Ten Best Local Bars in Broward and Palm Beach

There are few things we can all agree on these days, but having a favorite local bar is one of those few things. Everyone needs that one place they know they can go have that hard-earned brew without all the fuss that comes along with those overrated/overpriced places. Sometimes you just want to go to a place where you know the bartender and don't need to look at the menu. A favorite local bar is basically a family member's house.

In Broward and Palm Beach, we have so many local pubs to choose from ... Here are a few of our favorites. 

The Brass Tap Craft Beer Bar 
When you're looking for a solid local bar, it's definitely quality rather than quantity that matters most. Brass Tap is one of the highest-quality pubs you will find in Broward or Palm Beach. Brass Tap has a knack for keeping an open ear to the craft-beer community's desires, routinely announcing on social media that it will have a surprise tap takeover by one of the better local breweries, such as Boynton Beach's Due South. You can find a Brass Tap in multiple cities across South Florida, including Parkland, Boynton Beach, and Coral Springs.

Eats are available to munch on, and the cozy little pub has walls that open up to make it more of an open-air atmosphere when the time is right. Fire pits and comfortable seating around the edges of the bar make for the perfect place to chill out after a movie at Magnolia movie theater, just a few steps away.


Tucker Duke's Lunchbox
Tucker Duke's knows how to get your attention, not by street signs or a loud location but by the stuff that matters — the eats and beers. Tucker Duke's routinely carries rare craft beers such as Dogfish Head's 120 minutes IPA at times when you thought the brew was long gone, and the menu is Man vs. Food in nature. I mean, a fried peanut butter an jelly bon-bon is on the menu — this place gets you. 

Duke's is best-known for its burgers, especially the signature Tucker Duke, which it refuses to modify. You want it a different way? That crap goes on the side, and they will look the other direction as you mangle perfection. Duke's is located in a strip mall in Deerfield Beach, but don't let the location fool you — it's one of the best local bars you could ever ask for. 


Funky Buddha Fort Lauderdale
At this point, duh, of course Funky Buddha is going to make this list. It's a wonderful time to be an American; breweries are popping up left and right, with their sole purpose being to get you properly drunk on some tasty hops. Buddha is fast becoming not just a tremendous local bar but a place that pops out brews people crave in other states. Surrounded by food trucks — and with ample seating at their Fort Lauderdale location — Funky Buddha is a staple among local bars in the area at this point.


Tap 42
Any article with a headline that reads the words "best" and "bar" must include Tap 42 — it's science. Tap 42 has mastered South Florida chill and provides everything you could ever need to get your drink on. Besides having the kind of atmosphere you would want to let your in-laws from out of town experience, Tap 42 has a menu that makes you feel like you're dining at a place featured on the Travel Channel. 


Due South Brewery
Extra points for brewing your own beer that is completely awesome; that's how this list rolls. Due South, located in Boynton Beach, is by far one of the best places to grab a brew with some friends on a Saturday afternoon. Complete with the surrounding food trucks that most of these new-age craft breweries feature, Due South provides a unique mom-and -pop type of atmosphere, mixed with an almost Disneyland-for-adults feel as you take in the machinery that makes the suds you're sipping on.  Chances are, you might have to actually head due north to get to Due South, but it is 100-percent worth the drive. 


Laser Wolf 
Laser Wolf is unquestionably a local favorite for residents of Fort Lauderdale. If different is what you crave, Laser Wolf will be one of your faves. It is legendary for its amazing beer selection that leaves you wondering if there is something it doesn't have, Laser Wolf pairs just about everything awesome with its alcohol. Music? Ninja Turtle arcade games? Yup, they got those. You can even bring your dog to Laser Wolf. I told you, they are different here.


Riverside Market 
Nonlocals might come across the name Riverside Market and think to themselves groceries, but nope, this place is not some generic Publix — it's brew heaven. If you know of a beer, it's here — trust me. The staff at Riverside Market is known for being knowledgeable and helpful when it comes to selection of brews, so you don't need to feel overwhelmed when you walk in. Riverside Market used to be a hidden gem in the Fort Lauderdale area; now, it's just a local gem. 


World of Beer 
Rules are made to be broken, so we will break them here. World of Beer might be somewhat of a chain bar, but it's also a local favorite. Between the live music and amazing selection of beers, World of Beer is the go-to place when thinking of a place to drink. The Coconut Creek location is especially a local favorite due to its location in the ritzy Promenade marketplace. The location also makes for a wonderful stop after a night out at the Coconut Creek Seminole Casino just down the street. Food vendors from all over the shopping plaza will deliver you food from their shops, and you can bet if it's a holiday, something is going on right at the doors for this World of Beer. It might not be just local, but this location gives you the feel that it's one of a kind.  


American Social Bar and Restaurant 
In a man's tool belt of bars, there must always be that one bar that is totally date-approved. In Fort Lauderdale, that's American Social. Located on Las Olas, American Social is the kind of bar you take a lady to show her you're not just some chicken-wings-eating, draft-beer-chugging idiot. Later, she'll learn that's exactly what you are, but for now, American Social will provide the cover — while still supplying those things you love so much: rotating tap tables and self-serve draft stations. Yes, this is a favorite for its time and place.


Bru's Room
Bru's Room has multiple locations in South Florida, all of which have a local vibe. Being owned by an ex-Miami Dolphins player gives it the local bar stamp of approval, but the very Beef O' Brady's on steroids feel gives it the family-approved atmosphere edge in this department. Bru's Room is the place you go when you're dying to see your out-of-market NCAA team play, but it's last second and you aren't sure if anyone else will have it on one of their TVs. That's not a problem at Bru's, because they have hundreds of TV's, so if it's happening, they get the channel.