It is tough to be the new kid on the block, but that hasn’t kept Ora, which opened in December 2016, from rising to the top, partly for its distinctive mix of spaces. Paired with its 10,000 square-feet of European charm and high-energy vibes is the hidden Anti-Social Social Room, a cocktail speakeasy within the club that offers patrons a more intimate setting. Among Ora’s four partners are Greg See and Ryan Van Milligen, who got their start in Miami at Mynt nearly two decades ago. As it turns out, their recipe for success is tinged with nostalgia. “There was a niche in Miami that was lacking: that true VIP European nightclub that made Miami great for years,” says Van Milligen. “Miami needed a place that was all about that vibe and energy and having the right people in the venue.”
That exclusive but alluring environment is part of what made this club a hit—for those lucky enough to get in. Ora’s door is made to fill a room with precisely the type of shining, beautiful people one imagines when they think of a South Beach dance floor. Ora’s brand has also spread beyond the 305 with pop-ups in places such as Toronto and Ibiza. It hasn’t always been easy, but Van Milligen is confident that Ora is already carving out the opulent identify it sought to create for itself and its customers. “It wasn’t until two or three months in that we said everyone we want is here,” says Van Milligen. Getting past the velvet rope might take some finessing, but he’s confident your efforts will be rewarded.