No need to hit the mega clubs. Try these new lounges and bars in Miami. | Miami Herald

Wynwood’s only mezcal and gourmet bites bar opened early this year. Helmed by international Chef Matthew McKean and DJ William Renaurt, the cozy ’20s inspired space occupies the first floor of The Electric Pickle nightclub, making it the perfect pre-and-post-game spot for a night of dancing. Items on the menu include globally-inspired “crudo” dishes , traditional Mexican street eats and the best nachos in the neighborhood, plus mezcal-oriented craft cocktails. Here’s a tip: ask for the ever-changing “secret menu” for dishes crafted to correlate with the evening’s events upstairs at the Pickle.

This is the new new in Wynwood. rácket (with a lower-case ‘r’) is the brainchild of Drunken Dragon and Foxhole’s Homecookin’ Hospitality Group. Two rooms offer two different drinking environments with unique personalities and ambiances — one for the laid-back imbibing, another for turnt-up tipples. Guests can sip craft cocktails made with locally-sourced ingredients while enjoying weekly live entertainment. Happy hour is daily from 4-8 p.m. and features $4 beers and $10 cocktails.

1 Hotel South Beach’s new lobby bar Drift features small bites by award-winning Chef Jose Mendin (think gourmet croquetas de jamon and bunuelos) and farm-to-bar cocktails, and a daily happy hour from 6-7:30 p.m. where you can sip and savor to your heart’s content for half the price.

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The new concept that replaced Brickell’s Segafredo boasts a chic new interior, internationally-inspired shareable plates, and a Prosecco-centric signature cocktail section. Not to mention a daily happy hour and guest DJ’s to help take patrons from post-work mingling to late night partying.

The famed Michelin-starred Sushi Azabu New York has touched down in Miami Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood, offering guests delicious dishes by Executive Chef Masatsugu Kubo, a hidden sushi counter called The Den, inventive craft cocktails, and over 40 imported Japanese whiskeys. Find it inside the Marriott Stanton South Beach on Ocean Drive.

Located on the Miami River just a few blocks from downtown, The Wharf is 30,000 square feet of open-air space for communal-style dining, drinking (two bars) and lounging by the waterfront. Come by car or by boat, as The Wharf also offers dockage space.

International seafood concept Coco Bambu arrived in Miami Beach early last fall. The county’s largest seafood venue, it offers inventive signature cocktails, Brazilian staple dishes designed around locally sourced ingredients and a chic, elegant ambiance.

Opened last year, Forte dei Marmi draws discerning foodies with Italian dishes dreamed up by two Michelin star Chef Antonio Mellino. But upstairs, night owls can lounge around in the FDM Arts Club, a private space that’s high on swank and…interesting things. Think artisanal cocktails paired with an analog listening experience on Music Wednesdays. Other programming includes live performers and presentations centered around design, art, and food.