Jazz, Lounge and Sports Bars

For a more intimate evening of jazz, there's always the Van Dyke Cafe (846 Lincoln Road; 305-534-3600).

The Rusty Pelican (3201 Rickenbaker Cswy., Key Biscayne; 305-361-3818) has picturesque views of the water, plus a piano player in the lounge and strolling musicians during their Sunday brunch.

Sports fans cheer for Don Shula's Steak 2 (6842 Main St., Miami Lakes; 305-820-8047), a high-voltage sports celebrity bar with 22 TVs and two big-screens to catch every bit of action. Or try Playwrights (1265 Washington Ave.; 305-534-0667). And Sports Cafe (560 Washington Ave.; 305-674-9700) shows worldwide sporting events via satellite.

Turning up the Heat in South Beach
In South Beach, there’s a club for every scene. Check out Blue (222 Española Way; 305-534-1009), Amika (1532 Washington Ave., 305-534-1499) and Nerve (247 23rd St.; 305-695-8697). State (320 Lincoln Road.; 305-531-2800) gets fists pumping and feet moving with hard-grooving beats and the sensual strains of progressive house.

Enjoy four rooms for dancing and an outside garden at the Opium Garden/ Prive (136 Collins Ave.; 305-531-5535). And a South Beach landmark, Penrod’s Complex (1 Ocean Drive; 305-538-1111) houses Pearl Restaurant & Champagne Lounge. Here, revelers can drink champagne, eat caviar and listen to house music, as well as experience the outdoor Nikki Beach Club with a St. Tropez scene.

Wining and Dining
It's an experience of illusions at Madames (239 Sunny Isles Blvd., Sunny Isles Beach; 305-945-2040), as talented "ladies" enthrall patrons with superb service, dynamite cuisine and cabaret shows. The decor is stylistically turn-of-the-century French Victorian meets Moulin Rouge Parisian cabaret.

Quinn's at the Park (6400 Ocean Drive; 305-673-6400), home of the "bam! bam! shrimp," features a full menu, a raw bar, soothing live music and beach views, all decorated in the classic Miami style.

Deco Decor
Because of its distinctive architecture and its location at "ground zero" in the South Beach Art Deco District, the Clevelander Hotel (1020 Ocean Drive; 305-531-3485) has become a must-see landmark that has appeared in countless movies, commercials and magazine ads. It is also a popular nightlife spot, featuring a restaurant, four poolside bars, an indoor sports bar and live nightly entertainment.

The Marlin Bar (1200 Collins Ave.; 305-604-5000) features nightly entertainment, weekly happy hours and Jamaican cuisine.

Alternative lifestyle Clubs
South Beach is ground zero for Miami’s gay/lesbian nightlife. Check out Score (727 Lincoln Road; 305-535-1111), a video dance bar that’s a hoot.

Twist (1057 Washington Ave.; 305-538-9478) is the spot to get your groove on but variety-show hijinks rule at Laundry Bar (721 Lincoln Ln.; 305-531-7700) on Boy’s Nite and “The Dating Game.”

Heading north, Magnum Lounge (709 NE 79th St.; 305-757-3368) is prime lounging and dining.

el sabor latino
Miami overflows with Latin nightlife. La Covacha (10730 N.W. 25th St.; 305-594-3717) is a Cuban restaurant that turns into a nightclub on weekends.

A whole genre of clubs has descended from the Havana Tropicana cabaret scene (think Desi Arnaz). At the the Concorde Supper Club (2301 S.W. 32nd Ave., Coral Gables; 305-441-6974) you can savor fine food and sophisticated entertainment, while the Club Tropigala (Fontainebleau Hilton, 4441 Collins Ave.; 305-672-7469), features a Las Vegas–style revue that will floor you with dazzling choreography.

Yuca (501 Lincoln Road; 305-532-9822, yuca.com) offers innovative Cuban cuisine downstairs, while upstairs live music reigns.

Salsa
Mango’s Tropical Café (900 Ocean Drive; 305-673-4422) serves exotic food and an enticing blend of Caribbean-inflected dance music in a tasteful lounge and at Novecento (1080 Alton Rd.; 305-531-8100) Tuesday evenings are Tango Dancing Nights from 7:30 to Midnight.

Something to "cro" About
The 16,000-square-foot Crobar Night Club (1445 Washington Ave.; 305-531-5027), located in the historic Cameo Theater, includes a 10,000-square-foot main room downstairs and a self-contained, glass-enclosed 6,000-square-foot VIP room upstairs. Crobar is the venue of choice for the dress-up, be-seen and party-hard crowd that presently reflects the commercial veneer of South Beach chic.

Mega Mansion
A late-night haunt for techno/progressive house/hip-hop music, Mansion (1235 Washington Ave.; 305-532-1525; mansionmiami.com) is one of South Beach’s hottest clubs. Owned and operated by the same folks who brought you Opium, the multileveled club features a state-of-the-art sound system and nine full-service bars. Frequented by celebrities, Mansion is one of the city’s most off-the-hook parties in town.

24 Hours
For an authentic deli experience, visit the Eleventh Street Diner (1065 Washington Ave.; 305-534-6373) for famous meat loaf and Miami’s best milkshakes and Jerry’s Famous Deli (1450 Collins Ave.; 305-532-8030) for delectable corned beef on rye.