The best rooftop bars in Miami with incredible views

It’s not uncommon to see a line forming downstairs at EAST, Miami to ride the elevator up 40 flights to Sugar. Remain patient and you’ll be rewarded with 360-views of the city and surrounding waterways, Asian-themed cocktails (like the Sweet Life, a sugar-y cocktail blended with Thai iced tea, lemon and whiskey) and a place that feels more like a secluded, storybook garden than a bar.

For a photo op befitting of an “I live where you vacation” caption, you’ll head to Area 31’s 16th-floor lounge—which may not technically be on the roof, but its view of Downtown is hard to beat. You’ll join young professionals and business types from Brickell, who make their way to Friday night’s “Chase the Clock” happy hour (where champagne, specialty drinks and bar bites are priced by the hour: $5 at 5pm, $6 at 6pm, etc., until 10pm). Other days, happy hour runs from 5 to 8pm. 

Perched on the roof of 1111 Lincoln Road, adjacent to the famed Herzog & de Meuron parking garage, Juvia provides sweeping views of South Beach. Take in the sights while sipping on Purple Rain, a potent mix of vodka, a type of purple Peruvian corn and fresh lemon (you’ll also notice that the regal color is a recurring theme in the penthouse space). The views aren’t the only thing that’s sky high—just wait for the bill. But with Instagram pics like this filling your feed, it’s well worth the price tag.

Located at the top of the exclusive, members-only Soho Beach House, Ocho offers some solid Mexican bites in a gorgeous atmosphere. There’s a cozy pool to swim off your tacos and guac. Order a spicy margarita and sink into one of the comfy couches. Just remember that Soho House is a private club, so you’ll have to know a member or reserve a room to get in.

This rooftop club, pool and lounge—formerly known as Fifty Ultra Lounge—has one of the best and highest views in the city. It’s gorgeous on a clear night. Occasionally, you’ll find live music and entertainment going on inside as well. 

Photograph: Courtesy W Miami

Rejoice, fans of the Pawnbroker, because your beloved rooftop bar isn’t quite dead. The Langford Hotel’s popular rooftop lounge is back under a new concept: Bloom Skybar. Here you’ll find all the great views and comfortable atmosphere that made the Pawnbroker a winning choice. Plus, you can still order a cocktail served in the Pawnbroker’s signature bathtub glass. Did we mention they do Sunday brunch now too?

The aptly named watering hole pairs the glitz and glam of South Beach with stunning views (glimpse the city on one side, the beach on the other). Highbar is centered around an infinity pool and has everything you need to transition from day drinking to nighttime revelry: a DJ dropping beats, bottle service and private cabanas. Even if you’re not a hotel guest, check in on Sunday for the pool party from 9am to 11pm. As for partying until nearly midnight in your bikini? Hey, it happens. 

This former firehouse-turned-restaurant-lounge—one of Brickell’s nightlife pioneers—consistently hosts one of the hottest parties in the neighborhood, in part due to its extended happy hour. Escape the masses you’ll usually find at street level and head to the second-floor rooftop for half-priced drinks and appetizers offered daily from 4–8pm. It’s decidedly less noisy (salsa, reggaeton and the like reverberate downstairs) with a clear view of the action down South Miami Avenue, a strip popular for dining, drinking and shopping. 

The no-frills sports pub Mike’s at Venetia is the last thing you’d expect to find on the pool level of an apartment 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.

Photograph: Courtesy Yelp/Mike’s At Venetia