A number of high tables and bar stools provide ideal vistas of Government Cut, the waterway through which all major ships must pass to reach the Port of Miami, with the exclusive residential enclave Fisher Island just beyond. An oval-shaped hideaway off the main lobby, the Raleigh bar looks like an intimate saloon in a grand transatlantic liner of the '30s, richly decorated with dark woods, deco details, and original terrazzo floors featuring fizzing champagne glasses. The music is always suitably swank, from Sinatra to Billie Holiday, and bartenders Crispy and Milton are famous for martinis so large they would stun an elephant. I often use it for both starting and ending an evening. After seven years Twist still reigns as the preeminent gay bar in a town that is famous for being a gay destination.
Weekends get really crowded, especially late, and attract every type.
There is a doorman, but mostly to check age 1057 Washington Ave. I've been there at all hours of the day and night, and the mood is always casual and friendly, though it can get a bit raucous as the hour gets later. A great jukebox offers anything from vintage rock to jazz, and pool tables are always being used by off-duty models on a spree. The only live-jazz club on South Beach, Jazid is always packed with trendy models and locals who want a cool, easy evening. Simple wooden tables and chairs surround a small stage, where combos and soloists entertain with a mixture of soul, blues, and pop standards.