Two Speakeasies and a Mixed Grill

Cocktails at Coyo Taco, Parrillada at Baires, and Disco Lights at Levant

Top left: Coyo Taco, 126 Giralda Plaza, open till 2 am Fri & Sat. 786.629.7929
Bottom left: Baires Grill, 180 Aragon Ave. (in the Colonnade). 786.409.5121
Right: Levant Restaurant & Hush Speakeasy, 2415 Ponce de Leon Blvd. 786.762.2905

Sometimes the challenge in Coral Gables isn’t where to go, but how to choose. For this night out on the town, we started at Coyo Taco on Giralda Plaza.

Coyo is known for its tacos (obviously) but on this evening they were running a make-your-own margarita class in their speakeasy, past the counter and through an unmarked door. It was a chance to play bartender, at least for a few minutes. Two shaky pours later, I learned my skills didn’t measure up. The professionals can rest easy; I’ll stick to writing.

From there, it was a short walk to Baires Grill, a longtime favorite for Argentine food. We didn’t bother with the menu – since Argentines are famous for their roasted meats, the parrillada mixed grill platter was the obvious choice. When it arrived, still smoking, it carried the essentials: sausage, chicken, pork, and churrasco.

While we waited, the restaurant went quiet and two flamenco dancers stepped onto the floor. Diners leaned in, drawn by the rhythm, while the dancers pulled each other closer in time with the music. I came for grilled meat and wound up with dinner and a performance. Not a bad trade.

With dinner behind us, the evening still had room for one more stop: Levant. Most people who eat at Levant don’t realize there’s more happening upstairs. The staircase by the entrance looks ordinary enough, but follow it up and you’ll end up at Hush, a speakeasy with its own agenda.

Getting in isn’t complicated. Tickets are scanned at the door, though you can usually buy them on-site too ($25). We went on a night called “No Panic, Just Disco.”

The walk up sets the mood. Dim hallway, a few tables and chairs, and, at the end, a glass door that gives you a glimpse of the inner glow. Step through, and it’s all laid out – DJ booth and bar to the left, a space in the middle cleared for dancing, and a full mirror wall in the back that makes the space feel twice its size. Disco balls scatter specks of light across the crowd, and a laser light swings over the room like it’s chasing the beat. Allan Epps was on the booth, and when Alphaville’s “Forever Young” came on, it was game over – the floor filled up fast, and even the people clinging to their drinks along the wall were nodding along.

The bar doesn’t disappoint either. A tequila espresso martini gave the espresso more bite than the usual vodka and the Old Fashioned, balanced and smooth, used rum instead of whiskey.

By 11, the place was packed – music, dancing, hookahs puffing, the whole room buzzing. We wrapped the night up with the obligatory mirror wall photo, proof we danced more than we meant to.