Dante's HiFi
519 NW 26th St., Miamidanteshifi.comOpening in 2021, the tiny bar on the western fringes of Wynwood was Miami's first listening bar. Imported from Japan, the concept is simple: play great records on an incredible sound system. Backed by a fleet of Miami nightlife impresario, including Coyo Taco cofounder Sven Vogtland, the bar hired Philadelphia DJ Rich Medina as music director, and plenty of selectors from locals like CaroZilla and Rum & Coke to stars such as DJ Jazzy Jeff and Luke Vibert have come through. Genres range from soul, funk, and hip-hop to house and techno — it all depends on who's behind the decks. These days, be prepared to make a reservation. After opening, Dante's quickly became a Miami nightlife hot spot, and its egalitarian neighborhood-bar ambitions gave way to demand.
Etcetera at Panther Coffee Little Haiti
5934 NW Second Ave., Miami305-677-3952
panthercoffee.comMiami has a real lack of normal bars doing normal bar things like hosting trivia nights. So it's nice that Panther Coffee has stepped in to fill the void, turning their Little Haiti location into a cool little wine bar at night. One of its regular events is a monthly open-deck night called Etcetera, hosted by Agua Dulce and Las Nubes. Just bring your records and sign up in person, and you'll get 30 minutes to strut your stuff with whatever records you might have. Wanna play a mad jungle set with all the drum 'n' bass vinyl you brought back from a UK trip? Excellent. Got some jazzy cuts and sensual Sade to fit the wine bar vibe? Hell yeah, player. What if the only records you have are from your parents' boomer classic-rock collection? No problem. Who doesn't like Fleetwood Mac? The best set of the night will win a swag bag from a local record store. The next session takes place Friday, August 25, with events usually taking place toward the end of the month.
Jolene Sound Room opened in downtown Miami in May.
Jolene Sound Room photo
Jolene Sound Room
200 E. Flagler St., Miami305-603-9818
jolenesoundroom.comThis brand-new downtown listening bar is the result of a massive Miami nightlife team-up between the owners of Club Space — David Sinopoli, Coloma Kaboomsky, and Davide Danese — and Elad Zvi and Gabe Orta of Bar Lab. The group took inspiration from Despacio, the club experience project created by James Murphy and 2manydjs that's become a fixture at music festivals. After debuting the concept in Brooklyn, the group opened the basement spot in Miami in May with a set from house legend Jellybean Benitez, and it's planning on using the space during this year's III Points to host satellite sets from Murphy, Black Loops, Totally Enormous Extinct Dinosaurs, and Michelle Leshem. In the meantime, the bar has already brought in the likes of Byron the Aquarius, the Juan MacLean, Justin Strauss, and local fave Brother Dan, while DJ Ray holds down a residency slot.
Miami Sound Bar
123 SE Second Ave., Miami786-809-0900
miamisound.barBased on Mexico City's Tokyo Music Bar, this downtown spot from Mexico-based Edo Kobayashi Group opened in 2022 to give Dante's a run for their money. The arrangement is similar: Come for great records played by peerless selectors on an excellent sound system from specialists McIntosh Laboratory. Reservations are recommended due to the bar's size, but walk-ins are welcome. The vibe is slightly less pretentious than its Wynwood counterpart. The programming is also fairly big on full-album listening sessions, which is a little more true to form for a traditional listening bar. Past selections have included records from Daft Punk, ABBA, the Notorious B.I.G., the Verve, Interpol, Willie Colón, and Arthur Russell.
Open Decks at Technique Records
880 NE 79th St., Miami786-717-6622
techniquerecords.comEveryone loves heading to Technique for all their vinyl digging needs, but did you know the Upper Eastside shop also runs open decks? The shop solicits signups occasionally on Instagram, and limited slots go fast, so be quick with the DM if you want to show off your selections. If you get the gig, be prepared for a warm and welcoming environment courtesy of the shop staff. There are no age or skill level restrictions, so whether you're an old pro or have never held a record, Technique is a great place to try out vinyl and a true judgment-free zone. Just make sure you have enough material to fill an hour.
Vinyl Time at Gramps
176 NW 24th St., Miami855-732-8992
gramps.comGramps is one of the last vestiges of the older, weirder Wynwood, and its regular programming continues to be more interesting than other spots in the neighborhood. This summer, in addition to its Thursday drag night, Double Stubble, and the Tuesday Synth Battle, it's added Vinyl Time, an open deck happening every Wednesday. From 7 to 11 p.m., bring your records to the bar for a chance to spin. The event doesn't always happen on certain weeks, so check Gramps' Instagram for complete scheduling information.
