Ryan F.
Yelp
Unwilling to stand in line at the other nearby clubs, stopped into Floyd Miami for a drink on Friday night. Listened to some music and enjoyed a Jalapeno Margarita in the laid back atmosphere.
Quality
I was disappointed when I heard that Libertine had shut down because it provided a relaxing escape from the club oriented district of downtown Miami. Luckily Floyd Miami seems to have picked right up where Libertine was headed, leaving much of the former space in tack. Although some of the decor was removed and the furniture was shifted, the space remains an upscale cocktail lounge. While there I enjoyed a Jalapeno Margarita, which hit the spot perfectly. A refreshing drink with a spicy kick.
Quantity
It was a fair sized drink and even though it had a strong jalapeno flavor you could still taste the tequila.
Value
While not a great deal, the cocktails are definitely better, stronger, and cheaper than what you will find at other places in the area. I believe my drink was $13, which is solid for a cocktail bar.
Ambiance
Floyd is located in downtown Miami, squeezed between Space and Heart and across the street from E11even. And as the lines start to pile up at those other spots, Floyd quietly sits there offering unique music and fun cocktails. On Friday night they did not charge a cover, which gets them off on a good foot immediately. After walking up a few steps you make your way down a long dark tunnel. The main bar area has changed very little since its days as Libertine. Along one wall they have a large bar with all the different ingredients for sophisticated cocktails. Across from the bar is a DJ booth and on the end near the entrance is a stage when they have live music. Although they have DJs these are not the standard pop and hip-hop DJs you would see at other clubs. The music is more electronic with underground house and ambient influences. The music will not be for everyone, but it creates a very cool vibe. The DJ who was performing when we were there was mixing in old school hip-hop backtracks into a hypnotic trance soundtrack, it was great background tunes as you sip on a drink. The space also had some chairs and couches scattered in the corners which thankfully you did not need to pay to enjoy.
Crowd
There were a good number of people at the bar, but it was far from packed. There was no line at the door, you did not need to wait to order a drink, and chairs were readily available for anyone who wanted to sit down. The vibe was laid back, but it did not mean people weren't there having fun. Plenty of people were dancing along to the dream-like tunes.
Service
As soon as we sat down a waitress came over with menus and she had our drinks out in short order. I was surprised they even had waitstaff going around on Friday night, but since it was not too packed it made it very convenient.
Parking
There is tons of street parking throughout the area, but it is not necessarily the best place to be wandering around at night. They have parking lots that overcharge for a bit more security, but considering the neighborhood and the constant police presence, I recommend taking a car service.
Extra
Floyd caters to a different crowd focusing on music you don't constantly hear on the radio. Throw in a cool environment with tasty cocktails and it is a fun spot worth checking out. While it may not be for everyone, I highly recommend checking it out before choosing to stand on line for one of the other nearby clubs.