"While walking through the heart of Brickell, we often wish we could take an elevator to a secret room and hide from everything and everyone. That’s kind of exactly what Empire Social Lounge is. The second-floor cigar bar (so don't come here if you don't want to smell like smoke) isn’t visible from the street, and it’s not your average sceney Brickell spot. No, this place is usually filled with serious cigar regulars who have access to the members-only section, and normal folks seeking a cigar and a classic cocktail. Empire does both those things really well (their Manhattan is just lovely), and the space has plenty of comfortable seating and lots of TVs playing sports." - ryan pfeffer, virginia otazo, mariana trabanino