Bar Collins is the beautiful bar at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. Eat, drink, relax, and unwind daily with a wide variety of delicious menu items.
This is a sponsored post. We received complimentary amenities, but the opinions are mine alone.
Last month I was in Miami, and stayed at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel. This beautiful property is in the heart of Miami Beach, walking distance to the South Beach nightlife and steps from the ocean, and recently underwent a major, year-long renovation. We spent Sunday afternoon at the pool in a SOAK daybed, I had a dedicated VIP manager during my stay, and the views from my room were amazing. I also received this wonderful welcome amenity in my room upon my arrival. You can read more about my overall visit.
When I travel, I often eat at restaurants off-property, to experience the local flavor and culture. But with all of the dining options at the Loews Miami Beach Hotel, and their Flavor Miami concept, you really don’t have to leave at all.
The Loews Miami Beach Hotel offers a variety of dining options for hotel guests and visitors.
- Miami Joe’s Coffee Co., a grab-and-go convenience shop and coffee bar
- Preston’s Market, a breakfast restaurant
- Nautilus Bar & Grill, a poolside restaurant
- Bar Collins, a lounge-style restaurant
- Lure Fishbar, a fine dining restaurant
On Sunday morning, we had breakfast with a view at Preston’s Market. Located at the rear of the hotel just beyond Bar Collins, Preston’s Market offers daily breakfast. We sat outside, with a great view of the pool, looking out to the ocean. You can read more about our breakfast experience.
The Flavor Miami concept showcases the cuisine and culture of Florida throughout the restaurants and lounges in the hotel. Bar Collins features beverages and food by local artisans Wynwood Brewing Company, Miami Club Rum and Zak the Baker.
Bar Collins is a lounge-style restaurant that anchors the hotel lobby. It is open daily, until 1AM Sunday-Thursday and 2AM Saturday & Sunday. Bar Collins is the hub of activity inside the hotel, and offers a variety of seating options for mingling, dining, or relaxing at the bar. Each evening during our conference we have a reception at one of the major sports venues, and once we return, the hotel bar is the hot-spot. That was definitely the case at Bar Collins all week.
The beautiful bar is the focal point, with seating both inside and outside.
Our original plan was to have dinner at Bar Collins one evening during our stay. However, we ended up having several small meals throughout the week. That worked out better in the end, because we sampled different menu items in different areas of the restaurant.
On Saturday night when I finally made it to the hotel, Mike met me for a glass of wine. Our bartender, just like every staff member we encountered during our stay, was very friendly and engaging.
On Monday, we had lunch. The Bar Collins lunch menu is simple, changes by the season, and includes appetizers, entrees and desserts. It’s not easy to find fresh fish in Oklahoma, so whenever I’m on a coast near water, I take full advantage of the seafood. So of course my eyes went straight to the fish tacos
Fried grouper, corn tortilla, coleslaw, guacamole, sour cream, pico de gallo
I really liked the large chunks of fish. Batter tends to be heavy, but this batter was just the opposite; light, flaky, and delicious. Grouper is a wonderful, firm white fish that has a nice mild flavor. The first taco, I ate whole. The others, I only ate the insides. The tortillas were nice and fresh, but I usually do that to save on excess carbs. I really like that the cole slaw has a very light dressing, and the slaw is very flavorful; I could have easily eaten a big bowl.
On Thursday, Blair and I met at the outside bar after our last venue tour for a snack.
The after-hours menu is available from 2-6pm, and 11pm-1am. The menu is very simple, and includes only a few small bites and big bites. We both love guacamole, so it was an easy decision
The guacamole is so fresh, and a very generous portion. It’s prepared in my favorite way, with chunks of avocado throughout. I like pico mixed in with guacamole, but not everyone does; with this unique presentation, you have your choice. I’ve never seen jalapenos served with guacamole, but it’s a great way to add a kick.
I love the presentation, and the variety of bread/chips. Normally you only get chips with guacamole, so it’s nice to see bagel chips and soft pita triangles as well.
On Thursday afternoon, we got in some final beach time. In early evening, I met Blair and Barry in the hotel bar for a light dinner. Most bars provide mixed nuts or crackers; the Loews Miami Beach Hotel goes upscale, with corn, olives, and cured meat
I don’t do olives, so I passed on those. I liked the meat, but only had a few pieces; once I tasted the corn, I couldn’t stop eating it.
We also got an order of the adobe chili edamame
Arbol Chili, Lime, Toasted Garlic
The edamame was hot, fresh, and pops in your mouth. Our server warned us that the sauce is spicy, and she wasn’t kidding. I barely dipped the edamame in the sauce, and it scorched my mouth. On the other hand, the sauce has a very good flavor.
Earlier in the week we noticed the beautiful stone pizza oven setup. It’s so unique to see the pizza oven out in the open, so you can watch the process from start to finish.
We couldn’t pass up the chance to try the pizza. You can choose a Margherita or Cuban pizza, or create your own from a variety of toppings. We decided to go simple, with pepperoni pizza
There’s no question the pizza is fresh, because it’s made right in front of you. The pizza is served scorching hot, just the way it should be. The sauce is very flavorful and tastes homemade, and they are very generous with the pepperoni. There’s really no such thing as too much pepperoni; I like that Bar Collins takes that same approach.
I enjoyed all of our experiences at Bar Collins throughout the week. The variety of seating options makes it a great focal point and gathering place during the day or night. All of our food was delicious, and the service was prompt, even when the bar was packed. Next time I visit Miami I will definitely come back.
