Hot or Not: Rating Pop-Culture Popular Restaurants in Miami (For the Foodies)
March 15, 2022
In big cities like Miami, locals pride themselves on access to flashy cuisine and restaurant culture. Social media influencers broadcast these restaurants on platforms like “foodie” Instagram and TikTok pages. However, influencers tend to overhype these restaurants by only posting photos and videos of aesthetically pleasing food. Here is my honest review of five pop-culture popular Miami restaurants:
Possibly one of the most iconic high-end Japanese restaurants in the world, people from all over South Florida come to eat at this Miami location. Established by celebrity chef Nobu Matsuhisa, Nobu is a fusion of his Japanese heritage and Peruvian cuisine. Nobu has earned a name for itself for being one of the most expensive chain sushi restaurants and its high pricing plays a role in its largely mixed reviews. While I appreciate the aesthetic arrangement of their dishes and the grand dining experience, overall, the food is average. Many other Asian fusion restaurants in Miami offer better food for more reasonable pricing. Because of this, I rate Nobu 2.5/5 stars.
Known for its premium, smoky mocktails and commendable sweets, Sugar Factory draws celebrities to its doors every year. Sugar Factory offers both in-house dining and grab-and-go selections, and remains an extremely popular Miami Beach attraction. While many strive to steer clear of touristy restaurants like this, the atmosphere is unlike any other and cannot be replicated. The food tastes satisfactory, but what keeps customers coming back for more is Sugar Factory’s lively environment and unique confections. As a result of this, it earns 4.5/5 stars.
Established in 2002, Miami Beach’s Barton G has become one of the city’s staple restaurants. Specializing in New American cuisine, Barton G’s chefs push the limits of food with their jaw-dropping presentations, making it one of the most Instagram-worthy spots in Miami. Still, despite their distinctive dishes, Barton G’s upscale pricing makes it unreasonable for most. They receive mixed reviews from customers, who felt the food was mediocre and gimmicky; overall, I rate Barton G 4/5 stars.
Opened in Miami in 2018 at its original South Beach location, PLANTA offers 100% plant-based dishes. What makes PLANTA unique is that it reimagines meat-based Asian cuisine as vegan, which is why some of their most popular dishes are the ahi watermelon nigiri and “crab” rangoon. However, a major issue customers have with PLANTA are their portions and pricing. All servings at PLANTA are made to share, but their prices are still fairly high for each individual dish. As a result, I rate PLANTA 3.5/5.
