OLA Restaurant at the Sanctuary Hotel

Keeping pace with the 24/7 South Beach scene requires boundless energy and rather eclectic tastes. Some Miami Beach visitors would rather not spend hours eating a heavy dinner when popular nightclubs don’t hit full throttle until after midnight. The emphasis on lighter bites and smaller plates at the city’s top restaurants makes it easy to sample the best efforts of some of the busiest kitchens without feeling too full to dance all night. Kick off a tapas crawl at happy hour when discount drinks and appetizers make a perfect pre-party meal. We’ve put together a great roster of traditional Latin treats, some Asian fusion bites and even a juicy slider or two to help you craft your own SoBe Tapas Crawl.

Traditionally, tapas are snacks, canapes or finger food served in bars and cafes in Spain. A vital part of the culture and social scene, the Spanish people actually coined the verb “tapear” which means to go and eat tapas. The hours leading up to Spain’s best midnight dance parties are spent visiting a number of local bars sampling a few tasty bites with drinks in preparation for the evening’s main event. While most Miamians speak some Spanish, not everyone is familiar with the tapas style of dining available at all sorts of restaurants in town. Clever chefs at our favorite local eateries are twisting the tapas tradition and reinventing the way we dine out in Miami Beach.

Latin Bites…

A new wave of South Beach restaurants offer lists of interesting smaller plates so diners can pick their favorites to sample and share. This is a great way to break the ice on a date or to deal with a finicky eater who just can’t decide what to order. We got hooked on the idea at Espanola Way’s Tapas Y Tintos (448 Espanola Way, 305-538-8272) a casual sidewalk cafe and wine bar. This Spanish-style restaurant has pages of traditional tapas from garlicky grilled shrimp to baked goat cheese in tomato sauce. A bottomless basket of crispy bread helps diners mop up spicy sauces and cheesy plates.

Chef Douglas Rodriguez creates tapas “Of Latin America” at OLA at the Sanctuary Hotel (1745 James Avenue, 305-695-9125). An original member of the Mango Gang, this chef specializes in ceviche preparations of tangy marinated fresh raw fish that update classic South American recipes. For diners unused to eating uncooked fish, the house made meatballs are the most popular dish on the menu. Create your own culinary journey with tuna tacos, crispy rock shrimp chicharron, lobster empanadas and the delectable fried oysters Rodriguez.

Sushi & more…

Pedestrian-friendly Lincoln Road Mall is a great spot for an extended tapas crawl starting with happy hour at many of the most popular restaurants where discounted drinks and small plate appetizers combine to create the perfect off-price meal. Chef Michael Bloise at SushiSamba Dromo (600 Lincoln Road, 305-673-5337) offers a tribute to a new destination every month with his budget-friendly “SambaHour” menu inspired by the celebrated country Sunday through Thursday from 4-7pm. This month’s cocktail treats hail from Japan where the harmony of flavors and innovative preparations make each bite a work of art. Pair your $6 sake and shochu cocktails with a variety of small plates including pork belly buns, wagyu beef gyoza, tuna tartare and salmon skin handrolls.

Burger Bites…

Just across the mall, 5 Napkin Burger (455 Lincoln Road, 305-538-2277) offers a double-hitter happy hour from 4-7pm plus a second night owl’s discount round from 10pm until closing. Providing the perfect respite for drinks and tapas before dinner or a bracing bite near midnight, the menu includes $4 draft beer, house wine or cosmos and then a mixed bag of small plates like $3 veggie, turkey or beef mini-burgers, 50 cent chicken wings, crunchy BBQ pork taquitos and $2 tuna or salmon sushi rolls. Served only at the bar, 5 Napkin is a great place for a pre-game round with friends on a budget.

Dim Sum…

Chow Down Grill’s popular South Beach location (933 Alton Road, 305-674-1674) hosts a week night happy hour called Dollah Dollah Dim Sum, an Asian-fusion feast from 4-7pm featuring $2 beef & chicken satay, eggrolls, chicken wings and scallion pancakes. Draft beer is $2 off and all cocktails are half-price. Chef Joshua Marcus makes each dish fresh daily and updates traditional Chinese recipes using quality ingredients and healthier preparations from dough to filling. Be sure to sample the bao buns or a few chubby dumplings from the appetizer menu filled with beef & porcini mushrooms or shrimp & fennel.

Chinese…

If you’re headed to dance at Amnesia, stop in first at SoFi’s China Grill (404 Washington Avenue, 305-534-2211) where the daily happy hour menu starts at noon and runs until 8pm seven nights a week! Hit the Asian-themed bar to sip two-for-one cocktails and select appetizers for half-price. If you’d rather dance uptown at SET, Louis or the Cameo – cool your heels at Lantao Kitchen at the Surfcomber Hotel (1717 Collins Avenue, 305-604-1800) where Asian street foods spice up the happy hour menu from 5-7pm including $5 BBQ pork ribs and banh mi sandwiches, $2 blue crab spring rolls and $7 noodle bowls.

Lucy's Cantina Royale at the Shelborne Hotel

Mexican…

At the Shelborne Hotel, Lucy’s Cantina Royale serves up two-for-one tacos and margaritas from 4-6pm poolside (1801 Collins Avenue, 305-531-1271) plus $5 red wine sangria and $3 draft beers. Add on an ear of sweet Mexican-style corn slathered with chipotle mayo for $4, a paper bag of crispy tortilla chips with tequila salsa for $5 or the house special chili cheese dog for $7. Inside at Bar Tanaka, happy hour gets rolling from 6-8pm daily with $5 specialty cocktails, 2 for 1 beer and sushi maki roll tasting plates starting at just $5.

Down Home Southern…

Top Chef-testant Jeff McInnis’ popular Yardbird Southern Table & Bar (1600 Lenox Avenue, 305-538-5220) is just a stone’s throw from Lincoln Road Mall. Pouring an extensive variety of bourbon-infused cocktails, the early and late night bar menus feature southern-fried treats and classic “redneck” tapas including grandma’s deviled eggs and fire-roasted pimento cheese and crackers for $6. Flaky buttermilk biscuits & honey butter or waffle fries with buttermilk dipping sauce put a whole lot of south in your mouth for six bucks. Serving weeknights until midnight and weekends until 2am, Yardbird is a down home destination that’s perfect for a quick pick-me-up before a night on the town.