Karu & Y

For those of you wanting to spend a saturday night at Karu with a group of friends..buy a bottle..and have a great time...this is not the place for you. I recently went to Karu to watch the De la Hoya/Mayweather fight, enjoy the night with my friends, and celebrate a friends birthday on Cinco de Mayo. Service leaves much to be desired. After having a bottle stolen from our VP table, I attempted to speak to someone who could help us resolve the situation. You would think after paying $355 for a bottle in their VIP Lounge (one of 6 purchased throughout the night), management would atleast offer our group some type of accomadation. Not Karu !! After an hour of waiting around to speak to someone about the situation, I was told.. "we have security camera's sir, this never happens in our lounge". I thought to myself, I'm in a very bad part of town....in an outside VIP Lounge area looking at an abandoned metromover up above, with hundreds of people walking about..and I'm being told its not possible for someone to come and take a bottle from our table when me and my friends are distracted, talking..drinking..and enjoying the night. Anyways, to make a long story short..if you buy a bottle in Karu, take that bottle with you to the bathroom..to the dance floor..and everywhere else you go in that place. Chain the bottle to the table if you have too...Because if you don't...it might just walk out on you. more

I will never go there again. It is in the middle of a really bad neighborhood. The service is horrible. I literally had the worst time of my life. Music couldn't get any worse. The bathrooms located in the outside, are a free peep show for anyone willing to stand there and watch you. It definitely is not worth the time, money or any day of the week. Pros: Nice set-up Cons: Worst service, food, music more

I am a regular on Wednesday?s fashion party. This week I decided to have dinner with my friends and believe me I regretted it. We order several appetizers the foie, meatballs and micro green salad. The foie excellent, the meatballs not my cup of tea and the micro green salad what a rip off. For entrees we order, Pheasant, Halibut and Pork. Not worth trying any of them, I have to give credit everything was cooked perfect, but the combinations not for me. I just don't understand what is the chef trying to accomplish with his style, his food is hard to comprehend. Confusion, Confusion. The restaurant is not worth trying, food is too expensive and service not great. The only positive thing about this place is the lounge on Wednesday nights, good crowd and beautiful people. Music can improve. Pros: The Lounge Wednesday nights Cons: The Food, Service, Need New Chef more

This place is not worth for what it is. I think they are trying to hard with the whole "Alta Cocina" thing. What happen to real food. Everything has a puree, is this a place for baby's, what happen to vegetables cooked the proper way. I agree with most of the reviews the other people have submitted. Don't Waste Your Time. Desserts were great. Pros: Desserts and Lounge Cons: Food and Service more

I came to have dinner at karu two weeks ago. Don't waste your money in this place the food is lousy, the dishes don't make sense. I been aroung other excellent restaurants around the world and this one is the worst. I rather spend my money in Burger King at least you know what you get. I had the Barramundi "Confusion" and my wife had the Pork Loin even worst. Service is ok, but needs improvement. The best thing about the restaurant is the decor and the club next door. If you want to see Karu just go for drinks. They should think of spending their money in a BETTER CHEF!!! Pros: Decor and Club Cons: FOOD CHEF more

I would rate this restaurant with a "0" score but the bread was kind of good, so it gets a "1" The nightmare begins with a reservation for a large party of people lost a few days before the dinner date. We manage to arrange it again 10:30pm. Few hours before the scheduled dinner, they call to tell us that the reservation has to be moved to 11PM. We get there, and ended up seating at 12AM. We were a large party so we sat at several tables. After 20 minutes of no one coming to our table I have to get up and get our own drinks at the bar for everyone at the table. At 12:30am no one seems to want to take our order. I call the manager, he comes and tells me "I am sorry sir, sir this, sir that" Translated in other words to: "Damn we messed up" We order. People at the other tables are done eating, we still haven't gotten our food. Around 1am, a waiter comes with more menus, he had no clue that we have ordered already, so here goes another hint of no clue with what was going on with our table. Manager comes again and he repeats: "I am sorry, bla bla bla bla" Translated this time to: "I don't care anymore, just wait" At 1:15am our food arrives...Here goes another joke. Their sense of fine cuisine is limited to portions that are smaller than spoon size and I am not kidding! I've been in many restaurants around the world: France, Spain, Italy, England, Miami, but I never have seen so much BS around a place in the name of "Fine Dinning". Bottom line, most of us left dishes half way and paid the overrated bill. They didn't even offer us a way to compensate the hassle. Even McDonald's would try to satisfy you. Save your money, any place in Miami will surpass their food and service. These people are ages behind to a similar service at La Carreta. The club is just so packed that we had to leave short after. This club is in the middle of the hood, it's scary to be stuck at a red light. Save yourself a hassle, go somewhere else. Pros: Bread was good Cons: They need to understand "Fine Dinning" before offering it. more

First of all the place is in the hood.Then we sat down and eat and waited for ever for our food to come out(at Karu). All the staff looked like if they had a sick up there *** . They have to relax its not the army god.By the way I noticed there were new managers,They dont know what they are doing. I heard that the staff dont even make money working there.Now Y lounge was better ,music is good, bartenders and all the servers are really friendly.Dont go here unless you go to the Y lounge. Pros: nice staff Cons: food is not good.better chef more

not good. food sucked. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10. McDonalds style salad. seafood stinked like i dont wana say wat more

I do not recomend this restarant to people who is used to good service and food. Service, food and location was really bad, I mean really bad! Too expencive for what they offer. I rate it -01. I have been to all nice places we have in Miami Barton G, Forge, Capital Grill, Cafe Azul, Chief Alen, Tantra and much much more. Don't waiste your time, money in this restarant, it' really that bad! more

Food - Garbage, Service - Garbage, Managment - Garbage, Location - Ohh my God, GARBAGE. Definatly not recomended. Yes the decor is good, nothing special. Seats not comfy, VIP - Garbage, Music - Garbage even more. PS : I never wrote review in my life, imagine how I felt that I wrote one!! Pros: Thumbs down Cons: Thumbs down more

I was impressed by the decor and the sheer size of Karu and Y. I didn't feel comfortable parking on the street, so I valeted my car. (I had my car washed that day). The next morning, I noticed three dings on the door of my car. Karu and Y deferred to the valet company. I can't prove they dented my car, so I am stuck with an $850 body repair bill. Both the Karu and Y managers tried to dodge my phone calls and visits, but I did speak with them. What baffles me is that they didn't even offer me a free drink coupon or appetizer. I won't be back, and I won't recommend Karu and Y. I think they may have blinders on. Pros: Nice Decor Cons: Clueless management more

First of all it's location... It is hidden in a back street in a bad part of town which in the future promises to be different however right now it is SCARY.... Once you go into the restaurant It is stuningly beautiful and Chic . We had drinks at Y bar and tapas the service was slow, the ribs were 80% fat , the cheese plate was good... We then procedeed to the dinning room where we had one of the most dissatisfying meals we've had in a long time. I had the seafood mixed grill what a dissappoinment!!!..... In my opinion they need a new Chef immediately ( Michelle Bernstein) If they don't want those 25million to go down the drain.....soon!!! Pros: ambiance Cons: the chef more

First off, I am not a food critic or anyone associate with the industry. However, I am a person that has been lucky enough to dine in some the world's finest restaurants. From Sydney to New York and everywhere in between. Maybe I was just lucky, but my experience at Karu was wonderful. As everyone has noted, the setting is gorgeous (once you are inside since the surrounding area is admittedly grungy). The initial free drink was a very nice touch and there are many many staff available to care for you. During my meal, we had no less than 5 different wait staff checking on us. As with any fine dining establishment, the wait service is not going to hover and bother you. However, whenever they saw we might need something, they were there. As far as the food goes, you must know what to expect before you arrive. The dishes are not going to be a normal run of the mill chicken, beef, or fish. Everything is done with a very special touch. If you give their form of culinary art a chance, I cannot imagine that you will be disappointed. This, to me, is what has led others to give negative reviews. People are not expecting dishes with such interesting combinations. As an example...I had lamb with a pumpkin puree that was phenomenal, but on the same dish was a small piece of sausage with grilled grapes. The combination of the grapes and the spicy sausage was amazing! Other dishes that I recommend are the conch with gashpacho appetizer, the stone crab appetizer (not like Joe's since it had a puree that I can't recall), and the chicken cutlet with pepper sauce entree. If you are open minded and want to try something completely different, you won't be upset that you went to this restaurant. It is as much an experience as it is a meal. Bon Apetit! Pros: Ambience, wait staff Cons: Price more

We went to dinner here with friends and have to say this was the worst dining experience I have ever had. The only positive is that the restaurant itself is beautiful. Maybe they should have spent some of the reported $25 million dollars on a chef?? The food was just horrible. I am in the foodservice industry and am very understanding of a newly opened restaurant's usual shortcomings. Karu & Y, however, is a disaster. Five to seven waiters and busboys hovered around our table all night, yet never once refilled our water. When we ordered drinks, it took a good 20 minutes for them to return. The portions are tiny and very unappealing. After our meal was served, our waiter never checked back with us to see if everything was ok. We all felt that he clearly knew the answer, and didn't want to subject himself to it. My wife and I eat at fine dining restaurants all over the world and this one does not classify as such. It is like so much of Miami, glitter on the outside but no substance. I strongly suggest passing on Karu & Y more

I went there on 11/28/06 and the place was really good. From the moment you walk in the service is superb and they give you a free cocktail to start the night in the lounge...then when your table is ready they bring you in and you have about 5 people waiting on you. I often go out to really nice places and this place is not bad at all...trust me. The prices are kinda high but when you're at such a fancy place it is understandable. Pros: It's all good Cons: high prices more

I realized when we arrived that we should have come in an armored vehicle as the hood was the hood. The manager had a real bad attitude and we saw him yelling at the staff the whole night about the wine and service and it seemed the staff really didnt take hime seriously as he spazzed out the whole night. When the food arrived the plates we nice looking but the food was cold and it taste like a line cook at the waffle house was in charge of the kitchen. Drinks were not mixed well also. If you are going to please your eyes and have a scotch neat, then I think they can pull that off but still remember you bullet proof vest. Pros: The Decor Cons: Everything else more

It has really become the biggest disaster in Miami. A managment change made it go from a place with potential to a gathering place of false hope. Is it a restaurant? Is it a club? Is it a lounge? What the hell is it? Pros: Nothing like it in Miami Cons: Nothing like it in Miami more

My husband and I have always made it a point to dine in the "best" restaurant of whatever city or country we happen to be in...from Bali to Sydney and San Fran to Milan. With a couple of very good friends (who are experienced and successful restauranteurs on Lincoln Road), we dined in one of the most beautiful restaurants we've ever seen, ate amazingly delicious lamb and seafood...and the desserts, well I can't describe. The wines were fantastic and the service and attention to detail (I'm a Special Events Consultant) was impeccable. It's the best. more

It is my opinion that Karu & Y is a pioneer for the gastronomic scene in Miami. Lets face it, Miami is years behind when it comes to developing its palate when compared to other metropolitan cities that have embraced such innovative culinary landmarks such as The French Laundry and Alinea. Miamians may say that 5 waiters are a hovering crowd, Chicagoans would translate it to service. Miamians who frequent food factories would deem appetizers at Karu as miniscule. New Yorkers would look at a beautifully orchestrated Octopus Carpaccio and call it a masterpiece. Step out of your microcosm and see gastronomy as a detailed and arduous art form. The wait staff put on the ballet and the food is the principal dancer. I must be earnest - I had my reservations about driving through a rough neighborhood to get to this destination of sorts. Once I was through those doors and over the flowing water, I had been transported to an enchanted place. The decor is magnificent - purely jaw dropping. Although I had reservations, I did wait about 20 minutes for my table. However, this may have been purposely orchestrated so that I may have time to take in my surroundings and enjoy my cocktail - this is what I mean when I say that one must take a step back and look at the gastronomic experience as if it were a painting one would attempt to interpret. The dance of the wait staff was lovely. They were attentive and extremely knowledgeable about the artwork and the components and execution of the food. I ordered the Fluke Tiradito, and have been back to Karu twice more to enjoy the same dish. And the foie gras! I don't know how it was possible to turn foie into comfort food, but that dish is positively amazing. I ordered the Cod and shared with 3 others at my table. There is no Sea Bass on the menu. Only someone with limited culinary knowledge would confuse Cod for Sea Bass Needless to say, my experience, and that of the 3 others in my party, was positively marvelous. more

OK. I go out to very nice restaurants very often and I was very excited to experience Karu & Y. I have to say, it was the worst dining experience I have ever had in my life. The entrance was beautiful...waterfalls, walking over water covered by glass, sparkling gold walls, etc. I felt like I was in for a great time. I met with clients for drinks in the lounge (that was great). We were called to our table 15 minutes after our reservation. We had about five different attendants hovering over our table, but not one of them could seem to fill my wine glass, tell us about the menu or take our order. I took important clients to this restaurant and I was embarrased. The worst is yet to come. After one hour, a waiter is ready to take our order. Four out of six at my table order the "safest" item on the menu (the Seabass for entree and octopus for appetizer). After another 30 minutes, we received the smallest appetizer I have ever seen. It was aweful. I mean...gross. I had to really force myself to eat it. The waiters seemed nervous because they offered the table bread about four different times. I'm guessing because they knew the food had taken so long. Alas, the entree...or at least that's what I thought. It was the most disgusting plate I have ever had in my life. Our entire table was silent. As I looked up to see reactions, I noticed everyone was wincing at the taste of the fod, but trying to be polite. Our server (all five of them) never asked how we were enjoying our meal. My wine glass was still empty. .....It goes on. Two of the party ordered dessert. ...Well, one woman thought she was getting tea, but the waiter never explained the dessert menu.....hence she ended up with a dessert instead of a tea. One ordered an espresso that never came. I asked for the check six times. Apparently they have five waiters for every table, but they don't do much. I have never written a review for any place, but this was quet upsetting. Pros: Entrance Cons: Everything else more