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South Florida

Entertainment in South Florida

  1. A

    Lost Weekend

    The Weekend is a grimy, sweaty, slovenly dive, filled with pool tables, cheap domestics and – hell yeah – Golden Tee arcade games and Big Buck Hunter. God bless it. Popular with local waiters, kitchen staff and bartenders.

    reviewed

  2. B

    Virgilio's

    This bar-stage is as un-Keys as they come, and frankly, thank God for a little variety. This town needs a dark, candlelit martini lounge where you can chill to jazz and get down with some salsa, and Virgilio's handsomely provides. Enter on Applerouth Lane.

    reviewed

  3. C

    Jerry Herman Ring Theatre

    This University of Miami troupe stages musicals, dramas and comedies, with recent productions including Falsettos and Baby. Alumni actors include Sylvester Stallone, Steven Bauer, Saundra Santiago and Ray Liotta.

    reviewed

  4. D

    Carefree Theatre

    A slightly rough-around-the edges movie theater showing excellent foreign, indie and documentary films. An on-site restaurant keeps changing hands, and is usually unremarkable, but its latest incarnation was a budget Asian spot.

    reviewed

  5. E

    IMAX

    This virtual-reality screen, which is way larger than real life, comes with surround sound shows and dramatic, sometimes educational footage that takes advantage of its size; also catch fun stuff best viewed through 3-D glasses.

    reviewed

  6. F

    Miami Jai Alai

    Catch the action for yourself at Miami Jai Alai. Even though the crowd is making petty bets and nipping off for a smoke – it’s great fun to watch these guys whack around their pelota at lightning speed.

    reviewed

  7. G

    Cowboy Bills

    Do your best bow-legged saunter here for some (very) over-the-top country ’n’ western vibe, live honky tonk and weekly ‘sexy bull-riding’ competitions. If you just spilled your Miller High Life in excitement, git on down here.

    reviewed

  8. H

    Hub

    This fun downtown hangout, complete with jukebox and cheap drinks, looks like a hole in the wall, but the bar gets packed on weekends with a Jack Daniels-and-Coke crowd. Be prepared to call a cab after ordering a few too many.

    reviewed

  9. I

    Oxygen Lounge

    This is in the mall underground – literally – Coconut Grove. It’s an elegant, sprawling sushi bar-dance land with space-age decor and packs of Grove beauties. Theme-night parties rock your fine booty every night of the week.

    reviewed

  10. J

    Bond Street Lounge

    The crowd in this white-and-red candy-cane-striped hotel bar like their litchitinis (lychee martinis) over sushi. Throw yourself over a white couch or cylindrical white ottoman, order up, sip and stare at the crowd.

    reviewed

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  12. K

    Laughing Gas

    This long-running, wacky improv and comedy-sketch troupe brings its costumed craziness to venues around town, usually in Coral Gables and nearby Miami Lakes. Check the website for more information about upcoming gigs.

    reviewed

  13. L

    Sarasota Opera House

    This elegant, 1000-seat Mediterranean Revival venue was built in 1926, and the two-month winter opera season is a serious affair. Otherwise, there are only occasional performances.

    reviewed

  14. M

    Pawn Shop

    This den of hipness still has its original pawn-shop facade, with signs announcing ‘We buy diamonds’ and ‘We buy gold.’ It’s all about true (but glamorous) grit here – and varying DJs who spin funky, edgy electronica.

    reviewed

  15. Boca Ballet Theatre

    The theater, founded in 1990, stages both classical and contemporary ballets, often featuring visiting dancers (but accompanied by recorded music), at the Olympic Heights Performing Arts Theatre (20101 N Lyons Rd).

    reviewed

  16. N

    Players Theatre

    This highly regarded nonprofit community theater emphasizes family fun. It stages both popular Broadway musicals and new plays and collaborations.

    reviewed

  17. O

    Level 25

    When Neo buys Morpheus a drink, they probably meet at this Conrad Miami spot (guess which floor), where it's all long white lines, low black couches, pin-striped gorgeousity and God's-eye views over Biscayne Bay.

    reviewed

  18. P

    Skybar

    Skybar is one of those SoBe spots that is so impossibly full of beautiful people you wonder if you've walked into a dream – and it's not just the clientele who are gorgeous. The setting: the Moroccan garden of delights that is the courtyard of the Shore Club hotel. Chill alfresco in a sultan's pleasure garden under enormous, wrought-iron lanterns, gaze at the patricians lounging around the pool, or try (and fail, if you're an unlisted travel writer) to get into the all-crimson, all-A-list Red Room.

    reviewed

  19. Q

    Ted's Hideaway

    Somewhere in the Florida panhandle is a bumpin', fabulous gay club, which clearly switched places with Ted's, a no-nonsense, pool table and sports-showin' 'lounge' smack in the middle of SoFi's elegance.

    reviewed

  20. Sun Dome

    On the USF campus, the Sun Dome hosts rock, jazz, pop and other concerts – from Jimmy Buffet to Ludacris, from Luciano Pavarotti to the World Wrestling Federation (now there’s some ‘performing arts’ for you!).

    reviewed

  21. R

    Centennial Square

    Centennial Square offers Clematis by Night, staging all sorts of local bands from 17:30 to 21:00 Thursday, and Friday Night Live!, with local pop and rock bands, from 18:00 to 23:00 Friday.

    reviewed

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  23. S

    Edge Theater

    The Edge stays true to its name (and Design District locale) by putting on consistently contemporary, artfully imagined productions on a small stage that feels like a makeshift living room filled with props.

    reviewed

  24. T

    Miami Chamber Symphony

    Its yearly series features world-renowned soloists at shows held at the University of Miami's Gusman Concert Hall (not to be confused with the Downtown Gusman Center for the Performing Arts).

    reviewed

  25. U

    Muvico Parisian 20

    This palatial theatre complex offers more mainstream fare, but with some twists: valet parking, all-stadium seating and - thank you! - on-site childcare, so you (and we) can watch the movie in peace.

    reviewed

  26. V

    Free Outdoor Concerts

    For free outdoor concerts year-round, visit CityPlace, which hosts live jazz from 12:30 to 14:30 Sunday and City Jams, featuring blues, acoustic rock and other musicians, from 19:00 to 23:00 Friday.

    reviewed

  27. W

    Royal Poinciana Playhouse

    This glamorous and historic theater stages local productions, public speakers and Broadway hits, and delivers the type of old-world charm that makes you want to dress up to go to a show (imagine!).

    reviewed