Miami's bar scene has matured well past its 2000s rooftop-pool reputation. Broken Shaker put serious cocktailing on the map; Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply gave the city a craft cocktail home base. The 10 below cover South Beach, Wynwood and Brickell — the three drinking corners of modern Miami.
Part of our 50 Best Bars in the World listThis article is one chapter in our larger global guide. See the full pillar with every featured city.
Read the world list
The 10 best bars in Miami
01 · Miami
South Beach
$$
All-day · Casual
John Lermayer's enduring Miami room (now run by his team). Daiquiris are the calling card; the cheeseburger is the sleeper.
Order: Daiquiri No. 3
02 · Miami
Mid-Beach
$$
Hotel garden · Tropical
At Freehand Hotel. Garden-pool cocktail bar that won James Beard for Outstanding Bar Program. Tropical-leaning, hyper-fresh ingredients.
Order: A garden-herb-led tropical
03 · Miami
Upper East Side
$$
All-day · Tiki garden
Indoor-outdoor tiki garden in a quiet stretch of Upper East Side. The most relaxed Miami drinking room.
Order: A frozen tiki spec in the garden
04 · Miami
Wynwood
$
Dive + cocktails · Yard
Wynwood institution — looks like a dive, drinks like a cocktail bar. The yard becomes a small festival on weekend nights.
Order: A Miami Mule
05 · Miami
Downtown
$
Late-night dive · Hot dogs
24-hour Downtown Miami bar. Hot dogs, late-night DJs, cocktails that punch above the late-night format.
Order: An old fashioned at 4 AM
Weekly editorial
The bars worth going to, weekly.
One email per week. The bars our editors are recommending right now, across 60 cities worldwide.
Free. Unsubscribe anytime.
06 · Miami
Wynwood
$$
Garden · Brunch + drinks
Indoor-outdoor Wynwood space. All-day — coffee in the morning, cocktails by night. The garden is the draw.
Order: A boozy brunch cocktail or a serious evening signature
07 · Miami
Little Havana
$$
1935 · Live Latin music
Operating since 1935. Live Latin music nightly. The most authentic Cuban-American bar in Miami.
Order: A mojito + live salsa
08 · Miami
South Beach
$$$
Hotel bar · Cocktails
Bar Lab's South Beach cocktail program inside the Goodtime Hotel. The drinks rival the hotel's pool scene.
Order: A signature cocktail at the long bar
09 · Miami
Wynwood
$$
Wine bar · Garden
Wine and small plates with a garden patio. Live music on weekends. The wine list is broader than the casual format suggests.
Order: A glass of natural wine + their cheese plate
10 · Miami
Mid-Beach
$$$
Bowling + cocktails · Hotel
At the Miami Beach EDITION. Bowling alley + ice rink + cocktail bar in one. Cocktails are taken seriously despite the format.
Order: A boilermaker between frames
More Miami bars by categoryCocktail, rooftop, hidden gem — the full Miami index.
See the full list
How to drink in Miami if you're not poolside
Most visitors do Miami wrong by sticking to the South Beach hotel circuit. Wynwood is where locals drink — Gramps, The Anderson, Lagniappe form the core. South Beach has Broken Shaker and Sweet Liberty for serious craft. Brickell brings the rooftop hotel bars (Sugar). The Cuban-influenced bars (Ball & Chain) are essential for context.
