The latest watering holes to open in downtown Miami include two Irish pubs and a combined restaurant and lounge. Here is a look at the new outposts, all of which offer semiprivate event space, performance stages, and TVs for presentations.
1. In downtown Miami, Brickell Irish Pub opened in August as a forum for live entertainment, casual bar games, and a selection of more than 40 whiskeys. The 5,000-square-foot first floor has a 150-square-foot stage, a 35 foot-long bar, and seating for 130 at highboys and booths. Overlooking the stage, the 1,500-square-foot second floor has dart boards, a foosball table, and a small bar for about 25. For alfresco dining, a 550-square-foot sidewalk café has eclectic antique furniture and lounge chairs for 60. The venue also has 18 50-inch and seven 42-inch TVs throughout for presentations, as well as a 136-inch projection screen on the first floor.
2. Waxy’s on the River debuted this past weekend on the ground floor of downtown Miami's Neo Vertika residential building. The 7,000-square-foot Irish pub and restaurant faces the Miami River and can seat 222. A 64-foot chocolate colored bar serves as the venue’s centerpiece, seating 40. A covered patio can host 120. The more than 15 TVs throughout the venue may be used for presentations during a buyout. A full raw bar and boat slips behind the building are planned for the future though, no exact date has been set for their addition.
3. Another newcomer to the downtown area is MIA at Biscayne, which opened August 14. The two-story 14,000-square-foot space has three areas available for private and semiprivate gatherings: an L-shaped patio for 120, a dining room for 120, and a lounge space (with upstairs V.I.P seating) for about 200. The 16-foot multi-touch iBar and a 24-foot iWall in the lower level lounge provide interactive entertainment by tracking movement across a digital surface to create special effects. MIA is available for buyouts as large as 950 and can also host live entertainment on its performance stage.
