Brickell is Miami's Manhattan — a gleaming forest of luxury condo towers, the city's financial district, and one of the most exciting neighborhoods for dining and nightlife. Once sleepy and corporate, Brickell has transformed into a vibrant, walkable urban village that rivals South Beach for energy while offering a completely different vibe.
📍 Where Is Brickell?
Brickell sits directly south of downtown Miami along Biscayne Bay, centered on Brickell Avenue — a tree-lined boulevard flanked by high-rise towers. It stretches roughly from the Miami River south to Rickenbacker Causeway, with I-95 as its western boundary. The heart of the action is between SE 5th and SE 10th Streets.
It's connected to downtown via the free Metromover, 15 minutes from South Beach by Uber, and directly on the Metrorail line. If you're staying in Brickell, you can walk to most neighborhood attractions.
🛍️ Brickell City Centre
The anchor of the neighborhood, Brickell City Centre is a $1.05 billion mixed-use development that transformed Brickell when it opened in 2016. The mall features:
Shopping: Saks Fifth Avenue, Apple, AllSaints, Lululemon, Kendra Scott, and dozens of other stores under the innovative Climate Ribbon — an open-air canopy that channels breezes and manages rainwater.Dining: CMX Cinemas (dine-in theater), Pubbelly Sushi, Quinto La Huella (Uruguayan rooftop restaurant with incredible steaks).Architecture: The Climate Ribbon itself is worth seeing — designed by Hugh Dutton, it's one of the most innovative pieces of architecture in Miami.🍽️ Best Restaurants in Brickell
Brickell's dining scene punches well above its weight:
Quinto La Huella — The Miami outpost of Uruguay's famous La Huella beach restaurant. Wood-fired steaks, seafood, and rooftop views. The chivito sandwich at lunch is a steal.Zuma — Japanese izakaya-style dining in the EPIC Hotel. The robata grill dishes and sushi are exceptional. One of Miami's best restaurants.Komodo — David Grutman's Southeast Asian restaurant with dramatic three-story indoor "garden" decor. The Peking duck and lobster dynamite are signatures. Scene-y but the food delivers.La Mar by Gaston Acurio — Peruvian ceviche and seafood on the waterfront at Mandarin Oriental. The ceviche clasico and tiraditos are perfect for a bay-view lunch.CVI.CHE 105 — Casual, affordable Peruvian ceviche that's consistently some of the best in Miami. Multiple locations but the Brickell one is a local favorite.Pho 79 — No-frills Vietnamese pho in a strip mall. The polar opposite of Brickell's flashy restaurants, and worth seeking out for huge bowls of deeply flavorful broth.🍸 Rooftop Bars & Nightlife
Brickell's skyline was practically designed for rooftop drinking:
Sugar — The crown jewel. Atop EAST Miami on the 40th floor, this Asian-inspired rooftop garden bar has lush tropical plants, creative cocktails, and panoramic bay and city views. Come for sunset. No reservations — first come, first served.Area 31 — Inside the Kimpton EPIC, overlooking the Miami River meeting Biscayne Bay. Great cocktails and a seafood menu. More relaxed than Sugar.Novecento — Argentinian restaurant and bar on Brickell Avenue with a popular happy hour and sidewalk tables for people-watching.Better Days — Funky cocktail bar with a vintage vibe. Creative drinks and a more casual atmosphere than the hotel rooftops.Mama Tried — Dive-bar aesthetic in the heart of Brickell. Cheap drinks, live DJs, and a refreshingly unpretentious crowd for the neighborhood.🏬 Mary Brickell Village
Just west of Brickell Avenue, Mary Brickell Village is an outdoor shopping and dining complex with a more relaxed feel than Brickell City Centre. It has Publix (for groceries if you're in an Airbnb), a few good restaurants, and bars. It's where locals grab a casual dinner rather than dressing up for the main strip.
🌿 The Underline
One of Miami's most exciting urban projects, The Underline is a 10-mile linear park being built beneath the Metrorail tracks from Brickell to Dadeland. The first phase (from Brickell to Vizcaya) is open and features walking paths, native gardens, a butterfly garden, art installations, and workout stations. It's a beautiful urban green space and a great place for a morning jog or evening stroll.
🌳 Simpson Park Hammock
Hidden in the middle of Brickell's towers, Simpson Park Hammock is a 7.8-acre tropical hardwood hammock — essentially a tiny piece of the original Everglades ecosystem preserved in the city. Walking the boardwalk through the dense canopy of gumbo-limbo and live oak trees is surreal when you can see glass towers through the leaves. Free admission.
🚇 Getting Around Brickell
Metromover: Free and covers most of Brickell. The Brickell Loop hits Brickell City Centre, 10th Street, and connects to downtown.Walking: Brickell is very walkable, especially along Brickell Avenue and the bay-side promenade.Metrorail: Brickell station connects you to the airport, Coconut Grove, Coral Gables, and Dadeland.Rideshare: Easy pickup/dropoff throughout, though traffic on Brickell Ave can be heavy during rush hour.🏙️ Who Should Stay in Brickell?
Brickell is ideal for travelers who want:
An urban, walkable experience without the beach-party atmosphere of South BeachEasy access to world-class dining and nightlifeProximity to downtown, Coconut Grove, and Key BiscayneA more local, less touristy feelAccess to public transit (Metromover and Metrorail)It's less ideal if you want to be steps from the beach (that's a 15-20 minute Uber to South Beach).
🏨 Best Hotels in Brickell
Mandarin Oriental — The luxury benchmark. Bay views, excellent spa, and La Mar restaurant.EAST Miami — Modern and hip with Sugar rooftop bar. Connected to Brickell City Centre.SLS Brickell — Philippe Starck design, rooftop pool, and Fi'lia restaurant.Kimpton EPIC — Waterfront location at the mouth of the Miami River with Area 31 and an incredible pool deck.
Brickell isn't where most tourists think of when they picture Miami — and that's exactly what makes it great. It's the real, working heart of the city: ambitious, energetic, and full of surprises if you explore beyond the main avenue.
For the best drink deals in Brickell, see our happy hour guide. Ready for a big night out? Read our nightlife guide.
