Dr. Limon (Kendall)

Not a popular type of restaurant, Dr Limon is a ceviche bar and seafood restaurant located in Kendall.  For those of you that don't know what ceviche is, it is a seafood dish typically made up of raw fish cured in citrus juices and spiced with peppers.  Ceviche is known in Latin America, but mainly it is Peruvian.  Dr Limon is of Peruvian origin.  The owners run the restaurant very well.

Along with multiple types of ceviche, Dr Limon contains an assortment of seafood dishes.  There are also mny dishes made up of chicken and other spices, on top of some sort of flavored rice.  As for the ceviche dishes, my family and I ordered their most popular one, Remedio Casero, which was an assortment of raw fish cured in a hot lime pepper topped with fried corn.  We also ordered Arroz con Pollo which was very tasty.  A lot of their dishes were spicy and full of flavor.  Another one of their specialties are their fruit smoothies.  I ordered a mango strawberry passion fruit smoothie.

Thi restaurant is a little far from the Pinecrest area, but it is worth the drive.  I recommend coming with a large group so you can order "family style" and try a bunch of different dishes.  Although I see this place as more of a dinner restaurant, it is open for lunch too.

Cafe Gigi (Midtown)

This little upscale cafe is located between Midtown and Wynwood. It features an Asian fusion menu with all sorts of dishes. Most dishes have an Asian sweet and spicy flavor.  This restaurant has different specials every day that are always great. The menu also has a lot of small plates that can be ordered for a table and shared. I recommend ordering a bunc of small plates and a few of the larger plates. There is also a separate sushi menu.

I've ate at this restaurant a few times. Cade Gigi is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I've tried their lunch and dinner and have been satisfied with both. Their Brussels spout plate and Fish Buns are my favorite. This is a cool, trendy place to eat at if you are ever in the area. The restaurant is somewhat small so I reccomend attending in a small group or the wait might be awhile. There is even a bar you can sit and eat at too.

Apizza Brooklyn (Pinecrest)

This is my favorite Italian restaurant in town.  I eat dinner here about once every two weeks with my family.  This restaurant opened up a few years ago in the same shopping center as Five Guys.  It was an instant success.  I recommend eating here on a weekday before 7 pm because this restaurant gets very busy.  The seating area isn't very big so at times the wait can be up to two hours.

My favorite meal on the menu is the Chicken Parmesan.  It is a big portion and comes with a side salad and spaghetti with tomato sauce.  Their tomato sauce is noticeably homemade and tastes amazing.  Their prices are a bit on the expensive side, so if you don't want to have a big bill I suggest ordering one of their large pizzas.  They serve a variety of specialty pizzas all cooked in their brick oven right in front of you.  The owner is usually there and will even stop by your table to ask how everything is.  You can tell that him and his family are very invested in the restaurant.  I suggest trying this local small business out for dinner with your family.

Tacos and Tattoos (Kendall)

This family owned and operated Mexican restaurant features a tattoo shop atmosphere.  The inside is very dark and mysterious and has a grunge theme.  The waiters are young and hip looking people wearing all black.  The walls of this restaurant were all decked out in paintings that imitated tattoos.  It is a very trendy place to eat, preferably for dinner.

My mom and I decided to eat here this past week after hearing so many people rave about this place. The menu offers Mexican classics such as chips and salsa, tacos, and burritos.  I decided to try something different.  I ordered the Crispy Patacon which is a large fried plantain topped with fried queso fresco, salsa, lettuce, and a choice of protein; I chose chicken.  As for my mom, she ordered their Classic Burrito.  We ended up splitting our meals and loved the taste of both.

An interesting thing Tacos and Tattoos has to offer is a cup of honey on every table.  My mom and I asked the waiter about the honey and he explained that it can be put on all of their meals to lighten the spicy flavor.  We mixed it in our salsa and it was delicious.  I thought this place was very unique and really strayed away from a "typical" Mexican restaurant.

Glass & Vine (Coconut Grove)

This new trendy American bistro is located in the middle of Peacock park. It has been open for about a month and features a very unique menu. Before Glass & Vine opened, the actual restaurant used to be a glasshouse. The new restaurant kept some aspects of the glasshouse into their design to give the place a very cool atmosphere. There is a large outside deck with high top tables and there is seating inside with a large bar too.

Not many people know about this place since it is so new. I can tell that they are still working on a few touch ups within the menu. The menu contains a lot of small plates and appetizers so I ordered a wide range of items from the menu. One of my favorites was the seasoned pork tenderloin. My moms favorites were the roasted almonds and the roasted chicken.

This restaurant is in a very convenient location. It is in walking distance to CocoWalk and in the middle of a nice park. The servers were all friendly and the owner of the restaurant walks around to check up on all the tables and to introduce himself. I recommend stopping by this restaurant in the evening for dinner.

Coyo (Wynwood)

Located in the heart of Wynwood, Coyo is a taco bar specializing in authentic Mexican tacos of all kinds. They serve soft corn tortilla tacos of any meat of your choice. There are over 15 different taco styles you can choose from. Choices include meats such as: pork, chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, octopus, and even duck.

I've been to Coyo a few times this past year. On each occasion, I've tried a few different tacos each time. My favorite ones are the Pollo al Carbon and the Carne Asado. The atmosphere is also very cool. You enter, order your food, pay, and then sit down while they bring you your food. The prices are very reasonable too. I suggest visiting the Wynwood Walls after you go to Coyo to see the amazing murals and funky paintings that make Wynwood unique. The walls are located about a block or two down from Coyo.

On weekend nights, Coyo turns into a bar/club. There is a door in the back of the restaurant that enters into another room with a full bar and loud music. Although I have never been, I have heard great reviews. I reccomend eating at Coyo, and if old enough, visiting the bar in the hidden room behind it.

Flanigan's (Pinecrest)

You can never go wrong with Flanigan's.  I'm pretty sure everyone in the Pinecrest area has been here before.  It is a great place to go to dinner with your family or even to watch a sports game.  The atmosphere is very welcoming and the employees treat their customers well.  It's a nicer version of a sport's bar with a wide menu range.

My favorite thing on the menu is the Blackened Tilapia.  It is perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection.  All of the appetizers are also very tasty, especially the wings and tumbleweed.   I also like to go to Flanigan's on Mondays for Mexican Monday.  Here, you can buy a pitcher of any beverage and get a free large plate of cheesy nachos.  They have specials like that throughout the whole week.

The best part about Flanigan's is the prices, everything is affordable.  This is one of the few places you can get a Mahi Mahi dish for cheap.  I go to Flanigan's about once a week with my mom.  We like going after my Lacrosse games.  I recommend trying Flanigan's if you have never been.