1. Cj’S Crab Shack
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 534-3996
Address: 600 Ocean Dr.
Description: Because of its prime Ocean Drive location and late-night hours (open until midnight on weekends) it’s the perfect place to begin an evening—one of the best raw bars in town and a solid alcoholic bar to boot. Mixed drinks include punches, margaritas, and the like. The extensive beer menu includes traditional regular and light choices as well as options ranging from Beck’s Dark and Peroni to Stella and Pilsner Urquell.
2. Dewey’S Tavern
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 532-9980
Address: 852 Alton Rd.
Description: A low-key dive bar, Dewey’s is perfect for those who need a night off from dancing or just don’t feel like dressing up. A jukebox, dartboard, and pool table provide additional entertainment if conversation isn’t enough. It has no-nonsense decor and bartenders tend to be young, female, and attractive. Beers are cheap with domestics like Coors and Miller costing $3.50. The bar’s Saturday night karaoke is known for bringing out the inner Celine Dion in even the most introverted of bar-goers.
3. Lost Weekend
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 672-1707
Address: 218 Espanola Way
Description: The one thing you won’t lose at this low-key bar is money. Dignity, self-respect, and a game of a pool are still very much up for the taking. As with any good dive bar, beers are priced to move and the house drink is a deadly cocktail consisting of Goldschlager and Rumpleminz. A favorite of locals, expect a chill, unpretentious crowd pretty much any day of the week. Also located within the bar (in a corner) is Alibi—a secret purveyor of authentic South Philly cheesesteaks right down to the Amoroso rolls and Whiz. The hidden restaurant also offers surprisingly upscale bar food like hand-cut fries and 8 oz. Angus burgers.
4. Mac’S Club Deuce
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 531-6200
Address: 222 14th St.
Description: Hipsters, drag queens, socialites gone slumming, and local drunks make up the diverse crowd at this legendary dive bar. As with any true dive, the beer is served in plastic cups, the pool table is scuffed up, the bartenders are brash, and the jukebox is filled with classics. Mac’s is open until 5 a.m., which makes it one of the super late-night South Beach hangouts. Legendary late-night sandwich stop, La Sandwicherie is right across street for a quick food fix.
5. Mango’S Tropical Cafe
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 673-4422
Address: 900 Ocean Dr.
Description: A Latin-infused Hard Rock Cafe is probably the best way to describe this popular Ocean Drive fixture. The restaurant’s waterfront location and tropical drinks almost make up for the tourist-laden crowd. Almost. A full menu featuring mostly Latin cuisine is available but, as with most restaurants where servers are scantily clad in leopard prints, food is not really the focus. DJs spin a mix of salsa, merengue, and reggaeton, which can usually be heard from down the street. No matter what the time of day it is, this two-story bar is always packed. Take advantage of two-for-one drink specials during 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. happy hour on weekdays.
6. The Playwright Irish Pub And Restaurant
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 534-0667
Address: 1265 Washington Ave.
Description: Widely considered to be one of Miami’s most authentic Irish pubs, The Playwright is hidden amidst South Beach nightclubs and stretch limos. The ornate mahogany bar, complete with stained-glass windows and an 18th-century pulpit turned DJ booth, is enough to make guests feel like they are in a pub in Dublin, even with Miami’s inimitable humidity. Guinness and a dozen other beers are available on tap along with cocktails, wine, and, of course, whiskey. The bar shows all major sporting events, including soccer and rugby, on its 13 plasma TVs and 3 giant screens. The menu offers a range of dishes, but Irish fare including corned beef and cabbage and Irish stew are the highlights.
7. Ted’S Hideaway
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 532-9869
Address: 124 2nd St.
Description: This laid-back beach bar is the place to go if you want to hang around locals. Cheap brews and an unpretentious scene make it a safe haven from South Beach club types. The decor could best be described as “classic dive” with wood paneling, sticky floors, a few TVs, a jukebox filled with classic rock, and questionable bathrooms. Late-night institution Big Pink is right around the corner so food is never far.
8. Wet Willie’S
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 532-5650
Address: 760 Ocean Dr.
Description: Those who love daiquiris, piña coladas, and all things frozen need look no further—Wet Willie’s has got you covered. The bar has over 20 different machines serving everything from frozen White Russians and mojitos to the bar’s trademark “Call a Cab,” which is made with 153 grain alcohol. Drinks are served in large plastic cups and, despite their Slurpee-like appearance, contain massive quantities of alcohol. Standard grill food (chicken tenders, burgers, fries) is available and provides a nice counterbalance to the potency of the cocktails. The crowd is an assorted mix of tourists and beach bums all looking to cool off with a refreshing frozen beverage. Try to grab a seat on the second-floor patio, which has a great view of Ocean Drive and the Atlantic.
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Address: 1080 Alton Rd.
10. Abbey Brewing Co.
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 538-8110
Address: 1115 16th St.
Description: When it comes to Miami nightlife, a small, dark brewery probably isn’t the first thing that comes to mind. Nevertheless, this local brewpub has successfully been fighting South Beach stereotypes since 1995. In addition to 10 carefully selected draft beers, the bar offers 4 house beers created by Brewmaster Raymond Rigazio and brewed at the Indian River Brewing Company in Melbourne, Florida. Abbey beers tend to be on the darker side and notably include an IPA, a stout, and, at 11 percent ABV, a potent quadruple. The bar’s homemade empanadas and baked bratwurst go down quite easily with a fresh pint. A sizeable selection of cigars is also available. The brewery is open 365 days a year from 1 p.m. to 5 a.m. so a decent beer is always available in South Beach.
11. Hofbräu Beerhall Miami
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 538-8066
Address: 943 Lincoln Rd.
Description: Since 2007, this spot has been another German fixture in Miami Beach. Its history dates back to 1589 when the duke of Bavaria established Hofbräuhaus in Germany. A little-known fact about its German history is its role as a Nazi party gathering spot during World War II. The Hofbräu beers are their specialty and lunch and dinner food specials attract food lovers, too. Take advantage of two-for-one beer specials on Wed from 5 to 7 p.m.
12. The Room
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 531-6061
Address: 100 Collins Ave.
Description: This tiny neighborhood bar is known for its laid-back vibe and attractive crowd. Dim-lighting and close quarters make it ideal for singles skeeved out by the SoBe club scene. Despite its chic appearance, the bar is far from pretentious with regulars who will happily chat with locals and tourists alike. An impressive beer selection includes 60 options, an additional 8 on draft and bottles for singles or groups. Organic and imports aren’t hard to find and the wine selection will make lushes equally happy. Indie-rock playlists further cement The Room as one of Miami’s best bars. Expect to meet a fair number of New Yorkers as there are several equally popular branches of the bar in the Big Apple as well.
13. Zeke’S Roadhouse
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 672-3118
Address: 625 Lincoln Rd.
Description: A no-frills dive is hard enough to find on Lincoln Road let alone one that serves over 80 beers, all priced at an unbelievable $4. Zeke’s Roadhouse is one of those South Beach anomalies that makes up for the tourists and overly tanned. Unlike other beer bars, Zeke’s doesn’t just fill its menu with imports from Germany and Belgium. There’s a wide range of brews from the Caribbean, South America, and Asia rarely seen in American bars. Hot dogs, chicken wings, and popcorn pair quite nicely with all the beers and wine is also available at $4 a glass. This bar is cash-only so replenish your wallet before you go. They are also known to be strict about checking IDs so whether you’re 24 or 54, be sure to have identification on hand.
14. Frankie’S South Beach Hideaway
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 397-8284
Address: 754 Washington Ave.
Description: Who would have thought that behind the heavily tinted windows of a slightly shady building on Washington Avenue there would be a sports lover’s wonderland of flat screen TVs, memorabilia, and a giant cage for dancing? The cage is probably this dive’s centerpiece design-wise as basic wood tables, chairs, and cliché beer signs make up the rest of the bar. $3 PBRs and the joint’s own “No Crying” ales are recession-friendly and imports on tap like Guinness are moderately priced at $5. The bar menu attempts to class up the place with meatball, burger, chicken, and fish sliders but it’s the wings, which are roasted then char-grilled, that are the real highlight. The only reminders that you are in South Beach are the oddly placed Ciroc and Ketel One logos on the menu.
15. Waxy O’Connor’S
City: Miami Beach, FL
Category: Nightlife
Telephone: (305) 534-7824
Address: 1248 Washington Ave.
Description: Monday Night Football fans should not miss the incentive to spend the evening at Waxy’s: $10 pizza and pint specials. Other games are shown throughout the week. Additional locations are at 690 SW 1st Court, Brickell (786-871-7660); and 1095 SE 17th St., Ft. Lauderdale (954-525-WAXY).