My family and I dined at the Florida Cookery for New Year's Eve. Although it was overall an alright meal, it was the service (and dessert) that really shined here. We were seated around 8pm on New Year's Eve and were not assigned a server. So we waited around at our table for about 15 minutes before informing the front of the house. Immediately, he asked what we'd like to drink and was committed to making sure we had a lovely meal. He stopped back a few other times just to check in and make sure everything was going smoothly. He was quite charming and a joy to chit chat with. Once we got our server, we were very happy. He was charming and gave nice recommendations. We ordered the guava-glazed ribs which were sweet and satisfying. The empanadas were crispy and flavorful. But no one was really over-the-moon with their entree. My cobia was alright, but completely forgettable. The best part was honestly the desserts: the banana donuts were heaven and the key lime pie were both satisfying and delightful. Our server, Israel, picked them out for us and we were just beyond the moon with how yummy they were. The ambience was fun; beautiful colors, warm woods and funky music. A warm, cool vibe that's not over-the-top or obnoxious. It was a modern, yet mid-century, yet creative and classic Miami Beach vibe all at once. So overall, the dining experience was nice. Again, good service and some bright spots with the food and ambiance. But overall, I think I left a little disappointed. Maybe it was because we had such an unforgettable, AMAZING dinner at Yardbird the night before, and I was expecting the same thing. I'd love to go here again and see if the food improved, but as is, it feels like a solid 3.5 star place with a lot of potential.
(3)
Enjoli G.
Dining upstairs on the balcony is a must. The sunrise and sunset views are amazing. Brunch is the best.
(5)
Roberto B.
Unwittingly or not (I'd like to think I keep my wits about me!) I have been a follower of Kris Wessel since 1996 when he opened Paninoteca on Lincoln Road - it was near where I lived and it was right smack in my budget and it was an ordinary sandwich brought to the level of gourmand fare - it's closing made me clutch my pearls. I just had to up the ante and pad my purse because I could still enjoy the miracles on a plate that Chef Wessel weaved at Liaison on Espanola, but that too only lasted a few years. Chef Wessel's move to Bal Harbour was a bit out of my reach both geographically and economically and an unfortunate experience (extremely bad service) at Red made me think he lost his touch; or at least he was out of touch with customers such as I (on a budget). I think Chef Wessel's return to the south Florida culinary scene, which is now growing by leaps and bounds, is soon to be crowned with his finest of glories at Florida Cookery. The food is priced what you expect for a Sobe exclusive deco haunt that can set you back just by valeting the car; but it isn't outrageous and there is definitely something for everyone. My companions and I went for the Spice Menu and we were more than pleasantly surprised. In addition to any previously written encomium to Chef Wessel a big shout out to Jasmina the hostess on hand and our server Rebecca; they exude the old world charm of customer service with such a smile and panache that you felt like you were dining with friends. Considering this and my last few experiences at The Federal I'm so pleased that there is at last a trend in Miami to have restaurants that serve such delicious unique food with such great service - we South Floridians so deserve this. The Oxtail was melt in your mouth and woulda made abuela cry - it is so better than anything you ate at home. A conch chowder was sublime with its underlying flavors of corn and cilantro and the key lime pie; a pleasant pleasing little unctuous disc topped with a homemade meringue (and touted as being a 1928 original South Florida recipe) was a divine end to a very happy meal. My only caveats (and I will return to give it that fifth star, I just know it!): Dining was poolside and The James is SORELY in need of some mist lamps - the few fans are simply not adequate to ameliorate the humidity; and eating something hearty like oxtail leaves one a little sweatier than desired. Inside the James and separate from Florida Cookery, the interior bar seems a little cold and more suited for an airport lounge - a little more lighting and a smile on the bartender are surely in order.
(4)
Giancarlo B.
the chicken, beef & alligator empanadas are to die for, the best appetizer on the menu. Also the smoked chicken sandwich is delicious, it's tender and full of flavor. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Joey V.
A wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Sit outside and have lunch with a spectacular view. The food was so good...this is the spot. South Beach lifestyle. Florida Cookery, beach, nightlife, repeat.
(5)
Ashley J.
I'm surprised this restaurant has an average of only three stars. The food was excellent, the service was excellent and the space was great. Our waiter was so kind and jovial. We had a great evening with him. We ate empanadas, seafood chowder, caesar salad, the cobia entree and the another fish (that I now can't remember-ack!), and the flan for dessert. Wine and coffee, too of course. The flan was really not great, but the churros it came with were delicious. Everything else was delicious. Inventive enough to warrant the prices. We even used a 20% off food deal from yelp, which was cool. I liked this place a lot and can see myself coming back.
I received a voucher for food and drinks during my stay at the Royal Palm and thank goodness for that because I would have never spent any money on food here. I was happy about the vouchers thinking I can save some money for atleast one or two meals/day by eating here. Well I had breakfast and lunch and I have nothing good to say about the food. Nothing to rave about. I ordered there bacon and blueberry pancakes, eggs, and chicken sausage. The pancakes had no taste to them at all, even when I poured on the syrup it didn't help. Lunch wasn't any better with me ordering the Maui tacos.. The tortilla were cold and it was no seasoning to it at all. Only good thing I have to say is the service was good. The wait staff was very nice and attentive.
(2)
Andrew S.
Stayed at the hotel so this was the only reason why we ate here. We lounged by the beach and pool and sampled some of the sandwich and appetizer selections. The food was prepared decently and were decent portion sizes. Stay away from the shrimp. There is 18% auto gratuity so there is not a lot of incentive for quick and timely service. However at times we did have satisfactory service and they were always friendly. Ok place to have for convenience but there is better in Miami for sure!
(3)
Shera B.
The ambiance is nice very polite staff but a small menu & the octopus was not good. The pomegranate cucumber mojito us divine! Good desserts as well
(3)
David B.
The waitress and service was very nice and friendly. Unfortunately that's where the praise ends. With so many quality restaurants in south beach/Miami, it was a shame one of them was wasted on this restaurant. In fact, the food was so poor that we had to have a second dinner afterwards. The octopus tasted like a burnt rubber band, the Jambalaya was dry, flavorless, overcooked and with an insulting amount of seafood. We were not charged for the jambalaya but the manager never even came out to speak with us, instead sending out the waitress to pick up the disappointing mess. Do not come here unless you're staying at the hotel, desperate and intoxicated.
(1)
pracheta t.
Came here to meet a group of friends and I was definitely impressed with the ambiance and service. The open air setting was perfect for the weather and just half a flight down was this rooftop pool (no one wanted to jump in understandably). Our waiter was really nice and quick with suggestions which we took him up on. Our friends had a full dinner which they raved about but I just had a salad, cocktail and dessert. Now the dessert is what I had a problem with. The nutella filled donuts are apparently "the best thing on the menu" but I was so unimpressed I didn't even finish them. Extremely doughy, hardly any nutella and it wasn't soft or warm like I had expected. The key lime pie was better. Aside from the dessert fail, I liked this place a lot.
(4)
Rosy G.
Very pleased with the food here. The manager recommended the catch of the day which was seared tuna. I travel eight months out of the year and eat at a lot of different places. I must say the tuna was cooled to the utmost perfection. It was served with delicious grilled vegetables. Perfect lunch portion. I highly recommend it.
(5)
Maggie V.
I have dined at The Florida Cookery twice, once for weekend lunch and now again for dinner. The restaurant is tucked away in the back of The James Royal Palm hotel on the second floor and has a nice ambiance with an ocean view. The patio in particular is gorgeous looking out over South Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The menu looks great, but the food is underwhelming especially for the price. You are going to get a good meal, do not get me wrong, but with the focus on local sourced and inspired dishes (they serve alligator for instance)... you are expecting something more memorable. The flavors are a little bland and the execution seems a a bit off. You just want something more from the space and the experience. The 2nd time we had dinner was during Art Basel and the restaurant was one of the few on the beach that had availability during the madness of Basel. The wait staff has been attentive and friendly and has accommodated two long meals which was great. I really would like to see the restaurant up its game and justify the price, or look to be more accommodating to locals with a lower price point.
(3)
John C.
Went for brunch this Sunday morning after seeing them on Channel 10. What a total disappointment. The food was absolutely horrid. The omelet tasted like the eggs were from a carton. The selection was weak to say the least. The bacon and sausage tasted like run-of-the-mill Sysco brand that everyone else serves. Even the bagels tasted like they were from 7-11. Can't imagine why such a nice place would have the nerve to serve food like this. It appears that the weekday menu is way better, but we'll never know as we will never be back.
(1)
Tyler L.
This food was bad. Very disappointed with the meal. I ordered the ahi tuna burger. I understand that this is a semi-cooked dish. The innards of the fish were brown, not pink. I swear it was rotted. My wife and I got up and left. The staff was nice.
(2)
Christina L.
Let me start off by saying I have yet to have a meal here but I have had several signature cocktails and let me tell you they were all a tasty success! My favorite was the Janeiro, if you like a little bubbly in your drink like I do, than you will want to make this your first selection. This cocktail not only delivered on taste but smell as well with a few crushed leaves of rosemary topping off the little pool of prosecco bubbles The light scent of rosemary right before you take each sip is so refreshing and adds another dimension to this drink. The Floridian was also a great sipping experience and offered a sweeter pop to my palate. The decor of the bar and restaurant is a straight up modern take on a Mad Men vibe. That vibe is carried out not only in the restaurant but throughout the breeze way of the James Hotel as well. So if you are looking for a chill place to take down a few libations and appreciate a retro surrounding, then stop by the James Royal Palm Hotel. I can't wait to return to the FC to sample their delicious menu offerings. florida-cookery.com/menu…
(4)
Dan F.
I don't understand how people can rank this place under a four star. I thought the food and service was perfect.
(5)
Matt W.
This was a really weird experience. We went on a Thursday evening and the place was completely dead. When we got there at 7pm there were 2 other couples in the whole place. When we left there were maybe 6 total. The bus girl was useless and very awkward about taking dishes, wiping the table, etc. First waiter didn't know the menu when I asked about an ingredient. He went to go ask. He finally came back with a waitress cause they were going to share the duty. The new waitress was awesome. Knew the menu, made the proper introductions, etc. Too bad the food didn't live up. The apps were yummy. But the entres were mediocre. My Fiance's fish looked like hotel food swimming in butter. My wild boar was in a dish that made it very awkward to cut. It was a bit fatty but tasted alright. Now we know why they had to run a Gilt City coupon.
(3)
Dale P.
A huge fan of the New Orleans Hot BBQ Shrimp at the Red Light in Miami (a menu item I had heard the chef brought with him to Florida Cookery), I was ready to love this place - and we started with a large order of the bbq shrimp. The flavors were just not there at all and the normally delicious buttery, lemony, peppery, spicy, savory sauce I had my chops set for was instead this charcoal-grey colored watery, nearly flavorless mess I didn't want to sop up with the fresh baguette (that they don't serve here!). The shrimp looked grey and undercooked. Here's the deal. Forgetting the lack of seasoning in the sauce, Florida Cookery has made a very unfortunate lighting choice, using orange tinted ceiling lights (perhaps LED) throughout. This basically causes any food item with a naturally brownish orange tint in natural light (like shrimp, or fish that has been pan seared for instance) to appear charcoal grey/beige at night - not colors one normally thinks of as mouthwatering One of our guests pulled out her bright orange wallet, and it looked dull beige in this lighting. Our other guest was wearing a pastel blue shirt - it too looked beige. The green beans were charcoal green...you get my point. Eating is a visual experience, and sadly this food needs more help than just changing a few light bulbs can provide. I had the conch chowder (it was 90 degrees outside on a July evening, dining al fresco, what was I thinking?). This serving bowl sized dish of "chowder" had a cornstarch shine to it, and the corn kernels were far larger than any conch in the dish. They ground the conch from what I could tell so there was no typical chewy texture from this conch chowder. They should rename this "corn chowder with ground conch". It was pleasantly spiced, but they need to rethink the size as a starter (and rethink the price while they're at it). The pecan crusted grouper was the highlight. (Meh.) I've had better fish dishes in chain hotel dining rooms. I REALLY wanted to like this restaurant. The $$$$ price point is not at all justified based on my experience tonight, and I don't plan to give them another chance. Service was good. (We arrived at 8 PM on a Saturday night and there were only a handful of people in the large poolside dining outdoor dining room.) FLORIDA COOKERY - PLEASE HAVE A LIGHTING SPECIALIST HELP YOU FIX THIS! GREY FOOD IS NOT APPETIZING AND IT'S KILLING ANY CHANCE YOU HAVE OF MAKING IT HERE. PLEASE ADJUST YOUR MENU TO TASTE MORE LIKE THE FOOD AT RED LIGHT - BECAUSE THIS FOOD HAS NO SOUL WHATSOEVER. YOU'RE GIVING FLORIDA CUISINE A BAD NAME (In my humble opinion.)
(2)
Carter B.
We went during Spice Week, so our experience might be quite a bit different than the average reviewer. My wife and I went with the pre fix menu options. I had the conch chowder, oxtail, and chocolate lava cake. My wife had a tomato arugula salad, the fresh yellowfish, and key lime pie. Every item was delicious, interesting, and worth the money spent. The service was great. We ordered a couple pisco sours (off the drink menu) which were actually kind of terrible, but I don't fault the Florida Cookery for that (and god bless the concierge who ran out for a bottle of pisco since they had run out earlier in the week). Overall it was a great eating experience, and we'd go again on another week to see if they hold up outside of Spice week.
(4)
Nancy M.
We're from NYC and this restaurant was described as. "foodie" restaurant - so far from the truth! Very expensive, appetizers ok, entrees not so much. So many great restaurants in South Beach, but this is definitely not one of them!!
(2)
Vanessa M.
Well, I came to Florida Cookery after my NYC transplant friend requested I take her somewhere new, fresh, and with "fabulous drinks." Florida Cookery was a good choice. They have a very unique menu in that everything is Florida-inspired in the least expected non-traditional way. Why? Because when you think Florida food the last thing that will probably come to mind is SWAMP. But I had things I've never tried before, like frog legs and alligator empanadas, both surprisingly delicious for my first time ever trying them. The oysters with the fire-passion mignonette sauce--I have no idea what it is, but it blew my tastebuds away. Some more expected Florida dishes like the vaca frita were spot on--so soft and tender, I barely had to chew it. The pecan-crusted grouper was also a winner. I especially loved the cheese grit cake it came with. Fries were perfectly crisp and the ketchup is homemade! The service was great and very accommodating. As far as drinks, I highly recommend The Floridian. Delicious! The restaurant was a bit quiet for a Friday night, but I'm looking forward to returning when all of Miami catches on the greatness of this place.
(4)
Brittany R.
Did Valentine's dinner here. The driveway coming up was a disaster because the roof of the hotel is large enough to cover one car, despite that the drive way can hold up to 30. Talk about a poor redesign... Got in around 10-10:30 due to the rain. We were late for our reservation and the hostess told us to just have a cocktail at the bar because there was a wait due to being late. Went to the bar for about half an hour, 10:30 rolls around and I go up to ask what's going on, and there must have been 15 empty tables in the restaurant. You've got to be kidding... We loved all of the food, everything we had was great. Lobster, wild boar, shrimp, and conch chowder. We ordered a second beer and she brought out an entirely different beer. Not even the same color. The waitress pays no attention. The decor is really off in here. It's like are you trying to be Modern? Deco? Rustic? The food was so good, but everything else just sucked-
(3)
Jay Z.
I never would have come across Florida Cookery had it not been for a recommendation from Miami blogger Food For Thought who is a big fan of Chef Kris Wessel from his previous restaurant, Red Light. I'm very glad I did though as this may be the best spot on South Beach for great food without pretension or (much of) a scene. Florida Cookery is located in the James Hotel, although "hidden" may be the better term here. There are no signs once you walk into the hotel and you have to walk all the way to the back then up two flights of stairs to find it. Once you do though, you're rewarded with a cool, sleek modern space overlooking the pool with the crashing waves of the Atlantic in the distance. Add in friendly and attentive service and music and patron noise at the right level and you have one of South Beach's most pleasant hotel dining experiences. The only issue with the location is perhaps the world's longest walk to the bathroom (which is outside the restaurant, down a flight of stairs and a long hallway.) So if you're decked out in traditional South Beach attire with the 8-inch stilettos, you may want to pee before you go. The menu is fresh and local, with a nod to the diverse heritage of Florida cooking (think pecan-dusted grouper w/ grits, gator empanadas, creole oxtail). Yes,probably half the restaurants in South Beach make this claim. But while most charge the same amount ($15 apps, $25+ entrees), few do it this well. It's also one of the rare restaurants where I would have been happy eating anything on the menu. And on a recent Saturday night, it was inexplicably only about half-full. So get in before the secret gets out. Here are my thoughts on what we ordered. You can find more photos on DishEnvy. Oxtail, Oyster & Alligator Empanadas (2/4) If you're into empanadas (who isn't?) these are a solid way to start your meal. The oyster was a little strange, but the lemon cayenne sauce makes everything better. Kris' Biscayne Blvd Shrimp (3/4) Grilled and covered in a spicy tangy sauce somewhat reminiscent of Worcestershire that you'll want to lick out of the bowl. Fortunately it comes with baguettes to soak it up so you won't have to. Goat Cheese Broiled (2/4) Great mix of hot/cold elements with the baked goat cheese and hot tomatoes against the cool arugula and cucumber salsa. Really transforms a basic sounding salad. "Florida is the South" Pecan Dusted Grouper (3/4) Sweet pecan, salty cheese grits and citrusy sauce. It's surprisingly a fairly light but it packs a ton of flavor nonetheless. Key Lime & Tomato Mahi Mahi (1/4) The tomato and lime combined for a dish I found a little heavy on the acid. You do get a nice cut of mahi mahi, but there are too many great options here to settle for this.
(5)
Monica A.
Really interesting extreme-local food concept. The only problem was the pricey valet (standard South Beach, 20 bucks, meh) and the fact that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I expected a loud, trendy atmosphere but I was pleasantly surprised at the quiet, casual ambiance. The servers and staff are quite attentive and accommodating. They were happy to box up all of the food that we tried so hard to finish but were unable. It's a very fish-heavy menu but the flavors are perfectly paired. The rib appetizer was succulent but probably contributed to the satiety fatigue we then experienced and could barely touch our actual meals. This is a lovely place for locals who are looking for a relaxed fine dining experience.
(4)
Katie F.
Found a Gilt City coupon and ended up using it the last day it was vaild (over Hip Hop weekend to boot)....after seeing "eh" reviews about this place I was hoping the 1 1/2 hours we were stuck in traffic were going to be worth it. It was a girls night out, just my Mother and I and we were greeted by two lovely women at the hostess stand. It was very empty for a Saturday night, but we didn't mind that at all. The atmosphere is awesome, open air, open walls, fans blowing air, so there was no stagnant humid feeling. The decor was very organic looking, natural to go with the theme of Florida farm to table food. The cocktails were great - fruity, fresh and fun (my Mom had something with strawberries and rum...I just had a red sangria - with assorted berries in it - a nice change up from the typical apples and grapes!). I started with a quail salad...not great, the quail was small and delicate, so it was overcooked and tough to cut off the bone. Skip it. My Mom had a crab salad, it was light, refreshing and pleasant, a great starting dish. As a main dish I opted for the pecan crusted grouper. It was amazing. It was topped with a butter sauce to die for! BEWARE: If you are a health nut, this is NOT the dish for you! Between the buttery sauce, pecans and the delicate fish, it tasted like I was eating a praline. Melt in your mouth goodness. I think there were veggies (fresh string beans) but who cares? The fish was delicious. My Mom had a special, the pork chop, braised with local veggies and served with a cheddar polenta cake. Quite tasty and the portion was HUGE...we took the rest home and made fajitas the following night....and they were delicious too! Overall, aside from the disappointing quail salad, the food was great. I would definitely go back for the grouper, drinks and to try some of the other "Florida" menu items. Like most places in South Beach the food is OVERPRICED. It's not just this restaurant, it's EVERY restaurant. I wouldn't go out to eat without my Gilt City voucher...teachers don't get paid enough to indulge, so Gilt City keep up the good work! If it were
(4)
E-and-K R.
The food and service were fantastic. We had a mixture of the Miami Spice menu, and assorted items from the general menu (hint: the alligator, oxtail, and oyster empanadas are to die for, and the conch bisque is amazing). Wine selection was amazing, and the pairings were superb. Staff was courteous, friendly, and very knowledgeable. Our only issue was the price, the food was quite a bit over priced, but that's par for the course for Miami Beach.
(3)
Tovah F.
My mother was in town visiting and had read about this place in the New York Times. When we arrived, the hostess was bubbly and charming. We sat outside near the pool. The sever took 15 to take our drink order and another 10 to bring us our drinks even though only 5 tables were occupied. He took our order and we ordered appetizers and entrees. When our food arrived it was all at once and we had to send our entrees back to keep warm. The clams and the shrimp appetizer were ok but nothing special. My mom got the vaca frita and I got the boar chops. Her entree was mediocre while my chops were actually very good, but not good enough to ever come back to eat here again.
(2)
James W.
Florida Cookery has pretty decent food but has been painfully slow the couple of times we've eaten there during our stay at the James Royal Palm - including over an hour wait for our food after ordering at lunch today. If they can fix their service time it would be a pretty good beach spot.
(3)
Vivian G.
My girlfriend bought a Gilt City voucher for the Florida Cookery and we went on Sunday, Mother's Day, for dinner. I had read the mixed reviews and was anticipating good food, but not-so-good service. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the hostess and given our choice of tables. Once we were seated, a server assistant asked about our water preference, still, sparkling or "city". A few minutes later the server approached us and I gave her the voucher. She asked if we knew what was included in the voucher and asked for our drink order. A few minutes later our drinks arrived and about 5 minutes after that our server reappeared to take our order. Great timing! She was friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable about the menu. We started with the BBQ shrimp, had a couple of salads and I ordered the snapper special. Being a native Miamian, I expect nothing but fresh seafood and Florida Cookery did not disappoint. The BBQ shrimp was outstanding. The salad, goat cheese and tomatoes, was great too and the snapper, main course, was absolutely delicious. I went to this restaurant with low expectations, but they made a believer out of me. We avoid the beach like the plague. Too many mediocre restaurants with lousy service, too little parking and way too many people. However, I will be definitely be back to Florida Cookery. Great service and outstanding food. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is because the cocktails were just ok.
(4)
Rachel R.
well, what can i say. not impressed. service was fine. wine was very pricey and my salad was not that good.
(2)
Jennifer C.
I'm already sorry for writing this review because the manager and waiter were so kind and polite and tried everything to rectify our evening. I also feel guilty because Kris Wessel is well known in Miami for making some killer food at Red Light in Little River, which made people flock to the hood for his cooking....Which is why I came to Florida Cookery. The menu SOUNDED great which must mean Kris wrote it. But the food tasted awful, which means he was absent from the kitchen. We started with the Frog Legs, which sat in a pool of sour orange "sauce" soggying up the crisp breading. The meat itself was tough and stringing and very under seasoned. Then came our Duck Confit that too sat in a "sauce" that had the strong taste of aluminum and canned pineapple juice (even though pineapple was no where on the dishes description). Our side of Calabaza Hash came next and with less than 10% made from Calabaza what we instead had was some roasted potatoes. But those were seasoned well. At this point we called off the rest of the meal and asked for the check because it was really that awful. The waiter apologized and immediately let the manger know. He comped our whole meal even though I begged to at least pay for my drinks. They refused so I ended up tipping the waiter anyway and praying that something changes asap.
(1)
Martin P.
Spent a few days at the James and expected to sample several restaurants in the area, but ended up eating most of our meals at the Florida Cookery. They really take fresh, local, and seasonal cuisine to a new level. The Grouper they served just happened to be a local variety that was running in the area that week and I can't say I've ever sampled fresher. There was a focus on serving vegetables and fruits that were in season. Service was impeccable. The views of the shore just added to the overall beautiful ambiance. We can't wait to get back to the Florida Cookery at the James Royal Palm.
(5)
Joel S.
I'll start off saying this place was probably closer to 2.5 stars rather than 3 stars. Well, where do I start. I will say that I really wanted to love this place - and honestly the place wasn't all that bad and I'll even say that if it was a stand alone it would probably have been ever better. Looking back on my meal, the thing that really got me was the value - terrible value (more on this later). We started with the ceviche and conch "fritters". I don't know exactly what a fritter is really but these didn't look like conch fritters - they looked like conch fingers. Now that I am typing it maybe it said conch fingers - oh well. The ceviche was excellent and the fritters were meh at best. They weren't crispy at all and you could barely tell there was conch in them. Joe's fritters are WAY better. The main dishes were solid - I got the snapper special and my friend got the grouper. The grouper took a while for the flavor to come out but the snapper was pretty solid. We tried the key lime pie for desert. It wasn't really a traditional pie - no graham cracker crust - it was in like a little bowl thing - it probably has a name, but I don't know what its called. It was tasty enough, but the crust was stuck to the bottom. We also got a glass of wine each. Oh - I almost forgot - at the start they asked if we wanted sparking or still water. Silly me thought this was going to be like so many places now where they bring you some good water for a couple of bucks per person - wrong - we got a bottle of water for who knows how much. I felt like a sucker (cue cartoon picture of my head turning into a lollipop). I should also mention the bread. Really pretty poor for a place that aspires to be great. It seemed like sliced cuban bread or something. One serving wasn't even toasted or warm - the second serving was toasted and a bit better. Anyway the bill came out to be about 160 bucks (18% added in). I am not scared of an expensive meal, but this just didn't seem worth it at all. I don't really eat in the hotel restaurants around town very often and I think this might be why. Again, while the food wasn't awful and the service wasn't awful there are so many better places to go with better prices. PS - the music was great!!!!!
(3)
Lisa D.
We came here on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty much empty. We were one of four tables in there, however, that did not seem to help us out when it came to getting good service. It took a very long time before someone came and took our order. We ordered the empanadas to start off with, then I ordered the chicken lemon soup and goat cheese salad as my entree. About 40 minutes later, they arrived with all the food (instead of empanadas first). I dug in to the bowl of chicken lemon soup first. I've had the Greek version of chicken lemon soup, so I was expecting some version of that. Not the case. It was as if they had taken a glass of water, squeezed a lemon in to it, and then threw in a few chunks of chicken. It was completely flavorless. At $9 for the bowl of soup, I expected a little more. The homestead goat cheese salad was good. Overall, this place is relatively pricey for the level of service you receive and the quality of the food - especially considering all the other great restaurant options in the area. We went to Khong River house the next night, where our bill was relatively the same, and had a completely different experience. The service there was amazing and the food was fantastic and well worth the prices. If you are staying at the hotel and do not want to leave, this place will do in a pinch, but do not order the soup and don't have high expectations.
(2)
Charissa P.
I went with my husband and sister (visiting from out of town). I had a gilt city voucher that expires this Saturday may 25 (our waiter, however, without even looking at the voucher said that it was no longer valid. I think he could have been a little more respectful of the fact that patrons know more especially when it's written on the voucher.) Unfortunately, I waited last minute and needed to make sure I took advantage of deal. At the end -the deal was not a deal. The service was ok and the food that we ordered was not spectacular for the price we paid at the end. The Gilt City voucher was for 78 and the "deal" was one app to share, two salads, two entrees and side to share. Not bad I thought and the only limitation was not ordering gaucho steak. Then there was my sister who had to order from menu without the deal and she ordered the veal chops (which were so chewy and hard to eat) she had to change to grouper (to the chagrin of the waiter it seemed) She also ordered the shrimp and a cocktail. At the end they charged her the price if the lobster (that my husband ordered as part of gilt city) the waiter tried to explain that was the minimum they had to charge for the additional person outside of the voucher (what a load of...) but we didnt complain - simply signed the 104 dollar bill and vowed to never come back to Florida Cookery. I would not recommend. Too bad - it's a nice ambience and the decor was well done.
(2)
Hnedel M.
We had lunch here for my girlfriend's birthday and was glad we did. One of the best charred octopus I've had. Their grouper cheek w/ clams was great as well. The service was a bit slow but it wasn't an issue for us because we were enjoying the scenery and not in a rush. They were also great about making her birthday experience special w/ free prosecco, decorated dessert plate etc. small things but it all made for great time.
(4)
Andrew H.
Been meaning to check out this newest installment from Kris Wessel (formerly of Red Light in the Upper East Side neighborhood) for several months since its opening at the newly updated James Hotel on the Beach. I applaud the effort to bring back "unpretentious Florida cuisine", despite the fact that there's still a bit of pretense here given it's South Beach. The menu takes some cues from Red Light (Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp), and offers some new features as well. Frog legs, alligator and several fish options are complemented by vaca fritta and ceviche to round out a real Florida menu. Cocktail menu was interesting and really well executed. Wine list was tight but really overpriced. Service was attentive and not obtrusive. The food was solid, portions were generous, but the bill was steep too (with 18% gratuity automatically included - I hate that but I understand on the Beach). Overall - it was a good option for Miami Beach locals, just not the tremendous "value" I was hoping for. We'll be back again.
(4)
Judy Z.
Wow.... We hand an outstanding meal..... Yucca fries were extraordinary.... Our waiter, Joel, was outstanding..... Great suggestions.... Each one a hit.... Stopped by the lobby bar for a nightcap.... Great evening.... Everyone treated us like VIPs.....
(5)
MiMi V.
Went to hotel with a party of five. We were greeted quickly and seated. Not exactly sure why but the restaurant was giving service on the first floor near the pool, which was fine because the weather was nice. Almost empty dining area but it was only 6 in SOBE so that was expected. Waitress came by with drinks (FYI, the charge is per drink for nonalcoholic drinks, so for those who care it's an extra charge for refills but whatever). The waiters and waitresses seem to work as a team. However, they are not terribly well informed. If someone says they have a food allergy, they aren't kidding. The response to "does this have nuts" should probably be checked on. The waiter looked at us blankly and shrugged. Yeah, remind me to come back here and sue the hotel in case they slip me a macadamia nut when I said no nuts. The waitress was very dense, took our appetizer orders. Then 5 minutes later seized our menus. We had to holler at her we hadn't had a chance to put in our entree order. Her excuse was that she didn't want the paper menus to get dirty and thought we had made up our minds. As our appetizers arrived, I thought a more competent waiter had arrived. Quiet thin African American fella' who was shockingly one of the best waiters we've ever had! Knew the menu and served the food correctly! Ladies first and always always serve food from one side and clear from the other! Omg! A properly trained waiter? We were surprised to find out he was the busboy and not the waiter. The waiter was some idiot who came by twice to dump the food in front of us and even with the food in front of him couldn't explain what the food was (IE. I asked him what the ice cream was that was on the two dessert plates and he says sorbet on one, it was vanilla, and vanilla for the other, it was macadamia nut- oh to sue this place would be so easy, hear that management? Your wait staff wants to take you down). Ah, but the food. Sounds adventurous but was not. Appetizers: oxtail (flavorless), chicken (OK) and alligator (could've been ground beef as it lacked favor and I'm from Louisiana so I know good alligator and this ain't it) empanadas, over salted and sour frozen frog legs served beneath overdressed salad, OK but salty guanababa ribs. I will say that the BBQ shrimp were good though we asked for some bread from the waitress for dipping and it arrived 10 minutes later. Entrees: Grouper "bought and selected from boats". That's it, I'm never going to let anyone order fish in Miami again, those boats must be docked in another area code cuz fresh it was not. (2people ordered). 24 hr chicken - tasted like roasted chicken, not memorable at all. Mashed potatoes were OK. Wild boar requested med to med rare. That boar must've put up one helluva fight, cuz that was one tough piece of meat and was cooked med well done. Now I know there are some squeamish people who think pork needs to be all but leather to eat. But a chef who uses high quality meat and knows what they are doing should have no problems doing med-rare pork. It was unimpressive to say the least. Now at the onset of order we asked the waitress if they could be grilled to order, she said they normally do it well done but we could order med rare. Sigh, if she had just told us no we could've just ordered something else. There was another entree but I don't remember it. Btw, the lighting needs to be improved. As the evening progressed the light was very yellowish and cast a rather unappetizing glow on the food and people. The very beautiful people of Miami turned odd pasty shades. Dessert was a chocolate cake which was ok and a dry pineapple rum cake that seriously sucked the moisture out of your mouth it was So dry. That was a first for me for a pineapple cake. Dinner check had gratuity already included, standard for Miami. Came to $323 for 5 people, no alcoholic drinks and seldom refilled beverages. We slipped the busboy extra cash since he was really good and really hope gets promoted or moves to better situation. Considered the gratuity more than the waitress deserved...waaaay more.
(2)
ROCKITSOBE L.
Wow, I have a great first review. Finally got back there this past Saturday was so looking forward to shrimp dish. It had a new name on menu, but I was assured by waiter only name changed but same exact dish. The dish was not the same at all second time sauce was like water and no flavor or spice!!! The garlic romaine salad was not good almost soggy. I mentioned to waiter about the shrimp dish his response, 'what would like me to do about it?' I replied, I would like it like the first time ordering it as I was told it didn't change. He simply walked away. We also didn't get the 20% Yelp discount, but he may not of heard me. I will take blame for that one. So disappointed as I was looking for new weekend brunch spot.
(1)
Sofia T.
All these 5 star reviews, really? Located on the second floor in the back of a hotel, the dining room is stark, lots of hard surfaces making for a noisy room. Not impressed. Server started with a canned spiel about how Chef Kris is striving to bring back Florida cuisine, the tastes of the South and Caribbean, or something like that. We've heard a lot about this chef, but the food didn't live up it his reputation, or maybe he wasn't cooking on a recent Saturday night? --I rarely eat bread, but while on vacay, might indulge, but this bread was horrible! Thin stale slices, no thanks! Not a great way to start... --Kris's Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp are supposedly famous, but they were overcooked and rubbery. Total disappointment -"Roast Garlic and Lemon Drenched Romaine with parmesan & green olive tapenade toast" sounded better than it was. Have had this "drenched" romaine elsewhere much better (and preferably not drenched), but the toast was toasty--I mean, tasty. --Stone crab claws. I know they're expensive, but there was literally 1/4 teaspoon of meat and @$18/claw a complete rip off! When mentioned to the waitress, she said this time of year the meat sometimes gets stuck to the shells. Huh? The previous night, elsewhere, they were just perfect. --Sticky Guanabana Glazed Ribs only tasted of heavy smoke, no glaze. My bf said he was burping up that smokey grossness until the wee hours of the morning. --Pollo la Brasa, 24 hour marinade and slow roast chicken, purple & gold papas. The only standout dish we sampled. If the rest of the meal was like this, it would have been a winner. :( And why is the tip automatically included? I don't think we look like cheapskates! Would I return here? Nope.
(2)
Christopher E.
Kris does it again!!! I have been a fan of his since 2001 & he just keeps getting better. Have the oysters served w/the frozen mignonette- pepper with just a hint of passion fruit: unique, refreshing & delicious. The fish was outstanding and the service was great. Will be back soon to try the lunch menu.
(5)
Mindy G.
The oysters came with a salty spicy passionfruit sorbet, one of the most interesting things we've ever tasted. The chef's specialty shrimp was extremely tasty. The lobster came with 2 sides and was enormous. Try the bread pudding and key lime pie for dessert. Wait staff were excellent. Nice quiet ambiance. Will definitely be going back!
(5)
Ellen A.
5 girlfriends and I showed up at 11p on a Fri night looking for some grub while we were waiting for the clubs to open, but were disappointed to hear that they had just closed. There was a man drinking a beer at the bar, and the bartender let us know he was the chef and that he was going to go back and open the restaurant for us! They brought us out an amuse bouche which was a really delicious and perfectly cooked piece of fish w/ local fresh veggies. We also split the ribs, alligator, burger and cheese plate. Everything was delicious! But the best part were the employees - Landon and John were awesome and Chef Chris even came out to hang w/ us. It made for a great night!!
(4)
Amara B.
My friends and I went here for our last night in Miami. We had a reservation for 8. When we arrived there was no hostess. Our party stood there while other staff members watch us and don't offer to help us. At one point, we took initiative and sat ourselves. There were about 5-7 parties of less than 4 people seated. It wasn't busy at all. The waiter was very nice because he realized how long we waited for our seats. We also had to wait a long time for our drinks. There was just a lot of waiting for this place. The food was pretty good. I ordered the salmon which was cooked great. However, I got the Mac and Goat Cheese. It was basically penne noodles with a little cheese. It was the WORST mac and cheese I have had and it cost too much to be that terrible. I would never go back to this place. I don't suggest you waste your hard earned money at this place. Go somewhere where the service is better and the food matches the price tag.
(2)
Lo T.
TERRRIBLEEEE!!!! Food is terrible. Do not waste your money here!! Came here as a last minute decision. It's expensive and has minimal taste. I ordered the salmon sliders and they were overcooked. My friends ordered the burger which went unfinished and they love burgers. Alligator empanadas also had the bare minimal taste if at all. To top off the bad food, it was about $50/person without alcohol. 5 days in south beach, didn't get bit by mosquitoes but an hour in this place got all of us at least 5 bites in the leg. They have a huge issue with mosquitoes. Stay away from this place. We should have known when we walked in that it would be terrible.
(1)
Alex C.
I won't even elaborate too much like I normally would. Stark decor. Stale bread. Terrible bartender. Calabasa Hash is full of grease/oil. My veal vaca frita was 3 tiny triangular patties. First off, vaca frita should be shredded, one should be told upon ordering that it isn't your typical vaca frita. My portion on my plate looked like an appetizer compared to everyone else's dinner at my table. I ate my vaca frita in 5 or 6 bites maximum. Not impressed and doubt I would go back. Terrible Saturday night meal - Top 5 worse meals in my book for the whopping $90 per head at my table.
(1)
Mimi M.
Amazing experience. I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere. The only weird thing was the choice in music. I am not sure what was going on but I got over it fast. Best part was my Palm Spring Salad and Orange Confetti Stone crabs
(5)
Valentina B.
Went here for lunch and had the catch of the day ( seared tuna ) with some tea. It was all very good and super fresh. We were greeted and seated right away. Someone got drinks for us right away and the manager came by to tell us about the menu since the server was busy, he also took our order. The food was out with a timely manner. Very pleased with the service and food, would definitely come back and recommend to try.
(5)
Jason H.
Since Starwood recently took this over everything is a mess. The pool bar and restaurant is bedlam at meal times. In off hours it seems fine. The food was ok but over priced. The staff are friendly but totally ill-equipped. It took 45 min for our food to arrive once ordered. We didn't see a wait person for 20 min; the hostess took our order and literally had to phone it in. Wait staff don't wear any kind of uniform or name tag (which normally I don't pay much attention to) but it's impossible to tell who works there. I'm really shocked that Starwood Hotels wouldn't be on top of this.
(2)
Laura R.
The service was so, so, so, so BAD!!!!!!!!!! It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water, one hour for our food to come and our drinks to be served. We told the manager that our service was slow and she told us that it "wasn't the service, it was the kitchen." The food was just OK. We each ordered the burger or the BLT. It was a decent meal for a ridiculous price. $50 each for a burger and a pitcher ($75 a pitcher!). Will not be coming back here.
(1)
Jared W.
My wife and I went to dinner here with some friends while we were in town. The service was very good. They even made sure to get a fan put next to our table, as we were eating outside in August. The wine list offered plenty of selection, and the drinks were good as well. The food was very good. It was well prepared, and utilized a lot of local ingredients. We were able to share amongst the four of us, and we all enjoyed it. Overall, it might be a bit pricey for what you get, but we would certainly dine here again.
(4)
Carolina M.
I liked it. The place is gorgeous and the restaurant has patio seating which is great for Miami (when is not 100 degrees out). We tried the Miami Spice menu and the portions were good and the flavors were amazing. Creative and fun cooking. I def have to be back and try more from their regular menu. Not sure if they serve brunch but it would be an ideal place for brunch. The hotel is gorgeous i cant wait to stay there. The service was great, very friendly and good recommendations from our waiter. Good times.
(4)
Misty B.
The service can't be beat. Servers are energetic, attentive, fast and uber-friendly. The wine list is a bit shallow -- no cabs or merlots on this list. The menu is an interpretation of Florida cuisine and quite approachable; I was thrilled to see and try the octopus on the appetizer list. All in all, not bad at all. Happy to return.
(4)
LaLa K.
Very very disappointed. I arrived at 10:30 for breakfast and did not receive my meal until 11:50. Which I'm completely dumbfounded by since there were only 7 tables in the entire restaurant. Several people complained and they recieved free mimosa's/apps, they also recieved their food before mine's even though I arrived 15-20 min before them. Maybe my waiter would have offered me something had he been around and not joking around with his co-worker's. As a person who has worked in the service industry as a host/waiter/expo/cook I know a lot about good service. It's very easy. Check on your guest every so often, keep drinks refilled, and if the kitchen is backed up, keep them informed. The whole 50 min I sat there my orange juice was never refilled. I saw a waitress busting her butt to keep her tables happy, refilling drinks, asking the guest if they needed anything, running food, giving checks. Where was my waiter this whole time? Standing beside the bar looking at me look at him (this guy seriously had 2 table's and couldn't keep my orange juice full!) Besides the service the food was a great disappointment. I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was the worst thing I've ever tasted, ever. It taste like lemon paste and my "hash potatoes" where cold and flavorless. When the waiter finally came over to check on me and ask how everything was going. I told him "not so good" he said "Great!" and disappeared for 30 more minutes. I expect that service from a restaurant on ocean drive but not from a hotel I'm paying $400+ a night for. I never complained or yelled like the other guess, I was not rude, I even tipped. But there is one thing I can guarantee, I will never ever ever ever ever dine here again. Ever!
(1)
Rebecca S.
seriously, that's the omelet you're going to give me, a good 45 minutes later on an uncrowded day (really like 3 tables, 2 others left because they could see no one was actually doing any work after they hadn't been attended to after 10 min.)? booooring, but worse, OILY! and don't make me wait that long for the most mediocre breakfast and not even hot toast. calabazza hash my a$$, that is boring, oily (are you picking up the theme here?) tasteless potatoes with a few random pieces of squash thrown in to pretend you're a real restaurant. get it together guys. usually Miami Eater gives great recommendations, this one was a total fail. Mediocre would have been an aspiration.
(1)
Andy R.
We went for lunch on Saturday for Miami Spice. It's worth the visit just to see The James Hotel which is stunningly designed and features the work of regional artists. Only the outdoor patio space of the restaurant was open which was fine as most of it is covered and many fans help keep it comfortable. It's a great view from which to watch beautiful people going to and from the beach. I want to give the Cookery special kudos for not only giving us the Miami Spice menu but also highlighting it when we were seated. Many times participating restaurants seem to hide the fact they have a special menu. I was disappointed, however, to discover that menu items that had been featured online for their Miami Spice menu were not available. Only 2 entrees were offered, neither of which appealed to me. I ordered the roasted garlic and lemon salad with chicken, which was essentially a very good chicken Caesar priced at an expensive $18. My partner did have the special menu which started with a creamy burratta garnishes with a fried green tomato and corn salsa. His snapper entree was very good and the finale of a small key lime tart was exquisite. The service was very friendly and attentive, though we were never brought the cornbread we saw on other tables. The Florida Cookery is definitely worth a visit
(3)
E S.
We went for a late lunch, and the food was delicious! We had grapefruit corvina ceviche, sticky guanabana ribs and conch fritter chowder. You could actually taste the strawberry in the strawberry mojito. It's a lovely restaurant, and I love the idea of Florida cuisine. The service was attentive and friendly. Only error was that the alligator/oyster/oxtail empanada dish, which was supposed to include one of each, instead had two oyster empanadas. But it was so tasty we ate it anyway.
(4)
Ryne P.
The food was pricey, as expected, and also delicious. Portion sizes are reasonable and the service was great! I definitely recommend getting the empanadas even if it's just to sample share with a few others. I would have given this place 4 stars, but there were two things that's brought it down. First, they had a problem with Mosquitos. My leg was all bit up within a few minutes of sitting down. They did offer Off (it helped!) but my leg was already very itchy. The Mosquitos affected a few other tables too. Two couples relocated to another area of the patio. Second, the pork empanadas was cold...ice cold! The restaurant did replace he cold empanada though. So overall, the food was good and the service was responsive
(3)
Ana G.
We entered the main restaurant only to be redirected to the outdoor patio because they were having a private event inside. I had read about this in a couple of the reviews, which leads me to think private events are their bread and butter while the restaurant gets the sloppy seconds. The terrace was lovely and breezy but the chairs were extremely uncomfortable and I found myself constantly shifting positions throughout the evening. After our waiter seated us at our outdoor table, he handed us menus and a beverage list. It was a short and unimpressive wine list. After deciding on one of their average overpriced bottles from that list the waiter happily informed us that there is a more extensive wine list. Why he didn't offer it to us from the beginning is beyond me. It was an improvement although they did not have the wine I had chosen. They did offer us another similar wine for the cost of the other wine. Nice touch. The empanadas, especially the ropa vieja, were delicious. Before we could take the last tiradito from the plate, the waiter swooped in to clear the plates. JV move. The waiters were apparently confused about who ordered what, bringing us entrees that were ordered by another table. I ordered the flounder but since they were out of flounder they substituted with cobia. It was cooked perfectly. It was supposed to be accompanied by carrots and coconut rice fritters but there was only one lonely, sickly-looking carrot and the rice balls had no discernible coconut flavor. My friend's pork chop was insipid and mostly fat. While the flan was perfectly dense and flavorful and the churros light and airy, the dessert list was uninventive. I thought the food overpriced for the quality. The waiter did manage to impress me with one courtesy which is conspicuously lacking in almost all waiters I've encountered. He asked us if we'd like our wine glasses refilled (!). It is the height of bad manners and rudeness when waiters intrude into your space to top off glasses without asking. Cheers to our waiter who got it right.
(3)
K L.
The food here was excellent-some of the best in Miami. I'd highly recommend the conch chowder and the grouper. Both were excellent! I give this place four stars instead of five because the service was very slow. We waited almost an hour for our appetizers. The wait staff was slow to clear our plates, and our sides came out after most of our party had already finished their entrees. However, the staff was very friendly and took all of the sides off of our bill due to the delay without our even asking. Fortunately, the food was worth the wait and compensated for the sub-par service.
(4)
Jay K.
Horrible service. We were invited to the unveiling of their summer menu which included free wine and a tasting of their new apps. Well unfortunately due to some transportation issues and accidents on the way there, we didnt make it on time and decided to go to the cookery for dinner. Since we didnt have a reservation we were told it would be 20 mins to honor ppl that did have reservations. Even though there was only 3 tables occupied, we said no problem. We waited 30 mins and after not 1 person walking past us, we asked the hostess how much longer. She ssid she needed to ask her manager, who wouldnot come out ofthe kitchen, becuase she was too "busy". So after waiting another ten mins, no one else showing up, and only 3 tables being occupied we decided to leave. They lost a party of four that hadnt eaten since brunch. Dont waste your time, if they dont care about their patrons, I wonder what else they dont care about (clean dishes, quality ingrediants, etc).
(1)
Lo T.
TERRRIBLEEEE!!!! Food is terrible. Do not waste your money here!! Came here as a last minute decision. It's expensive and has minimal taste. I ordered the salmon sliders and they were overcooked. My friends ordered the burger which went unfinished and they love burgers. Alligator empanadas also had the bare minimal taste if at all. To top off the bad food, it was about $50/person without alcohol. 5 days in south beach, didn't get bit by mosquitoes but an hour in this place got all of us at least 5 bites in the leg. They have a huge issue with mosquitoes. Stay away from this place. We should have known when we walked in that it would be terrible.
(1)
Rosy G.
Very pleased with the food here. The manager recommended the catch of the day which was seared tuna. I travel eight months out of the year and eat at a lot of different places. I must say the tuna was cooled to the utmost perfection. It was served with delicious grilled vegetables. Perfect lunch portion. I highly recommend it.
(5)
Giancarlo B.
the chicken, beef & alligator empanadas are to die for, the best appetizer on the menu. Also the smoked chicken sandwich is delicious, it's tender and full of flavor. I can't wait to go back.
(5)
Dan F.
I don't understand how people can rank this place under a four star. I thought the food and service was perfect.
(5)
Matt W.
This was a really weird experience. We went on a Thursday evening and the place was completely dead. When we got there at 7pm there were 2 other couples in the whole place. When we left there were maybe 6 total. The bus girl was useless and very awkward about taking dishes, wiping the table, etc. First waiter didn't know the menu when I asked about an ingredient. He went to go ask. He finally came back with a waitress cause they were going to share the duty. The new waitress was awesome. Knew the menu, made the proper introductions, etc. Too bad the food didn't live up. The apps were yummy. But the entres were mediocre. My Fiance's fish looked like hotel food swimming in butter. My wild boar was in a dish that made it very awkward to cut. It was a bit fatty but tasted alright. Now we know why they had to run a Gilt City coupon.
(3)
Valentina B.
Went here for lunch and had the catch of the day ( seared tuna ) with some tea. It was all very good and super fresh. We were greeted and seated right away. Someone got drinks for us right away and the manager came by to tell us about the menu since the server was busy, he also took our order. The food was out with a timely manner. Very pleased with the service and food, would definitely come back and recommend to try.
(5)
Jason H.
Since Starwood recently took this over everything is a mess. The pool bar and restaurant is bedlam at meal times. In off hours it seems fine. The food was ok but over priced. The staff are friendly but totally ill-equipped. It took 45 min for our food to arrive once ordered. We didn't see a wait person for 20 min; the hostess took our order and literally had to phone it in. Wait staff don't wear any kind of uniform or name tag (which normally I don't pay much attention to) but it's impossible to tell who works there. I'm really shocked that Starwood Hotels wouldn't be on top of this.
(2)
Laura R.
The service was so, so, so, so BAD!!!!!!!!!! It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water, one hour for our food to come and our drinks to be served. We told the manager that our service was slow and she told us that it "wasn't the service, it was the kitchen." The food was just OK. We each ordered the burger or the BLT. It was a decent meal for a ridiculous price. $50 each for a burger and a pitcher ($75 a pitcher!). Will not be coming back here.
(1)
Jared W.
My wife and I went to dinner here with some friends while we were in town. The service was very good. They even made sure to get a fan put next to our table, as we were eating outside in August. The wine list offered plenty of selection, and the drinks were good as well. The food was very good. It was well prepared, and utilized a lot of local ingredients. We were able to share amongst the four of us, and we all enjoyed it. Overall, it might be a bit pricey for what you get, but we would certainly dine here again.
(4)
Ashley J.
I'm surprised this restaurant has an average of only three stars. The food was excellent, the service was excellent and the space was great. Our waiter was so kind and jovial. We had a great evening with him. We ate empanadas, seafood chowder, caesar salad, the cobia entree and the another fish (that I now can't remember-ack!), and the flan for dessert. Wine and coffee, too of course. The flan was really not great, but the churros it came with were delicious. Everything else was delicious. Inventive enough to warrant the prices. We even used a 20% off food deal from yelp, which was cool. I liked this place a lot and can see myself coming back.
(4)
Andrew S.
Stayed at the hotel so this was the only reason why we ate here. We lounged by the beach and pool and sampled some of the sandwich and appetizer selections. The food was prepared decently and were decent portion sizes. Stay away from the shrimp. There is 18% auto gratuity so there is not a lot of incentive for quick and timely service. However at times we did have satisfactory service and they were always friendly. Ok place to have for convenience but there is better in Miami for sure!
(3)
Shera B.
The ambiance is nice very polite staff but a small menu & the octopus was not good. The pomegranate cucumber mojito us divine! Good desserts as well
(3)
Andrew H.
Been meaning to check out this newest installment from Kris Wessel (formerly of Red Light in the Upper East Side neighborhood) for several months since its opening at the newly updated James Hotel on the Beach. I applaud the effort to bring back "unpretentious Florida cuisine", despite the fact that there's still a bit of pretense here given it's South Beach. The menu takes some cues from Red Light (Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp), and offers some new features as well. Frog legs, alligator and several fish options are complemented by vaca fritta and ceviche to round out a real Florida menu. Cocktail menu was interesting and really well executed. Wine list was tight but really overpriced. Service was attentive and not obtrusive. The food was solid, portions were generous, but the bill was steep too (with 18% gratuity automatically included - I hate that but I understand on the Beach). Overall - it was a good option for Miami Beach locals, just not the tremendous "value" I was hoping for. We'll be back again.
(4)
Judy Z.
Wow.... We hand an outstanding meal..... Yucca fries were extraordinary.... Our waiter, Joel, was outstanding..... Great suggestions.... Each one a hit.... Stopped by the lobby bar for a nightcap.... Great evening.... Everyone treated us like VIPs.....
(5)
MiMi V.
Went to hotel with a party of five. We were greeted quickly and seated. Not exactly sure why but the restaurant was giving service on the first floor near the pool, which was fine because the weather was nice. Almost empty dining area but it was only 6 in SOBE so that was expected. Waitress came by with drinks (FYI, the charge is per drink for nonalcoholic drinks, so for those who care it's an extra charge for refills but whatever). The waiters and waitresses seem to work as a team. However, they are not terribly well informed. If someone says they have a food allergy, they aren't kidding. The response to "does this have nuts" should probably be checked on. The waiter looked at us blankly and shrugged. Yeah, remind me to come back here and sue the hotel in case they slip me a macadamia nut when I said no nuts. The waitress was very dense, took our appetizer orders. Then 5 minutes later seized our menus. We had to holler at her we hadn't had a chance to put in our entree order. Her excuse was that she didn't want the paper menus to get dirty and thought we had made up our minds. As our appetizers arrived, I thought a more competent waiter had arrived. Quiet thin African American fella' who was shockingly one of the best waiters we've ever had! Knew the menu and served the food correctly! Ladies first and always always serve food from one side and clear from the other! Omg! A properly trained waiter? We were surprised to find out he was the busboy and not the waiter. The waiter was some idiot who came by twice to dump the food in front of us and even with the food in front of him couldn't explain what the food was (IE. I asked him what the ice cream was that was on the two dessert plates and he says sorbet on one, it was vanilla, and vanilla for the other, it was macadamia nut- oh to sue this place would be so easy, hear that management? Your wait staff wants to take you down). Ah, but the food. Sounds adventurous but was not. Appetizers: oxtail (flavorless), chicken (OK) and alligator (could've been ground beef as it lacked favor and I'm from Louisiana so I know good alligator and this ain't it) empanadas, over salted and sour frozen frog legs served beneath overdressed salad, OK but salty guanababa ribs. I will say that the BBQ shrimp were good though we asked for some bread from the waitress for dipping and it arrived 10 minutes later. Entrees: Grouper "bought and selected from boats". That's it, I'm never going to let anyone order fish in Miami again, those boats must be docked in another area code cuz fresh it was not. (2people ordered). 24 hr chicken - tasted like roasted chicken, not memorable at all. Mashed potatoes were OK. Wild boar requested med to med rare. That boar must've put up one helluva fight, cuz that was one tough piece of meat and was cooked med well done. Now I know there are some squeamish people who think pork needs to be all but leather to eat. But a chef who uses high quality meat and knows what they are doing should have no problems doing med-rare pork. It was unimpressive to say the least. Now at the onset of order we asked the waitress if they could be grilled to order, she said they normally do it well done but we could order med rare. Sigh, if she had just told us no we could've just ordered something else. There was another entree but I don't remember it. Btw, the lighting needs to be improved. As the evening progressed the light was very yellowish and cast a rather unappetizing glow on the food and people. The very beautiful people of Miami turned odd pasty shades. Dessert was a chocolate cake which was ok and a dry pineapple rum cake that seriously sucked the moisture out of your mouth it was So dry. That was a first for me for a pineapple cake. Dinner check had gratuity already included, standard for Miami. Came to $323 for 5 people, no alcoholic drinks and seldom refilled beverages. We slipped the busboy extra cash since he was really good and really hope gets promoted or moves to better situation. Considered the gratuity more than the waitress deserved...waaaay more.
(2)
ROCKITSOBE L.
Wow, I have a great first review. Finally got back there this past Saturday was so looking forward to shrimp dish. It had a new name on menu, but I was assured by waiter only name changed but same exact dish. The dish was not the same at all second time sauce was like water and no flavor or spice!!! The garlic romaine salad was not good almost soggy. I mentioned to waiter about the shrimp dish his response, 'what would like me to do about it?' I replied, I would like it like the first time ordering it as I was told it didn't change. He simply walked away. We also didn't get the 20% Yelp discount, but he may not of heard me. I will take blame for that one. So disappointed as I was looking for new weekend brunch spot.
(1)
Natalie C.
I received a voucher for food and drinks during my stay at the Royal Palm and thank goodness for that because I would have never spent any money on food here. I was happy about the vouchers thinking I can save some money for atleast one or two meals/day by eating here. Well I had breakfast and lunch and I have nothing good to say about the food. Nothing to rave about. I ordered there bacon and blueberry pancakes, eggs, and chicken sausage. The pancakes had no taste to them at all, even when I poured on the syrup it didn't help. Lunch wasn't any better with me ordering the Maui tacos.. The tortilla were cold and it was no seasoning to it at all. Only good thing I have to say is the service was good. The wait staff was very nice and attentive.
The waitress and service was very nice and friendly. Unfortunately that's where the praise ends. With so many quality restaurants in south beach/Miami, it was a shame one of them was wasted on this restaurant. In fact, the food was so poor that we had to have a second dinner afterwards. The octopus tasted like a burnt rubber band, the Jambalaya was dry, flavorless, overcooked and with an insulting amount of seafood. We were not charged for the jambalaya but the manager never even came out to speak with us, instead sending out the waitress to pick up the disappointing mess. Do not come here unless you're staying at the hotel, desperate and intoxicated.
(1)
Vanessa M.
Well, I came to Florida Cookery after my NYC transplant friend requested I take her somewhere new, fresh, and with "fabulous drinks." Florida Cookery was a good choice. They have a very unique menu in that everything is Florida-inspired in the least expected non-traditional way. Why? Because when you think Florida food the last thing that will probably come to mind is SWAMP. But I had things I've never tried before, like frog legs and alligator empanadas, both surprisingly delicious for my first time ever trying them. The oysters with the fire-passion mignonette sauce--I have no idea what it is, but it blew my tastebuds away. Some more expected Florida dishes like the vaca frita were spot on--so soft and tender, I barely had to chew it. The pecan-crusted grouper was also a winner. I especially loved the cheese grit cake it came with. Fries were perfectly crisp and the ketchup is homemade! The service was great and very accommodating. As far as drinks, I highly recommend The Floridian. Delicious! The restaurant was a bit quiet for a Friday night, but I'm looking forward to returning when all of Miami catches on the greatness of this place.
(4)
Alex C.
I won't even elaborate too much like I normally would. Stark decor. Stale bread. Terrible bartender. Calabasa Hash is full of grease/oil. My veal vaca frita was 3 tiny triangular patties. First off, vaca frita should be shredded, one should be told upon ordering that it isn't your typical vaca frita. My portion on my plate looked like an appetizer compared to everyone else's dinner at my table. I ate my vaca frita in 5 or 6 bites maximum. Not impressed and doubt I would go back. Terrible Saturday night meal - Top 5 worse meals in my book for the whopping $90 per head at my table.
(1)
Mimi M.
Amazing experience. I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere. The only weird thing was the choice in music. I am not sure what was going on but I got over it fast. Best part was my Palm Spring Salad and Orange Confetti Stone crabs
(5)
Brittany R.
Did Valentine's dinner here. The driveway coming up was a disaster because the roof of the hotel is large enough to cover one car, despite that the drive way can hold up to 30. Talk about a poor redesign... Got in around 10-10:30 due to the rain. We were late for our reservation and the hostess told us to just have a cocktail at the bar because there was a wait due to being late. Went to the bar for about half an hour, 10:30 rolls around and I go up to ask what's going on, and there must have been 15 empty tables in the restaurant. You've got to be kidding... We loved all of the food, everything we had was great. Lobster, wild boar, shrimp, and conch chowder. We ordered a second beer and she brought out an entirely different beer. Not even the same color. The waitress pays no attention. The decor is really off in here. It's like are you trying to be Modern? Deco? Rustic? The food was so good, but everything else just sucked-
(3)
Ana G.
We entered the main restaurant only to be redirected to the outdoor patio because they were having a private event inside. I had read about this in a couple of the reviews, which leads me to think private events are their bread and butter while the restaurant gets the sloppy seconds. The terrace was lovely and breezy but the chairs were extremely uncomfortable and I found myself constantly shifting positions throughout the evening. After our waiter seated us at our outdoor table, he handed us menus and a beverage list. It was a short and unimpressive wine list. After deciding on one of their average overpriced bottles from that list the waiter happily informed us that there is a more extensive wine list. Why he didn't offer it to us from the beginning is beyond me. It was an improvement although they did not have the wine I had chosen. They did offer us another similar wine for the cost of the other wine. Nice touch. The empanadas, especially the ropa vieja, were delicious. Before we could take the last tiradito from the plate, the waiter swooped in to clear the plates. JV move. The waiters were apparently confused about who ordered what, bringing us entrees that were ordered by another table. I ordered the flounder but since they were out of flounder they substituted with cobia. It was cooked perfectly. It was supposed to be accompanied by carrots and coconut rice fritters but there was only one lonely, sickly-looking carrot and the rice balls had no discernible coconut flavor. My friend's pork chop was insipid and mostly fat. While the flan was perfectly dense and flavorful and the churros light and airy, the dessert list was uninventive. I thought the food overpriced for the quality. The waiter did manage to impress me with one courtesy which is conspicuously lacking in almost all waiters I've encountered. He asked us if we'd like our wine glasses refilled (!). It is the height of bad manners and rudeness when waiters intrude into your space to top off glasses without asking. Cheers to our waiter who got it right.
(3)
K L.
The food here was excellent-some of the best in Miami. I'd highly recommend the conch chowder and the grouper. Both were excellent! I give this place four stars instead of five because the service was very slow. We waited almost an hour for our appetizers. The wait staff was slow to clear our plates, and our sides came out after most of our party had already finished their entrees. However, the staff was very friendly and took all of the sides off of our bill due to the delay without our even asking. Fortunately, the food was worth the wait and compensated for the sub-par service.
(4)
Jay K.
Horrible service. We were invited to the unveiling of their summer menu which included free wine and a tasting of their new apps. Well unfortunately due to some transportation issues and accidents on the way there, we didnt make it on time and decided to go to the cookery for dinner. Since we didnt have a reservation we were told it would be 20 mins to honor ppl that did have reservations. Even though there was only 3 tables occupied, we said no problem. We waited 30 mins and after not 1 person walking past us, we asked the hostess how much longer. She ssid she needed to ask her manager, who wouldnot come out ofthe kitchen, becuase she was too "busy". So after waiting another ten mins, no one else showing up, and only 3 tables being occupied we decided to leave. They lost a party of four that hadnt eaten since brunch. Dont waste your time, if they dont care about their patrons, I wonder what else they dont care about (clean dishes, quality ingrediants, etc).
(1)
Amara B.
My friends and I went here for our last night in Miami. We had a reservation for 8. When we arrived there was no hostess. Our party stood there while other staff members watch us and don't offer to help us. At one point, we took initiative and sat ourselves. There were about 5-7 parties of less than 4 people seated. It wasn't busy at all. The waiter was very nice because he realized how long we waited for our seats. We also had to wait a long time for our drinks. There was just a lot of waiting for this place. The food was pretty good. I ordered the salmon which was cooked great. However, I got the Mac and Goat Cheese. It was basically penne noodles with a little cheese. It was the WORST mac and cheese I have had and it cost too much to be that terrible. I would never go back to this place. I don't suggest you waste your hard earned money at this place. Go somewhere where the service is better and the food matches the price tag.
(2)
Elyse A.
My family and I dined at the Florida Cookery for New Year's Eve. Although it was overall an alright meal, it was the service (and dessert) that really shined here. We were seated around 8pm on New Year's Eve and were not assigned a server. So we waited around at our table for about 15 minutes before informing the front of the house. Immediately, he asked what we'd like to drink and was committed to making sure we had a lovely meal. He stopped back a few other times just to check in and make sure everything was going smoothly. He was quite charming and a joy to chit chat with. Once we got our server, we were very happy. He was charming and gave nice recommendations. We ordered the guava-glazed ribs which were sweet and satisfying. The empanadas were crispy and flavorful. But no one was really over-the-moon with their entree. My cobia was alright, but completely forgettable. The best part was honestly the desserts: the banana donuts were heaven and the key lime pie were both satisfying and delightful. Our server, Israel, picked them out for us and we were just beyond the moon with how yummy they were. The ambience was fun; beautiful colors, warm woods and funky music. A warm, cool vibe that's not over-the-top or obnoxious. It was a modern, yet mid-century, yet creative and classic Miami Beach vibe all at once. So overall, the dining experience was nice. Again, good service and some bright spots with the food and ambiance. But overall, I think I left a little disappointed. Maybe it was because we had such an unforgettable, AMAZING dinner at Yardbird the night before, and I was expecting the same thing. I'd love to go here again and see if the food improved, but as is, it feels like a solid 3.5 star place with a lot of potential.
(3)
Enjoli G.
Dining upstairs on the balcony is a must. The sunrise and sunset views are amazing. Brunch is the best.
(5)
Carolina M.
I liked it. The place is gorgeous and the restaurant has patio seating which is great for Miami (when is not 100 degrees out). We tried the Miami Spice menu and the portions were good and the flavors were amazing. Creative and fun cooking. I def have to be back and try more from their regular menu. Not sure if they serve brunch but it would be an ideal place for brunch. The hotel is gorgeous i cant wait to stay there. The service was great, very friendly and good recommendations from our waiter. Good times.
(4)
pracheta t.
Came here to meet a group of friends and I was definitely impressed with the ambiance and service. The open air setting was perfect for the weather and just half a flight down was this rooftop pool (no one wanted to jump in understandably). Our waiter was really nice and quick with suggestions which we took him up on. Our friends had a full dinner which they raved about but I just had a salad, cocktail and dessert. Now the dessert is what I had a problem with. The nutella filled donuts are apparently "the best thing on the menu" but I was so unimpressed I didn't even finish them. Extremely doughy, hardly any nutella and it wasn't soft or warm like I had expected. The key lime pie was better. Aside from the dessert fail, I liked this place a lot.
(4)
Maggie V.
I have dined at The Florida Cookery twice, once for weekend lunch and now again for dinner. The restaurant is tucked away in the back of The James Royal Palm hotel on the second floor and has a nice ambiance with an ocean view. The patio in particular is gorgeous looking out over South Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The menu looks great, but the food is underwhelming especially for the price. You are going to get a good meal, do not get me wrong, but with the focus on local sourced and inspired dishes (they serve alligator for instance)... you are expecting something more memorable. The flavors are a little bland and the execution seems a a bit off. You just want something more from the space and the experience. The 2nd time we had dinner was during Art Basel and the restaurant was one of the few on the beach that had availability during the madness of Basel. The wait staff has been attentive and friendly and has accommodated two long meals which was great. I really would like to see the restaurant up its game and justify the price, or look to be more accommodating to locals with a lower price point.
(3)
John C.
Went for brunch this Sunday morning after seeing them on Channel 10. What a total disappointment. The food was absolutely horrid. The omelet tasted like the eggs were from a carton. The selection was weak to say the least. The bacon and sausage tasted like run-of-the-mill Sysco brand that everyone else serves. Even the bagels tasted like they were from 7-11. Can't imagine why such a nice place would have the nerve to serve food like this. It appears that the weekday menu is way better, but we'll never know as we will never be back.
(1)
Tyler L.
This food was bad. Very disappointed with the meal. I ordered the ahi tuna burger. I understand that this is a semi-cooked dish. The innards of the fish were brown, not pink. I swear it was rotted. My wife and I got up and left. The staff was nice.
(2)
Misty B.
The service can't be beat. Servers are energetic, attentive, fast and uber-friendly. The wine list is a bit shallow -- no cabs or merlots on this list. The menu is an interpretation of Florida cuisine and quite approachable; I was thrilled to see and try the octopus on the appetizer list. All in all, not bad at all. Happy to return.
(4)
Ryne P.
The food was pricey, as expected, and also delicious. Portion sizes are reasonable and the service was great! I definitely recommend getting the empanadas even if it's just to sample share with a few others. I would have given this place 4 stars, but there were two things that's brought it down. First, they had a problem with Mosquitos. My leg was all bit up within a few minutes of sitting down. They did offer Off (it helped!) but my leg was already very itchy. The Mosquitos affected a few other tables too. Two couples relocated to another area of the patio. Second, the pork empanadas was cold...ice cold! The restaurant did replace he cold empanada though. So overall, the food was good and the service was responsive
(3)
Christina L.
Let me start off by saying I have yet to have a meal here but I have had several signature cocktails and let me tell you they were all a tasty success! My favorite was the Janeiro, if you like a little bubbly in your drink like I do, than you will want to make this your first selection. This cocktail not only delivered on taste but smell as well with a few crushed leaves of rosemary topping off the little pool of prosecco bubbles The light scent of rosemary right before you take each sip is so refreshing and adds another dimension to this drink. The Floridian was also a great sipping experience and offered a sweeter pop to my palate. The decor of the bar and restaurant is a straight up modern take on a Mad Men vibe. That vibe is carried out not only in the restaurant but throughout the breeze way of the James Hotel as well. So if you are looking for a chill place to take down a few libations and appreciate a retro surrounding, then stop by the James Royal Palm Hotel. I can't wait to return to the FC to sample their delicious menu offerings. florida-cookery.com/menu…
(4)
Roberto B.
Unwittingly or not (I'd like to think I keep my wits about me!) I have been a follower of Kris Wessel since 1996 when he opened Paninoteca on Lincoln Road - it was near where I lived and it was right smack in my budget and it was an ordinary sandwich brought to the level of gourmand fare - it's closing made me clutch my pearls. I just had to up the ante and pad my purse because I could still enjoy the miracles on a plate that Chef Wessel weaved at Liaison on Espanola, but that too only lasted a few years. Chef Wessel's move to Bal Harbour was a bit out of my reach both geographically and economically and an unfortunate experience (extremely bad service) at Red made me think he lost his touch; or at least he was out of touch with customers such as I (on a budget). I think Chef Wessel's return to the south Florida culinary scene, which is now growing by leaps and bounds, is soon to be crowned with his finest of glories at Florida Cookery. The food is priced what you expect for a Sobe exclusive deco haunt that can set you back just by valeting the car; but it isn't outrageous and there is definitely something for everyone. My companions and I went for the Spice Menu and we were more than pleasantly surprised. In addition to any previously written encomium to Chef Wessel a big shout out to Jasmina the hostess on hand and our server Rebecca; they exude the old world charm of customer service with such a smile and panache that you felt like you were dining with friends. Considering this and my last few experiences at The Federal I'm so pleased that there is at last a trend in Miami to have restaurants that serve such delicious unique food with such great service - we South Floridians so deserve this. The Oxtail was melt in your mouth and woulda made abuela cry - it is so better than anything you ate at home. A conch chowder was sublime with its underlying flavors of corn and cilantro and the key lime pie; a pleasant pleasing little unctuous disc topped with a homemade meringue (and touted as being a 1928 original South Florida recipe) was a divine end to a very happy meal. My only caveats (and I will return to give it that fifth star, I just know it!): Dining was poolside and The James is SORELY in need of some mist lamps - the few fans are simply not adequate to ameliorate the humidity; and eating something hearty like oxtail leaves one a little sweatier than desired. Inside the James and separate from Florida Cookery, the interior bar seems a little cold and more suited for an airport lounge - a little more lighting and a smile on the bartender are surely in order.
(4)
Dale P.
A huge fan of the New Orleans Hot BBQ Shrimp at the Red Light in Miami (a menu item I had heard the chef brought with him to Florida Cookery), I was ready to love this place - and we started with a large order of the bbq shrimp. The flavors were just not there at all and the normally delicious buttery, lemony, peppery, spicy, savory sauce I had my chops set for was instead this charcoal-grey colored watery, nearly flavorless mess I didn't want to sop up with the fresh baguette (that they don't serve here!). The shrimp looked grey and undercooked. Here's the deal. Forgetting the lack of seasoning in the sauce, Florida Cookery has made a very unfortunate lighting choice, using orange tinted ceiling lights (perhaps LED) throughout. This basically causes any food item with a naturally brownish orange tint in natural light (like shrimp, or fish that has been pan seared for instance) to appear charcoal grey/beige at night - not colors one normally thinks of as mouthwatering One of our guests pulled out her bright orange wallet, and it looked dull beige in this lighting. Our other guest was wearing a pastel blue shirt - it too looked beige. The green beans were charcoal green...you get my point. Eating is a visual experience, and sadly this food needs more help than just changing a few light bulbs can provide. I had the conch chowder (it was 90 degrees outside on a July evening, dining al fresco, what was I thinking?). This serving bowl sized dish of "chowder" had a cornstarch shine to it, and the corn kernels were far larger than any conch in the dish. They ground the conch from what I could tell so there was no typical chewy texture from this conch chowder. They should rename this "corn chowder with ground conch". It was pleasantly spiced, but they need to rethink the size as a starter (and rethink the price while they're at it). The pecan crusted grouper was the highlight. (Meh.) I've had better fish dishes in chain hotel dining rooms. I REALLY wanted to like this restaurant. The $$$$ price point is not at all justified based on my experience tonight, and I don't plan to give them another chance. Service was good. (We arrived at 8 PM on a Saturday night and there were only a handful of people in the large poolside dining outdoor dining room.) FLORIDA COOKERY - PLEASE HAVE A LIGHTING SPECIALIST HELP YOU FIX THIS! GREY FOOD IS NOT APPETIZING AND IT'S KILLING ANY CHANCE YOU HAVE OF MAKING IT HERE. PLEASE ADJUST YOUR MENU TO TASTE MORE LIKE THE FOOD AT RED LIGHT - BECAUSE THIS FOOD HAS NO SOUL WHATSOEVER. YOU'RE GIVING FLORIDA CUISINE A BAD NAME (In my humble opinion.)
(2)
Carter B.
We went during Spice Week, so our experience might be quite a bit different than the average reviewer. My wife and I went with the pre fix menu options. I had the conch chowder, oxtail, and chocolate lava cake. My wife had a tomato arugula salad, the fresh yellowfish, and key lime pie. Every item was delicious, interesting, and worth the money spent. The service was great. We ordered a couple pisco sours (off the drink menu) which were actually kind of terrible, but I don't fault the Florida Cookery for that (and god bless the concierge who ran out for a bottle of pisco since they had run out earlier in the week). Overall it was a great eating experience, and we'd go again on another week to see if they hold up outside of Spice week.
(4)
Nancy M.
We're from NYC and this restaurant was described as. "foodie" restaurant - so far from the truth! Very expensive, appetizers ok, entrees not so much. So many great restaurants in South Beach, but this is definitely not one of them!!
(2)
Jay Z.
I never would have come across Florida Cookery had it not been for a recommendation from Miami blogger Food For Thought who is a big fan of Chef Kris Wessel from his previous restaurant, Red Light. I'm very glad I did though as this may be the best spot on South Beach for great food without pretension or (much of) a scene. Florida Cookery is located in the James Hotel, although "hidden" may be the better term here. There are no signs once you walk into the hotel and you have to walk all the way to the back then up two flights of stairs to find it. Once you do though, you're rewarded with a cool, sleek modern space overlooking the pool with the crashing waves of the Atlantic in the distance. Add in friendly and attentive service and music and patron noise at the right level and you have one of South Beach's most pleasant hotel dining experiences. The only issue with the location is perhaps the world's longest walk to the bathroom (which is outside the restaurant, down a flight of stairs and a long hallway.) So if you're decked out in traditional South Beach attire with the 8-inch stilettos, you may want to pee before you go. The menu is fresh and local, with a nod to the diverse heritage of Florida cooking (think pecan-dusted grouper w/ grits, gator empanadas, creole oxtail). Yes,probably half the restaurants in South Beach make this claim. But while most charge the same amount ($15 apps, $25+ entrees), few do it this well. It's also one of the rare restaurants where I would have been happy eating anything on the menu. And on a recent Saturday night, it was inexplicably only about half-full. So get in before the secret gets out. Here are my thoughts on what we ordered. You can find more photos on DishEnvy. Oxtail, Oyster & Alligator Empanadas (2/4) If you're into empanadas (who isn't?) these are a solid way to start your meal. The oyster was a little strange, but the lemon cayenne sauce makes everything better. Kris' Biscayne Blvd Shrimp (3/4) Grilled and covered in a spicy tangy sauce somewhat reminiscent of Worcestershire that you'll want to lick out of the bowl. Fortunately it comes with baguettes to soak it up so you won't have to. Goat Cheese Broiled (2/4) Great mix of hot/cold elements with the baked goat cheese and hot tomatoes against the cool arugula and cucumber salsa. Really transforms a basic sounding salad. "Florida is the South" Pecan Dusted Grouper (3/4) Sweet pecan, salty cheese grits and citrusy sauce. It's surprisingly a fairly light but it packs a ton of flavor nonetheless. Key Lime & Tomato Mahi Mahi (1/4) The tomato and lime combined for a dish I found a little heavy on the acid. You do get a nice cut of mahi mahi, but there are too many great options here to settle for this.
(5)
Monica A.
Really interesting extreme-local food concept. The only problem was the pricey valet (standard South Beach, 20 bucks, meh) and the fact that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I expected a loud, trendy atmosphere but I was pleasantly surprised at the quiet, casual ambiance. The servers and staff are quite attentive and accommodating. They were happy to box up all of the food that we tried so hard to finish but were unable. It's a very fish-heavy menu but the flavors are perfectly paired. The rib appetizer was succulent but probably contributed to the satiety fatigue we then experienced and could barely touch our actual meals. This is a lovely place for locals who are looking for a relaxed fine dining experience.
(4)
Katie F.
Found a Gilt City coupon and ended up using it the last day it was vaild (over Hip Hop weekend to boot)....after seeing "eh" reviews about this place I was hoping the 1 1/2 hours we were stuck in traffic were going to be worth it. It was a girls night out, just my Mother and I and we were greeted by two lovely women at the hostess stand. It was very empty for a Saturday night, but we didn't mind that at all. The atmosphere is awesome, open air, open walls, fans blowing air, so there was no stagnant humid feeling. The decor was very organic looking, natural to go with the theme of Florida farm to table food. The cocktails were great - fruity, fresh and fun (my Mom had something with strawberries and rum...I just had a red sangria - with assorted berries in it - a nice change up from the typical apples and grapes!). I started with a quail salad...not great, the quail was small and delicate, so it was overcooked and tough to cut off the bone. Skip it. My Mom had a crab salad, it was light, refreshing and pleasant, a great starting dish. As a main dish I opted for the pecan crusted grouper. It was amazing. It was topped with a butter sauce to die for! BEWARE: If you are a health nut, this is NOT the dish for you! Between the buttery sauce, pecans and the delicate fish, it tasted like I was eating a praline. Melt in your mouth goodness. I think there were veggies (fresh string beans) but who cares? The fish was delicious. My Mom had a special, the pork chop, braised with local veggies and served with a cheddar polenta cake. Quite tasty and the portion was HUGE...we took the rest home and made fajitas the following night....and they were delicious too! Overall, aside from the disappointing quail salad, the food was great. I would definitely go back for the grouper, drinks and to try some of the other "Florida" menu items. Like most places in South Beach the food is OVERPRICED. It's not just this restaurant, it's EVERY restaurant. I wouldn't go out to eat without my Gilt City voucher...teachers don't get paid enough to indulge, so Gilt City keep up the good work! If it were
(4)
E-and-K R.
The food and service were fantastic. We had a mixture of the Miami Spice menu, and assorted items from the general menu (hint: the alligator, oxtail, and oyster empanadas are to die for, and the conch bisque is amazing). Wine selection was amazing, and the pairings were superb. Staff was courteous, friendly, and very knowledgeable. Our only issue was the price, the food was quite a bit over priced, but that's par for the course for Miami Beach.
(3)
Joel S.
I'll start off saying this place was probably closer to 2.5 stars rather than 3 stars. Well, where do I start. I will say that I really wanted to love this place - and honestly the place wasn't all that bad and I'll even say that if it was a stand alone it would probably have been ever better. Looking back on my meal, the thing that really got me was the value - terrible value (more on this later). We started with the ceviche and conch "fritters". I don't know exactly what a fritter is really but these didn't look like conch fritters - they looked like conch fingers. Now that I am typing it maybe it said conch fingers - oh well. The ceviche was excellent and the fritters were meh at best. They weren't crispy at all and you could barely tell there was conch in them. Joe's fritters are WAY better. The main dishes were solid - I got the snapper special and my friend got the grouper. The grouper took a while for the flavor to come out but the snapper was pretty solid. We tried the key lime pie for desert. It wasn't really a traditional pie - no graham cracker crust - it was in like a little bowl thing - it probably has a name, but I don't know what its called. It was tasty enough, but the crust was stuck to the bottom. We also got a glass of wine each. Oh - I almost forgot - at the start they asked if we wanted sparking or still water. Silly me thought this was going to be like so many places now where they bring you some good water for a couple of bucks per person - wrong - we got a bottle of water for who knows how much. I felt like a sucker (cue cartoon picture of my head turning into a lollipop). I should also mention the bread. Really pretty poor for a place that aspires to be great. It seemed like sliced cuban bread or something. One serving wasn't even toasted or warm - the second serving was toasted and a bit better. Anyway the bill came out to be about 160 bucks (18% added in). I am not scared of an expensive meal, but this just didn't seem worth it at all. I don't really eat in the hotel restaurants around town very often and I think this might be why. Again, while the food wasn't awful and the service wasn't awful there are so many better places to go with better prices. PS - the music was great!!!!!
(3)
Lisa D.
We came here on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty much empty. We were one of four tables in there, however, that did not seem to help us out when it came to getting good service. It took a very long time before someone came and took our order. We ordered the empanadas to start off with, then I ordered the chicken lemon soup and goat cheese salad as my entree. About 40 minutes later, they arrived with all the food (instead of empanadas first). I dug in to the bowl of chicken lemon soup first. I've had the Greek version of chicken lemon soup, so I was expecting some version of that. Not the case. It was as if they had taken a glass of water, squeezed a lemon in to it, and then threw in a few chunks of chicken. It was completely flavorless. At $9 for the bowl of soup, I expected a little more. The homestead goat cheese salad was good. Overall, this place is relatively pricey for the level of service you receive and the quality of the food - especially considering all the other great restaurant options in the area. We went to Khong River house the next night, where our bill was relatively the same, and had a completely different experience. The service there was amazing and the food was fantastic and well worth the prices. If you are staying at the hotel and do not want to leave, this place will do in a pinch, but do not order the soup and don't have high expectations.
(2)
Charissa P.
I went with my husband and sister (visiting from out of town). I had a gilt city voucher that expires this Saturday may 25 (our waiter, however, without even looking at the voucher said that it was no longer valid. I think he could have been a little more respectful of the fact that patrons know more especially when it's written on the voucher.) Unfortunately, I waited last minute and needed to make sure I took advantage of deal. At the end -the deal was not a deal. The service was ok and the food that we ordered was not spectacular for the price we paid at the end. The Gilt City voucher was for 78 and the "deal" was one app to share, two salads, two entrees and side to share. Not bad I thought and the only limitation was not ordering gaucho steak. Then there was my sister who had to order from menu without the deal and she ordered the veal chops (which were so chewy and hard to eat) she had to change to grouper (to the chagrin of the waiter it seemed) She also ordered the shrimp and a cocktail. At the end they charged her the price if the lobster (that my husband ordered as part of gilt city) the waiter tried to explain that was the minimum they had to charge for the additional person outside of the voucher (what a load of...) but we didnt complain - simply signed the 104 dollar bill and vowed to never come back to Florida Cookery. I would not recommend. Too bad - it's a nice ambience and the decor was well done.
(2)
Hnedel M.
We had lunch here for my girlfriend's birthday and was glad we did. One of the best charred octopus I've had. Their grouper cheek w/ clams was great as well. The service was a bit slow but it wasn't an issue for us because we were enjoying the scenery and not in a rush. They were also great about making her birthday experience special w/ free prosecco, decorated dessert plate etc. small things but it all made for great time.
(4)
Tovah F.
My mother was in town visiting and had read about this place in the New York Times. When we arrived, the hostess was bubbly and charming. We sat outside near the pool. The sever took 15 to take our drink order and another 10 to bring us our drinks even though only 5 tables were occupied. He took our order and we ordered appetizers and entrees. When our food arrived it was all at once and we had to send our entrees back to keep warm. The clams and the shrimp appetizer were ok but nothing special. My mom got the vaca frita and I got the boar chops. Her entree was mediocre while my chops were actually very good, but not good enough to ever come back to eat here again.
(2)
Sofia T.
All these 5 star reviews, really? Located on the second floor in the back of a hotel, the dining room is stark, lots of hard surfaces making for a noisy room. Not impressed. Server started with a canned spiel about how Chef Kris is striving to bring back Florida cuisine, the tastes of the South and Caribbean, or something like that. We've heard a lot about this chef, but the food didn't live up it his reputation, or maybe he wasn't cooking on a recent Saturday night? --I rarely eat bread, but while on vacay, might indulge, but this bread was horrible! Thin stale slices, no thanks! Not a great way to start... --Kris's Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp are supposedly famous, but they were overcooked and rubbery. Total disappointment -"Roast Garlic and Lemon Drenched Romaine with parmesan & green olive tapenade toast" sounded better than it was. Have had this "drenched" romaine elsewhere much better (and preferably not drenched), but the toast was toasty--I mean, tasty. --Stone crab claws. I know they're expensive, but there was literally 1/4 teaspoon of meat and @$18/claw a complete rip off! When mentioned to the waitress, she said this time of year the meat sometimes gets stuck to the shells. Huh? The previous night, elsewhere, they were just perfect. --Sticky Guanabana Glazed Ribs only tasted of heavy smoke, no glaze. My bf said he was burping up that smokey grossness until the wee hours of the morning. --Pollo la Brasa, 24 hour marinade and slow roast chicken, purple & gold papas. The only standout dish we sampled. If the rest of the meal was like this, it would have been a winner. :( And why is the tip automatically included? I don't think we look like cheapskates! Would I return here? Nope.
(2)
Christopher E.
Kris does it again!!! I have been a fan of his since 2001 & he just keeps getting better. Have the oysters served w/the frozen mignonette- pepper with just a hint of passion fruit: unique, refreshing & delicious. The fish was outstanding and the service was great. Will be back soon to try the lunch menu.
(5)
Mindy G.
The oysters came with a salty spicy passionfruit sorbet, one of the most interesting things we've ever tasted. The chef's specialty shrimp was extremely tasty. The lobster came with 2 sides and was enormous. Try the bread pudding and key lime pie for dessert. Wait staff were excellent. Nice quiet ambiance. Will definitely be going back!
(5)
James W.
Florida Cookery has pretty decent food but has been painfully slow the couple of times we've eaten there during our stay at the James Royal Palm - including over an hour wait for our food after ordering at lunch today. If they can fix their service time it would be a pretty good beach spot.
(3)
Joey V.
A wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Sit outside and have lunch with a spectacular view. The food was so good...this is the spot. South Beach lifestyle. Florida Cookery, beach, nightlife, repeat.
(5)
Vivian G.
My girlfriend bought a Gilt City voucher for the Florida Cookery and we went on Sunday, Mother's Day, for dinner. I had read the mixed reviews and was anticipating good food, but not-so-good service. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the hostess and given our choice of tables. Once we were seated, a server assistant asked about our water preference, still, sparkling or "city". A few minutes later the server approached us and I gave her the voucher. She asked if we knew what was included in the voucher and asked for our drink order. A few minutes later our drinks arrived and about 5 minutes after that our server reappeared to take our order. Great timing! She was friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable about the menu. We started with the BBQ shrimp, had a couple of salads and I ordered the snapper special. Being a native Miamian, I expect nothing but fresh seafood and Florida Cookery did not disappoint. The BBQ shrimp was outstanding. The salad, goat cheese and tomatoes, was great too and the snapper, main course, was absolutely delicious. I went to this restaurant with low expectations, but they made a believer out of me. We avoid the beach like the plague. Too many mediocre restaurants with lousy service, too little parking and way too many people. However, I will be definitely be back to Florida Cookery. Great service and outstanding food. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is because the cocktails were just ok.
(4)
Rachel R.
well, what can i say. not impressed. service was fine. wine was very pricey and my salad was not that good.
(2)
Jennifer C.
I'm already sorry for writing this review because the manager and waiter were so kind and polite and tried everything to rectify our evening. I also feel guilty because Kris Wessel is well known in Miami for making some killer food at Red Light in Little River, which made people flock to the hood for his cooking....Which is why I came to Florida Cookery. The menu SOUNDED great which must mean Kris wrote it. But the food tasted awful, which means he was absent from the kitchen. We started with the Frog Legs, which sat in a pool of sour orange "sauce" soggying up the crisp breading. The meat itself was tough and stringing and very under seasoned. Then came our Duck Confit that too sat in a "sauce" that had the strong taste of aluminum and canned pineapple juice (even though pineapple was no where on the dishes description). Our side of Calabaza Hash came next and with less than 10% made from Calabaza what we instead had was some roasted potatoes. But those were seasoned well. At this point we called off the rest of the meal and asked for the check because it was really that awful. The waiter apologized and immediately let the manger know. He comped our whole meal even though I begged to at least pay for my drinks. They refused so I ended up tipping the waiter anyway and praying that something changes asap.
(1)
Martin P.
Spent a few days at the James and expected to sample several restaurants in the area, but ended up eating most of our meals at the Florida Cookery. They really take fresh, local, and seasonal cuisine to a new level. The Grouper they served just happened to be a local variety that was running in the area that week and I can't say I've ever sampled fresher. There was a focus on serving vegetables and fruits that were in season. Service was impeccable. The views of the shore just added to the overall beautiful ambiance. We can't wait to get back to the Florida Cookery at the James Royal Palm.
(5)
Ellen A.
5 girlfriends and I showed up at 11p on a Fri night looking for some grub while we were waiting for the clubs to open, but were disappointed to hear that they had just closed. There was a man drinking a beer at the bar, and the bartender let us know he was the chef and that he was going to go back and open the restaurant for us! They brought us out an amuse bouche which was a really delicious and perfectly cooked piece of fish w/ local fresh veggies. We also split the ribs, alligator, burger and cheese plate. Everything was delicious! But the best part were the employees - Landon and John were awesome and Chef Chris even came out to hang w/ us. It made for a great night!!
(4)
LaLa K.
Very very disappointed. I arrived at 10:30 for breakfast and did not receive my meal until 11:50. Which I'm completely dumbfounded by since there were only 7 tables in the entire restaurant. Several people complained and they recieved free mimosa's/apps, they also recieved their food before mine's even though I arrived 15-20 min before them. Maybe my waiter would have offered me something had he been around and not joking around with his co-worker's. As a person who has worked in the service industry as a host/waiter/expo/cook I know a lot about good service. It's very easy. Check on your guest every so often, keep drinks refilled, and if the kitchen is backed up, keep them informed. The whole 50 min I sat there my orange juice was never refilled. I saw a waitress busting her butt to keep her tables happy, refilling drinks, asking the guest if they needed anything, running food, giving checks. Where was my waiter this whole time? Standing beside the bar looking at me look at him (this guy seriously had 2 table's and couldn't keep my orange juice full!) Besides the service the food was a great disappointment. I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was the worst thing I've ever tasted, ever. It taste like lemon paste and my "hash potatoes" where cold and flavorless. When the waiter finally came over to check on me and ask how everything was going. I told him "not so good" he said "Great!" and disappeared for 30 more minutes. I expect that service from a restaurant on ocean drive but not from a hotel I'm paying $400+ a night for. I never complained or yelled like the other guess, I was not rude, I even tipped. But there is one thing I can guarantee, I will never ever ever ever ever dine here again. Ever!
(1)
Rebecca S.
seriously, that's the omelet you're going to give me, a good 45 minutes later on an uncrowded day (really like 3 tables, 2 others left because they could see no one was actually doing any work after they hadn't been attended to after 10 min.)? booooring, but worse, OILY! and don't make me wait that long for the most mediocre breakfast and not even hot toast. calabazza hash my a$$, that is boring, oily (are you picking up the theme here?) tasteless potatoes with a few random pieces of squash thrown in to pretend you're a real restaurant. get it together guys. usually Miami Eater gives great recommendations, this one was a total fail. Mediocre would have been an aspiration.
(1)
Andy R.
We went for lunch on Saturday for Miami Spice. It's worth the visit just to see The James Hotel which is stunningly designed and features the work of regional artists. Only the outdoor patio space of the restaurant was open which was fine as most of it is covered and many fans help keep it comfortable. It's a great view from which to watch beautiful people going to and from the beach. I want to give the Cookery special kudos for not only giving us the Miami Spice menu but also highlighting it when we were seated. Many times participating restaurants seem to hide the fact they have a special menu. I was disappointed, however, to discover that menu items that had been featured online for their Miami Spice menu were not available. Only 2 entrees were offered, neither of which appealed to me. I ordered the roasted garlic and lemon salad with chicken, which was essentially a very good chicken Caesar priced at an expensive $18. My partner did have the special menu which started with a creamy burratta garnishes with a fried green tomato and corn salsa. His snapper entree was very good and the finale of a small key lime tart was exquisite. The service was very friendly and attentive, though we were never brought the cornbread we saw on other tables. The Florida Cookery is definitely worth a visit
(3)
E S.
We went for a late lunch, and the food was delicious! We had grapefruit corvina ceviche, sticky guanabana ribs and conch fritter chowder. You could actually taste the strawberry in the strawberry mojito. It's a lovely restaurant, and I love the idea of Florida cuisine. The service was attentive and friendly. Only error was that the alligator/oyster/oxtail empanada dish, which was supposed to include one of each, instead had two oyster empanadas. But it was so tasty we ate it anyway.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Dinner Parking : Valet Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : Free Has TV : Yes Dogs Allowed : Yes Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Taylor W.
Great service! Check out the drinks!
(4)Taylor W.
Great service! Check out the drinks!
(4)Elyse A.
My family and I dined at the Florida Cookery for New Year's Eve. Although it was overall an alright meal, it was the service (and dessert) that really shined here. We were seated around 8pm on New Year's Eve and were not assigned a server. So we waited around at our table for about 15 minutes before informing the front of the house. Immediately, he asked what we'd like to drink and was committed to making sure we had a lovely meal. He stopped back a few other times just to check in and make sure everything was going smoothly. He was quite charming and a joy to chit chat with. Once we got our server, we were very happy. He was charming and gave nice recommendations. We ordered the guava-glazed ribs which were sweet and satisfying. The empanadas were crispy and flavorful. But no one was really over-the-moon with their entree. My cobia was alright, but completely forgettable. The best part was honestly the desserts: the banana donuts were heaven and the key lime pie were both satisfying and delightful. Our server, Israel, picked them out for us and we were just beyond the moon with how yummy they were. The ambience was fun; beautiful colors, warm woods and funky music. A warm, cool vibe that's not over-the-top or obnoxious. It was a modern, yet mid-century, yet creative and classic Miami Beach vibe all at once. So overall, the dining experience was nice. Again, good service and some bright spots with the food and ambiance. But overall, I think I left a little disappointed. Maybe it was because we had such an unforgettable, AMAZING dinner at Yardbird the night before, and I was expecting the same thing. I'd love to go here again and see if the food improved, but as is, it feels like a solid 3.5 star place with a lot of potential.
(3)Enjoli G.
Dining upstairs on the balcony is a must. The sunrise and sunset views are amazing. Brunch is the best.
(5)Roberto B.
Unwittingly or not (I'd like to think I keep my wits about me!) I have been a follower of Kris Wessel since 1996 when he opened Paninoteca on Lincoln Road - it was near where I lived and it was right smack in my budget and it was an ordinary sandwich brought to the level of gourmand fare - it's closing made me clutch my pearls. I just had to up the ante and pad my purse because I could still enjoy the miracles on a plate that Chef Wessel weaved at Liaison on Espanola, but that too only lasted a few years. Chef Wessel's move to Bal Harbour was a bit out of my reach both geographically and economically and an unfortunate experience (extremely bad service) at Red made me think he lost his touch; or at least he was out of touch with customers such as I (on a budget). I think Chef Wessel's return to the south Florida culinary scene, which is now growing by leaps and bounds, is soon to be crowned with his finest of glories at Florida Cookery. The food is priced what you expect for a Sobe exclusive deco haunt that can set you back just by valeting the car; but it isn't outrageous and there is definitely something for everyone. My companions and I went for the Spice Menu and we were more than pleasantly surprised. In addition to any previously written encomium to Chef Wessel a big shout out to Jasmina the hostess on hand and our server Rebecca; they exude the old world charm of customer service with such a smile and panache that you felt like you were dining with friends. Considering this and my last few experiences at The Federal I'm so pleased that there is at last a trend in Miami to have restaurants that serve such delicious unique food with such great service - we South Floridians so deserve this. The Oxtail was melt in your mouth and woulda made abuela cry - it is so better than anything you ate at home. A conch chowder was sublime with its underlying flavors of corn and cilantro and the key lime pie; a pleasant pleasing little unctuous disc topped with a homemade meringue (and touted as being a 1928 original South Florida recipe) was a divine end to a very happy meal. My only caveats (and I will return to give it that fifth star, I just know it!): Dining was poolside and The James is SORELY in need of some mist lamps - the few fans are simply not adequate to ameliorate the humidity; and eating something hearty like oxtail leaves one a little sweatier than desired. Inside the James and separate from Florida Cookery, the interior bar seems a little cold and more suited for an airport lounge - a little more lighting and a smile on the bartender are surely in order.
(4)Giancarlo B.
the chicken, beef & alligator empanadas are to die for, the best appetizer on the menu. Also the smoked chicken sandwich is delicious, it's tender and full of flavor. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Joey V.
A wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Sit outside and have lunch with a spectacular view. The food was so good...this is the spot. South Beach lifestyle. Florida Cookery, beach, nightlife, repeat.
(5)Ashley J.
I'm surprised this restaurant has an average of only three stars. The food was excellent, the service was excellent and the space was great. Our waiter was so kind and jovial. We had a great evening with him. We ate empanadas, seafood chowder, caesar salad, the cobia entree and the another fish (that I now can't remember-ack!), and the flan for dessert. Wine and coffee, too of course. The flan was really not great, but the churros it came with were delicious. Everything else was delicious. Inventive enough to warrant the prices. We even used a 20% off food deal from yelp, which was cool. I liked this place a lot and can see myself coming back.
(4)Jen H.
What can I say!? This place is great!!! We had dinner reservations there in celebration of our 17th anniversary. The entire staff makes sure you feel welcomed and comfortable. The restaurant itself is located in the James Royal Palm hotel. It's a very sophisticated and inviting atmosphere. We were warmly greeted by the hostess upon arrival. The teamwork between Jaela, Matthew and Davis, was outstanding. They made sure everything was well at all times and helped to make our anniversary special. We ordered the empanada appetizers, as well as the guava glazed ribs. Our entrées were super delicious. Especially the grilled Cobia with a yuca patty accompanied with one of the most flavorful curry sauces I've ever tried. My compliments to the chef! For dessert we tried a chocolate cake with a delicate frosting and some coconut flakes. The generous piece of cake came with salted caramel ice cream, an assortment of honey roasted nuts and some caramel sauce. It was simply divine. Our overall experience was excellent and I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation.
(4)Natalie C.
I received a voucher for food and drinks during my stay at the Royal Palm and thank goodness for that because I would have never spent any money on food here. I was happy about the vouchers thinking I can save some money for atleast one or two meals/day by eating here. Well I had breakfast and lunch and I have nothing good to say about the food. Nothing to rave about. I ordered there bacon and blueberry pancakes, eggs, and chicken sausage. The pancakes had no taste to them at all, even when I poured on the syrup it didn't help. Lunch wasn't any better with me ordering the Maui tacos.. The tortilla were cold and it was no seasoning to it at all. Only good thing I have to say is the service was good. The wait staff was very nice and attentive.
(2)Andrew S.
Stayed at the hotel so this was the only reason why we ate here. We lounged by the beach and pool and sampled some of the sandwich and appetizer selections. The food was prepared decently and were decent portion sizes. Stay away from the shrimp. There is 18% auto gratuity so there is not a lot of incentive for quick and timely service. However at times we did have satisfactory service and they were always friendly. Ok place to have for convenience but there is better in Miami for sure!
(3)Shera B.
The ambiance is nice very polite staff but a small menu & the octopus was not good. The pomegranate cucumber mojito us divine! Good desserts as well
(3)David B.
The waitress and service was very nice and friendly. Unfortunately that's where the praise ends. With so many quality restaurants in south beach/Miami, it was a shame one of them was wasted on this restaurant. In fact, the food was so poor that we had to have a second dinner afterwards. The octopus tasted like a burnt rubber band, the Jambalaya was dry, flavorless, overcooked and with an insulting amount of seafood. We were not charged for the jambalaya but the manager never even came out to speak with us, instead sending out the waitress to pick up the disappointing mess. Do not come here unless you're staying at the hotel, desperate and intoxicated.
(1)pracheta t.
Came here to meet a group of friends and I was definitely impressed with the ambiance and service. The open air setting was perfect for the weather and just half a flight down was this rooftop pool (no one wanted to jump in understandably). Our waiter was really nice and quick with suggestions which we took him up on. Our friends had a full dinner which they raved about but I just had a salad, cocktail and dessert. Now the dessert is what I had a problem with. The nutella filled donuts are apparently "the best thing on the menu" but I was so unimpressed I didn't even finish them. Extremely doughy, hardly any nutella and it wasn't soft or warm like I had expected. The key lime pie was better. Aside from the dessert fail, I liked this place a lot.
(4)Rosy G.
Very pleased with the food here. The manager recommended the catch of the day which was seared tuna. I travel eight months out of the year and eat at a lot of different places. I must say the tuna was cooled to the utmost perfection. It was served with delicious grilled vegetables. Perfect lunch portion. I highly recommend it.
(5)Maggie V.
I have dined at The Florida Cookery twice, once for weekend lunch and now again for dinner. The restaurant is tucked away in the back of The James Royal Palm hotel on the second floor and has a nice ambiance with an ocean view. The patio in particular is gorgeous looking out over South Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The menu looks great, but the food is underwhelming especially for the price. You are going to get a good meal, do not get me wrong, but with the focus on local sourced and inspired dishes (they serve alligator for instance)... you are expecting something more memorable. The flavors are a little bland and the execution seems a a bit off. You just want something more from the space and the experience. The 2nd time we had dinner was during Art Basel and the restaurant was one of the few on the beach that had availability during the madness of Basel. The wait staff has been attentive and friendly and has accommodated two long meals which was great. I really would like to see the restaurant up its game and justify the price, or look to be more accommodating to locals with a lower price point.
(3)John C.
Went for brunch this Sunday morning after seeing them on Channel 10. What a total disappointment. The food was absolutely horrid. The omelet tasted like the eggs were from a carton. The selection was weak to say the least. The bacon and sausage tasted like run-of-the-mill Sysco brand that everyone else serves. Even the bagels tasted like they were from 7-11. Can't imagine why such a nice place would have the nerve to serve food like this. It appears that the weekday menu is way better, but we'll never know as we will never be back.
(1)Tyler L.
This food was bad. Very disappointed with the meal. I ordered the ahi tuna burger. I understand that this is a semi-cooked dish. The innards of the fish were brown, not pink. I swear it was rotted. My wife and I got up and left. The staff was nice.
(2)Christina L.
Let me start off by saying I have yet to have a meal here but I have had several signature cocktails and let me tell you they were all a tasty success! My favorite was the Janeiro, if you like a little bubbly in your drink like I do, than you will want to make this your first selection. This cocktail not only delivered on taste but smell as well with a few crushed leaves of rosemary topping off the little pool of prosecco bubbles The light scent of rosemary right before you take each sip is so refreshing and adds another dimension to this drink. The Floridian was also a great sipping experience and offered a sweeter pop to my palate. The decor of the bar and restaurant is a straight up modern take on a Mad Men vibe. That vibe is carried out not only in the restaurant but throughout the breeze way of the James Hotel as well. So if you are looking for a chill place to take down a few libations and appreciate a retro surrounding, then stop by the James Royal Palm Hotel. I can't wait to return to the FC to sample their delicious menu offerings. florida-cookery.com/menu…
(4)Dan F.
I don't understand how people can rank this place under a four star. I thought the food and service was perfect.
(5)Matt W.
This was a really weird experience. We went on a Thursday evening and the place was completely dead. When we got there at 7pm there were 2 other couples in the whole place. When we left there were maybe 6 total. The bus girl was useless and very awkward about taking dishes, wiping the table, etc. First waiter didn't know the menu when I asked about an ingredient. He went to go ask. He finally came back with a waitress cause they were going to share the duty. The new waitress was awesome. Knew the menu, made the proper introductions, etc. Too bad the food didn't live up. The apps were yummy. But the entres were mediocre. My Fiance's fish looked like hotel food swimming in butter. My wild boar was in a dish that made it very awkward to cut. It was a bit fatty but tasted alright. Now we know why they had to run a Gilt City coupon.
(3)Dale P.
A huge fan of the New Orleans Hot BBQ Shrimp at the Red Light in Miami (a menu item I had heard the chef brought with him to Florida Cookery), I was ready to love this place - and we started with a large order of the bbq shrimp. The flavors were just not there at all and the normally delicious buttery, lemony, peppery, spicy, savory sauce I had my chops set for was instead this charcoal-grey colored watery, nearly flavorless mess I didn't want to sop up with the fresh baguette (that they don't serve here!). The shrimp looked grey and undercooked. Here's the deal. Forgetting the lack of seasoning in the sauce, Florida Cookery has made a very unfortunate lighting choice, using orange tinted ceiling lights (perhaps LED) throughout. This basically causes any food item with a naturally brownish orange tint in natural light (like shrimp, or fish that has been pan seared for instance) to appear charcoal grey/beige at night - not colors one normally thinks of as mouthwatering One of our guests pulled out her bright orange wallet, and it looked dull beige in this lighting. Our other guest was wearing a pastel blue shirt - it too looked beige. The green beans were charcoal green...you get my point. Eating is a visual experience, and sadly this food needs more help than just changing a few light bulbs can provide. I had the conch chowder (it was 90 degrees outside on a July evening, dining al fresco, what was I thinking?). This serving bowl sized dish of "chowder" had a cornstarch shine to it, and the corn kernels were far larger than any conch in the dish. They ground the conch from what I could tell so there was no typical chewy texture from this conch chowder. They should rename this "corn chowder with ground conch". It was pleasantly spiced, but they need to rethink the size as a starter (and rethink the price while they're at it). The pecan crusted grouper was the highlight. (Meh.) I've had better fish dishes in chain hotel dining rooms. I REALLY wanted to like this restaurant. The $$$$ price point is not at all justified based on my experience tonight, and I don't plan to give them another chance. Service was good. (We arrived at 8 PM on a Saturday night and there were only a handful of people in the large poolside dining outdoor dining room.) FLORIDA COOKERY - PLEASE HAVE A LIGHTING SPECIALIST HELP YOU FIX THIS! GREY FOOD IS NOT APPETIZING AND IT'S KILLING ANY CHANCE YOU HAVE OF MAKING IT HERE. PLEASE ADJUST YOUR MENU TO TASTE MORE LIKE THE FOOD AT RED LIGHT - BECAUSE THIS FOOD HAS NO SOUL WHATSOEVER. YOU'RE GIVING FLORIDA CUISINE A BAD NAME (In my humble opinion.)
(2)Carter B.
We went during Spice Week, so our experience might be quite a bit different than the average reviewer. My wife and I went with the pre fix menu options. I had the conch chowder, oxtail, and chocolate lava cake. My wife had a tomato arugula salad, the fresh yellowfish, and key lime pie. Every item was delicious, interesting, and worth the money spent. The service was great. We ordered a couple pisco sours (off the drink menu) which were actually kind of terrible, but I don't fault the Florida Cookery for that (and god bless the concierge who ran out for a bottle of pisco since they had run out earlier in the week). Overall it was a great eating experience, and we'd go again on another week to see if they hold up outside of Spice week.
(4)Nancy M.
We're from NYC and this restaurant was described as. "foodie" restaurant - so far from the truth! Very expensive, appetizers ok, entrees not so much. So many great restaurants in South Beach, but this is definitely not one of them!!
(2)Vanessa M.
Well, I came to Florida Cookery after my NYC transplant friend requested I take her somewhere new, fresh, and with "fabulous drinks." Florida Cookery was a good choice. They have a very unique menu in that everything is Florida-inspired in the least expected non-traditional way. Why? Because when you think Florida food the last thing that will probably come to mind is SWAMP. But I had things I've never tried before, like frog legs and alligator empanadas, both surprisingly delicious for my first time ever trying them. The oysters with the fire-passion mignonette sauce--I have no idea what it is, but it blew my tastebuds away. Some more expected Florida dishes like the vaca frita were spot on--so soft and tender, I barely had to chew it. The pecan-crusted grouper was also a winner. I especially loved the cheese grit cake it came with. Fries were perfectly crisp and the ketchup is homemade! The service was great and very accommodating. As far as drinks, I highly recommend The Floridian. Delicious! The restaurant was a bit quiet for a Friday night, but I'm looking forward to returning when all of Miami catches on the greatness of this place.
(4)Brittany R.
Did Valentine's dinner here. The driveway coming up was a disaster because the roof of the hotel is large enough to cover one car, despite that the drive way can hold up to 30. Talk about a poor redesign... Got in around 10-10:30 due to the rain. We were late for our reservation and the hostess told us to just have a cocktail at the bar because there was a wait due to being late. Went to the bar for about half an hour, 10:30 rolls around and I go up to ask what's going on, and there must have been 15 empty tables in the restaurant. You've got to be kidding... We loved all of the food, everything we had was great. Lobster, wild boar, shrimp, and conch chowder. We ordered a second beer and she brought out an entirely different beer. Not even the same color. The waitress pays no attention. The decor is really off in here. It's like are you trying to be Modern? Deco? Rustic? The food was so good, but everything else just sucked-
(3)Jay Z.
I never would have come across Florida Cookery had it not been for a recommendation from Miami blogger Food For Thought who is a big fan of Chef Kris Wessel from his previous restaurant, Red Light. I'm very glad I did though as this may be the best spot on South Beach for great food without pretension or (much of) a scene. Florida Cookery is located in the James Hotel, although "hidden" may be the better term here. There are no signs once you walk into the hotel and you have to walk all the way to the back then up two flights of stairs to find it. Once you do though, you're rewarded with a cool, sleek modern space overlooking the pool with the crashing waves of the Atlantic in the distance. Add in friendly and attentive service and music and patron noise at the right level and you have one of South Beach's most pleasant hotel dining experiences. The only issue with the location is perhaps the world's longest walk to the bathroom (which is outside the restaurant, down a flight of stairs and a long hallway.) So if you're decked out in traditional South Beach attire with the 8-inch stilettos, you may want to pee before you go. The menu is fresh and local, with a nod to the diverse heritage of Florida cooking (think pecan-dusted grouper w/ grits, gator empanadas, creole oxtail). Yes,probably half the restaurants in South Beach make this claim. But while most charge the same amount ($15 apps, $25+ entrees), few do it this well. It's also one of the rare restaurants where I would have been happy eating anything on the menu. And on a recent Saturday night, it was inexplicably only about half-full. So get in before the secret gets out. Here are my thoughts on what we ordered. You can find more photos on DishEnvy. Oxtail, Oyster & Alligator Empanadas (2/4) If you're into empanadas (who isn't?) these are a solid way to start your meal. The oyster was a little strange, but the lemon cayenne sauce makes everything better. Kris' Biscayne Blvd Shrimp (3/4) Grilled and covered in a spicy tangy sauce somewhat reminiscent of Worcestershire that you'll want to lick out of the bowl. Fortunately it comes with baguettes to soak it up so you won't have to. Goat Cheese Broiled (2/4) Great mix of hot/cold elements with the baked goat cheese and hot tomatoes against the cool arugula and cucumber salsa. Really transforms a basic sounding salad. "Florida is the South" Pecan Dusted Grouper (3/4) Sweet pecan, salty cheese grits and citrusy sauce. It's surprisingly a fairly light but it packs a ton of flavor nonetheless. Key Lime & Tomato Mahi Mahi (1/4) The tomato and lime combined for a dish I found a little heavy on the acid. You do get a nice cut of mahi mahi, but there are too many great options here to settle for this.
(5)Monica A.
Really interesting extreme-local food concept. The only problem was the pricey valet (standard South Beach, 20 bucks, meh) and the fact that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I expected a loud, trendy atmosphere but I was pleasantly surprised at the quiet, casual ambiance. The servers and staff are quite attentive and accommodating. They were happy to box up all of the food that we tried so hard to finish but were unable. It's a very fish-heavy menu but the flavors are perfectly paired. The rib appetizer was succulent but probably contributed to the satiety fatigue we then experienced and could barely touch our actual meals. This is a lovely place for locals who are looking for a relaxed fine dining experience.
(4)Katie F.
Found a Gilt City coupon and ended up using it the last day it was vaild (over Hip Hop weekend to boot)....after seeing "eh" reviews about this place I was hoping the 1 1/2 hours we were stuck in traffic were going to be worth it. It was a girls night out, just my Mother and I and we were greeted by two lovely women at the hostess stand. It was very empty for a Saturday night, but we didn't mind that at all. The atmosphere is awesome, open air, open walls, fans blowing air, so there was no stagnant humid feeling. The decor was very organic looking, natural to go with the theme of Florida farm to table food. The cocktails were great - fruity, fresh and fun (my Mom had something with strawberries and rum...I just had a red sangria - with assorted berries in it - a nice change up from the typical apples and grapes!). I started with a quail salad...not great, the quail was small and delicate, so it was overcooked and tough to cut off the bone. Skip it. My Mom had a crab salad, it was light, refreshing and pleasant, a great starting dish. As a main dish I opted for the pecan crusted grouper. It was amazing. It was topped with a butter sauce to die for! BEWARE: If you are a health nut, this is NOT the dish for you! Between the buttery sauce, pecans and the delicate fish, it tasted like I was eating a praline. Melt in your mouth goodness. I think there were veggies (fresh string beans) but who cares? The fish was delicious. My Mom had a special, the pork chop, braised with local veggies and served with a cheddar polenta cake. Quite tasty and the portion was HUGE...we took the rest home and made fajitas the following night....and they were delicious too! Overall, aside from the disappointing quail salad, the food was great. I would definitely go back for the grouper, drinks and to try some of the other "Florida" menu items. Like most places in South Beach the food is OVERPRICED. It's not just this restaurant, it's EVERY restaurant. I wouldn't go out to eat without my Gilt City voucher...teachers don't get paid enough to indulge, so Gilt City keep up the good work! If it were
(4)E-and-K R.
The food and service were fantastic. We had a mixture of the Miami Spice menu, and assorted items from the general menu (hint: the alligator, oxtail, and oyster empanadas are to die for, and the conch bisque is amazing). Wine selection was amazing, and the pairings were superb. Staff was courteous, friendly, and very knowledgeable. Our only issue was the price, the food was quite a bit over priced, but that's par for the course for Miami Beach.
(3)Tovah F.
My mother was in town visiting and had read about this place in the New York Times. When we arrived, the hostess was bubbly and charming. We sat outside near the pool. The sever took 15 to take our drink order and another 10 to bring us our drinks even though only 5 tables were occupied. He took our order and we ordered appetizers and entrees. When our food arrived it was all at once and we had to send our entrees back to keep warm. The clams and the shrimp appetizer were ok but nothing special. My mom got the vaca frita and I got the boar chops. Her entree was mediocre while my chops were actually very good, but not good enough to ever come back to eat here again.
(2)James W.
Florida Cookery has pretty decent food but has been painfully slow the couple of times we've eaten there during our stay at the James Royal Palm - including over an hour wait for our food after ordering at lunch today. If they can fix their service time it would be a pretty good beach spot.
(3)Vivian G.
My girlfriend bought a Gilt City voucher for the Florida Cookery and we went on Sunday, Mother's Day, for dinner. I had read the mixed reviews and was anticipating good food, but not-so-good service. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the hostess and given our choice of tables. Once we were seated, a server assistant asked about our water preference, still, sparkling or "city". A few minutes later the server approached us and I gave her the voucher. She asked if we knew what was included in the voucher and asked for our drink order. A few minutes later our drinks arrived and about 5 minutes after that our server reappeared to take our order. Great timing! She was friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable about the menu. We started with the BBQ shrimp, had a couple of salads and I ordered the snapper special. Being a native Miamian, I expect nothing but fresh seafood and Florida Cookery did not disappoint. The BBQ shrimp was outstanding. The salad, goat cheese and tomatoes, was great too and the snapper, main course, was absolutely delicious. I went to this restaurant with low expectations, but they made a believer out of me. We avoid the beach like the plague. Too many mediocre restaurants with lousy service, too little parking and way too many people. However, I will be definitely be back to Florida Cookery. Great service and outstanding food. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is because the cocktails were just ok.
(4)Rachel R.
well, what can i say. not impressed. service was fine. wine was very pricey and my salad was not that good.
(2)Jennifer C.
I'm already sorry for writing this review because the manager and waiter were so kind and polite and tried everything to rectify our evening. I also feel guilty because Kris Wessel is well known in Miami for making some killer food at Red Light in Little River, which made people flock to the hood for his cooking....Which is why I came to Florida Cookery. The menu SOUNDED great which must mean Kris wrote it. But the food tasted awful, which means he was absent from the kitchen. We started with the Frog Legs, which sat in a pool of sour orange "sauce" soggying up the crisp breading. The meat itself was tough and stringing and very under seasoned. Then came our Duck Confit that too sat in a "sauce" that had the strong taste of aluminum and canned pineapple juice (even though pineapple was no where on the dishes description). Our side of Calabaza Hash came next and with less than 10% made from Calabaza what we instead had was some roasted potatoes. But those were seasoned well. At this point we called off the rest of the meal and asked for the check because it was really that awful. The waiter apologized and immediately let the manger know. He comped our whole meal even though I begged to at least pay for my drinks. They refused so I ended up tipping the waiter anyway and praying that something changes asap.
(1)Martin P.
Spent a few days at the James and expected to sample several restaurants in the area, but ended up eating most of our meals at the Florida Cookery. They really take fresh, local, and seasonal cuisine to a new level. The Grouper they served just happened to be a local variety that was running in the area that week and I can't say I've ever sampled fresher. There was a focus on serving vegetables and fruits that were in season. Service was impeccable. The views of the shore just added to the overall beautiful ambiance. We can't wait to get back to the Florida Cookery at the James Royal Palm.
(5)Joel S.
I'll start off saying this place was probably closer to 2.5 stars rather than 3 stars. Well, where do I start. I will say that I really wanted to love this place - and honestly the place wasn't all that bad and I'll even say that if it was a stand alone it would probably have been ever better. Looking back on my meal, the thing that really got me was the value - terrible value (more on this later). We started with the ceviche and conch "fritters". I don't know exactly what a fritter is really but these didn't look like conch fritters - they looked like conch fingers. Now that I am typing it maybe it said conch fingers - oh well. The ceviche was excellent and the fritters were meh at best. They weren't crispy at all and you could barely tell there was conch in them. Joe's fritters are WAY better. The main dishes were solid - I got the snapper special and my friend got the grouper. The grouper took a while for the flavor to come out but the snapper was pretty solid. We tried the key lime pie for desert. It wasn't really a traditional pie - no graham cracker crust - it was in like a little bowl thing - it probably has a name, but I don't know what its called. It was tasty enough, but the crust was stuck to the bottom. We also got a glass of wine each. Oh - I almost forgot - at the start they asked if we wanted sparking or still water. Silly me thought this was going to be like so many places now where they bring you some good water for a couple of bucks per person - wrong - we got a bottle of water for who knows how much. I felt like a sucker (cue cartoon picture of my head turning into a lollipop). I should also mention the bread. Really pretty poor for a place that aspires to be great. It seemed like sliced cuban bread or something. One serving wasn't even toasted or warm - the second serving was toasted and a bit better. Anyway the bill came out to be about 160 bucks (18% added in). I am not scared of an expensive meal, but this just didn't seem worth it at all. I don't really eat in the hotel restaurants around town very often and I think this might be why. Again, while the food wasn't awful and the service wasn't awful there are so many better places to go with better prices. PS - the music was great!!!!!
(3)Lisa D.
We came here on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty much empty. We were one of four tables in there, however, that did not seem to help us out when it came to getting good service. It took a very long time before someone came and took our order. We ordered the empanadas to start off with, then I ordered the chicken lemon soup and goat cheese salad as my entree. About 40 minutes later, they arrived with all the food (instead of empanadas first). I dug in to the bowl of chicken lemon soup first. I've had the Greek version of chicken lemon soup, so I was expecting some version of that. Not the case. It was as if they had taken a glass of water, squeezed a lemon in to it, and then threw in a few chunks of chicken. It was completely flavorless. At $9 for the bowl of soup, I expected a little more. The homestead goat cheese salad was good. Overall, this place is relatively pricey for the level of service you receive and the quality of the food - especially considering all the other great restaurant options in the area. We went to Khong River house the next night, where our bill was relatively the same, and had a completely different experience. The service there was amazing and the food was fantastic and well worth the prices. If you are staying at the hotel and do not want to leave, this place will do in a pinch, but do not order the soup and don't have high expectations.
(2)Charissa P.
I went with my husband and sister (visiting from out of town). I had a gilt city voucher that expires this Saturday may 25 (our waiter, however, without even looking at the voucher said that it was no longer valid. I think he could have been a little more respectful of the fact that patrons know more especially when it's written on the voucher.) Unfortunately, I waited last minute and needed to make sure I took advantage of deal. At the end -the deal was not a deal. The service was ok and the food that we ordered was not spectacular for the price we paid at the end. The Gilt City voucher was for 78 and the "deal" was one app to share, two salads, two entrees and side to share. Not bad I thought and the only limitation was not ordering gaucho steak. Then there was my sister who had to order from menu without the deal and she ordered the veal chops (which were so chewy and hard to eat) she had to change to grouper (to the chagrin of the waiter it seemed) She also ordered the shrimp and a cocktail. At the end they charged her the price if the lobster (that my husband ordered as part of gilt city) the waiter tried to explain that was the minimum they had to charge for the additional person outside of the voucher (what a load of...) but we didnt complain - simply signed the 104 dollar bill and vowed to never come back to Florida Cookery. I would not recommend. Too bad - it's a nice ambience and the decor was well done.
(2)Hnedel M.
We had lunch here for my girlfriend's birthday and was glad we did. One of the best charred octopus I've had. Their grouper cheek w/ clams was great as well. The service was a bit slow but it wasn't an issue for us because we were enjoying the scenery and not in a rush. They were also great about making her birthday experience special w/ free prosecco, decorated dessert plate etc. small things but it all made for great time.
(4)Andrew H.
Been meaning to check out this newest installment from Kris Wessel (formerly of Red Light in the Upper East Side neighborhood) for several months since its opening at the newly updated James Hotel on the Beach. I applaud the effort to bring back "unpretentious Florida cuisine", despite the fact that there's still a bit of pretense here given it's South Beach. The menu takes some cues from Red Light (Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp), and offers some new features as well. Frog legs, alligator and several fish options are complemented by vaca fritta and ceviche to round out a real Florida menu. Cocktail menu was interesting and really well executed. Wine list was tight but really overpriced. Service was attentive and not obtrusive. The food was solid, portions were generous, but the bill was steep too (with 18% gratuity automatically included - I hate that but I understand on the Beach). Overall - it was a good option for Miami Beach locals, just not the tremendous "value" I was hoping for. We'll be back again.
(4)Judy Z.
Wow.... We hand an outstanding meal..... Yucca fries were extraordinary.... Our waiter, Joel, was outstanding..... Great suggestions.... Each one a hit.... Stopped by the lobby bar for a nightcap.... Great evening.... Everyone treated us like VIPs.....
(5)MiMi V.
Went to hotel with a party of five. We were greeted quickly and seated. Not exactly sure why but the restaurant was giving service on the first floor near the pool, which was fine because the weather was nice. Almost empty dining area but it was only 6 in SOBE so that was expected. Waitress came by with drinks (FYI, the charge is per drink for nonalcoholic drinks, so for those who care it's an extra charge for refills but whatever). The waiters and waitresses seem to work as a team. However, they are not terribly well informed. If someone says they have a food allergy, they aren't kidding. The response to "does this have nuts" should probably be checked on. The waiter looked at us blankly and shrugged. Yeah, remind me to come back here and sue the hotel in case they slip me a macadamia nut when I said no nuts. The waitress was very dense, took our appetizer orders. Then 5 minutes later seized our menus. We had to holler at her we hadn't had a chance to put in our entree order. Her excuse was that she didn't want the paper menus to get dirty and thought we had made up our minds. As our appetizers arrived, I thought a more competent waiter had arrived. Quiet thin African American fella' who was shockingly one of the best waiters we've ever had! Knew the menu and served the food correctly! Ladies first and always always serve food from one side and clear from the other! Omg! A properly trained waiter? We were surprised to find out he was the busboy and not the waiter. The waiter was some idiot who came by twice to dump the food in front of us and even with the food in front of him couldn't explain what the food was (IE. I asked him what the ice cream was that was on the two dessert plates and he says sorbet on one, it was vanilla, and vanilla for the other, it was macadamia nut- oh to sue this place would be so easy, hear that management? Your wait staff wants to take you down). Ah, but the food. Sounds adventurous but was not. Appetizers: oxtail (flavorless), chicken (OK) and alligator (could've been ground beef as it lacked favor and I'm from Louisiana so I know good alligator and this ain't it) empanadas, over salted and sour frozen frog legs served beneath overdressed salad, OK but salty guanababa ribs. I will say that the BBQ shrimp were good though we asked for some bread from the waitress for dipping and it arrived 10 minutes later. Entrees: Grouper "bought and selected from boats". That's it, I'm never going to let anyone order fish in Miami again, those boats must be docked in another area code cuz fresh it was not. (2people ordered). 24 hr chicken - tasted like roasted chicken, not memorable at all. Mashed potatoes were OK. Wild boar requested med to med rare. That boar must've put up one helluva fight, cuz that was one tough piece of meat and was cooked med well done. Now I know there are some squeamish people who think pork needs to be all but leather to eat. But a chef who uses high quality meat and knows what they are doing should have no problems doing med-rare pork. It was unimpressive to say the least. Now at the onset of order we asked the waitress if they could be grilled to order, she said they normally do it well done but we could order med rare. Sigh, if she had just told us no we could've just ordered something else. There was another entree but I don't remember it. Btw, the lighting needs to be improved. As the evening progressed the light was very yellowish and cast a rather unappetizing glow on the food and people. The very beautiful people of Miami turned odd pasty shades. Dessert was a chocolate cake which was ok and a dry pineapple rum cake that seriously sucked the moisture out of your mouth it was So dry. That was a first for me for a pineapple cake. Dinner check had gratuity already included, standard for Miami. Came to $323 for 5 people, no alcoholic drinks and seldom refilled beverages. We slipped the busboy extra cash since he was really good and really hope gets promoted or moves to better situation. Considered the gratuity more than the waitress deserved...waaaay more.
(2)ROCKITSOBE L.
Wow, I have a great first review. Finally got back there this past Saturday was so looking forward to shrimp dish. It had a new name on menu, but I was assured by waiter only name changed but same exact dish. The dish was not the same at all second time sauce was like water and no flavor or spice!!! The garlic romaine salad was not good almost soggy. I mentioned to waiter about the shrimp dish his response, 'what would like me to do about it?' I replied, I would like it like the first time ordering it as I was told it didn't change. He simply walked away. We also didn't get the 20% Yelp discount, but he may not of heard me. I will take blame for that one. So disappointed as I was looking for new weekend brunch spot.
(1)Sofia T.
All these 5 star reviews, really? Located on the second floor in the back of a hotel, the dining room is stark, lots of hard surfaces making for a noisy room. Not impressed. Server started with a canned spiel about how Chef Kris is striving to bring back Florida cuisine, the tastes of the South and Caribbean, or something like that. We've heard a lot about this chef, but the food didn't live up it his reputation, or maybe he wasn't cooking on a recent Saturday night? --I rarely eat bread, but while on vacay, might indulge, but this bread was horrible! Thin stale slices, no thanks! Not a great way to start... --Kris's Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp are supposedly famous, but they were overcooked and rubbery. Total disappointment -"Roast Garlic and Lemon Drenched Romaine with parmesan & green olive tapenade toast" sounded better than it was. Have had this "drenched" romaine elsewhere much better (and preferably not drenched), but the toast was toasty--I mean, tasty. --Stone crab claws. I know they're expensive, but there was literally 1/4 teaspoon of meat and @$18/claw a complete rip off! When mentioned to the waitress, she said this time of year the meat sometimes gets stuck to the shells. Huh? The previous night, elsewhere, they were just perfect. --Sticky Guanabana Glazed Ribs only tasted of heavy smoke, no glaze. My bf said he was burping up that smokey grossness until the wee hours of the morning. --Pollo la Brasa, 24 hour marinade and slow roast chicken, purple & gold papas. The only standout dish we sampled. If the rest of the meal was like this, it would have been a winner. :( And why is the tip automatically included? I don't think we look like cheapskates! Would I return here? Nope.
(2)Christopher E.
Kris does it again!!! I have been a fan of his since 2001 & he just keeps getting better. Have the oysters served w/the frozen mignonette- pepper with just a hint of passion fruit: unique, refreshing & delicious. The fish was outstanding and the service was great. Will be back soon to try the lunch menu.
(5)Mindy G.
The oysters came with a salty spicy passionfruit sorbet, one of the most interesting things we've ever tasted. The chef's specialty shrimp was extremely tasty. The lobster came with 2 sides and was enormous. Try the bread pudding and key lime pie for dessert. Wait staff were excellent. Nice quiet ambiance. Will definitely be going back!
(5)Ellen A.
5 girlfriends and I showed up at 11p on a Fri night looking for some grub while we were waiting for the clubs to open, but were disappointed to hear that they had just closed. There was a man drinking a beer at the bar, and the bartender let us know he was the chef and that he was going to go back and open the restaurant for us! They brought us out an amuse bouche which was a really delicious and perfectly cooked piece of fish w/ local fresh veggies. We also split the ribs, alligator, burger and cheese plate. Everything was delicious! But the best part were the employees - Landon and John were awesome and Chef Chris even came out to hang w/ us. It made for a great night!!
(4)Amara B.
My friends and I went here for our last night in Miami. We had a reservation for 8. When we arrived there was no hostess. Our party stood there while other staff members watch us and don't offer to help us. At one point, we took initiative and sat ourselves. There were about 5-7 parties of less than 4 people seated. It wasn't busy at all. The waiter was very nice because he realized how long we waited for our seats. We also had to wait a long time for our drinks. There was just a lot of waiting for this place. The food was pretty good. I ordered the salmon which was cooked great. However, I got the Mac and Goat Cheese. It was basically penne noodles with a little cheese. It was the WORST mac and cheese I have had and it cost too much to be that terrible. I would never go back to this place. I don't suggest you waste your hard earned money at this place. Go somewhere where the service is better and the food matches the price tag.
(2)Lo T.
TERRRIBLEEEE!!!! Food is terrible. Do not waste your money here!! Came here as a last minute decision. It's expensive and has minimal taste. I ordered the salmon sliders and they were overcooked. My friends ordered the burger which went unfinished and they love burgers. Alligator empanadas also had the bare minimal taste if at all. To top off the bad food, it was about $50/person without alcohol. 5 days in south beach, didn't get bit by mosquitoes but an hour in this place got all of us at least 5 bites in the leg. They have a huge issue with mosquitoes. Stay away from this place. We should have known when we walked in that it would be terrible.
(1)Alex C.
I won't even elaborate too much like I normally would. Stark decor. Stale bread. Terrible bartender. Calabasa Hash is full of grease/oil. My veal vaca frita was 3 tiny triangular patties. First off, vaca frita should be shredded, one should be told upon ordering that it isn't your typical vaca frita. My portion on my plate looked like an appetizer compared to everyone else's dinner at my table. I ate my vaca frita in 5 or 6 bites maximum. Not impressed and doubt I would go back. Terrible Saturday night meal - Top 5 worse meals in my book for the whopping $90 per head at my table.
(1)Mimi M.
Amazing experience. I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere. The only weird thing was the choice in music. I am not sure what was going on but I got over it fast. Best part was my Palm Spring Salad and Orange Confetti Stone crabs
(5)Valentina B.
Went here for lunch and had the catch of the day ( seared tuna ) with some tea. It was all very good and super fresh. We were greeted and seated right away. Someone got drinks for us right away and the manager came by to tell us about the menu since the server was busy, he also took our order. The food was out with a timely manner. Very pleased with the service and food, would definitely come back and recommend to try.
(5)Jason H.
Since Starwood recently took this over everything is a mess. The pool bar and restaurant is bedlam at meal times. In off hours it seems fine. The food was ok but over priced. The staff are friendly but totally ill-equipped. It took 45 min for our food to arrive once ordered. We didn't see a wait person for 20 min; the hostess took our order and literally had to phone it in. Wait staff don't wear any kind of uniform or name tag (which normally I don't pay much attention to) but it's impossible to tell who works there. I'm really shocked that Starwood Hotels wouldn't be on top of this.
(2)Laura R.
The service was so, so, so, so BAD!!!!!!!!!! It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water, one hour for our food to come and our drinks to be served. We told the manager that our service was slow and she told us that it "wasn't the service, it was the kitchen." The food was just OK. We each ordered the burger or the BLT. It was a decent meal for a ridiculous price. $50 each for a burger and a pitcher ($75 a pitcher!). Will not be coming back here.
(1)Jared W.
My wife and I went to dinner here with some friends while we were in town. The service was very good. They even made sure to get a fan put next to our table, as we were eating outside in August. The wine list offered plenty of selection, and the drinks were good as well. The food was very good. It was well prepared, and utilized a lot of local ingredients. We were able to share amongst the four of us, and we all enjoyed it. Overall, it might be a bit pricey for what you get, but we would certainly dine here again.
(4)Carolina M.
I liked it. The place is gorgeous and the restaurant has patio seating which is great for Miami (when is not 100 degrees out). We tried the Miami Spice menu and the portions were good and the flavors were amazing. Creative and fun cooking. I def have to be back and try more from their regular menu. Not sure if they serve brunch but it would be an ideal place for brunch. The hotel is gorgeous i cant wait to stay there. The service was great, very friendly and good recommendations from our waiter. Good times.
(4)Misty B.
The service can't be beat. Servers are energetic, attentive, fast and uber-friendly. The wine list is a bit shallow -- no cabs or merlots on this list. The menu is an interpretation of Florida cuisine and quite approachable; I was thrilled to see and try the octopus on the appetizer list. All in all, not bad at all. Happy to return.
(4)LaLa K.
Very very disappointed. I arrived at 10:30 for breakfast and did not receive my meal until 11:50. Which I'm completely dumbfounded by since there were only 7 tables in the entire restaurant. Several people complained and they recieved free mimosa's/apps, they also recieved their food before mine's even though I arrived 15-20 min before them. Maybe my waiter would have offered me something had he been around and not joking around with his co-worker's. As a person who has worked in the service industry as a host/waiter/expo/cook I know a lot about good service. It's very easy. Check on your guest every so often, keep drinks refilled, and if the kitchen is backed up, keep them informed. The whole 50 min I sat there my orange juice was never refilled. I saw a waitress busting her butt to keep her tables happy, refilling drinks, asking the guest if they needed anything, running food, giving checks. Where was my waiter this whole time? Standing beside the bar looking at me look at him (this guy seriously had 2 table's and couldn't keep my orange juice full!) Besides the service the food was a great disappointment. I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was the worst thing I've ever tasted, ever. It taste like lemon paste and my "hash potatoes" where cold and flavorless. When the waiter finally came over to check on me and ask how everything was going. I told him "not so good" he said "Great!" and disappeared for 30 more minutes. I expect that service from a restaurant on ocean drive but not from a hotel I'm paying $400+ a night for. I never complained or yelled like the other guess, I was not rude, I even tipped. But there is one thing I can guarantee, I will never ever ever ever ever dine here again. Ever!
(1)Rebecca S.
seriously, that's the omelet you're going to give me, a good 45 minutes later on an uncrowded day (really like 3 tables, 2 others left because they could see no one was actually doing any work after they hadn't been attended to after 10 min.)? booooring, but worse, OILY! and don't make me wait that long for the most mediocre breakfast and not even hot toast. calabazza hash my a$$, that is boring, oily (are you picking up the theme here?) tasteless potatoes with a few random pieces of squash thrown in to pretend you're a real restaurant. get it together guys. usually Miami Eater gives great recommendations, this one was a total fail. Mediocre would have been an aspiration.
(1)Andy R.
We went for lunch on Saturday for Miami Spice. It's worth the visit just to see The James Hotel which is stunningly designed and features the work of regional artists. Only the outdoor patio space of the restaurant was open which was fine as most of it is covered and many fans help keep it comfortable. It's a great view from which to watch beautiful people going to and from the beach. I want to give the Cookery special kudos for not only giving us the Miami Spice menu but also highlighting it when we were seated. Many times participating restaurants seem to hide the fact they have a special menu. I was disappointed, however, to discover that menu items that had been featured online for their Miami Spice menu were not available. Only 2 entrees were offered, neither of which appealed to me. I ordered the roasted garlic and lemon salad with chicken, which was essentially a very good chicken Caesar priced at an expensive $18. My partner did have the special menu which started with a creamy burratta garnishes with a fried green tomato and corn salsa. His snapper entree was very good and the finale of a small key lime tart was exquisite. The service was very friendly and attentive, though we were never brought the cornbread we saw on other tables. The Florida Cookery is definitely worth a visit
(3)E S.
We went for a late lunch, and the food was delicious! We had grapefruit corvina ceviche, sticky guanabana ribs and conch fritter chowder. You could actually taste the strawberry in the strawberry mojito. It's a lovely restaurant, and I love the idea of Florida cuisine. The service was attentive and friendly. Only error was that the alligator/oyster/oxtail empanada dish, which was supposed to include one of each, instead had two oyster empanadas. But it was so tasty we ate it anyway.
(4)Ryne P.
The food was pricey, as expected, and also delicious. Portion sizes are reasonable and the service was great! I definitely recommend getting the empanadas even if it's just to sample share with a few others. I would have given this place 4 stars, but there were two things that's brought it down. First, they had a problem with Mosquitos. My leg was all bit up within a few minutes of sitting down. They did offer Off (it helped!) but my leg was already very itchy. The Mosquitos affected a few other tables too. Two couples relocated to another area of the patio. Second, the pork empanadas was cold...ice cold! The restaurant did replace he cold empanada though. So overall, the food was good and the service was responsive
(3)Ana G.
We entered the main restaurant only to be redirected to the outdoor patio because they were having a private event inside. I had read about this in a couple of the reviews, which leads me to think private events are their bread and butter while the restaurant gets the sloppy seconds. The terrace was lovely and breezy but the chairs were extremely uncomfortable and I found myself constantly shifting positions throughout the evening. After our waiter seated us at our outdoor table, he handed us menus and a beverage list. It was a short and unimpressive wine list. After deciding on one of their average overpriced bottles from that list the waiter happily informed us that there is a more extensive wine list. Why he didn't offer it to us from the beginning is beyond me. It was an improvement although they did not have the wine I had chosen. They did offer us another similar wine for the cost of the other wine. Nice touch. The empanadas, especially the ropa vieja, were delicious. Before we could take the last tiradito from the plate, the waiter swooped in to clear the plates. JV move. The waiters were apparently confused about who ordered what, bringing us entrees that were ordered by another table. I ordered the flounder but since they were out of flounder they substituted with cobia. It was cooked perfectly. It was supposed to be accompanied by carrots and coconut rice fritters but there was only one lonely, sickly-looking carrot and the rice balls had no discernible coconut flavor. My friend's pork chop was insipid and mostly fat. While the flan was perfectly dense and flavorful and the churros light and airy, the dessert list was uninventive. I thought the food overpriced for the quality. The waiter did manage to impress me with one courtesy which is conspicuously lacking in almost all waiters I've encountered. He asked us if we'd like our wine glasses refilled (!). It is the height of bad manners and rudeness when waiters intrude into your space to top off glasses without asking. Cheers to our waiter who got it right.
(3)K L.
The food here was excellent-some of the best in Miami. I'd highly recommend the conch chowder and the grouper. Both were excellent! I give this place four stars instead of five because the service was very slow. We waited almost an hour for our appetizers. The wait staff was slow to clear our plates, and our sides came out after most of our party had already finished their entrees. However, the staff was very friendly and took all of the sides off of our bill due to the delay without our even asking. Fortunately, the food was worth the wait and compensated for the sub-par service.
(4)Jay K.
Horrible service. We were invited to the unveiling of their summer menu which included free wine and a tasting of their new apps. Well unfortunately due to some transportation issues and accidents on the way there, we didnt make it on time and decided to go to the cookery for dinner. Since we didnt have a reservation we were told it would be 20 mins to honor ppl that did have reservations. Even though there was only 3 tables occupied, we said no problem. We waited 30 mins and after not 1 person walking past us, we asked the hostess how much longer. She ssid she needed to ask her manager, who wouldnot come out ofthe kitchen, becuase she was too "busy". So after waiting another ten mins, no one else showing up, and only 3 tables being occupied we decided to leave. They lost a party of four that hadnt eaten since brunch. Dont waste your time, if they dont care about their patrons, I wonder what else they dont care about (clean dishes, quality ingrediants, etc).
(1)Lo T.
TERRRIBLEEEE!!!! Food is terrible. Do not waste your money here!! Came here as a last minute decision. It's expensive and has minimal taste. I ordered the salmon sliders and they were overcooked. My friends ordered the burger which went unfinished and they love burgers. Alligator empanadas also had the bare minimal taste if at all. To top off the bad food, it was about $50/person without alcohol. 5 days in south beach, didn't get bit by mosquitoes but an hour in this place got all of us at least 5 bites in the leg. They have a huge issue with mosquitoes. Stay away from this place. We should have known when we walked in that it would be terrible.
(1)Rosy G.
Very pleased with the food here. The manager recommended the catch of the day which was seared tuna. I travel eight months out of the year and eat at a lot of different places. I must say the tuna was cooled to the utmost perfection. It was served with delicious grilled vegetables. Perfect lunch portion. I highly recommend it.
(5)Giancarlo B.
the chicken, beef & alligator empanadas are to die for, the best appetizer on the menu. Also the smoked chicken sandwich is delicious, it's tender and full of flavor. I can't wait to go back.
(5)Dan F.
I don't understand how people can rank this place under a four star. I thought the food and service was perfect.
(5)Matt W.
This was a really weird experience. We went on a Thursday evening and the place was completely dead. When we got there at 7pm there were 2 other couples in the whole place. When we left there were maybe 6 total. The bus girl was useless and very awkward about taking dishes, wiping the table, etc. First waiter didn't know the menu when I asked about an ingredient. He went to go ask. He finally came back with a waitress cause they were going to share the duty. The new waitress was awesome. Knew the menu, made the proper introductions, etc. Too bad the food didn't live up. The apps were yummy. But the entres were mediocre. My Fiance's fish looked like hotel food swimming in butter. My wild boar was in a dish that made it very awkward to cut. It was a bit fatty but tasted alright. Now we know why they had to run a Gilt City coupon.
(3)Valentina B.
Went here for lunch and had the catch of the day ( seared tuna ) with some tea. It was all very good and super fresh. We were greeted and seated right away. Someone got drinks for us right away and the manager came by to tell us about the menu since the server was busy, he also took our order. The food was out with a timely manner. Very pleased with the service and food, would definitely come back and recommend to try.
(5)Jason H.
Since Starwood recently took this over everything is a mess. The pool bar and restaurant is bedlam at meal times. In off hours it seems fine. The food was ok but over priced. The staff are friendly but totally ill-equipped. It took 45 min for our food to arrive once ordered. We didn't see a wait person for 20 min; the hostess took our order and literally had to phone it in. Wait staff don't wear any kind of uniform or name tag (which normally I don't pay much attention to) but it's impossible to tell who works there. I'm really shocked that Starwood Hotels wouldn't be on top of this.
(2)Laura R.
The service was so, so, so, so BAD!!!!!!!!!! It took 20 minutes to get a glass of water, one hour for our food to come and our drinks to be served. We told the manager that our service was slow and she told us that it "wasn't the service, it was the kitchen." The food was just OK. We each ordered the burger or the BLT. It was a decent meal for a ridiculous price. $50 each for a burger and a pitcher ($75 a pitcher!). Will not be coming back here.
(1)Jared W.
My wife and I went to dinner here with some friends while we were in town. The service was very good. They even made sure to get a fan put next to our table, as we were eating outside in August. The wine list offered plenty of selection, and the drinks were good as well. The food was very good. It was well prepared, and utilized a lot of local ingredients. We were able to share amongst the four of us, and we all enjoyed it. Overall, it might be a bit pricey for what you get, but we would certainly dine here again.
(4)Ashley J.
I'm surprised this restaurant has an average of only three stars. The food was excellent, the service was excellent and the space was great. Our waiter was so kind and jovial. We had a great evening with him. We ate empanadas, seafood chowder, caesar salad, the cobia entree and the another fish (that I now can't remember-ack!), and the flan for dessert. Wine and coffee, too of course. The flan was really not great, but the churros it came with were delicious. Everything else was delicious. Inventive enough to warrant the prices. We even used a 20% off food deal from yelp, which was cool. I liked this place a lot and can see myself coming back.
(4)Andrew S.
Stayed at the hotel so this was the only reason why we ate here. We lounged by the beach and pool and sampled some of the sandwich and appetizer selections. The food was prepared decently and were decent portion sizes. Stay away from the shrimp. There is 18% auto gratuity so there is not a lot of incentive for quick and timely service. However at times we did have satisfactory service and they were always friendly. Ok place to have for convenience but there is better in Miami for sure!
(3)Shera B.
The ambiance is nice very polite staff but a small menu & the octopus was not good. The pomegranate cucumber mojito us divine! Good desserts as well
(3)Andrew H.
Been meaning to check out this newest installment from Kris Wessel (formerly of Red Light in the Upper East Side neighborhood) for several months since its opening at the newly updated James Hotel on the Beach. I applaud the effort to bring back "unpretentious Florida cuisine", despite the fact that there's still a bit of pretense here given it's South Beach. The menu takes some cues from Red Light (Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp), and offers some new features as well. Frog legs, alligator and several fish options are complemented by vaca fritta and ceviche to round out a real Florida menu. Cocktail menu was interesting and really well executed. Wine list was tight but really overpriced. Service was attentive and not obtrusive. The food was solid, portions were generous, but the bill was steep too (with 18% gratuity automatically included - I hate that but I understand on the Beach). Overall - it was a good option for Miami Beach locals, just not the tremendous "value" I was hoping for. We'll be back again.
(4)Judy Z.
Wow.... We hand an outstanding meal..... Yucca fries were extraordinary.... Our waiter, Joel, was outstanding..... Great suggestions.... Each one a hit.... Stopped by the lobby bar for a nightcap.... Great evening.... Everyone treated us like VIPs.....
(5)MiMi V.
Went to hotel with a party of five. We were greeted quickly and seated. Not exactly sure why but the restaurant was giving service on the first floor near the pool, which was fine because the weather was nice. Almost empty dining area but it was only 6 in SOBE so that was expected. Waitress came by with drinks (FYI, the charge is per drink for nonalcoholic drinks, so for those who care it's an extra charge for refills but whatever). The waiters and waitresses seem to work as a team. However, they are not terribly well informed. If someone says they have a food allergy, they aren't kidding. The response to "does this have nuts" should probably be checked on. The waiter looked at us blankly and shrugged. Yeah, remind me to come back here and sue the hotel in case they slip me a macadamia nut when I said no nuts. The waitress was very dense, took our appetizer orders. Then 5 minutes later seized our menus. We had to holler at her we hadn't had a chance to put in our entree order. Her excuse was that she didn't want the paper menus to get dirty and thought we had made up our minds. As our appetizers arrived, I thought a more competent waiter had arrived. Quiet thin African American fella' who was shockingly one of the best waiters we've ever had! Knew the menu and served the food correctly! Ladies first and always always serve food from one side and clear from the other! Omg! A properly trained waiter? We were surprised to find out he was the busboy and not the waiter. The waiter was some idiot who came by twice to dump the food in front of us and even with the food in front of him couldn't explain what the food was (IE. I asked him what the ice cream was that was on the two dessert plates and he says sorbet on one, it was vanilla, and vanilla for the other, it was macadamia nut- oh to sue this place would be so easy, hear that management? Your wait staff wants to take you down). Ah, but the food. Sounds adventurous but was not. Appetizers: oxtail (flavorless), chicken (OK) and alligator (could've been ground beef as it lacked favor and I'm from Louisiana so I know good alligator and this ain't it) empanadas, over salted and sour frozen frog legs served beneath overdressed salad, OK but salty guanababa ribs. I will say that the BBQ shrimp were good though we asked for some bread from the waitress for dipping and it arrived 10 minutes later. Entrees: Grouper "bought and selected from boats". That's it, I'm never going to let anyone order fish in Miami again, those boats must be docked in another area code cuz fresh it was not. (2people ordered). 24 hr chicken - tasted like roasted chicken, not memorable at all. Mashed potatoes were OK. Wild boar requested med to med rare. That boar must've put up one helluva fight, cuz that was one tough piece of meat and was cooked med well done. Now I know there are some squeamish people who think pork needs to be all but leather to eat. But a chef who uses high quality meat and knows what they are doing should have no problems doing med-rare pork. It was unimpressive to say the least. Now at the onset of order we asked the waitress if they could be grilled to order, she said they normally do it well done but we could order med rare. Sigh, if she had just told us no we could've just ordered something else. There was another entree but I don't remember it. Btw, the lighting needs to be improved. As the evening progressed the light was very yellowish and cast a rather unappetizing glow on the food and people. The very beautiful people of Miami turned odd pasty shades. Dessert was a chocolate cake which was ok and a dry pineapple rum cake that seriously sucked the moisture out of your mouth it was So dry. That was a first for me for a pineapple cake. Dinner check had gratuity already included, standard for Miami. Came to $323 for 5 people, no alcoholic drinks and seldom refilled beverages. We slipped the busboy extra cash since he was really good and really hope gets promoted or moves to better situation. Considered the gratuity more than the waitress deserved...waaaay more.
(2)ROCKITSOBE L.
Wow, I have a great first review. Finally got back there this past Saturday was so looking forward to shrimp dish. It had a new name on menu, but I was assured by waiter only name changed but same exact dish. The dish was not the same at all second time sauce was like water and no flavor or spice!!! The garlic romaine salad was not good almost soggy. I mentioned to waiter about the shrimp dish his response, 'what would like me to do about it?' I replied, I would like it like the first time ordering it as I was told it didn't change. He simply walked away. We also didn't get the 20% Yelp discount, but he may not of heard me. I will take blame for that one. So disappointed as I was looking for new weekend brunch spot.
(1)Natalie C.
I received a voucher for food and drinks during my stay at the Royal Palm and thank goodness for that because I would have never spent any money on food here. I was happy about the vouchers thinking I can save some money for atleast one or two meals/day by eating here. Well I had breakfast and lunch and I have nothing good to say about the food. Nothing to rave about. I ordered there bacon and blueberry pancakes, eggs, and chicken sausage. The pancakes had no taste to them at all, even when I poured on the syrup it didn't help. Lunch wasn't any better with me ordering the Maui tacos.. The tortilla were cold and it was no seasoning to it at all. Only good thing I have to say is the service was good. The wait staff was very nice and attentive.
(2)Jen H.
What can I say!? This place is great!!! We had dinner reservations there in celebration of our 17th anniversary. The entire staff makes sure you feel welcomed and comfortable. The restaurant itself is located in the James Royal Palm hotel. It's a very sophisticated and inviting atmosphere. We were warmly greeted by the hostess upon arrival. The teamwork between Jaela, Matthew and Davis, was outstanding. They made sure everything was well at all times and helped to make our anniversary special. We ordered the empanada appetizers, as well as the guava glazed ribs. Our entrées were super delicious. Especially the grilled Cobia with a yuca patty accompanied with one of the most flavorful curry sauces I've ever tried. My compliments to the chef! For dessert we tried a chocolate cake with a delicate frosting and some coconut flakes. The generous piece of cake came with salted caramel ice cream, an assortment of honey roasted nuts and some caramel sauce. It was simply divine. Our overall experience was excellent and I would recommend this restaurant without hesitation.
(4)David B.
The waitress and service was very nice and friendly. Unfortunately that's where the praise ends. With so many quality restaurants in south beach/Miami, it was a shame one of them was wasted on this restaurant. In fact, the food was so poor that we had to have a second dinner afterwards. The octopus tasted like a burnt rubber band, the Jambalaya was dry, flavorless, overcooked and with an insulting amount of seafood. We were not charged for the jambalaya but the manager never even came out to speak with us, instead sending out the waitress to pick up the disappointing mess. Do not come here unless you're staying at the hotel, desperate and intoxicated.
(1)Vanessa M.
Well, I came to Florida Cookery after my NYC transplant friend requested I take her somewhere new, fresh, and with "fabulous drinks." Florida Cookery was a good choice. They have a very unique menu in that everything is Florida-inspired in the least expected non-traditional way. Why? Because when you think Florida food the last thing that will probably come to mind is SWAMP. But I had things I've never tried before, like frog legs and alligator empanadas, both surprisingly delicious for my first time ever trying them. The oysters with the fire-passion mignonette sauce--I have no idea what it is, but it blew my tastebuds away. Some more expected Florida dishes like the vaca frita were spot on--so soft and tender, I barely had to chew it. The pecan-crusted grouper was also a winner. I especially loved the cheese grit cake it came with. Fries were perfectly crisp and the ketchup is homemade! The service was great and very accommodating. As far as drinks, I highly recommend The Floridian. Delicious! The restaurant was a bit quiet for a Friday night, but I'm looking forward to returning when all of Miami catches on the greatness of this place.
(4)Alex C.
I won't even elaborate too much like I normally would. Stark decor. Stale bread. Terrible bartender. Calabasa Hash is full of grease/oil. My veal vaca frita was 3 tiny triangular patties. First off, vaca frita should be shredded, one should be told upon ordering that it isn't your typical vaca frita. My portion on my plate looked like an appetizer compared to everyone else's dinner at my table. I ate my vaca frita in 5 or 6 bites maximum. Not impressed and doubt I would go back. Terrible Saturday night meal - Top 5 worse meals in my book for the whopping $90 per head at my table.
(1)Mimi M.
Amazing experience. I really enjoyed my meal and the atmosphere. The only weird thing was the choice in music. I am not sure what was going on but I got over it fast. Best part was my Palm Spring Salad and Orange Confetti Stone crabs
(5)Brittany R.
Did Valentine's dinner here. The driveway coming up was a disaster because the roof of the hotel is large enough to cover one car, despite that the drive way can hold up to 30. Talk about a poor redesign... Got in around 10-10:30 due to the rain. We were late for our reservation and the hostess told us to just have a cocktail at the bar because there was a wait due to being late. Went to the bar for about half an hour, 10:30 rolls around and I go up to ask what's going on, and there must have been 15 empty tables in the restaurant. You've got to be kidding... We loved all of the food, everything we had was great. Lobster, wild boar, shrimp, and conch chowder. We ordered a second beer and she brought out an entirely different beer. Not even the same color. The waitress pays no attention. The decor is really off in here. It's like are you trying to be Modern? Deco? Rustic? The food was so good, but everything else just sucked-
(3)Ana G.
We entered the main restaurant only to be redirected to the outdoor patio because they were having a private event inside. I had read about this in a couple of the reviews, which leads me to think private events are their bread and butter while the restaurant gets the sloppy seconds. The terrace was lovely and breezy but the chairs were extremely uncomfortable and I found myself constantly shifting positions throughout the evening. After our waiter seated us at our outdoor table, he handed us menus and a beverage list. It was a short and unimpressive wine list. After deciding on one of their average overpriced bottles from that list the waiter happily informed us that there is a more extensive wine list. Why he didn't offer it to us from the beginning is beyond me. It was an improvement although they did not have the wine I had chosen. They did offer us another similar wine for the cost of the other wine. Nice touch. The empanadas, especially the ropa vieja, were delicious. Before we could take the last tiradito from the plate, the waiter swooped in to clear the plates. JV move. The waiters were apparently confused about who ordered what, bringing us entrees that were ordered by another table. I ordered the flounder but since they were out of flounder they substituted with cobia. It was cooked perfectly. It was supposed to be accompanied by carrots and coconut rice fritters but there was only one lonely, sickly-looking carrot and the rice balls had no discernible coconut flavor. My friend's pork chop was insipid and mostly fat. While the flan was perfectly dense and flavorful and the churros light and airy, the dessert list was uninventive. I thought the food overpriced for the quality. The waiter did manage to impress me with one courtesy which is conspicuously lacking in almost all waiters I've encountered. He asked us if we'd like our wine glasses refilled (!). It is the height of bad manners and rudeness when waiters intrude into your space to top off glasses without asking. Cheers to our waiter who got it right.
(3)K L.
The food here was excellent-some of the best in Miami. I'd highly recommend the conch chowder and the grouper. Both were excellent! I give this place four stars instead of five because the service was very slow. We waited almost an hour for our appetizers. The wait staff was slow to clear our plates, and our sides came out after most of our party had already finished their entrees. However, the staff was very friendly and took all of the sides off of our bill due to the delay without our even asking. Fortunately, the food was worth the wait and compensated for the sub-par service.
(4)Jay K.
Horrible service. We were invited to the unveiling of their summer menu which included free wine and a tasting of their new apps. Well unfortunately due to some transportation issues and accidents on the way there, we didnt make it on time and decided to go to the cookery for dinner. Since we didnt have a reservation we were told it would be 20 mins to honor ppl that did have reservations. Even though there was only 3 tables occupied, we said no problem. We waited 30 mins and after not 1 person walking past us, we asked the hostess how much longer. She ssid she needed to ask her manager, who wouldnot come out ofthe kitchen, becuase she was too "busy". So after waiting another ten mins, no one else showing up, and only 3 tables being occupied we decided to leave. They lost a party of four that hadnt eaten since brunch. Dont waste your time, if they dont care about their patrons, I wonder what else they dont care about (clean dishes, quality ingrediants, etc).
(1)Amara B.
My friends and I went here for our last night in Miami. We had a reservation for 8. When we arrived there was no hostess. Our party stood there while other staff members watch us and don't offer to help us. At one point, we took initiative and sat ourselves. There were about 5-7 parties of less than 4 people seated. It wasn't busy at all. The waiter was very nice because he realized how long we waited for our seats. We also had to wait a long time for our drinks. There was just a lot of waiting for this place. The food was pretty good. I ordered the salmon which was cooked great. However, I got the Mac and Goat Cheese. It was basically penne noodles with a little cheese. It was the WORST mac and cheese I have had and it cost too much to be that terrible. I would never go back to this place. I don't suggest you waste your hard earned money at this place. Go somewhere where the service is better and the food matches the price tag.
(2)Elyse A.
My family and I dined at the Florida Cookery for New Year's Eve. Although it was overall an alright meal, it was the service (and dessert) that really shined here. We were seated around 8pm on New Year's Eve and were not assigned a server. So we waited around at our table for about 15 minutes before informing the front of the house. Immediately, he asked what we'd like to drink and was committed to making sure we had a lovely meal. He stopped back a few other times just to check in and make sure everything was going smoothly. He was quite charming and a joy to chit chat with. Once we got our server, we were very happy. He was charming and gave nice recommendations. We ordered the guava-glazed ribs which were sweet and satisfying. The empanadas were crispy and flavorful. But no one was really over-the-moon with their entree. My cobia was alright, but completely forgettable. The best part was honestly the desserts: the banana donuts were heaven and the key lime pie were both satisfying and delightful. Our server, Israel, picked them out for us and we were just beyond the moon with how yummy they were. The ambience was fun; beautiful colors, warm woods and funky music. A warm, cool vibe that's not over-the-top or obnoxious. It was a modern, yet mid-century, yet creative and classic Miami Beach vibe all at once. So overall, the dining experience was nice. Again, good service and some bright spots with the food and ambiance. But overall, I think I left a little disappointed. Maybe it was because we had such an unforgettable, AMAZING dinner at Yardbird the night before, and I was expecting the same thing. I'd love to go here again and see if the food improved, but as is, it feels like a solid 3.5 star place with a lot of potential.
(3)Enjoli G.
Dining upstairs on the balcony is a must. The sunrise and sunset views are amazing. Brunch is the best.
(5)Carolina M.
I liked it. The place is gorgeous and the restaurant has patio seating which is great for Miami (when is not 100 degrees out). We tried the Miami Spice menu and the portions were good and the flavors were amazing. Creative and fun cooking. I def have to be back and try more from their regular menu. Not sure if they serve brunch but it would be an ideal place for brunch. The hotel is gorgeous i cant wait to stay there. The service was great, very friendly and good recommendations from our waiter. Good times.
(4)pracheta t.
Came here to meet a group of friends and I was definitely impressed with the ambiance and service. The open air setting was perfect for the weather and just half a flight down was this rooftop pool (no one wanted to jump in understandably). Our waiter was really nice and quick with suggestions which we took him up on. Our friends had a full dinner which they raved about but I just had a salad, cocktail and dessert. Now the dessert is what I had a problem with. The nutella filled donuts are apparently "the best thing on the menu" but I was so unimpressed I didn't even finish them. Extremely doughy, hardly any nutella and it wasn't soft or warm like I had expected. The key lime pie was better. Aside from the dessert fail, I liked this place a lot.
(4)Maggie V.
I have dined at The Florida Cookery twice, once for weekend lunch and now again for dinner. The restaurant is tucked away in the back of The James Royal Palm hotel on the second floor and has a nice ambiance with an ocean view. The patio in particular is gorgeous looking out over South Beach and the Atlantic Ocean. The menu looks great, but the food is underwhelming especially for the price. You are going to get a good meal, do not get me wrong, but with the focus on local sourced and inspired dishes (they serve alligator for instance)... you are expecting something more memorable. The flavors are a little bland and the execution seems a a bit off. You just want something more from the space and the experience. The 2nd time we had dinner was during Art Basel and the restaurant was one of the few on the beach that had availability during the madness of Basel. The wait staff has been attentive and friendly and has accommodated two long meals which was great. I really would like to see the restaurant up its game and justify the price, or look to be more accommodating to locals with a lower price point.
(3)John C.
Went for brunch this Sunday morning after seeing them on Channel 10. What a total disappointment. The food was absolutely horrid. The omelet tasted like the eggs were from a carton. The selection was weak to say the least. The bacon and sausage tasted like run-of-the-mill Sysco brand that everyone else serves. Even the bagels tasted like they were from 7-11. Can't imagine why such a nice place would have the nerve to serve food like this. It appears that the weekday menu is way better, but we'll never know as we will never be back.
(1)Tyler L.
This food was bad. Very disappointed with the meal. I ordered the ahi tuna burger. I understand that this is a semi-cooked dish. The innards of the fish were brown, not pink. I swear it was rotted. My wife and I got up and left. The staff was nice.
(2)Misty B.
The service can't be beat. Servers are energetic, attentive, fast and uber-friendly. The wine list is a bit shallow -- no cabs or merlots on this list. The menu is an interpretation of Florida cuisine and quite approachable; I was thrilled to see and try the octopus on the appetizer list. All in all, not bad at all. Happy to return.
(4)Ryne P.
The food was pricey, as expected, and also delicious. Portion sizes are reasonable and the service was great! I definitely recommend getting the empanadas even if it's just to sample share with a few others. I would have given this place 4 stars, but there were two things that's brought it down. First, they had a problem with Mosquitos. My leg was all bit up within a few minutes of sitting down. They did offer Off (it helped!) but my leg was already very itchy. The Mosquitos affected a few other tables too. Two couples relocated to another area of the patio. Second, the pork empanadas was cold...ice cold! The restaurant did replace he cold empanada though. So overall, the food was good and the service was responsive
(3)Christina L.
Let me start off by saying I have yet to have a meal here but I have had several signature cocktails and let me tell you they were all a tasty success! My favorite was the Janeiro, if you like a little bubbly in your drink like I do, than you will want to make this your first selection. This cocktail not only delivered on taste but smell as well with a few crushed leaves of rosemary topping off the little pool of prosecco bubbles The light scent of rosemary right before you take each sip is so refreshing and adds another dimension to this drink. The Floridian was also a great sipping experience and offered a sweeter pop to my palate. The decor of the bar and restaurant is a straight up modern take on a Mad Men vibe. That vibe is carried out not only in the restaurant but throughout the breeze way of the James Hotel as well. So if you are looking for a chill place to take down a few libations and appreciate a retro surrounding, then stop by the James Royal Palm Hotel. I can't wait to return to the FC to sample their delicious menu offerings. florida-cookery.com/menu…
(4)Roberto B.
Unwittingly or not (I'd like to think I keep my wits about me!) I have been a follower of Kris Wessel since 1996 when he opened Paninoteca on Lincoln Road - it was near where I lived and it was right smack in my budget and it was an ordinary sandwich brought to the level of gourmand fare - it's closing made me clutch my pearls. I just had to up the ante and pad my purse because I could still enjoy the miracles on a plate that Chef Wessel weaved at Liaison on Espanola, but that too only lasted a few years. Chef Wessel's move to Bal Harbour was a bit out of my reach both geographically and economically and an unfortunate experience (extremely bad service) at Red made me think he lost his touch; or at least he was out of touch with customers such as I (on a budget). I think Chef Wessel's return to the south Florida culinary scene, which is now growing by leaps and bounds, is soon to be crowned with his finest of glories at Florida Cookery. The food is priced what you expect for a Sobe exclusive deco haunt that can set you back just by valeting the car; but it isn't outrageous and there is definitely something for everyone. My companions and I went for the Spice Menu and we were more than pleasantly surprised. In addition to any previously written encomium to Chef Wessel a big shout out to Jasmina the hostess on hand and our server Rebecca; they exude the old world charm of customer service with such a smile and panache that you felt like you were dining with friends. Considering this and my last few experiences at The Federal I'm so pleased that there is at last a trend in Miami to have restaurants that serve such delicious unique food with such great service - we South Floridians so deserve this. The Oxtail was melt in your mouth and woulda made abuela cry - it is so better than anything you ate at home. A conch chowder was sublime with its underlying flavors of corn and cilantro and the key lime pie; a pleasant pleasing little unctuous disc topped with a homemade meringue (and touted as being a 1928 original South Florida recipe) was a divine end to a very happy meal. My only caveats (and I will return to give it that fifth star, I just know it!): Dining was poolside and The James is SORELY in need of some mist lamps - the few fans are simply not adequate to ameliorate the humidity; and eating something hearty like oxtail leaves one a little sweatier than desired. Inside the James and separate from Florida Cookery, the interior bar seems a little cold and more suited for an airport lounge - a little more lighting and a smile on the bartender are surely in order.
(4)Dale P.
A huge fan of the New Orleans Hot BBQ Shrimp at the Red Light in Miami (a menu item I had heard the chef brought with him to Florida Cookery), I was ready to love this place - and we started with a large order of the bbq shrimp. The flavors were just not there at all and the normally delicious buttery, lemony, peppery, spicy, savory sauce I had my chops set for was instead this charcoal-grey colored watery, nearly flavorless mess I didn't want to sop up with the fresh baguette (that they don't serve here!). The shrimp looked grey and undercooked. Here's the deal. Forgetting the lack of seasoning in the sauce, Florida Cookery has made a very unfortunate lighting choice, using orange tinted ceiling lights (perhaps LED) throughout. This basically causes any food item with a naturally brownish orange tint in natural light (like shrimp, or fish that has been pan seared for instance) to appear charcoal grey/beige at night - not colors one normally thinks of as mouthwatering One of our guests pulled out her bright orange wallet, and it looked dull beige in this lighting. Our other guest was wearing a pastel blue shirt - it too looked beige. The green beans were charcoal green...you get my point. Eating is a visual experience, and sadly this food needs more help than just changing a few light bulbs can provide. I had the conch chowder (it was 90 degrees outside on a July evening, dining al fresco, what was I thinking?). This serving bowl sized dish of "chowder" had a cornstarch shine to it, and the corn kernels were far larger than any conch in the dish. They ground the conch from what I could tell so there was no typical chewy texture from this conch chowder. They should rename this "corn chowder with ground conch". It was pleasantly spiced, but they need to rethink the size as a starter (and rethink the price while they're at it). The pecan crusted grouper was the highlight. (Meh.) I've had better fish dishes in chain hotel dining rooms. I REALLY wanted to like this restaurant. The $$$$ price point is not at all justified based on my experience tonight, and I don't plan to give them another chance. Service was good. (We arrived at 8 PM on a Saturday night and there were only a handful of people in the large poolside dining outdoor dining room.) FLORIDA COOKERY - PLEASE HAVE A LIGHTING SPECIALIST HELP YOU FIX THIS! GREY FOOD IS NOT APPETIZING AND IT'S KILLING ANY CHANCE YOU HAVE OF MAKING IT HERE. PLEASE ADJUST YOUR MENU TO TASTE MORE LIKE THE FOOD AT RED LIGHT - BECAUSE THIS FOOD HAS NO SOUL WHATSOEVER. YOU'RE GIVING FLORIDA CUISINE A BAD NAME (In my humble opinion.)
(2)Carter B.
We went during Spice Week, so our experience might be quite a bit different than the average reviewer. My wife and I went with the pre fix menu options. I had the conch chowder, oxtail, and chocolate lava cake. My wife had a tomato arugula salad, the fresh yellowfish, and key lime pie. Every item was delicious, interesting, and worth the money spent. The service was great. We ordered a couple pisco sours (off the drink menu) which were actually kind of terrible, but I don't fault the Florida Cookery for that (and god bless the concierge who ran out for a bottle of pisco since they had run out earlier in the week). Overall it was a great eating experience, and we'd go again on another week to see if they hold up outside of Spice week.
(4)Nancy M.
We're from NYC and this restaurant was described as. "foodie" restaurant - so far from the truth! Very expensive, appetizers ok, entrees not so much. So many great restaurants in South Beach, but this is definitely not one of them!!
(2)Jay Z.
I never would have come across Florida Cookery had it not been for a recommendation from Miami blogger Food For Thought who is a big fan of Chef Kris Wessel from his previous restaurant, Red Light. I'm very glad I did though as this may be the best spot on South Beach for great food without pretension or (much of) a scene. Florida Cookery is located in the James Hotel, although "hidden" may be the better term here. There are no signs once you walk into the hotel and you have to walk all the way to the back then up two flights of stairs to find it. Once you do though, you're rewarded with a cool, sleek modern space overlooking the pool with the crashing waves of the Atlantic in the distance. Add in friendly and attentive service and music and patron noise at the right level and you have one of South Beach's most pleasant hotel dining experiences. The only issue with the location is perhaps the world's longest walk to the bathroom (which is outside the restaurant, down a flight of stairs and a long hallway.) So if you're decked out in traditional South Beach attire with the 8-inch stilettos, you may want to pee before you go. The menu is fresh and local, with a nod to the diverse heritage of Florida cooking (think pecan-dusted grouper w/ grits, gator empanadas, creole oxtail). Yes,probably half the restaurants in South Beach make this claim. But while most charge the same amount ($15 apps, $25+ entrees), few do it this well. It's also one of the rare restaurants where I would have been happy eating anything on the menu. And on a recent Saturday night, it was inexplicably only about half-full. So get in before the secret gets out. Here are my thoughts on what we ordered. You can find more photos on DishEnvy. Oxtail, Oyster & Alligator Empanadas (2/4) If you're into empanadas (who isn't?) these are a solid way to start your meal. The oyster was a little strange, but the lemon cayenne sauce makes everything better. Kris' Biscayne Blvd Shrimp (3/4) Grilled and covered in a spicy tangy sauce somewhat reminiscent of Worcestershire that you'll want to lick out of the bowl. Fortunately it comes with baguettes to soak it up so you won't have to. Goat Cheese Broiled (2/4) Great mix of hot/cold elements with the baked goat cheese and hot tomatoes against the cool arugula and cucumber salsa. Really transforms a basic sounding salad. "Florida is the South" Pecan Dusted Grouper (3/4) Sweet pecan, salty cheese grits and citrusy sauce. It's surprisingly a fairly light but it packs a ton of flavor nonetheless. Key Lime & Tomato Mahi Mahi (1/4) The tomato and lime combined for a dish I found a little heavy on the acid. You do get a nice cut of mahi mahi, but there are too many great options here to settle for this.
(5)Monica A.
Really interesting extreme-local food concept. The only problem was the pricey valet (standard South Beach, 20 bucks, meh) and the fact that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. I expected a loud, trendy atmosphere but I was pleasantly surprised at the quiet, casual ambiance. The servers and staff are quite attentive and accommodating. They were happy to box up all of the food that we tried so hard to finish but were unable. It's a very fish-heavy menu but the flavors are perfectly paired. The rib appetizer was succulent but probably contributed to the satiety fatigue we then experienced and could barely touch our actual meals. This is a lovely place for locals who are looking for a relaxed fine dining experience.
(4)Katie F.
Found a Gilt City coupon and ended up using it the last day it was vaild (over Hip Hop weekend to boot)....after seeing "eh" reviews about this place I was hoping the 1 1/2 hours we were stuck in traffic were going to be worth it. It was a girls night out, just my Mother and I and we were greeted by two lovely women at the hostess stand. It was very empty for a Saturday night, but we didn't mind that at all. The atmosphere is awesome, open air, open walls, fans blowing air, so there was no stagnant humid feeling. The decor was very organic looking, natural to go with the theme of Florida farm to table food. The cocktails were great - fruity, fresh and fun (my Mom had something with strawberries and rum...I just had a red sangria - with assorted berries in it - a nice change up from the typical apples and grapes!). I started with a quail salad...not great, the quail was small and delicate, so it was overcooked and tough to cut off the bone. Skip it. My Mom had a crab salad, it was light, refreshing and pleasant, a great starting dish. As a main dish I opted for the pecan crusted grouper. It was amazing. It was topped with a butter sauce to die for! BEWARE: If you are a health nut, this is NOT the dish for you! Between the buttery sauce, pecans and the delicate fish, it tasted like I was eating a praline. Melt in your mouth goodness. I think there were veggies (fresh string beans) but who cares? The fish was delicious. My Mom had a special, the pork chop, braised with local veggies and served with a cheddar polenta cake. Quite tasty and the portion was HUGE...we took the rest home and made fajitas the following night....and they were delicious too! Overall, aside from the disappointing quail salad, the food was great. I would definitely go back for the grouper, drinks and to try some of the other "Florida" menu items. Like most places in South Beach the food is OVERPRICED. It's not just this restaurant, it's EVERY restaurant. I wouldn't go out to eat without my Gilt City voucher...teachers don't get paid enough to indulge, so Gilt City keep up the good work! If it were
(4)E-and-K R.
The food and service were fantastic. We had a mixture of the Miami Spice menu, and assorted items from the general menu (hint: the alligator, oxtail, and oyster empanadas are to die for, and the conch bisque is amazing). Wine selection was amazing, and the pairings were superb. Staff was courteous, friendly, and very knowledgeable. Our only issue was the price, the food was quite a bit over priced, but that's par for the course for Miami Beach.
(3)Joel S.
I'll start off saying this place was probably closer to 2.5 stars rather than 3 stars. Well, where do I start. I will say that I really wanted to love this place - and honestly the place wasn't all that bad and I'll even say that if it was a stand alone it would probably have been ever better. Looking back on my meal, the thing that really got me was the value - terrible value (more on this later). We started with the ceviche and conch "fritters". I don't know exactly what a fritter is really but these didn't look like conch fritters - they looked like conch fingers. Now that I am typing it maybe it said conch fingers - oh well. The ceviche was excellent and the fritters were meh at best. They weren't crispy at all and you could barely tell there was conch in them. Joe's fritters are WAY better. The main dishes were solid - I got the snapper special and my friend got the grouper. The grouper took a while for the flavor to come out but the snapper was pretty solid. We tried the key lime pie for desert. It wasn't really a traditional pie - no graham cracker crust - it was in like a little bowl thing - it probably has a name, but I don't know what its called. It was tasty enough, but the crust was stuck to the bottom. We also got a glass of wine each. Oh - I almost forgot - at the start they asked if we wanted sparking or still water. Silly me thought this was going to be like so many places now where they bring you some good water for a couple of bucks per person - wrong - we got a bottle of water for who knows how much. I felt like a sucker (cue cartoon picture of my head turning into a lollipop). I should also mention the bread. Really pretty poor for a place that aspires to be great. It seemed like sliced cuban bread or something. One serving wasn't even toasted or warm - the second serving was toasted and a bit better. Anyway the bill came out to be about 160 bucks (18% added in). I am not scared of an expensive meal, but this just didn't seem worth it at all. I don't really eat in the hotel restaurants around town very often and I think this might be why. Again, while the food wasn't awful and the service wasn't awful there are so many better places to go with better prices. PS - the music was great!!!!!
(3)Lisa D.
We came here on a Wednesday night and the place was pretty much empty. We were one of four tables in there, however, that did not seem to help us out when it came to getting good service. It took a very long time before someone came and took our order. We ordered the empanadas to start off with, then I ordered the chicken lemon soup and goat cheese salad as my entree. About 40 minutes later, they arrived with all the food (instead of empanadas first). I dug in to the bowl of chicken lemon soup first. I've had the Greek version of chicken lemon soup, so I was expecting some version of that. Not the case. It was as if they had taken a glass of water, squeezed a lemon in to it, and then threw in a few chunks of chicken. It was completely flavorless. At $9 for the bowl of soup, I expected a little more. The homestead goat cheese salad was good. Overall, this place is relatively pricey for the level of service you receive and the quality of the food - especially considering all the other great restaurant options in the area. We went to Khong River house the next night, where our bill was relatively the same, and had a completely different experience. The service there was amazing and the food was fantastic and well worth the prices. If you are staying at the hotel and do not want to leave, this place will do in a pinch, but do not order the soup and don't have high expectations.
(2)Charissa P.
I went with my husband and sister (visiting from out of town). I had a gilt city voucher that expires this Saturday may 25 (our waiter, however, without even looking at the voucher said that it was no longer valid. I think he could have been a little more respectful of the fact that patrons know more especially when it's written on the voucher.) Unfortunately, I waited last minute and needed to make sure I took advantage of deal. At the end -the deal was not a deal. The service was ok and the food that we ordered was not spectacular for the price we paid at the end. The Gilt City voucher was for 78 and the "deal" was one app to share, two salads, two entrees and side to share. Not bad I thought and the only limitation was not ordering gaucho steak. Then there was my sister who had to order from menu without the deal and she ordered the veal chops (which were so chewy and hard to eat) she had to change to grouper (to the chagrin of the waiter it seemed) She also ordered the shrimp and a cocktail. At the end they charged her the price if the lobster (that my husband ordered as part of gilt city) the waiter tried to explain that was the minimum they had to charge for the additional person outside of the voucher (what a load of...) but we didnt complain - simply signed the 104 dollar bill and vowed to never come back to Florida Cookery. I would not recommend. Too bad - it's a nice ambience and the decor was well done.
(2)Hnedel M.
We had lunch here for my girlfriend's birthday and was glad we did. One of the best charred octopus I've had. Their grouper cheek w/ clams was great as well. The service was a bit slow but it wasn't an issue for us because we were enjoying the scenery and not in a rush. They were also great about making her birthday experience special w/ free prosecco, decorated dessert plate etc. small things but it all made for great time.
(4)Tovah F.
My mother was in town visiting and had read about this place in the New York Times. When we arrived, the hostess was bubbly and charming. We sat outside near the pool. The sever took 15 to take our drink order and another 10 to bring us our drinks even though only 5 tables were occupied. He took our order and we ordered appetizers and entrees. When our food arrived it was all at once and we had to send our entrees back to keep warm. The clams and the shrimp appetizer were ok but nothing special. My mom got the vaca frita and I got the boar chops. Her entree was mediocre while my chops were actually very good, but not good enough to ever come back to eat here again.
(2)Sofia T.
All these 5 star reviews, really? Located on the second floor in the back of a hotel, the dining room is stark, lots of hard surfaces making for a noisy room. Not impressed. Server started with a canned spiel about how Chef Kris is striving to bring back Florida cuisine, the tastes of the South and Caribbean, or something like that. We've heard a lot about this chef, but the food didn't live up it his reputation, or maybe he wasn't cooking on a recent Saturday night? --I rarely eat bread, but while on vacay, might indulge, but this bread was horrible! Thin stale slices, no thanks! Not a great way to start... --Kris's Biscayne Blvd. Shrimp are supposedly famous, but they were overcooked and rubbery. Total disappointment -"Roast Garlic and Lemon Drenched Romaine with parmesan & green olive tapenade toast" sounded better than it was. Have had this "drenched" romaine elsewhere much better (and preferably not drenched), but the toast was toasty--I mean, tasty. --Stone crab claws. I know they're expensive, but there was literally 1/4 teaspoon of meat and @$18/claw a complete rip off! When mentioned to the waitress, she said this time of year the meat sometimes gets stuck to the shells. Huh? The previous night, elsewhere, they were just perfect. --Sticky Guanabana Glazed Ribs only tasted of heavy smoke, no glaze. My bf said he was burping up that smokey grossness until the wee hours of the morning. --Pollo la Brasa, 24 hour marinade and slow roast chicken, purple & gold papas. The only standout dish we sampled. If the rest of the meal was like this, it would have been a winner. :( And why is the tip automatically included? I don't think we look like cheapskates! Would I return here? Nope.
(2)Christopher E.
Kris does it again!!! I have been a fan of his since 2001 & he just keeps getting better. Have the oysters served w/the frozen mignonette- pepper with just a hint of passion fruit: unique, refreshing & delicious. The fish was outstanding and the service was great. Will be back soon to try the lunch menu.
(5)Mindy G.
The oysters came with a salty spicy passionfruit sorbet, one of the most interesting things we've ever tasted. The chef's specialty shrimp was extremely tasty. The lobster came with 2 sides and was enormous. Try the bread pudding and key lime pie for dessert. Wait staff were excellent. Nice quiet ambiance. Will definitely be going back!
(5)James W.
Florida Cookery has pretty decent food but has been painfully slow the couple of times we've eaten there during our stay at the James Royal Palm - including over an hour wait for our food after ordering at lunch today. If they can fix their service time it would be a pretty good beach spot.
(3)Joey V.
A wonderful addition to the neighborhood. Sit outside and have lunch with a spectacular view. The food was so good...this is the spot. South Beach lifestyle. Florida Cookery, beach, nightlife, repeat.
(5)Vivian G.
My girlfriend bought a Gilt City voucher for the Florida Cookery and we went on Sunday, Mother's Day, for dinner. I had read the mixed reviews and was anticipating good food, but not-so-good service. When we arrived we were immediately greeted by the hostess and given our choice of tables. Once we were seated, a server assistant asked about our water preference, still, sparkling or "city". A few minutes later the server approached us and I gave her the voucher. She asked if we knew what was included in the voucher and asked for our drink order. A few minutes later our drinks arrived and about 5 minutes after that our server reappeared to take our order. Great timing! She was friendly, courteous and very knowledgeable about the menu. We started with the BBQ shrimp, had a couple of salads and I ordered the snapper special. Being a native Miamian, I expect nothing but fresh seafood and Florida Cookery did not disappoint. The BBQ shrimp was outstanding. The salad, goat cheese and tomatoes, was great too and the snapper, main course, was absolutely delicious. I went to this restaurant with low expectations, but they made a believer out of me. We avoid the beach like the plague. Too many mediocre restaurants with lousy service, too little parking and way too many people. However, I will be definitely be back to Florida Cookery. Great service and outstanding food. The only reason I am not giving them 5 stars is because the cocktails were just ok.
(4)Rachel R.
well, what can i say. not impressed. service was fine. wine was very pricey and my salad was not that good.
(2)Jennifer C.
I'm already sorry for writing this review because the manager and waiter were so kind and polite and tried everything to rectify our evening. I also feel guilty because Kris Wessel is well known in Miami for making some killer food at Red Light in Little River, which made people flock to the hood for his cooking....Which is why I came to Florida Cookery. The menu SOUNDED great which must mean Kris wrote it. But the food tasted awful, which means he was absent from the kitchen. We started with the Frog Legs, which sat in a pool of sour orange "sauce" soggying up the crisp breading. The meat itself was tough and stringing and very under seasoned. Then came our Duck Confit that too sat in a "sauce" that had the strong taste of aluminum and canned pineapple juice (even though pineapple was no where on the dishes description). Our side of Calabaza Hash came next and with less than 10% made from Calabaza what we instead had was some roasted potatoes. But those were seasoned well. At this point we called off the rest of the meal and asked for the check because it was really that awful. The waiter apologized and immediately let the manger know. He comped our whole meal even though I begged to at least pay for my drinks. They refused so I ended up tipping the waiter anyway and praying that something changes asap.
(1)Martin P.
Spent a few days at the James and expected to sample several restaurants in the area, but ended up eating most of our meals at the Florida Cookery. They really take fresh, local, and seasonal cuisine to a new level. The Grouper they served just happened to be a local variety that was running in the area that week and I can't say I've ever sampled fresher. There was a focus on serving vegetables and fruits that were in season. Service was impeccable. The views of the shore just added to the overall beautiful ambiance. We can't wait to get back to the Florida Cookery at the James Royal Palm.
(5)Ellen A.
5 girlfriends and I showed up at 11p on a Fri night looking for some grub while we were waiting for the clubs to open, but were disappointed to hear that they had just closed. There was a man drinking a beer at the bar, and the bartender let us know he was the chef and that he was going to go back and open the restaurant for us! They brought us out an amuse bouche which was a really delicious and perfectly cooked piece of fish w/ local fresh veggies. We also split the ribs, alligator, burger and cheese plate. Everything was delicious! But the best part were the employees - Landon and John were awesome and Chef Chris even came out to hang w/ us. It made for a great night!!
(4)LaLa K.
Very very disappointed. I arrived at 10:30 for breakfast and did not receive my meal until 11:50. Which I'm completely dumbfounded by since there were only 7 tables in the entire restaurant. Several people complained and they recieved free mimosa's/apps, they also recieved their food before mine's even though I arrived 15-20 min before them. Maybe my waiter would have offered me something had he been around and not joking around with his co-worker's. As a person who has worked in the service industry as a host/waiter/expo/cook I know a lot about good service. It's very easy. Check on your guest every so often, keep drinks refilled, and if the kitchen is backed up, keep them informed. The whole 50 min I sat there my orange juice was never refilled. I saw a waitress busting her butt to keep her tables happy, refilling drinks, asking the guest if they needed anything, running food, giving checks. Where was my waiter this whole time? Standing beside the bar looking at me look at him (this guy seriously had 2 table's and couldn't keep my orange juice full!) Besides the service the food was a great disappointment. I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was the worst thing I've ever tasted, ever. It taste like lemon paste and my "hash potatoes" where cold and flavorless. When the waiter finally came over to check on me and ask how everything was going. I told him "not so good" he said "Great!" and disappeared for 30 more minutes. I expect that service from a restaurant on ocean drive but not from a hotel I'm paying $400+ a night for. I never complained or yelled like the other guess, I was not rude, I even tipped. But there is one thing I can guarantee, I will never ever ever ever ever dine here again. Ever!
(1)Rebecca S.
seriously, that's the omelet you're going to give me, a good 45 minutes later on an uncrowded day (really like 3 tables, 2 others left because they could see no one was actually doing any work after they hadn't been attended to after 10 min.)? booooring, but worse, OILY! and don't make me wait that long for the most mediocre breakfast and not even hot toast. calabazza hash my a$$, that is boring, oily (are you picking up the theme here?) tasteless potatoes with a few random pieces of squash thrown in to pretend you're a real restaurant. get it together guys. usually Miami Eater gives great recommendations, this one was a total fail. Mediocre would have been an aspiration.
(1)Andy R.
We went for lunch on Saturday for Miami Spice. It's worth the visit just to see The James Hotel which is stunningly designed and features the work of regional artists. Only the outdoor patio space of the restaurant was open which was fine as most of it is covered and many fans help keep it comfortable. It's a great view from which to watch beautiful people going to and from the beach. I want to give the Cookery special kudos for not only giving us the Miami Spice menu but also highlighting it when we were seated. Many times participating restaurants seem to hide the fact they have a special menu. I was disappointed, however, to discover that menu items that had been featured online for their Miami Spice menu were not available. Only 2 entrees were offered, neither of which appealed to me. I ordered the roasted garlic and lemon salad with chicken, which was essentially a very good chicken Caesar priced at an expensive $18. My partner did have the special menu which started with a creamy burratta garnishes with a fried green tomato and corn salsa. His snapper entree was very good and the finale of a small key lime tart was exquisite. The service was very friendly and attentive, though we were never brought the cornbread we saw on other tables. The Florida Cookery is definitely worth a visit
(3)E S.
We went for a late lunch, and the food was delicious! We had grapefruit corvina ceviche, sticky guanabana ribs and conch fritter chowder. You could actually taste the strawberry in the strawberry mojito. It's a lovely restaurant, and I love the idea of Florida cuisine. The service was attentive and friendly. Only error was that the alligator/oyster/oxtail empanada dish, which was supposed to include one of each, instead had two oyster empanadas. But it was so tasty we ate it anyway.
(4)