¡Salud! Cocktail Month: Miami's Answer to a Brutal Summer for Bars

This summer hit Miami's bar scene hard. Rising costs, slower foot traffic, and a hospitality industry that's been struggling to catch its breath. The people who shake your drinks, curate your nights, and keep the city's social fabric intact have been feeling it.

¡Salud! Cocktail Month is launching a citywide initiative to bring people back to the bar. Think of it like Miami Spice, but for drinks. For the entire month of October, hand-selected bars across Miami will offer specialty ¡Salud! Cocktail Menus with discounted drinks before 10pm. Participating spots will host unique programming throughout the month: live music, tasting experiences, and events designed to get people out, exploring, and connecting.

The goal is simple: make going out accessible again. Give Miami residents a reason to try that bar they've been curious about, support the businesses that make this city feel alive, and rebuild the habit of actually showing up.

How It Kicks Off

Three back-to-back happy hours at some of Miami's most beloved spots, featuring free cocktails (while supplies last) from 5 to 7pm:

• Dead Flamingo | Wednesday, October 1
• ViceVersa | Thursday, October 2
• Brother's Keeper | Friday, October 3

Who's Behind It

Gabriel Urrutia, nationally recognized spirits educator and award-winning author, has championed Miami's cocktail scene for years. Joshua Wagner, a hospitality executive who's launched many of South Florida's standout venues, brings the operational expertise. Together with POPLIFE, the creative agency that's shaped Miami's cultural and nightlife moments, they've built something that feels organic to the city.

"POPLIFE has been a part of great moments across Miami for many years," says POPLIFE CEO LP Steele. "When Josh and Gabe approached us with the idea behind ¡Salud!, it felt like a natural opportunity to get involved. It's a chance for us to co-create a community-focused initiative with the team and a number of great brand sponsors, inviting Miamians to come together and socialize at the best bars in town. Our mantra is, 'Life's Better with Friends,' and this is our invitation to join us, celebrate the Miami cocktail scene, and make new friends."

The Bars and the Brands

The lineup includes established institutions and rising venues. Broken Shaker, the James Beard-recognized bar that put Miami's cocktail scene on the map. Sweet Liberty, beloved for its award-winning mixology. Newcomers like Magie Wine Bar adding fresh energy. Culinary-driven bars inside restaurants like Beauty & The Butcher, Contessa, and Stubborn Seed, where dining and drinking cultures intersect seamlessly.

Behind the bar, top spirits brands are backing the initiative: 400 Conejos Mezcal, Aperol, Cointreau, Diplomatico Rum, Espolòn Tequila, Fords Gin, Grey Goose, Mount Gay Rum, Patrón Tequila, Santa Teresa Rum, and Westland Whiskey. Additional sponsorship from Google, Virgin Voyages, Toast, Filthy Foods, Sweat 440, and Anatomy underscores the cross-industry appeal.

How It Works

Every participating bar will have a ¡Salud! menu with discounted cocktails available before 10pm all month long. Register on their website to access the full bar directory, featured cocktails, and programming calendar. Check their Instagram @salud_miami for daily updates on which bars are running what events, so you can plan your nights around what actually sounds good.

Join their community at salud-miami.com/join-the-community for the full experience.

Every Participating Bar

South Beach: Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, Brother's Keeper Bar, Catch Miami Beach, DiLido Beach Bar, Drift, Kill Your Idol, Lapidus, Lost Weekend, Lucali, Medium Cool Cocktail Lounge, Paya Miami, Stiltsville Fish Bar, Sweet Liberty, Swizzle Rum Bar & Drinkery, The Bay Club, The Shelborne, Tropezón, Zaytinya

Mid-Beach: Aguasal by José Andrés Group, Bar Centro by José Andrés Group, Basement Bowl & Skate, Broken Shaker, Matador Room, Ray's Hometown Bar

Wynwood / Midtown / Design District: Contessa Miami, Dante's HiFi, Ghee Wynwood, Le Jardinier, Las Rosas, Tacombi, The Sylvester

Downtown: Lost Boy Dry Goods, Mama Tried, The Studio at Maple and Ash, The Corner, Tipsy Flamingo Cocktail Bar, Tomorrowland Miami, Tropicalia, ViceVersa

Little Havana: Cafe La Trova, River House Wine & Bar, The Dead Flamingo

Brickell: American Social, Baby Jane Cocktail House & Noodle Bar, Blackbird Ordinary, Dirty French Steakhouse, Kaori Miami, River House Wine & Bar, Tacombi, The Tips Golf

Edgewater: Jaguar Sun

Watson Island: Joia Beach

MiMo District: Mi Chini

Coral Gables: Arcano, Beauty & The Butcher, Bodega Bar Coral Gables

North Miami / Upper Eastside: Lagniappe

Coconut Grove: Bayshore Club, Bodega Taqueria y Tequila, Glass & Vine

South of Fifth (SoFi): Stubborn Seed Miami, The ScapeGoat

Key Biscayne: Gramps Getaway

South Miami: Fox's Lounge

Little River: Sunny's

Why This Matters

Going out is part of living in a city that has culture worth participating in. ¡Salud! makes exploring Miami's neighborhoods affordable while directly supporting the bars and bartenders who create the spaces we all benefit from. Whether you're sipping mezcal at a Wynwood hideaway, enjoying champagne cocktails by the beach, or winding down with a classic martini in Brickell, the series places the city's bartending talent center stage.

October is the month. Show up.