Miami is notorious for its energetic party scene from the day parties at Nikki Beach to the internationally renowned club scene after dark. For electronic music, Miami is a bucket list destination for most, from the amateurs to the aficionados. The venues range from the expansive to the intimate, so there is something from everyone, however you like to spend your nights. Here is a selection of the best bars and clubs to while away the hours until the early morning.
Club Space
For almost two decades, Space has been the popular destination for after-hours dancing and drinking in Park West. Open for 24 hours around the clock, the venue has people coming and going throughout the night. Consistently booking the biggest names on the international DJ scene for House and Techno, Space draws a crowd every weekend. Its roof terrace is a ritualistic rite of passage for any visitor or aspiring local. Visit to watch the sunrise from the terrace with a complimentary coffee with other merry revellers.
Basement
Located on Miami Beach, this establishment is only a few years old but has rapidly become recognised as one of the hottest places for after-hours entertainment. This nightclub is unlike most others, its entertainment doesn't lie in swaying and bobbing in unison to popular music, rather it offers bowling and skating as alternative midnight fun. Technicolour bowling lanes await for a group to strike-out from Thursday to Saturday night. The ice-skating rink, a novelty in Miami, is similarly lit with the neon lights reflecting off the ice to create a mesmeric experience, especially when complete with DJ spinning decks from the booth in the corner.
LIV Miami
One of the most commercially utilised venues in Miami, LIV has been referenced in popular music and featured on TV, drumming up an air of exclusivity. With some of the world’s biggest artists performing here over the last decade, and recent $10 million renovations, LIV is an experience worth sharing. Be prepared, the prices reflect its own celebrity status and that of its patrons. Whilst you can party next to A-listers on a table, the bottle service can reportedly exceed six figures. Big spenders are royalty here!
Sweet Liberty Drinks & Supply Company
As a local neighbourhood bar, it has brilliantly straddled the accolades of local favourite and critically acclaimed success. It has done so by doing both the simple and complex exceedingly well. With something for everyone, from craft beers and cocktails, late nights and live bands, to intimate booths and 90s hip hop, come here to have a boutique Miami evening experience. Catch the happy hour from 4-7pm for exquisite (and cheaper!) cocktails, pair with fresh oysters for an intimate evening in a district famed for the bigger clubs.
The Broken Shaker
Somewhat of a hidden gem in Miami, it perhaps doesn't have the appeal of the affluent South Beach bars. Rather its fame has been born from exceptional cocktails and service. Located at the Freehand Hotel, the bar opens out to a large patio lined with palm trees, creating an oasis in the centre of the city. This bar is a sophisticated spot for those who want to enjoy the company of others, talk the night away and drink rum-based cocktails in an idyllic setting. With a Middle Eastern restaurant attached to the bar, patrons can waddle in for food and back out for some post-dinner drinks on the patio.
Juvia
This rooftop hotspot sits atop the ninth floor of the 1111 Building, designed by world renowned architects Herzog + de Meuron. It has gained a reputation as a classic destination for the affluent who want to eat and drink the night away to the beauty of Miami's coastline. The seamlessly indoor-outdoor restaurant and bar sports a panoramic view of Miami’s South Beach. It is the perfect spot for a date night or upscale drinks with someone you want to impress. The food is impressive too, so enjoy the view with the Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine and a tasty, fruity cocktail.
Credit: Condé Nast Traveller (cntraveller.com)
Lagniappe
Away from the glitz and the glam of Miami’s wealthy South Beach, across the bay is the homely, intimate New Orleans-inspired wine bar, Lagniappe. Its selection of world and domestic wines have earned it the “Top Wine Bar in America” award by Wine Enthusiast. Located in Midtown/Wynwood, this rustic bar is the perfect place to relax with a glass of wine and a charcuterie plate whilst listening to the live bands they often have to play on the weekends. With a convivial atmosphere and live Jazz, it feels worlds apart from the rooftops of South Beach. Visit Lagniappe to unwind and converse in a less-pricey but equally impressive atmosphere.