Florida · best-of list
The 13 Best Bars & Cafés in Florida
All 13 bars & cafés our route editors picked in Florida, across 11 destinations, gathered in one list. Each one is a stop on a route you can open and copy into a trip.
Our curated picks
13 bars & cafés in Florida, grouped by destination. Destinations with the most picks come first; this is not a ranking.
Key West 3 picks
Captain Tony's Saloon
Key West · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
The original Sloppy Joe's location (1930s), with a tree growing through the roof and live music.
Tip: Quieter than Duval's big bars; good first stop of the night.
Photo: Bubba73 · CC BY-SA 3.0
Sloppy Joe's Bar
Key West · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
Hemingway-era Duval Street bar with live music from noon to late.
Tip: Go in the afternoon for a seat by the open windows.
Photo: Schwerdf · CC BY 4.0
The Green Parrot Bar
Key West · On our Florida Keys Adventure route
Locals' bar since 1890 with live music most nights and no TV screens.
Tip: Saturday late-afternoon sets are free.
Photo: Green Parrot Bar · Google
Amelia Island 1 pick
Palace Saloon
Amelia Island · On our St. Augustine & Amelia Island route
Florida's oldest continuously operating bar, open since 1903 behind a carved mahogany bar on Centre Street.
Tip: Order the Pirate's Punch, the house drink.
Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank 1 pick
Intuition Ale Works
Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank · On our Jacksonville New Year's Eve route
Local brewery on East Bay Street near the stadium, with a rooftop deck looking back at the skyline.
Downtown Miami & Bayfront 1 pick
Ball & Chain
Downtown Miami & Bayfront · On our Miami New Year's Eve route
Calle Ocho bar and music venue dating to 1935, with live salsa on the Pineapple Stage and mojitos.
Tip: Go early in the evening, then ride 15 minutes downtown for midnight.
Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk 1 pick
Jackson's Bistro
Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk · On our Tampa New Year's Eve route
Waterfront restaurant on Harbour Island with a big deck facing downtown, host of a ticketed New Year's Eve party.
Tip: Party tickets include the deck view of the river fireworks.
Everglades 1 pick
Schnebly Redland's Winery & Brewery
Everglades · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
Tropical-fruit wines (lychee, guava, mango) and craft beer in a garden setting near Homestead.
Tip: Good stop for a tasting on the drive back to Miami.
Photo: Schnebly Redland's Winery & Brewery · Google
Jacksonville Beach 1 pick
Lemon Bar
Jacksonville Beach · On our Jacksonville New Year's Eve route
Open-air beach bar at the end of Lemon Street in Neptune Beach, known for its frozen lemon drink.
Tip: Hours shorten in winter and depend on the weather.
Photo: Michael Rivera · CC BY-SA 4.0
Key Largo 1 pick
Snappers Oceanfront Restaurant & Bar
Key Largo · On our Florida Keys Adventure route
Ocean-side tiki bar and seafood restaurant on a canal.
Tip: Happy hour and conch fritters; dock is open to boaters.
Photo: Kevin CVert · Google
South Beach 1 pick
Mac's Club Deuce
South Beach · On our Miami Beach Getaway route
Miami Beach's oldest bar (1926): cheap drinks, a pool table and neon, open late.
Tip: Cash-friendly dive; best after midnight.
Photo: Mac's Club Deuce ♣️ · Google
St. Augustine 1 pick
St. Augustine Distillery
St. Augustine · On our St. Augustine & Amelia Island route
Craft distillery in a restored 1907 ice plant, with free guided tours, tastings and a cocktail bar upstairs.
Tip: Tours are free but timed; book a slot online.
Photo: Mjrmtg · CC0
Walt Disney World 1 pick
Trader Sam's Grog Grotto
Walt Disney World · On our Orlando New Year's Eve route
A small tiki bar in the Polynesian Village Resort, full of props and drinks that set off sound and light effects.
Tip: Seats are first come; expect a long wait on Dec 31, so go in the afternoon.
Photo: Sam Howzit · CC BY 2.0
How we picked these
Every entry is a stop on at least one of TripsCircle's hand-curated routes, chosen by our route editors, who wrote the reason to go shown with each place. These are our curated picks, not a scored ranking: we haven't rated or reviewed them against each other. The list is grouped by destination, and within each destination places that appear on more routes come first.
Prices ($ to $$$$) and visit lengths are rough guides from our route notes, not quotes. Check opening hours before you go.
About this list
How did you choose the bars & cafés in Florida?
Each one is a stop on a TripsCircle route that our editors built by hand, and each comes with a written reason to go. This page shows all 13 of them. They are curated picks, not a ranked score.
Which part of Florida has the most bars & cafés on this list?
Key West has the most (3 of 13), followed by Amelia Island (1) and Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank (1).
More lists for Florida
Best bars & cafés nearby
Destinations on this list
- Key West 3 on this list
- Amelia Island 1 on this list
- Downtown Jacksonville & Southbank 1 on this list
- Downtown Miami & Bayfront 1 on this list
- Downtown Tampa & the Riverwalk 1 on this list
- Everglades 1 on this list
- Jacksonville Beach 1 on this list
- Key Largo 1 on this list
Turn this list into a plan
Open a curated route in TripsCircle, add the spots your crew wants, vote with polls and keep everyone on one shared itinerary.