5 Best Restaurants in South Beach, Miami and Miami Beach

Background Illustration for Restaurants

We've compiled the best of the best in South Beach - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.

Byblos

$$$ Fodor's Choice

Dynamic and delicious flavors of the eastern Mediterranean merge over traditional and new-fashioned dishes at this photogenic local hot spot. Feast on pides (Turkish flat breads baked in a stone oven), Middle Eastern fried chicken (with tahini, za'atar, and house hot sauce) and fattoush (crunch salad) while enjoying the breezy, art deco surroundings and colorful interiors.

Macchialina

$$$ Fodor's Choice

Framed by exposed-brick walls, decorated with daily specials on chalkboards, and packed with gregarious patrons, this local foodie hangout feels like a cozy neighborhood tavern—unless you opt to sit outside in the lush courtyard. Owner and chef Michael Pirolo nails the concept of modern Italian cuisine through a small but special selection of antipasti (try the local burrata and creamy polenta) and daily homemade pastas (like tagliolini al funghi and spaghetti con vongole).

820 Alton Rd., FL, 33139, USA
305-534–2124
Known For
  • Killer wine selection
  • Melt-in-your-mouth pasta specials
  • Devoted local following

Something incorrect in this review?

Chotto Matte

$$$

With bright graffiti walls, a buzzing bar, and an open-air roof, this trendy Japanese-Peruvian fusion restaurant has brought sophistication and edge to Lincoln Road. Order a pisco or Japanese whiskey and settle in for flavor-packed Nikkei-style cuisine and some of the best sushi in town.

1664 Lenox Ave., FL, 33139, USA
305-690--0743
Known For
  • Excellent sharing menu
  • Glow-in-the-dark bathrooms
  • Flaming Holy Water cocktail

Something incorrect in this review?

Recommended Fodor's Video

Katsuya South Beach

$$$

Design impresario Philippe Starck opted to fill the smoking-hot SLS Hotel South Beach with a number of see-and-be-seen eateries, including Katsuya South Beach. At this popular Japanese restaurant, dishes come from four separate kitchens and include awesome eats like a legendary miso-marinated black cod, succulent lobster dynamite (in a creamy mushroom sauce), baked crab hand rolls, and amazing sushi rolls. If you want a quieter evening, ask to sit in the unpublicized second-floor dining room.

Yardbird Southern Table & Bar

$$$

There's a helluva lot of southern lovin' from the low country at this funky South Beach spot, where Miami's A-list puts calorie-counting aside to indulge in comfort foods and innovative drinks. The family-style menu is divided between small plates, "the bird" plates, and sides and snacks, but have no doubt that "the bird" takes center stage (or plate) here—you'll rave about Llewellyn's fine fried chicken, which requires a 27-hour marination and slow-cooking process, for weeks to come.

1600 Lenox Ave., FL, 33139, USA
305-538–5220
Known For
  • Smoked brisket biscuits
  • Bourbon cocktails
  • Chicken ’n’ watermelon ’n’ waffles
Restaurant Details
Reservations essential

Something incorrect in this review?