There are so many hidden gems to discover in the Magic City, especially then it comes to speakeasies in the most unassuming of places. You just have to know where to look!
Here at Secret Miami, we’re always on secret-revealing duty and luckily for you, we’ve got a number of bars that have some of the most amazing drinks the city has to offer. From speakeasies that will literally take you back to the Prohibition era and to unmarked doors at hotels and restaurants, here are the best ones everyone has to try at least once. We just don’t want to give too much away.
1. Club “NDA,” Wynwood
The Mad Butcher is known for its signature sandwiches, but if you make your way through the plastic curtains at the back of the deli, you won’t find a freezer with hanging meat. Instead, you’ll come across an upscale lounge decorated with velvety orange walls and plush banquettes. Not only will you dance the night away in style, you’ll also find a stellar selection of cocktails not on the Mad Butcher’s regular menu. Drinks include “La Vie en Rose” made with rose-infused Ketel One vodka, “Catch Me If You Can” with amass gin and an Ume Plum Liqueur float, and “That’s Amore” with SelvaRay chocolate rum and Cazadores reposed tequila, among others.
Where: 2300 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127
2. Kojin, Little River
With cherry blossom accents, a seasonal omakase menu, and an extensive offering of sake, this swanky drinking den will transport you to Japan in just one sip! A sake-bar-meets-wine-bar, head to the back of Hachidori, one of Miami’s best ramen spots, and you’ll find it hidden behind a mysterious black curtain in the dining room. It features a 10-seat bar along with a couple of couches for an intimate and exclusive experience.
Where: 8222 NE 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33138
3. Freddys Speakeasy, Downtown Miami
Blink twice and you might miss this top-secret speakeasy. Located behind a door in one of the ballrooms on the property of the InterContinental Miami, this low-lit den gives off major Prohibition era vibes that will have you dusting off your best flapper dresses and pinstripe suits. Once inside, you’ll be greeted with a taste of a Four Ballades cocktail, made with Casa Noble infused with cilantro, Cointreau, fresh lime and simple syrup. There’s classic posters on the wall, vintage furnishings and a dazzling candlelit bar stocked with bottles that add to the sultriness and mystery in the atmosphere.
Where: 100 Chopin Plaza, Miami, FL 33131
4. Bodega Taqueria Y Tequila, multiple locations
Everyone loves a good secret and an even better time. After munching on $3 tacos, make your way past the shack through a graffiti-lined hallway to a port-a-potty door. You won’t find a bathroom — you’ll find one of the coolest speakeasies in the 305 instead! The lounge is lined with vintage couches, lit wall messages and a whole lot of tequila, which gives it a totally Miami vibe. Come in on “Margarita Mondays” for $5 draft margaritas and $13 build-your-own margaritas, “Thursdays on Tap” for $1 rotating draft beer and “Liquid Weekend Brunch” on weekends featuring large format cocktails, beer buckets and Mexican-inspired mimosas starting at 12 p.m.
South Beach location: 1220 16th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139
Coconut Grove location: 3419 Main Hwy, Miami, FL 33133
5. The Pool Hall, Overtown
Founded in 1954, this billiards club has been restored to its former glory, paying homage to the community’s golden age of entertainment with a modern twist. To find it, all you have to do is enter through Red Rooster’s Creamery and head up the staircase covered with pictures of the famous and everyday people of Overtown in the ’60s and ’70s. That’s when you’ll see the speakeasy’s stylish vintage décor, a pool table and a swell cocktail menu offering vintage-inspired concoctions such as the “Strawberry Acres” made with E11even Vodka and the “Harlem Sour” with bourbon, Cherry Heering, pinot noir, rosemary, and fresh lemon.
Where: 920 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33136
6. Tea Room, Brickell
Everyone knows about Sugar, EAST Miami’s fancy rooftop spot located high above the streets of Brickell. But not everyone knows about its sister bar just down the hall through a secret black door. Inside Tea Room, you’ll be transported to a sophisticated Hong Kong-inspired cocktail lounge where the views are just as spectacular, if not more, thanks to its floor-to-ceiling windows. There’s plenty of creative cocktails, live music and an Asian Night Brunch — a two hour feast that’s just as beautiful as the speakeasy itself.
Where: 788 Brickell Plaza, Miami, FL 33131
7. El Carajo, Coral Way
Behind the cashier and cigarette counter of a gas station convenience store, lies one of the best Spanish hidden bars in town. Featuring 2,000 vintage wines, yummy Spanish omelets with chorizo and other delectable dishes like Galician-style octopus and croquetas, this hidden bar is the perfect spot to fuel wine and tapa lovers. Walk past the racks of window cleaner and chewing gum and enter a brick-lined hideaway that will make you feel like you’ve been whisked away to the South of Spain. Grab a seat at one of their polished wood tables and get comfortable to enjoy the perfect pairing of food and wine.
Where: 2465 SW 17th Ave, Miami, FL 33145
8. Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery, Miami Beach
Below the Stiles Hotel, Swizzle is a dark, cozy bar worth seeking out. Just remember to ring the doorbell at least 5 times to have the mixology experience of a lifetime! As you take your seat on a barstool, you’ll get to pick your drinks or quick bites. The bar stocks up more than 150 varieties of rum (talk about an impressive lineup) which play a central role in their sophisticated craft cocktails.
Where: 1120 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139
9. Saloni Bar, Downtown Miami
Transporting you to Mykonos with its splashes of blue and white, Meraki Greek Bistro is already hidden in an alleyway. Yet if you make your way down the bathroom hall of the Mediterranean restaurant, you’ll find a door that leads you to the even-deeper hidden Saloni Bar. In true speakeasy fashion, the vibe is similar to Athens’ modern metropolis, with dark industrial design and moody lighting perfect for a romantic date, a night out with friends or even catching a sports game. It offers a menu focusing on a selection of natural Greek and Italian wines (highlighted by a selection of more than 15 white, orange, red, and sparkling wines), craft beer, and tapas.
Where: 140 SE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33131
10. 80’s 305 Bar, Little Havana
During any given day at Cafe La Trova, you’ll find cantineros (classically trained Cuban bartenders) pouring you some of the best drinks in town from behind the bar as live Trova musicians play on stage. But at midnight on Fridays and Saturdays, the restaurant transforms from 1960s Cuba to 1980s Miami with their neon-lit, disco-fueled bar out back. Sip on some specialty cocktails from the bar’s menu and put on your dancing shoes because DJs bring back all the old school jams!
Where: 971 SW 8th St, Miami, FL 33130
11. Coyo Taco, multiple locations
Come for the tacos and stay for the secret back bar. In the wee hours of the night on weekends, the popular taqueria turns into a lit dance party and you wouldn’t even know it. If you’re looking to get down to some music, just push your way through a set of doors down the hall and discover live DJs and a selection of more than 50 mezcals and tequila.
Wynwood location: 2320 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127
Coral Gables location: 120 Giralda Ave, Coral Gables, FL 33134