Where to go in SoBe?

[royhobbs93]

To all:

I'm planning a trip with 5 mid-30guys. We visit a baseball stadium every year and go out on the town every evening. We'll be in SoBe in August and I'm looking for some places we should visit. We aren't huge spenders, but may mix in bottle service one evening.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Caleb

[Gus]

Hi Caleb, welcome to Miami Beach 411. Thanks for posting your question here.

Regarding bottle service, it depends on where you want to go. There's a member here named Fabian who has a good reputation, but he only promotes at a few of the clubs. Just to give you an idea of the cost, 5 guys at Liv on a Saturday might be cost around $2,500. Space is another cool place to party after hours, and their door policy and prices are a little more friendly.

As for going to watch a Marlins game, the new ballpark is a very cool venue. Make sure to check out Stubhub for tickets. It's usually pretty easy to find great seats for 50% below the ticket price a few hours before the game.

When are you planning to visit?

[Matt Meltzer]

Roy Hobbs, huh? Yeah, DEF a baseball fan. You may have my new favorite screen name on here.

You guys wanna do clubs or bars? Bars I'd say Clevelander to start (very typical Miami beachfront bar), then maybe make your way over to Playwright or Waxy O'Conners for some Irish stuff. Chalk is right across from those, a fun bar with ping pong and pool. Very local too.

Kill your Idol is our resident hipster bar, but it's not annoyingly hipster like you'd find in Williamsburg or Wicker Park. A very fun spot.

Lush is a good divey kind of bar. Macs Club Deuce is the landmark dive bar in South Beach, and you MUST go there for at least one drink for that reason.

Insofar as clubs, Mansion and LIV are the two best. SET is nice and has some space. Mokai and Mynt aren't bad, but are ALL tables so rather annoying, Insofar as bottle service, I'm going to repost what I just told another guy who wrote in about it...

If you don't live here, the minimums are fairly meaningless. It's quite easy to order one bottle, then say you're done, pay for it and leave. They can try and charge your card the minimum amount, but that's fairly easy to protest since legally you are only required to pay for what you consume. So you can agree to the minimum and gaff them off when the busty waitress asks you to buy more. You'll probably never be allowed back in, but if you're just visiting it doesn't matter.

Also, you can nurse one bottle all night if you want. Drink the mixers and whatnot, that way you keep your table. If you're not hellbent on getting drunk and not giving drinks to every bottle whore who walks by, it's not hard to do.

Finally, the "minimum" you're quoted will depend entirely on your group. If you have more girls, it may be $1500. If you have all guys, it may be $2500. If you're dressed poorly or are fat or something, it may be even more. There's no set amount, no published amount. It's a number the door guy throws out there.

And on a night that's not super busy, it's also negotiable. They say the minimum is two bottles, you tell them you'll buy one of something expensive. They go ask a manager and let you in. Remember nothing is set in stone, and as long as you pay for what you drink you should never have a conscience about screwing a club over on a minimum. Trust me, they deserve it.

[royhobbs93]

Thanks for the welcome Gus.

Great input guys. We plan to be there Aug 9-12. Thanks for the "negotiable" info Matt. That's one of those things you don't think about being from out of town.

Yeah, big baseball fan. We've visited a different park for 15 years in a row. My 2nd official time in Miami. My 1st was last year, but we only went to the Clevelander and then to a basketball game later that evening (I'm from Dallas..hint hint). This will be my first time to take in the scene.

Bar service isn't huge for me, but it's fun to do on vacation. If we do it, it would only be 1 night. Like I said, we are all married and mid-30's, but once a year we blow it out.

I also saw suggestions on Zekes, Lost Weekend and Mango. Any thoughts?

[Matt Meltzer]

Zekes' is closed. So forget that. Mango's is uber touristy, but may be fun if you're from out of town. Super Latin during the week and actually reminds me of some of the NICE bars I went to in Tijuana. As in no donkey shows or $20 hookers.

Lost Weekend is a cool, locals' bar popular with service industry types and other wastes of life. But I like bars populated by wastes of life, so I'll recommend it. But nothing you won't find in Dallas.

Are you going to the new Marlins Stadium? If you do check out the Clevelander for like an inning. It's a really cool concept, and you won't find naked girls dancing in left field anywhere else in baseball. But if you like baseball, you'll never see the game. I liken it to the bar they have out in Center Field at Fenway, except you need a ticket to get in here. Hit it up postgame though, def a cool scene and "only in Miami."

Also, park on the streets west of the stadium. Exponentially quicker in and out than the garage, on-street parking is free (don't believe what the locals tell you, they just want you to pay to park on the lawn) and it's MAYBE a ten minute walk. Take 195 from the beach west and get off at NW 22nd ave. Go south till you get past NW 7th street, then head east. Park wherever.

[royhobbs93]

Lost Weekend sounds like my type of bar, but not my group. They want more of the "Gas Lamp" (San Diego) bars on baseball trips. Untucked long sleeve white striped shirts. Sounds like the other clubs you mentioned before are what they are looking for. But, I'll have to stop by Macs Club Deuce.

Thanks for the all the input. If you are ever in Dallas, let me know.

[Matt Meltzer]

Nothing really like the Gaslamp in South Beach. Brickell is kinda like that, but SUPER Latin. Ft. Lauderdale on most nights, also that scene. And Coconut Grove was, and once and a while still is. But I'd say Brickell or Lauderdale if you want that sort of going out scene.

[royhobbs93]

Thanks for all the great info Matt. We definitely want to stay in SoBe. Looks like we'll have to step outside the comfort zone, but that's what you are supposed to do on vacation right?

Thanks again.