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    Rao's Miami Beach

    4.1 (191 reviews)
    Ultra High-EndItalian
    Closed 5:30 pm - 10:00 PM

    Rao's Miami Beach Photos

    Business Info

    RAO'S MIAMI BEACH ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Trendy
    Romantic
    Classy
    Upscale

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    Recommended Reviews - Rao's Miami Beach

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    Francine M.

    Classic. My family and I love coming here. The vibe the food and the service. Everything is to be die for. When in doubt just come to Rao's. This have been our go to spot for good Italian food since they opened here in Miami.

    Rao's Meatball appetizer
    Sergio F.

    When an Italian restaurant has red and green drapery and you hear Tony Bennett and Frank Sinatra more than once on the sound system, you know it's legit! I've been waiting to check out Rao's since it opened since it's reservation list is allegedly as complex as another well-known New York import Italian restaurant. However, yesterday while enjoying South Beach with my lady friend, after sulking another dolphins loss, we decided to stop it and enjoy their Miami Spice menu. Sidenote, we pregame at their lobby, bar myself with my Cab Sab red and her with her classic Pinot Grigio. Then we entered by their photogenic wine cellar! The portions are huge! I started with the classic meatball appetizer, with a main course sized meatball soaked in a yummy marinara sauce. The plate had two meatballs, perfect for sharing as I also tried her mozzarella sticks (I mean mozzarella carroza). By the time I got to my main course of chicken Parm, I was already stuffed and could barely finish my New York cheesecake dessert, garnished with fresh berries. The chicken Parm itself was tasty, not overly breaded and served with their deliciously robust sauce. The final reason why Rao's gets five stars is the excellent service we received. From the hostess recognizing us when we came back after pregaming at the lobby bar, to our waiter Efren slicing up and preparing sharing plates of the chicken Parm and the lemon chicken she ordered, to even packing up the food instead of having us do the work in to go containers as many restaurants do, was top notch.

    Mariana S.

    A delicious food and great dining experience! You have to get the meatballs and calamari for the apps, these were both 10/10. I tried three different pasta dishes and the pesto pasta surprisingly was the one that stood out to me the most - it was yummy and fresh. Also, you cannot go wrong with the cheesecake for dessert.

    Bar seating
    Haniyyah B.

    Went to Rao's Miami after work without a reservation and had such a good experience! We sat at the bar right away, which actually ended up being a great spot -- cozy, lively, and perfect for people-watching while still feeling relaxed. The staff was warm and attentive without being overbearing, and you could tell they really know their regulars, which gave the place that neighborhood-Italian charm. We ordered two pastas to share along with the meatballs. The pesto pasta was the standout for me -- perfectly cooked pasta with a rich, fresh pesto that had just the right balance of flavor. The other pasta was solid as well, and the meatballs were hearty and flavorful (definitely worth ordering). The whole space has an old-school Italian vibe but with Miami energy -- warm lighting, bustling but not overly loud, and a mix of locals and visitors. It feels like the kind of place you could come for a special dinner but also just drop in for a midweek meal and still feel welcome.

    dino's salad

    Great food and very fast service. Loved the Dinos salad. The meatball and pasta sauce is really incredible, and the spaghetti was great. Also liked the pistachio gelato. Great atmosphere and well decorated. Will definitely go back.

    Drinks at the Raos Bar!
    Steven F.

    South Beach Deco meets modern sophistication here at Raos in South Beach. Rich dark tones transport you on a wonderful dining experience. The wait staff is professional and looks the part in their white dinner jackets.. The menu is Italian and delivers. Make sure you make a reservation in advance. I'll be back for sure!

    Lemon chicken
    Madison N.

    White glove service with an atmosphere that's reminiscent of all New York, and delicious food to top it off! I went to Miami spice week and got such a great deal on their prefix menu! The meatball was incredible, I could've only eaten that and been very happy I also got the lemon chicken, which was good, but it was not seasoned enough, so I needed to ask for salt. Once I added some salt, it was perfection. Finally, the tiramisu was everything you wanted it to be, cold, and creamy with just the right amount of espresso and chocolate flavor. It was not overwhelming, borderline refreshing!

    Meet balsa and towards the back you can see the mozzarella
    Cristy R.

    Totally loved this Italian Restaurant! The romantic dim lighting , elegant and cozy at the same time. Tables are set up with good distance. ( no wait- we walked in with no reservations) We were surprised to learn that the restaurant was participating with Miami Spice. So we definitely jumped on that! As appetizer we ordered meatballs and mozzarella sticks. (Both a very good size- not skimpy at all. The meatballs were 2 and it was such a good size that it was just right! The tomato sauce was delish! Just perfect! Not too strong nor too sweet. As for the main dish we ordered lemon chicken and chicken parmigiana. It was a big portion ... perfect to share too! We actually had enough for both of us to take home leftovers. ( that I'm so excited to have for lunch and Dinner) so yes the portion are definitely shareable and plenty to take home. The desert was a Tiramiso and cheesecake. I was full by then but my gentleman friend said it was good but he enjoyed the cheesecake a little more. ( packaged and taken to go too) They custom my package to include a glass of Champagne . I also had two glasses of wine that went well with my meal. But not only was the food great but what can I say what an amazing staff all around! From the moment walked in ...we were greeted by a happy outgoing face. The waiters are dressed with a white button shirt and white suit with black neck bow and pants. It looked so chic! The waiters were not hiding in the kitchen. They were visible and very attentive. Everything was great from start to end! The waiters actually package out leftover and going the extra step of splitting the meal between 2 and giving us both the right portion size for each of us to take home each the lemon and chicken parmigiana home. He even included bread. He separated the lemon chicken in 1 package and parm in another box. Like that was excellent service by our waiter Efren! He definitely deserves recognition. My only regret is we should have ordered spaghetti too! I saw a plate and it looked sooooo good! All around I would say this is 5+ stars in all the aspects!

    Tiramisu
    Cathy P.

    Nice vibe inside the Loews hotel. A spin off of nyc restaurant. Loved the meatballs and chopped salad. And then basil pasta and vodka pasta was delicious. Tiramisu and cheesecake made it a great night. Service was top-notch.

    Fried mozzarella app
    Maddy B.

    We came for Miami Spice! I didn't even know Rao's had an actual restaurant! We had amazing service at the bar. The portions were full menu sized portions, so much food for one person. We ordered different items so we could try each other's plus a glass of wine each. Service charge is included, so the whole meal came out to be a little over $100. I have leftovers of my entree and dessert because the apps were filling and they give bread with the best whipped butter I've ever had! I would highly recommend coming here to check it out for Miami Spice!

    Mona E.

    As somebody who has lived in the New York area, I was super excited to try this place as it is impossible to get a table in New York City. This restaurant lived up to the hype for me. We got some of the meatballs, which were huge, and really delicious. We also got the chicken Parm, which was very very good, we also got the Ragu which is wonderful. Every single dish was very flavorful very well seasoned and prepared relatively quickly. We also got the Brotto, which was also very very fresh. I recommend coming here and getting the meals family style as you're gonna want to try different dishes make sure you come your hungry though because portions are large and you're gonna want to try different things, the server was extremely friendly and had a great recommendations and really explained the menu to us. He was very honest on how big the portions were. The highlight for me was the table side, espresso, martini probably one of the best espresso martinis I've ever had. It was very decadent, and it was the perfect ratio of alcohol and coffee.

    Bolognese.
    Andrew R.

    Memorable dinner at Rao's, Miami. In the Lowe's Miami Hotel Complex. Very sleek restaurant design. Server Dennis was very pleasant and professional. Fresh bread Dino's Salad Meatballs app Several pasta dishes NY cheesecake dessert Wine Asparagus Peas and Prosciutto Our table had an absolutely delicious Italian dinner. Check did not cause a heart attack although you can do some financial damage if you order certain items. Really had a good time. Lived up to its famous reputation.

    Atmosphere was good
    Michael R.

    Well if you have been to the original one on Harlem don't think you are going to get that level of service or food. Service is average at best. Lots of help walking around. Our waiter came by table max of 3 times. We poured our own win after sitting with open bottle of wine and empty glasses. Food was a 7 on a scale of 10. 10 bring the original.

    Ricotta ravioli cranberries

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    Page 1 of 5

    Ask the Community - Rao's Miami Beach

    Is it possible to get a reservation that does not involve Resy, which I despise?

    Does Rao's except walk-ins for bar area or tables?

    I have walked in and sat at the bar a few times without an issue (as a single person, but I often see couples). There are two bars, a larger one and a smaller one. A "gatekeeper" is still at the front host podium - you can't just walk in.

    Don’t See Your Question? Ask Away!

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    Fratelli La Bufala - Spaghetti Pomodoro

    Fratelli La Bufala

    4.1(1.1k reviews)
    1.1 mi
    $$
    20 years in business
    Gluten-free friendly

    We make it a point to eat at Fratelli La Bufala every time we visit Miami Beach. We have been fans…read moreof the brand for a long time (since they had a New York City location over a decade ago) because of how authentic the food is: I'm Italian and I always look for restaurants I can trust to consistently deliver a meal that tastes like home. This time I had the spaghetti alle vongole (clams): it is close to impossible to find good spaghetti alle vongole in the US, so I usually just make them myself at home, but I trusted this Neapolitan team to deliver -- and they did! The spaghetti were perfect, exactly like being in Italy. On top of that, we really enjoyed the service: Josefina was attentive and sweet, always on top of things. We will be back soon enough.

    This was my first meal in Miami right after I got off the flight, so I was pretty hungry and wanted…read moreto order everything. My friend and I shared the Greek salad to start. It was not great, there were too many mushrooms and not enough other vegetables, and not enough dressing so it was dry. Thankfully, things turned around when the pizza and pasta came out. We shared the bolognese and the diavolo pizza. Both were huge portions and were both really delicious. We ended up not finishing the pizza but I had some leftover later and it was still really good cold.

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    Fettuccine Mari e Monti

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    Café Prima Pasta - Calamaretti Fritti (happy hour menu)

    Café Prima Pasta

    4.5(1.4k reviews)
    4.6 mi
    $$

    We had dinner at Café Prima Pasta with our best friends, and it was fantastic. We've been before…read morebut forgot how good it was. The complimentary bruschetta and bread bowl was delicious. Nick and Andre kept our glasses full and tables squeaky clean throughout the entire night. Now for the food... for apps, we had ricotta meatballs, fiocchi, and truffle fries - all 10/10, but man, that fiocchi was mind-blowing... some of the best we've ever had. For mains. I had crab ravioli (perfection), my bestie had cacio e pepe, my husband had gnocchi with chicken, and my friend's hubs had an off-menu mushroom risotto with shrimp that was suggested by the server - literally no misses here, everything was top-tier. Dessert? Tiramisu, creme brulee, and Nutella mousse/ice cream hybrid - all amazing. The ambiance was great. Even the valet was reasonable. Great night, great food. Would go back in a heartbeat.

    Back for a fixing of Miami beach glam! The ambiance here is just *chef's kiss*…read more Our reservations this time were at 6PM and we arrived a little early. What we didn't know is that they have a Super Price menu running from 4:30PM-6PM! So we were able to get our order in and take advantage of the specials. Highly recommend going early because the prices are great! We started the evening with a Caesar salad and an order of the meatballs. And the meatballs were to die for!! They were so delicious! The meat had great seasoning throughout and it was a great ratio with the sauce and ricotta. The caesar was also really good with light dressing. For entree we got the agnolotti rosso which was amazing. It was stuffed with spinach and you can tell spinach was fresh. The sauce was absolutely delicious. And the pasta was made of spinach so it enhanced the flavor. We paired off all the food with a bottle of Bonanza cab which was perfect with the food. The whole time the waiters are flying by making sure our plates are clean, and waters filled. We ended the evening with a piece of tiramisu which was perfection. Perfect balance of mascarpone and coffee. I paired that with an espresso martini which was nice and strong. Great way to enjoy the glamour without breaking the bank!

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    Café Prima Pasta - At check-in

    At check-in

    Café Prima Pasta - Tiramisú

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    Lucali

    Lucali

    3.9(939 reviews)
    1.0 mi
    $$

    This is a great fast-casual spot if you're looking for something quick, tasty, and affordable. The…read morefood is consistently good, with fresh ingredients and solid portion sizes that make it feel like you're getting great value for the price. The menu has a nice variety of options, so it's easy to find something you're in the mood for whether you want something light or a more filling meal. Everything comes out quickly, but still tastes like it's made with care rather than rushed. The atmosphere is relaxed and casual, making it a perfect place to grab a quick lunch or an easy dinner without spending a lot. Overall, it's a reliable go-to when you want good food that won't break the bank.

    I visited Lucali Miami in advance of a cruise and to no small degree planned my day around dining…read morehere! So my very high level of anticipation may certainly be partially to blame for my average-ish experience. I was pleasantly surprised to get a table with no wait at ~6:30 on a Wednesday evening. Staff were attentive and friendly. Prices were high, as expected, but at least the pizzas are of reasonable size. The $32 pasta portion probably could've been a bit more generous. But anyway, on to why we're all here - The Pizza: The crust had a great crunch but I felt lacked nuance beyond that, no chew and a touch on the dry side. Cheese and sauce were fine but also unremarkable. The heaps of basil provided some bright freshness that was definitely appreciated. I feel even more compelled now to try the NYC location for comparison! This wasn't a bad pizza by any stretch but not something I would ever pick over my favorite NYC standouts.

    Photos
    Lucali - Table set + Beer

    Table set + Beer

    Lucali - All Beef pepperoni

    All Beef pepperoni

    Lucali - The dining room just before the lunch rush.

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    The dining room just before the lunch rush.

    Rao's Miami Beach - italian - Updated June 2026

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