktail game from the dim lights of its speakeasy to the glimmering swimming pool next door at its daytime offshoot Delerio. The drink menu is almost identical to the one you’ll find at Swizzle, though the lineup of rare rums isn’t quite as extensive. It’s more than made up for by the warm poolside scene, where you can relax under the sun with tiki classics like the Missionary’s Downfall and Mai Tai. If you prefer those, cool, there’s no judgment by the Delerio pool. But if you want to experience what the place does best try one of the original drinks like Zombielicious Hibiscus, which uses charred pineapple infused Ojo de Tigre mezcal and blanco tequila, adding hibiscus water, guava agave, house-made over proof rum, and habanero tincture. No reservations. More info here.

For tiki purists this palm frond filled downtown lounge is a must, where tiki legend Daniele Dall Polla (or DDP if you’re cool) has brought an entire wall of rum and unusual glasses to the Magic City. The glassware is almost as much a draw as the drinks they hold, where you’ll find yourself sipping out of Elvis Presley’s head, Polynesian statues, pineapples, and conch shells. Esotico isn’t show over substance, though, and if you’re going with a friend opt for the Volcano Bowl, a mix of rum and fruit juices served in a flaming bowl that tastes as exciting as it looks. Call 305-800-8454 for reservations.