Kicking back at a sports bar with your best buddies is something we love to do here in South Florida. Sometimes, though, you’re in the mood for something a little more subdued. Deco’s resident pub master, Chris Van Vliet, has found a place where you can get a taste of both worlds.
Chris is no stranger to the Brass Tap. It’s actually the official Cleveland Browns bar in Fort Lauderdale, and, sadly, the Cleveland Browns are Chris’ team. He’s been there dozens of times and had no idea that behind a secret door is a hidden speakeasy.
The Brass Tap, the Fort Lauderdale sports bar, has a secret.
It’s Unit B.
John Carballea, general manager: “Unit B is a speakeasy. It’s a tribute to prohibition. It’s a high-end cocktail bar.”
You enter through a nondescript doorway and up a darkened staircase. Unit B is cozy, cool and completely different than its downstairs neighbor, a restaurant-pub that borders Federal Highway.
John Carballea: “We wanted to have two completely separate entities within one. We wanted to give you pretty much two different worlds within one.”
But you can’t just show up and make yourself at home at Unit B — that’s not the way it works.
See that key pad?
That’s the key to your evening.
John Carballea: “Every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, there will be a four-code pin that you could get from Viewunitb.com. You could register. It’ll give you the code and pretty much grant you access to the upstairs.”
The code that gets you in is good for one night only.
John Carballea: “It’s a different code from now till the end of the year. It’s always gonna be different.”
A word to the wise, gentlemen — dress accordingly.
John Carballea: “There is a dress code: no shorts, no sandals, no hats.”
You can bounce between Brass Tap and Unit B, but you’d better finish off what you’re working on before you decide to make your move.
John Carballea: “You can’t bring food up, you can’t bring beer up, and vice versa. You can’t bring cocktails down.”
Crafted cocktails are the drink of choice in this well-stocked speakeasy.
John Carballea: “Our most popular cocktail is our Unit B old-fashioned. The Unit B old-fashioned is a constantly evolving cocktail. Every week, we pick a small batch bourbon just to suit for that cocktail.”
The smokey martini, complete with a black olive, is another one of the specialties at this hidden gem.
John Carballea: “There’s people right now downstairs drinking some beer, having dinner, and they have no idea that this even exists.”
So let’s recap.
Getting into Unit B is as easy as one, two, three.
John Carballea: “It’s a process. You gotta get the code — that’s number one. Number two — you gotta find the door. Number three — you gotta make sure the code’s right to then get in through the door, and then work your way up and see what we’ve created.”
Patron: “It’s just a new, different feel. It’s not a tourist place. It’s something for us locals that live here just to do something a little bit different. I like it.”
Unit B is only open Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights. The room capacity is 40 people, so that means it’ll be Chris, Shireen and Lynn with 37 of their closest friends.
FOR MORE INFO:
The Brass Tap
551 N Federal Hwy. #600
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301
(754) 200-8648
https://www.brasstapbeerbar.com/FtLauderdale
http://www.viewunitb.com/
Copyright 2025 Sunbeam Television Corp. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.