If there is any restaurant that is the physical embodiment of stereotypical Miami/Miami Beach glamour and excess, Prime 112 would be it or at the very least near the top of the list. Located on bustling Ocean Drive in the South of Fifth neighborhood, Prime 112 has been an energetic, modern steakhouse that has catered to celebrities and the like for the past decade. It is not uncommon to see a celebrity or athlete dining here as they leave the valet with the keys to them and their entourage's fleet of super cars that most likely cost more than your house. This restaurant usually has a long wait, even with a reservation. It is especially popping during the holidays (snowbirds), Art Basel, Super Bowl, College Football championship game, NBA Finals games, etc. All that being said, how is the food? Is the waiting experience really that painful? Will you get jumped in front of in line by a celebrity? I made my girlfriend's 2021 birthday reservations (yesterday) here to find out the answers to these burning questions!
In line with pretty much everywhere else on SoBe, the valet for dinner is $20. We were fortunate enough to find street parking on the other side of Ocean Drive, not too far away. Beware that Miami Beach DOES NOT use the Pay-By-Phone app; they use another one called Pay Mobile. Parking comes out to about $4/hr. We walked into the restaurant and were able to check in. The servers told
My girlfriend happy birthday, and it would just be a brief wait to be seated. There wasn't a line outside yet, but most of the tables were occupied. This was a sign that we did well with our decision to have an early 7 PM reservation! While dining inside and getting a drink and some free bacon at the bar is an experience in and of itself, we took advantage of the expanded outside seating the restaurant was able to secure. The tables were a little on the smaller side and closer to other tables than we'd like, but it was just enough distance away from other diners to carry out a conversation. The restaurant had lights and torches outside, making the 63 degree evening all the more warmer.
All skepticisms about service and quality of the food immediately subsided as we were given complementary bread with butter. I believe two of the breads in the bread basket were cheddar biscuits of sort and the lone one was a raisin bread. The server took her time to walk us through the menu since it was our first time at Prime 112. We each order an Old Fashioned (very strong, made with chocolate bitters) and started off with the featured Diver Scallop/Wagyu Short Rib & Truffle Mash appetizer ($36). This is the most I've ever paid for an appetizer but OH. SO. WORTH IT! The short rib and scallops were melt-in-your-mouth good and were just as good as actual scallop/short rib entrees we've had elsewhere. The mashed potatoes also had a generous serving of truffle in them (a recurring theme throughout the night).
For entrées, my girlfriend had the 20 oz. Prime Rib (a Sunday special, $58) and I had the 16 oz bone-in filet (cooked medium, $67) with truffle butter on the side ($4). We split a side of 5 cheese truffle Mac & cheese ($14). The entire meal was-- WOW! If you haven't seen a 20 oz steak before, the Prime Rib will blow to your mind. The meal came to the table and I was like holy freaking cow (no pun intended)! The 16 oz filet was also THICK and perfectly seasoned. The truffle butter added an extra dimension or pizazz that helped separate our already great cuts of meat from other ones we've had in the past. I can say that Prime 112's bone-in filet is probably the best steak I've had in Miami to date. It beats out the great Kona-crusted Kobe filet I had at Capital Grille, and edges out the 5 Diamond Angus Reserve from Chef Adrianne's, my previous all-time favorite, for the price, it better have! Seriously, the truffle butter is a must order. My girlfriend's Prime Rib was also amazing, and I think was pretty good value for the price at 20 oz (I know I know, value and expensive steakhouse usually don't go hand-in-hand). Both steak were served with a side of charred garlic for seasoning, the first time I've ever seen anything like that. We were able to comfortably split our a la carte side of the 5 cheese truffle Mac & cheese, which was also made a very generous serving of truffle! I am very glad Prime 112 did not skimp on their truffle and stayed true to "steakhouses quantity servings of sides. We wanted to order the Fried Oreos for dessert, but were waaaay to full! We ended up with a to-go bag.
All in all, was Prime 113 expensive? Yes. Is it hyped? Yes. Touristy? Yes. But, is it worth it? Heck yes! If you're looking for a special Miami evening with a dining experience you will never forget and are prepared to spend on it, then make your next special occasion reservation at Prime 112! My girlfriend enjoyed every minute of it and is wondering how our next celebratory outings will be able to top it (seriously)! read more