Deep Tissue and Zen Miami

We were there as part of an evening we planned for our international press while shooting a movie there. The menu had been arranged as prix fixe so... more

It's a great hotel but if any of you are looking to save some $$ then book it at referer.us/8/GoodHotelDeals They usually have some pretty good deals on there! more

The outside of the restaurant is on the water, overlooking Brickell key and the rest of the city with a breathtaking view. Just make sure that you ... more

I see that it has been over a year since the last review and wanted to say that the restaurant experience we had was outstanding. We arrived a bit early for our seating and were escorted to a very nice bar area where the service was great. The staff used our names all the time, the food was well presented and tasted very very good. The wine list is amazing, the courses were appropriately portioned althought they may look smaller since they are served on very large plates.\r We left satisfied, but not stuffed which might be why some reviewers were not happy with the prices. The location and ambiance, the service and attentiveness and the overall special feel of the restaurant are the primary reasone to go. The fact that they put on a great meal is bonus. We thoroguhly enjoyed this restaurant.\r Tip: go early and mid-week if you can. Traffic was not bad getting there and there were not many people until about an hour after we arrived. They open for dinner at 7:00 P.M. and we arrived about 15 minutes early for our reservation. The weather outside was too chilly for the balcony, but we really enjoyed overlooking the bay and seeing the skyline lit up. Pros: Staff was right on the money bout being attentive but not intrusive. Perfect. Cons: After the place filled up, it got kind of loud... but it's Miami :) more

I made reservations for our 7 Year Anniversary. We got there and were seated immediately. I had asked for a balcony table and puff wish granted (Inside it's a bit loud). The scenery on the balcony is WOW, at night you can see the buildings in downtown, and you feel the cool breeze from the water just below. It is very expensive, about $40USD a plate, but well worth it. Come with about $250 in your wallet if you want to eat and have cocktails like we did. You never have to open a door on your own. They even have a guy that arranges your silverware according to your dinner selecion. BTW guys with big appetites, get the steak, it's awsome. Desert was good but not too high on the wow meter. I had the chocolate desert. Since it was our anniversary they brought us a nice plate with happy anniversary in caramel, some sweet selections and a candle. In conclusion, if you want a romantic dinner with your significant other this is the place. \r \r P.S. Happy Anniversary honey from your loving husband,\r J.V. Pros: The best everything and well worth it Cons: Pricey more

I took my girlfriend here for our 4 yr anniversary.....this is the 1st upscale restaurant where she not only enjoyed the ambiance but also the food. Our table was situated outside on the balcony with a captivating view of the bay....we started off w/ the peruvian ceviche, avocado and tostones which was pretty good, esp. the tostones...the sauerdough bread was out of this world...she has the ricotta gnocci w/ shrimp which she loved and I had the jumbo seared sea scallops w/ the best bacon in the world bar none...my girlfriend wouldnt leave my plate alone...to top off the great evening, we shared the best marinated strawberries w/ cream cheese ice cream (yum)...they even gave us a candlelight surprrise w/ chocolates and happy anniversary written on the plate in chocolate....they also gave us a personal signed card wishing us a happy anniversary...the hotel itself is beautiful as we took a stroll along biscayne bay and looked at the stars...in sum, seeing my girlfriend's smile made this night magical...We will def. be back... Pros: Great food, attentive service, beautiful ambiance, great location to walk around after dinner Cons: Very expensive 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 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 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 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 more

Whether you want a fantastic view or innovative dishes, this is the Best. Waiters are well versed in the various dishes and wines. Service is exceptional. Try any of the fish entrees-all fresh and original. The serene setting is perfect with a spectacular sunset. Great dining experience. Pros: ambiance, professional service, great food 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 more

This is the best Miami offers. The srvice is exceptionally attentive. The food is imaginative and flavorful. As close to world class as Miami can get. Pros: The View, The Service, The Food 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 more

Heard so much and waited so long to get a reservation, but was teribly dissapointed. Arrived with a couple 100 point wines to have with dinner and found out they do not allow corkage, not exactly what I would call wine friendly. The Maitre D was haughty and had us stand and wait instead of showing us the bar. The waiter staff is young and inexperienced. The food is OK but very small helpings. Extremely expensive for what you get. Almost left before I got seated but drove too long. Seating area is very loud, not much ambiance. Such a letdown. Pros: waterfront Cons: expensive, Inexperienced staff, no ambiance 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 more

Maybe I'm too cynical, but this restaurant was at best average and relatively, for 300 bucks for two people i can name 30+ NY restaurants that are a lot better. Their highly recommened Hamachi dish used very low quality fish that tasted more like ocean sludge than fish. My wife loved her lamb dish but otherwise the appetizers were pretty ordinary and my dessert souffle was delivered collapsed. The coup de grace was being charged for 2 bottles of wine instead of one. Look, it's a nice place, but I felt the food was basically Hotel Restaurant food or even worse, cruise ship food. Pros: ambience, attentive waiters Cons: average food, inaccurate bill more

My finace and I were visiting South Beach after spending a few days in Keywest. This is one of the best restaurants we have been to. We dine out often, mostly in NYC and we were very impressed with everything this wonderful restaurant had to offer. The space is beautiful and the food and service were outstanding!!! The raisin bread is to die for...and the tuna app and the kobe beef were out of this world!! I will definately visit this restaurant again the next time I am in South Beach. It is located inside the Mandarin hotel which is also very nice. My only regret was not sitting outside to enjoy the beautiful view of the bay. more

I took a friend to celebrate her 50th birthday on Nov. 13th. We were seated even before our reservation time. The service was exceptional as well as colorful. We sat out on the balcony and had a team of very well informed servers. Our head server Jorge explained the menu and offered suggestions which we took him up on. The food was very good only to be out done by the service. Jorge made our evening outstanding. looking forward to many great meals at Azul. Pros: Service, Food, Decor more

I had lunch with friends here back in April of 2004, and it was the most pleasant dining experience I ever had!! First, you must be chic & stylish to even appreciate it. We had the BEST table, it overlooked Biscayne Bay. I then ordered a $10. Mojito which was the absolute BEST ever, I still cannot find one that is comparable. I then had the $25. seared tuna, which was straight from heaven, the tuna steak was perfectly done, and served with quail eggs and a honey mustard type of sauce!! Then I had the $10. dessert, which I do not remember the name, but it had a chocolate soup accompanying it. You also get a small appetizing salad, fresh baked bread and petit fours after dinner. The service was immaculate! I would definitely go back when I am in town! It is expensive, but worth every penny!! Pros: EXPENSIVE, VALET PARKING, EASY ACCESS more