MIAGuide
12 Reservations To Make Before The Tourists Come Back To Miami
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc
Miami summers aren’t good for much. It’s hot. It rains. Your seatbelt buckle turns into a deadly weapon. But the summer does have one small perk: low tourist activity. And while we appreciate their loyal economic stimulation, they also make certain reservations nearly impossible to get. Of course, not all wildly popular restaurants are worth your time. But some actually are, which is why you should take advantage of this brief lull in Miami dining to book one that is great, like any of these spots.
THE SPOTS
There are some things that tourists just love. Like renting a sketchy yacht for the day, taking a photo with the Ocean Drive lemur, and eating at Mandolin. And while we think lemurs belong in the wild and don’t recommend renting a yacht on Craigslist, we certainly get Mandolin’s appeal. The Greek restaurant is one of the most beautiful outdoor dining options in Miami, which is probably why it’s so alluring to people fleeing winter. Plus, the food is excellent. And even though it’s starting to get hot as hell right now, Mandolin has lots of shade and fans, so eating here in summer is a lot more comfortable than it has a right to be.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc
Tâm Tâm is a restaurant we almost don’t want to talk about—or risk never finding a reservation to eat their amazing fish sauce caramel wings again. But not only did we write about this Vietnamese spot, we filmed ourselves singing in its karaoke bathroom and added it to our Hit List. It’s not a big restaurant. Getting a reservation for a four-top on a weekend during prime time is already a little difficult. So get in now, go often, order “the lamb situation,” and tip well—maybe the staff will save you a seat at the counter come November.
Boia De is one of our favorite restaurants in Miami. It’s also the size of a green bean. Naturally, it fills up fast. If Boia De ever was a secret, it’s certainly not anymore. So tables have become a tough get, to say the least. Still, their waiting list for reservations is less bleak now than it will be in January. Also, Boia De is good about holding bar seating (the best seats in the house) for walk-ins. So turn on your Resy notifications and your patience will be rewarded with the best chopped salad in the universe.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
It’s no surprise Boia De’s very good sister restaurant (and next-door neighbor) is also a hard reservation—although still easier than Boia De. But on any given winter night, you’ll see more Yankees caps at Walrus Rodeo than inside Jay Z’s closet. Luckily Miami is a town of fair-weather fans (sports teams not excluded), which means all those hats and their northeastern owners are off in Nantucket or the Hamptons for the summer. This is your chance to try Walrus Rodeo’s delicious carrot tartare and (if it happens to be on the menu that night) our favorite lasagna in the city.
photo credit: Joshua Perez
This New York spot’s recent move to Wynwood is a welcome one. We like Pastis so much more than most big Wynwood restaurants. The only real difference between ours and the one in NYC is their outdoor space—complete with a bar and shaded pergola. Finding an indoor table between 6pm and 8pm is already slightly impossible. But you’re a Miamian. You clipped live lizards to your earlobes in elementary school and figured out how to tame your hair in this humidity. Eat outside if you have to—and please order the steak frites.
27 is located within a Miami Beach hostel, so when the tourists come, it fills up fast with people in wide-brimmed hats talking loudly about their recent trip to Tulum. And there's something special about dining here when it's a little quieter. It feels like you're house-sitting for someone much cooler than you. The cocktails and food at this Miami Beach classic still deliver. The menu is inspired by quintessential Miami dishes like daily catch ceviche, griot, and jerk chicken pot pie. It’s a good spot to reunite with, especially now that you won’t have to overhear a conversation about the transformative powers of a Tulum jungle rave.
Cote, a great Korean steakhouse in the Design District, has become quite a difficult reservation—unless you are cool with eating at 11pm. If you want to eat at a slightly more reasonable hour, you need to book about a month in advance. That will almost certainly change though, when the temperature dips below 80 and we’re flooded with tourists looking to drop $500 at a restaurant where they have an above-average chance of sitting next to a famous Peloton instructor. Fortunately, you don’t have to spend that much money at Cote. Just get the Butcher’s Feast, their phenomenal tasting menu that costs $68 per person.
Cafe La Trova is one of the best restaurants for folks looking for a night of Cuban Miami culture (a good 70 percent of the people coming out of Miami International from December through March). So, before they have a chance to steal your table, pay a visit to this Calle Ocho spot, which is never not an absolute blast. The food is good, there’s a live band (a rare sight in Miami these days), and a team of spiffy bartenders who not only make the world’s best daiquiri but also occasionally start dancing and playing instruments.
Uchi is an excellent Japanese restaurant in Wynwood that has a huge menu full of sushi, karaage chicken, and halibut with a coconut beurre blanc foam that made us want to eat the plate. Since it opened at the beginning of 2021, Uchi has steadily picked up steam and now finding an open table at a good time on a Saturday night isn't the easiest thing. So plan to book two or three weeks out if you want to be home before midnight.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc
Zitz Sum is one of the very best restaurants in Miami. It seems like more people are starting to realize this. It's still not quite a reservation you’ve got to book a month out, but it's trending in that direction. We know—this makes us sad too. And it’s all the more reason to get that table now and order everything on the menu, a unanimously excellent blend of dumplings and more exciting rotating dishes influenced by Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Lao, and other Asian cuisines.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings / @eatthecanvasllc
Macchialina fills up during tourist season, because it’s one of the best Italian restaurants in Miami and it’s also in the center of the known tourist universe: South Beach. So, it’s worth getting in here now while it’s a little more chill. Their new-ish patio seating recently closed for renovations, so you'll get to enjoy the snug little dining room and its blessed AC (unless you want to sit on the sidewalk, which is also an option). Wherever you end up, get no less than two pastas on the table, and absolutely order dessert.
photo credit: Cleveland Jennings
We know—Miami Slice doesn’t actually take reservations. But the notorious line to eat Miami’s best pizza is significantly shorter in the summer, and locals deserve to know this. Plus, they’re open on Mondays now. As long as you stay away on weekends—Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are the best days to make the (shorter) queue for a slice of otherworldly pepperoni pizza. Just don’t forget to ask for stracciatella, basil, and hot honey with that slice.
