12 March 28 - april 3, 2024 miaminewtimes.com | browardpalmbeach.com New Times | music | cafe | culture | Night+Day | News | letters | coNteNts | Month XX–Month XX, 2008 miaminewtimes.com MIAMI NEW TIMES | MUSIC | CAFE | FILM | ART | STAGE | NIGHT+DAY | METRO | RIPTIDE | LETTERS | CONTENTS | your friend can tune into badminton. If you’re on a budget, Duffy’s offers BOGO for most beers and mixed drinks, all day, every day. Translation: Literally every hour of the day is your own personal happy hour. Don’t forget to pack your swimsuit: Duffy’s has a pool (and more bars) on an outdoor deck directly on the Intracoastal. A bar with cheap drinks, water views, and a place to cool off: That’s an only- in-Miami nirvana if ever there was one. Elbo Room 241 S. FORT LAUDERDALE BEACH BLVD., FORT LAUDERDALE 954-463-4615 ELBOROOM.COM Not many bars can boast the style heft of the Elbo Room, which has been slinging drinks since 1938. The dual-level bar blessed with direct views of Fort Lauderdale Beach be- came the ultimate spring-break destination for your grandparents when a little film called Where the Boys Are was released in 1961. And, although it looks like that might have been the last time the joint was painted, the Elbo Room endures. It literally weathers the storm by staying open during tropical storms, serving cheap drinks, and hosting live music. So entrenched is the Elbo Room that it has its own beach cam. Esotico Miami 1600 NE FIRST AVE., MIAMI 305-800-8454 ESOTICOMIAMI.COM Given Miami’s subtropical climate, you might think there would be more tiki-themed bars serving boat drinks festooned with fresh fruit and tiny umbrellas. Esotico is one of the few, but it’s a grand place indeed. The 3,400-square-foot space is done up in hand- cut wallpaper, lush greenery, and Polynesian decor to create just the right tiki atmosphere. Guests can enjoy drinks created by Daniele Dalla Pola, a partner in parent company Graspa Group and a longtime tiki fan. Tiki cocktails are known the world over for their potent combination of spirits, spices, and fruits. The ones at Esotico are prepared with fresh-squeezed juices and housemade mixes and served in custom-designed tiki mugs. Collectors can take home a limited-edition mug such as the King Ta Moko — an Elvis- themed chalice that holds a blend of gin, pas- sionfruit, fresh citrus, and ginger orgeat syrup. Right next door (or through a secret door near the bathrooms), you’ll find a sister spot, a speakeasy called Kaona — and if you thought Esotico was tiki paradise, just wait until you take a peek in here. Flanigan’s Seafood Bar & Grill 2721 BIRD AVE., MIAMI 305-446-1114 FLANIGANS.NET Ask nearly anyone in Miami, and they’re likely to tell you that their favorite place to have an unpretentious round of drinks is Flanigan’s. Joe “Big Daddy” Flanigan opened the first Flanigan’s in 1959 in Pom- pano Beach. The nautical-themed bar was a hit for its ice-cold beer, fresh seafood, and baby back ribs. The only thing that has changed since then is that, with 24 locations in South Florida, you could probably spin around and throw a dart and hit a Flani- gan’s. Now that’s progress. Fox’s Lounge 6030 S. DIXIE HIGHWAY, SOUTH MIAMI 305-703-6553 FOXSLOUNGE.COM For seven decades, Fox’s Sherron Inn was Miami’s dark bar: a place to drink martinis, canoodle with a secret paramour, or forget your troubles with (or without) a buddy. Fox’s closed in July 2015, but Lost Boy & Co.’s Chris Hudnall and Randy Alonso have reconstituted the joint as Fox’s Lounge. Their loving attention to detail brings instant nostalgia to all who pass through its doors. The martinis are strong, the fried chicken is classic, and the bar is as dark and cool as a cave. Walking in, it takes a minute to adjust your eyes to the dimly il- luminated palace of cocktails, but there’s no adjusting to the precisely crafted drinks, the classic menu, and the friendly banter be- tween you and the new friend you made at the bar. The new Fox’s is a welcome and won- derful tribute to old Miami. The Gibson Room 2224 SW 22ND ST., MIAMI 305-570-4311 THEGIBSONROOMMIAMI.COM When Michael Beltran saw a space become available just a few short blocks from where his grandparents lived in Miami’s Shenan- doah neighborhood, the chef knew he had to turn it into something wonderful. The Gib- son Room is a dark, sophisticated place that offers upgraded versions of classic cocktails like its namesake (a martini garnished with a pickled onion in lieu of an olive) while listen- ing to live jazz. That in itself would make this lounge noteworthy. But Beltran’s food menu takes it up several notches with offerings like a trout tartine, grilled oysters, and oxtail-and- shrimp ramen. Plus, what other cocktail lounges offer Sunday brunch? It’s no surprise that Michelin recently added this classy venue to its Florida Guide. Glitch Bar 905 NE FIFTH AVE., FORT LAUDERDALE 954-616-5762 GLITCHBAR.COM If creative cocktails, craft beers, and an array of retro and vintage video games add up to your idea of the perfect outing, then Glitch is for you. This Fort Lauderdale bar is fully decked out in decor that trans- ports its guests immediately to the 1980s and early ‘90s, with old-school video games like Pac-Man, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and Galaga. You’ll know you’ve found it when you spot the massive Alien and Back to the Future murals on the walls outside. One step inside and you’re in a dimly lit grownups’ playhouse where the cocktail menu rotates regularly and there’s upward of 100 beers available. (In other words, it’s a beer drinker’s paradise.) Open until 2 a.m. on weeknights and 3 a.m. on the weekends, it practically begs you to spend all night here. That said, Glitch opens at noon on Sundays for those in search of a Funday outing. Grails Restaurant & Bar 2800 N. MIAMI AVE., MIAMI 786-870-4313 GRAILSMIAMI.COM Imagine a sneakerhead and sports fan’s dream incarnated as a Wynwood bar, and you’ve got Grails. The walls inside this sports bar are lined with shadow boxes filled with an expansive sneaker collection, while the walls outside are covered in seasonally changing, sports-themed murals. Cocktails are served in collectible porcelain sneakers and paired with upscale bar bites like cheese- burger dumplings. If there’s a game, fight, or match being broadcast, odds are it’s being shown on one of the 50-plus monitors ar- rayed both indoors and out. Pro tip: Visit Grails’ sister bar, Spanglish, next door for high-end, Cuban-inspired cocktails and bites. Gramps 176 NW 24TH ST., MIAMI 855-732-8992 GRAMPS.COM At its entrance, this Wynwood institution boasts “air conditioning, cold beer, and cock- tails.” Indeed, those are the basics for a suc- cessful Miami bar, but Gramps goes the extra mile and then some — from a robust roster of live music, DJs, and drag bingo to some damn fine pizza and more. Ensconce yourself in the bar area or find a table on the patio. A little bit hipster hang, a little bit dive bar — Gramps is a welcome respite for the beer-and-a-shot crowd and the craft-cocktail maven alike. Gramps Getaway 3301 RICKENBACKER CSWY., KEY BISCAYNE 855-732-8992 INSTAGRAM.COM/GRAMPSGETAWAY Beloved Wynwood imbibing institution Gramps has branched out. The former Whis- key Joe’s space on Key Biscayne is now home to Gramps Getaway. What’s it like? Imagine everything you love about the divey vibes of OG Gramps, add an oyster pop-up by the Lazy Oyster and views of Biscayne Bay and the Miami skyline and you’ll get the picture. Affordable cocktails, cheap good beer, and a cool atmosphere created by fun DJs who play nostalgic songs that either get you all in your feels or up and dancing — Gramps Getaway occupies the upper echelon of Miami’s chill- est bars, perfect for a post-beach hang or to watch the sun set over the city with an ice- cold cocktail in hand. Happy’s Stork Lounge and Liquor 1624 79TH ST. CSWY., MIAMI BEACH 305-865-3621 HAPPYSMIAMI.COM If you seek a place where the booze is cheap and the patrons are salty drunks, look no fur- ther than this bar and package store on the 79th Street Causeway, midway between the mainland and the beach. Order a beer or cheap-for-Miami-rail cocktail and strike up a conversation with someone who will proceed to fill you in on what’s really going on around here. Maybe it’ll turn out to be the brilliant/ crazy dude who has lined the walls with his weird straw sculptures. Or the ornery drunk who’s about to get thrown out for refusing to pay his $30 tab because (he insists) his glass is dirty. This dive, which has been around since the 1950s, found a new home in 2023 just 800 feet west of its original location after that land was sold to a developer (so Miami). The new space is a hair brighter and not nearly as dingy, but the vibe survived the short journey intact. And now there’s food — bar staples like smash burgers, Philly cheesesteaks, wings, and more, available until 2 a.m. every night of the week. Happy’s also continues to operate Gramps Getaway Photo by Abel Sanchez TOP 100 BARS
