Food

Party of One

The City’s Best Bars for Dining Solo

Friends. They’re great. But it can be pretty easy to overlook a critical acquaintance: you. Yeah, we’re talking about spending quality time with that good-looking mug in the mirror. Before you: five restaurants with bars worthy of a meal with, well, yourself. Might want to pick up the tab on this one.

FOR DINNER AND A SHOW

Makoto

You require: A little entertainment with your meal.
You’ll receive: A front-row seat at the polished concrete sushi bar. Chef Makoto rolled maki alongside Morimoto, and his sushi chefs have taken a few pointers. It’s almost like your own personal version of Iron Chef. Plus, you know, you can eat the stuff.

FOR CATCHING THE GAME

Biscayne Tavern

You require: Quality time with the Dolphins vs. Falcons game.
You’ll receive: Uninterrupted, one-on-one time with some NFL-friendly flat-screens. What you won’t find: a raucous sports bar scene. It’ll be you, a wood-paneled bar, some pork belly sliders and Tannehill trying to keep his shoulder intact.

FOR TREATING YOURSELF

Edge Steak & Bar

You require: Four-star dining—without reservations.
You’ll receive: A low-lit, rectangular bar with a lax reservation policy (hint: you don’t need one). Claim a white leather chair and a 24-ounce bone-in tomahawk, and dig in for the long haul. You can’t rush a good tomahawk.

FOR A QUICK BREW

LoKal

You require: Something low-profile. With beer. Good beer.
You’ll receive: Bottles of Hop Savant, Florida grass-fed burgers topped with guava jelly and fresh alligator strips delivered to your perch at the vintage-cassette-lined bar. Yeah, we said “fresh alligator.” Don’t overthink it.

FOR STRIKING UP A CONVERSATION

Tongue & Cheek

You require: A lively scene to enjoy your Cracker Jack milkshake.
You’ll receive: Just that. The bar at Jamie DeRosa’s new joint draws a crowd. You’ll rub elbows with comely locals and conversation-opening plates of chicken-skin chicharrón and a tres leches made with polenta cake. Polenta cake makes a hell of a wingman.