Ball & Chain Live Music Bar, Miami

If your day of eating needs improvement, there's no better remedy for that than a cocktail! And if you like to combine tasty cocktails with some quality food, then Ball & Chain in Little Havana is the place for you! Drinkers or non-drinkers of alcohol must visit Ball & Chain all the same at least once, particularly so if they have an ear for good music. Opened in the 1920s, this is still one of the hottest live music venues in the area. It hosts high-energy jazz performances all day and night and, over the years, has seen the likes of Louis Armstrong and Nat King Cole perform here at the famous Pineapple Stage in the garden (shaped like a giant pineapple, hence the name).

Back in the day, the rumors have it, the owner of this place was arrested once for “rum running”, i.e. for smuggling alcohol into the United States during prohibition. At some point, the venue was closed for several years and reopened only in the 2010s bringing Cuban-style mojitos, daiquiris and other neighborhood-inspired cocktails back to Miami.

In addition to mariquitas (traditional Cuban house-made sweet plantain chips) to go with the drinks, this lively bar serves some seriously good eats. The iconic lounge boasts a rather extensive menu featuring 15-plus dishes, including Cuban spring roll made with the traditional Cuban sandwich fillings of pork and cheese wrapped in spring-roll dough and served with mojo dipping sauce.

Why You Should Visit:
On a sultry night, nibbling some bites and sipping a Miami Mule, while listening to live music, is perhaps the best thing you can do.