The Good. The bad and the ugly
This weekend I was in search of the perfect location to have my birthday dinner next month. So I decided to hit the town with a girlfriend of mine. My heart was set on Baoli but after my experience last night I am sad to report that I had a change of heart. I will admit that I went to your restaurant that night with high expectations.
The Good
The patio is truly breath taking- beautiful, flawless and glamorous, a true hidden gem.
The Bad
I enjoy a great cocktail, but not one covered in ice.
The Ugly
Bad customer service is my biggest pet peeve, it seemed like they were all competing to be the worst employee of the month. They do not honor reservations and that is probably what they do best. The service was quite slow; I had to ask for things twice. The waiter had no knowledge of food or wine. The hostess seemed bored and was on her phone the whole time.
Baoli is not only a restaurant, it's an experience.
I came to Baoli on a busy Saturday night. I have a girlfriend who was a regular. We got a table on the patio outside. Everyone is dressed to impressed and the music was blasting! It was very high energy.
We ordered drinks and two appetizers off the bat. Our cocktails came out quickly, our appetizers slowly followed. The Ahi Tuna Tartare and Foie Gras. Outstanding! The tartare was excellent and had bits of avocado accenting it. The foie gras was like butter and served with fresh made sponge bread, adding a dullop of the jelly served with it, took the foie gras to a whole new level.
We then ordered several rolls of sushi and a the ribeye, which was served with trouffle oil french fries (the most GLORIOUS french fries I have ever eaten). The steak was so tender it was easily cut with a better knife. Perfectly seasoned. Amazing. The fries were perfect. Crisp. Fresh. Lightly salted. Dosed with truffle oil. J'adore! The sushi was fresh and delicious. I can't comment on what we had, as I didn't do the ordering, so I am sorry for the vague-ness here. It was all fresh and beautifully presented.
For dessert we split a chocolate souffle. This was pure SEX! It was chocolate heaven. Warm, moiste, and light on the outside and there was a gooey chocolate-y center! Oh, sweet Jesus. It was slap yo' mama good. I need to take a moment of silence for this little slice of heaven. Thank you.
Now that I've gotten the food out of the way, we arrived at around 10:15, got drinks at the bar, and then snagged a table about 15 minutes later. The patio was lit up with white and purple lights. It's truly beautiful. Everyone was decked out in their Miami Best. Very club like feel to it. I happened to be with a bunch of French people this night, a lot of the staff were French, too. The staff was also beautiful. Aesthetics aside, the energy at Baoli is HUGE.
When you enter the place, you are met with the velvet ropes, you walk down a long corridor with black and white photos of celebrities and patrons in the establishment. It has a very club/lounge feel to it.
There are sparklers presented whenever anyone buys a bottle or certain songs come on, it gets hot on the patio and we were presented with fans that said, My Boyfriend Is Out Of Town," and when someone has a birthday, it is brought out in Baoli style and fashion.
Snoop Dogg made a cameo this night, random fact!
Baoli is a unique concept and I cannot wait to go back. This place is by no mean cheap and cannot be done on a budget, it is worth every damn penny. The service, the atmosphere, the food, and the people. 5 stars!!!
The concierge at my hotel recommended this restaurant as a total hotspot. Â Well, I went there around 9 pm on a Thursday and there were very few tables full and few people at the bar. Â The food was pretty mediocre. Â I had spicy tuna rolls which were definitely not spicy. Â The only redeeming part of dinner was the bread was pretty tasty.
This is definitely a place to skip.
Touted as a Wednesday night party. The snooty doormen enjoyed their velvet ropes while they kept people waiting outside in the  pouring rain. Inside it was empty, with bad music, overpriced drinks, pushy waitresses, and pretentious  wannabes.
After we left we heard some people outside saying that the doorman wanted $1,500.00 each for them to get in! If you want a good party go across the street to RokBar.
STAY AWAY FROM THIS PLACE!
Some friends who live in London , and were at the Ritz were recommended to this place.So begins a night of dining in a Miami "hotspot".The interior is well appointed in  a clubby  "aren't we fabulous sort of way".We arrived at 8 pm on a Thursday to a largely empty place and had 4 drinks at the bar(70.00).I think because my friends wife was quite stunning and we did not like being put in a nether region we were given one of the main tables with sofas next to the bar. At some point 10 ladies  walked in and sat at the bar like a casting call for some WHO WANTS TO HOOK A MILLIONAIRE SHOW.I guess given the comments here and what i saw, this is how it goes down in this place.I would never recommend that anyone eat here just based on the noise level of the music.If you want to eat and have a civilized conversation, this is not the place.   Â
The waiter had some indecipherable accent and talked in such a hushed voice, all i heard was blah blah blah, truffles, blah blah.So much for the specials, back to the menu.The place is quit pricey( aren't all fab places?).I had the Mussels which were dry because they were in a dish too small and piled high.Part of the joy of well made mussels is the broth which i feel was added after the cooking.No spoon was  provided and certainly not something i would order again.The chicken was excellent(36.00) and came with nothing.The spinach dish was good as well(10.00).The wine my friend chose was overly chilled which again , the prices should dictate better operating standards by management.Thankfully we left at 10 pm , which was all the time we had the table according to the server.
Given the 190.00 per couple (plus drinks), the noise,the cheesy hot chic scene,the dry mussels,and pretty much sitting there mute as i could not hear anyone talk, this is something not to be experienced again.Now if we roll back the clock a couple of decades, get a gram, a $100 for cocktails, and suit up in the Paris 2000 jeans, i might reconsider.
Went here with a group of 14 girls for a bachelorette party and it was a blast. We sat outside in the garden area which was gorgeous (as were most of the waitstaff). Â We did a two hour open bar during dinner for $50 each and each ordered an entree and some shared appetizers. They brought out a "pitcher" of margaritas for us to start out with, which was more like a huge vase with sparklers. Obviously the addition of sparklers makes any party more fun. The margs were good and we also all ordered mixed drinks. The servers were very attentive and I don't think there was ever a time where one of us didn't have a drink in front of us. We definitely took advantage of the open bar.
I ordered the steak, which was good and a lot of the girls ordered the seafood pasta and really enjoyed it. They also brought out desserts in huge martini glasses that were awesome. Ice cream, fruit, whipped cream, chocolate - all in a huge martini glass with sparklers - what is there not to love?
We had a great time here and wish we stayed longer after dinner, but we got tempted with promises of getting into LIV. It was a bit pricey- over $100 each.
I see someone else's review that starts off with "What a joke" and I couldn't agree more. I was told this place was great and I was beyond disappointed. When we arrived and checked in with the hostess she was a complete bitch to me and said "Actually, I don't have a reservation for you because you called earlier to cancel. I answered the phone" and my response was "uh actually, I called to make a reservation, I never canceled so I'm not sure what you're talking about" I dont know what her deal was or why their staff was hired based on their bitchy attitudes but she finally found our reservation. When we got there, there were less than 10 tables filled and yet they sent us to the bar to wait for our table to be ready. So there we are, ordering a glass of wine and a vodka soda and we open the bill and its FIFTY dollars. Are you insane? Okay, I've been to some expensive restaurants and bars but you're going to charge me FIFTY dollars for two drinks. You have to be kidding me. Okay, so we're debating if we just leave the restaurant but we decided to stay because we didn't want to deal with roaming around to find somewhere better. This is Miami. So they finally seat us in the garden next to this 70 year old guy and two 18 year old girls. He was chain smoking and drinking while they were taking photos of themselves. We immediately asked to move tables because I didn't want to inhale his second hand smoke.
So we're move to a high top table right next to the DJ booth. The DJ was a TOTAL joke. I couldn't even believe he had a job. This one table had a birthday adn when they came out to sing "happy birthday" he blasted music. It was so odd. The only song I actually enjoyed that he played was a remix of HAIR (from the movie/play) amazingness.
The whole ambiance and trying SO hard to be sceney just killed me.
I can't even believe I haven't gotten to the food. It sucked. I felt sick after eating there both physically and mentally. We had some cheese thing, a pasta and asparagus. Didn't finish any of it and didn't enjoy any of it.
Also, isn't stoli a very not so fancy vodka - yes, that's what I thought. $25 vodka soda. COME ON. Get out of here. Worst place ever.
3 words: What A Joke!
we made reservations through open table but were running a bit late due to rain and traffic, so we called the restaurant and they flat refused to honor our reservation or even allow us more time to get there, we decided to show up regardless....ummmm....the place was EMPTY I kid you not....we had to laugh
we shared two appetizers and a bottle of expensive wine which were pretty standard
The place is very nice but the service and the attitude of the staff were a total turn off.
Never again, I think the golden days of this place are def over. Much more to see in town besides this snobish crap.
The place is beautiful, the music is good and loud.
(period)
So, I walked here with a reservation, we had to go to the bar to wait the others arrival, Hostess was kind of rude let me say.
As a Yelper, I found myself amazed when I saw the 50% off for wine or champagne in such of a nice and busy place, I though was a bottle, because the add did not specify if it was a glass or bottle, after ordered the bottle I had to speak with the manager because the bartender didn't know about the offer, wich is fine since he made it clear he was knew, the manager, very nice and good looking guy, explained to me that the deal was not applicable for the bottle, only for a glass of wine (WATCH THIS) IF I WROTE A GOOD REVIEW ABOUT THE PLACE! That would be like a "thank you" from them, and told me to call him when I was done "reviewing" it, so he would be glad to than, apply the 50% discount on my glass of wine or champagne.
I am sorry Baoli, but MY REVIEWS, does not have a price, I will write from MY experience at YOUR place and in my humble opinion that was just unbelievable, the thought that I would have to write good things because of a 50% off in a glass of whatever.
Here, you do not get what you pay for.
Anyways, Food and service at the table:
I ordered a sushi roll, Yellow tail and jalapeno, that was $18,00 (extremely over priced) for 6 little pieces of it, Â the taste is definitely not worthed the money, the Flank steak with mashed potatoes was very good, coked to perfection and flavorful, the Tuna Tartar was also good, our server did a great job, providing good service and not overwhelming the table, making sure everything was in place and looking polished.
Drinks:
The under rocks drinks are a joke! Extremely under poring, wich I find disrespectful for a customer who is paying a good money for it, I am a believer that you get what you pay for. Here, clearly is not the case.
I will not come back to eat, maybe for a bottle of wine or something after a nice dinner someplace else to listen good music and have a fun time.
Tips for the business (in my opinion)
- Train better your hostess or hire a new one.
- Apply the discounts you offer without expectations, that is already a nice gesture and your customer for sure would appreciate when writing a review
- Make your dishes a little bigger or lower a little be the things that are WAY overcharged
- POUR ACTUALLY AT LEAST 6 COUNTS OF HARD LIQUOR WHEN ASKED UNDER ROCKS, NO ONE WANTS TO PAY $20 FOR A GLASS FULL OF ICE, NOT EVEN THE RICHEST PERSON.
I went here with a group of about 12 this past weekend or dinner and drinks, and although we had heard it was "upscale dinning and service" I can assure you, it is not.
Cons:
The waiter came, without a wine list, a big no no in my book of dining at expensive restaurants. He badgered us for entree orders before asking if we'd like to order drinks or appetizers. When I told him I needed a minute he rolled his eyes, scoffed at me and stood there. That is when I asked him to get me the wine menu so I could look over the dinner options.
He brought the wine menu back and hurried off, not returning for 10 minutes. We all sat there dumbfounded at his lack of service and asked our bus boy to grab him.
He came back over apologizing, but being a knockoff euro pretty boy (he tried to talk with an Italian accent but we are Italian and can spot a fake easily) all he was interested in was some girls at another table. We ignored it and ordered our food and drinks.
At our table we ordered many different dishes:
Fried calamari, the soft mozzarella, Filet Mignon, Black truffle risotto, veal, roasted chicken, pasta, and the crab.
My boyfriend and I knew portions would be small so we ordered an appetizer and two entrees. We were correct on portion size (although the veal is a whole shank and much larger then we expected) but we were shocked that the quality of food was so-so. Our appetizer, the mozzarella, was delicious but our entrees were burned (veal) or not properly cooked (risotto). Â Others in our group found similarities in their entree dishes.
Now, when our waiter came with the check he screwed SO many things up and tried to scam us by adding extra dishes and drinks that no one ordered. He increased the prices on some dishes, and when we confronted us he YELLED at us.
I asked him not to yell at me and his response was "I am not yelling, you are wrong. I work here everyday for five years, I know my job. You are all drinking so much you don't know what you ordered"
Now, my boyfriend and in a span of a three hour dinner had water, one cocktail and for dessert we split a glass of lemoncello. Two of the couples at our table don't drink. Two other couples had ONE glass of wine each. No one was drunk.
I told this waiter that I didn't have to take his attitude and asked for the manager. The manager came over, we explained the situation and he said he would take care of it but nothing happened.
The wait staff here overall is rude, they just stand around to look good and don't know how to actually wait on people. This is what happens when you include a tip in the bill, they know it's coming no matter how they act.
The management here is VERY poor for the so called quality of this restaurant. I will never return and have already told many of my friends in Miami to stay away from this place. The prices may be high but I would have had no problem paying them if the food matched the so called quality and I was treated like a paying customer.
Pros:
Drinks are excellent and worth the price. They know what they are doing at the bar compared to the kitchen and management.
If you LIVE in Miami and you want to go someplace to be seen then this is the place to go, maybe for a DRINK but I wouldn't advise eating here or talking to the wait staff.
I recently tried to make a reservation here for a party of 10 and the GM said we would need to buy 4 Â magnums of Vodka and Dom Perignon if we wanted a reservation...ARE YOU INSANE??
I would NEVER recommend a place with such arrogance and the food isn't even that good to where I had to return. Baoli, Get over yourself, what a joke.
After my previous three star verdict, Baoli's manager invited me back via personal yelp message. I am glad I decided to give them a second try. Marina, his assistant floor manager is a gem. She took excellent care of us, seemed genuinely enthusiastic about the food and made some great recommendations. Â
For starters, the cocktails are generous and strong! My Bombay sapphire cucumber basil martini was great and exactly what I wanted. My friend's margarita was huge.
Their appetizer special was spicy ahi tuna tartar. When Marina told us their new sushi chef is from Nobu and described the dish I was simply sold. The portion could have easily been a small entree and was likely the best tuna I've ever had. Perfect balance of salty, vinegary and spicy and melt-on-your-tongue buttery texture.
I was now curious about their sushi, so I asked for the sushi chef to simply put together an assortment of maki, nigiri and sashimi. Don't expect any bells and whistles here, such as fried panko, avocado, mango or special sauces. This is Japanese style sushi, intentionally kept clean to let the flavor and texture of the fish be the star. The maki roll was very simply soy paper, just enough sushi rice to hold it together and fish in the center. They serve it with what appeared to be a ponzu soy sauce. While I appreciated the fresh clean flavors, I am not sure sushi is the way to go as far as entrees are concerned. This is a French restaurant after all.
My friend ordered the papardelle ai funghi. The pasta dough was freshly prepared and the sauce was loaded with fresh mushrooms and absolutely delicious. Not too creamy, not too salty, not too saucy. Would definitely order this again as it is also one of the more reasonably priced dishes. $56 truffle risotto anyone?
For dessert, we shared the profiteroles. They were big and came with a side of fruit and dark chocolate syrup, which I loved. Usually, profiteroles are cream or custard filled, which I prefer. These were filled with ice cream. The ice cream was simply too hard, the contrast of the crispy choux pastry versus the light and airy cream was lost. Go for the chocolate lave cake or apple tart instead.
We arrive to the restaurant with a Saturday night reservation and our table's not prepared, so we're asked to wait at the bar. OK, I guess. As the hunger pains attacked my stomach and my watch is moving quickly to remind me that we need to be in line for the club on our itinerary by midnight, we were finally seated.
Do you like clubs with fist pumping music and strobe lights? That's totally the feeling that I get here. I went with a large group to dine and every few minutes, the DJ that's set up in the middle of the dining area, would put on some "key" song and the lights would go down and all of waiters would come out with sparklers, towels and encourage the crowd to participate in some serious fist pumping. Â Sometimes they even come with shots for your table!
The bathroom location was strange as you simply walked straight into a door in a very central area of the dining area with no corridor that leads to it or discreteness. In the back of the restaurant, it seems like there's a half indoor/half outdoor section where people just hang out at the bar and enjoy as the night gets later.
I enjoyed the food that I ordered- seafood pasta. It was filled with flavor and there was no shortage of seafood on every bite. Â This restaurant is also pretty close to he W if you're staying there, which is a bonus. If yo go be sure to be dressed in your finest club attire. I'm not sure if its because this place completely switches over at some point, if everyone had plans afterwards or if this was just an average Saturday night dining experience in Miami.
My colleagues and I enjoyed our working dinner at Baoli. Baoli offers both indoor and garden style outdoor seating. I agree with Ute L. the garden would be a great place for a date, however be prepared to pay anywhere from $30-$60 per entree. This place can also get quite busy and can be difficult to get into later into the evening as the bar scene starts to pick up.
The menu offers a wide variety of pasta, fish, and red meat options. I had the Branzini which was very good.
All in all a good experience.
bachelorette night out.
6 crazies from new york came in to invade baoli for our beautiful-bride-to-be.
EVERYTHING was superb.
from the service to the food.
starred items of the night:
scallop appetizer
beef tenderloin appetizer
filet mignon entree
lobster cavatelli
all truffle everything.
with bottles of champagne flowing, a great DJ and positive energy; we had the greatest time.
thanks BAOLI!
This TOTALLY made my bachelorette weekend in Miami amazing! the food was unbelievably delicious, the ambiance was so chic and beautiful - it just makes you feel worthy of the world's attention. not to mention - the waiters are all drop dead gorg!
almost everything on the menu was ordered and everything was well portioned and delicious!
Baoli's chic crowd and European flair make it hard to leave and easy to come back. Â The fact that I haven't reviewed this South Beach essential since they remodeled is a serious oversight on my part, so take notes. Their terrace brunches, wicked Wednesday happy hours (please -- any event named "My Boyfriend is Out of Town" has to be good, right?), and designer dishes are even better than they sound. Baoli's ambiance is sensual and alluring without trying too hard and the perfect weekend escape to France -- without the plane ticket.
Review Source:Is a Chanel bag a requirement to gain entrance to Baoli? I never saw so many Chanel bags in one room in my entire life. There were more Chanel bags inside of Baoli last night than the entire Chanel store at Bal harbour (lol).
Anyways, another great Wednesday at baoli! We had dinner this time and I was a bit skeptical that this meal would blow me off my seat, but it did. I had filet mignon, a side salad, and the lobster mashed potatoes (girl can EAT). Some other dishes at the table were the whole wheat pasta with tomatoes (not drenched in tomato sauce but had crushed tomatoes instead), tuna tartare, carpaccio, etc... My filet was cooked to perfection! It was so juicy and the sauce on the side really complemented it. The lobster mash I could have done without as it was too heavy for me but I guess I should have known. The side salad was OK but the filet made up for it all!
For cocktails, the girls all had french martini's (more like raspberry) and the men had a mojito/dirty martini/french mojito. All were amazing.
The doorman, total sweetheart. He is definitely the smartest doorman in the biz (in Miami at least). He is the only doorman with class. Yes people I said a doorman in Miami has CLASS! (but only one)
The DJ was not the usual one who is there and the music DID suck as a result. Kung fu fighting? Phil Collins? what the hell? I want to dance!! This would require that I don't fall asleep! Half of our party left after dinner because they were so tired (ahem, the music people). We ended up staying and having a few cocktails.
The crowd...hmmm. It was really weird last night. Maybe because we stayed for dinner so we got to really people watch but everyone for the most part was dressed to impress (doesn't necessarily mean in expensive things but for the most part, that was the case). We saw some girls who we met at Mynt once and were literally trying to get the men at our table to pay them for sex (hookers). How did I notice these girls? Well the Herve Ledger strapless $1,500+ dress slightly caught my attention. Now what really made me stare was the leopard STRAPPED bra hanging out of the top (boobs as well). What a way to ruin a beautiful dress, yuck! However, for the most part, the crowd was great.
Whether you are celebrating a bachelorette party, romantic anniversary , an engagement, hosting friends from out of town or simply splurge on a nice meal, Baoli is the PERFECT venue!
This chic, trendy upscale restaurant is one of Miami Beaches hidden gems! It's unique decor, Â exotic garden ambiance, exceptional service and savory cuisine made it an evening to remember!
I came here for a bachelorette dinner prior to going to the rooftop bar at the Gansevoort and Louis. Â The staff was very accommodating to us setting up the table with our bachelorette decorations and every time they brought out shots and drinks they accompanied them with sparklers! Really made the experience even more enjoyable!
Although overpriced and expensive, the food was absolutely delicious and the food presentation was exquisite. We had the lobster bisque, crab cakes and mussel mariniere for appetizers and the center cut fillet mignon as my entrée.  The lobster bisque was creamy and had huge chunks of succulent lobster pieces!  The mussels were fresh and the crab cakes were good.  the center cut fillet mignonette was juicy with red wine sauce and succulent with every bite! Â
Overall, I had an impressive experience! When I'm in the mood to splurge the norm on an extraordinary meal, I will definitely  be back !
Came here because of a recommendation from a girlfriend and proximity to the Gansevoort (where we were staying). The ambiance is sexy like the rest of SoBe and the outdoor garden is adorable. Our waiter and the restaurant manager were incredibly attentive, charming, good-looking, good-looking, and... did I mention good-looking? Lol. I think they stopped by every 15 minutes or so to check up on us, which we appreciated.
So after appetizers, we ended up moving inside because of all the mosquitos in the outdoor area. They brought over bug spray to us and did not make a big deal about  moving tables. But the part that really scored brownie points with us? We booked a reservation through <a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2FSavored.com&s=af77ae64c0b4a092c6b68f53397d883f7b32981181c3a9af10097e79e2b8b5a2" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://Savored.com</a> (<a href="/redir?url=http%3A%2F%2Fsvrd.co%2FnwOmlp&s=1b529331af6454394b33d8ceeb3e58c76412f2887a9b966d5696aea9c4f9e345" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">http://svrd.co/nwOmlp</a>) so we could dine w/ a 30% discount. The issue was that I had accidentally booked the reservation for the wrong day. The restaurant manager still gave us the discount AND I ended up not having to use any Savored credits! Double score. Definitely did not expect that, considering how "pretentious" everyone else has accused Baoli of being.
Really recommend coming here, especially if you're with a group of girls. Definitely had a great dining experience and am looking forward to dining and lounging here the next time I'm in town!
I recently held my birthday dinner here and had such an amazing time. If you like loud music or a fun diverse crowd, this is definetly the perfect spot! They brought us out complimentary shots for all 14 of my girlfriends and the food was very good.
Kudos to all the staff ! Especially the host Sabrina and the Manager Alex. You guys rock.
My first experience at Baoli Miami was not a so pleasant one, and this second attempt left me feeling mainly the same way. Â I upped my stars (really I would give it a 2.5 STAR MAX) because the food fundamentally is good and the staff "attempted" to be friendly and courteous.
You may wonder why I came back after not liking it the first time around? Well, the general managers have been asking me to re-consider my coming back and re-evaluate my opinion. Obviously a 1-STAR review does not help overall ratings, especially if I am an active Yelp Member and Elite at that. Â Despite all that I am a person who likes to give things the benefit of the doubt, so here I was.
They have since changed management, remodelled the place and changed the name from Vita to Baoli Miami.  Michael/ Alex,  Here a few thioughts:  1) The restaurant remodelling makes the place look more inviting and less closed up (improvment) 2) The music was not as loud as last time and the selection varied  - I am quiet sure after midnight they will crank it up though. 3) In my opinion, there are too many people waiters etc. working and/or standing around and it appears that too many people do not know what is going on. I didn't think that our waiter was very familiar with the foods on your menu and if you are usually charging 30$ + a plate I expect that they know the menu backwards and in their sleep.  4) I also feel that the staff and especially the waiters should have a more streamlined/polished look to them.  No bracelets and things alike..
Food: As appetizer we had the artichoke/lobster salad; portion small and pricey but very good. Â It is served with small cubed potatoes, which add earthiness to the dish overall.
Main Course:
My friend had the Chilean Sea Bass Seared, then steamed served with edamame puree, orange segments and orange miso sauce
I tried the mash and it was very good and the fish seemed perfectly cooked.
.I had the Wild Scottish Salmon Filet Grilled skin on Scottish salmon filet with grilled shrimp, cannellini bean salad, asparagus and lemon caper sauce. Â This fish was perfectly cooked and the salad on the side is more like a garnish. I like the fact that they serve it with a whole tomato. Â
Dessert: My friend went for the Molten Chocolate Cake. Â The cake was a bit on the dry side but presenation and overall dish tied together nicely with the icecream and sauces.
All in all the total bill for this meal counting in 2 glasses of champagne, 1 martini, 1 glass of white wine and 2 espressos = $240.00.
In italy they would say: " a la faccia mia" meaning "Jesus" or "oh dear lord"...
Baoli was nice enough to let us eat for free. Â I think our server was not too happy about the idea of potentially losing his tip and didn't pay attention to us that much after our espresso was served. Â We are Yelpers, we have opinions but we are not rude like that.
The tip was left with the waiter. Â Maybe he will use it to accecorize his bracelet collection some more... :)
Very beautiful French Riviera cuisine restaurant at convenient South Beach location.
The outdoor seating area is breezy, romantic and exotic, especially at night. Lights, trees, purple shades. Black-and-White classic movies at the corner... You forget about time and stress when sitting here.
Fresh food with nice presentation - had Tagliatelle di Mare (mixed seafood risotto) and Chilean Sea Bass, both great.
Expect to dress a bit nicely.
Will need to wait a bit if you don't have reservation... It is not a smoking-free restaurant, which is a little drawback
Great for: Â dates/couples, friends, special occasions
In a nutshell?
Impeccable dining experience !!
Read our full review now, Click on link below ..or copy -paste link to URL
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Going back this week..
- Alberto, CEO WHERE 2 BUTLERS
Where to begin with this euro-nightmare. Â Imagine all the things that turn people off about the Beach -- people trying too hard, pretense, arrogance, terrible service, all promise and no delivery -- then wrap it up into one trainwreck of a "supper club"...and voila! Â You have Baoli.
Let me regail you with my visit last night. Â Reservation times are rather optional, which is standard fare on the Beach. Â No problem, went to the bar. Â Ordered a bourbon on the rocks and received...a "French Martini" (for the unindoctrinated, that is vodka/pineapple juice/chambourd...not exactly my style). Â When table was finally ready, drinks were not taken to the table. Â Instead, the less than hospitable hostess hovered over us while we flagged down the bartender (who served the drinks we didn't order) to settle the tab.
Dining room actually looks good when you first walk in...cool decor. Â Then you realize that every table is situated within millimeters of the next. Â I could smell the other couple's breath sitting next to us. Â That was my first tip of the disappointment that was to come.
Great that the staff is bilingual, if one of those languages was English it would be even better.
So here's the deal. Â If you're looking for great French food, try any one of Miami's amazing chefs who specialize in that cuisine. Â A better experience can be had just about anywhere.
5 stars, even 6 if I could.
We went back for dinner and were really impressed by their improvement over the last two months!
Our French waitress Marina was extremely nice, attentive, smiling, it was great to have such a nice service!
The food was perfect. They bring you fresh bread with tapenade (black olive spread), marinated red peppers and butter. We ordered some champagne and French red wine.
We started with the Ceviche with scallops, shrimps, lobster and tuna marinated in a citrus lychee sauce. It was fresh, light and refreshing. The fish and seafood were very delicate and smooth. Perfect balance and change with the lychee sauce.
I ordered the 14oz veal milanese. My husband got it last time and I was (almost) jealous of his dish. The portion is very big, it is served with an arugula salad with tomatoes and parmesan as well as 3 roasted potato wedges. It is so good, the mozzarella is melting but doesn't moist the crisp light breading of the veal. The light salad and just a few potato wedges are the perfect sides and portion.
My husband got the 8oz tournedos Rossini topped with black truffle and foie gras. He was delighted and really liked it. The meat was perfectly cooked, the foie gras was well seared and still smooth and creamy. It is served with a delicious white truffle sauce and three potato wedges.
No dessert after such a feast...
The atmosphere is also amazing. The decor and their garden are gorgeous and elegant. They really succeeded in creating an intimate, romantic atmosphere.
Baoli is an amazing place with great food, great service, great decor. A truly memorable experience...
I came back to Vita the last month of December and I had a great experience, different from the one that I had before!
Definitely I have seen the improved in the management, as well the service and the food.
The place always have a great environment and without a doubt it could be consider the best spot for a great dinner, fun, and nice crowd in Miami Beach!
I will come back soon!!!
My second time here. Both times with fairly large group. In the back they have a patio with a lot of tables. Under the trees it is exotic.
The food is fine. I had a piece of beef last night that was good .
The real point going here is to experience the south beach scene. By 11pm the crowd is building and there is a line to get in and you need to be worthy to gain entry.
What has worked is to get a dinner reservation for 8pm and you are then in for the night. Great people watching.
This is the club destination for Wednesday nights. That designation moves each night of the week. For example, Tuesday you go to the bar at the Delano Hotel. For Thursday, it is the W.
The best thing abt this place is the bomb faux leather business card that I collected on the way out. A truly confusing venture w/ a hostess in a pseudo Playboy bunny outfit, R&B jams pumping, and mediocre Italian food -- but perhaps it sums up Miami perfectly. I think the dish that sums up the night was my "traditional" beet salad with beets, mâché, steamed sugar snap peas and raw tomatoes....so...yeah...
The food is all fine, slightly in need of salt, actually, the frutta di mare was delicious, and my sole was fresh and clean, but overall, I would say that for 3 people, $230 plus tip is a bit excessive for an entree, salads, and 4 drinks, given the totally average fare. Try again, Vita.
I wish I would have have more Vita in mi vida to write this review, but I only stopped in for a cocktail. As we were rallying up for the start of my birthday celebration, we stopped into Vita to get a drink.
I ordered the Vodka Chambord Cocktail with Balsamic Vinegar. It's just too unique to pass up and I like trying something new. It was delicious, a little sweet but perfect first little cocktail before we hit the clubs.
Next time I'll have to try this place for dinner, the food looks great.
Hmmm, not very impressed. Â Though they have a nice ambiance of festive romance and a sexy crowd, the place doesn't quite cut it. Â
They have a nice menu with the kind of international fusion you so often find in Miami Beach, light, fresh and tasty sea fare, but once the food came to my table I tasted nothing memorable. I had a tuna tartar that wasn't perhaps the freshest. Â The prices are what you would expect to pay for such a location, a tad too steep for the bland food.
Our party ordered a bottle of wine which was, in one word, disgusting. Â Service is quite slow, we didn't really get to see our waiter much, although we were in a group of 12.
Where do I start? You know what, I'm not going to. Â This could be the worse restaurant I have ever been too. Its one thing to drop a couple bills on dinner, but I feel like these were stolen, worst service of my life. I requested the manager and told him that his waiter should not be allowed back. Â I slipped the bus boy a 20 for at least clearing my plates. Â Overall, ruined my night!
The funniest part, I always leave nice reviews. Thanks for nothing.
I had been there before for drinks and liked the outdoor area--it is very nice. Â I have lived in Miami Beach for six years and am well aware of the lack of great service you receive on the beach. Â With that being said, the server at Vita's was the worst I can remember. Â He was rude, unprofessional and arrogant. After trying to order drinks and an appetizer to start our evening, he advised us we could not do that and then order more later--we had to order everything now. Â This was after he walked away from us two times after taking ten minutes to first come by. Â At that point, we left. Â Not only will I never step foot in there again, but I will tell all my friends...
Tsk, tsk, tsk....
UPDATE!!!!!
Alex, their GM, went above and beyond to bring me back into the restaurant and show me the new look, staff and management. Â He did not disappoint. Â They were gracious hosts and Keegan is a genius behind the bar. Â Unfortunately, I did not return for dinner, but had some amazing drinks. Â I will definitely go back to try their food. Â I commend them on their professionalism with ensuring me a much better experience the second time around. Â Thank you!
Vita Restaurant - Perfect dinner date! Â Their outside seating is one of the best in the beach area. Â Romantic and well kept. Â
Their red wine from Lebanon is amazing! Â STRONGLY suggested!
One of the best tuna tartar's i've had. Â Wednesday nights is their best night for appetizers and drinks. Â Get's extremely busy! Â
Don't get the sea bass. Once you've had Hakkassan's chilean sea bass, you'll never enjoy any other sea bass ever!
Vita. Â romantic, fun, great appetizers and drinks. Â Give it a try! Â You'll become a fan too!
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