In Underrated Miami, we take a look at very cool Miami things that, for some strange reason, we don’t seem to appreciate as much as we should.
Smack dab in the middle of Biscayne Bay, almost exactly between Downtown and North Miami, lives a very charming little island called North Bay Village. Perhaps you’ve been? Most locals have at least passed through the neighborhood on their way to and from Miami Beach. But a lot of people probably don’t think much about North Bay Village, which is a darn shame because this tiny place deserves much more than a passing glance from the passenger seat.
You’ll find North Bay Village in the center of the 79th Street Causeway. You really can’t miss it (unless you veer off the bridge and go flying into the ocean, in which case you have bigger problems to worry about at the moment).
North Bay Village is a best-of-both-worlds sort of place. You’ve got old-school North Beach to the east and the blooming Upper Eastside to the west—not that you need to commute to either if you don’t want to. Stay put on North Bay Village and you’ll find some great food and drink options. The recently opened 222 Taco is a casual, tasty spot where you can grab some tacos while taking down the best margaritas in the whole city. Across the street from the splashy 222 Taco, you’ll find Shuckers, a beloved waterfront bar and restaurant that—unlike many waterfront dining options in Miami—won’t cost you a bajillion dollars to enjoy. You also have the infamous dive bar Happy's Stork Lounge and two restaurants from Miami restaurateur Barclay Graebner, the cute café Black Sheep (breakfast here is glorious) and the Mexican joint Tacos vs. Burritos Cantina.
Oh, and there’s a Benihana too! Isn’t that fun? Plus, the local Sabor Tropical Supermarket is where Drake randomly paid for everyone’s groceries while filming a music video for “God’s Plan” so, you know, there’s a chance that might happen again? Maybe he’s still hiding behind the plantains, just waiting for the right moment to strike.
And keep in mind all these places are housed in a neighborhood small enough for a skilled pole vaulter to jump over. It’s all surprisingly affordable too. If you think this is all sounding a bit too good to be true, we agree! But North Bay Village does not seem to operate by the same logic as the rest of Miami. And we certainly hope it never does.
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