A Tropical Happy Hour

Mamey Spices Up the Competition

With a rooftop courtyard, potent craft cocktails and magnificent bites, Mamey is one of the hottest happy hour venues in the city. While Mamey is located on the ground floor of the THēsis Hotel, their happy hour menu is served on an outdoor terrace on the third floor, designated Mamey on 3rd. 

The bad news is that their drink and food deals are only from 3 to 6 p.m., which makes it hard to attend for those of us who work full-time. The good news is that they also offer them on the weekends. When we arrived a little after 4 p.m. on a Saturday, the place was alive. Couples, families and friends crowded the tables, high tops and couches, with colorful drinks already in hand. 

One of said colorful drinks is the Jerk Margarita, made with tequila, mezcal, strawberry, watermelon and lime juices, jerk-spiced agave and garnished with a dried lime wheel. It’s refreshing and smoky, with just a little bit of heat. Also noteworthy are the Holy Lychee and the Maracuya Spritz. The Holy Lychee – vodka, lychee and lemon juice, club soda and basil – is great for sipping in the late afternoon sunshine. The Spritz is a twist on the classic Aperol Spritz, adding passion fruit liqueur for a burst of sweetness. 

The drinks are amazing, there’s no denying that, but they’re not the half-off happy hour price that we’re used to. On the regular cocktail menu, these drinks are all $13 and $14. On the happy hour menu, they’re only knocked down to $10. 

The bites, however, are
a different story. For just $6, you can get dishes like white truffle and brie grilled cheese, ghee-roasted plantains, and shishito peppers. The grilled cheese is comfort food at its fanciest, bathing in a mango jam. You’ll want at least two orders. The sweet plantains are savory, served with pickled onions and herbs atop a jerk-spiced crema. They give you just a taste of the rest of the “island-minded” menu. The shishito peppers are surprisingly mild, tossed in a sweet soy sauce with sesame, toasted seaweed and sea salt. No heat, just flavor. Chef Niven Patel has outdone himself. 

From start to sunset, the experience was flawless – even the valet system. At the entrance on Caballero Boulevard off U.S. 1, you give them your keys and your phone number and they’ll text you with your ticket number. As you’re paying the bill, respond with the word “CAR” and they’ll have your vehicle waiting for you as soon as you return to the ground floor. Or maybe you’ll want to call an Uber after all those Jerk Margaritas. 

Mamey Miami
1350 S. Dixie Highway (inside the THēsis Hotel)
305.266.2639
mameymiami.com