Restaurants
Truluck’s Balances Seafood, Service and Spectacle.
Truluck’s Strengthens its South Florida Seafood Dynasty with its Three-Crab Flight, Wildly Popular Halibut, Expert Pairings, Tableside Desserts and Atlantic Glamour.
August 25th, 2026
Fort Lauderdale Beach was still wearing blue when we settled into our table at Truluck’s. Beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, palm trees framed the Atlantic while daylight drifted across glossy floors and warm leather seating.
Then, as the sky dimmed, the dining room awakened.
Hundreds of tiny lights threaded through an indoor olive tree shimmered against the deepening blue outside. Tiered glass chandeliers floated overhead, joined by illuminated columns crowned with white blossoms. The fixtures were among my favorite details in the entire space, elegant enough to command attention without competing with the ocean.
With the room setting its own opening scene, the bar took the first cue.
Two margaritas began the meal along parallel paths. My girlfriend chose the zero-proof Lo-Cal Margarita, made with Lyre’s Agave Blanco, fresh lemon, lime, orange, agave and a hint of habanero. It came in a tall glass with a seasoned rim and citrus garnish.
I took the spirited route with the Spicy Blackberry Margarita, combining tequila, orange liqueur, blackberry, fresh lime and habanero. Its jewel-toned color, fresh berries and crown of mint supplied plenty of visual swagger before the first sip, which delivered a welcome kick without allowing the habanero to overpower the blackberry and citrus.
Later, the Hibiscus Fresca continued the restaurant’s thoughtful treatment of alcohol-free drinks. Hibiscus, spiced orange, almond, lemon, lime and soda water filled a coupe with a deep ruby-red hue, finished by an orchid garnish. Nothing about it felt secondary. Zero-proof selections receive the same sense of ceremony as the cocktails.
From color and heat, the meal shifted toward comfort.
The Parker House-style rolls were butter-brushed and finished with Parmesan. “Fluffy goodness” may not be the most technical culinary description, but sometimes accuracy matters more than formality. They were warm, pillowy and dangerously easy to keep pulling apart.
The Lobster Bisque followed with aged sherry and hearty lobster morsels folded into a silky base. It struck a welcoming balance between spice and creaminess, warming the palate without overwhelming it. The generous seafood pieces also kept the bowl from becoming a one-note parade of cream.
The Prime Meatballs were good and coated in Truluck’s house steak sauce and finished with greens, but they were the rare plate that never quite rose beyond familiar. A touch of garlic in the finish could have given the sauce greater depth and left a more distinctive final impression.
If the meatballs briefly slowed the momentum, the seafood quickly reclaimed it.
Truluck’s built much of its reputation around fresh Florida stone crab, but an August visit falls outside the October 15 through May 1 season. Rather than stretch the calendar or serve the claws frozen, the kitchen turns toward other pristine waters.
Cameron “Cam” Jones, our remarkably knowledgeable server, presented a crab flight featuring half-pound portions of Dungeness crab from the Pacific Northwest, wild Bairdi crab from Alaska and red king crab from the Bering Sea. He carefully identified each variety before setting down Truluck’s house specialty mustard sauce and TL Louie sauce. One colossal red king leg was substantial enough to demand a photograph before surrendering its meat.
The flight paid tribute to the restaurant’s roots. The entrée that followed showed how a feature can become part of its future.
The most anticipated plate of the evening was the pan-seared halibut over truffle lobster risotto. According to Cam, the restaurant initially ordered roughly 70 portions when the dish debuted as a special. It sold out by about 8 p.m. The response proved so strong that the preparation stayed, with the source of the fish changing as fishing seasons shift.
Once something becomes that popular, removing it can apparently cause a minor dining-room revolt.
The presentation made its staying power understandable. A thick halibut fillet rested over creamy risotto, crowned with lobster and surrounded by a buttery sauce, fresh herbs and thin slices of truffle. The delicate fish received a considerably more indulgent landing beneath it, allowing seafood, rice and earthy truffle to unfold in layers.
A composition this lush needed something to keep it aloft, and that is where Cam’s wine guidance became especially valuable.
He brought tastes of both Chardonnay and the 2024 Domaine de la Perrière Sancerre from France. His explanation considered the entire progression of the dinner. Chardonnay could echo the buttery weight of the bisque, while the crisp, clean Sancerre would cut through the halibut and truffle lobster risotto.
I chose the Sancerre, although I initially struggled to identify exactly what made it so appealing. Eventually, I realized that was part of its charm. It was crisp without becoming sharp, dry without feeling severe and remarkably smooth from the first sip through its clean finish. No single note pushed to the front. Everything simply worked together, refreshing the palate between richer bites.
While the Sancerre kept the ocean side of the table in balance, the kitchen’s steakhouse identity also found its moment.
The barrel-cut filet arrived with a deep sear across its exterior and roasted garlic completing its restrained presentation. Truluck’s ages its USDA Prime steaks for at least 30 days before broiling them at 1,200 degrees, allowing the beef to remain the focus without unnecessary ornamentation.
Among the shared accompaniments, the Brie Mac & Cheese with king crab delivered the evening’s clearest comfort-food indulgence. Its velvety sauce clung to every curl of pasta, producing the kind of exceptional creaminess that makes sharing feel more like an act of generosity than a preference.
The Lyonnaise Potatoes brought a crisp counterpoint, layering deeply browned potato slices and caramelized onions beneath a cool dollop of truffle aioli. Chopped chives supplied the finishing touch, though the contrast between the crunchy edges and creamy topping did most of the talking.
Yet the defining thread of the evening extended beyond what came from the kitchen.
Cam’s command of the menu could have been dismissed as the work of one excellent server. A later conversation with General Manager Bill Gibson revealed an approach that runs much deeper.
Truluck’s remains a privately held group with 12 restaurants, still operating under the same ownership that opened its first Houston location in 1992. Gibson said its longevity comes from a genuine commitment to quality and a willingness to reject anything that falls short.
“If it’s not right, we just don’t serve it,” he said.
That philosophy also shapes the hiring process. Menu details, pairings and the mechanics of polished hospitality can all be taught. Genuine care for the guest cannot. Gibson described an approach built around anticipating needs rather than merely writing down orders, and Cam demonstrated it throughout dinner.
He noticed how the bisque might change the ideal wine pairing, offered two possibilities and allowed me to taste the difference before deciding. It was a small interaction, but one that separated attentive hospitality from routine order-taking.
The rest of the team moved with similar awareness. Finished plates barely had time to settle before someone arrived to clear them. Courses progressed without feeling rushed, and assistance came from several members of the staff rather than one person carrying the entire experience. Cam may have led the evening, but the room operated as a unit.
That same care carried dinner into its final act.
The four-layer Chocolate Malt Cake came with malt icing and fresh berries before Cam poured warm chocolate sauce over it tableside. The slow stream supplied a little theater, cascading down the cake and pooling around its base.
Beside it, the seasonal Citrusmisu moved in a lighter direction. Citrus mascarpone was layered with soaked ladyfingers and basil-scented strawberries, replacing the coffee-and-chocolate weight of traditional tiramisu with something brighter.
Cam offered the evening’s most memorable description, calling it what might happen if key lime pie and tiramisu “made a baby.” The playful explanation captured the dessert’s personality perfectly.
Fresh French-press coffee accompanied the finale, a small touch that made a considerable difference. Instead of coffee that had been waiting in a communal pot, each press was brewed for the table when ordered. Truluck’s also donates $1 from every French press and Espresso Martini sold to the PTSD Foundation of America’s Camp Hope, extending that last cup beyond the dining room.
This is special-occasion dining with corresponding prices, something Gibson openly acknowledged. His goal is for guests to leave feeling that the food, drinks, surroundings and hospitality justified the investment. This evening did exactly that.
For diners seeking a more approachable introduction, the Dine Out Lauderdale “Summer of ’92” menu offers three courses for $59 through September 30. We chose to explore the à la carte offerings, but the prix-fixe option provides another path through several signatures.
By the time dessert plates were cleared, the Atlantic beyond the glass had disappeared into darkness and the illuminated olive tree had become a private constellation. Fine dining often lives in an accumulation of details: a carefully chosen wine, a sauce poured at precisely the right moment, a finished plate quietly removed and a cup of coffee brewed only when someone is ready to drink it.
The chandeliers may catch the eye first, but it is the attention beneath their glow that lingers.
Truluck’s Fort Lauderdale is located at 701 N. Fort Lauderdale Beach Blvd., Unit CU1, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33304.
Sweetwaters brings coastal dining, creative cocktails and New River views to Fort Lauderdale’s newly reimagined Huizenga Park.
October 7, 2026
If your ideal South Florida evening involves cocktails, seafood, a table by the water and boats casually passing by while you decide whether you really need dessert, Sweetwaters Fort Lauderdale may have just figured you out.
SFL Insider got an early look at the brand-new waterfront restaurant during its VIP opening celebration, and honestly, this is exactly the kind of place that makes living in South Florida pretty fun.
Sweetwaters officially opens October 12 inside the newly reimagined Huizenga Park, right where Las Olas Boulevard meets the New River in Downtown Fort Lauderdale. And while the food definitely deserves attention, you have to start with this location.
Because it is really good.
The nearly 10,000-square-foot restaurant was designed to take full advantage of the waterfront, with a huge indoor dining room, open kitchen, raw bar and two outdoor terraces. One patio stretches toward the New River while the other faces Huizenga Park, so basically, pick your view.
For the opening celebration, guests moved around the restaurant with cocktails in hand while trying passed hors d’oeuvres, chef-curated stations and selections from the raw bar.
Which, for the record, is a pretty excellent way to introduce yourself to Fort Lauderdale.
Okay, But Let’s Talk About the Food
Executive Chef Nicco V. Salanitro and Culinary Director Matthieu Godard are behind a menu that leans into Sweetwaters’ South Florida setting with seafood, sushi, shareable dishes and some menu items that clearly aren’t interested in being boring.
You can start relatively civilized with Yellowfin Tuna Crudo, made with mango, tangerine, ponzu and pickled Fresno, or the Castaway Roll with shrimp tempura, sashimi, avocado and yuzu aioli.
Or you can immediately commit.
The Grand Seafood Tower arrives loaded with East and West Coast oysters, chilled shrimp, mussels, clams, tuna tartare, crab salad and half a Maine lobster.
Yes. Half a lobster.
There is also a Chef’s Sushi Tower stacked with signature rolls, spicy tuna crispy rice, nigiri, sashimi and tuna crudo.
And things only get more interesting from there.
The Whole Crispy Local Snapper comes with coconut-cilantro rice and aji verde. Lobster Spaghetti pairs an entire Maine lobster with spicy tomato vodka sauce. The Pink Brick features wagyu flat iron with black truffle butter and chimichurri and gets scorched tableside.
But our attention immediately went to two words:
Nuggets & Caviar.
They are exactly what they sound like. Free-range chicken nuggets topped with yuzu crème fraîche, Osetra caviar, gold flakes and lime zest.
It’s fancy. It’s ridiculous. We want it.
And apparently vegetables are allowed to have personalities here too, because one of the sides is literally called Spinach, But Sexy.
We appreciate the commitment.
@RomainMaurice
Save Room for a Cocktail. And Probably Dessert.
The cocktail menu is equally playful.
Tiffany combines tequila, bergamot liqueur, citrus and coconut and gets finished with limoncello sorbet and white pearls. Paid Vacation mixes passion fruit and tarragon-infused vodka with purple basil and Szechuan flower, while Cloud Nine brings together ginger-infused vodka, yuzu sake and orange-ginger tea with lychee caviar and citrus-aloe foam.
And because Sweetwaters apparently understands that sometimes we shouldn’t have to choose, there’s an Affogato Martini with vodka, espresso liqueur, espresso and a scoop of Madagascar vanilla bean gelato.
Dessert isn’t exactly subtle either.
Going Bananas is a giant shareable sundae with brûléed banana, chocolate, strawberry and vanilla bean gelato, salted caramel, candied pecans and cherries.
Then there’s Miss Trunchbull, an 11-layer chocolate cake.
If you know, you know.
@RomainMaurice
This Might Be Your New Las Olas Happy Hour Spot
Sweetwaters comes from Specialty Restaurants, the family-owned hospitality group behind Miami’s longtime waterfront favorite, Rusty Pelican. This is the company’s first Fort Lauderdale restaurant and its first Florida expansion beyond Key Biscayne.
But Sweetwaters doesn’t feel like it is trying to recreate Miami in Fort Lauderdale.
The restaurant feels made for this particular spot.
Huizenga Park, the Riverwalk and the New River are right outside, and the restaurant was designed so you can move between the dining room, terraces, park and waterfront instead of feeling closed off from everything happening around you.
Chef Salanitro described the idea as somewhere guests could walk through the park, stop for oysters and cocktails while watching the boats pass and then stay for dinner after sunset.
Yeah. We can work with that.
The VIP opening brought out plenty of familiar South Florida faces too, including fashion designer Rene Ruiz, former Miami Mayor Tomás Regalado, real estate developer Ramola Motwani, developer Luis Birdman and Specialty Restaurants President and CEO John Tallichet.
But once the party is over, Sweetwaters has to become somewhere locals actually want to come back to.
And with waterfront tables, a weekday happy hour, an inventive cocktail menu, seafood towers, lobster spaghetti and literal caviar-topped chicken nuggets?
We don’t think convincing people to come back is going to be the hard part.
@WorldRedEye
Sweetwaters Fort Lauderdale Opens October 12
Sweetwaters officially opens October 12, 2026, at 58 E. Las Olas Blvd. in Downtown Fort Lauderdale.
Dinner is served Sunday through Thursday from 4 to 10 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 4 to 11 p.m. Even better, happy hour runs Monday through Friday from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at the bar. Sweetwaters_Pre-Opening Release… Sweetwaters_Pre-Opening Release…
So yes, we got to see Sweetwaters before everyone else.
Now it’s your turn.
Grab a table outside, order something from the raw bar, get a cocktail and stay long enough to watch the New River change as the sun goes down.
Anthony’s Coal Fired Pizza & Wings Fires Up a New Chicken Menu, Brings Chicken Parm Tableside and Proves Its 900-Degree Ovens Have Plenty More to Say Than Pizza.
Camikara Is Turning Fresh Indian Sugarcane, Brutal Northern Heat and a Nearly Empty Barrel Into a Pure Cane Juice Rum Determined to Give India Its Own Place in the Global Rum Conversation.
Huey Magoo’s brings made-to-order chicken, crave-worthy sauces and a surprisingly strong grilled game to West Boca.
Forget sweater weather. Palace Miami Beach’s new Fall Harvest Menu is bringing pumpkin season to South Beach, and one dish was genuinely one of the best things I’ve ever eaten.
September 4, 2026
Miami has never needed changing leaves, chilly temperatures, or a reason to order another cocktail.
So when Palace invited us in for an early taste of its new Fall Harvest Menu, launching September 21st, I was curious. Pumpkin on Ocean Drive? Sure. Pumpkin in cocktails, arepas, gnocchi, tres leches, and flan?
Now you have my attention.
The idea is actually perfect for Miami. Palace wanted to capture that nostalgic feeling of fall for a city where September still feels very much like summer. Rather than throwing pumpkin spice into everything and calling it seasonal, the kitchen challenged itself to use actual pumpkin across cocktails, savory dishes, and desserts in ways that made sense for the Palace.
And after tasting the menu, I can tell you this: do not dismiss this as a pumpkin-spice gimmick.
Because I am still thinking about that gnocchi.
Let’s Talk About This Gnocchi
I need to start here because pretending otherwise would be dishonest.
The Brown Butter Pumpkin Gnocchi was not simply my favorite dish on the menu.
It was one of the best things I have ever eaten in my entire life.
Yes, I realize how dramatic that sounds.
I stand by it.
Roasted pumpkin, Parmesan, crispy sage, and pancetta come together with brown butter in what can only be described as a ridiculously good bowl of fall comfort food.
It is rich. It is savory. It has that warm nuttiness from the brown butter, saltiness from the Parmesan and pancetta, and just enough pumpkin to make the whole thing unmistakably seasonal without turning dinner into dessert.
And the crispy sage? Do not underestimate the crispy sage.
This was one of those dishes where I took a bite and immediately had to make sure everyone else at the table understood what was happening.
If you order one thing from this menu, order the gnocchi.
Actually, Palace, I have a request: please don’t take this one away when fall ends.
Yes, We Had to Try the Pumpkin Espresso Martini
If there was ever a cocktail designed for Instagram in September, this is probably it.
The Pumpkin Espresso Martini combines fresh espresso, Licor 43, and house-made roasted pumpkin syrup.
Palace predicted this would be one of the stars of the new menu before it even launched, and I understand why.
The important distinction here is that this isn’t simply an espresso martini buried beneath pumpkin spice. The roasted pumpkin syrup makes it seasonal while the espresso and Licor 43 keep it firmly in cocktail territory.
It feels like fall.
It also feels like Miami.
Which is basically the entire point.
Then Palace Put Pumpkin in a Margarita
Because of course they did.
The Harvest Pumpkin Margarita takes reposado and roasted pumpkin, adds Ancho Reyes and finishes everything with a Tajín-cinnamon salt rim.
And I love that Palace didn’t make its two pumpkin cocktails variations of the same drink.
The espresso martini leans into cozy fall flavors. The margarita goes straight back to Miami with tequila, chile and Tajín.
This is pumpkin season with absolutely no intention of putting on a cable-knit sweater.
Burrata, Hot Honey and Pumpkin Walk Into an Arepa…
This might be one of the more unexpected combinations on the menu.
The Pumpkin & Burrata Arepa brings together hot honey, toasted pepitas and crispy sage with pumpkin and burrata.
And this is where I started appreciating what Palace was trying to do with the menu.
Pumpkin isn’t being treated like a flavor that automatically needs cinnamon, sugar and whipped cream. It’s an ingredient.
That was intentional. Palace’s team told us they specifically didn’t want pumpkin to feel forced. They started with dishes and flavors that already made sense for the restaurant and incorporated pumpkin where it could complement them rather than take them over.
That philosophy makes a lot more sense once you’re actually sitting there eating your way through the menu.
And then you remember you’re on Ocean Drive.
In September.
Eating pumpkin and burrata.
Miami is weird. I love it here.
Save Room. Seriously.
Just when you’ve eaten enough pumpkin to reasonably believe you’ve reached your limit, Palace brings out dessert.
And apparently, no, you have not reached your limit.
The Pumpkin Tres Leches Cake layers those fall flavors with mascarpone, dulce de leche and candied pecans.
Then there’s the Pumpkin Coconut Flan, finished with coconut caramel, toasted coconut and candied pepitas.
I particularly like the decision to bring coconut into the flan because this menu works best when it stops trying to imitate fall somewhere else and starts asking what fall should taste like here.
Pumpkin and coconut?
On South Beach?
That makes sense.
This Is What Fall Looks Like in Miami
There is something inherently funny about celebrating fall in South Florida.
Our leaves aren’t changing.
Nobody needs a fireplace.
And if you wear the cute fall outfit you saved on Pinterest in September, you’re probably going to regret it before you make it from the parking garage to the restaurant.
But we still want the season.
That’s exactly what Palace tapped into.
“Miami is full of people who grew up somewhere else,” the Palace team explained, noting that there’s a nostalgia surrounding fall even when South Florida’s weather refuses to participate. The Fall Harvest Menu is their way of bringing some of that feeling to Ocean Drive.
And honestly?
I’ll take brown butter pumpkin gnocchi over sweater weather.
Come for Palace. Stay for the Food.
Palace obviously doesn’t need an introduction when it comes to entertainment. The restaurant has built its identity around the larger-than-life drag experience that has become synonymous with the venue.
But there’s another message behind this menu that Palace clearly wants people to hear:
Pay attention to the food.
The team acknowledges that many guests initially know Palace for its drag and entertainment, but they want the cocktails and dishes to become just as memorable as the show.
After this tasting, I get it.
Because I expected a fun seasonal menu.
I did not expect to leave contemplating how quickly I could reasonably return for another bowl of pumpkin gnocchi.
And yet, here we are.
What You Absolutely Need to Order
If you’re heading to Palace for the Fall Harvest Menu, the Brown Butter Pumpkin Gnocchi is non-negotiable. I don’t give “one of the best things I’ve ever eaten” status lightly.
The Pumpkin Espresso Martini is the obvious cocktail order if you want the full fall experience, while the rest of the menu proves pumpkin deserves considerably more culinary respect than we’ve given it after years of turning it into coffee syrup.
The Fall Harvest Menu launches September 21 at Palace Miami Beach, bringing pumpkin cocktails, savory dishes, and desserts to Ocean Drive.
No sweaters required.
Just please save me some gnocchi.
Applebee’s Piles on Molten Cheese, Crispy Cheeseburger Tacos and Candy-Colored Cocktails While Keeping Value and Community at the Heart of the Neighborhood.
UKIYO Miami Beach Is About to Make Conveyor Belt Sushi Seriously Sexy
September 2, 2026
There are new restaurant openings we want to check out, and then there are the ones that immediately make us think: I NEED TO GO.
UKIYO is definitely the latter.
Opening this October at 818 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach, the newest concept from NOAH Hospitality Group takes Japan’s iconic kaiten, or conveyor belt sushi, tradition and gives it a Miami makeover.
We’re talking premium seafood from Japan traveling through the dining room on a custom-designed conveyor belt, live culinary performances, tableside cooking, a roaming dumpling cart and a gorgeous 7,431-square-foot space designed to keep the experience moving all night.
And judging by the first renderings and menu details, UKIYO already has our attention.
UKIYO’s custom kaiten conveyor belt will serve as the centerpiece of the new Miami Beach restaurant. Courtesy of Casa Medina Design Studio/UKIYO.
Not Your Average Conveyor Belt Sushi
Inspired by the Japanese concept of ukiyo, meaning “the floating world,” the restaurant is designed around movement.
The conveyor belt isn’t simply there to deliver sushi. It’s essentially the stage.
Handcrafted nigiri, sashimi and specialty rolls will continuously circulate through the dining room, while chefs work in view of guests and new creations make their way from the sushi counter onto the belt through choreographed presentations.
Live culinary performances will add another layer of entertainment throughout dinner.
NOAH Hospitality Group founder Philippe Kalifa says that sense of experience was intentional.
“For me, hospitality has never been about simply serving food. It’s about creating emotion.”
His goal? To create a restaurant people remember not just for what they ate, but for how the entire evening made them feel.
We’re listening.
The Menu Is Where Things Get Really Interesting
Executive Chef Nono Shigetomi will lead UKIYO’s kitchen, with premium seafood sourced from carefully selected fisheries across Japan and fish coming from Tokyo’s Toyosu and Tsukiji markets.
The signature Ukiyo Roll alone sounds like it deserves a visit: tuna, salmon, hiramasa and Hokkaido scallop topped with soy-glazed wagyu and umami crunch.
“Freshness isn’t our goal, it’s our starting point,” Shigetomi said. “Every ingredient is selected with intention because great sushi begins long before the fish reaches the plate.”
Beyond the conveyor belt, the menu ventures into robata, tempura, crudo, carpaccio and Japanese comfort dishes.
Expect cumin-soy glazed wagyu and yakitori-glazed chicken from the robata grill, plus a rich paitan ramen loaded with braised duck, sous vide chicken, pork chashu and pork wonton.
There’s also crispy yakisoba finished with ankake sauce and seafood fried rice made with seasoned takikomi gohan rather than standard steamed white rice.
And then things get even better.
Did Someone Say Tableside Kamameshi?
UKIYO’s traditional kamameshi will be cooked fresh at the table in individual kama pots.
The rice is prepared with dashi, soy, sake, mirin, hijiki, carrot and mushroom, then finished with grilled marinated skirt steak and a Jidori egg.
But there’s another menu feature that may have already won us over.
A roaming dumpling cart. Yes, really.
A signature House Dumpling Cart will travel around the dining room carrying a rotating selection of freshly handcrafted beef, pork, chicken, shrimp and vegetarian dumplings. Guests can choose them pan-fried, steamed or deep-fried.
We have a feeling “No, thank you” is going to be extremely difficult when a cart of hot dumplings rolls up to the table.
Japanese-inspired lanterns and warm woodwork lead guests toward UKIYO’s open culinary experience. Courtesy of Casa Medina Design Studio/UKIYO.
And Just Look at This Place
The food may move, but UKIYO’s design gives you plenty of reasons to stop and look around.
Casa Medina Design Studio is behind the 7,431-square-foot restaurant, blending traditional Japanese influences with the darker, sexier energy of Miami Beach after dark.
Rosso Lepanto stone, emerald-toned leathered marble, aged brass, handcrafted millwork and warm Japanese-inspired lanterns fill the interior. A flowing water feature reinforces the restaurant’s “floating world” inspiration.
And at the center of everything sits the custom conveyor belt.
Based on the renderings, chefs will work within the heart of the restaurant as the belt winds around the dining room, placing the food preparation directly into the action rather than hiding it behind the scenes.
It looks intimate, dramatic and just theatrical enough.
UKIYO’s dramatic bar pairs sculptural stone, handcrafted millwork and softly illuminated Japanese-inspired details. Courtesy of Casa Medina Design Studio/UKIYO.
Sushi at 10. Cocktails at Midnight?
This is still Miami Beach, after all.
UKIYO isn’t positioning itself as somewhere you grab an early sushi dinner and head home.
On Friday and Saturday nights, the restaurant plans to remain open until 2 a.m.
And that gorgeous bar suddenly makes a lot more sense.
The restaurant is being designed as a meeting point between Japanese hospitality and Miami’s international, nightlife-driven personality. Traditional techniques and Japanese ingredients form the foundation, while theatrical presentations, dramatic interiors and late-night hours give the concept a distinctly Miami edge.
It’s easy to imagine coming for sushi and staying considerably longer than planned.
When Does UKIYO Miami Beach Open?
Unfortunately, not tomorrow.
UKIYO is scheduled to open in mid-October 2026 at 818 Lincoln Road in Miami Beach.
Dinner will be served from 6 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday and Sunday, with Friday and Saturday service continuing until 2 a.m. The restaurant will be closed Mondays.
And yes, SFL Insider will be getting an early look.
We’ll be heading to UKIYO ahead of its official debut to experience the restaurant firsthand, which means we’ll be back with the sushi, the cocktails, the space and, most importantly, a full investigation into this roaming dumpling cart.
For now, UKIYO has officially made our list of Miami restaurant openings we cannot wait to try this fall.
October, hurry up!
Two longtime customers bring house-roasted coffee, scratch-made food and a genuine neighborhood spirit to Ella’s first franchise location.
(more…)
Cocktails, Caviar and Waterfront Views: Sweetwaters Opens in Fort Lauderdale
Anthony’s Turns Up the Heat With Coal-Fired Chicken
Who Killed Joan Crawford? Camp, Cocktails and Carnage
-
Music4 weeks agoMalcolm Todd Sees Red
-
Restaurants4 weeks ago
Golden Crunch, Serious Tenderness at Huey Magoo’s
-
Music3 weeks ago
A Dream Worth Walking Into
-
Events3 weeks ago
Little Mania Delivers Big Mayhem in Boca
-
Attractions3 weeks ago
Swing, Snack, Laugh, Repeat at Topgolf
-
Music2 weeks ago
Gorillaz Scale The Mountain in Miami With An Audio-Visual Delight For The Senses
-
Events3 weeks ago
Disney On Ice: Spotlight Magic Brings Childhood Memories to Life
-
Sports3 weeks ago
No Cage, Same Fire at RAF 13
