One of the few interesting things to emerge in the past year of Miami's tumultuous club scene is Bar, the meek, liberal spot next to Vagabond that has become the default after party spot for just about everyone that has the good taste to leave the beach.
It's as minimal as the name implies, refreshingly so, completely without the pretentiousness that South Beach has developed to shield its ego. There is no milk behind the bar (I don't even think there are olives). The crowd is a weird mix up of whiny artists, street thugs, punks, skaters, tackily-dressed bicyclists and Kendall graffiti legends. It's underground enough, far from the tourist brochures, that you don't get the homophobic Phillistine jackasses of Purdy Lounge. You might leave with a paint stain on your shirt from one of the rotating art exhibits, or haphazard jewelry made by a bum, or a head full of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Bar is the least annoying spot in Miami and the only place worth going five times a week (though they're open all seven days if you are truly passive aggressive toward your boss). It's done more to change downtown Miami by not trying, without the hype and bullshit and lies, than anyone else in the past year. And tonight they're celebrating -- as we all should -- that year with a DJ set by indie rockers No Age.
Bar is located at 28 NE 14th St.