The speakeasy Miami scene runs from a tiki room tucked inside an Edgewater Irish pub to a London phone booth in Brickell and a lounge you enter through a porta potty on South Beach. These are the nine hidden bars we would actually send a friend to, each checked against its own website for hours and how to get in. Where a bar keeps its entrance a secret, we tell you only what the bar itself publishes.
Quick Picks
- Best for live jazz: 9 Feet Under, Hialeah.
- Best for a date: Kaona Room, Edgewater.
- Best for skyline views: Tea Room, Brickell.
- Best for a password style entry: Red Phone Booth, Brickell.
- Best for late night dancing: Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, South Beach.
- Best in Wynwood: Coyo Taco, Wynwood.
Kaona Room
Kaona Room is a 45 seat tiki speakeasy hidden inside The Leinster Irish Pub at 1600 NE 1st Ave, Miami, FL 33132, in Edgewater. There is no sign outside; the bar’s own advice is to walk into the pub and ask at the bar. Inside you get bamboo walls, amber light and a rum list of more than 50 bottles.
It opens Wednesday and Thursday from 6pm to 1am and Friday and Saturday from 6pm to 2am. Book through SevenRooms for weekends, which sell out; walk ins are taken only when there is room. Good for a quiet date before a night in Wynwood, five minutes west (get directions).
Tea Room
On the 40th floor of EAST Miami at 788 Brickell Plaza, Miami, FL 33131, Tea Room sits behind a hidden door. It is a Hong Kong inspired lounge with Asian cocktails, shared plates, live music and some of the best night views in Brickell.
Hours are Sunday to Wednesday 6pm to 2am and Thursday to Saturday 6pm to 3am. The dress code is strict: no caps, shorts, activewear, sneakers or sandals. Pair it with our Brickell night guide for a full evening (get directions).
Red Phone Booth
Red Phone Booth at 1010 Brickell Ave, Unit 105, Miami, FL 33131 is the most theatrical entry in town: you step into a restored London phone booth and dial a secret number to get in. The brand says the number comes from a member, a hotel concierge or the access request on its website. Behind it is a multi level lounge with a walk in humidor and a deep spirits list. Best for cigar and whiskey drinkers who do not mind a members club feel (get directions).
RAW by ONE K
ONE K at 1000 S Miami Ave, Miami, FL 33130 looks like an open air Brickell sports and happy hour bar, but the dark room inside, RAW, is where the night goes. The bar runs happy hour every day and game night on Monday, then a rotating lineup of DJs in RAW every Thursday, Friday and Saturday. No VIP ropes and no fancy dress code, so it suits a group that wants a party rather than a cocktail lecture (get directions).
Bodega Taqueria y Tequila
The flagship Bodega South Beach at 1220 16th St, Miami Beach, FL 33139 serves tacos from an Airstream out front; the bar itself is reached, as Bodega cheerfully advertises, through a porta potty door. The lounge opens Monday to Wednesday 4pm to 1am, Thursday and Friday 4pm to 3am, Saturday noon to 3am and Sunday noon to 1am, with rotating DJ sets on weekends and happy hour daily from 6pm to 9pm.
It is first come, first served, but reservations are encouraged after 9pm and for groups (get directions).
Swizzle Rum Bar and Drinkery
Swizzle is a small, moody rum bar inside the Stiles Hotel at 1120 Collins Ave, Miami Beach, FL 33139, with more than 150 rums and a back room the bar calls the Speakeasy Area. It was founded by a former Employees Only Miami bartender, and the classics show it. Open daily 7pm to 3am, smart casual dress. A strong pick for serious cocktail drinkers on South Beach (get directions).
Room 55
Room 55 is a 1930s styled speakeasy on the top floor of the Pelican Hotel at 826 Ocean Dr, Miami Beach, FL 33139, with cocktails like the Great Gatsby Martini and rooftop views of South Beach. It opens Thursday to Saturday 6pm to 2am and Sunday 6pm to midnight, and is closed Monday to Wednesday. For more open air options, see our Miami rooftop bars guide (get directions).
Coyo Taco Wynwood
The original Coyo Taco at 2300 NW 2nd Ave, Miami, FL 33127 is a busy taqueria up front with a lounge hidden behind the dining room. The lounge opens at 9pm nightly, closing at 2am Monday to Wednesday and 3am Thursday to Sunday, and it is the closest thing Wynwood has to a classic speakeasy dance room. Start with tacos and stay late; our Wynwood after dark guide covers the rest of the block (get directions).
9 Feet Under
9 Feet Under at 885 SE 14th St, Hialeah, FL 33010 is a Prohibition style lounge entered through a side door, and it is the speakeasy on this list most committed to music. The bar advertises live jazz nights, karaoke with Wednesday ladies night, Throwback Thursday with a DJ from 8pm to 1am, and open format DJs on Friday and Saturday.
It opens Wednesday to Sunday 5pm to 2am, is 21 and over, and enforces smart casual dress: no sandals, shorts or tank tops. Reserve online for special nights (get directions).
Planning a Miami Speakeasy Night
Book first. Kaona Room, Red Phone Booth and Tea Room fill on Friday and Saturday, and several of these rooms seat fewer than 50 people. Thursday is the best night if you want a seat without a reservation. Rideshare is the easy option: Brickell spots are walkable from each other (Tea Room, ONE K and Red Phone Booth are within a few blocks), and Room 55, Swizzle and Bodega are a short ride apart on South Beach. Kaona Room says street parking nearby is free in the evening. Dress up a level for Tea Room and 9 Feet Under, and bring ID everywhere.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best speakeasy in Miami?
For atmosphere and cocktails, Kaona Room in Edgewater and Red Phone Booth in Brickell lead the list. For music, 9 Feet Under in Hialeah has live jazz nights and DJs.
Where are the hidden bars in Miami?
Kaona Room is inside The Leinster Irish Pub in Edgewater, Bodega South Beach is behind a porta potty door, Coyo Taco Wynwood hides its lounge behind the taqueria, and Tea Room sits behind a hidden door on the 40th floor of EAST Miami.
Is there a speakeasy in Brickell?
Yes, three: Red Phone Booth on Brickell Avenue, Tea Room at EAST Miami in Brickell City Centre, and RAW, the dark DJ room inside ONE K on South Miami Avenue.
Is there a speakeasy in Wynwood?
Coyo Taco’s original Wynwood location has a hidden lounge behind the dining room that opens at 9pm nightly. Kaona Room in Edgewater is five minutes east.
Where can I find a jazz speakeasy in Miami?
9 Feet Under in Hialeah advertises live jazz nights, and Tea Room in Brickell has live music. For dedicated jazz rooms, see our guide to Miami’s best jazz clubs.
Header photo: Marc Averette, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0.
