Bar Black

Nothing beats it.

Awesome Dive Bar. Period. I usually go on weekdays. Good drink prices. Sometimes they got djs and live performances. Free pool. pretty solid spot to chill and get your drink on… Out back patio is good for other recreational activities.

Like good music, hate lame ass beach crowds??? This is exactly why it’s called BAR. This place managed to put the best show case for the last WMC and always has great local acts like Jacuzzi Boys and great DJs like Benton and Dj Stravinsky. It’s a dope vibe without a lot of the pretentious bullshit that Miami thrives off of. Good music, cheap beer, free pool, chill staff, your regular crackheads, and graffiti covered bathrooms.
If you like art this is also a dope spot to hit since they always have different installations in place. The back patio itself is pretty sick with a great Krink installation.
You do have your crowd of kiddies trying to be super indie drinking their shitty PBR, while in their size 28×30 skinny jeans, twittering how they regret going out, and trying to talk about how hard life is while mommy and daddy are paying for all their shit. You know the «I’m an artist» typical idiot.
If you’re coming from out of town hit this place up of you want to see a side of Miami you won’t see on the beach. Just don’t go in here starting crap because it’s a local place and you might end up barking for more than you can bite

OK. So you see what it says. Dive Bar. That’s the category. This place is OK.
It is just that … a dive bar. There’s picnic tables and some cheap beer. Sometimes the music is bad, sometimes the music is good. They have a pool table = big brownie points for some. What else… oh yeah. You have to be young and a hipster to go here. I am none of the above. but I still go, why? Cause I’m weird like that. I am too old for this spot though. If your above 30 you should steer clear.

How do you write a review for this place?
You go here to see and be seen but not have to deal with the bullshit that Vagabond/​White Room/​Electric Pickle et al serve up. Which is to say it’s a slightly less obnoxious version of an indie club.
That’s it. There’s no nuance here, just sweaty well dressed people. You can write volumes about atmosphere but there’s really no point in writing about what is basically the closest Miami gets to a L.E.S. bar.
The fact that there is only ONE such bar in Miami like this probably speaks volumes though. Tons of clubs, one bar. Why? You tell me. There are other places that come and go but this is spot has been the only guaranteed party for years.

Well after the Vagabond, I came here for one drink with my cousins. We stayed for about five minutes.
Fast forward to the next morning and my clothes smell like I was swimming in a sea of smoke.
Oh Bar how I love thee.

I don’t understand what happened to PS14, as this place has taken over their spot, but whatever – as long as I can still drink.
I like the constantly changing art on the walls, I like the wooden picnic tables, i like the pool table.
the drinks are decently priced and the service and crowd are A-​OK. just don’t let them intimidate you. the hipster, punk-​rock crowd are its usual patrons but they don’t bite.
my only problem is the barren waste land that is it’s «backyard» but I’ve heard that they host different events here – you just have to look up the dates.
open really late night, so stop in if you’re in the area.

Did those thick-​framed glasses come with that look of judgment or did you pay extra for that?
Bar Black, just a couple of doors down from The Vagabond, is a Cougars dream come true. Oh, I’m just in training but soon-​to-​be Cougars need to know where it’s at too. But it’s not for any Cougar it’s for the Coug-​sters.
You gotta like your Hipster. And I have a penchant for those beautiful babies.
If you are indifferent, cynical, obscure, ironic, judgmental, surly and wear thick-​framed glasses this is the place for you!
It was a cluster fuck of skinny jeans, converse all stars, ripped up denim shorts, tshirts with witty remarks, and did I mention thick– framed glasses?
My partner-​in-​crime and I came to Bar because we had heard of a «super secret» Diplo performance going on Saturday night. Since we are Coug-​sters we were IN! Plus we loves the Dip. Low and behold everyone and their grandmother knew about this soirée.
We arrived around 10:30pm and it was pretty barren. By Miami standards arriving somewhere around 10:30pm is a kin to arriving around 7pm. It’s a dead zone.
We didn’t care cuz this is our story not theirs. Plus we had been gallivanting about town gettin our «drink on» prior to arriving at Bar. So we were sauced and feelin’ adventurous. Plus if this place blew we’d just mosey on over to The Vagabond.
I love the Hipsters fashion sense– I– don’t– give– a –fuck– but– I– kinda– still– wanna– look– hot. That sounds good to me Hipsters, Mama like.
PBRs= 3 bucks, other beers 4 – 5 dollars. not bad.
I said, «when in Hip-​town do as the Hip do» We had PBRs but quickly switched to Amstel Light and Yeungling.
There’s an outdoor patio area lined with picnic benches where you can find Cool Kids smoking, hangin from, holding themselves up with, leaning against, sitting a top, looking awesome and chatting about.
We decided to hang inside and grab a petite table by the door to get a good view of the area– and that we did.
We could see the bevy of beautiful babies entering one-​by-​one.
It was the perfect spot to chill while we awaited the much anticipated Diplo.
Whilst sippin on our bevs we noticed a couple of dudes and a woman walking by that looked a little older than the crowd we had come to expect.
To our pleasant surprise it was Brad Wallack, Sarah Colonnas and Josh Wolf, The Comedians of Chelsea Lately!
We wondered what brought them here? Perhaps they were Diplo fans?
Who knows? They were probably misguided.
I went to the bar to get some more booze and ended up next to the comedians and I overheard (as I towered over everyone at the bar but more on the towering thing later) the little guy with the Jew fro tell the guy with the backwards hat, verbatim «yeah, you work out and I still get as much pussy as you» what a filthy little sailor mouth… I like.
Which brings me to my next observation. I’m 5’9″. I typically wear high heels whence I’m out-​and-​about so I would venture to say that I’m like 6″ +/​-​depending on the shoes. I was like a cirque du soleil freak at this place. You know the people that walk around on stilts? That was ME.
I was taller than all the girls and most of the boys. Is it that Miami is vertically challenged? Or did my mothers breast milk contain some sort or super hormone?
I thought genetically modified foods and all the extra hormones in the things we ingest would make these kids a little taller. Whatever, I’ll always be the amazon in a group of Pygmies.
Diplo started his set around 1 am. It was a crowded house. Sweat, sweat and more sweat.
There was a huge crowd gathered outside trying to get a little taste of the awesomeness.
Diplos set was so sick, I nearly threw up! Once the music started pounding I began flailing and kicking in my best attempt at a dance. I even squatted and gyrated a bunch.
It was an awesome show. I had a great time.
Things to note: The bartenders are horribly slow and surly. The bathroom is inconveniently located in front of the stage also blocking the door to the outside once the crowd becomes lively. People smoke here, ALOT. It’s an accessory so if you don’t like smoke, don’t come here.
Reasons why i would return:
Another «secret» show
I was cougarizing a Hipster
I had a lobotomy
I was completely banged up and was coerced
I looked up Hipster on wikipedia and it mentioned that there are many theories on how the word came into our vernacular. There’s a West African word «hipi» that means to open ones eyes. Perhaps this is why all the Cool Kids wear thick framed glasses. You know, for their eye opening properties. Plus it just wreaks awesome.

$ 3 PBRs, no velvet rope, no dress code, board games. Nothing to complain about so far. Last time I was here, I got my picture taken with a sketchy guy with shiny grills. I told him I was writing a coffee table book about grills, and he gladly obliged. I was the envy of all of my friends. The only downside was that I went recently on their new «video night» and the deejay wasn’t amused when I asked my typical dive bar deejay question — «Got any Diamond Girl?» Apparently there is going to be some sort of karaōke or sing along involved with this night in the near future, so I will be sure to bring my own copy for him to play.

I come here quite a bit. I frequented the location before when it was PS14 quite a bit more, though. It’s certainly not a place that everyone will like. I guess BAR is a place to go if you’ve got a few bucks, are probably in the area already, and/​or there’s something going on here that you want to, in particular, attend.
The beer ranges from $ 3. I haven’t had the liquor but a lot of my friends do and it doesn’t seem like it’s pricey for the area at all. They sell smokes behind the counter. For everyone that’s complaining about the service, I’m not sure what one would expect going to a bar but, well, they’re busy. Particularly as it gets later, there’s the one bar inside and there’re usually a couple of bartenders behind it.
There’s one pool table, quarter tables. I wouldn’t go here to play pool but I might go, end up wanting to play, lay down quarters and take on the winner of the last game. Again, it’s less a pool hall so what would anyone else expect.
Plenty of games behind the bar. Ask for one, you can lay it out on the picnic tables which sub for sofas/​indoor seating (other than the bar stools, that’s all they’ve got inside and out). It’s low-​lit and, if there’s a lot of people there, you might have trouble finding seating to play.
Often enough, there’s either a DJ (usually a good one, depending on what you’re hip to) or a band. Check the event listings. Friending them on Facebook is a good way to go for this.
Though they open at 9, don’t expect it to get «on» until much later. 11 or midnight. For my part, I often go here before Vagabond or after an art walk and I tend to prefer when it’s low-​key and I get the attention of the bartender.
Be wary of two things: parking. If you’re early enough, grab a meter. If you’re not, pay for the lot. Since it’s usually no cover and Vagabond has a reentry policy, you can go between both locations pretty effortlessly (unless it’s packed to capacity or there’s a line too long at Vag). Second thing: bathroom lines. Two bathrooms. Single stalls. Long line after eleven. If there’s a band on, it’ll be loud and crowded for the line. Deal.
Patio is nice enough. Critical Mass usually ends here on the last Friday of the month. Bikes can come in the joint and you can park them in the back patio or against the wall.
I like BAR. Prefered it as PS14, but that’s just me. There are some great DJs that come around here. Honestly, it’s a good place to stop for a bit, again, unless there’s something you’re into as far as events go. If you’re looking for a party, mind the hour that you come.

Ok, for all the haters that have posted reviews thus far… go back to South Beach.
This place is a locals bar. It pretty much attracts the types of kids who like to ride fixed gear bikes and don’t mind sweating it out during hot shows.
I like it here because it’s easy. The bar serves cold beer and decently priced mixed drinks. The pool table is free all you have to do is show your prowess and beat the person ahead of you and the table is yours… until you get beat out… which is inevitable because people here actually play pool to win.
The crowd is chill. They have rotating artists that paint over the interior so every month or so it will look different inside.
The benches are great. Ef having to stand around all night. It’s cool to have an option to sit if you want. Besides, kinda reminds me of high school… in the good, I-​just-​got stoned-​during-​lunch kind of way.
I like that the gritty feel of the place and the crackheads outside keep out the stuck-​up yuppy types like the folks below who wrote the scathing reviews. Go back to Purdy.
This place is cool. I recommend it.
Peace.

When going to a bar like this, I’m looking to 1) Have a few beers, 2) Listen to some music, 3) Hang out in (hopefully) a cool place, and 4) Use the restroom at least once, especially after «the seal» is broken.
1) Beer — 2 stars. Not a bad selection of beers and the prices are decent considering this is Miami ($ 3 cans of PBR and most bottled beers are $ 4 or $ 5 each). The problem is with the service. When one of our group went to order 3 Red Stripes, he was told he could only have 1 because they were afraid they might run out of Red Stripe at some point if they gave him too many. Huh? Both times when I went to get beers the bartenders proved that they were either new, or simply didn’t care about the customers. For the first round, the bartender took my drink order, then immediately got orders from 3 other people at the other end of the bar and served them, forgetting about me. The second time I went to order, the guy who was supposed to be working our end of the bar spent 10 minutes dumping out the tip jars and counting the bills. I saw a few people shake their heads because it was taking so long and they were being ignored by the staff.
2) Music — 4 stars. They had DJs spinning on the stage inside and had speakers set up out back so you could hear the music out there as well.
3) Atmosphere — 3 stars. Lots of open spaces both inside and out back, lots of picnic bench-​type seating. Small stage for the DJ and they have a pool table.
4) Pee — 1 star. They only had 2 small restrooms containing 1 toilet each with at least 6 or 8 people waiting in line to use them at all times. When I was leaving, I saw 2 people around the corner peeing up against a building, then going back to Bar Black when they were done because they couldn’t hold it for 20 minutes while waiting in line. Hint: when people are drinking, they will need to urinate. With the amount of people you pack in here, 2 bathrooms with 1 toilet each ain’t gonna cut it.

the problem with bar, or black bar, whatever you call it, is the layout. those pink benches are really uncomfortable plus they are not too functional as they take a lot of space. people hit their knees while walking around, that could be funny at times.
back in the ps14 days, they used to have a dj in the back, hasnt been that way anymore. free bbq which consisted of a chicken thigh on a burger bun. im not complaining cause it was free.
i started a tab, i ordered a yuengling and a red stripe. $ 4 each. i hand the bartender my credit card and my id. end of the night and without having ordered anything else from the bar, i close it. grand total $ 12.
i ask the bartender (another guy) about it. he tells me straight up he doesnt wanna deal with the credit card machine but that he will give me a free drink. i appreciate his willingness to fix this but i did not want another drink. so things get to a stop there. i dont wanna drink. he doest wanna deal with the credit card machine. for 4 bucks, fuck it. but thats fucked up. so i pay the bill, look at him in the eye and tell him that i hope i get a free drink next time im back (if im ever back), i dont think he thought i was serious. i swear i am… so i leave and then realize he forgot to give me my id back. i had to go back again to bar and ask him for my id. so there, two stars cause ive definitely experienced better.
PS: 4 dollars, dont forget.

The former PS14. Never went under the old moniker.
Arrived as part of the large 305 Critical Mass ride. They seemed a tad overwhelmed. No small bills in the cash register. When I paid with a $ 20, the bartender asked, «you got anything smaller.» As an Irish guy, I like it when women say that to me.
The space was pleasing. Bathrooms clean. Although it was early. If this place gets busy I’m sure their are lines for the bathroom. All I saw was a couple one-​holers. Didn’t seem sufficient.
Speaking of getting busy. When the place starts pumping, the bartenders need to find a higher gear. They were slow to say the least.
They advertised a BBQ on the back patio. Folks, don’t get confused. Frozen burger patties on a caja china does not a BBQ make.
The funky space and art plan are refreshing. They need to work on the service a little and this place could be a winner.
Oh yeah, a big plus, they allow you to take your bike into the back patio. That’s very cool.

Having being a regular at PS14 for many years, I was very eager to check out the revamped place which will now go by Bar. Upon entering you clearly notice the difference. The walls are white with art painted on them. The wall opposite the bar was wallpaper created and drawn by local artist Freegums. It was a nice touch. On the walls to either side of the bar were hand painted drawings by the same artist. The place now looks a lot brighter and hopefully it also includes a new AC system, cuz let me me tell you, some nights were a hot box. Bathrooms have also been redone, thank you very much.
The patio hasn’t changed much except now they have picnic style table/​benches and the walls are white with paint that had being dripped from the roof, of course on purpose to create a mural.
On Monday they had free BBQ (pork) which was plentiful and the portions where enough for those that had skipped their dinner. As a friend quoted, seems like their will be plenty left since most of those in attendance have a Vegan look to themselves. So for those of you that get out of work late on Monday, head over and chow down on some good pulled pork sandwiches.
Finally it seems that the owners are learning from previous mistakes, but keep making other mistakes. Drinks are finally priced competitively to those of Vagabond which is right next door. Never really understood why drinks at PS14 were always a few dollars more when they were trying to vie for the same clientele. Great move on the cheaper drinks and hoping that you keep those prices to entice clients and to keep them there drinking
Now the biggest mistake, the sound system. What the hell happened? The speakers sounded as if they were blown out or being pushed to their max. If you plan on keeping people inside and spending money on drinks, one way not to do it is to blow out their ears. I for one ALWAYS ear plugs, ALWAYS. Everyone should protect their hearing, tinnitus has no cured ladies and gents. So you’ve been warned.
Will I return, most likely yes, I have always been a fan of the spot, but I do hope they fix the sound.

It’s easy to become jaded with Miami’s nightlife. Groups like Poplife and venues like The Vagabond have chipped away at the stereotypical South Beach scene for years, serving cocktails and comfortable nights infused with indie spirit. Now, OHWOW’s Bar adds an art twist and another welcome shot of booze and beats to your late-​night cocktail mix.
It’s only recently that more late-​night drinking dens have opened their doors and bars and welcomed locals looking for a place to stretch their dollars, kick-​back, and enjoy themselves sans the hoops, lists, and ropes. Bar an extension of the OHWOW gallery revives the space formerly known as PS14 and briefly occupied by Max Fish. Now known simply as Bar it serves up no-​frills drinks worthy of your favorite dive bar paired with temporary two month long art installations.
Good art, cheap drinks, a picnic table filled patio perfect for jivey-​divey dialogue plus locals only lechon nights? Now that’s a pretty picture. Cheers!