Two Miami Bars Make List of Best Bars in America

Over the past few years, Miami's cocktail scene has exploded with world-renowned bartenders, insanely cool bars, and even pop-ups from critically acclaimed bars from around the world.

The cocktail scene in the Magic City has grown so much that two of Miami's newest bars have just been named the very best in the country.

According to Esquire, Medium Cool in South Beach and Kaiju inside the Citadel food hall in Little River are two of the best bars in America.

Medium Cool in South Beach

Just when we thought Medium Cool couldn't get any cooler, the bar made yet another impressive list by a major publication. Just this past April, the South Beach hotspot was named one of the top ten best new bars in the United States by Tales of the Cocktail Foundation during its 18th annual Spirited Awards.

Now, the cool bar is adding another accolade to its growing list.

"The name says it all," starts Esquire's Kevin Sintumuang. "In South Beach, which teems with hot spots that are just a little too clubby, Medium Cool straddles the line between world-class cocktail bar and a place where you can listen to live jazz or a DJ set and, if the mood strikes, get up and dance. And you probably will." He has a point — just entering the bar is an experience in itself. Once guests make it past the velvet rope, they are escorted downstairs into the dark bar that's illuminated by a disco ball and a roving spotlight or two, which is the perfect backdrop for some dancing.

Sintumuang adds, "MC [Medium Cool] could easily kill it as just another bar with a doorman and velvet banquettes, but the fact that it is low-key one of the best cocktail bars in America (and not in a snooty sense—it has a shots menu) makes it a must-stop in Miami."

Kaiju at the Citadel

Make your way to the mezzanine of the Citadel food hall, and you'll find a dim, red-backlit bar — and one of the best cocktail bars in America.

According to Sintumuang, he chose the hidden spot thanks, in part, to its nerdiness. "When your eyes adjust, you notice the nerdiness. The bar is an homage to kaiju (Japanese monsters), and the menu arrives in a nylon zippered case containing Pokémon-like cards with descriptions of the drinks, all named after said monsters," he explains. "The staff commits to the bit: When a drink is delivered to you, the bartender explains where its name came from. It might seem a bit silly at first, but then you sip, and you realize that these drinks are some of the most creative you'll find in this corner of the country. Cheers to staying weird."

He's right — the drink list is laid out like a graphic novel populated by mythical monsters from around the world and creatively crafted drinks to match their attributes. The "Sinsinito" ("Savage"), for instance, is made with Patrón silver tequila, tepache (a fermented pineapple beverage), amaro, and a spiced corn foam on top that floats like a cloud of creamy deliciousness.

Kaiju founder Derek Stilmann says his enterprise is, most importantly, a place for people to hang out and have a good time — that, and a tribute to the creativity of humans. And boy, are the humans behind this bar creative.