Miami Beach’s best bars aren’t where you think

By HELEN ANNE TRAVIS CNN

9 years ago

Kill Your Idol — When you need a break from the club scene, there’s Kill Your Idol, a celebration of the best of the 1970s, ’80s and ’90s.

The Rum Line — The Rum Line serves more than 100 types of rum. The bar commemorates the Prohibition Era when ships sneaked rum onto Florida’s coast.

The Broken Shaker — Drinks are fresh at the Broken Shaker — the bar grows drink ingredients in its on-site garden.

Basement Miami — Basement Miami was developed by Ian Schrager of Studio 54 fame. The bar is home to a bowling alley and ice rink.

Monty’s Sunset — Monty’s is a popular happy hour place for professionals and spring breakers. The outdoor setting overlooks a harbor full of yachts and luxurious boats.

The Abbey Brewing Company — At the oldest and only brewpub on Miami Beach, stained glass, wall sconces and church pews match the Belgian monastery-inspired beer lineup.

1930s House — This bar is actually a house in the backyard of a hotel. Its signature drink is the Hemingway Royale, a mix of rum, fruit juice and prosecco.

Miami Beach’s bar scene isn’t all bikini-clad bartenders serving overpriced shots to sunburned spring breakers (though there’s a lot of that).

Leave Ocean Drive behind and you’ll find a craft cocktail lounge, a ’90s punk rock bar and a basement dance club complete with a bowling alley and ice rink.

The Rum Line

On a balcony of the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, The Rum Line is a little hard to find.

But once you find the tiki-themed bar — and its 100-plus rums — you’ll be glad you made the effort.

Mai tais are served in giant crystal spigots and the pina coladas are shaken by hand.

The bar’s name is a salute to Prohibition days when ships sneaked contraband Caribbean rum to the Florida coast.

Rob Ferrara, hailed as the city’s best bartender, runs The Rum Line now.

Feeling indecisive? Ferrara will concoct a special drink based on your mood and favorite flavors.

The Rum Line at Loews Miami Beach Hotel, 1601 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; +1 305 695 0110; open Thursday-Sunday

The Broken Shaker

What started as Miami’s first pop-up cocktail lounge in 2012, The Broken Shaker developed a reputation for serving high-end cocktails at a surprisingly low price.

The bar eventually found a permanent home in Freehand Miami, an upscale hostel located near the Bass Museum Of Art.

The highlight of the space is a tropical courtyard where strings of globe lights drape over citrus trees and a garden full of mint, rosemary and lavender.

The ability to grow drink ingredients on-site helps The Broken Shaker keep prices relatively low.

Their “Bobby & Whitney” punch is a mix of celery and ginger-infused vodka, peach and lemon.

The Broken Shaker at Freehand Miami, 2727 Indian Creek Drive, Miami Beach; +1 305 531 2727

Basement Miami

Developed by the legendary Ian Schrager of New York’s Studio 54, the nightclub to end all nightclubs, Basement Miami exudes disco fever for the new century.

The dance club has a bowling alley, ice skating rink and a lighting system designed by Patrick Woodroffe, the same guy who created the light show for the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games.

Dancing is the top priority here — the vibe is all-inclusive.

You won’t find velvet ropes or VIP sections.

But you may run into a man wearing a dress made of Barbie dolls.

“We have a few characters who wander around through the night,” says Chelsea Olson, Basement Miami’s marketing manager.

Basement Miami at Miami Beach Edition, 2901 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; +1 786 641 7119; open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday 11 p.m. – 5 a.m.

Monty’s Sunset

Monty’s Sunset is the place to be at happy hour.

Drinks are cheap (for Miami) and the view can’t be beat.

This marina-side raw bar is one of the few Miami Beach hangouts that faces west.

That means you can watch the sun set over a harbor full of some of the world’s finest yachts and luxury boats while downing a Painkiller (Monty’s signature drink), a blend of gold rum, cream of coconut, pineapple and orange juices.

The vibe is come-as-you-are.

You’re as likely to sit next to a table of professionals in suits and ties as you are to hang out under the tiki bar with spring breakers in shorts and flip flops.

Monty’s Sunset, 300 Alton Road, Miami Beach; +1 305 672 1148

Kill Your Idol

Kill Your Idol pays homage to the underground music and art movement that influenced so much of American pop culture in the late 20th century.

A life-size Bruce Lee hangs above the bar next to a shark head from “Jaws.”

An upside down astronaut dangles from the ceiling and the jukebox features the best of Miami’s punk and rock bands.

There are nightly $3 beer and $5 liquor specials — it’s a break from the city’s more uppity bar and club scene.

Depending on the day of the week, you’re likely to stumble in on a burlesque show, an indie film screening or a local band thrashing on the bar.

Kill Your Idol, 222 Espanola Way, Miami Beach; +1 305 672 1707

The Abbey Brewing Company

Raymond Rigazio was laughed at when he announced he was opening a brewery.

In this land of frozen daiquiris and chocolate martinis, who would want to sip on a hand crafted ale?

Twenty years later, Rigazio’s having the last laugh, and a good beer.

The Abbey Brewing Company is the oldest and only brewpub on Miami Beach.

Stained glass, wall sconces and church pews match the Belgian monastery-inspired beer lineup.

IPAs, Trappist-style doubles and triples, and oatmeal stouts are some of the brews on tap.

The Abbey also serves cocktails.

“But no frozen drinks or frou frou drinks!” says Rigazio.

The Abbey Brewing Company, 1115 16th St., Miami Beach; +1 305 538 8110

1930s House

Plenty of Miami Beach’s hotels have a bar on site, but few can say their amenities include a freestanding single family home.

The 1930s House is a hacienda located in the backyard of the Thompson Miami Beach.

In the early 2000s, the home was moved from across the street to make room for a parking garage.

Craft cocktail connoisseurs will get a kick out of the 1930s House’s drink program.

The Spanish Cobbler and Buena Vista cocktails celebrate Miami’s Latin heritage.

The bar’s signature drink is the Hemingway Royale, a mix of rum, fruit juice and prosecco.

1930s House at Thompson Miami Beach, 4041 Collins Ave., Miami Beach; +1 786 605 4041