Editorial
Miami was built for rooftop drinking. The Atlantic, Biscayne Bay and the Brickell skyline are all visible from elevated bars across the city. The 10 below cover Brickell, South Beach and the Upper East Side.
Sugar crowns the EAST Miami on the 40th floor, the highest rooftop in Brickell. The Balinese-styled garden terrace and hand-carved bar pull a dressed-up after-work crowd that thickens past 7 PM. Order the prosecco-based Petal Fizz and claim a tiki lounge before sunset for the full Biscayne Bay sweep. Weekend reservations move fast, so arrive by 6 for a railing seat.
Juvia sits atop the 1111 Lincoln Road garage, a penthouse rooftop with a living green wall and South Beach at its feet. The crowd skews polished and 30-plus, and the kitchen leans French, Japanese and Peruvian. Order the tuna pizza and a sharp martini, then time a 6 PM table for golden hour. Book ahead, because walk-ins wait on weekends.
Area 31 perches on the 16th floor of the Kimpton EPIC, looking down the Miami River toward the bay. The sustainable seafood program drives it, so order the ceviche and a mezcal cocktail at the bar. It runs quieter and more local than the South Beach rooftops, best on a weekday at dusk. Happy hour lands between 4 and 7 PM.
Rosa Sky floats above Brickell at the AC Hotel, a blush-toned lounge with 360-degree skyline views. The signature Rosa Sky, strawberry and lemongrass vodka under a rose-shaped ice cube, is the order. A camera-ready crowd fills the pool deck after 8 PM on weekends. Come early on a weeknight for the calmer room and a clean western sunset.
Watr tops the 1 Hotel South Beach 18 stories above the sand, all reclaimed wood and ocean air. The kitchen runs Japanese and Peruvian, so order the baked truffle lobster sushi and book a cabana if you can. The room shifts from sunset cocktails to a louder late scene. Best between 5 and 8 PM, when the light does the work.
Strawberry Moon runs the third-floor pool deck at the Goodtime Hotel on Washington Avenue, a day-to-night swim club. It is high-energy and design-led, the crowd young and dressed to be seen. Order a spritz poolside and stay for the DJ shift after dark. Day passes sell out in season, so book a daybed for weekends or arrive before noon.
The Betsy keeps its rooftop grown-up and calm, a deck above Ocean Drive with two pools and a wellness garden. There is no thumping DJ here; the draw is the quiet and the cocktails. Order a classic daiquiri and settle in at dusk. It suits a date or a slower night, and hotel guests keep it from ever tipping into a club.
The Eden Roc rooftop looks back across Mid-Beach from its perch on Collins Avenue, a sleek deck above the landmark hotel. The crowd mixes guests and locals chasing the Atlantic view. Order a rum cocktail and time a late-afternoon table before the sun drops behind the city. It stays quieter midweek; weekends draw a poolside party set.
Serena runs the open-air second floor of the Moxy South Beach, a lush terrace built on Oaxaca and Mexico City patio cues. Expect color, mezcal and a laid-back weekend brunch crowd that lingers into the evening. Order an agave flight and tacos, and aim for a late-afternoon table. It is the most relaxed room on this list and rarely needs a deep-pocket reservation.
SipSip tops the Mayfair House in Coconut Grove, a Calypso-styled rooftop leaning into Miami's Caribbean roots. The draw is the deep rum list and a slower, leafy Grove setting away from the Beach crowds. Order a classic daiquiri or a rum old fashioned and settle in at sunset. Best on a warm weeknight, when the terrace stays unhurried.
Miami stacks its best rooftops on hotels, trading street level for Biscayne Bay, the Atlantic and the Brickell skyline. The list runs from Brickell sky lounges like Sugar and Rosa Sky to South Beach pool decks and the quieter Coconut Grove terrace at SipSip.
Most rooms peak between 5 and 9 PM at sunset. Book ahead in season and arrive before the light drops; Sugar, Juvia and Strawberry Moon fill fastest on warm weekends.
Which Miami rooftop bar is the highest? Sugar on the 40th floor of the EAST Miami in Brickell is the highest rooftop bar in the city, with a garden terrace and full Biscayne Bay views.
Which Miami rooftop is best for sunset? Watr at the 1 Rooftop on South Beach and Rosa Sky in Brickell both catch a clean western sunset; arrive between 5 and 7 PM and book ahead on weekends.
Where are the quieter rooftops away from the South Beach crowd? Area 31 at the Kimpton EPIC downtown and SipSip at the Mayfair House in Coconut Grove stay calmer and more local than the Beach hotel rooftops.
Do Miami rooftop bars take reservations? Sugar, Juvia and Strawberry Moon fill fast and take bookings; reserve for weekends or arrive before 6 PM for a railing seat.