Elbo Room
Bar · Fort Lauderdale ·
Live music, dancing, and beach views at this cash-only dive bar
Live music, dancing, and beach views at this cash-only dive bar
"The Elbo Room is one of the only things on Fort Lauderdale beach that your parents will recognize from their ’83 spring break trip. The crowds can get sloppy, but as long as you’re cool with having bizarre conversations with strangers and rubbing against sunburned tourists, it’s fun." - ryan pfeffer, mariana trabanino, virginia otazo
"A surviving piece of Fort Lauderdale’s past, the c.1938 Elbo Room remains an ultimate dive bar and a charming local relic amid the city’s more polished beachfront redevelopment." - Paul Rubio
"For a true Fort Lauderdale institution I head across from the market to the world-famous Elbo Room, founded in 1938 and made synonymous with Spring Break after appearing in Where the Boys Are; it opens at 8 a.m. for beachgoers, features daily live music and a widely watched Elbo Room cam, and still lives up to its fame—just remember to bring cash since they don’t accept credit cards." - Laine Doss
"I’ve learned that one of the North Side’s favorite live music bars has been open since 1989 at 2871 N. Lincoln Avenue in Lakeview and is expected to close sometime this winter; Block Club reports that a for-sale listing, sporadic hours, and accounts from regulars suggest it could shutter as soon as December, management hasn’t responded to requests for comment, and a post on the bar’s Facebook page announced it will be under new ownership and management starting December 9." - Daniel Gerzina
"Once a beloved local hangout with pinball machines and church-pew booth seating, the former Elbo Room left longtime fans uneasy about its fate—there were even talks of condos and a high-rise—but the operators ultimately moved their business to Jack London Square and the building was sold to investors who preserved much of the venue’s character while renovating the space." - Caleb Pershan