If you’re anything like me, some of your earliest going-out memories in Miami took place at Blackbird Ordinary—many of them fond, some of them not as much. (In Blackbird’s dimly lit confines, I attended my very first ladies’ night and ordered my very first, and last, White Russian.)
The longstanding Brickell party destination has withstood the test of time for good reason. In its rapidly changing neighborhood, Blackbird Ordinary is old-reliable: stylish but unpretentious and affordable, crowded but with plenty of room to dance and, for better or worse, open until 5am every day of the week.
We’re happy to report that, as a mainstay in our guide to Brickell’s best bars, Blackbird has kept true to its original format over the years, complete with lit local DJs, free drinks for ladies on Tuesdays and more than 3,000 square feet of indoor-outdoor space for booty-shaking until the early morning hours. Now on the eve of its eleventh birthday, the bar is unveiling a fresh new look.
Though it’s undergone makeovers in the past, this transformation is the bar’s most extensive to date, yielding a 1970s Bohemian-disco sanctuary the centerpiece of which is a brand-new built-in glass roof that towers over 30 feet high. Cascading disco balls and lush greenery envelop the room while a mix of rustic wooden furnishings add to the intimate, free-spirited vibe.
"This renovation is something we’ve been really excited about and eager to share with our loyal locals, who've been the heartbeat of our establishment for over a decade,” says owner Dan Binkiewicz, who spearheaded the design alongside Miami-based design and fabrication studio Deft Union. “It's not just about revitalizing our bar and upgrading the space; it's about elevating the experiences we provide and reigniting the memories that we look forward to making decades more of.”
Binkiewicz’s goal with the redesign of Blackbird was to preserve its “vintage soul,” retaining its blend of old-school charm and Miami glamour with plenty of rattan and wicker accents throughout. The team also completely overhauled the sound system and light show and installed a signature LED dancefloor, repurposed from another iconic bar, the now-shuttered Purdy Lounge in Miami Beach.
Outside, the newly renovated terrace aims for more of an upscale dance-club-dive feel with high, integrated glass ceilings and a stadium-like layout featuring a sprawling, open-air dancefloor encircled by tables. Programming at Blackbird remains an ode to Miami’s homegrown scene with nightly DJs and a variety of themed parties and pop-ups throughout the month, like Thursdays’ Un Perreito Latin Night and Sundays’ Lime Cay Reggae Night.
Blackbird’s cocktails got a refresh, too, with new signature drinks like The Blackbird, made with sweet tea vodka, blackberries and lemonade; the Rump Shaker, made with a rum blend, orange, pineapple, coconut syrup and dusted nutmeg; the New Edition, made with whiskey, a coconut ice cube and house bitters; and the Mass Appeal, made with mezcal, passion fruit, lime, agave, a dash of spice and a tajin rim.
Blackbird Ordinary is located at 729 Southwest 1st Avenue in Miami and is open Monday through Sunday from 3pm to 5am.