The best bars in South Beach, from cozy hotel nooks to notorious dives

The vibe at this moody, windowless bar in the basement of the Gale South Beach is ’70s glam, South Beach-style: It’s got a velvet rope out front, a disco ball and a glass ceiling. The music programming is stacked with DJs Wednesday through Sunday, and mellower moments like live jazz and samba setting the stage in the evenings. Beverages come under the creation of Naren Young of Sweet Liberty (and formerly the creative director of Dante NYC, back when it was dubbed the World’s Best Cocktail Bar).

Order this: a super-smooth sazerac with chocolate and rose

Forget South Beach—Sweet Liberty is known as one of the best bars in America. Period. I’ve spent plenty of nights behind this schtick – by way of the private booth behind the bar, which you should totally request to book, too. This lively, down-to-earth cocktail bar whips up some of the country’s best drinks alongside a menu of fresh seafood and delicious bar food. Happy hour (95-cent East Coast oysters, $5 beers, $7 to $8 wines and $10 select cocktails) is every day from 4 to 8pm.

Time Out tip: The music and entertainment is always on point, whether it’s The Swayzees making us kick up our penny loafers or a DJs playing our favorite party anthems.  

Rum gets the treatment it deserves at Swizzle, with an inventive cocktail menu that explores the full depth and nuance of this quintessential Caribbean spirit. Ideal for a boozy nightcap, this dimly lit drinking den hidden in the Stiles Hotel boasts more than 150 varieties in a cozy, low-key atmosphere.

Brother's Keeper, located on Alton Road in Miami Beach, is a new neighborhood spot that seamlessly blends a dive-bar ambiance with top-notch cocktails and inventive bites. The establishment exudes a moody, dark and friendly atmosphere, enhanced by neon tube lighting, a 25-foot saltwater aquarium behind the bar and nostalgic ’80s rock tunes. Enjoy their daily happy hour from 5 to 7pm or visit on Friday and Saturday nights for DJ sets starting at 10pm.

Order this: Don’t skip the Bread Service Martini, served with a warm croissant of course.

When I entered Mac’s Club Deuce at 8am on a random Tuesday, I did not expect to find the bar filled with people who had not stumbled in from the night before, but woken up at the crack of dawn just to sit there with a cold one. The great Mac Klein ran this bar, one of Miami’s oldest, until he passed away in 2016 at the ripe old age of 101. Today, his bar lives on just as he intended it: old-school, smoky and unpretentious. Stop here to drink beneath the bar’s neon lights, which were installed during the filming of a Miami Vice episode.

Order this: Don’t expect to order a cocktail of any kind here; stick to ice-cold beers and spirits and sodas, lest you want the regulars to sneer.

Moody, intimate, nostalgic—the Standard Spa Miami Beach’s sexy little cocktail den harkens back to bars of the ‘70s and ‘80s, when drinks were more involved and people actually sat around to sip them. Monterrey Bar’s menu puts a modern spin on classic tipples with thoughtful garnishes and tableside finishers that enhance the overall drinking experience.

Time Out tip: Though there is lounge seating, the money stools are at the elegant U bar that’s central to the whole concept. 

The Bay Club, right next to Lucali in SoBe’s Sunset Harbour neighborhood, is a cozy, wood-trimmed locals’ bar known for its wild karaoke nights, comedy shows and live music. With its tiny size—you’re at the end in ten steps—it feels like a true neighborhood gem. Patrons enjoy classic cocktails alongside Lucali’s menu, including happy-hour deals on bites like wings and meatballs. Its unpretentious charm and lively atmosphere make it a go-to for locals looking to unwind.

Downtown favorite Margot Bar & Bistro returns to South Beach, where it first premiered as a pop-up at Nikki Beach. This second outpost serves up a curated menu of natural wines, creative cocktails and seasonal dishes like ceviche, branzino and steak tartare. With its ’70s Scandinavian-meets-’80s Italian aesthetic, Margot is a hidden gem perfect for locals and visitors seeking a laid-back yet stylish spot for natty wine, drinks and bites.

When the team behind Lost Boy Dry Goods opened in Downtown, nobody expected a damn good cocktail bar smack in the center of what was then an area with little draw. Apparently, they repeated this thinking with Tropezón on touristy Española Way. Here, they’ve done up an Andalusian gin and tapas theme, and it’s primarily about that gin, with nearly two dozen variations infused with everything from nuts to cured meats.

Order this: Needless to say, a goblet of gin and tonic is a solid order here, but we’re privy to the fino martini.

As the name implies, Minibar is diminutive. But what it lacks in size it makes up for in personality. The decor is chic, the vibe is intimate and laidback and the cocktails are really solid. On an island where seldom is described as “low key,” Minibar has remained a quintessential watering hole for South of Fifth cool kids—a place where we like to start or end our nights at 11pm or later.

Time Out tip: On the weekends, resident DJs play a solid mix of ’80s and ’90s-heavy dance hits, from Queen and Abba to Technotronic and everything in between. 

If you were to think about Twist as a human being, you’d see it as a tanned and horny 22-year-old man, slowly unbuttoning his shirt to show you the best South Beach has to offer. While gay clubs in South Beach have come and gone, Twist has remained the place for any gay man in town to end his night since the 90s. Two levels and seven bars make this a must-visit—you can bar-hop without ever having to step outside the premises.

Miami Beach’s oldest brewpub serves up divey vibes (read: pool, darts, jukebox) and a welcome change of pace from the frilly Lincoln Road, which sits just a block behind it. Fans rave about the house-brewed beers and the stellar IPA lineup, but booze is also on the menu here.

This stunning third-floor rooftop overlooking Lincoln Road is part of a multi-level concept that also includes an exclusive members club and intimate omakase counter. The indoor-outdoor terrace features two bars, both of which are first come, first served—or you could opt for a reservation at one of the restaurant's many lounge-style tables, ideal for a group. Nightly, live fire dancers (some of the most impressive we've seen anywhere) light up the beautiful central water feature, which anchors the lush, Mediterranean-Asian-inspired space.

The Deuce isn’t the only spot in South Beach where you’ll find neon lights, a dingy pool table, cheap-as-dirt drinks and a rotating cast of lovable degenerates. A stalwart sports dive in the ever-trendy and manicured South of Fifth ’hood, Ted’s is a dark and cool escape from the elements where dogs are welcome and dress codes are strictly unenforced.

This disco ball-strewn, neighborhood gay lounge recently got a well-deserved glow-up in its South Beach digs on Washington Avenue. You and your friends will most likely spend the night rubbing up against fellow cuties in the tight space in between the bar and the booths, which definitely passes as a dancefloor in our book.

Time Out tip: A few other things we love about Nathan’s? They host South Beach’s only late-night happy hour (1–3am) and on Pop Mondays, you can catch drag performances every 15 to 30 minutes. 

Plenty of South Beach hotels have a rooftop bar, but Watr stands out enough to make braving the tourists (and the price tags) worth it. If you’re set on a sleek, buzzy cocktail scene with 360-degree ocean and city views, it doesn’t get more spectacular than Watr.

Time Out tip: Non-hotel guests should plan to make reservations for dinner (recently revamped with a Japanese-inspired menu), which lights up nightly with DJs and live performances.

The team behind Ariete and Chug’s cooked up this petite, polished South of Fifth bar. ScapeGoat prides itself on its cocktails, which are quite good, but don’t expect the serious cocktail bar attitude here. It’s a lowkey atmosphere, but things can get silly at night. At happy hour, which runs from Sunday through Thursday from 5 to 8pm and 1 to 3am, score $10 cocktails like a basil gimlet and rum punch.

This is Miami’s undisputed champion of drag brunch. They practically invented the pairing of mimosas and drag queens and continue to do it (on the sidewalk of Ocean Drive, no less) better than anyone in town.

Time Out tip: Reservations for the popular weekend brunch shows are advised. The $55 per person fee comes with food and bottomless mimosas.

Kill Your Idol is a beloved, for-the-people bar in a chunk of South Beach ripe with tourist traps. Don’t fear the life-size statue of Bruce Lee hanging menacingly over the bar. He is simply there to ensure you have a blast in this classic Miami Beach joint that maintains old-school South Beach hours, opening at 8pm and not closing until 4am every day. Also of note: it’s a good place to catch local rock bands.

Head to The Roof at Esmé Miami Beach Hotel for breezy sunset drinks and laidback tunes from local DJs Monday through Thursday starting at 5pm. Cocktails go for $10 during happy hour (through 7pm), but this poolside bar's hip, chilled-out scene and jugs of excellent house-made sangria make for a worthy stop no matter the time of day.