I love cafe sambal! I have been there multiple times, usually for lunch or dinner. The staff is always extremely friendly--particularly Drew, my favorite waiter. My friend and I always sit... More

I love cafe sambal! I have been there multiple times, usually for lunch or dinner. The staff is always extremely friendly--particularly Drew, my favorite waiter. My friend and I always sit outside--usually on a really comfy couch that they have. The drinks are all wonderful. The lychee saketini is probably the best I have ever had. The wines are great. I had a really nice Malbec there, and when I returned I couldnt remember what type of wine I liked. To help me out, the waitress came with about 3 wines to let me sample until I found the one I had liked so much the previous time. The noodle chips they bring out with the most delicious wasabi mustard dipping sauce is TO DIE FOR!! I could eat just that alone. Then, I usually get edamame. For an entree, my friend and I usually share the pad thai. They always split the portion for us with no additional "sharing fee" that many places charge. The riceless sushi roll is also very good. For dessert, they have a delicious chocolate ball filled with chocolate mousse. I usually dont like mousse, but this is really delicious! The atmosphere is relaxed and scenic. Great for a date or to go with a friend to have great food, drinks, and conversation. I highly recommend it there! Pros: Beautiful waterview, great service, great drinks! Cons: Not cheap, have to valet, extremely quiet--almost dead at times
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The setting is tranquil. The perfect spot for a quiet lunch. No one rushes you or tries to make you feel unwelcome. Quite the contrary. Everyone, from thr lovely hostess to our efficient waiter... More

The setting is tranquil. The perfect spot for a quiet lunch. No one rushes you or tries to make you feel unwelcome. Quite the contrary. Everyone, from thr lovely hostess to our efficient waiter encouraged us to take our time and enjoy ourselves. The sushi is ever so fresh. Each bite is cool and crisp in your mouth. The Cafe is decorated beautifully-Asian themed with a beautiful long wall dividing space so elegantly. Everything is immaculate, from the floors to the waiter's uniforms. It's so peaceful and quiet, you can really enjoy your dining companion's conversation. This is a rare treat in cell phone obsessed Miami. The Management has done an outstanding job staffing, training and maintaining an extraordinary lunch spot. it doesn't hurt that it's inside the beautiful Mandarian Oriental Hotel. Pros: delightful decor, excellent service, quiet Cons: parking is expensive
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I goto Cafe Sambal regularly for lunch meetings, the Brickell location makes it very easy to get to from the downtown Miami areas. The service is always super, very helpful and knowledable if you... More

I goto Cafe Sambal regularly for lunch meetings, the Brickell location makes it very easy to get to from the downtown Miami areas. The service is always super, very helpful and knowledable if you have any questions. They have a wide variety of asian / japanese / thai inspired food. The sushi is very good and the Kobe Burger is awesome! One of the best places to eat, especially for business in the downtown / brickell areas of Miami. Pros: Great Food, Good Service, Nice Views Cons: A bit pricey, Must valet your car
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This is the first time i ever write a review on a restaurant but i felt it important to let people know not to have great expectations about this place. I went because it was recommended by someone... More

This is the first time i ever write a review on a restaurant but i felt it important to let people know not to have great expectations about this place. I went because it was recommended by someone and because of reviews i read on this site. I took my husband there for his birthday hoping to having some really great sushi--needless to say it was the worst sushi i'd ever had. The she crab soup we shared was good but other than that the sushi, sashimi and rolls were bland tasting--and i'm being kind. The view is nice but not worth the price of the substandard japanese food. Service is okay but not what you expect from a restaurant in a five-star hotel. For some really great tasting sushi try Sushi Maki (any location) or Sushi Ko and for a better view of the bay w/better tasting sushi try Sushi Siam. Pros: Mandarin Oriental is a beautiful hotel Cons: But go eat somewhere else
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This is bar-none the best food experience I have had in a restaurant within a hotel. The Mandarin is fabulous, but the food here is the highlight! The sushi was delicious and fresh...I highly... More

This is bar-none the best food experience I have had in a restaurant within a hotel. The Mandarin is fabulous, but the food here is the highlight! The sushi was delicious and fresh...I highly recommend the Brickell roll. The lo mein was tasty - I could not get enough. Our servers each of the 3 times we went during our stay were friendly and prompt (Not SoBe snobs). I can't wait to go back to Cafe' Sambal! Pros: Great fare!, View, Service Cons: Smaller menu
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seated for 10 minutes and were not acknowledged or even brought water or menu by. beautiful setting... we go out on sundays for brunch with our little dog to an outdoor cafe... but dogs are not... More

seated for 10 minutes and were not acknowledged or even brought water or menu by. beautiful setting... we go out on sundays for brunch with our little dog to an outdoor cafe... but dogs are not allowed outside on the terrace here.??? they are walking by on the side walk but you cannot sit down... maybe that is why they were empty. anyway the food was very expensive... service was slow. i guess if you have unlimited $ it would be wonderful. for a cafe, it felt off balance for what they were serving and what they were charging. Pros: nice view, quiet, private Cons: expensive, $8 to park, hard to find
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I highly recommend Cafe Sambal. One of the best Sushi dining experiences that my wife have ever had, which includes some notable places. Service is excellent as they brought out the wrong roll and... More

I highly recommend Cafe Sambal. One of the best Sushi dining experiences that my wife have ever had, which includes some notable places. Service is excellent as they brought out the wrong roll and gave it to us at no additional cost. The hotel is nice, quiet and away from the SoBe hustle. If you are looking for somewhere that is tucked away from the rest of Miami, and the ability to see some famous faces you will not be disappointed
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Cafe Sambal should be much higher on your list. The ambiance is sophisticated and international like that of Tantra. The quality and presentation of the menu is excellent, better than everyplace... More

Cafe Sambal should be much higher on your list. The ambiance is sophisticated and international like that of Tantra. The quality and presentation of the menu is excellent, better than everyplace else on the list. Personally, I love Brickell Key and I'm long over South Beach. Brickell Key is a fantastic hidden gem in the middle of the urban jungle! Better parking, easily accessible, no traffic snarls over the causeways. Sorry South Beach, there are just too many choices on this side of the bridges. And speaking of which, what happened to Baleen at Grove Isle? My second favorite after Cafe Sambal. And if the Keys are part of the area counted, then you have to add the restaurant at Little Palm Island to the top of the list for outdoor dining! Pros: Fabulous View, excellent food, first class service
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what a concept restaurant. its says asian themed,,,,but needless to say when i dined at cafe sambal, i felt i am in the middle east...or bagdad! the music sucks! it keeps repeating every 30... More

what a concept restaurant. its says asian themed,,,,but needless to say when i dined at cafe sambal, i felt i am in the middle east...or bagdad! the music sucks! it keeps repeating every 30 minutes, same tunes all day long, sounds sleepy, unrelaxing melodies. the food in small portions in a large plate, what a rip off, sauces, soups tasteless, its like a hot water dump with powder/instant soup bases. and either curry...coconut..soy...salt and pepper mixes. service can be either fast ..or slow.. waitstaff are not attentive enough, i observe if not busy they are all gathering around the bar talk loud., giggling., joking. onetime i sit outside the patio, the huge covered umbrella almost hit me due to strong winds. i look around, cant find any waitstaff nor a manager around, oh well, thats a big fan seems comforting me? Pros: apples at the entry, news papers, smiling hostess Cons: food portion, stargazing staff, drinks
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I BEEN TO CAFE SAMBAL SEVERAL TIMES LAST YEAR...LUNCH, AFTERNOONS, OR DINNER. THE FOOD WAS GREAT, MENU SELECTIONS WAS AWESOME, DRINKS WERE USED TO BE"SAKE" BASED DRINK SPECIALS....MARVEL! I... More

I BEEN TO CAFE SAMBAL SEVERAL TIMES LAST YEAR...LUNCH, AFTERNOONS, OR DINNER. THE FOOD WAS GREAT, MENU SELECTIONS WAS AWESOME, DRINKS WERE USED TO BE"SAKE" BASED DRINK SPECIALS....MARVEL! I VISITED AGAIN LAST WEEK, SAME OLD SAME OLD VIEW, DECOR, ATMOSPHERE,,,AND THE SUMMER HOT BREEZES IN THE PATIO MAKES ME SWEAT. WHAT AMAZES ME MOST THIS TIME, I NOTICED THAT THEY CHANGE THE NEW ASIAN MENU, THE PORTION OF FOOD IN THE PLATE THIS TIME IS LESS,,, AND BECOMING LESS, I DONT KNOW WHY. AND SURPRISINGLY THE CHEF OF CAFE SAMBAL IS I THINK JUST GUESSING WHEN MAKING HIS ASIAN MENUS-DISHES. IT TASTE LIKE AND COPIED FROM AN AMERICAN AUTHOR-BOOK ABOUT ASIAN FOOD. WHAT A SHAME OBSERVATION...BE REAL! GET AN ASIAN CHEF WHO KNOWS HOW TO PREPARE ASIAN THEMED RESTAURANT................... Pros: VIEW, PATIO, SMILES Cons: SIDE ASIAN FOOD, SAUCES BLAND, FOOD-S-LATE
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