Mama Tried

Downtown Miami’s bar scene has been, at times, bleak. But as developers zero in on the neighborhood and an incoming rush of tenants fill the surrounding apartments and condos, Downtown will certainly see its fair share of drinking dens in the next few years. Mama Tried, which opened its doors for the first time on June 8, 2018, just might have timed this perfectly. Thanks to Downtown’s lack of a bar archetype, Mama Tried is enjoying the luxury of, well, trying. And it’s trying many different and, at first glance, disparate things. Inside the 2,250 square-foot-space, arcade games, a pool table and TVs scream sports bar. The flashy, twinkling bar implies smart cocktails. And the red carpet says—uh, we’re not sure exactly. (Squishiness?) Will it all come together to form a delightfully out-of-the-box drinking experience? Time will tell. But if the bar’s team—led by Dan Binkiewicz (of Sweet Liberty and Blackbird Ordinary) and Mauricio Lacayo (of the Bend Liquor Lounge)—is any indication, failure seems unlikely.