On a block already thick with murals and foot traffic, Upside opened its doors in Wynwood on June 5, adding 8,500 square feet of bar space to one of Miami's most competitive nightlife corridors at 59 NW 28th Street.

The venue spans two floors plus a covered outdoor terrace, with three separate bars and a layout that the ownership describes as designed to shift from daytime ease into late-night energy. Wynwood has been adding residents and major tenants at a steady clip since a 2015 zoning change allowed denser development, with companies including Amazon and Spotify arriving alongside a wave of new restaurants and bars, according to reporting by Axios. Upside lands in that context: a neighborhood that draws consistent foot traffic seven days a week, particularly from the international visitors who now account for a significant portion of the district's audience. Axios

Upside's Cocktail Program Takes the Lead

The bar's identity is built around its cocktail list, which rotates seasonally and, according to the venue, draws its names and ingredients from music, art, and collaboration. Among the current options: She's Salty, described as a low-sugar riff on a margarita made with Don Julio Blanco, Grand Marnier, pamplemousse liqueur, and monkfruit, finished with salt foam. Trouble in Paradise features Grey Goose Vodka, dry vermouth, peach liqueur, orange juice, simple syrup, and strawberry sherry syrup, garnished with a gummy bear. Main Character Energy, a mezcal build, combines 21 Seeds Orange and Union Mezcal with lime juice, agave, blueberry water, and crème de banane.

The ground floor centers on a wrap-around bar with televisions for live sporting events and game day watch parties. An outdoor bar extends into open air, with lounge seating and programmable lighting. The second floor holds dining tables and a third bar, positioned above the double-height main floor with a view of the room below.

Pablo Lamon Brings a Recognized Kitchen Résumé to the Menu

The food side of Upside falls to Executive Chef Pablo Lamon, an Argentine-born chef who competed on Season 16 of Bravo's Top Chef and later opened Nativo Kitchen and Bar at the Conrad Miami, where he served as executive chef. Before that, Lamon worked as culinary manager at Jean-Georges Vongerichten's Matador Room and has made regular appearances on Telemundo. His kitchen in Miami has leaned toward internationally influenced menus with Latin notes. Miami New TimesPerfect Puree

At Upside, the menu is built around shareable plates: Braised Short Rib and Manchego Croquettes, Red Jalapeño Mac and Cheese Arancini, and Whipped Ricotta toast. Larger items include Smoked Wagyu Sirloin Bites, Lobster Nuggets, and a Truffle Grilled Cheese Sandwich. The format tracks with what Wynwood crowds have come to expect from venues that operate across a full day, where the kitchen needs to hold its own from early evening through late-night hours.

Music is positioned as the third pillar of the concept. The venue's stated programming includes DJ takeovers, curated listening sessions, and what the ownership calls "surprise sets," alongside cocktail brand partnerships and pop-up activations tied to Wynwood Art Walk and the ongoing World Cup calendar this summer. That timing is not accidental. Miami's Wynwood is running World Cup-adjacent programming through much of 2026, including neighborhood-wide activations timed to the tournament. Miami and Beaches

Upside enters a Wynwood bar scene that has continued to consolidate around venues with broader programming anchors rather than single-concept setups. Music venue Midline, which opened earlier in 2026 just blocks away, positioned itself specifically around solving longstanding issues artists and fans have experienced with Miami's mid-size room landscape, according to Miami New Times. Upside is not a concert venue, but the emphasis on live sound and curated scheduling points toward the same general shift: Wynwood's nightlife is increasingly building around programming depth, not just pours. Miami New Times

Whether Upside holds its footing in a dense corridor will depend on whether the events calendar can sustain regular turnout. The bones are solid. The chef has credentials. And the neighborhood, for all its new construction, still draws a crowd that will walk in off the street on a Thursday and stay until close.