I came to Miami in search of an alchemy shop, hoping to discover some rare ingredient capable of…read morecuring my dreadful allergies. Instead, I stumbled upon Koana Tiki Bar--a hidden little chamber of tropical enchantment tucked away from the ordinary world. As Miami's only tiki bar, Koana is surprisingly well themed. It is a smaller establishment, which explains why reservations are required, but the intimate setting only adds to the charm. Once inside, the outside world seems to disappear beneath warm lighting, exotic décor, and the unmistakable feeling that something mysterious is being prepared behind the bar. The food is available, but Koana truly shines through its drink menu. The team has clearly done its research and assembled some serious heavy hitters. My companions and I visit whenever we're in Miami, and we've sampled nearly every drink on the menu. I have yet to encounter a bad one. They are fairly priced for Miami, though their strength should not be underestimated. These are not casual refreshments--they are potent little potions disguised as tropical cocktails. The staff is always kind, attentive, and extremely knowledgeable. They're happy to explain the drinks and guide you toward something that suits your taste, whether you seek something sweet, sour, smoky, fruity, or powerful enough to summon your ancestors. During my visit, I combined several ingredients from the menu into a highly experimental concoction. After one sip, my allergies vanished completely. After the second, I could smell colors. By the third, I was convinced the palm trees were speaking to me in ancient tongues. I have no idea what was in that drink, but my sinuses were clear, my spirit was elevated, and I briefly achieved enlightenment beneath a decorative tiki mask. Reservations are essential, the drinks are strong, and the bar is small--but Koana is absolutely worth seeking out. Just be certain you're prepared for whatever spirits may answer when you raise your glass.

Can't recall ever reviewing staff and patrons, but ya kinda have to in the case of Kaona. That's…read morebecause the guests here are almost as engaged in the operation as the staff. Guess the insight here is Kaona draws folks who so totally want to be there and participate in the nightly celebrations that it becomes contagious, spreading from table to table with smiles, laughter, and cameras. Oh yeah, and did I mention the cocktails? I feel the term 'artisan' is so overused nowadays that I avoid using it, so can we just go with the Bill & Ted description that Kaona's tiki drinks are "Most Excellent!" Will non Gen-Xers get that last reference???

Soo I came to this bar last weekend and again last night for a redemption. I will say that this…read moreexperience was better than the last. When I came last weekend the vibes were great, it was just extremely packed to the point that everyone was grinding up against each other. Which in that moment I didn't care because I figured it's at capacity and that's normal. Although, I realized when I was leaving the bar that someone had opened my purse and taken my entire wallet. I was bummed because I couldn't continue partying up the night. This led me to message them on Instagram, which was great because they told me to come in and drinks would be on them for the inconvenience. We got to the bar and I spoke with the bouncer and he said to go to the bartenders, that they would direct me to Rensel the bar manager. He was absolutely lovely, provided my friends and I a round of cocktails and told us to look for Sophia for another round. We didn't end up getting another round because we were exhausted from dancing the night away. It was still very nice and accommodating that they did that and we appreciated it. Sophia was very bubbly and attentive as well. Overall, if you are looking for a bar with a disco ball!! This is a cool spot to come to, they have so many different specialty cocktails. They are all delicious and unique! The music is great, the dj really keeps the crowd moving. For parking, there is a lot in the back of the establishment or street parking as well.

This is a fantastic cocktail bar with a speakeasy feel. Nestled between Wynwood and the Design…read moreDistrict, the vibrant, retro atmosphere with its dim lighting is perfect for an after dinner night cap or to have a relaxing evening out. Loved the comfortable lounge like seating and scannable menus. The Sylvester has a great happy hour. Great cocktails, wine and beer choices. Looking at the menu, they have interesting cocktails. Seems like they put a spin on the traditional mixtures. Two that stood out to me were the whiskey sour and French martini. Delicious mixtures by bartender Robby. He was attentive and able to answer questions about their cocktail twist. Especially loved that he mentioned their 18% gratuity was already added to the check. We added a little something extra just for honesty :-D Overall loved The Sylvester. Great service, delicious drinks and in my opinion, perfect ambiance.

I came here around 6:30pm on a Wednesday. It was nearly empty except for a few folks at the bar…read more The bartender was a little distracted and disappeared into the back room for stretches of time, but he was friendly and efficient when preparing the drinks. I was grateful the bar area had an outlet close by so I was able to charge my phone while drinking. The bar had chairs with full backs which were much comfier than typical bar stools. They had happy hour specials until 8pm including $8 cocktails. As expected from the name, the Que Fresco was light, citrusy, and refreshing. The Stepchild was an unexpected gem. It was succulent and juicy. I am not usually a fan of honey in drinks but in this one it was subtle and tasty. They had a food menu as well including a vegan ham empanada that I would love to go back to try.

A GEM bar located in downtown brickell. The owner is super nice and the have a nice collection of…read morespecialty drinks. Inside is nicely decorated with a moody look. There's a good amount of seating at the bar and plenty of couch and lounge chairs around which is good for groups. They have this section near the bar that is decorated like a VP area: it's a nicer seating area, glass mirror, and velvet ropes (I think).

Lost Boys is one of my favorite local bars. I have been coming here for years so long overdue…read morereview. I have been watching the World Cup games here and it has been very fun. I want to say the staff waiting the tables, bar, and kitchen have done an amazing job always friendly even when at times the bar was fully packed they were all troopers and gave amazing service. Our waitress Devon always has a smile on her face and is super tentative. Thank you Devon - me and Dianna love you!

Overall, Lost Boys is a good neighborhood bar, and I don't think it deserves a bad review, so I'm…read moregiving it four stars. That being said, personally, I don't think I would come back. The biggest thing for me was the overall energy and engagement from the staff. I'm naturally a pretty social and engaged person, especially when I'm sitting at a bar, and I made an effort to interact with the bartenders. I just didn't really feel that same engagement coming back. Nobody was necessarily rude or disrespectful--it just felt disconnected, and the energy was a little strange to me. I also didn't realize until I tried to pay that the bar doesn't accept cash. Maybe that was posted somewhere and I missed it, and once they told me, it wasn't a big deal. But little things like that, combined with the overall interaction, affected the experience. Another thing I didn't realize until receiving my check was that gratuity was already included. I wasn't verbally told about it, and I personally didn't see it disclosed anywhere beforehand. From my understanding, an automatic gratuity or service charge is required to be disclosed to the guest before the purchase, not something they should only discover when they receive the check. Maybe there was a notice somewhere that I missed, so I'm not saying there wasn't one, but I definitely wasn't aware of it. I think that's an important thing for guests to know upfront, especially because someone could easily add another tip without realizing gratuity was already included. Ironically, the one person I genuinely connected with and had a good conversation with was another guest at the bar, not a member of the staff. That interaction actually helped make my time there more enjoyable. For me, hospitality is about more than serving a drink. Especially when someone is clearly open, friendly, and trying to engage, that's an easy opportunity to create a connection and turn a first-time guest into someone who wants to come back. I felt like I gave plenty of opportunities for that interaction, but it just never really happened. I still had a good time because I can have a good time pretty much anywhere, and nothing happened that would make me say Lost Boys is a bad bar. It just didn't feel like the staff cared much about enhancing the experience beyond serving the drinks. So four stars because I respect what the place is and can see why it works as a neighborhood bar. It just didn't give me a reason to come back, and personally, I don't think I would.

I always love this spot. Cool atmosphere with the casual tiki vibes. The mojitos are SO good and…read morehave great garnishes and flavors. I've tried almost every flavor and love them all. Definitely a must-visit spot if you're in Wynwood and you like flavored mojitos and tiki vibes.

The mojitos, lechon sandwich, and guacamole were all very enjoyable. The mojitos were vibrant,…read morerefreshing, and tasted freshly made. The lechon sandwich was packed with flavor and loaded with generous portions of pork. The guacamole was good overall, though we felt the portion size was a bit small for the price. We also sampled several mojito flavors. The tamarind and cucumber variations were our favorites, offering unique and refreshing flavor profiles. Unfortunately, the blackberry and strawberry versions missed the mark. The fruit purées and muddled ingredients seemed to overpower the drinks, resulting in cocktails that lacked both sweetness and distinct fruit flavor. One thing we really enjoyed was the atmosphere. While the restaurant is primarily an outdoor dining concept, the combination of air conditioning, fans, and covered seating kept things comfortable. The tropical tiki hut vibe creates a fun and relaxed setting that makes for an enjoyable dining experience. One thing guests should be aware of is that a 20% service charge/gratuity is automatically added to the bill. It's worth taking a moment to review your check before adding an additional tip to avoid unintentionally tipping twice.

We came here for drinks and dinner on a Saturday night and were lucky enough to catch a beautiful…read moresunset overlooking the city. The views are stunning, and it's definitely a very photogenic spot. The drinks were a bit weak and just okay, but everyone enjoyed the food. Six of us ordered the Juanita La Picante after being warned it was very spicy, but none of us tasted any heat. We shared a large board with a little bit of everything plus a margherita pizza, which was the perfect amount for our group of seven. Our favorites were the croquettes, malanga-battered shrimp, and chorizo. What surprised us most was how quiet it was. At 7 p.m. on a Saturday, there were only a few other tables occupied. I can see it getting busier later in the evening, but from 7-9 p.m. it felt pretty dead.

Visited this rooftop with a group of friends and it was a great time. Only downfall was that the…read morerooftop was located in the middle of a neighborhood which made the parking a bit difficult so using their valet service is the way to go or just Ubering there. Once arrived at the rooftop it was a nice chill vibe with great views. Would have like that it had more of dancing music but it was more laid back. Had a drink and bites which were all very good. The staff was very attentive to the party always making sure that we were all happy. Would definitely use this rooftop as a pregame bar to start the night or for a date night.

The Dead Flamingo is such a vibe. Between the music and the tropical tiki-bar atmosphere, it almost…read morefeels like you've stepped into a little bar somewhere in Puerto Rico. The cocktails were delicious and very well made. They're definitely on the stronger side, but in a good way. What impressed me most was the service. Even though the place was packed, the bar staff was attentive, fast, and completely on point. We never had to stand around wondering if anyone had noticed us or wait forever to order. They acknowledged us and got our drinks right away, which made such a difference. Great music, great drinks, and excellent service. We felt seen and taken care of even with a full house.

Second year in a row that my friend and I have celebrated our joint birthday here, and I don't see…read morethat changing anytime soon. The vibes are effortlessly Miami local cool... super casual, zero pretentiousness, and heavy on the Bad Bunny Casita references (which we're absolutely here for). The music is always on point (90s-2000s hip-hop & R&B), the cocktails are inventive, and the staff are genuinely some of the best. Huge love to Sean, Lexi, Will, and Gio for always making us feel so welcome and going above and beyond, including literally working with us to create our own signature drinks menu. My dad actually discovered this spot while walking down Calle Ocho last year, and it's become one of our favorite places. Between the retro movies and shows always playing on the TVs (Grease, The Powerpuff Girls, Boyz n the Hood), the incredible service, and the consistently fun atmosphere, it's just one of those places you can't help but love. Always welcoming. Always a vibe.

The Lasseter is one of (I think) two bars within Julia & Henry's, the new food hall in Miami…read more There are a ton of options that look great. I think they fit Miami well, and are slight twists in classic drink options. Our bartender was awesome. She was super knowledgeable and helpful in making recommendations as we decided what to order, and you can tell she really put effort into making sure the drinks were good. The drinks were really good! My only complaint is the price. Of course handcrafted cocktails are expensive, especially in Miami, but wow. The drinks were really small, and had so much ice that they ended up being not very many sips at all. They were definitely good, but the very small size for almost $20 a drink was kind of outrageous.

Oooooo I'm the first to review and I WISH it could've been 5 stars! No pressure !! :(…read more With such an amazing and innovative decor, dazzling bar and great vibes, my sibling, husband and I knew this was the place to be to enjoy ourselves with some drinks! The bar was lit, poppin' and vibrant. We were waiting by the end of the counter where they checked out other patrons near the sitting area. We were overlooked many times... I locked eyes with one of the bartender and she completely looked away from me.. several times :( took about 15 minutes and we reached our arms out and flagged bartender Reilly. Her greeting and attention was genuine so I was happy to get her. Unfortunately, she got busy and we got the initial lady that ignored us. She was not kind, not attentive and didn't really want to help us - she was very fake. With that being said, we had to remind her of our drinks after 20 minutes of placing the order, in which she responded with an attitude "it's being made. We're busy" -_- -_- :( the attitude was not needed. We watched others that came in before us being served. :( I was completely annoyed and upset. She didn't even bring the drinks to us like the other bartenders were doing, she made us get it. Poor service from this one bartender while the others were happy and servicing their patrons. After our first drinks, I noticed she spoke to her colleague and he came over and asked if we wanted to close out.. . Wtf kicking us out? We said no and he opened a tab. When she noticed we were ordering more, she was a bit more attentive. So wrong. Luckily, the drinks were delicious. Perfect. We did end up coming back to the Lasseter and got a gentleman bartender that was so kind and attentive and made our drinks even better! The attention to detail and love he made in my drinks, so that is why I decided to make make this a 3 stars rather than two. He saved this place. The toilet sitting area is very warm, not very air conditioned properly so expect to be a little warm especially after a couple of sips. It's also the walkway to an actual big restrooms for the whole building. The drinks are VERY pricy but the setting is perfect and makes up for it. Unfortunately, the service was not up to par. Disney priced drinks without the Disney customer service. Do I want to come back? Yes. Am I going to be picky with the vibes coming from the bartender and chose who to go to? Also yes. Hopefully, I can increase the rating.