Wednesday October 10, 2012

Sandbar

Here’s a confession: I have no idea what a dive bar is. Does it have something to do with how well lit a place is? How cheap the drinks are? How it’s decorated? Or is it just some intangible assessment one makes about how likely you are to see a roach? I dunno, but I was pretty surprised after I wrote about Fox’s that some people consider it a dive bar. Maybe the term is like 90% positive these days? Anyway, I guess you would consider Sandbar to be one too. All I can tell you is that this is one bar I wish I lived walking distance from.

The entrance to Sandbar is a sliding glass door which I’ve only ever seen partially open. Inside, the floor is sand. Covered with a layer of sand. About half the bar stools are counter-hight beach chairs made of 2 by 4’s and painted bright colors, and some are two-seaters.

That’s all well and good, but it takes more than a gimick to impress me. There’s gotta be beer, too. Now, I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to beer, but I do not require a Yardhouse-type selection of dozens or hundreds of tap beers. Actually, I find it a bit unseemly. I like a place that can curate a selection of a half-dozen or so tap beers that are interesting and reasonably priced. Sandbar doesn’t carry Old Rasputin or 120-minute anything, but it does pretty damned well. In addition to the Bud Lights and Longboards, there’s Brookly Brewery Lager, Longboard IPA, and a couple of Holy Mackrels. And they’re priced absurdly cheap. (I want to say it was $2.50 each during happy hour(?!) but I’m actually not sure.) And here’s the kicker: free food(!) Friday and Saturday. It was hot dogs with fixins (kraut, chili, onions, etc) one day, sphaghetti another day, and chili (with sour cream, cheese, crackers, etc) another time.

The doorway to the men’s room has a neon light that says “DICKS.” It’s got the last operating cigarette machine I know of. The crowd is a mix of locals and tourists. There’s a sign on the wall that says “Hippies use back door. No Exceptions.” (The ‘no exceptions’ gets me.) All in all, it’s a lot of win. The only real problem is that it’s pretty out of the way, and parking is a drag. Here’s what you do. If you’re coming from the South you’ll be on Collins. If you’re coming from the North you’ll be on Indian Creek. Either way, turn on 67th Street, and head North on Harding Avenue. You’ll find a space.

Sandbar Lounge
6752 Collins Ave
Miami Beach

Tags: bars