Eagle Room Rises Again as a Pop-Up in Downtown Miami

For a little over three years, Eagle Room had acted as the IYKYK party spot in Miami Beach. Formerly located above 27 Restaurant & Bar at Freehand Miami, the lounge focused on the simple mission of being a welcoming environment where everyone could have fun. You weren't going to find big-room DJs here — that wasn't the point. Local beatmasters spun here regularly, with most sets focusing on disco and house.

However, after Generator Hostels, the owner of the Freehand brand, brought in Authentic Hospitality to operate the Miami Beach's location bar and restaurant, taking over from Bar Lab Hospitality, Eagle Room closed despite its much-beloved status as a low-key spot with immaculate vibes.

That's why clubgoers are celebrating the news that Eagle Room will pop up in downtown Miami for the foreseeable future. Starting on Thursday, March 20, the lounge will take over Margot Bar & Bistro Thursday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.

"The goal of Eagle Room was always to be the funnest room in Miami," says Fabio Galarce of DJ act Dude Skywalker. Galarce and the rest of the Deep Playa crew started the original lounge after being approached by Bar Lab's Gabriel Orta and Elad Zvi to take over the upstairs room of the historic home adjacent to the Freehand. "I would always brief the DJs, 'Take me to a fun house party from wherever you're from.'"

The downtown reboot will place the lounge amid downtown's growing nightlife scene, which includes Jolene Sound Room, Miami Tried, Over Under, and Miami Sound Bar.

"The mini-disco concept will translate to Margot very well; there is a lot of crossover there," Galarce explains. "We take it very seriously, but the whole point is for it not to feel serious. We're going to be in a cool ecosystem that, in my entire life, I've never really seen anything like in Miami, where a cluster of bars and nightlife establishments can create a little ecosystem where people can bounce around."

According to Galarce, Eagle Room's ethos will remain intact. Expect most nights to feature local DJs spinning sets catering to maximum fun and never a cover charge. There will be a guest list and doorman, but don't expect it to be tough to get in. If you come with the right vibe, you should be allowed through.

"At the old location, we were almost like the classic New York term bridge and tunnel. We were a destination for a lot of Miami," Galarce says. "Being downtown is being much more accessible to Miami. The Beach is its own little ecosystem."

Galarce knows that recreating the original Eagle Room will be challenging — that's not the point, anyway. "It's more about the spirit and energy of the place," he says.

Eagle Room Pop-Up at Margot Bar & Bistro. 25 SE Second Ave., Miami; eagleroom.club. Thursday through Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m.