Jaguar Sun

One of the more frustrating parts about the act of “going out” is that—no matter how perfect your outfit or well-curated the friend group is—there’s never a guarantee that you’ll actually have fun. Any number of issues beyond your control could make you wish you were still on the couch. But that’s the best part about Jaguar Sun. Yes, the food, cocktails, and service are always outstanding—but its greatest quality also happens to be that rarest of things in a social life: a guaranteed good time.

Jaguar Sun is fun, and not conditionally so. You don’t have to be at the right table or order the right cocktail or entree to enjoy yourself here. Everything (both in liquid and solid form) is delicious, and the staff is a small team of extroverts hell-bent on making sure your glass is never empty.

photo credit: Emily Schindler

photo credit: Emily Schindler

Jaguar Sun is quite small—split almost perfectly in half between a bar and dining room—so it’s ideal for groups ranging from two to four. There are generally about five rotating pasta variations on the menu—plus other great things like the glistening Parker House rolls, oysters, and a crudo we never regret ordering. The agnolotti is almost always a must-order too. The little pasta pillows are stuffed with blue crab, corn, and saffron—and each one contains a combination of sweet and savory that makes us forget how to speak for about three seconds.

The cocktails are all excellent as well, but Jaguar Sun is home to one of Miami’s best martinis, which you can sip dramatically at the square bar or order in a sharable format that usually comes in some sort of adorable novelty pitcher. But, of course, you don’t have to get a martini. You don’t have to do anything at Jaguar Sun to get your money’s worth, and that’s the point. You already did the hard part of leaving that couch. They’ll handle the rest.

Food Rundown

The menu at Jaguar Sun changes, but here are a few examples of the kind of dishes you might find here.

photo credit: Emily Schindler

Parker House Rolls

No restaurant bread in Miami makes us more excited than these. The rolls are warm and fluffy inside, but have a thin crust that cracks when you bite into it. They also come with a honey butter you should use every last molecule of.

Crudo

We order this pretty much every time we come here, and never regret it. The fish they use changes based on availability, but it’s always dressed perfectly with just enough burnt serrano relish and olive oil.

photo credit: Emily Schindler

Corn Agnolotti

This is a top-five pasta in Miami. It’s slightly sweet thanks to the corn—but you can still taste the blue crab among all those flavors. If you’re with a hungry group, it might be worth getting two of these on the table.

photo credit: Emily Schindler

Bucatini

This dish keeps it simple: al dente bucatini, a whole lot of shaved parmesan and pecorino, and enough black pepper to cut through all that cheese. It is exactly what you want if you’ve been craving pasta for the last nine days.

Foie Gras

There are two dessert options, and chances are the kouign-amann ice cream sandwich catches your eye first. You definitely won’t be mad if you order that, but if you’re looking for a dessert that takes you on a roller coaster of emotions, get the foie gras. It’s passionfruit mousse and macerated strawberries underneath a snowstorm of finely-shaved foie gras. It’ll look like too much foie gras at first, but it’s actually the perfect amount.