Miami

Mac's Club Deuce 222 14th St., 305-531-6200. Club Deuce is open until 5 a.m., it's been around since Calvin Coolidge was President, and if you ask for a frozen drink, the bartender will tell you the blender is broken, and then someone will probably hit you with a pool cue. It's shady in the best way, sketchy for its own sake, the antithesis of what you might expect from a Miami Beach bar. This is a local's hangout where anything can happen—including a transsexual throwing an iguana against a cigarette machine (this actually did happen). Happy hour is from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and the jukebox is as likely to belt out Billie Holiday as it is Rage Against the Machine. Melissa, one of Mac's straight-talking bartenders, sums it up this way: "If you're a good drinker, it's a great place for you." So stop in, and keep an eye out for projectile lizards.

Pawn Shop 1222 NE Second Ave., 305-373-3511, thepawnshoplounge.com. Its exterior lives up to the name—from the outside, this Miami nightclub looks like a pawnshop (in reality, it once was). Once inside, the theme becomes even more clear; with old dentist chairs, a school bus, and a carnival photo booth, this is a rag-tag collection of accoutrement. The two bars proffer premium cocktails, and a comfortable lounge (created from the fuselage of a jet) provides respite from the pulsing energy of the dance floor. The outdoor lounge features shag carpeting and great opportunities for people watching. This is a place to see, be seen, and apparently sing—on the opening night a number of celebrities took to the stage to sing their favorite covers. Live bands play here weekly, and DJs spin a range of musical styles.

The Nightcap Lounge 15544 W. Dixie Hwy. North, 305-940-6700. The Nightcap Lounge is a bit like an old, curmudgeonly neighbor—it's been around for a long time, has seen just about everything, is friendly to locals, and wary of interlopers. After more than 40 years, the North Miami Beach dive still sticks with what works: jukebox, pool table, good times, and great people. Happy hour is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., you get 50 cents off what are already inexpensive prices. The lounge has live rock or country
music on some Saturday nights, but the Open Jam on Tuesdays is the signature event. This is where musical styles can blur, and musicians have the freedom to let loose. Sure, the Nightcap is a bit idiosyncratic and maybe a bit rough around the edges, but it's chock full of stories once you get to know it.

Related Links:
Double Down Saloon : http://www.doubledownsaloon.com/
Ivan Kane's Forty Deuce : http://www.fortydeuce.com/
Saint's & Sinners : http://www.saintsandsinnerslounge.net/
Clermont Lounge : http://www.clermontlounge.net/
Northside Tavern : http://www.northsidetavern.com/
Star Community Bar : http://www.starbaratlanta.com/
Hemlock Tavern : http://www.hemlocktavern.com/
Creekside Lounge : http://www.thecreeksidelounge.com/
Basement Pub : http://www.basementpub.com/
Velvet Lounge : http://www.velvetloungedc.com/
Wonderland Ballroom : http://www.wonderlandballroom.com/
Madam's Organ : http://www.madamsorgan.com/
CC Club : http://www.ccclubmpls.com/
Memory Lanes : http://www.memorylanesmpls.com/
Half Time Rec : http://www.halftimerec.com/
Pawn Shop Lounge : http://www.thepawnshoplounge.com/
Duff's Brooklyn : http://www.duffsbrooklyn.com/
Magnetic Field 97 : http://www.magneticbrooklyn.com/