Miami Travel Guide

"Creative, amazing food" – officially Mediterranean, but with "a touch of Asia, a touch of France and a touch of the U.S." – "excellent" wines and staffers who "know what you want before you do" make dining at the Mandarin Oriental an "orgasmic experience"; "you'll want to devour the view too", and the "as-chic-as-they-come" surroundings are "a great place to go spotting local celebrities"; some sigh "prices rose after chef Michelle Bernstein left", but landing current toque Clay Conley "was quite a coup", and overall this remains "one of Miami's top innovative restaurants."

Make "no bones about it" – there's "nothing on the menu you'll throw back" at these "casual, comfortable" seafooders; converts "can't believe it's a chain" (owned by Outback, no less), given the "intimate" atmosphere and "pleasant" servers who "know their fish"; perhaps it's a bit "predictable", but the principal problem with these "popular" poissoneries is, you gotta "go early or late or expect a wait."

"Dealmakers" and "Miami's who's who" bring their appetites and expense accounts to this "mighty mecca of meat" where the "melt-in-your-mouth" steaks (including a "to-die-for" Kona-crusted sirloin), "clubby atmosphere" and service that is "beyond reproach" make it "ideal for business lunches or making good impressions"; "you may have to sell your first-born" to afford it, but converts claim "local steakhouses simply can't compete" with this national chain link.

"Prime steak from a prime steakhouse" keeps the carnivores contented at these branches of "one of the great chains"; the "gentleman's club atmosphere" is "comfortable", if a bit "gloomy", and the service "solid", though "they could do without the show-and-tell presentation (I know what a steak looks like)"; overall, though, it "never disappoints" – especially "if you're on an expense account."

"If you don't mind a chain, this place can deliver a decent steak" – along with the infamous, "artery-clogging 'bloomin' onion'" – at a "decent price" opine advocates of these "Aussie-themed" outlets; but dissenters dis it as strictly "for vacationers who fear local cuisine" (but don't mind "spotty" service and "long waits").

Ok, so it's "not real Chinese food", "but it's so good, who cares" say comrades of this "consistent" chain with witty offerings (e.g. the Great Wall of Chocolate dessert), served in "generous" portions amid "movie-set decor"; yes, the "noise levels are deafening", but at least the "ridiculous lines" should ease as "they now take reservations."

"Y'all 'll come back" crow 'cue mavens of this "downscale", "legendary" '50s chain, where patrons take a seat at one of the "picnic tables" in the "log-cabin" quarters and tear into "great" corn on the cob and "slap down" some of the "best" babybacks money can buy.

"The ultimate Cuban restaurant, period" proclaim patrons of this "institution for the exile community", "a must" for anyone desiring an "authentic taste of Calle Ocho" (Eighth Street to you gringos) – which includes everyone from "Latin recording stars" to U.S. presidents; though the "cheesy mirrored interior" and "glorified diner" service get dings, the "late hours" and "large portions at reasonable prices" testify "if you want to know what Havana is like, go to Versailles."

"Listen to music with a Latin flair as you watch the boats go by" at this park and special events venue "right on the Bay" in Downtown Miami, just a few steps from the Bayside Marketplace; while some are driven away by the "hassle" of finding parking in the surrounding "touristy shopping district", others are lured by "plenty of everything", including restaurants, stores, bay cruises and the "added appeal of swaying palm trees."

"Tee it high and let it fly" but "leave your ego at the door" when playing this "legendary" PGA Tour stop, a "top-tier" track that will leave you "shaking in your soft spikes" with its "firm, fast fairways", "treacherous hazards" and "punishing rough" sure to "eat you alive"; yes, it's "probably too expensive", but it's "worth the price of admission" to tackle "this famous monster of South Florida lore", so "bring your ATM" and "just enjoy being there."

"A break after playing the 'Monster'", this "terrific test" is perhaps the "most enjoyable at Doral", with "shorter tees and somewhat tight fairways" that present just "enough hazards to make it challenging for an 11 handicap"; although it's a bit tarnished by "average conditions" and lots of "look-alike houses", it's still a "pleasant" option thanks to "great practice and training facilities" as well as a "staff that does a very nice job."

"One of Greg Norman's finest achievements", this "desert course in Florida" "looks more like Arizona than Miami" thanks to "fairways lined with palm trees and edged with crushed coquina shells, creating natural boundaries around each hole"; those who find it "gimmicky" say the "vast waste areas are a vast waste", but most praise the "excellent par 3s" and "top-class facilities", concluding "if you can't get onto the Blue Monster, this will eat you up just as well."

Plan to spend "an entire day" at this "huge" zoo sprawled out over 300 acres, as its "extensive collection of unique animals" includes everything from black rhinos to white tigers, and there are also wildlife shows as well as exhibits like the Wings of Asia aviary, which features both live and fossil displays linking our feathered friends with their forebears; in short, fauna fanciers say it's "worth" the 22-mile drive southwest of Downtown Miami.