Reopening Report: Dinner At The Jaguar Sun Pop-Up

It had been 93 days since we ate at a restaurant in Miami, roughly the amount of time it takes to forget what oysters taste like and - believe it or not - just enough time for a mountain lion to get pregnant and give birth to little baby mountain lions.

But on day 93, almost a month after phase one of Miami’s restaurant openings, we made a reservation at Jaguar Sun’s new weekly pop-up. The reliably great Downtown spot has left its tiny dining room and taken over Lot 6 in Little River for the last two weekends, where they’ve turned the outdoor space into a mini restaurant. It’s happening again for the weekend of June 26 (Friday’s dinner will be a collaboration with Itamae) and they’ll most likely continue to do it until, as one server told us, “It feels fun to eat inside a restaurant again.” Here’s a rundown of what it’s like.

The Details

How do you get a table?

Dinner service takes place on Friday and Saturday, and reservations are required. Jaguar Sun announces upcoming installments of the pop-up on their Instagram, and reservations can be made by emailing info@jaguarsunmia.com.

How do you order?

Everything is done on your phone to keep things cashless. There are disposable menus and hand sanitizer on each table, as well as a little instruction pamphlet in case you forget to read the explainer email that Jaguar Sun sends to its guests beforehand. Online ordering is pretty simple - it’s all done through their website, and you can order as many times as you want.

What is the food like?

As is always the case with Jaguar Sun, very good. The menu might change from week to week, but our dinner had options like oysters, charred leeks, and snapper aguachile. There are tacos too - brisket, cochinita pibil, chicken, and black bean and avocado are all options. The Parker House beignet churros for dessert are also as good as they sound. When it’s over, we just got up and left. Everything (tip included) had already been taken care of.

Is it crowded?

There was a solid dinner crowd when we went, but tables are very spaced out - much farther than six feet apart. Guests are masked up until they take a seat and the staff wears masks at all times. While it was nice to be around people, you really aren’t close enough to hear anyone else’s conversation.

Remind me what oysters taste like?

Like a high-five from the ocean.

Should I go?

That is completely and totally up to you. We understand socializing in any form still feels strange and poses risks too. But we figure that you follow us for restaurant news, so we want to keep you informed the best we can. If you have any more questions or thoughts, feel free to email us at miami@theinfatuation.com.