The short version: food is ok, the service was ok, waited an hour for appetizers, and reservation time wasn't honored. The long: Came here for the Christmas prix fixe menu with reservations for 4 at 7:30. When we arrived, first we were directed to a very long line leading up to the hostess stand. When we finally reached the hostess, we were informed that a table would not be available for another 25 minutes. Many two-person tables on the terrace were seated before our group of four. There is a sign at the hostess stand stating that tables on the terrace cannot be combined, which would be fine, if we didn't witness a group of 5 have a table on the terrace arranged in front of us. As it was Christmas and we knew our dining options would be limited with such late notice, we took our seats in the bar area and had a couple of expensive cocktails (with 18% gratuity automatically included) while we waited. Once we were finally seated, our waiter introduced himself and brought us a basket of delicious warm breads. We perused the menu and placed our orders, and then waited for an hour for our appetizers to arrive. Many other tables had long waits between their first and second courses as well. Once the appetizers arrived, the rest of the courses arrived in appropriate amounts of time. All told, our meal took about 2.5 hours, which isn't bad for a prix fixe dinner. I simply think this is not very smart on the restaurant's part, as they were clearly having a table shortage / overseating problem, and having more appropriately paced courses would help turn over tables faster. I am also under the impression that prix fixe menus are intended to help kitchens move at a faster pace as there are fewer selections to choose from, which doesn't appear to have been the case here. On to the actual food! The food itself was okay but the portions were huge! Appetizers: bang bang shrimp are probably the worst deal on a prix fixe menu. The escargot, baked oysters, and seared scallops were all equally fine. Mains: the paella is huge, but unfortunately is made with orzo rather than rice, so not the traditional chewy paella texture you would expect from a paella. Huge portions of seafood in it, though. The lamb rack was pretty good. Desserts: the creme brulee, lava cake, and bread pudding were all also fine. Honestly, one prix fixe course of the paella could probably have fed my entire family of four, so it is an excellent deal for the price! read more

And I thought only Seattle knew how to do Seafood! Pah-lease! Avalon was spot on. Smaller yet adequate menu. Live music. Ocean views. And very best of all- South Beach people watching. Calamari was some of the best I have had since Camps Bay South Africa. Shrimp appetizer comes with just 4 shrimp- at least that was one for each person to sample. Seafood Risotto and Mahi Mahi with Mango Salsa- amazing. Our party of four came hungry and left pleasantly pleased. Not to mention attentive service. I would've listened to the live steel guitar all night and just watched the lively and eclectic locals, but Avalon is a bit on the pricey side. So maybe get your night cap and dessert a few doors down at News Cafe. read more

All I can say is they get it right every time I dine! Mahi Mahi

It was our lucky day! We were able to enjoy Miami Spice here and the menu selections were absolutely amazing!!! Since my friend and I wanted to try everything we got to share to different selections! First Course:Bang Bang Shrimp and Asian-Style Calmari OMG the Bang Bang Shrimp left me wanting to lick the plate clean!!! I wish it had more than just 2 shrimp on the plate and the Asian Style calamari was full of flavor and packed a little heat. Second Course:Macadamia-Crusted Snapper and Spaghetti Caprese The Snapper was just ok for me. I didn't enjoy the texture of the macadamia nuts coating the fish. It was rather large coating leaving the fish hidden in taste. It also lacked a taste of citrus for me. The spaghetti was delicious. The fresh eggplant and tomatoes were the right touch. Third Course: Mango & Raspberry Sorbet with Fresh Berries and Prosecco Of course we wanted the same dessert so we didn't try anything besides the sorbet and it was sorbet done right!! Prosecco and berries are a magical combination and the flavor of tangy raspberry and mango made it even better. I will DEFINITELY eat here again! The service was impeccable and the atmosphere was great. Sitting outside was not overwhelming even though we were closer to the south beach crazy crowds. read more

Avalon is AWESOME! This restaurant definitely gets all A's for AMAZING food, ABOVE-AVERAGE service, and ALLURING decor! I recently took my Mom there for dinner on a Friday evening. It happened to be during the Ultra Music Fest weekend, and there were many spring breakers on the streets of SOBE as well. My Mom had never been to SOBE so I wanted her to get a little taste of the nightlife. Well, I could not have chosen a better venue than Avalon! While the streets were packed with teeny-boppers and rowdy college kids, we enjoyed a peaceful, relaxed, and elegant dinner inside Avalon. The restaurant is a bit pricey, but was worth every penny! They seem to cater to a mature crowd (30+). White table clothes, palm trees, soft music and dim lighting definitely set the tone. Our waiter was friendly and very attentive. Their menu is what brought us to Avalon -- everything that went into our mouths was simply DELICIOUS!!! We shared the chopped salad (so fresh and perfectly dressed), and we both ordered the Seafood Risotto. The dish featured calamari, shrimps, salmon, scallops, and mussels -- it was plentiful and OFF THE CHAIN!!! Highly recommended. We also had a few martinis to complete our meal - all very good, no complaints here. Unfortunately, we were so full from the meal, we didn't have room for dessert. But I'll make sure to save room the next time I'm there. #sweettooth So if you ever find yourself on South Beach, do yourself a favor and check out A Fish Called Avalon. You can thank me later! ;-) read more

I had high hopes for this place because of all the great reviews it has on here, despite it being on Ocean Drive. But I definitely wasn't wowed, and the boyfriend agreed. Maybe it's because we're from Chicago, we're a little bit spoiled when it comes to great restaurants. But anyways... Had some oysters for an appetizer, and they were good. They put a little bit too much stuff on top though. I like my oysters pretty basic, with the standard lemon and hot sauce, maybe some horseradish. But that's just my opinion. The oysters themselves tasted fresh though, so I'm not complaining. We also had the crab cake appetizer, and this is where we start to see the whole "don't eat on ocean drive" thing. It was a good crab cake (yes, just one), by it wasn't a GREAT crab cake. I've definitely had better, at places that don't even specialize in seafood. It did have nice chunks of crab meat in it, so that was a plus. Sauce was good. Maybe a little too much though. But something about it was just... meh. For our entree we split the seafood orzo paella. This is really what I had the high hopes for, because most of the reviewers raved about it, and it looked really yummy in the pictures. But again... just... meh. Really nothing special. The scallop (again, just one) tasted frozen and had absolutely no flavor, the half lobster was a little bit overcooked, and the muscles and clams (two of each) were really small. The squid in it was good, and the orzo was flavored well, but it wasn't enough to make it worth the money it costs in our eyes. This is another place I most likely won't be eating at if I go back to Miami. The quality to price ratio just isn't worth it to me. read more

We went here for our anniversary dinner. My lord, their Paella was absolutely amazing! Who would've thought that making it with Orzo instead of Rice would be such a genius idea! The seafood in this dish was phenomenal, fresh and so buttery. The atmosphere was perfect. Even though it was crowded, it's on ocean drive, the music they provided was sensational and I felt that me and my husband were alone in a private area. The setting was also perfect for people watching, as hundreds of people passed by on the sidewalk on Ocean Drive. I'm pregnant so I had a Virgin Pina Colada And it was so good. The best I've ever tasted! My husband had a Long Island Iced Tea, and he said it was good and very strong. I gave this place a well deserved 5 stars. The service, hostess and food was amazing!!!! read more

Besides the price I can't complain. The food is delicious. We got the bang bang shrimp which was full of flavor and the paella for two. It definitely is for sharing and there's a whole lobster in it, hence the price tag. The paella was delicious, it has orzo instead of rice so a little more filling and the sauce is lots liquid-y than gooey so it definitely depend on your preferences if this is a dish you should order. It had a lot of seafood in it enough so that each person got more than one of a seafood item in the dish. (The scallops were huge.) I liked how they gave hummus for the bread basket. We sat outside so people watching was also fun. Great service, waiter was very attentive. Inside had more of a fancy restaurant feel with dim lights, white decor and wood. read more

A Fish Called Avalon - Seafood paella for two - Seafood Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

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Talk about the stars aligning because while vacationing in Miami this past Labor Day weekend we were simultaneously able to take advantage of Miami Spice, a take on Chicago's Restaurant Week. Thanks to all the loyal Yelpers, we stumbled upon A Fish Called Avalon because how can anyone visit Miami without satisfying their seafood fix? Thanks to the great reviews we made a reservation here for fresh seafood and great people watching thanks to the Ocean Ave. location. We were not disappointed on any aspect of our expectations. Of course, we had to take advantage of the Miami Spice menu, which was a pre-fixe, 3 course (appetizer, entree and dessert) for $45 a person. We had the calamari( best I have ever had), bang bang shrimp (INCREDIBLE!) and shared the hazelnut encrusted trout and the pasta with roasted veggies. For dessert we had the mango sorbet. Everything was fantastic and exceeded our expectations. I know that I will recommend it to friends and family every visiting the South Beach area. read more

DANK Awesome service, great crowd, awesome views and KILLER FOOD ! Start with a Berry Mojito and calamari. I ordered the seafood risotto and it was to die for. I'll be back ! CHEERS read more

It's in the Art Deco area, right on the strip (Ocean Beach). The place it's a bit hidden. If you are staying on the strip, it's a walkable distance. We were surprised by the food and service. If you want a romantic and quiet atmosphere, choose inside seating instead of outside. Must try the seafood platter and orzo paella, and creme brûlée. It's definitely a place we want to stop by again when we return to Miami. read more

My boyfriend and I had dinner here on a first visit to Miami from New York. We wanted to see the south beach scene, so ventured here for dinner based on yelp reviews. Location-- This place is in the middle of the sidewalk insanity, which is (oddly) what we were looking for. Thankfully my boyfriend had them seat is on the porch, not the sidewalk. If you sit on the sidewalk, be prepared to be accosted by drunk folks and people selling bizarre items. Food-- The food was fine. Standard, overpriced, 'fancy' dishes that sound better than they taste. Bam-bam shrimp was tasty, heirloom tomato salad a bit mealy, crab crusted grouper a little overdone, tuna steak was good. Overall, go for the people watching, not the food. read more

Only okay. Highly mediocre but better than most restaurants on ocean ave in south beach. Don't get the ahi tuna anything. The oysters were just fine however and came with a number of nice sauces. The Caesar salad was way way overkilled with dressing (creamy anchovies) and came with a white anchovy. Vodka sodas were $14! Rip!!! They were courteous and kept us warm during the cold snap. read more

A little much but we had the kids. Not kid friendly. They can make something for you but no set kids menu. The house pino noir was poor. The market price crab claws were marginal. Seafood risotto was a notch above average. Service was great. Music was great. A bit spendy even for south beach. Was refreshing not to get propositioned on the street for this place. South Beach is now like Vegas with those annoying cheesy salespeople trying to get you in. read more

This is by far my favorite restaurant in Miami Beach. Everything I have tried here is a delicious. My favorite entree is the scampi dish, which is quite different than any similar dish I have had elsewhere. Any of the seafood dishes, each of which I have tried, has been perfectly cooked and incredibly flavorful. The bar puts out a delicious old fashioned, which I find quite hard to find in Florida. They have a nice wine and spirits selection, and considering the elevated price of mediocre restaurants neighboring FCA, I think they are very fair. The service isn't very warm and friendly per-se, but they do everything necessary, keep an eye out for empty glasses, and check in at a perfectly appropriate interval. Best part? They don't have hosts/hostesses trying to convince people to eat there--because they don't need to. read more

We went here because of the reviews on Yelp - so we had some pretty high expectations - and they were surpassed. First of all, as other reviewers mentioned, they do not have hawkers out front soliciting business along the "zombie walk of ocean avenue." Immediate bonus points. Any place that is not obnoxious moves up in the ratings. Are you listening obnoxious hawkers??? Second, the service was spot on - the bottomless water glass without a miss, courteous and knowledgeable waiter (who graciously reseated us when the weather turned bad). I mention the service because most of the service along the zombie walk really sucks. Because of the mandatory (or automatic) service charge tacked on to every bill, the normal service is surly and slow - at best. Third - the food was great. They had a Miami Spice special menu (macadamia nut crusted red snapper - yum!) and the branzino were exceptional. We spoke with the manager about our experience and she was both proud and pleased of their reputation and how they did. It's worth a trip. read more

Absolutely one of the best meals I've ever had. First, the bread and cheese was awesome, and then my meal was seafood risotto. Hot, surprisingly large portion, creamy, and loaded with seafood. It was $36 and worth every penny. If I'm ever back in Miami, I will try to make it back here to try something else. read more

Waiters was not very friendly and rather rude as we got seated. We waited over an hour to order food for four of us. One of the dish we got was a sample platter. Their oysters weren't fresh and even a few of them tasted almost rotten. Very disappointed with the quality of food. But I would say they have a decent ambiance. read more

Great raw bar offering. Ordered two appetizers, the scallops and the bang bang shrimp - both were delicious. Also had the plateau for two. Between the apps and the plateau we were stuffed. Seafood all tasted fresh. Would definitely return. read more

A Fish Called Avalon - Seafood Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

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One of the best dining experiences that I had in a long time! The food was top-notch and the wait staff was so attentive to any needs we had - no need to ask, they were there right away (to fill our wine glasses or just make sure we did not need anything). A big shout out to Alejandro. This man is a true gem! Best waiter ever!! Thank you so much! read more

Friday nights are very busy so we couldn't get a table outside. We waited about 20 minutes for an inside table. Decor was modern with dim lighting. Great place for date night or just having a nice dinner with group of friends. Service was top notch. Food was excellent. I had escargot appetizer and sea bass for my entree. I would recommend both. Prices were steep but that's to be expected in South Beach so expect to drop around $100 or more per person if you are drinking. read more

Hands down my favorite seafood restaurant on Ocean. Notice, I said Ocean because everyone knows the best in SoBe is at the end of Washington Ave. Yes, I am talking about Joe's but here you can get a table usually pretty quick and the view is so much nicer. The inside is whatever but you're on Ocean Drive so you shouldn't be inside anyway. When you go make sure you try the lobster bisque or paella. read more

Our concierge at the Fountainebleau recommended that we dine here for dinner and we were very pleased with his suggestion. Our party of three sat on the outside terrace, enjoying the ocean breeze, while indulging in some South Beach people watching. I'd recommend sitting on the terrace, rather than on the actual sidewalk. For us, it seemed a bit safer. I had the crab bisque to start, which I have to admit was some of the best crab bisque I've had. The silky soup was rich and creamy, full of sweet crab meat, with a splash of cognac and sage-seasoned creme fraiche. For dinner, I ordered the seafood risotto, which was chock full of shrimp, calamari, mussels and fish. The risotto was cooked and seasoned perfectly. English peas, tomato and basil added sweetness, which balance out the savory flavors from the fruits of the sea. The service was mediocre, but the food definitely made up for it. I was advised that Miami is famous for their seafood and I was definitely not disappointed. A Fish Called Avalon has a funny name, but after one taste, you definitely will remember it! read more

Found this place on yelp. The food was absolute perfection so 5 stars for that, minus one star for service. I asked my waiter for a few different things a number of times and he just didn't do it. He seemed super flakey, my food took forever, and I was already starving. Since I used to waitress, I know that the long wait was probably due to the waiter not entering the order until I asked where my food was like 25 minutes after my initial order. Not because 'the kitchen says chicken takes a long time to cook' like the waiter told me. Too bad this review is all about the flakey service and not the amazing dish I had which was the Citris Chicken. Maybe it's because 18% gratuity is included in the bill at all restaurants in SoBe? who knows. FYI - all restaurants in SoBe include gratuity, I can only assume to account for all the foreigners? Anyway, the first couple of times out I didn't realize it and tipped an additional 20%!! So beware.... read more

Crab crusted x + the lobster tail must get. The staff is nice as well. Definitely won't regret it.

There aren't enough words in the universe to properly explain how good this meal was, and coming from a non seafood lover that is a big deal. Easily this will go down as one of the best meals of my life. We ended up at AFCA entirely by accident. I had made a reservation before we came to Miami at another place. Once we got the car valeted and were settled though that place seemed too far away and the reservation was too early. I quickly pulled up yelp and found AFCA was within walking distance. They could take us at the time we wanted too. Perfect. We had a seat in the corner of the patio area which was nice. Although right along the beach if you ignore the people, as we did, you can enjoy a nice seaside seafood dinner. Nice ocean breeze and relative peace. We started with crab cakes. Now like I said I am not a big seafood fan. I only recently discovered my love of crab cakes. I decided though that if my honeymoon was going to be in a place where good seafood was abundant that it was time to get over my distaste. I am so happy I did though. The crab cakes were little pieces of heaven. Moist, flavorful, and that buttery/sweet that everyone talks about when the speak crab. The garnishes and siracha sauce it came with also paired perfectly with the cakes. I will dream of these cakes. For my main course I had the macadamia encrusted red snapper. The first time I had red snapper was in Colombia. We were on a little island and for lunch these guys caught and grilled fresh snapper. It was divine. This snapper was even better. The snapper was still moist with a nice crispness added by the macadamia nuts. It came with a spinach risotto and a raspberry bur blanc sauce. When all those elements were paired together it was like heaven in my mouth. The sweetness of the fish, the crisp meatiness of the macadamia, the earthy tones of spinach and risotto, finished with the bright bur blanc sauce. For dessert we had the pecan crusted key lime pie. We had a lot of key lime pie over our honeymoon, and honestly this was probably the best. The pecan crust added a distinct texture and flavor that regular crust just can't capture. The pie filling was also just so well done. It was not overly tart or sweet, but a happy medium. The biggest deal to my husband was the fact that they used real whipped cream. This was something he judged all other pies on. We also enjoyed some cocktails with dinner. Even in their cocktails they have a deft and light touch. Their drinks could have easily gone one way too far (too sweet, spicy, strong, etc) but they always found that sweet spot. This was also by far our most expensive meal, but totally worth every penny. A meal that we will never forget. 83/100 read more

I simply keep going back, the consistency of the service and food just woos me, making it very hard to stay away. This time a friend and I shared a chateaubriand that was simply delish! Moist, tender, juicy, cut-it-with-your-fork amazing. Our appetizer was an avocado and crab salad that was filling all by itself, we then shared a very crunchy chopped salad filled with lots of veggies; the main course was split in the kitchen, arrived perfectly rosy in the center wrapped in beautiful browned pasty; with it split in half you could see the pate - for sure I do not recall ever having this dish. My hat is off to Chef Kal Abdalla; I have been a fan of Kals for many years, he used to be the Executive Chef at The Forge, then opened Prezzo's in Aventura. Service wise, you can't ask for better, our waiter was Torb and he was great; he is a Norwegian by way of Australia and is an opera singer, he had great timing and if he saw we were into serious dialogue, he would not interrupt but come back. The very tall redhead, makes a mean gin gimlet - just the way I like it, straight-up and very, very very cold. She even came out to check and see how the drink was and said "I knew it was you" - I do so appreciate it when people remember who you are and how you like what you like -This is why I come back again and again. A Fish Called Avalon is high on my list and certainly one of the best food spots in Miami and certainly gets 5 stars for people watching. read more

Slow service: had to ask for water to be refilled, ordered a bottled Amstel and took 15 minutes plus a reminder to get it, and had to wait 20 minutes to get the waiters attention to buy a bottle of wine. Oysters sucked. Filet mignon over cooked (asked for a medium rare and got a dry medium). We were a group of ten and we were the only individuals in the restaurant (service is probably better outside). Overall, I would never go to this place again and I would not suggest anyone else does either. read more

Located on the strip. It is a million restaurants just like it yes, but the atmosphere of this one made it feel like you were on a totally different place you almost forget your on south beach. Every single thing I at was good the great and hummus was great and I don't even like hummus. I had the paella mm mm mm first time and now I'm in love. The bang bang shrimp is a must try as well and the Asian style calamari. It was a little pricey but I thing it's worth it for great food. read more

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Absolutely amazing, this place is must visit when visiting Miami. The service throughout was outstanding. The waiter Michael was very personable and explained the dish we had questions about. The salmon was tender and tasted amazing and so was all the sides. The lobster bisque was delicious and the atmosphere was perfect. I'll be stopping by whenever I visit Miami. Bravo. read more

A Fish Called Avalon - Seafood Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

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Excellent food, great location, and exceptional service. An absolute gem in Miami Beach and the meal is always consistently great. Thank you to the amazing servers and the GM, Giorgio, for always making my experience a great one. BTW - get the apple tart & key lime pie for dessert. SO GOOD! read more

Was able to get a reservation at the last minute on opentable.com. The wait staff was attentive and friendly. Food and drinks were severed promptly. Everything was delicious. read more

A Fish Called Avalon - Seafood Risotto - Seafood Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

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Great for a dinner on the terrace. Nice choice of appetizers, and the paella is worth trying. The service and the music are great too

Pros: upscale place but definitely not pretentious, great food Cons: near a bunch of crappy restaurants but it's all good A lot of Ocean Drive restaurants suck. I just wanted to get that out there. Most if not all restaurants on the strip had people hustling you to eat at there restaurant. This place had no one doing such a thing. This place was an exception. It had class, style, and absolutely great food. Me and my girlfriend enjoyed the evening at this joint ordering fresh fish, scallops and the paella. The food was served in a timely manner. Hot food were served w/ warm plates and cold w/ cool plates. The presentation of the food was nice. There weren't, if any, douchebags that were so come here instead of getting ripped off at many other restaurants surrounding this place. read more

I had Matt as my server and is all I have to say, he was very helpful, gave us a lot of recommendations. Was very sweet overall and honest we loved him and will come see him again for sure :) (food was good too I discovered Im in love with artichokes)! read more

Wow. All of the food was absolutely amazing, but the Chilean Sea bass was definitely the most amazing meal I have ever had. Service was amazing especially our server Matthew. Drinks were phenomenal. Definitely coming back! read more

They do not have tarter sauce... a seafood restaurant....!!! Or ranch dressing! The food wasn't the best but not horrible. Honestly the chicken tenders were better then the fish. First and last time. Sorry, I expected more. read more

In an area where most restaurants have nearly identical menus and differentiate themselves only by the DJ or the hostess/"pretty girl to lure you in", A Fish Called Avalon is a breath of fresh air. To start, their live music was flamenco guitar rather than a hiphop DJ - finally, a taste of Latin on Ocean Dr.! But, on to the good stuff... I got a 3-course meal for about $40, which is very reasonable for a seafood restaurant (and in an area where a burger costs $15). My starter was crab cakes and it was delicious - not too much bell pepper which would just cover the taste of the crab. The shrimp in my main dish were excellent and then pie for dessert. My husband also enjoyed his steak. This might sound odd but their butter (served with bread before the meal) was some of the best butter I've ever had! I'm craving butter just thinking about it. Service was excellent, too - career servers who know their job and do it well. There was a gratuity automatically added to the bill and our server pointed that out, which was very nice of him (servers in other restaurants said nothing so I'm sure we paid a 20% tip on top of a 20% service fee at a few places - you gotta watch out for this in SoBe!). Dine here - you won't be disappointed. read more

Ambiance on their gorgeous patio is hip, young, but classy, and that's what attracted us here amongst the slew of South Beach spots vying for our attention. They had a live guitarist playing the night we went which was just the right vibe for a sweltering June night on Miami beach. Drinks were spot-on. Fresh fruit, strong, perfectly mixed. I got the watermelon martini - heavenly. Husband got the Rum Punch. Also excellent. But definitely pricey ($14 per drink!). I figured I was paying for the music as well, but not a spot I could make a regular habit of. Didn't try the food. read more

An amazing meal!! We had the: - Escargot - Bang Bang Shrimp - Twin Maine Lobsters - Asparagus - Leek Rice - Key Lime Pie with wine, coke, and mint tea as sides. The Bang Bang Shrimp was delicious - 3 big shrimps with excellent salad and sauce. Perfectly cooked, fresh, amazing texture and flavour. The Escargot came in a pastry with a very nice butter base - the texture was excellent as was the size. They tasted fresh and delicious. My friend and I split the two lobsters and the sides - for 2 petite girls this meal was JUST the right size to feel full but not stuffed. The lobsters were of fair size, excellently cooked and prepared (easy to take apart). I must make a separate good note on the service - the waiter set up the dishes very comfortably for us to share the food. The Key Lime Pie was amazing. The atmosphere of people watching was only more enhanced by the EXCELLENT live music - the small band played the perfect melodies that were at perfect volume and tones to be an excellent backdrop that still had me tapping my foot in tune. Thumbs up for the music alone! Overall the service and the ambiance were excellent - water, bread, prompt on all counts, not intrusive but making sure we enjoyed the meal. This is a terrific high end place to visit on the strip! read more