A comprehensive guide to the best bars in Coconut Grove

Taurus doubles as two things: a beloved neighborhood spot and a no-frills grotto for whiskey connoisseurs. Open since 1969, this is the Grove’s oldest bar, stocking over 100 whiskeys and 70 beers along its shelves and taps, not including the rare casks they often get their hands on. Locals pack the place on Tuesdays for trivia, Thursdays for comedy night and any night for a bit of nostalgia while sipping Moose Juice, the neighborhood’s signature drink. (We miss you, Mr. Moe’s).

Time Out tip: Since Ariete Hospitality Group took over the kitchen, it’s been a hotspot for greasy bar bite goodness and tons of pop-ups. Right now, get your hands on some smokey, dripping brisket from Chef Mel’s Texas-style BBQ. 

The Mayfair House’s rooftop bar is a groovy spot in the neighborhood for tropical rhythms and fantastic rum cocktails. It takes the whole “we live where you vacation” thing to a new level: Take a dip in the pool with a piña colada in hand or slide into a booth and sip your way through happy hour. Fridays are great, as a DJ spins all night—but mark your calendars for the monthly-ish occasions when Coconut Groove turns the entire deck into a beat-soaked day party. 

With two dozen TVs mounted throughout (including the front porch), Sandbar is where you go to root for your home team—especially if you’re a Dolphins, Heat or ‘Canes fan. It’s a locals’ spot through and through, serving better-than-average bar food (people love the fish tacos), cheap beer and Hurricane-themed drinks (happy hour runs from 3 to 7pm on weekdays). On Thursdays, University of Miami students pack the place for ladies' night. Don’t leave without a photo on the iconic lifeguard stand. 

With over 3,500 labels to choose from, you’ll never sip the same thing twice at Happy Wine. This charming wine bar and shop sits on a lush residential street in the Grove, and is a favorite spot for getting together with friends over tapas or enjoying a leisurely lunch. Inside you’ll find a handful of tables scattered between well-stocked shelves; grab a seat and their expert staff will take you on a trip across regions, helping you discover new varietals. Be sure to follow them on Insta to keep abreast of special events like meet and greets with winemakers and ambassadors and their annual Wine Fest, which takes place in December. 

The pandemic turned Fuller Street into a pedestrian-only thoroughfare, and ’Cudas enjoys the perks of being the only bar on it. Once an indoor-only joint, this nautical-themed dive now has a sprawling outdoor patio, inviting just about anyone to camp out at a brightly-hued picnic table, order a few casual pitchers and just stay for a while. Long considered a college haunt with University of Miami students, ’Cudas has evolved with the times. It still feels like a laid-back Florida Keys bar, but with the beer selection of a serious taphouse and an environment that feels friendly to all.

Time Out tip: Go on Wednesdays for Bottles and Beats, a night of live performances plus discounts off bottles and canned brews.

Live music, marina views and Monty’s dangerously strong frozen drinks always make for a good time. A prime happy hour spot, its laid-back, Caribbean ambiance serves Miami Vice vibes—the famed Mutiny is across the street, after all)—transporting you to the halcyon days when this city still felt like a rogue beach town and maybe you didn’t need a shirt and shoes for service. 

Today you do, but flip-flops work. They’re the perfect shoe to sway to the calypso and reggae bands that often take the stage. Looking to really catch a buzz? Every Miami local has a wild story after a night of too many PK3s. It’s listed officially on the menu as a Pain Remover (Pain Killer was trademarked), but call this triple-threat of rums and tropical ingredients that and you’ll definitely be labeled a tourist. 

A nearly identical replica of its South Beach predecessor, Bodega’s not-so-secret second-floor speakeasy is accessible through a port-o-potty door and offers all the makings of a fun night out: free-flowing margaritas, bottle service, DJs with party-party music. But wait—there’s more! Bodega also touts a sultry mezcaleria, where smoky spirits are presented in theatrical form. It’s a great place to discover rare mezcals, tequilas and other agave-based spirits, so we suggest getting yourself a flight to find what you like.

LoKal is where you go to drink good beer and eat grass-fed beef burgers. The first restaurant opened by the ever-expanding Kush hospitality team, it’s often packed with friends and families guzzling down drafts made in collaboration with local breweries and chomping on elevated bar bites (their New Mexico Chili was voted best in Florida).

Order this: Pair your special-release double IPA (or any other limited variety on tap, usually local) with LoKal’s greasy Frita burger, once selected as one of the top 52 burgers in the US by Time Out. Then, slip through the phone booth to Victoria’s Vinos y Vermuteria next door.

If you like sipping wines at Ariete, The Gibson Room and Brasserie Laurel, then you’ll love The Allocation Room, where wine director and sommelier Adrian Lopez presides five days a week, helping customers find the right bottle for any occasion. It’s an expert spot to purchase wine and sake (from juice boxes to cups and even Mexican sake), as well as enjoy a glass and light bites at the tasting bar. 

Locals love Flanigan’s. This South Florida chain of family-run sports bars/restaurants is where kids, their parents and thirsty people of all ages happily coexist, whether they come to watch a game, enjoy a casual meal and pints of beer, or devour a plat of sweet and succulent baby backs or crispy, meaty rib rolls. Floridians return again and again for Joe’s Meal Deals, Flanigan’s take on a combo meal and the rest of its daily specials offer serious bargains on pitchers, chicken wing platters and more. 

Maybe you don’t want to spend a gorgeous sunny day at a ground-floor dive. Ride up a few floors to Level 6, one of two rooftop bars in the Grove. With views of lush canopies and Biscayne Bay, it’s a stunning place to down bottomless sangria and paella on Monday nights, or to catch a sunset happy hour over handcrafted cocktails. It’s a fancier spot than what the Grove is known for, making it great for birthdays and other special celebrations. 

Miamians didn’t mourn the closure of The Wharf for too long because its next iteration, Regatta Grove, popped up quickly with an even better spot on the water. Fast casual food concepts, plenty of shaded seating and several large bars make up this massive bayfront space, where you’ll stay entertained with lawn games and live music Thursday through Sunday. Grab a spritz and snatch up one of the netted hammocks hidden behind the bushes: You really can’t beat that waterfront view.  

For a state so steeped in Spanish influence, Florida’s been dragging its feet on the vermouth trend. Enter Victoria’s Vinos y Vermuteria. Sure, you can access it from the front door, but wouldn’t it be cooler to enter through the phone booth? We’ll let you discover it on your own, as it sets the tone for what you’ll be doing next: transporting yourself to a European-like hideaway and meandering down a menu of vermouth-based cocktails and natural wines.

Time Out tip: Not sure where to start? Check out their monthly Noche de Vermut events, where you’ll learn everything you need to know about this Spanish staple over your own flight. 

Tucked inside The Ritz-Carlton Coconut Grove, this library-like bar is named after Ralph Middleton Munroe, a yacht builder and one of the Grove’s earliest residents (The Barnacle House is his former home). It’s a perfect moody spot for pre-dinner drinks, a nightcap or a deliciously rainy afternoon. If you’re ready to fall down the rabbit hole, head there on Saturdays for Mad Hatter’s After Dark, an Alice in Wonderland-themed evening of creative drinks and bites you won’t want to be late for.

It was about time someone put Mayfair House’s stunning, luscious Art Nouveau atrium to good use. Fountain Lounge (aptly named for the fountain it’s near) is the latest concept from the Lost Boy & Co. group, a sexy little lobby bar shaking up craft cocktails amidst layers and layers of tropical foliage.

Time Out tip: Right now, the locally loved QP Tapas has taken over the kitchen, so drop by for shareable plates that fuse Spanish and Japanese flavors, especially on Vino Wednesdays and Vinyl Night on Fridays. 

We love a good retail concept with a bar inside. Pop into The Bazaar Project to sift through luxuriously quirky homewares and trinkets, fabulous jewelry and accessories, and statement-making resortwear—with a glass of bubbly in hand. The sidewalk café is a cute spot to grab a light lunch, especially if paired with a bottle of Champagne. Not into things that sparkle? There’s a curated selection of delightful whites and rich reds. (Careful: A few glasses won’t not make you want to buy everything in sight.)