On a mobile device? Try our mobile site, optimized for faster browsing.
Who wouldn't want to frequent a venue with a name such as "The Electric Pickle"? That name just screams "I had a good time last night".
And a good time was had indeed. My friends and I have always heard but never been. Saturday, it was time.
The first floor was seemingly empty and small but then you realized upstairs was the place to be. Loads of people were squished together in hopes of getting closer to the stage.
Taking a look around - there were no douche-bags (always a good thing) but holy heaven! Indie-kids galore, which is at times only bad for your nose.
As for the second level floor. Let's just say that I strategically placed myself next to a slightly larger-than-life person, who in the event that something would happen, would end up cushioning my fall. I know, genius.
Fortunately, it didn't have to come to that but yeah, it was that bad.
Perhaps one of the most enjoyable aspects to this venue is that there is a staircase from the second floor leading to the outside world. After inhaling a deep breath of fresh air and climbing down a scary staircase, there are tables, food and drinks if you so desire.
If you don't mind parking in an area that looks and feels like you're on the set of 28 days later, this is a cool joint to come out to and chill on a late night. There was a 10 dollar cover which is no biggie and once you're in it's the lighting is very dim and you immediately notice the bar. One of the 2 bartenders on this night was extremely efficient but the other one took forever to make a drink or get a beer. So it was best to just chill by the fast bartender if you wanted anything. They did carry newcastle and stella and that is a plus in my book.
The crowd is a very mixed group of anyone and everyone. Definitely a lot of people watching up in here. The music was different and in a good way. I don't think I heard Lady Gaga or any of the top 40 crap on the radio which was a great thing. Outside there is a patio with about 12 picnic tables setup if you want to just take a breather and actually hear what your friends have to say. I saw a hot dog stand out there too..at least I think I did.
Upstairs is another dance floor with an additional bar and the music was a lot louder and after 5 minutes we had to go back down. It was good music though and there were less people so the A/C was much cooler. I won't go out of my way to come back here but if someone suggests it I'd definitely be counted in.
The ambiance at the Electric Pickle is cool - really dark (sometimes too much), yet sexy. Just like the Vagabond, I love a club that has a patio area.
The times I have been to this venue, though, I have been terrified of both stairwells. Alcohol + stairs do not mix.
My one really big gripe is the floor on the 2nd level. I went to watch Yacht play on Saturday night and, of course, it was packed to the gills. Once everyone started bouncing up and down to the band I started to feel the floor bounce along with us.
I was accepting a sure death at that point. All I could think about was "We're all going to die. The floor is going to collapse and we are going to squish everyone underneath us and get trampled on thereafter."
Thankfully, I am good at accepting death when I need to, so it didn't really ruin my night either. I just wish they could make the floor feel a bit more stable; I don't think it should have to bend like that...
Besides this - the music is good, and the crowd is not douchey. As is with any club in the Design District, just be aware of your surroundings -- strength in numbers. :)
I gotta agree with Adam, Ivonne Marie and Jacob and go with 3 stars for The Electric Pickle. Parking wasn't too difficult to find in the neighborhood. Others have mentioned that the area is a bit shady, but personally I was fine with it. There was a $10 cover to get in, which was cool because they had some great entertainment upstairs on this night.
My primary reasons for only giving it 3 stars are because 1) The doorman was a bit of a douche. I walked outside the entrance to encourage a few more people to come in and to give someone some cash so they could pay the cover charge and he was unhappy that I carried my drink just outside the doorway. I was just outside the entrance for a few seconds at most, I wasn't walking around on the sidewalk or anything, and I was trying to get people to come inside and spend money in his club and giving them cash to pay him with...Lighten up a bit, guy! 2) As a few others have mentioned in their reviews, the drinks are a bit expensive for what this place is. 3) The upstairs was absolutely packed solid, and it was pretty full downstairs and out back as well, so it seems to be a bit small for what they do and for as many people as they attract to this place.
This is my favorite place to go out in Miami. Here's why:
1. Easy to find free parking.
2. Best DJ bookings
3. Great Sound
4. Awesome Staff
5. No Bullshit/ Shitty Attitudes
There's a little somthing for everyone going on at the pickle. The place stays open really late. On a busy night, the upstairs room gets packed and hot. Be prepared. If you really like dance music this is the best place to enjoy cutting edge djs.
A group of us ended up coming here after seeing The Killers at the AAA, I'd heard that it was the new location of Poplife, which I've been frequenting on and off for years now, so I knew it should be good....
I've been to this venue before they'd started hosting Poplife and the decor hasn't changed much since it was "Circa 28".
There is an upstairs and downstairs, the downstairs serves more as a lounge area, with not much dancing going on, upstairs is where the dance floor is...not much space in either room since it was very packed when we went. The dance floor is pretty small compared to vagabond and white room, but the music made up for it...probably because I was there for Poplife but even so, the music was more current than usual, songs I've never heard before, so I was happy to get some new additions to my playlist :-P
The only complaints I have about Electric Pickle are that the parking in the hood sucks and the drink prices are crazy expensive for domestic beer, 7 bucks or something like that and they didn't even have Bud light!!!only Miller light :-(
I'll be back for Poplife again, just because it seems I always come back to Poplife where ever the venue may be, although since its inception I always counted on Poplife as being reasonably priced, but that's not the case at all with Electric Pickle; when did all these hipsters become so wealthy? when did this scene become so mainstream? :-\
3.5 / 5
If you like forward-thinking, funky and sweaty music, this is without-a-doubt the best spot in Miami. And it's not even close.
The drink selection is very good -- they make their own simple syrups and bring their own drink menu, supported by top shelf booze and no-attitude bartenders.
No BS table/bottle service. You can actually sit down if you want to. Plus there are wooden tables out back. Points for that.
Music: The absolute best DJs in Miami. Period. In fact, I've lived in NYC, DC and spent time in other US cities, and I would venture to say that the talent here rivals or bests any club of comparable size. They simply book ace talent, from all over the world, consistently. If you know even a little bit about house and DJ culture, you'll be impressed. Specially if you like disco revival and funk.
Miami is known, unfortunately, for a glossy veneer with little substance and plenty of lame attitude. Not so here. This place is a breath of fresh air. Top rec.
I love this neighborhood spot. Excellent place to bring friends to drink and have a good time.
Stopped by here with the WMC star Ramon C.
We pulled right up to some fantasy worthy parking. However, I doubt there is a tough time ever parking around here.
The first floor feels roomie and comfortable. The best part though is the outdoor patio. Reminiscent of a backyard, this would make the ideal candidate for an outdoor game night space.
I don't really see the difference between this place and Circa 28. To me the interiors still look the same, and I don't know why, but when I walked in I was hoping they'd have done something with the outside. It lends itself to so much and has great potential, but it is yet still very underdeveloped.
I walked upstairs to catch a few good 80s tunes, but quickly went back down to where the other people in our party were at. I liked the music upstairs and would love to hear a band playing there one of these days, as it seems a great space for live music.
The downstairs area has great dance music, but in my opinion it doesn't fit into the place. We went on Saturday after the gallery walk, and you'd think that after a few glasses of wine everyone would head to this place, as it is free to get in and the drinks aren't overpriced (note: this doesn't mean they're cheap either). I think I would have liked some more loungey music downstairs to go with the comfy-looking couches - but definitely not what was playing, which was too loud to talk over, and too empty to dance around in. The red glow of the room, however, was pretty pleasant and sexy.
The outside - bare - just a few tables and a bench that was there from back when the place was still Circa. It could definitely use more decorating and better lighting.
Maybe it gets fuller on other occasions and I wouldn't mind going back. But for now, it's not my bar/club of choice.
We came to the Electric Pickle during one of the last nights of WMC and it was nice to have the room to dance since most of the other places we went to were packed elbow to elbow.
The downstairs had plush seating and was breathable, but the upstairs was a different story. It was so smokey and the speakers were jacked so loud, we had earplugs in the whole night.
It seems pretty deserted in the immediate area, but we were lucky to see a sole cab cruising down the block as we left. The Taco Bell down the block hit the spot as we directed our cab driver to hit the drive-thru!
The Electric Pickle is worth checking out if you need a chill night from Miami's clubland!
let me start by saying that my first visit to two last shoes (yes, that was it's original name--absolutely slays 'electric pickle.' i mean, seriously?) was back when two friends would throw an anything-goes party called fm. in attendance were about 40 hipsters looking to drink and dance to music you wouldn't hear anywhere else in miami, about twelve nicaraguan construction workers that hated us from sight one and lenny kravitz (he was filming a video and apparently had no clue how to drive stick, even if it is a 120k ferrari). this was about 8 years ago.
last night, thursday, i went back to check out it's latest incarnation; a thursday night 'rock and roll party billing itself as 'stop, drop and roll.' to be honest, i had some serious reservations after seeing the flyer. totally cliche rockabilly chicks and hot rods, graphics straight out of an early 90's corporate sell-out skateboard magazine and the promise of swing-dancing. oh jesus. seriously, miami: i love you. why is it so fucking hard to do rock and roll right?
and then i actually arrived. the crowd, again, was about, maybe forty, fifty people deep. and no one, and i mean no one, stopped dancing.
a random spattering of tunes: johnny cash, the buzzcocks, the mighty hannibal, nirvana, thin lizzy, the troggs, devo, king khan, the rolling stones, no bunny, talking heads, t. rex, chuck berry, david bowie, the damned, mark sultan, the doors, kurt vile, joy division, the clash, the ramones, the beatles.
they were rocking $3 red stripes all night so pardon me if i can't recall all the music i heard. but yeah, i don't know who the dj's were but thursday night (i can't vouch for the rest of the weekend) there's some serious rock action. i hope they keep this up. it makes me remember why i fell in love with music in the first place.
ps. if you're feeling kinda adventurous, they've got an 'old fashioned' that they make with bacon-infused bourbon. weird, but delicious, but still kinda weird. make sure they muddle the sugar and bitters first. our waitress, cute as a button as she was, got sloppy with the prep.
super ps. thursday night. no cover.
This spot is the old Circa 28 under new management. I don't seem to notice too much that's different about the decor, but I always thought the club was quite comfortable to begin with.
They did add a bar to the outside in the back and some benches to sit out there.
They seem to be doing a great job with bookings and that's a big plus. They're drawing in some good talent from all over, so that will help in keeping things fresh and interesting. Still can't figure out where the odd new name comes from though.
: )
I loved this place when it was Circa 28 and I've decided I love it even more as it's 'new' incarnation the Electric Pickle! I think I have been there every single week since they have reopened and I think it gotten better and better every week. (yes, I'm biased but no, I'm not the only one who feels this way!)
Not only does the venue itself have a cool, chill, dark-ish vibe. Not only are the drinks well priced and well made. Not only is the staff super friendly and good at what they do. But, best of all, the owners keep adding all types of events so that there really is something for everyone at some point. From local and internationally known electronic music DJ's, to varying types of live music, to outdoor seating and art displays, they are keeping things fresh by changing it up frequently and offering something that would appeal to nearly everyone.
As of now I believe they are only open Thursday through Saturday, but with the increasing success of each passing week, they will be adding on additional nights of different types. (I think a regular Wed. night is in the works). I definitely recommend - at the very least - checking this place out for yourself...and if you do, look around, you'll probably find me there too!
The Beer Selection here is very Unique. No budlight, coors or miller lite. From what Im told There never is a cover charge also.Jacob C said it best This place doesnt pick up till after 12am but once it does the crowd get wild.
This place is a cool little hole in the wall bar. It doesn't really start to pick up until around 1am...but that's the same with most places in Miami. The drinks here aren't bad...they are a little overpriced though. I'll come here again if I'm in the area, but I don't see myself going out of my way just to come here.
One of my favorite hang out spots in Miami. It's like a Cheers episode, where everyone knows your name, lol. But seriously, it's a great chill spot with affordable drinks (what a novel concept Miami!), and they book some great djs and live acts. It's definetely a little off the beaten path but that is actually a plus in my book. I recommend you go check it out during Second Saturdays Art Walk, which takes place in the surrounding neighborhood (Wynwood).
The Electric Pickle is located at the old Circa 28 space , but much has changed since that building shut its doors. The downstairs has been given a more sophisticated look and the lighting has been re-done. Outside on this night they had a huge tent on what would normally be the parking lot and they had a few bands performing for something different to the sounds that were being showcased inside. A powerful Dynacord system made sure you felt the music. The first band Jesse Jackson? was a bit too emo for my liking , but the second band The Unofficial? were very cool with an MC that was spittin' that fire. The band itself had some serious funk to them with horns drums and live bass. It's amazing how much i've personally taken live music for granted. I'm looking forward to seeing what they did with the upstairs. For a soft opening? I think they did well. Let's see what happens next week ;)
Nicely re-vamped atmosphere. The new ownership is really paying off as these guys seem to know what they are doing. They have an amazing sound system that is sure to blow your mind and attract some great DJ's from around the globe. This place will be poppin for WMC!! Come and see House DJ Tearle break out some old funky cuts!
This place is the most poppin' underground spot in Miami. Sick DJs, casual atmosphere- if u can deal with paying $20 to get into a bar, it's well worth it!
We went to da Pick last night for some drinks and cigarettes. Circa was fun, so we def wanted to check the new place out. Everything has been re-done to look much less divey. The bar and walls are umm...wood-panely, and the couches, chairs are better. The upstairs and outside were closed, so don't really have much to say bout them. It was pretty dead (bad for a Saturday, right?), so the night wasn't too exciting. We'll prob go back in a few weeks once WOM turns it into another Vagabond or White Room (for better or for worse).
Much like every club/bar/lounge/party in miami, you can be certain that the venue doesn't mean shit unless there's good music, affordably priced drinks, easy access, no cover and a room full of good looking people. Electric Pickle nails it on MOST of those factors, and for that it gets my patronage, but you'd better start hitting the flask in the car if you want to make rent this month. The downstairs lounge is totally my style with dope beats on a magnificent DJ setup (no joke, i lust over the wood finish every single time) while upstairs boasts a sound system with Dyna speakers that make you wonder why you ever though listening to music on mediocre systems was fun. If you've got bass in your bones like I do, you'll find yourself upstairs frequently (though I do sometimes find myself bored to death with progressive house that a 5 year old could create on a fisher price "my first sound machine"). Like everywhere in the neighborhood, park close, carry a blade and laugh mercilessly at the lengths we put ourselves through for a good time.
This list contains reviews of nightclubs and…
Loading...
