The best cocktail bars in Miami for handcrafted drinks that taste as good as they look

This nostalgia-soaked Cuban spot in Little Havana continually ranks near the top of the World's 50 Best Bars lists. Decorated cantinero Julio Cabrera mans the bar, slinging stiff, rum-based drinks and handcrafted mojitos that no one can resist. One of those rare places that attract locals and tourists alike, La Trova provides an electric atmosphere, live music and drink prices that won’t send you home broke. Bonus: It’s two bars in one! On Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant’s backroom turns into a neon-tinged, ’80s-themed party starting at midnight.

Swizzle drinks—the delicious ancestor of the frozen cocktail—are the specialty here, but this moody SoBe cocktail bar also boasts a roster of classic drinks and fresh twists on well-known favorites. Expect mojitos and rum runners to be served alongside fresh concoctions such as the Madame Hong, lead bartender/partner Danilo “Dacha” Bozovic’s highly praised recipe from his tenure at New York City’s Macao Trading Co.

Located inside the residential building X Miami. Jaguar Sun is run by bartender Will Thompson and ex-Momofuku and Per Se chef Carey Hynes, so the drinks and food are both on the same level (that level being: yum). The drinks are straight-up fun—both to say (hello, Green Ghoul) and drink (we recommend venturing into the “exotics” section for a good time).

This South Beach spot is an omnipresent contender at the top of best bar lists both local and national. There’s a reason: the cocktails here are near-perfect and range from the classic (like their flawless daiquiri) to the wild (like the sweet potato pain killer, which features sweet potato juice). Happy hour runs daily from 4pm to 8pm and features 95 cent oysters and $9 drinks.

Hidden away on the mezzanine level of Little River's eclectic food hall, The Citadel, Kaiju offers a whole new level of bespoke cocktails in Miami. Roughly translating to “strange beast” in Japanese, the bar takes its name and inspiration, from Godzilla-esque monsters. For instance, the King Ghidorah cocktail is an oddball Martini service with three sides: pickled/fermented veg, citrus zest and olives. Like the three heads of the dragon, each serves to frighten, intrigue and delight.

The ol’ faithful of Miami’s cocktail scene. Stop by the Broken Shaker day or night, and you can be sure you’ll be handed something delicious by an impossibly cool-looking bartender. Plus, the space is the sort of tropical paradise you’d expect from a proper Miami Beach cocktail bar—think mismatched lounge set-ups sprinkled about a courtyard with a pool. Rolling deep? The large-format drinks are perfect for small thirsty groups.

A low-key watering hole in Downtown Miami, this spot is headed by bartender Mike Reich and owner Brian Griffiths—a Broken Shaker alum and former owner of South Miami’s Shelley’s. The focus is on Florida-centric food and drink with frozen piña coladas and palomas to keep things interesting. Pro tip: get the floater. 

You’ll want to get dressed up for this one. Nestled inside the meticulously restored Surf Club, this bar hearkens back to Miami’s early-twentieth-century glamour with bartenders outfitted in white jackets, a lushly landscaped patio overlooking the ocean and a team of modern mixologists eager to shake up cocktails that excite the palate. Order anything head bartender Valentino Longo is mixing or opt for a chilled glass of champagne, proffered elegantly from a silver trolley.

Lost Boy’s cocktails are simple but really good. The vintage Americana atmosphere is relaxed and casual at first glance. But closer inspection reveals a deeper intention, from the gold mermaids on the long wooden bar to the old piano that’s dutifully taken on a new life as a communal table in the center of the room. In an area slowing finding its drinking identity, Lost Boy has jumped at the opportunity to carve out its own understated attitude. And we think it’s working just wonderfully.

Dark, smokey and best after 2am—The Corner is a night owl’s dream thanks to its placement in Miami’s 24-hour district. Don't think the late hours mean slouchy service. The drinks here are serious business, and bartenders take their time with them. The kitchen stays open late too, so order up a Chicago dog when the munchies hit.

This Florida-inspired bar is the second collaboration between Beaker and Gray partners Ben Potts and Brian Nasajon, and brings that same urbane charm and dedication to eclectic cocktails that the team is known for. Cocktails play with the Florida theme like the “Floradora,” a riff on a Moscow mule made with Ketel One Botanicals Grapefruit-Rose vodka, raspberry syrup, fresh citrus, ginger beer, and a fortified rosé aperitivo; and the “Pink Panther,” a tropical gin sour made with gin, guava-lavender syrup, bitters, bianco vermouth, fresh citrus, and egg white.

Inside this 2,250 square-foot Downtown space, arcade games, a pool table and TVs scream sports bar. But the flashy, twinkling bar implies smart cocktails. And the red carpet says—uh, we’re not sure exactly. (Squishiness?) It all comes together to form a delightfully out-of-the-box drinking experience led by partner and bar manager Tyler Kitzman. The late-night crowd at this self-proclaimed elevated dive can get rowdy, but earlier arrivals will can take the time to enjoy beautifully presented cocktails like an old fashioned made with graham cracker infused bourbon, garnished with a scorched marshmallow and served in a smoked glass.