Pensacola’s newest cocktail destination reads like a fever dream from 1986. The Florida Room transforms hard seltzer into sophisticated cocktails while channeling the electric energy of Miami’s most iconic decade.
Opened on June 30, 2024, by Brett Reid and Thomas Grier, this isn’t your typical beach bar serving White Claws with lime wedges. The Florida Room operates as Florida’s only seltzer-based cocktail lounge, where bartenders treat house-made seltzer like a blank canvas.
Reid and Grier distill 18-20% ABV uncarbonated seltzer at their brewery, Alga, next door, and flavor it like tequila, gin, and rum. It’s basically liquor cosplay. The duo spotted something missing in Florida’s cocktail scene—nobody was elevating hard seltzer beyond its basic reputation. Their process starts with that flexible seltzer base, then builds layers through house-made syrups, fresh fruit infusions, and carefully selected modifiers. Each cocktail becomes a puzzle of flavor engineering, matching the complexity of traditional spirits while maintaining seltzer’s crisp lightness.
While most bars stick to predictable seasonal menus, The Florida Room proves that innovation trumps tradition when bartenders dare to reimagine familiar flavors.
The space itself becomes part of the cocktail experience. Bright pastels coat every surface while electronic beach beats pulse through speakers, creating what designers call a “postmodern paradise”. An open-air garage entrance invites the Florida humidity inside, blending indoor comfort with outdoor tropical vibes.
“I love the ’80s, the fashion, and most importantly, the music,” says Reid. Miami Vice incorporates all of those things so seamlessly into something iconic.”
The cocktail menu reads like a soundtrack to excess. The Power Suit combines gin seltzer, aperitif, coconut, lemon, and egg white into a frothy blend that channels Miami boardroom swagger. The Golden Triangle serves up gin-rum-citrus seltzer laced with Szechuan shrub in a Chinese takeout container, delivering tongue-numbing spices that transport drinkers to unexpected places.
“It’s a pseudo-tiki bar in a linen suit. What’s not to love?” Reid’s description captures the paradox perfectly. Even the bathroom gets the treatment—neon lights, a classy black toilet, and a ceramic black panther create what Reid calls “the ultimate selfie spot.”
Like the creative energy that transforms Pensacola’s beaches during Pensacola Beach Art & Wine Festival, The Florida Room captures the city’s growing reputation as a destination where art, culture, and community converge in unexpected ways. For Pensacola’s nightlife scene, it signals a willingness to experiment with familiar concepts while respecting the cultural touchstones that make Florida drinking distinctive.
