10 April 10-16, 2025 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 | The Bar 172 GIRALDA AVE., CORAL GABLES 305-442-2730 INSTAGRAM.COM/THEBARGABLES This Giralda Plaza drinking den has been a Coral Gables staple since it opened in 1946 as a beer hall. Notwithstanding its cadre of die- hard regulars, the crowd here skews younger — Millennials and Gen Xers who mass here late at night and on the weekends. If you want to avoid finding yourself packed shoul- der to shoulder as the evening wears on, visit at an off hour for a whistle-wetter and a bite. At a glance, the menu may seem basic — wings, burgers, loaded tater tots — but every dish here is leveled up a skosh. That’s what we call maturity! Barracuda Taphouse & Grill 3035 FULLER ST., MIAMI 305-918-9013 INSTAGRAM.COM/BARRACUDAGROVE Barracuda is more than your average neigh- borhood bar and grill. This pink-hued bar, lo- cated on a side street in Coconut Grove, has been around since 1995. The interior is deco- rated in what could be described as “frat house on the sea” — plenty of UM signs com- pete with shark jaws and the ubiquitous in- ternational currency stapled to every free spot around the bar. What really separates Barracuda from the pack, though, is its ex- tensive beer list — about 60 rotating beers and ciders guarantee that you and your mates will never want for variety. Pair a few brews with some wings or fish dip, feed a few bucks into the jukebox, and you’ve got the makings of a perfect weekend afternoon slipping into evening. Batch Gastropub Miami 30 SW 12TH ST., MIAMI 305-808-5555 BATCHGASTROPUB.COM There’s always a full house at this bustling American gastro- pub. Equal parts sports bar, lounge, and restaurant, Batch is the place to gather for soccer games, NBA tilts, boxing matches, and gridiron show- downs. The restaurant is also lively after work, when Brickell businessfolk and residents alike pour in for lo- cally sourced pub grub, from brisket burgers to brick-oven pizza, that pairs perfectly with a lengthy drink list featuring a wide range of beers, wines, and creative cocktails. Happy hour — Monday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. — is a can’t-miss. The Bay Club 1930 BAY RD., MIAMI BEACH 305-695-4441 INSTAGRAM.COM/BAYCLUBMIAMI Right next to popular South Beach pizza joint Lucali, you’ll find the cozy and quaint Bay Club. The menu is the same as next door, with bonuses like the option to order smaller pies and happy-hour deals on wings, meatballs, caesar salads, and other such bites. The cock- tails are as fun and creative or as classic and un- complicated as you care to regard them. The Bay Club is great for catching up with a friend or going on a second date; you can opt to sit outside on the sidewalk patio, at the bar, or in one of the cozy corner tables, depending on the mood you’re in. Plus, there are comedy shows, karaoke, and live music regularly, meaning there’s always something entertaining going on (in addition to the people-watching). Bayshore Club Bar & Grill 3391 PAN AMERICAN DR., MIAMI 305-209-1200 BAYSHORECLUBMIAMI.COM It’s not that the site has a ton of history be- neath its barstools, including serving as the base for Pan American World Airways’ flying boats (AKA Clipper planes). It’s not that the decor brings to mind the golden age of bur- geoning global travel. It’s not because you can watch boats being brought from dry storage to the water and vice versa — a fascinating process that goes on all day. It’s not even the terrific sunsets you can view over the bay with a drink in your hand. It’s that all of these things together make Bayshore Club our fa- vorite place to toast one other as the salt breeze adds a tinge of our maritime sur- roundings that were here before we arrived and will endure long after we’re gone. The Bend Liquor Lounge 6844 NW 169TH ST., HIALEAH 786-542-1948 THEBENDMIAMI.COM A decade into its existence, the Bend Liquor Lounge remains one of Miami’s top dive bars. Dreamt up by architect Landy Lamas and builder Mo Lacayo (see Chela’s Coctelería) and inconspicuously nestled inside a North Miami-Dade shopping plaza off the Palmetto Expressway just north of the Miami Lakes town line — why does Google insist that’s Hi- aleah? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ — the Bend has all the ingredients for a great neighborhood haunt: a great happy hour, Star Wars memorabilia, and, of course, weekly karaoke. Cozy up to the lounge’s massive bar and in- dulge in one of the Bend’s sig- nature cocktails. That’s right: signature cocktails at a neigh- borhood bar. A suburban neigh- borhood bar, at that — and one that veteran imbibers might remember as the infamous dive known as Our Place. Better Days 75 SE SIXTH ST. STE. 103, MIAMI 786-220-7690 BETTERDAYSMIAMI.COM Brickell’s best-known dive bar, Better Days, is one of those “anything goes” spots that’s great for happy hour or that very last drink of the night. While there’s no formal cocktail menu, the bartenders are ready and willing to make whatever is requested — though tequila shots are a fan favorite. The dark, cozy space is outfitted with a pool table, string lights, and flamingo decor, with a bar in the center and seating in the form of couches and a church pew around the room. In a nutshell, it’s al- ways a better day at Better Days. Black Market Miami 168 SE FIRST ST., MIAMI 305-400-8023 BLACKMARKETMIA.COM Most Miami sports bars have one thing in common: disappointed sports fans. It makes sense, then, that you’d want a sports bar that can make even the worst game seem bearable. That’s where Black Market comes in. In 2017, founders Erick Passo and Mike Mora opened an upscale, well-appointed bar that was a wel- come change to the area’s chain options. It re- mains one of the city’s best spots to hang out come game day. Looking to expand, the duo would reminisce about the memories made at the Bayside Hooters — now the site of a sec- ond location. The latter is equipped with more than 40 TV monitors (many of them outside) and an open-air bar overlooking the marina. And Black Market offers more than mere game-viewing pleasure; it also serves se- riously crafty cocktails alongside a variety of draft craft beers. The food menu, too, is gener- ous, a mix of casual and upscale options that range from burgers, sandwiches, and salads to wings tossed in your choice of sauces. Blackbird Ordinary 729 SW FIRST AVE., MIAMI 305-671-3307 INSTAGRAM.COM/ BLACKBIRDORDINARY This institution in Brickell City Centre has done more than merely survive the ever- changing neighborhood; it has thrived. Evolving as needed, Blackbird Ordinary has reinvented itself for the third time in its dozen-year lifespan. The newest version is inspired by owner Dan Binkiewicz’s child- hood in Miami Beach. It’s dark and moody, with a major bohemian feel and disco balls twinkling all night. Inside the main room, you’ll find cozy booths and plenty of room to dance — and you’ll be dancing on the iconic LED-colored floor that once called Purdy Lounge home. Step “outside” to discover a newly revamped tropical oasis with tall, sta- diumlike ceilings, even more room to dance, and several bars, ensuring that your next drink — say, the classic “Blackbird,” made with sweet-tea vodka, blackberries, and lem- onade — is never too far away. Bleau Bar 4441 COLLINS AVE., MIAMI BEACH 305-674-4760 FONTAINEBLEAUMIAMIBEACH.COM Located in the lobby of the iconic Fontaineb- leau Miami Beach Hotel, Bleau Bar was a popular hangout for the Rat Pack back in the 1950s. These days, it’s a hotspot for grabbing a cocktail before heading to dinner at one of the hotel’s several restaurants or downstairs to dance the night away at LIV. After a 2021 ren- ovation, Bleau Bar debuted a series of 16-foot- tall screens that allow a little separation between the hotel’s entrance and the bar area. Guests can take a seat at the massive teardrop-shaped bar or an exclusive table for bottle service. On the menu: classic cocktails, a broad selection of spirits, and beaucoup people-watching. Bob’s Your Uncle 928 71ST ST., MIAMI BEACH 786-542-5366 BOBSYOURUNCLEMIAMI.COM The original location of this dive bar is on New York’s Upper West Side; the Miami Beach outpost was re-created after owner Danielle Savin flew south and decided this was a great place to open a little watering The Bend Liquor Lounge The Bend Liquor Lounge photo TOP TOP 100 100 BARS
