The absolute best rooftop bars in Miami, from South Beach to Brickell

This Brickell hotspot can have a line out the door on weekend nights and Friday happy hour. Brave that line and you’ll be rewarded with 360-views of the city (40 floors up!), pricey (but tasty) cocktails and a swank crowd. Snag a reservation for a guaranteed table, especially if you think you may want to have some food. Sugar is no average night out.

Watr owns its stunning view of the ocean with a Peruvian-Japanese menu and a bar decked in reclaimed wood. The soundtrack is more akin to breaking waves than the usual club bangers you hear in these parts. There’s just something about the laidback vibe of this place that makes us feel like we’re in a spa with frosé on tap—and that ain’t a bad thing.

Serena injects a forgotten strip of South Beach with the vibrancy and energy of Mexico City. It’s pink and lush and worlds away from the Art Deco facades surrounding it, but still holds onto some of the city’s tropical essence. Sunsets up here are magical, even more so with a margarita in hand and the blooming bougainvillea bushes in your purview. At night, linger under the twinkling bistro lights while the DJ spins. If you’re wondering, the very Instagrammable neon sign reads “last one and we’re leaving.” Do snap a photo, but don’t make it your mantra—Serena will make you want to stay a while.

Area 31’s 16th-floor lounge may not technically be on the roof, but its view of Downtown is hard to beat. A photo op here is one you'll be tempted to caption with “I live where you vacation,” but don't be that guy. The crowd is a nice mix of young professionals and business types looking to ascend from the chaos of street-level Brickell. For some live entertainment to go with that killer view, stop in on Thursdays for flamenco dancing and a special tapas menu.

The Lincoln Road food hall’s rooftop bar is a little bit like an open-air, adults-only arcade with food and drinks. The widespread terrace has two large pergolas under which you’ll find all kinds of yard games, golf simulators, pool tables, ping-pong, air hockey and more. Once you’ve burned some calories swinging and shooting, fill up on Sky Yard’s eclectic menu, which runs the gamut from steakhouse fare to Asian dishes to Latin food.

Highbar, a 1970s-themed playground at the DREAM Hotel, is centered around an infinity pool and has what you need to transition from day drinking to nighttime revelry: a DJ dropping beats, bottle service and private cabanas. It’s also just a quick walk from the beach. As for partying in your bikini? Hey, it happens.

Inspired by the lively lounges of Mykonos, Astra brings a rooftop bar to a still-developing chunk of Wynwood. The place is pretty huge at 10,000-square-feet and offers proper tables for dinner or more casual seating options for sipping and relaxing. Expect Greek, both on the seafood-heavy menu and behind the bar with mastika and ouzo. There are no tall buildings blocking the view at Astra, so you can really see all the way to the Downtown skyline.

The sister lounge of Wynwood’s excellent restaurant Three, the two have now combined forces so you can nosh on downstairs’ fried chicken bao buns while enjoying the second-floor party vibes. It’s only on the second floor, so don’t expect skyscraper views. But the cocktails are great and taste even better when the breeze comes rushing over the outdoor patio.

Mike’s is a dive bar meets rooftop bar—which is just as strange and wonderful as it sounds. Find this place hiding in a nondescript residential building that overlooks Biscayne Bay. Don’t question it—or the random location or the Irish menu packed with pub essentials. Just grab some wings and a pitcher of beer, and watch the Dolphins with your peeps.

This popular Lincoln Road spot offers sweeping views of South Beach. Sadly, the views aren’t the only thing that’s sky-high—just wait for the bill. But, hey, you’re on vacation, right? You can enjoy a nice meal at Juvia without draiing your bank account if you’re willing to dine early. The restaurant’s sunset menu—three courses for $45—is one of the better deals available in the neighborhood.

The fusion concept you weren’t expecting, MILA is “MediterrAsian” restaurant and lounge that overlooks a busy stretch of Lincoln Road. Its expansive indoor-outdoor terrace incorporates minimalistic design elements like sleek, sculpted wood tabletops, unpolished floors, metal and clay artworks and natural textiles to impressively decadent effect. Despite its tourist-heavy location, Mila’s cocktail program pushes edgy ingredients like beeswax, black walnut bitter and sesame orgeat syrup. Outside, the real star of the show is V by MILA, an omakase-like imbibing experience where guests have a front-row seat to modern mixology techniques incorporating liquid nitrogen, foams, gels and dry ice.

Vista lives in the charming Upper Buena Vista retail complex and serves some really tasty food that leans toward rustic Italian cuisine. If you can snag a table on the rooftop deck, you absolutely should. It’s on the smaller side, but it’s a rooftop bar nonetheless and where you want to be on a breezy, sun-filled afternoon. Time it right and you could be sipping $7 mules at happy hour (3 to 7pm), watching the sun set.