Top Bars and Cafes in Miami Beach

Blue

South Beach meets Manhattan's East Village in this cozy, chrome-and-chic bar with live DJs in the upstairs lounge area. Weekends are crowded but friendly and there's no cover charge. Located in a quaint and busy side street that's like a miniature version of Lincoln Road, this bar has some of the best locals nights in town. There's a very tiny dance area, but the bar's main focus is cocktails and company. Try the apple-infused vodka!

Marlin Bar

Enjoy Jamaican jerk chicken and Caribbean cocktails at this chic hotel bar. Every day from 5p to 8p, the bar hosts a happy hour complete with complimentary Island snacks. Later in the evening, the hotel presents different themed club nights, including Ambient Night on Monday and Old-School Funk Night on Saturday. Call for events and cover charges.

Score

Something is going on all the time at this popular 'dance-cruise' bar and there is never a cover charge. Monday's happy hour lasts all night with $3 domestic beers and well drinks. On Wednesdays, Enestra, Queen of Destruction, hosts the Stud Search Strip-Off. Thursday is Members' Night. The other nights are no less of an adventure, featuring some of the best DJs and the hottest looks on the Beach.

Cafe Bonjour

If you're looking for a latte or a mid-day snack and don't want to waste time at a full restaurant, stop by this casual little South Beach cafe. The atmosphere is super-casual (do not come here if you are in a hurry) and very friendly. You can sit inside or outside as you're served sandwiches and snacks, many of which are for the health-conscious. There are more Power Bars than candy bars, more supplement shakes than milkshakes. Breakfast options include espresso drinks, bagels and croissants. No credit cards are accepted.

Lost Weekend

In the midst of the South Beach glamour and hype is this very low-key dive bar. It is right next to the über-stylish Blue but is its exact opposite. Very much a local hangout, it is also a great place for visitors to get a break from the relentless fabulousness that is South Beach. You and a group of your friends can kick back, down USD2 shots (made with things like Goldschlager and Rumplemintz,) and play pool or foosball.

Wet Willie's

The proximity of this busy, casual bar to the Regal Cinemas makes it a great place for a pre-movie drink. Or better yet, a post-movie drink... maybe two. Outdoor seating on the porch is the best choice for people who like a bird's-eye view of the action. The scene indoors is a bit mellower. Cocktails are blended and dangerously delicious. The menu at Wet Willie's favors bar food: burgers, sandwiches, and fries. Whet your palate with their luscious drinks, and you would want the night to never end!

Jimmy Johnson's Three Rings Bar & Grill

This oceanfront sports bar and grill bears the name of the former head coach of the Miami Dolphins and Hurricanes. It features 35 television sets, two big screens, specialty drinks and casual Florida fare. Although menu options are somewhat limited, you are sure to find a few favorites on the list. Selections include appetizers, soups, salads, sandwiches, desserts and entrees. Sports themes and memorabilia abound here. Seating is comfortable and plentiful indoors and outdoors on the 3,000 sq.ft. deck overlooking the Atlantic.

Opium Garden

One of the see-and-be-seen spots of the moment, especially on Wednesday nights, this was originally billed as an oxygen bar/Indonesian restaurant, but in fact the only oxygen is the stuff all around and on a crowded weekend night there is precious little of that. DJ Arnaud Zimmerman plays lounge and pop classics. The restaurant is intimate, with hardwood tables and a mezzanine. The food is Indonesian-inspired, which also includes innumerable creative sushi combinations. The real lure, however, is the scene.

Automatic Slims

This is not just a bar, this is good times with the cheapest cold beers in South Beach. Automatic Slim's plays rock and hip-hop music till an hour before sunrise, with food served until 4a. Live music Wednesdays and Ladies' Night Thursdays. If your looking for a wild time, this bar doesn't mess around.

Waxy O'Connor's Irish Pub

This Miami Beach Irish style pub is very popular with the in-crowd, a combination of pub and fashionable bar. Fashionable though it may be, Waxy O'Connor's still offers up all the calories you would expect from an Irish pub, including the obligatory pint of Guinness or the full American and Irish menu served, including burgers, salads, and Irish specialties like bangers and mash and steak and guinness and beef stew.