HORRIBLE SERVICE and MEDIOCRE FOOD. I've been here several times in hopes of it getting better, but i am only kidding myself, because it is terrible every time. they run out of items, food is cold, pasta is undercooked, service takes forever. one time, everyone at my table was served except for me. they all finished eating, and my plate still hadn't come out. i don't understand how this place is always busy, or how there could ever be an hour wait for this place. read more

omg i'm currently in the place right now writing my review and this is just top tier. YOU NEED TO COME HERE NO QUESTIONS. the food is so fresh, service is wonderful super nice people. Drinks 10/10.. hookah 10/10. read more

The name Balans always reminds me of the 2005ish days on Lincoln road. While this location is in a much less Bohemian environment, it's still a consistent and nostalgic choice I flock to when I'm Brickell. The salads here are out of control savory and well-made. The brunch is pretty good too and with the option of outdoor seating, it's a viable option due to its varied menu and prime location. If you're the person who prefers to dine indoors, the booths are very comfy and the service is also on point. It's basic food at a good price in an overwhelmingly pricey neighborhood that somehow keeps its minimalist feel due to the cozy and intimate setting. It's impossible not to find something on the Menu that suits you. While it's not the best option for the most delectable cuisine in the zip code, it's longstanding rank gives it the credibility that's worth your time. Happy hour is always a great idea & when you're in the area- i wouldn't miss a chance stopping here. read more

I like Balans. I like the people, I like the environment, I like the happy hour but I'm not that crazy about the food. I do go all the time, but I tend to look forward more to the bread and tapenade than I do to the actual food. To me it feels like its missing something... The prices are reasonable which is cool and the fact that it has a lot of outside seating makes it inviting. That's good enough for me :) read more

The food here always sucks, if given them 3 or 4 tries now and I would rather go get McDonalds or burger-king. How hard is it to make eggs Benedict???? And it always feels like the eggs, and the potatoes are always sitting in some steamer until you order, none of it made to order. Additionally I have found he staff to be less than attentive. The one positive note is that the searing is primarily outside and you can bring your dog, however bring your own bowl for the pouch because as it happened to me we waited 30+ minutes for a foam bowl the dog was dying of heat. read more

This place is awesome! We came her for breakfast. The atmosphere was wonderful. We wanted some Egg benedicts with corned beef hash. It wasn't on the menu, but they were able to customize it to what we wanted. The coffee was pretty awesome, and service was on par. They were alittle bit slow on bringing the check, but I think we were being antsy due to the fact that we had to get to the airport. Overall, cool environment and good food for breakfast, will be back as soon as we finish our restaurant wishlist :) Oh, and you must check out the bathrooms, they are soooo COOOL!!! haha read more

This place hasn't changed in the past year since I have been here - which on one hand is good. However, the service is still slower than I would expect or that I am used to. The staff all are always very nice and accommodating but service is slow. We have eaten here a few times and it doesn't matter if it the place is packed or if it's an in between time. On our most recent visit, once we were seated, it took about 20 minutes for the server to take our drink order. We waited another 20 minutes for our drinks and to place our order food. We then waited another 30 minutes for us to get our food once the order was placed. The food was cool when it was served. We didn't say anything because we weren't sure how long we'd have to wait to warm it since we'd been there almost an hour already. It 's got a good breakfast menu. The food is alright, the drinks are good and there are one or two vegetarian options (hard to find at many Miami restaurants) which is a plus. It's great place to sit, hang out, people watch and enjoy a relaxing meal. So I recommend this place if you have the time to do just that. The only reason I am giving Balans Brickell 3 stars is because of the slow service. read more

We've been here many times and always had a good experience. We've had breakfast, lunch, and happy hour appetizers. Servers have always been pleasant and attentive. We like the outside seating and the wide array of menu options. Well keep going back. read more

Went for lunch by myself and I've never gotten better service. Cesar (I believe thats his name) was amazing and attentive. The soup of the day was amazing! If you go have it! read more

Food was great, place had good live music... The only downside was service. We were 6 people we all ordered burgers. There were only two other tables eating. Our order took 50 minutes. The servers were nowhere to be found... Such a shame - great location, good food, nice decor... Horrible service! read more

Ordered mushroom linguine. Flavorless and very oily with after taste I can still taste 30 minutes later. Sat at bar and they decided to restock at 9:30pm on a Saturday night. Great view of male person's crack who was bringing the beer and liquor and passing over the bar. read more

Victor & Steven were great...they are the best. Me and my friends were there for dinner time with our dog and they provide us with a water bowl. They were very attentive and great service overall. Drinks and food were amazing as well. read more

This review will be short. I went to Balans with my friends for a late night drink. We ordered wine (a nice Malbec), a beer, and a martini. This martini was, overall, one the best I've had. I ordered it as such: "Can I get a very dirty, very dry Grey Goose martini?" Guess what I got...a very dirty, very dry Grey Goose martini. And it was epic. Best part? The price. $6.95. Fantastic. read more

The food is ok at best but you go there more for the little scene and to grab a drink with friends. Always has a solid girl to guy ratio and good pick up spot at happy hour. Service is ok. All in all, everything about this place is ok...nothing awful yet nothing great. Ok at its best it is. Oh, I forgot to mention....THEY HAVE THE WORST BATHROOMS IN MIAMI! Zero privacy. read more

First time coming to balans. We had a few strawberry margaritas and some food. Everything was great. Steven showed us a great experience. We will definitely be back to check out what else this amazing restaurant has to offer! read more

Five stars!!! Service was outstanding. Very fast and one of the best burgers I ever had!!! Ask for the owner, Paul. He's great!!!!

This place is perfect to sit outside and people watch out onto Miami Ave. The service is unpredictable I have had both excellent and slow service on different visits. The food is generally pretty good. The burger really isn't anything special, but the Indonesian noodles are not to be missed. I also love the free peepshows received from the bathrooms from some drunken patrons. The glass booth stalls frost over when you turn the knob to lock the door. Apparently this concept is easily lost on the mojito soaked mind. read more

I went to Balans today for breakfast and I have to be honest I wasn't that sure about going there. But I noticed that dogs where allowed and it was a perfect plan right before the dog park. As soon as we got there the hostess was really nice and when we sat down she came back with a bowl of water for my dog. She was so sweet! Then we chose the breakfast and let me tell you something... The food was really good! My boyfriend and I had a great time and definitely that was the best way to start our day! :) read more

Balan's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Miami, Florida

Their Clams Sofrito A+++ The delicious mix is amazing. Sofrito is a traditional hispanic base of tomato, onions, garlic and oil. Their Crab Linguini is also rather good, however, a bit heavy. Made from a cream base, the sauce is composed of thinly chopped bell red and green peppers, red pepper flakes and garlic. The lump crabmeat is plentiful and fresh. Their calamari... D- . My Girlfriend ordered it because she loves calamari, however was not able to swallow a single piece until I put some of the sauce from the Linguini on it. My other friend, and i quote, felt as if she had "just eaten a band-aid." Overall, the staff was friendly and welcoming. They had live music, a great band who played all kinds of songs with a female vocalist. read more

Late dinner here on a Friday night was great. Sat outside... enjoyed the breeze... the people watching... (giving dirty looks at the people with their bratty children running around). Churrasco dish was amazing. Perfectly cooked... delicious. Service was great... even though it was crowded. Now a word to the wise... and it's got nothing to do with food. Make sure you close the bathroom door properly... or you'll be putting on a show for your new best friends. Luckily no one walked by... because I didn't realize this until I was walking out. I blame the wine. read more

I work down the street, and just kind of stumbled over here. The seating outside was inviting -- so I snatched up an empty table, and awaited a friend and my fiancee to join me for some much needed Friday Happy Hour. The bar food was nothing to write home about -- the Chicken Qaesadilla was good but nada especial and the Calamari came out from the kitchen MUCH faster than a fresh batch wouldve taken... but, whatevs. I came here to watch... watch various beings talk, laugh, eat, drink and collectively exhale from a long week. I and my friend drank a fair share -- beers mostly, but I also ventured into the: - Passion Fruit Margarita (very tasty, very passion fruity with that hint of 'fruit fermentation' taste and smell that was interesting and reminded me of SEAsia or Hawaii) - Lychee Martini: No more memorable than anywhere else I've been, but very good nonetheless - The Pornstar: Yes, this was delicious. A vanilla and passionfruit concoction with a shot of champagne -- definitely was the surprise of the evening. So, as far as a Happy Hour experience is concerned, this one was a good time. Our Indonesian waitress was just so nice... definitely deserves a 5 stars for her attention. ***When you go to the bathroom, the doors are the ones which are translucent unless you turn the nob on the doorhandle counter clockwise (the glass fogs up with light from the top of the glass). Very cool, but after a few drinks, confuses many people. read more

We had dinner last night (New Year's day) and the place was packed. The food was good but the service was really slow. I went easy on the server (Eastern European accent) but the guy wouldn't stop forgetting the order and even if he was nice, his lack of training was evident. The manager, a nice lady, approached the table a couple of times, even if we didn't complain, to make sure everything was OK and when she noticed food was delayed, sodas needed refills and other minor details, she made things happen. Besides that, the place is nice, the location helps and it's definitely a place to come back. Just watch out the service, managers. read more

Went with a friend for brunch. Was the only place open in the neighborhood at the time. I'm glad it was. The decor was very lovely and the food was surprisingly good for breakfast. I would like to go back for lunch because its hard to mess up breakfast. read more

Balan's - Cheers to brunch - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Miami, Florida

I used to go here every time I was in Miami, but after recent trip I dont thin k I will be coming back... The food was good for the price as usual, however the service is another story... Waitress was not just bad she had an bad attitude as well. read more

Wonderful Breakfast! We had the French Toast and it was fantastic. It seems the place has been renovated and redecorated. Victor and our server were fantastic! The service was impeccable. A rose on every table.. read more

Their chili beef salad is the best and they have a great breakfast as well. If you like happy hours then this is the place 3-8pm daily. read more

Balan's - Lunch time - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Miami, Florida

Balans is the kind of place you go to when you are in Brickell but can't decide where else to go. With enough menu variety to make sure your entire party is satisfied, the food is quite good but nothing to write home about. However, the excellent happy hour specials and apps made for a great time. Plentiful outdoor seating ensures a fun, social vibe and a great place to hang with your friends. The service was impressive, and made for a very good experience. read more

Victor and Cynthia were extremely accommodating for my bachelor party. Wonderful hookah bar vibes. Will come again

I have been there several times and enjoy the food and improving service. The hummus platter is very good and not expensive. The veggie burger is definitely the best one I have had. All the food comes out hot and the drinks cold! I put the 5th star on for the much improved service. Sarah Packiam sings there as well as other but she is there on Thursday and one can sit back and enjoy the whole scene with pleasure. read more

This place was amazing but thank you to Laura for making our experience the best. I will definitely come back! She was also very positive. Ask for Laura if you go!! read more

Victor and Steven, ask for them ! Best service ever! I will come back soon!!! The show was amazing too, we really enjoyed

Great: Place to people watch. Good: Price/value. OK: Food quality. Lackluster: Service. read more

Thank you for an amazing time. Always feel like a VIP when I come here. Thank you Victor for taking the time to take our information the first time we came and catering to our needs the second time around. I will definitely recommend this place to anyone who wants to feel like a real VIP. read more

Service was amazing. Every since I came here for the first time and met Steven I was treated with great service. Second time coming and I feel like a VIP. That's what brickell is all about. I see great things coming for Balans. This is going to honestly be the place to be and be a real VIP. Thank you Victor and Steven for such an exclusive experience. Will not stop coming back! read more

I had breakfast and dinner here a couple times in Miami. Food was amazing, portions were fair and the chef was really friendly. I would visit again! The outdoor setting was great read more

Balan's - Cocktail Bars Near Me - Miami, Florida

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Had an amazing brunch, the eggs Benny with filet and the duck and waffles are fab. Our server Cesar was wonderful, highly recommend!

Such a great time. Came here for a girls night, they had a Burlesque show, it was cute and sexy. Wish I brought my husband, it was definitely a different experience from just casual dining. Thinking out side the box for entertainment. Love it..!!! read more

Came here for the first time recently and loved it! The food was amazing and all the staff and the manager were really nice. Definitely coming back soon! read more

So, the happy hour is good, sitting outside is always nice. I can't speak on the food as the open kitchen turns me off. I don't like high top tables all the time per say. But.... can they please read this and redo the bathrooms???? They smell, they're filthy.... the concept on unisex bathrooms with auto frosting glass when locked were great but the frosting concept is broken so they are permanently frosted. Ok cool but one is out of order for almost a year now and the other three are atrocious. Pee at home or elsewhere(Starbucks next door perhaps?). You'll like balans Brickell a lot more if you avoid the inside read more

So this may be one of my favorite places to go in Miami, as I am slowly learning my way around Miami. I've been here twice already, and both times, not disappointed at all. Its a quaint little restaurant/bar type of place, located in a very cute little area of Brickell. Lots of bars and restaurants around. Now, I can't review their food quite yet, as I haven't really eaten here, but mostly came for drinks. The first time I went I was there just for drinks, specifically their sangria. We sat outside on their couch area, which is cozy and romantic... great ambiance all around (not to mention a Heat game was on, which was all the better because the had huge TV's outside for the spectators). The sangria was good, nothing to write home about, but for $5 a cup, it was wonderful. I had both the red and white sangria, both of which were good. Their happy hour is awesome though! Service was great that night. Everyone was super nice and chatty, and the people who were there around us were super nice too. Second time I went, again was for happy hour. Ventured out from the sangria and had their margarita, which was pretty much awesome. Our group also shared the Mediterranean platter, which was pretty good too. Yes, I will agree with some of the other reviews, that the service was a bit slow... but, they were super nice. We sat outside again at one of their tables. Overall, I would recommend this place to anyone looking for a cute little hangout, great happy hour and a feel of Miami. read more