Miami and Wilton Manors
Miami Gay Bars and Clubs Guide: South Beach and Wilton Manors
· findlucid
Gay dating in Miami starts in its rooms: Twist and Palace in South Beach, plus Hunters, the Alibi and the Eagle on Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors.
Miami gay nightlife runs on two poles. South Beach gives you glamour: drag brunch on Ocean Drive, a seven bar club on Washington Avenue, and the gay beach at 12th Street. Wilton Manors, about 30 minutes north, gives you community: a city of about 11,600 where Wilton Drive packs bar after bar into a walkable strip.
Every bar and club in this guide is 21 and over for drinking, so bring ID. Do both poles on different nights instead of racing between them, and start on a patio while you can still talk.
Twist: seven bars under one roof
Twist at 1057 Washington Avenue is the South Beach institution, going strong since 1993. It is seven themed bars in one two story club, each with its own music and crowd.
Twist opens every day at 3 PM and runs to 5 AM, with two for one happy hour drinks from 3 to 9 PM and never a cover. Arrive before midnight on weekends to dance instead of queue.
Palace Bar: the Ocean Drive drag icon
Palace Bar at 1052 Ocean Drive has been the drag destination since 1988, facing the beach at 11th Street. Queens perform on the sidewalk patio and inside, with evening shows after brunch.
Drag brunch runs Friday to Sunday with seatings at 11 AM and 2 PM, plus a Monday seating at noon. Packages start at 60 dollars with one entree, bottomless mimosas and the full show. Reservations are strongly recommended.
Bar Gaythering: the locals room on Lincoln Road
For cocktails without the chaos, Bar Gaythering at 1409 Lincoln Road sits inside Hotel Gaythering, where Lincoln Road meets the bay. It is the neighborhood bar of South Beach: proper drinks, locals and hotel guests.
The bar opens at 5 PM, to midnight most nights and 2 AM on Fridays and Saturdays, with karaoke, trivia and bingo through the week. It works as a first stop, a last stop, or the whole night.
Hunters: the big room on Wilton Drive
Hunters Nightclub at 2232 to 2238 Wilton Drive is the dance heart of Wilton Manors: a large dance floor with the largest video screen on the Drive, a video bar with eight screens, and an upstairs lounge over the floor.
Hunters opens at 3 PM weekdays and 2 PM weekends, to 2 AM, and 3 AM Fridays and Saturdays, with nightly events.
Georgie's Alibi and Rosie's: dinner that turns into a night
Georgie's Alibi Monkey Bar at 2266 Wilton Drive is a bar and restaurant with four spaces, a big patio, drag shows and an award winning burger, open 11 AM to 2 AM, and 3 AM Fridays and Saturdays.
Rosie's Bar and Grill at 2449 Wilton Drive is the tropical patio: Key West style, campy service, big burgers, and Sunday brunch from 10 AM. It closes at 11 PM, so it starts nights.
The Manor, the Eagle and Ramrod: big rooms and leather
The Manor Complex at 2345 Wilton Drive is the late one: club nights run Fridays and Saturdays from 11 PM to 5 AM, with drag headliners.
Eagle Wilton Manors at 2209 Wilton Drive is a Berlin inspired leather club with three rooms, the Main Bar, the CODE Bar and the Bear Cave. Ramrod at 1508 Northeast 4th Avenue in Fort Lauderdale has been the Levi, leather and bear bar for over three decades, with Pig Dance on the first Saturday of the month.
Scandals and Gym Bar: the rest of the Drive
Scandals Saloon at 3073 Northeast 6th Avenue, just off the Drive, is the gay country western bar: line dancing, karaoke and a big patio, open noon to 1 AM, and 2 AM Fridays and Saturdays.
Gym Sportsbar at 2287 Wilton Drive is the laid back sports bar, open 11 AM to midnight. The Drive rewards wandering, so keep moving.
A Miami night out: the plan
- Getting around: each strip is walkable on its own. Between South Beach and Wilton Manors budget 30 to 45 minutes by rideshare, and never drive after drinking.
- Timing: the 12th Street gay beach fills by day, patios fill from 5 PM, Twist crowds build after midnight, and Wilton Manors peaks Thursday through Sunday.
- Money: Twist never charges a cover and most Wilton Manors bars charge little or none. Palace drag brunch starts at 60 dollars.
- Respect the rooms: tip bartenders and performers well, and ask before photos.
- Safety: watch your drink, agree a meeting point with friends, and book the ride home before the last round.
Meeting people before the music starts
New to the area? Start on the Gaythering patio or at the Alibi while it is still light, and show up twice to become a familiar face. Our Atlanta guide is at https://findlucid.com/articles/atlanta-gay-bars-guide.
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Frequently asked questions
What are the two main gay nightlife areas near Miami?
South Beach in Miami Beach, around Ocean Drive, Washington Avenue and Lincoln Road, and Wilton Drive in Wilton Manors, about 30 minutes north. South Beach is glamour and tourists; Wilton Manors is the local community strip where bar hopping on foot is the whole point.
Does Twist South Beach charge a cover?
No. Twist at 1057 Washington Avenue runs on a never a cover policy, open every day from 3 PM to 5 AM since 1993, with two for one happy hour drinks from 3 to 9 PM across its seven bars.
When is drag brunch at Palace Bar?
Friday to Sunday with seatings at 11 AM and 2 PM, plus a Monday seating at noon, at 1052 Ocean Drive. Packages start at 60 dollars with one entree, bottomless mimosas and the full drag show, and reservations are strongly recommended.
How far is Wilton Manors from South Beach?
About 30 to 45 minutes by car or rideshare, depending on traffic. Wilton Drive itself is a walkable strip, so plan to park or get dropped once and bar hop on foot, and never drive after drinking.
How do I meet people before a Miami club night?
Start early while you can still talk, at Bar Gaythering from 5 PM or on the Alibi patio, and show up twice to become a familiar face. On FindLucid.com, an inclusive dating app for everyone, you can sign up free at https://findlucid.com/signup and use free date safety plans and check ins when you meet.
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