where to eat in Miami, FL?

Family vacation next week in Miami. Suggestions for nice dinners? Father will spend no more than $500 for a family of 5. (Only three will be consuming alcoholic beverages.) Heard Table 8 and Michy's are good places. Opinions? Other recs? Thanks!

[after writing this I found a number of Miami threads in this forum -- should have checked first -- including prior enthusiasm for Tap Tap. I'd recommend that you search, too]


I don't have recommendations for a "fine dining" restaurant in Miami. But I can recommend more casual places, one with particular enthusiasm.

Tap Tap is a gem, or at least it was back in 2001 when I lived in South Florida for a year and ate there frequently. It's Haitian, with especially good pumpkin soup and fish in lime sauce. I used to eat the conch and the goat, too, but I can no longer remember the preparation in any detail. The bar serves well-mixed (quite fruity, but not all sweet) drinks. Sides are very good, especially the spinach in coconut sauce and the plantains. The restaurant is covered floor to ceiling with bright-colored paintings on every surface. On weekends there's often music, sometimes excellent, always loud. The place is noisy, service used to be hit-or-miss, and parking can require a bit of poking around for meters. But it's in South Beach without the fuss, the food is great and quite affordable (I could go on a grad student budget, though I can't recall the prices with precision), the crowd is friendly and diverse -- hands down the best choice in South Beach as far as I'm concerned, and better food than many of the expensive places on and around Lincoln.

And then there's Calle Ocho. The options are many, but favorites include pastries (especially the guava-cheese turnovers, and the empanadas are tasty) at the Versailles Bakery (next to the restaurant). Good coffee, and in the morning it's not uncommon to overhear older men talking Cuban politics with great passion -- much has gone down at Versailles over the years, and its where US presidents come to court Cuban voters, etc. La Carreta is a very solid choice, with typical ropa vieja and the like. I tended to prefer their entrees to the Versailles restaurant (though I believe they're owned by the same people, and La Carreta has expanded into a chain over the years to boot). Still, Versailles can't be beat for atmosphere -- so many mirrors!

Watch for gas stations and grocery stories with side windows -- often the best places to grab a cafe con leche to go.

If by chance you're up in Hollywood, don't miss the fabulous key lime pie at Roth's groves. It's a local favorite, in my opinion the best around (even if the topping seems to be Cool Whip, not real whipped cream). Pies and individual tarts are available (to go only -- this is an orange grove gift shop). It's just a short drive from the Seminole Hard Rock Casino, which is the major local landmark.

Tap Tap
819 Fifth Street, Miami Beach, Florida 33139
305 672-2898

Versailles Bakery
3501 SW 8th St, Miami
(305) 441-2500

La Carreta
3632 SW 8th St, Miami
(305) 444-7501

Bob Roth's New River Groves
5660 Griffin Road Davie Florida 33314
Toll free: 800-227-0203 - Local: 954-581-8630

Sad to see that Tap Tap has closed. Going to Miami next weekend. No car so I'll probably stick fairly close to the beach. Any current recommendations?

Where on the beach are you staying? Joe’s Takeaway, Taquiza, and My Ceviche are great for lunch