Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink info:
I’m still relatively new to Miami, as I’ve only really vacationed here once before. Michael’s Genuine Food and Drink is one of the places my friends suggested for me to eat, and it was by far the most interesting place I’ve eaten at in Miami. From what I’ve heard, Michael’s is in the more expensive side of town, the Miami design district. However, our food was reasonably priced for what we got and it was amazing. The menu itself had great variety, accommodating anyone from children to self-proclaimed “foodies” such as myself.
Miami has a lot of restaurants since it’s a tourism hotspot, but Michael’s didn’t try to take advantage of tourists. They just provided genuinely good food (no pun intended) that happened to be in Miami I read the reviews for Michael’s while waiting for my food, and it was really well reviewed online. One of the few complaints was bad service, but I didn’t experience any such issue. The wait staff was friendly and brought my food quickly. Parking wasn’t an issue, even in such a densely populated area.
That’s probably just because of the tourism in Miami, though. It’s an old habit of mine, but I like to check out the kitchens whenever I dine at a new restaurant. There were no issues that I could see, and their hoods were very well maintained. Michael must have invested in a great Miami hood cleaning company. Some places have open-air kitchen where you can peek in and see all of the safety violations just waiting to happen. I was pleasantly surprised with Michael’s, enough to have a genuine reason to keep coming back to Miami time and time again.
Prohibition Restaurant and Speakeasy info:
The day after visiting Michael’s, I went to Prohibition Restaurant and Speakeasy for dinner. Prohibition is located near midtown Miami, which is normally a pretty crowded area. I’m not sure how, but they manage to keep their area open and free enough so you can chat with your friends while you eat together. My review is only being added into the mountain of high ratings.
It’s not every day that you see a restaurant that can pull off an antique theme, but Prohibition does it well and even includes some unique old-timey cocktails. I went in expecting Prohibition to be another place with some gimmick to set themselves apart from their competitors, but they actually do the Prohibition theme very well. The menu doesn’t only contain names with puns in them, the drinks are very well thought out and planned. You would think that a place in midtown Miami is expensive, but the dishes are priced reasonably for the quality and quantity that they serve you. Prohibition’s wait staff was also very friendly and worked in a timely manner.
A lot of restaurants have waiters that don’t operate well under duress, but Prohibition breaks the cycle. I also want to give a special shout-out to the party accommodations, because there was a large group with an especially grumpy old man who wanted things his way and the manager was still able to meet his needs. I now have two reasons to come back to Miami, and a whole menu full of reasons to come back for dessert later tonight. My mom always used to tell me not to eat dessert after 7 PM, but it’s always after 7 somewhere.
Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina info:
Bourbon Steak by Michael Mina offers a less expensive alternative to steak houses that dramatically inflate their prices for the same quality as any other places. Located near Golden Beach in Miami, they offer some of best steak I’ve eaten in Miami. I understand that steak isn’t everyone’s thing, because I’m one of those people. What you have to understand about Bourbon Steak is that they don’t just serve steak, and their menu is actually packed full of a variety of amazing dishes. Located in Steak is this restaurant’s speciality, which is an almost hyperbolic understatement.
They get everything about steak right, and I don’t even like steak. As a child, I would always try it at places like the Texas Roadhouse. You haven’t had a real steak until you try Bourbon. A lot of my friends who live in Miami always tell me that a good steak is the same no matter where you go, but I actually introduced them to this restaurant this time around. I dined here last time I was in Miami, on a smaller budget, and Bourbon Steak met my budgetary needs. Bourbon really does deserve all the great reviews that it keeps getting.
One thing Bourbon does differently from other restaurants is serving you fries while you wait, instead of bread. But here’s the kicker: they also serve you a bunch of different dipping sauces. That was by far my favorite part of eating at Bourbon. I’m a real sauce guy, especially with french fries. Additionally, the tables were clean before we sat down. It’s gonna be tough adjusting to regular food once my vacation ends. Maybe I’ll just have to move to Miami?
Lobster Bar Sea Grille info:
Last but not least during my trip, I went to the esteemed Lobster Bar Sea Grille. On the seventh day, God rested. But on the eighth day, God made Lobster Bar Sea Grille. I have to say that if I was going to eat myself into a stupor anywhere in Fort Lauderdale, it would be here. This restaurant isn’t quite located in Miami, but it was definitely worth the trip. Somehow I managed yet again to stay under budget, and I ordered a LOT of food. It even passed my own personal restaurant test. Service, check. Price, check. Quality of food, check. My main reason for visiting here was the great reviews it keeps getting, and the hype did not lie.
The volume was also tolerable which can be really hard to come by in more touristy areas in Florida. Sometimes you have to scream over the DJ’s country/R&B fusion mixtape, or you’re battling the people sitting behind you for the ability to hear whoever you’re dining with. Even if you aren’t much into seafood, Lobster Bar Sea Grille does a great job of accommodating people who eat things that live solely on land. The best part about this restaurant was actually the fact that I wasn’t sick to my stomach when I left.
Seafood can have that effect on you, depending where you go. It always makes or breaks my stay at a restaurant when I see the wait staff smiling, because you can tell that they’re trying to make your experience pleasurable, no matter what they’re going through. Lobster Bar Sea Grille was definitely the perfect conclusion for my trip to Miami and other parts of Florida, and I am looking forward to my next visit with open arms. Retirement never sounded so good to someone who isn’t even in their 30s yet.