Tobacco Road, Brickell - Miami's Oldest Bar and Former Speakeasy

Tobacco Road Bar, Miami

If you're in Downtown Miami and fancy a beer, Tobacco Road, Miami's oldest bar, is just a short walk over the bridge across the Miami River, near the Brickell financial district.

Tobacco Road is 99 years old in 2011 and was issued with the very first liquor licence granted in Miami-Dade County.

Prohibition and Al Capone
Al Capone is reputed to have drunk in the bar during the 1920s and 30s prohibition era, when it was a speakeasy above a bakery.

The gangster was heavily involved in the illegal liquor trade and owned a large house on Palm Island, in Biscayne Bay, Miami, so he almost certainly visited Tobacco Road, either as a customer or on business.

Liquor was hidden in a secret storeroom hidden behind a bookshelf.

Gay Bar Closed for Lewd Behaviour
During Tobacco Road's colourful history, the bar is also said to have been an illegal gambling den and in the 1940s it was a gay bar, with male strippers.

In those less tolerant days this resulted in its being shut down for “lewd, wanton and lascivious behaviour.”

Off-limits to Military
Tobacco Road was then declared off-limits to military personnel, a ban that wasn't lifted until 1986.

Dive Bar with Outside Patio
Now Tobacco Road is a dive bar, long and dimly lit, with a colourfully painted outside patio to the rear.

Drinks are reasonably priced, with a few microbrew beers available. The happy hour is from 4 to 7 pm, Monday to Thursday, and on Fridays selected drinks are 99 cents each for 99 minutes starting from 6 pm.

Spicy Bean Veggie Burger and Garden Burger
The lunchtime menu includes a spicy black-bean veggie burger, “southwest-style” with sweet corn and tomato, and the evening dinner menu has garden burger, made with grains, nuts and spices. I assume that these are both vegan, but ask, and also request that either burger is cooked away from from the meaty burgers.

Live Music at Tobacco Road
An eclectic range of live music starts somewhere between 8 and 10 pm, including rock, jazz, blues and reggae.

There is usually a cover charge, typically from $5 to $15, sometimes cheaper in advance than on the door.

B.B. King Played Here
Blues giant B.B. King performed at Tobacco Road, and also the “King of Funk” George Clinton and soul singer Joss Stone. So the virtually unknown local performer you see this week for $5 or $10 could be one of tomorrow's stars.

Get Married By Elvis
Special events are held occasionally, like the 2010 Valentine's Day Bash, when a mass wedding ceremony was performed by Elvis lookalike Mike Mcsween, the star of the movie King 'n' Me. Marriage certificates of very dubious legality were provided by Tobacco Road.

Location of Tobacco Road
If you're already in Downtown, the easiest way to get to Tobacco Road is to walk along Flagler Street to South Miami Avenue and cross the bridge over the Miami River, which should take about 10 or 15 minutes. You could take the free driverless Metromover train to Fifth Street Station on the Brickell Loop, but the bar is a few minutes' walk from the station.

Bus to Downtown from South Beach
From South Beach catch any bus to Downtown, which will take about 45 minutes ($2 flat fare, exact money only).

Driving Directions and Buses in Google Transit
For bus schedules to Downtown or driving directions to Tobacco Road, click on the Google Transit link in the right-hand sidebar of this blog.

Tips on using Google Transit can be found in the following post: Directions in Miami - Walking, Driving, Bike, Buses & Trains.

Take a Taxi from Tobacco Road After Late-night Music
After the late-night music, if you aren't driving, it might be best to phone for a taxi, as Tobacco Road is located in a solitary area away from Brickell's main bar and restaurant district.