"We long for a time when restaurants weren’t trying to tap nostalgia for attention. It’s usually a short-lived high. But Fox’s Lounge in South Miami is one of the few concepts that lets you travel back in time and doesn’t feel as forced as this joke about needing a DeLorean to do it. Fox’s was a bar on US1 that evolved alongside Miami for over half a century. If we’re measuring time in hurricanes, we’re talking about before we even named them. Hearts with initials were carved into the wood panels, and bartenders free-poured strong drinks until 2am. It was so dark, you couldn’t tell the difference between the BT’s clientele and the county politicians (although those were some gray lines anyway). But that was the beauty of Fox’s. The field was level for everyone inside. After almost seven decades, Fox’s closed in 2015. We thought it was destined for a wrecking ball. But then Lost Boy & Co, the team behind and , revived it in 2022—and did a great job of making sure Fox’s appealed to both a new and old generation of guests. Has it changed? Yes. Does the pay phone work? No. But it’s naturally evolving into a shinier version of what it used to be—a dive with good food, strong drinks, and all kinds of characters. Freshly carved initials have already ruined the new wood paneling. It’s still the kind of place where you can order a Miller High Life with a French onion soup and bob along to Hall and Oates. The juicy thumb bits remain on the menu, and a sidecar still comes with a martini so strong you can light your breath on fire. Prime rib Thursdays survived too. And it’s so dark, you might feel like a raccoon caught in the flash of a trail camera whenever someone whips out their phone to read the menu. Fox’s isn’t a total slam dunk. Their onion rings are a little too crunchy and scrape the roof of your mouth, the fried chicken is a bit of a dud, and they don’t take reservations, so on a busy Saturday you might have the unfortunate luck of getting sat at a two-top with a butt directly behind your head. But Fox’s was always a little uncomfortable—that was part of its charm. If you come here with the same tolerance for cramped spaces and alcohol you had in your early twenties, you’ll appreciate what Fox’s has done to respect its history and our memories—without forcing it down anyone’s throat. And if you’re looking to relive your glory days but have also grown to appreciate personal space, go earlier in the week for a quieter experience. But Fox’s Lounge is and always has been a place to let loose, where you can walk in on a bright day and leave in the middle of the night without realizing how many hours passed. And that’s about as close to time traveling as we can get. " - Virginia Otazo
