MO Bar + Lounge deserves every star. Yes, the cocktails by Bar Manager Steve Minor are out of this world. Yes, the food is superb. But above all else, I fell in love with this place because of the attention to detail, personalized customer service, and Steve's knowledge and passion for what he does.
During happy hour (Monday - Friday from 5 p.m. - 8 p.m.), you can pay $25 and choose three cocktails from an extensive menu organized by kind of alcohol (Vodka, Gin, Whiskey, Aperitifs, Wine & Sparkling). On Thursdays and Fridays, the bar features a band playing live jazz and/or salsa/Latin music.
By Steve's recommendation, my boyfriend and I started off with the Americano (Campari, red vermouth, club soda) and the New York Sour (whiskey, lemon, simple syrup, egg white, red wine float). Both were wonderfully on the bitter side, which made them a refreshing change from the overly sweet and overly strong stuff you usually find at most bars.
Next we tried the Southern Swizzle (Bourbon, ginger beer, Crème de Peche, peach nectar, lemon, mint, Peychaud's bitters), which tasted like a wonderfully refreshing (almost tropical) and zingy spin on the Mint Julep, and the delightfully smoky Ahi Rocoto & Pineapple "Margarita" (tequila reposado, rocoto-pineapple mermelada, house citrus coridal and lime wiht a Tajin rim). The "Margarita" is a special drink they conceived for Bar Spice. I'm usually a chicken when it comes to spicy drinks, but this one was all smoke and flavor with no painful bite. Our server also told us it can be moderated to suit guests' preferences for heat.
Lastly, our favorite drinks were the Pisco Sour (Pisco, lemon, simple syrup, egg white, aromatic bitters) for its velvety viscous texture, and the Purple Haze (pear vodka, St. Germain, lychee and hibiscus juice, and rose champaign, served with a candied hibiscus stuffed with lychee). The Purple Haze isn't on the actual menu (it's a cocktail Steve created while working at the Atrium in Chicago), so you have to ask for it special. It's to die for and mesmerizing to look at.
Like I said, though, while the drinks and food were phenomenal and definitely merit the price, it was Steve and his team that really made the experience unique. Steve doesn't just make a recommendation and tell you what's in it - he explains how the ingredients act together and why they blend well on a molecular level. He's extremely well versed in his craft, and gave us an enthusiastic lesson on mixology basics - everything from how to order a drink like a pro, common misconceptions about certain liquors, and the secret ingredient to making your own drinks taste like craft cocktails (quality, well-stored bitters!).
You can tell right off the bat just how passionate he is about what he does, and he and the team constantly checked up on us to get our feedback, offer recommendations, or just make sure we had room on our table and water in our cups.
At the end of our dining experience, Steve poured us a sample of his own signature tequila, which he makes himself in house. Apparently, you can't ask for it - it has to be offered to you by him, and you only get one shot per person. It was so smooth, earthy, and smokey that it went down like a digestif on its own.
I highly recommend MO Bar to anyone who wants a thoroughly immersive cocktail and culinary experience and is looking for some real customer service in Miami.
It's also a hell of a place to impress a date at! read more