It's fall in Miami. And even though temperatures are still hovering in the high 80s, tourism is picking up, and the holidays are fast approaching. This season, local eateries are hosting their happiest hours yet. They're offering beer, wine, and cocktail specials in charming spaces serving plenty of good food to soak up the discounted booze.
Here are the most wallet-friendly Miami happy hours this season:
Stop by the Aventura outpost of Bartaco weekdays from 3 to 6:30 p.m. for the discounted High Tide menu. Must-tries are the mojito tinto, made with Flor de Cana silver rum, spiced sangria, freshly squeezed lime, mint, and sugar ($7.50), and the Smoke on the Water, containing Banhez mezcal, Cappelletti aperitivo, watermelon, lemon, and mint ($7). The menu also offers a selection of wines and specialty sangrias available by the glass or carafe.
Chef Daniel Boulud's downtown Miami eatery recently launched a Saturday late-night happy hour from 10 p.m. till midnight. Pair a selection of $5 bites, such as ham croquettes, arancini, and spicy hummus, with $9 specialty cocktails, $6 frozen cocktails, $8 wines by the glass, and $5 beers.
The Italian restaurant inside the Soho Beach House hosts a happy hour Tuesday through Saturday from 4 to 7 p.m. offering discounted food and drinks for $4, $7, and $9. Sip cocktails such as the Amaro mule, Aperol spritz, and negroni over orders of baked gnocchi, ham and artichoke croquettes, and zucca pizzetta.
Cocktails, the Lincoln Eatery’s new tropical bar, hosts a happy hour Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 p.m., when guests can snag specials such as $3 beers and $2 off cocktails. The deals are also available on weekends from 7 p.m. till closing time. Bonus: The bar also offers When It Rains We Pour, an impromptu happy hour on rainy days.
In downtown Miami, Cvltvra offers a weekday happy hour beginning at 5 p.m. For two hours, grab $8 specialty cocktails, $8 wines by the glass, $5 beers, and $5 bites such as short-rib empanadas, blue corn nachos with guacamole, and baby ribs.
Habitat at 1 Hotel South Beach is celebrating the season with a new social hour. Monday through Friday from 6 to 8 p.m., head to the bar for $8 signature cocktails and "sommelier’s choice" red and white wine, along with a bartender’s rotating tap for $5. Bites — including chicharrón cacio e pepe, steak tartare sliders, and eggplant tapenade toast — cost $7 each.
At La Cerverceria's Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive locations, enjoy weekday happy hour from 3 to 7 p.m. Specials include $5 draft and bottled beers, $6.95 frozen margaritas, $6.95 classic cocktails, and $6.95 margaritas on the rocks.
In the heart of the Design District, Michelin-starred chef Alain Verzeroli's new restaurant offers happy hour Tuesday through Saturday from 3 to 7 p.m. Nine bucks buys select wines by the glass and signature cocktails such as a rosé sour, made with Triennes rosé, lemon, and pink peppercorn; a kir, made with crème de cassis and dry white wine; and the Mai, containing Lillet Blanc, citrus, sparkling wine, bitters, and bay leaf. Discounted bar bites include pumpkin croquet with herbed yogurt ($9), Maine lobster roll with curry mayonnaise and apple slaw ($12), heirloom beets with ora king salmon and Meyer lemon crème fraîche ($9), and a specialty cheese selection ($19).
This fall, downtown’s Lost Boy offers a half-off bar menu Monday through Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. Priced at $6 each, new fall cocktails include the Elvis 1956, containing Whistlepig Piggyback rye, spiced rye cordial, and lemon oil; a pistachio sour, a blend of Parsol pisco, pistachio orgeat, lemon, and aquafaba topped with cracked candied pistachio; and the Spicy Siesta, made with Corazón reposado tequila, Campari, lime, agave, firewater bitters, and a spicy salted rim. Well drinks cost $4.
Midtown's Indian eatery offers a happy hour this fall Tuesday through Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. Grab a beer for $6 and wines by the glass for $8, but the real draw is the list of signature $8 cocktails, such as the Red Lady, a mix of bourbon, sweet vermouth, fresh strawberries, and bitters. Pair with naan stuffed with wild mushroom, lamb kheema, and other $6 bar bites.
In downtown Miami, enjoy daily Greek happy hour from 4 to 7 p.m. Feast on $6 meze such as lamb, chicken, or beef Meraki Greek burgers; pita crusted gyro pizza with pork or chicken; and potato puffs with Greek cheeses and stuffed jalapeños. Pair your bites with $5 glasses of organic Greek wine or $3 Greek beer.
Fridays, the Mondrian in South Beach offers a Coconut Cartel happy hour. From 4 to 7 p.m., hotel guests and visitors can watch the sun set while enjoying $7 bites and $9 cocktails made with Coconut Cartel rum. Try the Modern Twist, a refreshing blend of Peche de Vigne, grapefruit juice, pineapple juice, and ginger beer.
Weekdays, this swanky Chinese/Japanese restaurant in downtown Miami begins buzzing around 5 p.m., when the local crowd shows up for $8 cocktails. Happy hour is available only at the bar, so get there early to snag a stool so you can try Novikov's signature lychee martini, containing probiotic milk; an old-fashioned made with Coconut Cartel rum; $8 wines by the glass; and 300 ml bottles of Soto sake and bottles of Whispering Angel rosé for $23. You have until 7 p.m. to snack on $8 bar bites such as a king crab roll, spicy salmon roll, and soft-shell crab.
Pubbelly Sushi offers not one, but two happy hours. Daily from 4 to 7 p.m., take advantage of drink specials such as $4 Cusquena beer, $6 sake and select wines, and $8 cocktails, along with discounted salmon rolls for $7.50 and bigeye tuna for $9.50. Take your friends early or late Sunday through Thursday, when a second happy hour begins at 10 p.m. at the Miami Beach location and at 9 p.m. at all other outposts.
Swing by the Carillon Miami Wellness Resort any day this fall from 4 to 7 p.m. for a happy hour at its ground-floor restaurant, the Strand. During the promotional hours, find wine for $9, draft beer for $6, and cocktails such as the O Carillon Paloma — made with Viva tequila, grapefruit soda, salt, and oil — for $12. From the food menu, try a sharable meat and cheese board ($19), edamame ($8), and bacon-wrapped dates with blue cheese ($13).
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Thursdays after 5, Verde offers $5 drinks such as old-fashioneds, mojitos, and margaritas. Located inside Pérez Art Museum Miami, the indoor/outdoor restaurant also offers $6 beers, $5 wines, and $8 handcrafted cocktails to pair with its seasonal food menu.
Enjoy chic French-Mediterranean vibes in South Beach while sipping on 30 percent off cocktails at Villa Azur's bar from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. daily except Thursday. Must-tries are the Top Less, made with Beluga Noble vodka, fresh strawberry, thyme, and lime; the Mascarade, containing Russian Standard vodka, St. George spiced pear liqueur, cinnamon syrup, and pear nectar; and the French Kiss, a blend of Rémy Martin VSOP cognac, honey, fresh pineapple, and rosemary-infused lemon juice.
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