Monterrey Bar

Tucked inside The Standard Spa, Miami Beach, Monterrey Bar feels like it exists in its own time zone. You walk past the midcentury stained glass lobby and into a low-slung room built around a T-shaped bar, where everyone faces each other and you get the sudden urge to take your drink and slide it down this Amazonite-stone runway. 

The vibe: The room is wrapped in dark wood paneling over rust-colored velvet lounge seating, and the lights are always deliciously dim. No one is standing on furniture. No one is ordering bottle service. People actually sit here. They lean back into the booths. They talk. On most nights, the crowd is a mix of Venetian Islands regulars, hotel guests who’ve traded spa robes for linen, and people on first and second dates. Music matters, but it doesn’t dominate, though the vinyl selection heard on Fridays and Saturdays is top-notch.

The drink: This is a stirred-drink room. Martinis, Manhattans, Sazeracs—cocktails that require patience and a steady hand. Nothing arrives fluorescent. Nothing is topped with fireworks. If there’s a seasonal Manhattan variation, it’s usually worth ordering. The Sazerac has depth without being syrupy. Even the lighter options carry backbone.

The food: There is a formidable bar food menu of mostly Chinese and Japanese hits like bao buns (try kani with nori battered soft shell crab tempura) and sandos (go for the katso), though the temaki selections, with The Standard sitting so close to the ocean, are as fresh and flavorful as can be.

Time Out tip: Go midweek. It’s quieter, the bar seats are easier to claim, and you can settle in without feeling rushed. Aperitivo hour runs weekdays from 5 to 8pm, where refreshing $12 drinks with ingredients like yuzu, shiso and lychee both can cap off a long day or jumpstart a long night.