Miami Guide Take
Miami’s oldest restaurant is Joe’s Stone Crab, open in South Beach since 1913. A run of Little Havana and Miami River institutions followed between 1935 and 1976, then a second wave of neighborhood classics opened between 1997 and 2022 in Brickell, Downtown Miami and the Design District. Together they span 24 restaurants and 109 years of continuous Miami dining.
Jump to a section
- The Founding Era: 1913-1935
- The Cuban Exile Generation: 1966-1976
- The Late 1980s Through 2007
- The 2010s New Classics
- The Newest Classics: 2018-2022
- Quick-Reference Table
- FAQ
The Founding Era: 1913-1935
Joe’s Stone Crab — South Beach — Open since 1913 Joe’s is Miami’s oldest restaurant of note and the reason stone crab season, which runs October 15 to May 1 under Florida’s harvesting rules, is a Miami calendar event and not just a menu item. It stays open year-round now, tuxedoed service and all, serving flash-frozen claws alongside an expanded seafood-and-steak menu once fresh claws are out of season.
Ball & Chain — Little Havana — Open since 1935 Ball & Chain has run on Calle Ocho for 91 years, with a stretch in the mid-20th century when Billie Holiday and Chet Baker played its stage. Today it’s known for a midnight conga line and a Pastelito Daiquiri, not the jazz-era booking history.
Ball & Chain
A historic Little Havana landmark on Calle Ocho operating since 1935, blending authentic Cuban dishes, signature cocktails, salsa dancing, and live music.
The Cuban Exile Generation: 1966-1976
Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market — Miami River — Open since 1966 Garcia’s started as a wholesale fish market run by Cuban exile brothers Esteban and Luis Garcia before it added the deck-side dining room. Tables sit close enough to the Miami River that diners watch working fishing boats tie up while they eat.
Monty’s Raw Bar — Coconut Grove — Open since 1969 Monty’s sits on the Coconut Grove marina and has stayed an open-air raw bar through five decades of change around it. Happy hour draws a boating crowd as much as a dining one.
Versailles Restaurant — Little Havana — Open since 1971 Versailles is as much a political meeting point as a restaurant, the spot where Miami’s Cuban-American community gathers after elections and news events. Its walk-up window, la ventanita, is where South Florida’s sidewalk cafecito habit started.
Versailles Restaurant
A landmark Little Havana gathering spot on Calle Ocho serving classic Cuban comfort dishes, espresso at the walk-up ventanita.
The Rusty Pelican — Key Biscayne — Open since 1972 The Rusty Pelican looks across the bay at the Downtown Miami skyline from Key Biscayne, a view that’s driven its seafood menu and event bookings for over 50 years.
El Rey de las Fritas — Little Havana — Open since 1976 El Rey de las Fritas has one job: the frita, a paprika-spiced patty on a soft bun buried under shoestring potatoes. It’s the reference point every other frita in Miami gets compared to.
The Late 1980s Through 2007
Toni’s Sushi Bar — South Beach (Washington Avenue) — Open since 1987 Toni’s opened in 1987 as South Beach’s first Japanese sushi bar, a decade before the neighborhood’s dining boom arrived. Hiromi “Toni” Takarada’s children, Yoko and Kevin, still run it, keeping the menu at accessible omakase nigiri and sashimi sets rather than the multi-hundred-dollar counters newer sushi spots charge. Usuzukuri, salmon carpaccio and hamachi jalapeño remain on the menu, and the room got a renovation with imported Kyoto bamboo ahead of the restaurant’s 40th anniversary.
News Café — South Beach (Ocean Drive) — Open since 1988 (closed after nearly 30 years, reopened 2026) Mark Soyka opened News Café in 1988 on a then-derelict stretch of Ocean Drive, running it 24 hours a day before it closed decades later. It has now reopened on the same ground floor of The Tony Hotel at 804 Ocean Drive under Vida & Estilo Restaurant Group, bringing back the original tomato soup and tuna melt alongside new dishes from chef Henry Hané. The room mixes marble tables with a Versace-themed “Fashion Corner” and wall portraits of Gianni Versace and Tony Goldman.
GreenStreet Cafe — Coconut Grove (Commodore Plaza) — Open since 1990 GreenStreet Cafe has anchored Commodore Plaza in Coconut Grove since 1990, its red umbrellas and outdoor lounge seating setting the tone for the neighborhood’s sidewalk-dining scene. All-day brunch and plush outdoor seating built for people-watching are still the draw.
11th Street Diner — South Beach — Open since 1992 11th Street Diner is a restored 1948 New Jersey dining car parked in South Beach since 1992, serving comfort food late into the night after neighboring restaurants close. The stainless-steel exterior and diner-car layout are original to the build, not a retrofit.
Café Prima Pasta — North Beach (Abbott Avenue) — Open since 1993 Gerry Cea opened Café Prima Pasta in 1993 as a 28-seat noodle spot on 71st Street, and it’s credited with kickstarting North Beach’s restaurant scene before other spots followed. The kitchen blends Cea’s Italian heritage with South American influences, running veal milanese and black ravioli stuffed with lobster alongside fiocchi di rapera and beef carpaccio. Madonna visited a week after opening, and signed photos of regulars like Lenny Kravitz, Dwyane Wade, Shakira and Lionel Messi now line the dining room.
Cafe Prima Pasta
Family-owned Italian staple in Miami Beach, serving classic hand-rolled pasta and traditional recipes in an intimate, long-standing neighborhood setting.
Big Pink — South Beach — Open since 1996 Big Pink has run a 200-plus item menu out of a bright-pink dining room since 1996, with entrees served in stainless-steel “TV Dinner” trays as its signature format. It’s built for volume and range rather than a tight seasonal menu.
Smith & Wollensky — South Beach — Open since December 1997 Smith & Wollensky sits at the southern tip of South Pointe Park on Government Cut, close enough to watch superyachts and cruise ships pass on their way to PortMiami. The patio view stretches to Fisher Island and Downtown.
Smith & Wollensky
The steakhouse where the view does half the work — cruise ships slide past Government Cut close enough to wave at.
The River Seafood & Oyster Bar — Brickell — Open since 2003 The River has held its footing as a neighborhood seafood spot through more than two decades of Brickell’s high-rise buildout, on the strength of a wine list and a regular local table rather than a scene.
Oh! Mexico — South Beach (Española Way) — Open since 1997 Oh! Mexico has served Mexican dishes and house-made tortillas on Española Way for more than 25 years, recently adding a third location, a taco shop next door to News Café at 804 Ocean Drive.
Prime 112 — South Beach — Open since January 2, 2004 Prime 112 set the template for Miami’s modern steakhouse boom: prime cuts, a bar that runs as loud as the dining room, and a table list that reads like a guest book of Miami nightlife.
Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink — Design District — Open since Spring 2007 Michael’s Genuine pushed Miami toward seasonal, ingredient-driven cooking at a moment when the Design District had almost no dining destinations of its own. Nearly 20 years later, the menu logic still holds.
Michael’s Genuine
The neighborhood cornerstone that traded pretension for sharp, wood-fired cooking long before the luxury boutiques moved in.
The 2010s New Classics
Zuma Miami — Downtown Miami — Open since 2010 Zuma runs a high-energy robata-and-sushi menu on the river, with a late-night dining scene that keeps the room loud well past a typical Miami dinner hour.
Zuma Miami
The Miami River classic that proved waterfront dining could be both serious and fun.
Cecconi’s Miami Beach — Mid-Beach (Soho Beach House) — Open since October 11, 2010 Cecconi’s serves handmade pastas and seasonal Italian dishes inside the Soho Beach House building, open daily for breakfast, lunch and dinner plus a weekend brunch.
Makoto — Bal Harbour — Open since 2011 Stephen Starr and chef Makoto Okuwa built a Japanese menu and sake program inside Bal Harbour Shops that’s held its footing for 15 years in one of the country’s more turnover-prone retail settings.
Makoto
Chef Makoto Okuwa and Stephen Starr’s upscale Japanese staple features Edomae-style sushi, and an al fresco terrace on the third floor of Bal Harbour Shops.
Toro Toro — Downtown Miami — Open since October 25, 2012 Chef Richard Sandoval’s Pan-Latin steakhouse runs inside the InterContinental Miami, pairing bold Latin flavors with classic steakhouse cuts.
Toro Toro
Richard Sandoval's Pan-Latin steakhouse inside the InterContinental — where the meat comes to your table on skewers and the Sunday brunch has a DJ. One of the f
American Social Brickell — Brickell — Open since 2014 American Social built its Brickell location around a burger-and-cocktails menu, then backed it up by winning Schweid & Sons’ “Very Best Burger” honor at the 2021 South Beach Wine & Food Festival.
American Social Bar & Kitchen Miami
Where Brickell clocks out. Riverfront views, cold drinks, and the kind of crowd that turns happy hour into dinner without meaning to.
Komodo — Brickell — Open since 2015 Komodo has anchored Brickell’s nightlife-adjacent dining scene for over a decade with Southeast Asian dishes and a Peking Duck order most tables split.
Komodo Miami
Brickell's see-and-be-seen dining room, where Southeast Asian flavors, a jungle-inspired space, and late-night energy all share the table.
Glass & Vine — Coconut Grove — Open since 2016 Glass & Vine runs out of Peacock Park under oak trees, with a Raw Bar menu (smoked fish dip, catch-of-the-day ceviche) that holds up for weekend brunch as well as dinner.
Watr at 1 Rooftop — Miami Beach — Open since 2016 Watr sits atop 1 Hotel South Beach next to the rooftop pool, serving sushi and small plates with ocean views on one side and the hotel’s pool scene on the other.
Watr at 1 Rooftop
Open-air Japanese-inspired dining set 18 stories up beside the rooftop pool at 1 Hotel South Beach, featuring sushi, seafood, and wide Atlantic Ocean views.
Los Fuegos — Mid-Beach — Open since 2016 Argentine grillmaster Francis Mallmann built Los Fuegos at Faena Miami Beach around an open-fire kitchen, cooking meats and vegetables over live flame in front of the dining room.
Pao by Paul Qui — Mid-Beach — Open since 2016 Pao, also at Faena, runs chef Paul Qui’s modern Asian menu across Filipino, Japanese, Spanish and French influences, with recent additions like Kinilawin Norte and Tinapa crudo.
The Newest Classics: 2018-2022
Boulud Sud Miami — Downtown Miami — Open since January 2018 Chef Daniel Boulud’s Mediterranean-inspired restaurant focuses on seafood, grains and coastal flavors, led day to day by Miami-born executive chef Michael Hernandez.
Café La Trova — Little Havana — Open since January 28, 2019 Café La Trova runs on cantinero-style bartending, Cuban-inspired plates and live “La Trova” music nightly, built by chef Michelle Bernstein, a James Beard Award winner, and Julio Cabrera, named Industry Icon at the 2023 North America’s 50 Best Bars.
Cafe La Trova
A traditional cantinero-style cocktail craftsmanship with classic Cuban cuisine and culture.
Contessa Miami — Design District — Open since October 28, 2022 Major Food Group’s northern Italian concept runs on aperitivo hour and long lunches, the newest restaurant on this list by six years but already carrying “Editor Favorite” status on TMG.
Contessa Miami
Northern Italian dining inspired by Lake Como, set inside a grand Design District restaurant with marble, teak and skyline views.
Quick-Reference Table
| Restaurant | Neighborhood | Open Since | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joe’s Stone Crab | South Beach | 1913 | Celebrations |
| Ball & Chain | Little Havana | 1935 | Live music, cocktails |
| Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market | Miami River | 1966 | Casual seafood |
| Monty’s Raw Bar | Coconut Grove | 1969 | Happy hour, raw bar |
| Versailles Restaurant | Little Havana | 1971 | Cuban classics |
| The Rusty Pelican | Key Biscayne | 1972 | Skyline views |
| El Rey de las Fritas | Little Havana | 1976 | Frita |
| Smith & Wollensky | South Beach | 1997 | Waterfront dining |
| The River Seafood & Oyster Bar | Brickell | 2003 | Neighborhood seafood |
| Prime 112 | South Beach | 2004 | Celebrations, power dining |
| Michael’s Genuine Food & Drink | Design District | 2007 | Seasonal cooking |
| Zuma Miami | Downtown Miami | 2010 | Late-night dining |
| Cecconi’s Miami Beach | Mid-Beach | 2010 | Italian, brunch |
| Makoto | Bal Harbour | 2011 | Japanese cuisine |
| Toro Toro | Downtown Miami | 2012 | Pan-Latin steakhouse |
| American Social Brickell | Brickell | 2014 | Burgers, casual |
| Komodo | Brickell | 2015 | Nightlife dining |
| Glass & Vine | Coconut Grove | 2016 | Outdoor brunch |
| Watr at 1 Rooftop | Miami Beach | 2016 | Rooftop, sushi |
| Los Fuegos | Mid-Beach | 2016 | Live-fire steak |
| Pao by Paul Qui | Mid-Beach | 2016 | Modern Asian |
| Boulud Sud Miami | Downtown Miami | 2018 | Mediterranean seafood |
| Café La Trova | Little Havana | 2019 | Celebrations, live music |
| Contessa Miami | Design District | 2022 | Celebrations, aperitivo |
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Miami’s oldest restaurant?
Joe’s Stone Crab, open in South Beach since 1913, is the oldest restaurant of note still operating in Miami.
What is the oldest restaurant in Little Havana?
Ball & Chain, open since 1935 on Calle Ocho, predates the neighborhood’s Cuban exile-era restaurants by decades.
Which Miami restaurants are tied to the Cuban exile community
Versailles (1971), Garcia’s Seafood Grille & Fish Market (1966) and El Rey de las Fritas (1976) were all founded by Cuban exiles and remain touchstones for Miami’s Cuban-American community.
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