Cafe Sambal - Mandarin Oriental Miami

It's a great hotel but if any of you are looking to save some $$ then book it at referer.us/8/GoodHotelDeals They usually have some pretty good deals on there! more

I see that it has been over a year since the last review and wanted to say that the restaurant experience we had was outstanding. We arrived a bit early for our seating and were escorted to a very nice bar area where the service was great. The staff used our names all the time, the food was well presented and tasted very very good. The wine list is amazing, the courses were appropriately portioned althought they may look smaller since they are served on very large plates. We left satisfied, but not stuffed which might be why some reviewers were not happy with the prices. The location and ambiance, the service and attentiveness and the overall special feel of the restaurant are the primary reasone to go. The fact that they put on a great meal is bonus. We thoroguhly enjoyed this restaurant. Tip: go early and mid-week if you can. Traffic was not bad getting there and there were not many people until about an hour after we arrived. They open for dinner at 7:00 P.M. and we arrived about 15 minutes early for our reservation. The weather outside was too chilly for the balcony, but we really enjoyed overlooking the bay and seeing the skyline lit up. Pros: Staff was right on the money bout being attentive but not intrusive. Perfect. Cons: After the place filled up, it got kind of loud... but it's Miami :) more

I made reservations for our 7 Year Anniversary. We got there and were seated immediately. I had asked for a balcony table and puff wish granted (Inside it's a bit loud). The scenery on the balcony is WOW, at night you can see the buildings in downtown, and you feel the cool breeze from the water just below. It is very expensive, about $40USD a plate, but well worth it. Come with about $250 in your wallet if you want to eat and have cocktails like we did. You never have to open a door on your own. They even have a guy that arranges your silverware according to your dinner selecion. BTW guys with big appetites, get the steak, it's awsome. Desert was good but not too high on the wow meter. I had the chocolate desert. Since it was our anniversary they brought us a nice plate with happy anniversary in caramel, some sweet selections and a candle. In conclusion, if you want a romantic dinner with your significant other this is the place. P.S. Happy Anniversary honey from your loving husband, J.V. Pros: The best everything and well worth it Cons: Pricey more

I took my girlfriend here for our 4 yr anniversary.....this is the 1st upscale restaurant where she not only enjoyed the ambiance but also the food. Our table was situated outside on the balcony with a captivating view of the bay....we started off w/ the peruvian ceviche, avocado and tostones which was pretty good, esp. the tostones...the sauerdough bread was out of this world...she has the ricotta gnocci w/ shrimp which she loved and I had the jumbo seared sea scallops w/ the best bacon in the world bar none...my girlfriend wouldnt leave my plate alone...to top off the great evening, we shared the best marinated strawberries w/ cream cheese ice cream (yum)...they even gave us a candlelight surprrise w/ chocolates and happy anniversary written on the plate in chocolate....they also gave us a personal signed card wishing us a happy anniversary...the hotel itself is beautiful as we took a stroll along biscayne bay and looked at the stars...in sum, seeing my girlfriend's smile made this night magical...We will def. be back... Pros: Great food, attentive service, beautiful ambiance, great location to walk around after dinner Cons: Very expensive more

Whether you want a fantastic view or innovative dishes, this is the Best. Waiters are well versed in the various dishes and wines. Service is exceptional. Try any of the fish entrees-all fresh and original. The serene setting is perfect with a spectacular sunset. Great dining experience. Pros: ambiance, professional service, great food more

This is the best Miami offers. The srvice is exceptionally attentive. The food is imaginative and flavorful. As close to world class as Miami can get. Pros: The View, The Service, The Food more

Heard so much and waited so long to get a reservation, but was teribly dissapointed. Arrived with a couple 100 point wines to have with dinner and found out they do not allow corkage, not exactly what I would call wine friendly. The Maitre D was haughty and had us stand and wait instead of showing us the bar. The waiter staff is young and inexperienced. The food is OK but very small helpings. Extremely expensive for what you get. Almost left before I got seated but drove too long. Seating area is very loud, not much ambiance. Such a letdown. Pros: waterfront Cons: expensive, Inexperienced staff, no ambiance more

Maybe I'm too cynical, but this restaurant was at best average and relatively, for 300 bucks for two people i can name 30+ NY restaurants that are a lot better. Their highly recommened Hamachi dish used very low quality fish that tasted more like ocean sludge than fish. My wife loved her lamb dish but otherwise the appetizers were pretty ordinary and my dessert souffle was delivered collapsed. The coup de grace was being charged for 2 bottles of wine instead of one. Look, it's a nice place, but I felt the food was basically Hotel Restaurant food or even worse, cruise ship food. Pros: ambience, attentive waiters Cons: average food, inaccurate bill more

My finace and I were visiting South Beach after spending a few days in Keywest. This is one of the best restaurants we have been to. We dine out often, mostly in NYC and we were very impressed with everything this wonderful restaurant had to offer. The space is beautiful and the food and service were outstanding!!! The raisin bread is to die for...and the tuna app and the kobe beef were out of this world!! I will definately visit this restaurant again the next time I am in South Beach. It is located inside the Mandarin hotel which is also very nice. My only regret was not sitting outside to enjoy the beautiful view of the bay. more

I took a friend to celebrate her 50th birthday on Nov. 13th. We were seated even before our reservation time. The service was exceptional as well as colorful. We sat out on the balcony and had a team of very well informed servers. Our head server Jorge explained the menu and offered suggestions which we took him up on. The food was very good only to be out done by the service. Jorge made our evening outstanding. looking forward to many great meals at Azul. Pros: Service, Food, Decor more

I had lunch with friends here back in April of 2004, and it was the most pleasant dining experience I ever had!! First, you must be chic & stylish to even appreciate it. We had the BEST table, it overlooked Biscayne Bay. I then ordered a $10. Mojito which was the absolute BEST ever, I still cannot find one that is comparable. I then had the $25. seared tuna, which was straight from heaven, the tuna steak was perfectly done, and served with quail eggs and a honey mustard type of sauce!! Then I had the $10. dessert, which I do not remember the name, but it had a chocolate soup accompanying it. You also get a small appetizing salad, fresh baked bread and petit fours after dinner. The service was immaculate! I would definitely go back when I am in town! It is expensive, but worth every penny!! Pros: EXPENSIVE, VALET PARKING, EASY ACCESS more

Azul is an amazing restaurant. We got a chance to enjoy the $20 pre-fix lunch menu before heading back to San Francisco. This is definitely a steal for everything you get. It was exquisite food, excellent service and wonderful views of the harbor. Living in the SF Bay Area, we've experienced many different types of fusion restaurants this is one of the best ones I've been to. My compliments to Chef Michelle Bernstein for the innovative and exquisite menu. Pros: food, service, view more

Azul is definitely unsurpassed in food quality, superior service, artistic presentation and menu selections. Convenient valet parking is the beginning of a perfect evening that ends with some of the most creative and decadent desserts in South Florida. This is THE place to bring out of towners, special friends, important clients, or your significant other for a romantic evening. Large parties for 6 to 10 are comfortably and easily accommodated. This is not a restaurant for people desiring a kid-friendly atmosphere or people on a tight schedule or budget. Even with almost mandatory reservations, you may have to wait awhile, so enjoy the ambiance of the Mandarin Hotel Lobby Bar if the Azul Bar inside is full. The experience is expensive but certainly unforgettable. WARNING: SENSE-ory overload may occur subliminaly enticing you to become a regular patron! - L. DeSimone Pros: Amazing Food, Excellent Service, Beautiful Ambiance Cons: Reservation-Difficult, Tables-close together, Very Expensive more

I THOUGHT THE SERVICE AND THE FOOD WAS EXCELENT. THE WINE LIST WAS ALSO GREAT. REQUEST A BETTER SELECTION OF OPUS ONE. more

My wife and i dined at Azul's on a busy friday and came away in love with the place! We had a 9-30 reservation but arrived an hour early to have a cocktail and the manager adjusted a couple of seatings and managed to get us in early. We had the 6 course prefix meal with each course accompanied with a different wine. Service was superb with our waiter M.Ming always available and the wine steward Richard pouring generous glasses of very high quality wines highlighted by Hietz cab with our beef entree. This is an expensive way to dine but it is well woth the extra expense! Bravo! Pros: service, atmosphere, food Cons: none more

Dined at Azul for my 30th birthday. The staff was extremely well informed and thoughtful. The food was slightly intimidating but interesting and amazingly delightful. This is one of the few South Florida restaurants you must experience. Just make reservations early (my only gripe). Pros: beautiful, memorable, busy more

This place is for those who are young, hip and trendy; and for those who don't mind paying top $$$$ for a night out. The location itself is excellent with views of the city of Miami. The Bar is "Top Notch", with a very good selection of rare & vintage wines. Service overall was very cordial and professional. Want to impress someone ?? This is the place to do it !!!!! Cons: parking !!!!!! more

We went here for dinner at 9:30 on Memorial Day. The menu had a great selection, and was not too overpriced. Our primary waiter was okay, but the waitress who assisted was excellent. She was always glancing over to our table to make sure that we had everything we needed. The chef gave us tasting samples of seared duck, which was excellent. The main course was okay, lacking a bit je ne sais quois. Dessert was excellent - again, a great selection. They give you little cookies at the end of the meal, so if you don't have room for dessert, you can still satisfy your sweet tooth. We sat on the balcony which has a peaceful waterfront view. The ambiance of this restuarant is very relaxing and romantic. We had gone to the Blue Door the night before this, and Azul is just so much better in many ways. Pros: Excellent Service, Serene more

My Fiance took me to Azul to celebrate our anniversary yesterday. The ambiance is exceptional, the service is ok, and the food left us with a lot to wish for. The food was not as great as it is hyped up to be, is over-priced, and the ingredients are not the best for the price. Don't be fooled... Pros: ambiance Cons: over priced, not attentive service, poor quality food more