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Photo courtesy of Fontainebleau Miami Beach

A popular Rat Pack hangout back in the 1950s, the iconic Bleu Bar at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach has had its fair share of glitz and glam over the decades. With a white, sleek, teardrop-shaped bar and majestic gold columns, it has an exclusive but accessible energy fitting for a hotel bar. In 2021, it was heavily renovated with massive art deco glass installations, providing it with some separation from the Chateau lobby. The cocktail menu is rife with classics, fancy flights, and plenty of wine and Champagne options. The crowd is a mix of vacationers, often with skin so red it hurts, and hard-chested, glitter-faced clubbers readying for a long night at LIV. And if there's a celebrity that owns an alcohol brand in town, chances are they'll find their way behind the bar to pour drinks for anyone lucky enough to be there at precisely the right moment.

Looking to actually have fun on your mom's night out or for a place to laugh with your new boo? Well, Happy Wine in the Grove has fun on the menu — right after all the wines, and not literally. Any day of the week, you're guaranteed to make memories with a glass in hand and tapas in mouth. And there's plenty of atmosphere! The tables are made from casks, crates, and a door-size plank of wood propped up by barrels at each end. And the events! They have traditional tastings but also have hosted a guided tasting with flamenco and a four-course meal. Whatever the occasion, Happy Wine is a good time with a fine wine.

Klaw photo

Imagine this: a world where you can go to Klaw — that really fancy spot with the Alaskan crab legs and aged ribeye — and not spend $700 per person while enjoying stunning bay views. That place exists! You just have to take the elevator one floor up from Klaw proper and head to Edgewater's only rooftop bar. The views at the Rooftop by Klaw are breathtaking, especially if you sit outside under the retractable roof (to account for Miami's intermittent rain). Another bonus? It has more affordable menus than the downstairs restaurant, so you can get brunch and happy hour — which runs from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., even on Saturdays — without spending your mortgage on a meal. Plus, you're scoring an unmatched night out and the perfect way to impress that one cousin who swears their hometown is "so much better."

Flanigan's photo

When Googling "Flanigans," the first question that appears is: "Is Flanigan's Seafood Bar and Grill a Florida thing?" You're goddamn right. Since 1959, Miamians have canonized the nautical-themed Flanigan's. The menu has no-holds-barred American fare, and everything is supersized, whether you like it or not. Between the succulent, fall-off-the-bone baby back ribs and tender fish sandwiches, finger-licking-good wings, Joe's Rockin' Rib Rolls™, and nachos the size of Mount Everest, every dish is a hit when you're enjoying the sports games on the myriad TVs. The restaurant's venerated large green cups with the caricature of the founder (Joe "Big Daddy" Flanigan) adorn everyone's home — whether stolen or purchased. So raise those big plastic cups for a toast: to a winning Dolphins season, good company, and another 60 years of a tried-and-true Miami institution.

Photo courtesy of Tripping Animals Brewing Co.

Brewing beer is an art form that, thankfully, Miami is rich in. The Doral-based Tripping Animals Brewing is the love child of four friends who have a deep appreciation for the hoppy amber liquid. Founded in 2018, the established brewery has a generous selection of housemade brews in its taproom, which is open to the public daily. They've got lagers, dark lagers, pilsners, stouts, IPAs, and sours, all on tap and all fresh. There are 19 draft beer options available, including fan favorites like No Mames, Ever Haze, and Hound of Hades. Tripping isn't just about their taproom. Their annual Irie Jungle is one other way the brewery brings together hopheads and other local and national breweries for a daylong fest celebrating all things beer. The most delicious part about Tripping? The brewery recently opened its Trippy Kitchen, so you can line the tank and fill it, all under one roof.

Photo by Ruben Cabrera

Happy hour is not just a time for cheapskates to suck down their weight in booze, it's actually a ceremonial time to convene with current and future friends and to go deep on the hot goss with co-workers. So, if you're not comfortable with the idea of a regular happy hour, Mo Bar + Lounge at the Mandarin Oriental is the place for you. It's even branded its drink specials as "social hour." It takes place from 5 to 7 p.m. daily with cocktails and wines for just $9 and a selection of local beers for $5. We suggest you try the Miami-inspired punch made with bourbon, guava puree, lime juice, sugar syrup, and bitters and pair it with a couple of sushi rolls and a sunset over the bay.

Photo by Anthony Nader/52 Chefs

Tucked discreetly into the mezzanine at the Citadel, you'll find kitschy Bar Kaiju, which roughly translates to "strange beast." With a speakeasy-style, Kaiju takes its theme super seriously. Its cocktail menu is fully inspired by fictional monsters. The current iteration features a collection of pocket monsters and is presented in a Trapper Keeper like the ones that used to hold your Pokémon cards or, if you're older, homework. The menu includes information about the monster itself, its characteristics, and how that beastly creature translates into an elegantly balanced cocktail. Creative and fun with unexpected flavor pairings — the "Chukwa" is a clarified milk punch made with Aberfeldy, mango lassi, curry, coconut, and a bit of CO2, and the "Kappa" is a martini-style beverage made with Bombay Sapphire, coconut, cucumber, shiso, and nori.

Oh Mexico! photo

There are margaritas, and then there are Oh! Mexico margaritas. This South Beach Mexican restaurant, with three locations on Española Way, Ocean Drive, and Lincoln Road, has plenty of variations on the drink theme. Whatever your margarita jones, this place has got the cure, with a range of tequilas and mezcals to choose from and tons of flavor profiles. Kiwi, jalapeño, watermelon, and cucumber all promise refreshing and surprising moments. Order yours on the rocks, frozen, large, or smaller. And Oh! Mexico also turns its margaritas into popsicles, the perfect way to brave a blazing beach.

Photo by Gary James / Courtesy of Carma PR

The main tools you need for an awesome martini: an ice-cold glass and quality booze. And established South of Fifth steakhouse Prime 112 knows how to get the job done right. Known for serving celebrity clientele, the bartenders can stir (or shake, if you fancy yourself a James Bond type) one mean martini. Whether you're into vodka or gin, blue cheese-stuffed olives or a twist, or maybe something a little sweeter like a lychee martini, Prime 112 whips this cocktail up exactly to your specifications, serves them super cold, and, mercifully, filled to the brim.

Seth Browarnik / WorldRedEye.com

Miami Beach's Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company has killer drinks and sets a vibe with DJs and live music. But best of all? It serves up the best of the best bar food. That's thanks to a menu by James Beard-winning chef Michelle Bernstein, who packed it with filling and fantastic fare, like her famous fried chicken, cauliflower nachos, and a tuna crudo that's absolutely melt-in-your-mouth amazing. The neon sign asking you to "pursue happiness"? These folks know that happiness is a full late-night belly. The entire menu is served every day until 4:30 a.m., so you'll barely have to leave the dance floor to get in that late-night bite.

Best Of Miami®

Best Of Miami®