7 March 26 - april 1, 2026 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | 7 February 26 - March 4, 2026 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | CONTENTS | LETTERS | NEWS | NIGHT+DAY | CULTURE | CAFE | MUSIC | Where Miami Goes for Next-Level Cocktails This is where the city gets serious about what’s in the glass. Expect precision, creativity, and bartenders who treat every drink like it actually matters. Bar Kaiju Little River/Little Haiti A neighborhood cocktail bar featuring beasts from around the world, located upstairs at the Citadel in Little Haiti. A lot of fun techniques here, from house carbonation systems to clarifica- tions and fermentations, all driving a playful but serious cocktail pro- gram. The menu features Kaijus (large monsters) in the style of Pokémon cards, which also doubles as an actual game, making this one of the more interactive (and unex- pected) drinking experiences in Mi- ami. Tip: You can buy their cocktail cards, although not a recipe, they do double as a playable card game. — Giovanny Gutierrez, Miami Mixologist. 8300 NE Second Ave., Second Floor, Miami, at the Citadel; barkaiju.com. Cafe La Trova Little Havana Quintessential Miami experience. Live music, great happy hour, and food by Michelle Bernstein. A rum- forward program bringing that full Little Havana en- ergy into one place. But beyond the vibe, it deserves every accolade: Food & Wine’s Top 15 Bars, Tales of the Cocktail Best U.S. Bar, and World’s 50 Best Bars at No. 9 in 2023. One of those places that actually lives up to it. Tip: Don’t dismiss a proper rum pairing with one of Julio Cabrera’s Sacrificio cigars. — Giovanny Gutierrez, Miami Mixologist. 971 SW Eighth St., Miami; 786-615- 4379; cafelatrova.com. Champagne Bar at The Surf Club Surfside This palm-fringed room inside the Four Season’s Surf- side is the most majestic of all bars on this list. Imagi- native cocktails and top hospitality make it my favorite place to celebrate anything, including being alive on a Monday afternoon. With a massive list of champagnes, it is one of those rare places that makes you feel bubbly and glamorous any day of the week. — Giovanny Guti- errez, Miami Mixologist. 9011 Collins Ave., Surfside, at the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club; 305-381-3333; fourseasons.com. Panamericano Bar Brickell Sitting quietly above the noise of Brickell, Panameri- cano offers a cocktail experience that feels worlds away from the neighborhood’s louder nightlife spots. The intimate bar inside Casa Tua Cucina focuses on Latin American spirits and ingredients, drawing inspi- ration from across the continent and highlighting rum, mezcal, pisco, and cachaça. The room attracts industry professionals and cocktail enthusiasts who appreciate precision without the theatrics. It is the kind of place where a single drink can turn into a full evening of slow conversation. 900 S. Miami Ave., Ste. 260, Miami; 305- 403-7304; panamericanobar.com. Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company South Beach Sweet Liberty is that late-night anchor in Miami Beach, our version of Cheers. Conceived and run by T here are a few things Miami does better than a night out. It’s in the rhythm of the city, the way the air feels just a little heavier after sunset, the way conversations stretch longer over one more round, the way a great bar can turn a random Tuesday into something worth remembering. And whether that round is an ice-cold Peroni, our sponsor for this year’s guide, or a meticulously crafted cocktail, the ritual stays the same. From dives, cocktail havens, and breweries to new watering holes and old classics that stand the test of time, there’s no shortage of places to catch a buzz in the metro area. But which are the best bars of the bunch, the spots at the very top of their game? For years, New Times has taken on the ambitious task of round- ing up the Top 100 Bars across the 305. But this year, we decided to sharpen our focus and our standards. The list has been cut in half, distilled to just 50 standout spots, each earning its place for consis- tency, creativity, and that unmistakable Miami energy. Moving for- ward, we will update this list twice a year, returning each spring and fall to make sure every bar still holds up, still delivers, and still deserves a night on your calendar. For a fun twist this year, we also brought in one of Miami’s most recognizable voices in the cocktail world. Cuban-born Miamian Giovanny Gutierrez, founder and host of Chat Chow TV, joined us on this year’s list as a collaborator. A mixologist and cocktail consultant who serves as a national Bacardi ambassador for premium rums, Gutierrez has spent years shaping how Miami drinks, both locally and on the global stage, through his food-and-beverage events. He contributed to 15 bars on this list, each marked with “— Giovanny Gutierrez, Miami Mixologist,” offering his expert eye and deep- rooted perspective on the city’s evolving bar scene. We’re doing this because Miami’s bar scene never sits still. It evolves with the city, shaped by the people behind the bar counter, the neighborhoods they call home, and the cultures that in- fluence every pour. You will not find cozy cider dens built for cold winters here. Instead, you will find dai- quiris rooted in Cuban tradition, recipes passed down from an abuelo who knew exactly how to balance rum, lime, and sugar, alongside boundary-pushing cocktails where yuzu, mango, and whatever is freshest that week collide in a single glass. This list reflects all of it. The polished rooftop lounges where cocktails come with skyline views. The dimly lit dives where the floors are sticky, the drinks are cheap, and the stories are better than anything on your phone. The new guard, places like ViceVersa, where the Negroni gets a modern remix, and the legends that refuse to fade, like Mac’s Club Deuce, still pouring two- for-ones nearly a century later, or the Bar in Coral Gables, where time seems to slow down just enough for one more round. Some longtime favorites did not make the cut this time, and that is part of the story, too. This city moves fast. Tastes change. New contenders rise. But what remains is a collection of bars that, right now, define what it means to drink in Miami. So whether you are chasing a perfectly balanced cocktail, a no- frills beer, or just a place that feels like yours the moment you walk in, consider this your guide. Your starting point. Your excuse to stay out a little later. Cheers to the 305! B A R S T O P Photo by Giovanny Gutierrez Bar Kaiju — Nicole Lopez-Alvar Miami New Times food editor
