Omg I cannot sing the praises of this place enough! I'm very eager to go back! A friend and I went after art Basel and everything was excellent! We figured it would be the perfect place to eat because we could check out the "library of us installment" after dinner, which I'm glad we did because it was really cool! We sat outside and it was great because we were overlooking the art Basel party that was happening down in the courtyard. The smells alone are enough to make you drool, everything smelled phenomenal! We started off with the toro sushi which you can't go wrong with, so rich and flavorful. The grilled duck and braised greens were phenomenal! read more

Pao - Decor - Asian Fusion Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

We celebrated my dad's birthday here and overall, Pao delivered a memorable experience. I didn't love the renditions they were trying to achieve since every dish tasted like it was Asian inspired and fusioned but overwhelming. Some of them were too salty and hard to finish. We ordered a selection of dishes and shared it family-style between 5 people but nothing really stood out much to me. The presentation was top notch and service was phenomenal. I forget the server's name who took care of us but kept telling myself that she was just so amazing at her job. A very sweet pastry chef named Hannah surprised my dad with a greeting in his native language on the cake. She came out to meet us and we had a pleasant conversation with her. The desserts were all divine. Every item was flawlessly created and perfectly balanced. Our reservations fell on a Tuesday night and we were seated at the back so the atmosphere was just right - not too noisy or overstimulating at all. Valet parking was quick and convenient. A+ service A+ ambience B food taste A+ food presentation A+ dessert read more

A bit of a mixed impression, but overall still a fun experience. The venue itself feels somewhat lacking in character; the space is polished, but it doesn't have a strong personality or sense of place. That said, the service was genuinely warm and welcoming, which made a big difference and helped the evening feel relaxed and not too stiff. The menu is definitely on the expensive side and at first glance can feel a bit overpriced. But the kitchen takes risks in a good way, leaning into dishes that are a little unexpected rather than playing it safe with obvious crowd-pleasers. That made the meal more interesting and enjoyable. Everything we tried was very well executed and ended up exceeding expectations. The standout was the tenderloin katsu -- perfectly cooked, tender, and crisp, with great flavor and balance. It's the kind of dish that shows real technical skill without feeling overcomplicated. Overall, while the room itself may not be the most memorable, the warm service, playful menu, and strong execution in the kitchen made the experience worthwhile. read more

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Cool restaurant. I came to celebrate birthday and they had an interesting menu. Yes very unusual and expensive but I enjoyed all of it and the high end service. read more

Pao at the Faena Hotel was an incredible experience. We came to celebrate a friend's birthday and the entire night felt like elevated fine dining done right. The service was phenomenal from start to finish. They truly went above and beyond to make us feel celebrated and taken care of. The live music added such a special touch and made the whole evening feel even more memorable. We tried almost everything on the menu and honestly, almost every dish was a hit. The food is served more family style and meant to be shared, which made the experience even better. One of my favorite dishes was the tobanyaki, it was so delicious. Surprisingly enough, the fried chicken ended up being everyone's favorite. We literally kept asking them to bring out more. The only dish that didn't quite hit was the grilled duck. It was everyone's least favorite and felt like it was missing seasoning and flavor compared to everything else. Overall, the food, service, ambiance, and energy were all top tier. This is definitely a special occasion kind of place and one I would absolutely return to. read more

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It's a beautiful looking place. The food was good but not exceptional, especially for the price. Also the timing of the food was all mixed up. The sushi was nothing special at all. Honestly it tasted like supermarket sushi. I would not recommend. The aguachile was good. The whole fish was tasty, the carrots were ok and the tonenyaki was nothing special and not worth getting. Mediocre food at these prices means I would not go back or recommend. read more

Our dining experience at Pao by Paul Qui was absolutely amazing from start to finish. The atmosphere felt luxurious yet welcoming, with beautiful décor that elevated the entire evening. Our server Vladislav was incredibly kind, attentive, and knowledgeable. He explained the menu thoroughly and even shared details about the restaurant and dishes that we wouldn't have known otherwise, which made the experience feel extra special. The food was outstanding. The Kare Kare Tiger Prawns with Bok Choy were packed with flavor and beautifully presented tasting deeply satisfying. The Unicorn stood out as the most fascinating dish on the menu. A sea urchin shell filled with grilled sweet corn pudding, sake aioli and chile de árbol. The Whole Fish was cooked to perfection, with a wonderful gingery flavor and just the right amount of heat from the Thai chili. The Grilled Duck was also delicious with it's celeriac purée and duck truffle jus though it was slightly on the fatty side. On top of everything, the service truly stood out. The staff was incredibly accommodating when we weren't aware that we would be bringing our small dog along for vacation which we deeply appreciated. Overall, Pao delivered an exceptional dining experience with delicious food, kind service, and a refined atmosphere. read more

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A great experience from start to finish. The service is impeccable and the vibes are perfect for a date. I love a restaurant that serves an amuse bouche, so they earn points just for that. It's a splurge at nearly $50, but the Unicorn is an unbelievable and unique dish. There's uni, something in between creamed corn/soup, topped with lobster foam. If they have it on the menu, the branzino was the best I've ever had. read more

Pao - Asian Fusion Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

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Fabulous dining experience. Service was impeccable. Highly recommend the chicken, scallop, and king crab greens.

Amazing food. Delicious drinks. Great ambience ! Beautifully presented food and the interior is just as beautiful. Service is 10/10!! read more

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A really great spot! My only complaint is that the service was exceptionally slow. But our server was very kind and so we weren't too frustrated, just hungry! The drinks weren't my favorite (a little sweet for my taste) but the food was good! The nigiri was great- and I highly recommend the hamachi and the seared sake toro. The kinilaw (ceviche) was my favorite bite of the night. The Aguachile was also good, but more run of the mill. The kare kare was perfectly good, but I might skip it next time. The cocoa pod was excellent, a real highlight in a dish. The ambiance of the restaurant is very beautiful and made the night special, despite the wait. read more

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Saturday 7pm - With the amount of time I've been to miami both on the beach and the other side ( brickell, downtown ), this is the first time I've seen a Michelin mention Asian restaurant. In fact , the chef is also Filipino like me and hence was excited to try this restaurant. I like exploring and trying high end ones , this one is in the Faena , a gorgeous hotel that I've gone to previously and tried the Argentinian steakhouse . Pao's esthetics is classy , elegant , open , with high ceilings and well decorated . The spiral staircase leading was reminiscent of the one at beauty and Essex in nyc . As soon as you reach the top , you're immediately greeted by friendly faces , the hostesses. As we waited for the rest of the party to arrive , we decided to sit at the bar ( my favorite activity ) and had the mixologist make us some cocktails while people watching ( it is miami after all )! Now the food, we ordered family style with some recommendations from the waiter. We had the kinilaw, aburi, grilled greens for starters , followed by the fried chicken ( crowd favorite ), then the pancit negro, tobanyaki , braised greens ( my favorite ) and tobanyaki . 5 people , a bottle of wine and 6-7 cocktails , all in , we paid $160 ( not bad ) . I like the idea of the elevated Filipino dishes and don't want to be as critical , rather encouraging but memories are often based on stimulants and while the kinilaw , pancit negro , fried chicken and tobanyaki were flavorful , I was hoping for a more home cooked taste ( not presentation). I would love to come back again or try his other restaurants to have a better basis of comparison. Highly recommended for a southeast Asian type of cuisine in a beautiful setting with good service. read more

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Great experience! Went for a work dinner and there was a prefixed multi course menu. Everything was phenomenal and the service was on point. The only downside was the portions were extremely small (like main course of duck was two bitches small). The actual restaurant was also beautiful! read more

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Service, food and ambience are great. I had two primary concerns. 1) it is not described as seafood and there were only 2 meat dishes on the limited menu. 2) Pao describes themselves as "Fusing Filipino, Spanish, Japanese, and French flavors" on their website. To me it was very Japanese. I have lived in Spain, Philippines, and born in France. So I did not see the fusion. To not have lumpia as an appetizer is just nuts. read more

FOOD: As someone who grew up eating Asian and Asian fusion food in SoCal, I personally felt like the Asian fusion could have been executed better outside of the raw fish dishes. The dishes truly are just one to two bites per person, so definitely an occasion spot. Thinking about the uniqueness of the dish, the quality, and the price point, I'm not sure if I'd return because I thought the food to be just average. The most worth it dish was the fried chicken in my opinion. SERVICE: this was the best part of the restaurant. Service was very attentive and they gave some great wine recs too AMBIANCE: it's faena, so expect it to be pretty read more

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Top notch experience minus a bit of a wait to be seated for our reservation. Service is super professional almost too much so. Not a lot of options to choose from on the menu but that tells me they do things to perfection. All our requests were met and I wouldn't expect anything different for a high end spot. I wanted to try a bit of their sushi as well as other options. I'd say the dessert was the highlight so save some room. read more

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We had an incredible dinner at Pao. From the moment we walked in the restaurant, the service was impeccable. Our waitress, Olga, helped pace the meal perfectly, and she made outstanding recommendations. The few pieces of salmon I ordered were outstanding--even though there are other more "interesting" dishes on the menu, the fresh fish here is worth ordering. I'd also highly recommend the bread service, as well as the cucumber salad and the fried chicken (especially paired together). I will honestly dream about the cucumber salad. For dessert, you can't go wrong with the corn ice cream sando. Yes, it sounds strange, but it is delicious. Pao is a lively and beautiful restaurant, so it's perfect for a fun group dinner or a date night. I can't wait for our next meal here! read more

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Food: unique, full of flavors and textures, good variety Service: responsive and helpful Ambiance: huge unicorn centerpiece with palm tree wallpaper in a dark environment read more

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Lovely experience here, great service and food that can be accommodated for a gluten allergy. Nice large outdoor terrace for when weather is nice. Will definitely return when in town. read more

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Actually made reservations at a sister Faena restaurant, which to my surprise didn't honor a miami spice menu they had on their website. That turned out to be a happy little accident, because I ended up at Pao. The interior is very classy. Well spaced out. Good aesthetics. They have an outdoor terrace as well, but it was closed tonight. The place had a good flow of traffic and a great supporting staff. Lead server Vlad took amazing care of us from attentiveness to menu guidance, and the second server was very detailed and helpful as well. Food was presented nicely, with good plating. Used plates and silverware were refreshed regularly by default. Ingredients such as the fish and spices were of high quality and the uniquer, yet familiar recipes hit the spot. They were able to handle my dairy sensitivity without any issue and honored the miami spice menu. Bathrooms were clean and kept clean throughout. Upon reseating napkins were folded and seat tucked in. Highly recommend and would return. A true five star experience. read more

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If you want an experience, this is the place to be. Each plate was explained in detail, wine suggestions were on point. We enjoyed every plate and suggestions by our wonderful server! The ambiance was stunning with live music at play. read more

First time visiting the Faena hotel for dinner and it blew me out of the water! Such a beautiful ambience and the decor inside is just absolutely magnificent with a gold unicorn right in the middle of the restaurant. I took my best friend for his 30th birthday and it did not disappoint. We've been wanting to check out the Faena Hotel and I'm glad that I chose this place. We did the Miami Spice menu had a lot of the great options included in it. For apps: Maguro, Braised Greens, the unicorn soup (sea urchin and it's a must!) Our entrees: fried chicken, the short rib asado, and the wagyu short rib Dessert: Chocolate Mille Crepe Cake Everything was phenomenal and our server was above and beyond making sure our wines were refilled and explained the entire concept after each dish was brought out. Will love to be back! read more

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This place is impressive, I was blown away when I walked in by the ambiance, the docoration and the attention to service. The staff is all so professional. They great you by name. They remember your order, they go above and beyond to curate your dining experience. I was so incredibly impressed and I have been to a lot of fine dining places in Miami but this one just makes you feel special from the moment that you walk in. When I came they sat us at a comfortable booth and asked for our preference on water. Our waiter then suggested a couple drinks and gave us a moment to look over the menu. I loved that they suggested different options based on what your preferences are. I went with a lychee drink I loved it becuase it was not a martini it actually had a rose in it and it was absolutely delicious. We started with a whole assortment of different tiraditos and then we did the uni and corn dish and the chicken and a cucumber salad. Every dish was better than the next however the uni was one of a kind! But loved how they pair everything and suggest based on your preferences. This spot is special not only because of the amazing food but also because of the attention to detail and incredible service. read more

Really cool ambiance of this restaurant, spectacular cuisine (fusion of Japanese, French, and Spanish), and amazing experience being able to meet chef Paul Qui!!! The inside of this restaurant is filled with modern (and unique) decor, from porthole window mirrors on the walls, to plants, to a large golden unicorn hoisted high in the air. There is a lot of sunlight that shines through the floor to ceiling windows and it is very bright inside. There is also live music at the restaurant, which was an enjoyable band. The service was exceptional- very friendly and well-versed on the menu. For dinner, we ordered kinilaw (hamachi with coconut milk and heart of palm), Norwegian king crab (with butter), and fried chicken (with sweet chili sauce, banana ketchup and jalapeño). Every single dish had solid flavors (not spectacular, but very good), and the fish was very fresh. Each dish had a beautiful presentation and the attention to detail was exquisite. One of my favorite dishes was the dessert because it was unlike anything I have ever tasted- the corn ice cream sandwich with cajeta and garrotxa cheese. The corn cookies sandwiching the creamy ice cream cheese was pure bliss. At the end of the meal, we were able to meet Paul Qui because we noticed him walking around and checking out the food service and quality. He was very down to earth, was genuinely happy we are there for dinner, and was beyond thrilled to take a picture with us; really nice guy!!! read more

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Came here for a weeknight dinner, and we did make reservations just in case. However, even after the almost 3 hour meal this place never got full. The incredible experience starts as soon as you get upstairs, and you are greeted by the hostess, who was absolutely incredibly gracious. We were seated at one of the best little booth, which is based right in front of the golden unicorn art piece by Damien hirst. Our waiter and his assistant were so on top of their game the entire evening it was fantastic. Perhaps it was because the place wasn't totally full, but even as more people started to trickle in Marco and his assistant were fantastic the entire night. The menu does not really provide a great description of the foods, so please rely on your waiter, or waitress to be able to provide you with a real description. Marco was absolutely fantastic and describing to a T and every detail of the dishes. So this place is definitely not traditional Filipino but we did come here because the chef is Filipino and an award-winning chef at that. So we knew that the Filipino food was going to have a unique perspective intake on it, especially with some of the Latin influences. Everything was super tasty and such a great experience. We would definitely come back again and for two people we ordered quite a bit of food and actually did get full. We also ordered each a glass of wine. And in all I believe it was a little over $350 which included the hotels 20% service charge. I would definitely come back here again as like I said, this was such a unique experience. No complaints whatsoever as every detail here really is paid attention to, and it is quite impressive. read more

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Ambiance: modern, clean, classic. Great for business meetings or upscale dining Service: phenomenal. Server was very knowledgeable and kind Food: delicious. Quite pricey but good quality is great. I docked a star here because I'm just a really picky fine dine foodie and for price point I would say flavor was slightly lacking in unique quality Drinks: wonderful alcohol to drink ratio read more

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A curated dining experience from Chef Cornel Ruhland is not merely a meal--it's a journey through flavor, artistry, and emotion. Each dish is a symphony of thoughtfully sourced ingredients, executed with elegance and bold creativity. The service was impeccable. Our glasses were never empty and the support staff ensured the evening flowed seamlessly. We cannot wait to go back! read more

Poa is excellent. The service was definitively on point. This dude knows the menu from top to bottom and did an excellent job explaining every item and had great recommendations. The restraint is beautiful and the vibe and atmosphere is fun. Food was delicious read more

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Phenomenal! Absolutely delicious and easily one of our favorite experiences. Ambiance is great, and service was excellent. Our server was Vlad and he was incredibly professional and helpful and guided us through the meal. Food was wonderful and so delicious - we loved everything we had. I highly recommend this restaurant- not to be missed! read more

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Came here on a Friday night. It's located upstairs and wasn't as popping as Fuego downstairs but it was nice and intimate. Great date spot but definitely very expensive for what it is Food: Singapore chili crab - not what I expected at all since it's not traditional and the sauce was a bit vinegary; wouldn't order this Cucumber salad - not what we expected at all and it was lacking flavor Fried chicken - good The unicorn - delicious Mille crepe cake - delicious read more

Beautiful place and amazing food. Best service ever by the way. I definitely recommend this place and for sure will be back.

I went to Pao for a work dinner recently. It was approximately 20 people and everyone left fully satisfied! The ambience, food, drinks and service were all top notch! I personally really enjoyed the live music and the restaurant aesthetic! We had a pre-fixed menu as there were so many of us but as pictured we tried several menu items all of which were absolutely delicious! I will definitely be going back! read more

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Pao is definitely an amazing restaurant. The hostess greeted us and informed us of the Allure show and asked if we would join. Very attentive and great to be informed! Our server greeted us by name at our table already knowing from our reservation, he was amazing and very knowledgeable about the menu and history of Pau and their chef. The food itself was exquisite. Flavorful and presentation wise it was impressive. Definitely see the potential of a Michelin star in its future. The venue although beautiful has a dome like celling which caused a lot of echo and a very loud restaurant. Gets pretty difficult to carry a conversation. So maybe sitting outside would be best for those looking for a more intimate night. read more

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One of the best meals we've enjoyed! Our server Olgica Z was amazing, really appreciated her great hospitality. Really nice ambiance and we loved the following: Japanese Smoked Old Fashioned Smoke & Sparks Singapore-Style Chili Crab - so delicious Grilled Eggplant Overall great hospitality from Cristian and his team. Highly recommend and will go back soon! read more

There are so many great things about this restaurant, it's almost difficult to decide where to start! Let's just start on the entry, this is a beautiful restaurant, with live music in the evenings. The hostess and wait staff are very welcoming upon entry. We started with drinks, which are all handcrafted. They were not too sweet, and the waiter made some great recommendations. Off to the food, this is an Asian fusion cuisine, focusing on influence from Japan and Thailand to name a couple. The nigiri was amazing...we did the short rib, yellowtail and fatty tuna. TOP QUALITY. The tuna literally melts in your mouth, and the short rib had the perfect crisp. The cucumber salad was very refreshing, served with a yogurt pea sauce...I'm not a fan of peas but the flavors were amazing. We also had the fried chicken and that was just perfect. Crispy and flavorful. For entrees we had the Tom Kha Rice, it was served risotto style, a very unique but great dish. Now the Branzino.. oh my goodness, flaky, amazing flavor profiles and buttery. Still dreaming on this dish. It was served with a white rice which I know sounds simple, but it was cooked to perfection. Our experience at Pao was a good one, the service was a bit slow, but it may be because they really take their time to course things out. But nothing terrible. Honestly cannot wait to go back to Miami to experience this restaurant. read more

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The food was amazing, prior to coming we had ate at nobu and were not satisfied ONE BIT. We left to come to Pao. Pao was an unforgettable experience, Marko our waiter told a story and curated a dining experience that met all of our dietary restrictions. We had the coconut milk fusion ceviche and 3 other dishes along with the uni and toro. The ambiance was like no other, live music- great people, families laughing and enjoying. The service was unbeatable and Marko treated us like royalty he explained everything and turned all of the dishes into a unique storyline of their own. read more

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By far the best dining experience this year. We visited Pao, for our anniversary dinner and were exited because of all the wonderful dining experiences we read reviews on, also the photos of the food looked simply gorgeous. The restaurant itself is just stunning. Located inside one of the best hotels in Miami Beach, The Faena. The hotel is beautiful and the restaurant continues that elegant and lux feel. A beautiful brass/gold dome ceiling and a stunning unicorn statue, dead in the center of the restaurant that overlooks the guests, screams lavish elegance. I believe Marko was our waiter, he had a team that never let a cup of water reach the bottom of the glass, a dirty dish sit on the table long and provided exceptional recommendations and were extremely attentive. We went with an array of small plates and a couple of large plates as recommend by Marko. El Secreto Omakase Tasting. I mean wow, we were amazed how something so simple can be so flavorful. The dish came with 6 pieces of nigiri, that could easily be the best I'll leave it to you chef appetizer you've had. I had the tuna piece that was soft, almost butter like, the white fish was sensational with a citrus zest that left my buds wanting more. The Maguro was amazing, the avocado flavor was enhanced by the sesame oil and tamari. The onions and cucumbers added a fresh touch to what was a bluefin that tasted like a million bucks. It puts in perspective why this fish is so highly regulated and pays out a significant amount per catch. The unicorn, let me tell you... I mean wow. I can see why this dish got Chef a James Beard award. The mixture of the sweet grilled corn provided the base for the sea urchin. All the other ingredient proved the necessary touches that combined and marinated all these flavors together. While you can taste the subtleness of the chili and lime the corn and crunch of the urchin stoled the show. The Wagyu Short-rib was soft, cooked perfectly, the right amount of char mixed with the perfect texture of the meat, literally fell apart in your mouth, delicious! The purée was sweet and distinct, not your typical sweet potato, it was airy and creamy, and gave you a good contrast to the protein. Another hit was the Tom Kha Rice! The rice was almost risotto like, amazing! The mushrooms were quite tasty and the chili oil mixed with the crispy pieces of bacon blended everything together well but that burrata rally gave the rice the final touch you wanted. Make sure to grab a spoonful of the burrata, rice, mushroom and bacon. Your tastebuds will thank you. Dessert really capped off the stellar night. The passion fruit praline mixed with the pineapple, chocolate and the small almond pieces gave you the sweet, salty and little bit of acidity you want in dessert. Like i said, best experience thus far of 2023. To add a bow on top Chef Qui was in attendance and came to our table and thanked us for coming to the restaurant. What an experience! We will be back!!!! read more

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I really loved every dish that I had here tonight from start to finish. The meal was packed with unique ingredients and flavor combinations. My date arrived before me and I had a shoe malfunction which caused me to have to go back to my car and made me about 15 or 20 minutes late for our reservation, and he was sitting there waiting for me, and the staff was being very pushy for him to make an order, even though he said he was waiting on me. By the time I arrived, they had made him order everything for the meal upfront even dessert. He started us with cocktails, the espresso martini was made perfectly, with Tito's, just how I like it, and not too much simple syrup. There was also a pallet cleanser with pineapple and hibiscus. We had the fried chicken and the salmon Agua Chile, as well as the Filipino ceviche for starters. The fish was so fresh, the dishes highlighted the star ingredients through flavors and textures combined. The fried chicken was tender and moist, coated in a sauce that made it so juicy and so enjoyable, with the mint topping, fresh onion and jalapeño. I absolutely loved the short rib rice cakes, a fusion take on traditional Korean rice cakes, topped with a coconut cream sauce. The flavors were divine, and the textures were melt in your mouth good. this was my favorite dish of the night. We also had the branzino, which was cooked perfectly, and very yummy paired with the rice and sauce. There was a live singer and guitarist who performed for about half an hour twice and played an array of modern and older favorites. I had a second cocktail, the little red dress, which, from the description of mint and fresh strawberries, I expected to be more chunky and muddled, but came as a smooth martini style cocktail with bold strawberry mint flavors. very refreshing. I thought the service was very attentive, refreshing our plates multiple times, folding our napkins when we went to the restroom etc. the ambience and floor to ceiling windows around an entire side of the room along with large Damien Hirst horse sculpture in the center made it feel elegant and chic while maintaining the beachy Miami vibe. I had such a nice time and really appreciated this experience. read more

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We had high expectations for this place but nothing really stood out except the high prices. The food was bland at times, and nothing really shined or made me want to come back again. It was fun for people watching and dressing up but food wise it was just underwhelming. read more

Incredible food and phenomenal service! 10/10 recommend coming. I was absolutely blown away by everything we ate. read more