123 June 27- July 3, 2024 New Times b e s T o f m i a m i ® 2 0 2 4 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com BEST BAR (MIAMI) Miami Sound Bar 123 SE Second Avenue Miami, 33131 786-809-0900 instagram.com/miasoundbar Miamians who are into vinyl bars but don’t want to deal with the hype of hot-spots like Dante’s HiFi have a more subdued but just as cool option with Miami Sound Bar. Nestled be- tween a pizza shop and a pilates gym down- town, Sound Bar was inspired by Japanese listening bars. It has an excellent high-fidelity sound system that’s been used properly by some of Miami’s best DJs, like Jovigibbs and Sinopoli. The intimate setting, with its suede red couches and low lighting, also makes this an easier place to connect with party companions than nearby bars like Lost Boy or Mode. The rotating cock- tail menu is definitely one of the highlights, with musically inspired drinks like “Leaving on a Jet Plane” with pear-infused bourbon and the “Blind Melon,” a tequila-Midori mixture. Bo- nus: This is easily one of the best spots for a first date with a vinyl-curious Gen Zer. BEST BAR (MIAMI BEACH) Swizzle Rum Bar and Drinkery 1120 Collins Avenue Miami Beach, 33139 347-977-6428 swizzlerumbardrinkery.com We love character when it comes to a bar, and Swizzle Rum Bar and Drinkery is full of it. This Miami Beach bar is nestled (AKA fairly well- hidden) inside the Stiles Hotel, which also goes by the name Viajero Miami hostel, a totally un- assuming building on Collins Avenue in the heart of South Beach shenanigans. Once you find your way in, you’re welcomed into a dark drinking den with shelves of spirits, mainly rums, from all over the world. Bartenders are slinging drinks — ranging from classic negronis and old-fashioneds to fun riffs and tailored tropical drinks. Owner Danilo Dacha Bozovic made his way to Miami nearly a decade ago as the principal bartender for the now-defunct Employees Only Miami. When it abruptly closed (in a very Miami fashion — lease battles), he was determined to create a new bar where he and his team could continue to serve well- crafted drinks in a warm, hospitable environ- ment. And so, Swizzle was born. BEST BAR (BROWARD) No Man’s Land Victoria Park Shoppes 666 N. Federal Highway Fort Lauderdale, 33304 954-280-9919 nomanslandparlor.com In an unsuspecting shopping plaza in the heart of Victoria Park next to a Winn Dixie is a hid- den speakeasy with masterful cocktails. No joke. Once you step in, away from the mundane strip mall energy, you’re struck with a whole new vibe that just starts with the golden draped curtains. Blue velvet booths, crystal chande- liers, a bar with a black counter and dark green backsplash, and even a Zoltar Speaks machine give No Man’s Land a vintage look that sucks you in. Despite the upscale appearance, you can totally show up in shorts if you want — hey, it’s freaking Fort Lauderdale (though you may want to dress up a bit for the Miami Beach loca- tion). But whatever your getup, you’ll stand be- side your fellow drinkers amazed by the creatively conceived cocktails, like the $16 “Dirty French Toast,” their take on an espresso martini, and tasty bar bites that the bar sets up with more options each Tiki Tuesday. BEST GAY BAR Ramrod 1508 NE Fourth Avenue Fort Lauderdale, 33304 954-763-8219 ramrodbar.com If you’re looking for a gay bar in the “don’t say gay” state, you need to locate the most in-your- face, unabashedly G-A-Y bar you can find. The place you are looking for is Ramrod. The sug- gestively named bar is celebrating its 30th anni- versary this year, and it’s easy to see why, in the ever-changing landscape of South Florida nightlife, the Ramrod remains. You won’t find supportive parents or bachelorette parties in search of drag queens here; this is an assertively queer establishment. While it calls itself “a Levi, Leather, Uniform bar,” Ramrod is not hung up on your clothing or lack thereof. You may come as you are. They keep people coming with theme nights like Leather, Jockstraps, or Fetish Fridays each week, featuring a few pro- vocative contests for those interested in com- peting. From the annual Mr. Ramrod pageant to their insanely long happy hour stretching from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Ramrod has something to do from sunup to sundown. BEST SUBURBAN BAR Bougainvillea’s Old Florida Tavern 7221 SW 58th Avenue South Miami, 33143 305-669-8577 bougiesbar.com This South Miami staple is one of the buzziest bars you’ll find west of I-95 on any given day. Known better as Bougies to literally anyone who’s ever stepped foot inside since it opened in 2000, it’s inside a ’40s-era cottage, and, over the years, has expanded to include a few differ- ent outdoor areas with satellite bars and plenty of seating. Bougies is the go-to spot for subur- ban dwellers looking for a place to grab some simple drinks close to home to a soundtrack of live local musical acts. Every night, it throws down its own incentives, including kryptonite-
