A toast to Florida: 11 top bars locals love and visitors do not want to miss

Florida's top bars offer more than a well-crafted cocktail, they provide an experience and a sense of community that lasts long after your tab is closed.

Florida’s USA TODAY Network food and dining team selected 11 must-visit bars across the state, each proudly claiming the title of best in its region -- and one standout from Brevard County made the cut.

From speakeasies and whiskey lounges to a historic tavern with everlasting charm, these establishments offer scenic settings, expertly crafted beverages and memorable, tasty dishes --worthy of a responsible road trip.

Chez L'Amour | St. Augustine

St. Augustine’s Chez L’Amour is the quintessential expression of “Bites, Bubbles & Jazz.” Featuring a stellar craft-cocktail menu, global and evocative tapas from Executive Chef Ellie Schultze, and luxurious desserts from St. Augustine’s Crème de la Cocoa, patrons can enjoy the decadent imbibe against the musical backdrop of a grand piano hosting world-class jazz musicians such as Joshua Bowlus and Linda Cole, niece of Nat King Cole.

Owners Alberto and Jeanetta Cebollero remodeled the 1800s-era house into today’s sophisticated and welcoming dining room, complete with piano and bar that evokes an old-fashioned jazz supper club adorned with modern-day sensibilities. The elegant, speakeasy-style ambiance recalls the days of F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald.― Lucia Viti, The St. Augustine Record

Escondido Lounge | Downtown Fort Myers

Escondido Lounge brought its speakeasy vibe to downtown Fort Myers in December 2024.

This 8-month-old speakeasy is as fun as it is gorgeous. In true speakeasy form, no signs announce its location. Find it by going through a laid-back taco joint and entering though a nondescript freezer door marked “Restricted area, employees only.” Everything changes from there. A soothing red glow washes over lush velvet love seats backed by an immense wall of backlit mirrors. A sleek baby grand piano rests on a platform overhead. An elaborately stunning 6-foot-tall red chandelier watches over the room's focal point — a lusciously inviting U-shape bar. And that’s just the downstairs.

The classic and signature cocktails are crafted to match the vibe. The historic Richards Building once housed a pharmacy and soda bar, reportedly frequented by Ty Cobb, Thomas Edison, Connie Mack and others. Now you’ll find cocktails named after them. Order one, sit back and enjoy the ambiance. After all, you found the Escondido Lounge. — Robyn George, The News-Press

Hardwick's Bar | Downtown Jacksonville

Hardwick's is in an old cigar factory building in downtown Jacksonville.

A 99-year-old former cigar factory and English pub in the heart of downtown Jacksonville opened in 2023 as Hardwick’s Bar, the first major LGBTQIA+ club open in the city in decades.  The club is named for architect Taylor Hardwick, who designed the distinctive former library building just across the street.

A custom bar, dark green walls and floor-to-ceiling windows greet patrons and the monthly events calendar is filled with DJs and dance parties. There is no kitchen at Hardwick’s but the bar has an extensive selection of whiskeys and tequilas. — Tom Szaroleta/The Florida Times-Union

Liberty Bar | Tallahassee

A customer sips a cocktail at Liberty Bar as a bear in a beer can hat, a mountain goat in sunglasses and a deer in a Hawaiian lei look on.

Seven Hills Hospitality Group has established itself as a favorite of Tallahassee foodies with the likes of Black Radish, LINK, The Hawthorn and Bar 1903. Liberty is what started it all. Excellent drinks and bar food in a sparsely decorated, not too brightly lit atmosphere. It’s proof that excellence doesn’t have to be pretty. You can’t eat and drink the decor, after all.

But the also ever-changing food menu includes small plates and sandwiches that are easily shared at the bar. And like everything else Liberty does, the bar food is exceptional with some pleasant twists on comfort food, like the duck confit mac ’n’ cheese and a Scotch egg that somehow still has a runny yolk when you break your fork through the crusted sausage it’s wrapped in. — Brendan Farrington, Special to the Tallahassee Democrat

Little Jim Bait & Tackle

The staff and customers of the Little Jim Bait & Tackle enjoy an afternoon at the restaurant and boat docks on Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2022 in Fort Pierce.

Little Jim Bait & Tackle in Fort Pierce, known as Little Jim’s, was built in 1942 and originally served as a Navy guard shack and barrier island checkpoint during World War II. When the Navy left in 1944, it gave the city the land, the shack and the wooden bridge. What started out early as a bait shop grew into the popular live music hangout Little Jim's is today.

Menu highlights include the pimento cheese spread and house-made classic onion dip with chips for an appetizer, as well as its tacos, pizzas, sandwiches and smash burger. It's known for its signature beers brewed by Sailfish Brewing Co. and its frozen drinks, especially its margaritas flavored with lime, strawberry, coconut, blackberry, jalapeno-cucumber or pineapple-jalapeno. It also serves breakfast from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. — Laurie K. Blandford, TCPalm/Treasure Coast Newspapers

Mainstreet Pub | Melbourne

20 years strong and Mainstreet Pub is still pouring and still iconic. With three bars under one roof, nightly live music, cold drinks and darn good food -- it’s the kind of place where grandpas, middle-aged women and college kids share bar space. Come hungry and try the famous Kummelweck Sandwich, piled high with beef on a salted, caraway-topped kaiser roll. Thirsty? Every cocktail is made with fresh fruit, juiced on the spot—no mixes, no shortcuts. Try the Orange Crush!

Inside, it’s cozy, with a classic pub feel. Dark wood, framed family and vintage city pictures and the hum of customers catching up. Outside, the tiki bar is surrounded by tropical foliage, plenty of tables and a dance space where funky moves are welcome. This building itself is a legend. According to the owner, the house may date back over a hundred years: with thirsty travelers and horses having lined up like its happy hour at the well behind the building. – Amber Olesen, FLORIDA TODAY

Mary Lou's | West Palm Beach

Seating inside Mary Lou's on Southern Boulevard and Olive Avenue in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Mary Lou's, a bar with A-list habitués and glam speakeasy vibes made USA TODAY's Bars of the Year 2025 list of the country's 29 best. While its décor — complete with a ginormous mirror ball — nods to the past, drinking, dining and dancing at Mary Lou’s is anything but traditional. In addition to the breathtaking bar, the space is peppered with sexy velvet booths that shimmer under seductive lighting in a room that feeds off the collective, almost communal, energy of other people. I expect to see it in Netflix's new series "Members Only: Palm Beach" which sounds like a Real Housewives riff. — Diana Biederman, The Palm Beach Post

Old Hickory Whiskey Bar | Pensacola

Bartender Joe Couture prepares a Sweater Weather cocktail at the Old Hickory Whiskey Bar which is decorated for the holidays with a Nightmare on Palafox theme in downtown Pensacola on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024.

Old Hickory leads the way in whiskey, offering over 750 varieties in a dim-lit, sexy and sleek bar in the heart of downtown Pensacola. Seasonal drinks are supreme at Old Hickory, whether it's their peach tea-infused Summer Old Fashioned or a Christmas pop-up drink when the bar transforms into a hauntingly whimsical Nightmare on Palafox.

Old Hickory was named after U.S. President Andrew Jackson, whose personal residence was just across the street from the bar. “Old Hickory” was Jackson’s nickname in battle, and he became the namesake of the popular Palafox Street bar owned by Katie Garrett and managed by Joe Couture. While hundreds of whiskey bottles are shelved to the ceiling and can certainly be enjoyed and appreciated on the rocks, there are a variety of cocktails that allow Old Hickory’s mixologists to shine. — Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal

Ocean Deck | Daytona Beach

Ocean Deck offers a slew of funky cocktails, buckets, seltzers and beers to be enjoyed right along the sandy shores of Daytona Beach.

Details: 127 S. Ocean Ave., Daytona Beach; 386-253-5224, oceandeck.com

Ocean Deck, the quintessential beach bar, has been feeding Daytona Beach visitors for more than 65 years. After opening as a humble hotdog stand in 1957, the surfer-friendly spot has become a local watering hole for that beachfront, craft cocktail, live entertainment experience that locals enjoy on the regular and generations of vacationers look forward to year after year.

The “no shirt, no shoes, no problem” eatery, named the best beach bar in the U.S. by USA TODAY readers, sits directly on The World’s Most Famous Beach, where patrons can feast on an island-inspired menu of rasta wings, 10-ounce burgers and fish sandwiches from its nautical upstairs dining room or kick back at its first-come-first-served deck, where the unofficial dress code is sun-kissed skin, swimsuits and a margarita in hand. — Helena Perray, The Daytona Beach News-Journal

The Old Salty Dog | Sarasota

Perched on Sarasota’s City Island, The Old Salty Dog has been a beloved waterfront hangout since 1991, offering a brilliant blend of British pub and Florida beach bar.

Perched on Sarasota’s City Island, The Old Salty Dog has been a beloved waterfront hangout since 1991, offering a brilliant blend of British pub and Florida beach bar. The open-air bar lets patrons belly up to the hull of a boat while overlooking dolphin-dotted waters and sipping a Boddingtons with some of the best fish and chips around.

Three seats down, a group who just stepped off their boat at the next-door marina might be dining Jimmy Buffett-style — cheeseburgers and margaritas topped with Grand Marnier. And really, no day of drinking at The Old Salty Dog is complete without surrendering to its legendary deep-fried hot dog, as seen on a classic episode of "Man v. Food." Laid-back, lively, and loaded with charm — it’s pure Gulf Coast. — Wade Tatangelo, Sarasota Herald-Tribune

Rebecca's l Naples

Inside Rebecca's on Bayshore Drive.

Rebecca’s opened in 2023 and has become a popular stop in the trendy Bayshore Arts District, across from a food truck park and a few miles from downtown Naples.

It's a restaurant and bar, which "boasts an extensive and thoughtfully curated wine collection, perfect for every palate and occasion. Paired with expertly crafted cocktails, exquisite cuisine, and a stunning ambiance, we create an unforgettable experience where every detail celebrates flavor and style," Rebecca's says on its website.

In addition to cocktails, choose from nearly 150 wine options. ― Dave Osborn, Naples Daily News

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: A toast to Florida: 11 top bars locals love and visitors do not want to miss