12 July 2-8, 2026 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 | Cheers! From gorgeous waterfront spots to hidden speakeasies with strong cocktails, here are the 10 best hotel bars in Miami. BY GIOVANNY GUTIERREZ W e have always felt there is something cinematic about a great hotel bar in Miami. They’re the kind of rooms where the lighting makes everyone look a little better, the ice clinks louder than usual, and people seem to be either celebrating or hiding from a mistake. In this city, a hotel bar isn’t just a convenient place to wait for a room key; it’s the main event. Before we jump into the list, we are leav- ing out a few of the obvious heavy hitters be- cause they appear in our Top 50 Best Bars Right Now roundup. This means you won’t see the Champagne Bar, Swizzle, ViceVersa, Medium Cool, Sugar, or Rosa Sky here. Each of these beloved bars has already had its mo- ment (rightfully so). Instead, here are our fresh picks for the ten best hotel bars in Mi- ami for 2026. Cheers! AZ.85 at the Biltmore Hotel One of the best-kept secrets in Miami is hid- den behind red steel doors at the Biltmore Hotel. At Bar AZ.85, you need a poker chip to get into this moody hideaway. It is full of checkered floors, big velvet chairs, and old photos that make it feel like 1926. The place leans into the Biltmore’s history of gambling and mobsters, including the stories about the “Al Capone Suite” on the 13th floor. I don’t re- ally care if the stories are true or not; after two drinks, they start to sound believable. At the Biltmore Hotel, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables; biltmorehotel.com. Bar Centro at the Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa Bar Centro just opened at the Andaz Miami Beach, bringing the kind of drama that Miami loves. José Andrés is in charge here, so there is a lot of liquid nitrogen, smoke, and foam. Peo- ple usually go for the salt air margarita, which has a savory foam on top instead of a salt rim. But the drink I’m obsessed with is the “Reverse Carajillo.” The bar takes Spanish brandy, Licor 43, rum, and cold brew, then freezes them right there with liquid nitrogen. Then they top it with warm tres leches foam. It is cold, creamy, and totally over the top in the best way possible. Round two, please. At the Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa, 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-424-1234; thebazaar.com. The Commodore at The Ritz- Carlton Coconut Grove Inside The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, The Commodore leans fully into old-school lounge energy with leather seating, a fire- place, dark wood details, and a library-in- spired interior that feels made for slow cocktails and long conversations. Named af- ter Coconut Grove pioneer Ralph Middleton Munroe, the bar spills onto an outdoor ter- race that practically begs for a cigar sesh. The cocktails are reason enough to visit, espe- cially during happy hour Monday through Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., but it’s the year-round programming that gives The Commodore real personality, and I’ve even had the chance to partner on a few myself. From the recent Cocktails & Chocolates collaborations with Exquisito to the upcoming Summer Reading for Adults with Books & Books and the holi- day Coquito & Cookies series, the bar some- how manages to feel both neighborhood favorite and hotel hideaway at the same time. At The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, 3300 SW 27th Ave., Miami; ritzcarlton.com. Little Torch at The Shelborne by Proper You will find Little Torch tucked away inside The Shelborne by Proper. It is a small lounge, just 971 square feet, with pink terrazzo floors and low lights. There is usually vinyl playing in the background. It has a quiet, minimal glamour that is hard to find now. Kenny Alex- ander runs the beverage program, and his drinks are inspired by the Florida Keys. I like the “Spicy Guava Cooler” with mezcal and grapefruit, and the “Coconut Manhattan,” which uses Santa Teresa 1796 rum and bour- bon. They also have a signature “Shelborne Martini,” a Vesper variation made with avo- cado-oil-washed Grey Goose, Condesa gin, and fennel, served with garnishes you can add yourself. By the time the cocktail cart moves on and someone flips the record, Little Torch makes the outside world feel a lot less important. At The Shelborne by Proper, 1801 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-341-1400; shelborne.com. The Living Room at Faena Miami Beach The Living Room at Faena is basically a trib- ute to 1950s Miami Beach glitz. It feels like walking into a stage play where everyone is suddenly wearing better clothes and drinking smoked cocktails. There’s live music or DJs every night, and the room is full of velvet and gold lighting. It’s probably one of the best places in the city for people watching. The drinks balance the timeless elegance of old school with a mix of new ideas. Some include “Queen of Collins,” the “French Luxe,” and the “Cathedral.” Each one has its own sense of history. By midnight, the line between ho- tel bar, performance space, and the glamor- ous social life gets wonderfully blurry. At Faena Miami Beach, 3201 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 305-534-8800; faena.com. Matador Bar at The Miami Beach Edition Matador Bar at The Miami Beach Edition has a polished look that doesn’t really age. The room is built around a floating walnut bar with Lucien Clergue photos on the walls. I like that the bar organizes the cocktail menu by style (and one’s mood). “Refreshing,” “Up No Ice,” or “Stirred.” It makes it easy to switch from a cucumber martini to a “Smok- ing Sun,” a mezcal Negroni with Amaro Mon- tenegro and Antica Formula. The food is from Jean-Georges, and the sweet pea guacamole with crunchy tortillas is a must. And if you want to move around, wander outside toward the pool deck or downstairs to Basement. Here you’ll find the hotel’s unexpected ice skating rink and bowling alley with a fully stocked bar and gourmet bites in case you worked up a second appetite. At The Miami Beach Edition, 2901 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; 786-257-4600; editionhotels.com. Monterrey Bar at The Standard Spa, Miami Beach Monterrey Bar has that specific brand of class that The Standard Spa has maintained for a long time. It’s named after the property’s origi- nal 1953 name, the Monterrey Motel. It is a small spot—only about 25 seats—and every- thing revolves around a T-shaped Amazonite bar that glows under a Murano glass chande- lier. They serve classic cocktails like “Sazer- acs,” “Paper Planes,” and “Vespers,” but they also do these holistic drinks with names like “Chakra Kahn,” “Third Eye,” and “Lunar Tide.” The mood stays cool without trying too hard, especially on Friday and Saturday nights during their Vinyl Sound Sessions when local selectors play. The bar has an Aperitivo Hour from 5 to 8 p.m. on weekdays, and the food is actually worth staying for. Once you start or- dering the bao buns, temakis, and crispy katsu sandwiches, what was supposed to be a quick drink usually turns into a whole night pretty fast. At The Standard Spa, 40 Island Ave., Mi- ami Beach; 305-673-1717; monterreybar.com. The Piano Bar at The Betsy Hotel The Piano Bar at The Betsy feels like a piece of old Miami that simply refuses to go away. It’s inside a Michelin Key hotel, and ▼ Café Photo by The Louis Collection The Commodore features leather seating, a fireplace, dark wood details, and a library-inspired interior. Andaz Miami Beach photo >> p13 The Key Lime cocktail at Bar Centro at the Andaz Miami Beach Resort & Spa.
