Post #552469 by Chip and Andy on Mon, Sep 6, 2010 2:48 PM

I'm not going to give up all of the secrets of Booze in South Florida..... :wink:

For you, however, I'll make it easy.

17th Street Causeway and Cordova Blvd.

A wee bit north of the airport (I assume you have a car) on Federal Highway is 17th street which takes you out to the Barrier Island and Fort Lauderdale Beach. Take Federal (Highway 1) north, turn right onto 17th and then turn right on Cordova Blvd. In that center is a Publix Supermarket where you can get some lemons and limes (and any other groceries you may need). Also, Total Wine which has probably the third best Rum Selection in the area.

That center also has a Five Guys Burgers which is pretty highly recommended.

Then, on your way out of the center, on the north side of 17th, is a Crown Liquors where you can get stuff you may not have found in Total Wine. Not the best rum selection around, but good prices overall. Across the street is a Liquor 67 which is always a fun stop, the selection there is very hit or miss, strange things available and never the same thing twice.

If you decided to skip Five Guys, just a few doors further North of Liquor 67 on Cordova is South Port Raw Bar and Grille. Cheap eats and very tasty, get the Conch Chowder! The Conch Fritters are OK too.

Then, go back to 17th street and head out to the beach and stop at the Yankee Clipper (now just called the Sheraton on Ft Lauderdale Beach) and visit the Wreck Bar. If it is a Friday night, Marina the Fire Eating Mermaid and her Pod of Mermaids swim starting at 5:30.

If you happen to be doing this little trip in the middle of the day (and therefore want to skip the Wreck Bar), go back to Federal highway and turn right (north) and stop by Tom Jenkins BBQ. It is a tiny little place that has the most amazing BBQ you will find in all of Florida. Follow your nose, you can't miss it. And, if your lucky, they will have fresh fruit cobbler for desert! (pardon me, I have to go wipe the drool off the keyboard now).

Resist the urge to hit Eric's BBQ which is right there at the corner of Federal and 17th. It says its BBQ, but its not. Their slaw is pretty good, but the meat is overly dry and their sauce is overly sweet.

After all that, head south on Federal back to 595 and head West to hook up with 75 and go do the Gulf Coast part of your trip.

Good luck, Happy Hunting, and last time I was at Total Wine they did have Coruba. And, if you can't find Coruba, get some El Dorado Dark (not the aged, just the dark) for a decent substitute.