When visitors think of Miami, the first thing that comes to mind is nightlife, and we don’t have the run-of-the-mill nightlife here. Clubs, lounges, bars…you think of it and chances are we’ll have it here, but what about the younger crowd that’s still hitting the books during the week, and looking to unwind on the weekend? Yes, we’re talking about college kids. Although, Miami isn’t really known as the typical college town, it’s pretty much the greatest city to spend those four years of your life, considering that South Beach is your backyard, and other college kids come here for their Spring Break. That’s why Clubplanet has compiled a list of THE top college hangouts in Miami.
Mr. Moe’s
3131 Commodore Plaza
Miami, FL 33101
If there’s one place that you had to choose to be as a college student in Coconut Grove, that would definitely have to be Mr. Moe’s. Not only is it the last place to close up shop, but there a mechanical bull. College co-eds + mechanical bull, equals an amazing time people. If you’re really looking to have a crazy night, and a grim morning, we suggest getting the Moose Juice. Who knows what the hell is inside of this concoction, but at $10, you won’t be needing much more to drink for the rest of the night. Did we mention that the kitchen’s open pretty late as well? Well it is, so if you need to sober up, this is the place to do it at.
Mansion
1235 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
If someone were to mention Mansion as a college hangout, the average individual in the city would find it hard to believe, but if you’ve been on a Friday night, then you know a lot of the UM kids come here for a nice dose of hip-hop. Their weekly We Rock Hip Hop party brings in all the drunken kids for dancing, more drinking, and some more hilarious dancing. Good God do these girls let loose when their parents aren’t around! The line at Mansion on Friday night is usually around the corner, with a majority being co-eds looking to go wild. It probably helps that this is usually the night when they bring in celebrity hosted events.
Monty’s Raw Bar
2550 South Bayshore Drive
Miami, FL 33133
If you’re looking for one of the best happy hours in town, look no further than Monty’s Raw Bar in Coconut Grove. Not only is it one of the most scenic places in all of Coconut Grove, but come on a Friday night anywhere from 4PM to 8PM, and the entire place will be slammed with the UM and Miami Dade kids washing down some drinks and welcoming in the weekend. The raw bar there is superb, so don’t be surprised if you find yourself snacking. Drink of choice? Pick up a PK3 while you’re there. In it you’ll find pineapple, rum…rum…and well, we’re not entirely sure what else. It’s sweet and it packs one hell of a punch. They’re half off during happy hour so make sure you get our moneys worth.
Cameo
1445 Washington Avenue
Miami Beach, FL 33139
Here’s another South Beach nightlife venue that isn’t typically referred to as a college hangout, but again, pass by in the midst of the Fall semester, and you’ll find a lot of familiar faces from your ENG503 course. Cameo on Friday nights is Mansion’s worst nightmare, as they compete with their own hip-hop weekly, Flash Fridays, featuring the music of Miami’s best hip-hop DJ, Irie. You’ll find that if you can’t get into Mansion, you’ll head over to Cameo, and vice versa. Although Mansion does get a lot of attention through word of mouth, you’ll find that everyone seems to get a little bit crazier at Cameo.
Sandbar and Grill
3426 Main Hwy
Miami, FL 33133
Yet another nightlife staple in Coconut Grove, Sandbar is usually everyone’s first or last stop when they come to this area. Thursday nights are a complete s***show here, with great deals on spirits and beers. This is one of those places where the music will definitely fit the college hangout bill (think Springfield, Bon Jovi…yea you get the hint), and even though you may not be a fan of the crowd or the music, you’ll still find yourself coming here for a drink or two. During the day they offer up a great happy hour, but we’ve actually never been to this place in the day, it could ruin our party perception for them.
Quarterdeck
1432 Alton Road
Miami Beach, FL 33139
On Tuesday nights, Quarterdeck automatically pops into the head of every college student in Miami. Why you ask? Well, let’s start off by saying that each cup of beer will only set you back one quarter! Not only are the drink specials in this place insanely attractive, but the menu is just as good, offering up some of the best wings in town. The combination of great beer and wings is hard to pass by. Although it may be a bit far away for the college crowd that’s looking for a local haunt, it’s worth any cab ride or long drive.
Bougainvillea’s
7221 SW 58th Ave.
Miami, FL 33143
Tucked away behind Sunset Place in Coral Gables is one of the busiest bars on this side of town. Although it may be a tongue twister to pronounce, Bougainvillea’s is one of the coolest places to grab a drink in the Gables. It’s only a 5-minute drive from the University of Miami, so you can already guess that it’s crawling with college kids on any given night. Wednesday nights all the ladies drink for free, so guys, this is the place you need to be on that night of the week. Not only will the ratio serve in your favor, but you could also have your girl snag you a drink or two for free.
Yard House
320 San Lorenzo Ave.
Miami, FL 33146
This is the newest place to hit Coral Gables and it’s quite possibly the best bar around here already! Having the best selection of beer on tap in the world automatically puts you on our list of best college hangouts, and when you include the selection on their menu and the location, Yard House could be the best college hangout on our list. It opened up just after the Spring 09’ semester, so all the kids that come back for more schooling in August will be very pleased when they find out about this place. Every kind of beer imaginable is available at Yard House, but we recommend coming here for their happy hour, because if not it may set you back quite a bit.
Tavern
3416 Main Hwy
Miami, FL 33133
Tavern in the Grove is quite possibly the smallest college hangout on our list, but it’s also definitely one of the wildest places you could go to. Here college kids drink, drink and drink even more after those dreadful midterms. We don’t know if these people do something to the beer, but even though it may not be the nicest place in Coconut Grove, the crowd comes back for more each and every week. If you’ve never been to Coconut Grove on a Thursday night (college night), make sure to go and definitely put Tavern on your list of things to do.
Eleven Leprechaun
3148 Commodore Plaza
Miami, FL 33133
Once known as Firkin Fryer’s, Eleven Leprechaun is now one of the most happening spot in Coconut Grove on Thursday nights, putting it on our list of best college hangouts in Miami. This venue is three floors of non-stop dancing, drinking and fun. Although the bottom floor is reserved for poker tournaments, we think that there may be some changes in the works because lately it’s just been getting way to packed on the ground level and second floor. The music’s loud, the taps are constantly pouring, and the ratio of guys to girls is perfect, but be sure to get there in time, because if it fills up before you’re in, chances are you’ll be waiting outside for quite some time.
