Miami Nightlife Guide: Bars and Live Entertainment in the Miami Area

Spotlight

Miami

Nightlife

By now, who isn't über-aware that South Beach has made itself a top contender for America's premier par-tay capital? Some of the reasons for that include Crobar (1445 Washington Ave.; 305//672-8084) a onetime theater with an industrial-chic look, hot DJ's, celeb sightings, live shows, and of course lots of pumping tunes; a newer club along similar lines is Mansion (1235 Washington Ave., 305/532-1525). Also still very hot, glam, and possibly more of a celeb magnet is Opium Garden/Privé (136 Collins Ave.; 305/531-5535), which we like more for its open-air dance floor than the velvet-rope scene and VIP rooms. The scene over on neon-bathed Ocean Drive, meanwhile, is a little less rarefied and more "middle-America" than the above, typified by one of its premier good-time spots, Mango's Tropical Café (900 Ocean Dr., 305/673-4422). More info on the nightlife scene is available at www.cooljunkie.com/miami.

There's plenthy of action across the causeways, too, whether you're in the mood for down-home or upmarket, laid-back lounge or rock-yer-socks disco, spicy Latin or good ol' American roadhouse – will have you aching for more. Put off by SoBe's tightened-up noise and other regulations, the really gargantuan, warehouse-type dance palaces have set up shop over in downtown; the two top hotspots of recent times are Club Space (34 NE 11th St.; 305/372-9378) and The Pawn Shop (1222 NE 2nd Ave.; 305/373-3511).

Downtown, a little farther south, are a couple of worthwhile spots that are both the opposite of the above and very different from each other. Bahía, the poolside lounge at the shiny highrise Four Seasons hotel (1435 Brickell Ave., 305/358-3535) is slick but laid back, and attracts a young, prosperous, and pretty crowd (especially weeknights/Fridays after work) with live music and great drinks and noshes. Meanwhile, the crowd and tunes are more eclectic a few blocks west, at Tobacco Road (626 S. Miami Ave.; 305/374-1198), a small former speakeasy (est. 1912) that still pulls in young and old with its varied music (especially blues); it also serves good burgers and steaks.

If you're staying farther out west, give a thought to the downtown Gables, which has developed hopping scenes even on some weeknights, especially at a pair of restaurant-bars: Houston's (201 Miracle Mile, 305/529-0141) and the recently opened Tarpon Bend (65 Miracle Mile; 305/444-3210). Or check out the great Latin music and vibe at Little Havana's hot little hole-in-the-wall, Hoy Como Ayer (2212 SW 8th St., 305/541-2631), known for playing everything from yesterday's boleros (love songs) to today's salsa; check for the special parties and shows (by regulars such as the nationally known Cuban singer Albita) – any will provide you a night you'll never forget.

Gay nightlife is also fairly strong in SoBe (albeit, strangely, not as strong as it is in less glamorous Fort Lauderdale); many clubs have "gay nights," and promoter Edison Farrow's SoBe Social Club also holds a Friday-night party at Madiba restaurant/lounge and a rotating Tuesday happy-hour in different venues each week. The two top permanent watering holes for drinking, dancing, and whatever are still Score (727 Lincoln Rd.; 305/535-1111), with a big, boom-boom two-story interior (dance floor, strippers, and quieter upstairs lounge) and a sidewalk-café-style setup outside, and Twist (1057 Washington Ave., 305/538-9478), a more compact spot, also with two floors, that tends to get going a bit later at night.