Pilar
20475 Biscayne Blvd, Aventura, FL, 33180
Pilar Menu
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Visit below restaurant in Aventura for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Aventura for healthy meals suggestion.
Visit below restaurant in Aventura for healthy meals suggestion.
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Address :
20475 Biscayne Blvd
Aventura, FL, 33180 - Phone (305) 937-2777
- Website https://pilarrestaurantandbar.com/
- Click To Get Directions
Opening Hours
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Specialities
- Takes Reservations : Yes
Delivery : Yes
Take-out : Yes
Accepts Credit Cards : Yes
Accepts Bitcoin : No
Good For : Dinner
Parking : Private Lot
Bike Parking : No
Wheelchair Accessible : Yes
Good for Kids : Yes
Good for Groups : Yes
Attire : Casual
Ambience : Casual
Noise Level : Average
Good For Dancing : No
Alcohol : Full Bar
Happy Hour : Yes
Best Nights : Mon
Coat Check : No
Smoking : Outdoor Area/ Patio Only
Outdoor Seating : Yes
Wi-Fi : No
Has TV : Yes
Waiter Service : Yes
Caters : Yes
WE SERVE THE FOLLOWING STATES
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Natalie I.
It is inside a strip mall but is fancy and very lovely on the inside. Once inside, take a look at the art and the pictures they have, they're great. Very good service and nice atmosphere. I've only had the penne in red sauce (not sure what it's called on the menu), it's the pasta dish with the tomato sauce. It's honestly the best thing ever! They do these wine tasting things on occasion as well, we were lucky enough to be there on a night they had waitresses giving out free glasses of wine to all the patrons.
(4)Dalia B.
wow! love going there for lunch and dinner, their menu is great and always fresh! must try their not so Spanish croquettes and their brisket, for lunch all of their salads are yummy! great for parties too!
(4)Gregg F.
Pilar restaurant is located 1 mile west of Golden Beach, FL. It offers excellent fresh seafood at a fair price. The food and service were both outstanding. I give them 5 stars. By Gregg L. Friedman MD, Psychiatrist, Hallandale Beach, FL
(5)Amyr J.
I had a dinner party here, this past friday. I am very picky about the restaurants I eat in. I will say that I was very pleasantly surprised. Pilar has an excellent blend excellent food and an elegant decor. The evenings low lights and great service prepares a romantic ambiance. To top it off, the prices are very reasonable. Great job to the entire staff and a special hats off to the chef!
(5)M Peggy Q.
Aventura's best kept secret! Casual or not, intimate (love the low lights, dark wood floor and tropical plants-very Californian!) And the food is excellent - fish is the chef/owner's specialty (he is a fisherman.) However, everything is great...soup to dessert. Reasonable prices for quality. I've had several lunch meetings here, celebrated birthdays with friends and colleagues, great for a first date. The bar is very cool too, and there is happy hour.
(5)Lisa L.
seared scallops a must! make sure you save room for dessert.. the beignets are tasty.
(4)Roger M.
Never eat in a restaurant on Monday nite. The kitchen staff is different. I have eaten at this local for many years and the quality appears to be on the downward trend. Food serving time wise is a major rub to hungry customers. I sat at the bar for dinner, not crowded, and I was offered the "special" fish for $22.00. 40 minutes later, and starving, this thin piece of fish was raw inside. Obviously, it was frozen. I sent it back to re-cook and received it 3 minutes later, half my original portion size and mixed up with the now soggy vegtables. The original presentation was no longer available.
(2)Pam S.
Arriving at about 6:30 p.m., Pilar was not all that busy, so we were seated immediately. The restaurant has an almost asian ambiance to it - very upscale and calm. The food was very good, served without any rush. I liked the Sangria - nice flavor, fruit and cherries floating over the top.The salad was served with lettuce that looked a bit "rusty" but the garlic dressing was very good even though there was only a slight drizzle of dressing over all. The entrees, their skirt steak and the shrimp over pasta, were both served "just off the stove/oven" hot and delicious, and large portions. The skirt steak was served with chimmichurri sauce that was a little too peppery and oily, my personal taste, with perfectly done broccoli and yellow rice. We are definitely going to return. Jeremy, the host, introduced himself and made us feel very welcome, too.
(4)Brian G.
I decided to try this place because i was looking for a good fish place nearby. I was happy i did because the food, service, and ambience were all great. Between the 4 of us in our party, we had the seared tuna, the mahi-mahi, the red snapper, and the spaghetti caprese. We also got a side of brussel sprouts. The service was friendly and helpful, and each dish tasted and looked great. The mahi was on a bed of plantains which were a bit too oily for me, but that's my only complaint - and that's minor. The prices were reasonable, and I'd definitely return soon.
(4)Margaret C.
Was pleasantly surprised by the really nice, sophisticated ambience and excellent quality food at this little place tucked away in a strip mall with big box stores. Everything I had was really tasty, and I am looking forward to going back soon and trying some other dishes on the menu.
(4)Karen B.
We had the best dinner last night. Tuna two ways, lobster bisque, rock shrimp risotto, filet mignon, short ribs and dessert. Thank you to all! A great experience and definitely will be back.
(5)Geoffrey M.
We stopped in here during a shopping trip for some lunch. The restaurant is pleasantly decorated and has a nice atmosphere. The lunch menu wasn't long but included a sliced steak sandwich (which I had) and a chicken Cesar wrap. Service was friendly and attentive, but the food took a long time to come out, especially considering the place was mostly empty. The food was tasty, but prices were pretty high for what we got. Enjoyable oudoor seating and a mostly pleasant experience, I'd probably go back if I'm in the area.
(3)Roger M.
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(1)Katie Q.
If I could give 100 stars I would! This was such a wonderful place! We ate out side...Great service, great people, amazing food, awesome drinks, great music, and such good desert!!! This place made our vacation. We will definitely be going back!!!
(5)Kumar I.
Excellent place - great food, fantastic service, classy ambience Will go there again The drinks were great too Everything had a style to it
(5)Roger M.
It might not be fair for me to review Pillar. I clearly ordered the wrong thing. The scallops at the table next to mine looked amazing. The hamburger a few tables down with the meatloaf looked good. The mac and cheese, which we tasted, was incredible. So, I do plan to go back again to give it a fair try. I liked the atmosphere and the owners were caring. It felt personal. The problem is that the place was understaffed. No waiter came by to make recommendations. (although the water was filled promptly and often) We waited for a long time. So, when the person from the front desk came by to take our order, we did not want to delay things. The salad that my wife and I shared was great. It was really fresh, had herbs and was extremely tasty. I had the tuna tatare, which is a favorite fish of mine. To be fair, my standards are high and this is not a place that specializes in fish. Unfortunately, this tatare was bland and a little oily. Somebody with me had brisket, which was stringy. The mac and cheese side dish was great. My wife's salmon was dry. But, things looked good enough that I will write it off to a bad night. My four stars are because it was a nice place, friendly, comfortable and a lot of people were happy. Next time, it will be the scallops.
(4)Jacques R.
Congrats Erika and Anne... Anne... I will not call you Amy anymore.... You 2 girls do this place period! I will give you both the 5 stars! Friday even though you did not have raw tuna unprepared, Erika, your tuna tartare wrap was unbelievable!!! Very very good! Tasty, not too dry, not to moist, it was just wonderful! I am glad we go there several times a month! Even though you were short staffed, you made the place feel taken care of... My "heavy" ice tea drinking always had my glass full... By the way they have a great "fruity" ice tea which is pretty good... So, all in all this place is one we will come often! Congrats girls one more time.
(5)Carolina G.
I stopped in for a quick drink with a girl friend of mine. Happy hour was still available so we sat down in the bar area near the front. We were seated immediately. The bartender came over himself gave us bar bites and drink menus. My table was a bit woobly so he fixed it as well. Happy hour specials are half off wines with an asterisk and $5 beers. Duvel which is one of my all time favorite Belgian beers was available. I was over the moon! I ordered the sliders which were $6 during happy hour. The meat was delicious and they came with fries. The crowd was rather older but it was a nice ambience for catching up with a friend since it was not too loud. The service was great. I will definitely go back perhaps to try dinner,
(5)Lou D.
Always nice to add a review to what seems to be a growing list of great reviews. We hit Pilar last week and had a fantastic dinner. The staff was warm and attentive, and we really dug the vibe. I'm never upset about easy on the eyes servers. Dad loved his fish tacos and chicken. We shared celebratory delicious Matzoh Balls as the restaurant had a fantastic Rosh Hashanah family meal menu. Picky vegetarian me had a delicious quinoa dish with grilled veggies...thanks to Chef Erica. The quinoa was nutty and flavorful and Rock Star baby housed it. He enjoyed everything. Yummy bubbly to top it all off...lovely. We'll be back to visit Pilar!
(5)Karen W.
Great little restaurant in an unexpected location. After a typical "What do you want to eat?" Question we finally decided on looking up local restaurants who were part of the Miami Spice. We picked Pilar based in their dinner menu. When we arrived, we were greater immediately by the staff. They were friendly and outgoing. The restaurant was pretty empty at first but as the night progressed, the tables filled up. The service and wait staff were in point. They where very attentive and were really nice. All staff were constantly making their rounds around the tables to ensure all your needs were meet (eg: water filled, table cleared, etc). Our waitress was very knowledge of the menu and made great recommendations. I have to say, her service was on point!! The food was quite good!! The table bread was served with two choices: regular white sour dough bread and a raisin bread. They were served at room temperature. We would have preferred them warm, but I guess it's just a preference. As our Miami spice appetizer, we ordered the Smoked Mac&Cheese and the Three Shrimp Cocktail. The Smoked Mac&Cheese was creamy it did lack the "smoky" flavor. Overall, it was still delicious. The three Shrimp cocktail was fresh. The cocktail sauce perfect. They served it with some Caynan Pepper which you can mix to give it the right amount of Kick you desire. The main course was the petit Filet with Asparagus and the Lobster Risotto. The filet was over cooked to our taste. We asked for rare but was served medium well. Lot would have also been seasoned a little more but the stake gravy sauce made up for it. We really enjoyed the sauce so much, we dipped the asparagus in it! The Lobster Risotto was great! They put two lobster claw pieces in the middle as a presentation. I would have like to have had more lobster in the risotto but then again, you can never have too much lobster with anything. The risotto was very flavorful and mushrooms chucks were delicious! Needless to say, we are every bite. The dessert with the Miami Spice was either Chocolate Chip cookies with Hagendas Vanilla IceCream, Chocolate Pie, or Key Lime pie. We opted for the Chocolate Pie and Key Lime pie. The presentation of both dessert was really nice as both topped of the personalized little pies with whipped cream. Both pies sat on a raspberry sauce. The chocolate pie also had chocolate sauce as well. The raspberry and chocolate were perfect. The raspberry sauce and Key lime pie might seem a little off putting but when you combine the flavors.... It was a party in your mouth!! While at the restaurant, I "checked in" on Yelp App. We got a free side dish of Mama's Latkin (Potato Pancakes). They were a little over cooked but over all they were good. It was served with sour cream and a homemade apple cinnamon sauce. the sauce was thick and added some flavor to the potatoes. Great side dish or appetizer to order. The decor was homie and cozy. Great place in an unexpected location. We will be going back again. Will defiantly recommend this restaurant to friends/family.
(4)Rick B.
What a great find! The snapper, scallops and salmon were fantastic! Presentation was very nice and surroundings were comfortable. Our waiter Alex did a great job - knowledgable and attentive. A diamond in the rough!
(5)Ramona T.
Tried to have dinner here at 7:15 on Wednesday, June 17, 2015. Closed and appears to be out of business.
(1)Christian C.
Food is excellent!!! What a chef!!! Weird location but great chill atmosphere and a suave intelligent staff. I'm coming back.
(5)Carolina M.
Really surprised about this place and more surprised about finding a decent restaurant in barren Aventura. Especially since this restaurant is located on a strip mall. But i had read good reviews here on trusty Yelp and decided to give it a try. Honestly, we went in there because there was a wait at another restaurant we first tried to go into for dinner on a Friday evening. We were greeted warmly by the manager which was very nice. The decor is nice and place was busy. Typical Aventura crowd (older people having early dinner). Our server was polite and nice and we were promptly attended. We saw that they were offering Miami Spice menu, which looked yummy so we decided to go for it. The menu was varied with nice options. I had the iceberg lettuce salad and the salmon with quinoa and i thought it was excellent. Salmon was not dry, which is a relief as not many places know how to cook salmon!. Hubbie had the lobster risotto. I had a bite and it was quite tasty. the dessert was chocolate ganache and it was very good. Manager came to our table to check everything was all right. Overall, nice dinner for Aventura standards. Give them a try .
(4)Joseph H.
Arrived at 7pm on a Thursday and they're closed. Doors locked, lights off, nobody home. What gives?
(1)Chelsea L.
I knew enough going into Pilar to know that the drink prices may be expensive. I got a rail gin and soda and the bartender made me a decent pour of aristocrat and soda. my guy doesn't do rail anything, so he got a not-rail bourbon. Imagine our surprise to see that his good drink was $12 (reasonable enough, really), but my Aristocrat was $10 a drink. Seriously?? I can get an entire bottle for $8. unreal. I would have stepped up my choice if I had known that the rails were that expensive and the not-rails were actually reasonable. The food was fine, nothing special. my burger was overdone, which was frustrating since the couple next to us had burgers that were cooked properly. no big deal, and I'm certainly not stressing that. service was good, but we sat at the bar so it was easy to get taken care of...it's mostly just that $10 rail. I know it's a tourist town but give me a break!
(2)Jill H.
Amazing dinner! Everything was great from the tuna tartar to the brisket. Service was awesome, Zack, the bartender did a great job and Erica, the chef made sure we were happy with the food and well taken care of.
(5)Patricia A.
Stopped by last night before catching a movie at Aventura and was greatly pleased with the whole experience. Nice ambience with live music and attentive service, especially from the Manager who was always checking if everything was ok. Food was DELICIOUS! Best.Crab.Cake.Ever. I need to go back and have another one of these. The texture was amazing, and flavors were on point. The green apple slices gave it a subtle crisp and acidity which complemented it quite well. My fiance and I also had the soup of the day which was a corn chowder and their signature Nanny's Brisket. Meat was cooked perfectly and the Smoked Mac 'n Cheese was delicious. Last but not least we tried the Fried Oreos. YUM. Comes with a side of chocolate fudge and vanilla ice cream. Can't get any better than that. All in all, a five star experience. Wishing the best to this hidden gem! It's definitely a must-try.
(5)Marqus R.
To tag this place with the name Pilar is to me an insult to the good namesake of Hemmingway's boat. My dining experience at Pilar was one of the worst ever. In fact it's probably the only restaurant that I've ever been at in which I could find nothing redeeming. One would think that by virtue of the law of averages there would have been something Pilar could have gotten right but it they didn't. First off we were seated by what turned out to be our waiter, but then he disappeared. When we finally got his attention his words were "Sorry, but I forgot about you." At that point we should have forgotten about him as well as Pilar and simply gone elsewhere but unfortunately we didn't. I ordered a Caesar which came knife chopped, not hand torn and with a dressing that failed to coat even half of the romaine lettuce. The waiter did come, asked if I cared for ground pepper and when I responded that I did, merely gave two 1/4 cranks from the grinder and walked away. There was no salt or pepper on our table or on any of the tables and though we had bread dishes, no offering of bread. The martini I ordered arrived totally plain Jane, no olive, no twist and though the martini itself had been chilled the glass hadn't. For an entrée I had the yellow snapper which was served without even a slice of lemon or other citrus, with none being offered, about a teaspoon of some sort of bland icky lackluster sauce on a bed of old has been fibrous woody tasting asparagus I would say only suitable for consumption by termites. Then as for interior décor, all I can say is cheap and dated but in keeping with what one might expect within the setting of South Florida strip mall. In summary I must say that I'm rather astonished at some of the glowing prior reviews and in light of what they have had to say can only assume that either something went horribly wrong during my visit or that the place has slipped, and slipped rather badly. I hope some others will revisit and review the place because I would certainly never risk the experience of going back.
(1)Brendan F.
I went to Pilar last night for the first time and found the food to be quite exquisite. As a native New Yorker I am quite particular about my food but felt Pilar exceeded my high standards. The fish tacos I had as an appetizer were the best I have ever had, my main course, Lobster Risotto, was prepared beautifully and was also quite delicious. The desert was a wonderful cookie sandwhich that reminded my of the homemade kind my mother would prepare for us when I was a child. My overall experience at Pilar was excellent, the meal was delightful and the staff were extremely friendly. I look forward to my next meal there when I am back in South Florida
(5)Jessica B.
Started off w rough entrance, walked in and the manager/host, first words out of his mouth was that we had almost lost our reservations due to being a few minutes late. We were coming from kendall in the rain. But luckily i overlooked his rudeness since i was dying to do miami spice here. Our waiter was really friendly and the food was AMAZING!! My friend had the fish tacos (best taco ever), filet mignon (tender)and the cookie sandwich for dessert. I had the mac and cheese (delish) , truffled lobster risotto ( OMG), and the mini key lime (good). One of the best miami spice restaurant ive had in a while. Btw it included a glass of wine too , definitely a great value overall. The front end of the restaurant by the bar is gorgeous.
(5)Leilani W.
The food is alright. However the last two times I ate there the fish sandwich was very dry. I went there with a friend for lunch. We had what Pilar calls the business lunch/ Small salad and drink lunch entree and a cookie for dessert. I asked whether I could have coffee instead of the soda that comes with the lunch. It was just a question. The owner/manager went into a tirade about how cheap my question was that the coffee costs him money and he just wouldnt stop. It was very humiliating and embarrassing. The PR is really bad that is for sure. Since the food had always been just ok I decided after that experience never to go there again. Being nice and polite never hurts when you own a restaurant. There is no need to humiliate the customers.
(1)Frank A.
It's a ok place in my book I had better but that's just me ! The drinks are good but all in all if I was passing it by I would
(3)Matthew C.
Solid local spot with great food and service. New owner gave it a nice face lift. Good spot
(5)Jerk C.
Wow, I don't understand the great reviews this place is getting. It was not crowded yet service took forever. The side dish I ordered came towards the end if my meal. I ordered the grilled shrimp and it was bland and dull. There were partial veins left. Overpriced. This place belongs in a strip mall... Oh wait, it is.
(2)Gale C.
3.5 stars! We are here based on many rave reviews. The waitstaff and service were all around great. We checked in on Yelp! and got the free appetizer with an entree- what a great offer to try a new place! The salad (Gorgonzola) was excellent, and the calamari was served hot and crisp. I had the Mahi with hearts of Palm and avocado. The entree was ok, as the fish was slightly overcooked and the avocado did not taste entirely fresh. Although the entree was disappointing, the salads, apps, and side dishes were excellent! Very nice ambiance and waitstaff make this well worth a shot for a new place.
(4)Narlene S.
By chance my parents, my aunt, and I stopped here for dinner. We are actually New Yorkers and not familiar with Aventura, but found Pilar through yelp. The food and service were great (Shout out to Alex our waiter.) However this is why they received 5 stars: After a long day in Florida's heat, a little dehydration and not eating much earlier that day my mom took ill. instead of rushing us out, The owners (two brothers) and staff did everything they could to make sure she was ok. Bought out a fan, ice water, towel, cranberry juice...I couldnt believe how kind and helpful they all were. One of the waiters also happened to be a paramedic, I wish I got his name...but I appreciate how he stayed right by her side. She is feeling better now. You guys are really great! I will most definitely be back!!!
(5)J D.
This is the one of the best dinner places in Aventura. The owner pays attention to you, the wait staff is excellent - the food - excellent.
(5)David C.
We had dinner last night . Restaurant was hopping. Shrimp and calamari tempura were sizzling delicious Avocado soup had amazing spin to it it Chopped salada was , well, a chopped salad Crab cake delicious as was brisket sliders with amazing fries Negatives were that it somewhat loud (we could still talk) And I would have liked a bit more time between courses Would absolutely return and recommend
(4)Julian C.
After running some errands, I found this restaurant right in the corner of the shopping plaza and what a great surprise. I sat at the bar and ordered shrimp cocktail, wedge salad, tuna tartare, NY strip and dessert. I wanted to try a lot of stuff so I ordered from the miami spice menu as well.It is my birthday after all lol. I sat at the bar. Alex (bartender) greet me at once and was very attentive throughout my meal. Clean silverware, fresh plate. Everything you should get when you go out to eat, but most of the time don't get. Shrimp cocktail - great, the cocktails sauce has a lot of horseradish which I love, but it can be spicy for others. Latkes - (free if you check-in with yelp) they come with sour cream and cinnamon apple sauce NY strip - amazing !!! With confit herb red potatoes, asparagus were nice and soft. The steak however, was awesome !! Cooked perfectly with the a smoked kind of grilled taste to it. Fried Oreos !!!- sinfully delicious I will defiantly be back
(4)Emilie C.
Great food! Great Service! They were slow so my friend and got to sit at the large booth! #VerySpacious!
(4)Beth M.
We were looking for a place for dinner tonight in an area we were unfamiliar with and checked Yelp and found this restaurant. The atmosphere, service and food was excellent. I highly recommend. Tell Mitch you found it on Yelp. Also they had great easy listening music after 6:30.
(5)Diane N.
I went with a friend and we were very disappointed. I had a pasta dish which was okay. For an appetizer my friend ordered the spring rolls, a dish she liked when she had ordered it before. For her entrée she ordered the pan roasted 1/2 chicken. She said the spring rolls were awful. She took a few bites of the chicken and said it tasted so bad that she was starting to feel sick. She sent the chicken back. We had been looking forward to a nice evening out with good food and good company. Well at least the company was good.
(1)Mandy S.
This restaurant was okay. It was very clean and great customer service however the food was okay, it could have been better. I ordered sliders with fries. The beef in the sliders were a bit burned. My husband said his sandwich was "okay" as well.
(3)Elyse B.
Yum! Thanks to my fellow Yelpers, I found this place while in Hollywood with family. It's definitely a local spot and a totally a hidden gem. We were a bit skeptical when we saw the exterior (it's hidden in a strip mall), but pleasantly surprised when we walked in. Most important, we all loved our food and the service was spot on.
(5)Jon D.
Always a great experience at this place. Service is excellent. The owner is there all the time. Nice place for birthday or special.date night
(4)Donna M.
Great food, nice atmosphere and super friendly staff. We had a great time!
(5)Sheri R.
Food was good. The waiter was extremely attentive and pleasant. Atmosphere was relaxing.
(4)Vanessa P.
Pilar is a quaint and welcoming restaurant despite the unassuming tinted windows from outside. On the night we decided to give this place a try we could smell something delicious coming from the space, so we were pretty intrigued of the offerings. Upon entering the hostess asked us if we had reservations. Given ther were were several tables available I found the question a little odd, but we told her no and were promptly seated regardless. We started with drinks, mine being the sangria. Since I'm a sangria snob I have to say it didn't taste fermented but almost as if they put it all together when I ordered it. We visited on a Friday evening and it wasn't too busy, but by listening in it seems they definitely have a "usual crowd" that frequents the place. As for the patrons eating here, I didn't seem to take note that the crowd was much older. There were a few families dining when we were here. Before our main course our waiter brought a bread basket which included a variety of slices including crisp cinnamon raisin. For the main course my +1 ordered the burger which comes with batter fried onions, cheese and a side of fries. From the bite I had it was a pretty solid burger and the portions of the burger and the fries were quite reasonable. I ordered the grilled mahi mahi which is plated on top a bed of palm hearts, avocado, and sweet plantains. I was a little hesitant with all the differing flavors, but it did seem to work together. The fish itself was moist, but unfortunately I wasn't "wowed" with my overall dish as much as I would have liked to be. Being a seafood lover I would come back and try something else.
(3)Wendy L.
I used to like this place but the last few times we've been it's really gone down hill. Food was just mediocre and really overpriced. They had some promo deals going on but it just made it seem like a "early bird special" place (even though it wasn't early) versus a nice dining establishment. Won't be going back there.
(2)Franco P.
My wife and I stopped by Pilar after noticing that they were offering a late night happy hour. We were at the strip mall where they are located doing some shopping and decided to have a few cocktails. When you enter the restaurant, the first thing you notice is a modern decoration with gorgeous paintings on the wall and an outstanding bar area to your left. Dimmed lights, and private ambiance. They were featuring half off the entire bar and all appetizers, so we decided to stay for a bite as well. Alex, our bartender, was extremely knowledgeable and guided us through some of his favorite items in the menu. We had a Pilar fashion, or as he explained to us, the Restaurant's version of an Old Fashion, and it was Phenomenal!!. He served us an amazing homemade Ricotta cheese appetizer and a Shrimp Cocktail and both blew us away. It was our first time at Pilar and we are very happy to have found this hidden gem.
(5)Ryan S.
Great high end food for fair prices! I have gone here over 5 times and enjoyed it every time. Steak and Chicken Parm is great!
(5)Jada H.
The hubs and I have been coming here for a few years. Food has always been very solid and not much of a wait. They did an update recently and its paid off. We always get the same two wonderful things. The juiceman burger and scallops. And don't sleep on the ranch with the burger. It's made in house. The scallops are bananas. Never over cooked which is the worst. They have a bourbon drink called She's on Fire with flaming Rosemary. He loved it. And last, for dessert, that night they had maple pannacotta with a candied slice of bacon. Whoa. It was so damn good.
(4)Stacey M.
As a long time resident of Aventura my husband and I decided to return to Pilar after hearing it was under new management. If you compare the menu on their website to the actual menu at the restaurant many items have been removed leaving quite a sparse menu. We started with the wedge salad that was a SLIVER of iceberg lettuce. Most restaurants that I dine at (from Morton's ,The Palm or even Duffy's lol), the iceberg wedge is enormous and usually too much to finish(that is a good thing).While consuming the SLIVER of iceberg our waiter removed the additional dressing, our bread plates (which no bread was ever offered so I guess he figured we wouldn't be needing them)and my husbands knife. Just bad service!!!??? I ordered the Churrasco steak rare, it was cooked to my liking and tasty but the chimichurri sauce was extremely oily and the fries were of fast food quality. My husband ordered the burger medium well. It arrived extremely well done, dry and flavorless ( the antithesis of a "Juicy burger"). While eating our entrees one of the wait staff decided to start sweeping with a broom and dustpan right behind me, which was very odd because it was 8:30 at night with three other tables occupied in the restaurant therefore there was no one to make a mess(shouldn't cleaning be done in the opening of the evening and closing?) With so many restaurants to chose from in South Florida one would think the owners/management would be on top of their game at all times, sadly this is not the case here.RIP
(1)Samantha R.
My new go to restaurant after Shopping at Avenutra Mall! I have heard about Pilar through friends who have said wonderful things about it since it is now under new management. I stopped in with my boyfriend after doing some shopping for the holidays (luckily its right next to the mall and just past all the traffic so getting onto 95 is a breeze!) I must say that this chef is beyond amazing! Here is a breakdown of everything we had. Appetizer: Mozzarella Caprese Salad - Perfect for sharing Fried Calamari - Great portion and came with a delicious cipotle aioli sauce Shrimp Cocktail - JUMBO shrimps (YUM) with cocktail sauce and more of the chipotle aioli sauce that I loved. Entree Brisket- Extremely Tender and Flavorful! Just like my grandmother makes it (I guess that's where they got the name Nanny's Brisket) Snapper- Didnt have a fishy taste or smell at all! Im very picky when it comes to fish. Comes with polenta, which was the best thing I have ever tasted I had to order a side of it as well. Sam, our server was so attentive. Explained all the new items on the menu as well as went over the wine list with us (We went with a Decoy Cabernet). Even talked to us about the new owners and some of the exciting changes they have planned. (Brunch was mentioned...can't wait for that to start) All in all a great experience- very comforting and welcoming vibe. The new management seems to be moving this restaurant in the right direction.
(5)Anna T.
The food is delicious)))))) really good))))) Mahi is served with amazing avocado sauce, the vine list is well chosen! It vas a great surprise for us to find such a good restaurant in a mall area!!!!)))
(5)Melissa N.
Went there last night looking for rock shrimp as the menu here in yelp states they have, did not find them because the chef and menu changed but still had some pretty good shrimp cocktail and grilled shrimp. The service was really good and at 9pm on a Sunday it was almost empty but worth the try. The manager was charming and my mom and dad who we're visiting had a great time.
(4)Becca P.
Was absolutely surprised by the decor and warm reception when I walked through the doors at Pilar! It wasn't what I was expecting, given the location. The service was fantastic (and I am a tough critic) and the food was outstanding. Simple yet inspired dishes that were well executed. I look forward to going back!
(5)Lynn B.
Amazing food and great time. Mitch and Zack both provided amazing service. Thank you so much Pilar!! We will be back.
(5)Carlos V.
As soon as we walked in, we were greeted by the owner, Mitch. First impression was very positive. Nice bar and intimate restaurant. We shared a cheese plate with a zesty, yet sweet tomato jam. The house wines were delightful. Tracy had the lobster ravioli as her main course and I had the churrasco. Both wonderful in presentation and flavors. The chimichurri was very authentic. The fried oreo dessert was a nice treat. I am a bit picky for the espresso and theirs was Lavazza. A nice think crema on top. I will recommend it to my friends. And I will be back.
(4)Leah T.
Food is great!! Bar is soo nice and pretty. Service is wonderful. Staff is exceptional. Definitly coming back
(5)Don G.
Took my stepmom here for dinner Friday evening. Upon arriving, it clearly looked busy... We had no reservations so sat at the bar and were promptly greeted and ask for a drink. It took some time for the bartender to ask for our order, it took almost 45 minutes to get our starter - the okay spring rolls - and then they brought our entrées about five minutes later. We had barely started the spring rolls. I had the snapper, which was indifferently prepared, nothing special. My stepmom had the brisket, again, nothing special. Not once did anyone ask if our food was okay. After about another 45 minutes they asked if we wanted another drink, and then they disappeared again. We had to chase someone down for our check. All in all, a very mediocre dinner.
(2)Bernadette B.
Really good food. Super friendly and attentive staff. Can't beat the summer special they are running for the month of June - go check it out! :)
(4)Roland B.
So disappointing! Inexperienced and unprofessional waiter who admitted it, and said he would rather be doing something else, to an extremely obnoxious and rude "manager want-a-be" who should enroll in customer service skill workshops and dress more appropriately, to the obviously non educated hostess who cannot read a customer's special preference when the reservations were made. Now to the food... I'd rate it 3 out of 10. Very bland, needs more flavor and a professional Chefs touch and creativity!! The sad part is we live nearby and would've loved for this to be a regular weekly restaurant... Not now! Ciao!
(1)Jim D.
MY MOTHER SAID IF YOU CAN'T SAY ANYTHING GOOD, DON'T SAY A THING BUT I CAN'T DO THAT HERE. Either we came at a bad day or the cook went fishing again.There are pictures of fishing trips and boats all over The only reason I gave it a token ** is how can you mess up a salad? There we sat,and sat, we could time the waiter with a calender forgot us. " SORRY" My friend had the fish with asparagus, it was so tough my friend needed a saw, Bread plates on the table yes ,four of them, bread . NO LUCK ! STILL BAKING. We could have had a better lunch at MC Donald's and you can too ! Then came the bill it was $50 with a $4 sales tax , which being a math teacher means 8% sale tax in a state that has 6%, I asked him to explain, he looked at me like I came from the planet UR ANIS. As we got up to escape from here, I heard a lady seated at a table near the bar say " will someone please help us . PLEASE ! " WE HAVE BEEN WAITING SOOO LONG." Run don't walk out of here !
(2)Jeff H.
Excellent customer service, clean, friendly staff, complementary mimosas at brunch, highly recommend
(5)J C.
Loved the food, the service, and the atmosphere at Pilar. The Shrimp & Linguine was delicious and generously served (took some home with me). Perfect local spot for a family dinner or date-night. Low music playing on the background and perfectly lit for a cozy, feel-at-home type of experience.
(5)Mimi S.
Heard they were under new management, and we were very pleased! Delicious, fresh food, which was reasonably-priced and served by a friendly, efficient staff. We had the following - pumpkin soup, caprese salad, turkey with gravy, brisket, mashed sweet potatoes, green beans, and apple pie. We will definitely be coming here again
(5)Jeremy S.
This place is great. The new owner has found that frequently sought-out but rarely obtained combination of intimacy, family-friendliness, and overall fun that you look for in a new go-to restaurant. The pumpkin soup was creamy and delicious, and the gorgonzola salad was sweet yet refreshing. For our entree, we had the turkey (in honor of Thanksgiving season) - it was the juiciest turkey I have ever had!! I don't know what they did to make it so good, but I am gonna be back soon to find out!
(5)Samantha L.
Definitely an interesting place to eat and can be seen as a hidden gem...I have been driving by this place for about 3 years but it never peeked my interest then one day on groupon a deal was posted $20 for $40 I was like sweet it will give me an excuse to drive down the street and try this place out lol We walk in and are promptly seated I made reservations prior to coming so its a good sign that they have follow through. The waiter seemed a little nervous but was a sweet guy a few times he got busy and that made the service a little off especially have to wait to get out drinks filled. What we ordered: Onion soup: very soft in taste so I wasn't blown away Calamari: very fresh and two great dipping sauces Yellowtail snapper with polenta: hubby said the fish was very fresh and I had the polenta definitely yummy Skirt steak: let me tell you that this dish was out of this world it was cooked to the perfect medium and had an awesome flavor. Very tender or came with chimichurri that was super tasty one of the way I've tasted and roasted Brussels sprouts they were really good and bursts with flavor. This dish was definitely a hit! Mashed potatoes: super creamy and rich in flavor very surprised. I was so full that dessert was not an option but the table next to us ordered beignets and they looked pretty tasty. If you can get passed the century village crowd it's definitely a low key restaurant to hit up if you want some food that won't disappoint. Walking through the restaurant I saw a few good fish dishes that I wouldn't mind trying out. My only complaint is that there are no doors to block the server area and since they are running around the busy ant look can distract you from the relaxing dinner experience.
(4)Evan B.
I have been going to Pilar for many years for their fresh seafood and friendly atmosphere. Haven't been in a while and decided to go tonight. Wow were we pleasantly surprised. New apps and dinner items! Must have the tuna tartar and also try the lobster ravioli was out of sight. Great strong drinks as well. Pilar is back on my go to's!
(5)L H.
We tried Pilar for the first time tonight, for Miami Spice. Our waiter, Scott, was very pleasant and friendly, and attentive, and the food was really really good. The Miami Spice appetizer "fish tacos" were the best fish tacos I have ever had. Evertyhing was really good. We will definitely go back here again. My husband LOVED the dessert, chocolate chip cookies & ice cream made into a "cookiewich".
(5)Autumn S.
Unpretentious, really good food and excellent service! I thought that was a tall order for MIA (service does not seem to be a strong point for MIA) but Pilar reached the mark. I enjoyed my dinner here and especially the sangria special they were running. Although the Mac and cheese with short ribs was a bit soupy, the cheese sauce was so good I was willing to overlook that and sop up the leftovers with bread. Clams in white wine sauce were light but flavorful. I also appreciated the server and management checking on us during our meal several times and making sure water glasses were filled and bread basket refilled when we asked. I wish I had enough room to try dessert.
(4)Alissa K.
I only wish I could leave no stars. This has been a total s*t show. I've never walked out and cancelled an order. From the mgr (maybe owner?) to the waiter - no one knew anything. The waiter had to recheck our order twice and then came back a 3rd time to tell us the kitchen didn't have something we didn't order. In addition we were mistakenly brought our glasses of wine twice but upon learning the mistake the waiter removed the 2nd glasses of wine. 20 minutes later I asked for another glass of wine - and then the waiter brought 2 glasses of wine - I asked and he confirmed it was the same 2 glasses mistakenly brought to us before to which the waiter responded "is that bad?" When I broached the mgr for a glass of wine he thought it was ok b/c the wine "breathed." U don't let wine breathe in the glass. End of story - not comped for any of the wine. Spent almost an hour there, of which it took 30 minutes to even attempt to take our order.
(1)Abbers M.
This place has been amazing for years. The chef is a fisherman, knows quality food (and seafood) and is great at what he does. I have been many many times and don't think I've ever had a bad meal. I am not going to lie that it's a little pricey for my usual style, but for an occasion, a lovely night out, a hankering for delicious seafood, you really can't beat it. At a lot of restaurants I stray from white meat fish because I almost always feel that no matter what they are calling it, it is tilapia (I will not go into my dislike for that scumbag fish, sorry tilapia lovers). At Pilar, I always know I am getting quality fish...that is actually what they are calling it...and is the freshest you can find anywhere around. Yay, Pilar!
(5)Faina L.
The food was great, very fresh, flavorful, interesting, all around enjoyed by everyone in our 10 person party The service was quite possibly the worst service we have ever received. I think it took almost 30 minutes just to get water/drinks ordered. Food? Almost an hour and a half. I think the waiter was new, but why give a new waiter a party of ten? We watched people sit down 30-60 min after us and get their food before us..it was pretty much disastrous evening. Luckily we made the best of it, but we were starved. The bread was very tasty, which was lucky since that's all we had for 90 minutes! Oh and they brought us a bowl of pasta to tie us over?! Huh?! I don't even eat pasta, just want what we ordered! Again food, great, service, not so much. I would make sure they had that under control before visiting again.
(3)Vanessa H.
We love food! We love trying different foods! This place was not what we expected. The pricey snapper had zero taste. The lobster ravioli was greasy. The linguini was plain gross and the Mac and cheese was dry. Don't recommend if you've tried a variety of foods!
(1)Penny M.
Came here for dinner a little while ago with a couple of friends and we absolutely loved it! The food is fantastic, and the atmosphere super relaxed and cool. And the decor is so chic! You wouldn't expect that from looking at it from the outside. The service was also fantastic. Our server, Alex, was super charming and attentive. They have a great happy hour deal too, though we arrived too late to enjoy it. But we'll definitely be coming back! Love the option to sit outside as well.
(4)Blanche G.
Mitch - our lunch was wonderful. Kate and I thank you.
(5)Ruth M.
Went to pilar last night with my husband and 2 other couples. We all had a great experience. The service was great and everyone's meal was wonderful . We started with the cheese board and loved it! The chef makes the ricotta and the tomato jam. really fresh! We had the steak, lobster ravioli (yum), chicken (very tender and juicy, the shrimp and polenta very good and I had the salmon. It was crispy on the outside and tender inside. Perfect with the quinoa. We ended up with sharing a fried Oreo dessert. Loved it!!!
(5)Michael K.
Within two hours of landing in Miami, we found ourselves at Pilar for the first of several visits. The restaurant is very chic on the inside and we had a meal in both the bar and restaurant areas. The staff was very friendly, very on the ball, and was willing to put up with the endless substitutions my mother is always bound to request. I'll try (and fail) to be brief in describing all the menu items I ate/sampled... Calamari - Absolutely delicious; we ordered this each time we came in and each time it was cooked to perfection. Tender, never chewy, and very lightly breaded and flash fried. Large whole squid pieces as well as the traditional rings, no piece failing to be a delight. The sriracha aioli and seafood sauces were both good as well. Lobster Spring Rolls - A huge hit among everyone as well. Gently fried spring roll wrapping stuffed with huge pieces of lobster and veggies. The sauce had a really nice kick to it as well, and there was no lack of flavor in any part of the dish. Seared Yellowfin Tuna - I'm always really impressed with restaurants that really know how to sear tuna while leaving the majority of the center still perfectly tender and untouched. Every bite was full of flavor, served at the perfect temperature, and the addition of one of the above mentioned lobster spring rolls served as the perfect compliment. Really, really good cut of fish and lovely presentation as well. Spinach and Tofu Ravioli - Really simple dish but delicious nonetheless. The raviolis were stuffed as full as they could be without bursting, and the sauce was a simple creamy marinara that complimented the pasta well. It's not a very large meal but coupled with an appetizer, it's a very good choice. Things I tried (Stole from mom and dad)::: Scallops with Onion Straws - The scallops, like the tuna, are served seared to perfection, with the outside just slightly browned and the inside practically begging to fall apart in tender sheets. The butter sauce had a citrus kick and was a wonderful addition to both the scallops and the spinach and corn that were served alongside the scallops. I was surprised how well the onion straws fit with the meal as well, as I always half expect to bite into something resembling a funyon, but found that it tasted very similar to the flash fried presentation of the calamari. Wonderful dish. Macadamia Mahi Mahi - I only had one bite of this but it was yummy. A thicker and less flaky fish than say a tilapia filet, but full of flavor and served with mashed plantains that are really delicious. I'm a fan of Pilar, without a doubt, and happy to be the check-in king (Duke) of a place I won't see again for years =D
(5)Zankza V.
bad attitude and some food is average the rest is just plain terrible. good location and the place is clean.(otherwise they deserve only one star) they need to change up the service and food quality. I gave them another chance, which was a waste but now , I am done with them.
(2)Marc C.
This is one of the best places I've eaten in a really long time. Not only was the food fresh and delicious, the staff was amazingly friendly and attentive. From overhearing others this seems to be a favorite spot for locals. I live in South Beach and found it thanks to Yelp, but will definitely be back.
(5)Johanna S.
The food at Pilar was excellent. The chicken parm is a must try. The staff and ambience was stellar! The fried Oreos were amazing! Will definitely be back soon!!!
(5)Mary S.
Pilar is a great little restaurant around the corner if you liven the 33180. New management is still making new changes to an already awesome establishment. The owner, manager, and wait staff are all super personable, especially Alex. Definitely coming back to see what they come up with next!
(4)Bob H.
Pilar has a good variety of choices to select from and has a full bar. It is in a strip mall and is a little difficult to find if you aren't from that area. The food is good and the service is very good. Pilar is on Open Table, which makes it easy to get a reservation. If in Aventura Pilar is a reasonable place to eat. It is a solid 3-star place.
(3)Barbara G.
My husband, daughter and I visited this restaurant in January, 2013. We were very disappointed to find a long, dark hair in my entree. Then when we politely pointed it out to our waiter, he told us it wasn't from the food prep staff as they were male and he wasn't certain where it came from. I have short white hair so it wasn't mine. When the replacement entree was so late coming--my husband and daughter had long completed their meal--we were told we would still have to pay for it and could take it in a box to go! Needless to say, we will never eat there again on our annual trip to the area. With so many other good restaurants in the area who have better wait staff and management, we would not recommend this place to anyone.
(1)Shanell L.
Excellent and fresh fish. This place is tucked away but let me tell you the ambiance and the fish is about as good as you can get. Even the sides such as the Mashed potatoes are amazing. Save room for the Chocolate chip banana bread dessert as well!
(5)Debbie F.
There must have been a management change here. The food is lousy, the management was outwardly rude to the wait staff. Not only that, there was a hair in the food. The manager was less than apologetic and did not come back later to see if everything was ok..I know it happens, but please, show some class! It made me wonder if the manager is so rude to the staff, how happy can they be to put forth their best. And if he has no understanding of how to treat the public, why should we go there? Think Twice..there are SO MANY better places to go..including home!
(1)cynindenver c.
Great food tucked away in a strip mall. I've eaten lunch at Pilar twice. The calamari is crispy on the outside, tender on the inside. Yummy! The fish sammie is very good. The cheeseburger is fabulous. The steak wrap (spendy as it doesn't include a side) is also very good, especially if you get a side of extra blue cheese dressing. Both regular and sweet potato fries are very good. They will bring you honey for your sweet fries if you ask. Service has been good, but overall on the slow side. This isn't the place to grab a quick bite, but a great place to catch up with friends over lunch.
(5)Charlie P.
i found Pilar while looking for restaurants in the area here on yelp. like most people, i've driven by a hundred times without noticing it right there across from the main plaza entrance. it's pretty conveniently located. the food was very good. there were plenty of options, even for someone who eats fish but no meat. yay for good seafood choices! we split a gorgonzola salad which was a little heavy on the dressing but good. for entrees, i had the blackened mahi special with grilled veggies and my friend had the scallops. my fish was seasoned well but a little dry. the scallops were cooked perfectly. the dessert menu didn't offer anything particularly enticing so we skipped that. the wine list, on the other hand, had some nice options. the pricing seems fair, though on the edge of two to three stars. i'm not sure what the situation was with some other reviewers' service, but ours was very good. the hostess seated us immediately. our server was attentive and never left us for too long. what i did not notice in the other reviews was anything about the crowd that goes here. as people in our 30s, we were easily the youngest patrons in the place. this is either target to or flocked to by people in their late 40s and up. while there's nothing wrong with that per se, we felt pretty out of place at first. also, our dinner went late and we ended up closing the place. if we were around a younger crowd, i doubt that would've happened. i can picture the staff saying, "those damn kids!" i wouldn't be surprised to hear if they opened at 4:30p to get in all the early bird diners. overall dining at Pilar was a positive experience, even with the demographic mismatch. if you fit the target, i recommend it. maybe i'll give the other places in the back of the plaza a shot next time. p.s. if you're looking for a psychiatrist in hallandale beach who dines here, i know where to find one!
(4)Rick B.
Went to Pilar for the first time for a business lunch today. The new owner was a charmer. I had a simple meal: a buffalo chicken wrap and a coke. But raised in Buffalo, I have high wing sauce standards and wasn't sure what to expect. What I got was an absolutely perfect wrap, with warm crispy fried chicken, really spicy Buffalo sauce and outstanding bleu cheese dressing. The service was great. I 'm definitely going back, and this time bringing friends.
(5)Daniel M.
Favorite local restaurant that we bring all our friends too. Its too bad that its usually an older crowd. We are probably the only ones there usually that does not need handicap parking. Snapper is awesome and cooked to perfection every time i order it. The tuna app is excellent. Rosario is the best!
(5)Judy W.
Nothing is better than great food, a chef that care what's on the plate and how it's presented and, above all, freshness. All this and then some at this local upscale eatery. James, the chef, makes the best of South Florida's freshest ingredients from the sea to the farm table. The fish preparation is spot on be it salmon, grouper and, my personal favorite, yellowtail. All salads are created to perfection and if you are a burger offcianato, run, dont walk.......Fabulishous and located in my 'hood. Inventive cocktails and better than McDonald's french fries make this my #1 go-to place when i want to get away from the crowds of south beach. thanks, scot, you know how to run a great place for locals and tourists to brag about!!
(5)Ana M.
This place is good. The food is really really good. I dont know who the chef is but he or she knows what they are doing. Ill make this short and sweet. Ambiance is blah. Food is good. Did I mention the food was good. Yeah, the food is good. This place is in a strip mall, so strange, but hey0 what the heck. You can hit up Marshalls or Michaels before. Get some shopping in and then grab a bite. Its easy. Easy parking, good service and good food. Did I mention there was good food? Yeah.. Theres good Food. The salmon is good but the scallops are awesome. Go check it out.
(4)Amber F.
So tasty and great service. The lychee martini was very yummy. I also really enjoyed their hummus. The shrimp linguine was soooo good! The pesto chicken was awesome as well. LOVE LOVE LOVE this place. OH, and my boyfriend got a peak at the kitchen and said it was one of the cleanest he's ever seen. BIG PLUS. Went back tonight and had the tuna tartar for an app. it was a little bland. Had sangria which was very good but they added a lot of ice. My boyfriend got the Mahi-Mahi and it was fabulous! Best he's ever had. Key lime pie was very good. Not too sweet and just bitter enough. Home made whipped cream was perfect.
(4)Shanell L.
Wow, this restaurant was very reasonable for the dishes that they offer. The food was amazing! My husband ordered the Yellowtail snapper and I ordered the Mahi Mahi, they both were delicious but overall the Yellowtail was the best! We had the banana chocolate chip cake for dessert and it was truly delectable. We also had a great waitress but I can't remember her name. Overall, our experience was very wonderful and we can't wait to go back even though we live about an hour away.
(5)Stuart G.
Armed with a Groupon coupon I decided to try Pilar last night, and I have the blisters to prove it. I ordered the PEI muscle App. I'm old school and use the shell to scoop up the broth. It was soo hot I am sitting here this morning looking at the blister on my thumb! For the main I had Paella. I don't know how they served it so hot without it being a soupy mess, but it was too hot to taste. the last 1/8 of the the meal had great flavor.We also had a pasta special with shrimp which was served way too dry which when it came back out 7 minutes later was fabulous. I could not believe the size of the fish dishes around me and will have to go back to try them based on value! Service was very good!
(3)Averno V.
This place was recommended to us by the company that flew my husband down for a job interview. We would never have tried Pilar because it is located in a strip mall and being tourists, we were looking for obvious signs of local charm. Strip malls do not conjure such experiences, haha! Though, let me tell you, we are so grateful that we were guided to Pilar. It is a superb dining experience. I had the seared scallops served with a roasted corn, citrus, and shaved onion cream sauce. My husband had the special fish, which was excellent. I must say, when I ordered the scallops, I was very hungry and my one reservation was that there wasn't going to be much of a starch on the plate (besides the corn). However, the dish was pure brilliance. The corn sauce melded the perfect balance of protein, veg, and this wildly elegant "starch" made of fresh corn, puréed, citrus, and shaved, crisp onion. I wanted nothing more after tasting the flavors and textures of that masterful dish. It's probably the most intelligently crafted scallop dish I have ever had. This chef KNOWS scallops. The waiter was a very nice young man from Argentina. He was kind and generous and social. All in all, it was a really lovely find! We will be back when we move down to Miami for sure.
(5)Helena F.
This place is okay. Decor is average and so is the atmosphere. Food was also not very exciting. But service was very good.
(3)Sandy W.
I made reservations this past Saturday and I am so glad I did because this place was very busy. I haven't been here in at least a year and a half. After Saturday's dinner I had to ask myself why I have been gone for so long. Our table wasn't ready so my party had drinks at the bar. The bartender was helpful in suggesting a wine. Upon sitting at our table we were greeted in a timely manner. As an appetizer, I ordered the roasted beet salad, which I did share with my friend. The salad was great with a nice light dressing. For dinner I ordered the linguine and clams. The pasta was cooked al dente and was perfect. My friend ordered the risotto, spare ribs and asparagus. It was very good and the portion was generous. For dessert we had the flour less chocolate cake. It was just OK. I've had better. Overall, this place was great. I'm looking forward to coming back
(4)Kevin Z.
This place sits in the old Soup man location and they are 100x better. I have found this place to be great for lunch. I have not tried dinner service yet, but will make a reservation. The food is well thought out and tastes like it is made from top shelf ingredients. They take a simple soup/salad lunch and make it into an exquisite experience. Even with the quality the check is never big. There service is never off, with the staff always being nice and accommodating. I am always able to get in and out of here for lunch without running over on time. You can tell the quality by the fact that they have steadily picked up since they opened. If you have a lunch to eat in Aventura I would recommend this place.
(4)Michelle S.
Thanks fellow Yelpers for calling this one right on! Pilar is such a great addition to the Aventura area. It is a bit of an older crowd, which is a nice change from the groups of families you usually find in this area. We had the calamari appetizer, which was nothing spectacular, but good. I took the other Yelpers advice and got the scallops, prepared without the butter. They were seared perfectly, very flavorful, and there was a nice portion of them. Had the flowerless chocolate cake for desert, which was also tasty, but my favorite was my key lime martini, which tasted like a piece of key lime pie, even had a gram cracker crust rim....YUM! Those could be dangerous, very easy to drink down quickly. Some other dishes enjoyed at our table were the mahi mahi, shrimp pasta, and one other pasta dish. Everyone loved their food, service was very good & fresh baked bread was delish too. Can't wait to return!
(5)Bonnie O.
What a great find in my neighborhood. The atmosphere is sophisticated but not stuffy. The waiters were knowledgeable and the menu had a good variety for everyone. For starters the Spinach Salad was probably the best i ever had. All the food was cooked to our specifications and although I am not a fish eater all at the table said it was superb. My steak was cooked perfectly. I will definitely be back for more.
(5)Ken F.
Have been going to Pilar for years but not recently under the new ownership of Mitch. I decided to host a surprise party there for my wife's birthday. Mitch and his associate Ann couldn't do enough to try and provide a great experience despite them having a little problem with the gas company. Everything worked out in the end and Chef Frank, server Alex and bar tender Sam worked hard to make it a special event. As the evening was coming to an end, one of our guests had a medical emergency. Mitch was immediately on the phone to 911 and out of the kitchen ran one of his employees. Surprising part was that he was an EMT and he took charge of the situation. Everything was fine and guests thought it was part the entertainment....hardly. Not often you get that kind of service from a restaurant. I highly recommend that you visit Mitch and his team and enjoy a wonderful dining experience but don't test his medical emergency response :-).
(5)Stacy S.
What do you do when you are short staffed in a restaurant? Notify the guest as they are seated or think of closing for the day. Neither option happened today at Pilar. It took someone ten minutes to get our drink order. After twenty minutes, they took our food order. After an additional thirty minutes, my salmon salad appeared, raw (I asked for it to be medium well). They took back my entree. Good thing I wasn't hungry or anything (I was famished). They came back 15 minutes later with my salad. They did not apologize nor wait to see if it had been recooked properly. In the past I have had good experiences there. Not sure what is going on with the place. I hope they get their act together soon.
(1)Tony R.
Nicely decorated restaurant located in promenade mall adjacent to Marshall's. A bit loud due to acoustics when crowded between 7 and 8 p.m. during our visit for dinner on a Saturday. Good quality food nicely prepared. Scallops were seared to perfection. Mahi dish was fair. Excellent piece of fish however not properly seasoned....bland. Service friendly and a 7 on the attentive scale.
(3)Kim G.
Tried this restaurant with a group of 7 based on reviews from previous Yelper's. Food was excellent. We had some fried calamari which was very fresh and not chewy or previously frozen. We tried a number of different entrees ranging from the scallops, steak, salmon, fish and chicken. Everyone thought their entrees were delicious but the steak and scallops stood out as the best. Service was just okay - they seemed a bit disorganized and actually forgot our calamari at first and brought it a few minutes before our entrees.
(4)Eugene C.
The food is easily 4 stars. Maybe 5 for some of the dishes...the beet salad and croquette appetizers and the polenta were freaking amazing. Actually all the food was awesome. But the service was subpar. If the chef can get his business in line with his kitchen, easily 4 or 5 stars, until then prepare to wait and be annoyed by slow inattentive staff.
(3)Marsy R.
Good food, I ate there before with no problem but when they joined the groupon thing, it went downhill for customer service. Food is good, not bad atmosphere but I went with a groupon last time and they did not what thney were doing. They were overwhelmed i think. Overall, not bad although they need to work on their smiles and good service. I rather not go there again unless i have no other choice.
(3)Marc F.
Located in the Promenade Shops in Aventura, this upscale restaurant can at many times be overlooked. Unfortunately in my opinion, this is too good of a little restaurant to be located in a strip mall nobody tends to enter with intentions of exploring. The majority of the traffic is centered on the Marshalls next door or Olympia gym located across the street. Plenty of parking located all around the place makes the convenience of eating here that much greater. I recently went in for lunch, no wait at all and the service was friendly and quick. A friend and I had ordered the sweet potato fries and the rock shrimp spring rolls as appetizers. As out main meals, we ordered both the sirloin burger and the skirt steak sandwich. All the food came out alright with my burger a little over grilled. I left satisfied and was told by a group of friends the dinner there is just as good if not better, however about 3 times as expensive. My favorite part about this restaurant is they have a small but well-varied menu, allowing them to perfect each item on the menu rather than having 2 or 3 good things to eat. A good place to try out at least once, however don't expect to find yourself eating there all the time.
(3)Corina B.
I stumbled across this little jewel located in a strip mall in Aventura. The restaurant has a very quiet upscale atmosphere. The service was par as there was a long wait between eating my appetizer and ordering my entree. The food was served as ordered and fresh. I ordered the skirt steak with yellow rice and broccoli, and my husband ordered Sirloin streak with spinach and mushrooms. Both dishes were OK. My steak lacked a little flavor, but the chimmichurri sauce brought the taste up a notch. Although I ordered meat, this place is known for the seafood so next time I go, I plan to order some sorta fish. Also, the entrees range in price from $18-$32. I gave this spot a 3 star because the ambiance, food, pricing and service was pretty average. I recommend this spot if you want to have a quiet romantic dinner.
(3)Regina M.
We had a great experience at Pilar! I actually have lived in the area and have been in that plaza many many times, but I never realized that Pilar was a restaurant due to it's dark appearance from the outside. The food was great and the service was excellent! Our server offered us dessert at the end of our meal and I hesitated. I had explained no dessert until after our wedding in March so I can fit perfectly into my wedding dress. My fiancé broke down and ordered the delicious chocolate lava cake which I couldn't say no to! When the bill came she informed us dessert was on the house and after the wedding to come back for another free dessert!! That was sooo sweet of her! Didn't catch her name but she was so on the ball and we were almost the last ones out. I recommend the scallops..excellent and do different!
(5)bruce s.
Really good place. Good value too. The only misstep was a dish they served polenta (with cheese) and fish.....no idea what chef was thinking. Other then that, fish and skirt steak entrees were very good as were salads.
(3)Robyn C.
Man! Don't judge a book by its cover. Even though this place is hidden inside a strip mall, it's actually pretty upscale and nice inside. Very cute ambiance and especially weird business hours. They are only open for lunch M-F 11:30 - 2:30pm and then Dinner is nightly starting at 5pm. Gotta love restaurants that can do that. Anyway, I think they have a lunch special everyday and for what its worth, I had the paella with a lot of shrimps, oysters, fish, mussels etc. Besides breaking my diet, it was beyond yummy. To start, they bring bread for the table and keep refilling until your food gets there and for a sit down restaurant, the service was pretty decent. Put it this way, it was enough time to go during your lunch break. The only downfall - they kept refilling the soda's but neglected the water drinkers. LAMEEEE!
(3)Natasha D.
I must have passed by this place a million times while shopping in the adjacent stores in this strip mall (by the way, they are opening a Nordstrom Rack where CIrcuit City used to be in this plaza) but never took notice until a colleague mentioned that she goes there all the time. I've now been twice and was impressed both times. The ambiance is surprisingly very sophisticated for its location, and the dining room is a pleasantly small, intimate space. When we mentioned it was our first time dining there, the waitress brought us a complimentary appetizer, the Rock Shrimp Spring Rolls which were good. That night I'd had the Seared Scallops which came with sauteed spinach and roasted corn and shaved fried onions. I thought it was tasty but wasn't overly impressed. My boyfriend had the Grassfed Beef Burger and he said it was nothing special. However, the service was great and they gave us a bounce-back card for a complimentary appetizer. The next time I ate at Pilar, we ordered the fried calamari which was prepared as I like it with a light batter (PF Chang's is my favorite, but this one ran a close second), a glass of sangria which I would rate above average, and the Slow Roasted Salmon which was served with roasted potatoes with truffle oil, greens, and whole grain mustard sauce. It is obvious that this place uses high quality, fresh ingredients in their inventive menu. I wouldn't have thought to pair some of the proteins with the sides they're served with, but everything on the plate really works well together. My friends got the Mahi Mahi and Grilled Pork Tenderloin and said they were delicious. I think this is my new neighborhood favorite! The prices are very reasonable considering what you would pay to eat at other Miami restaurants with comparably high quality ingredients.
(4)Mark S.
Food at this place is great. Had the calamari to start which tasted like it was straight from the pan and phenomenal. The risotto with beef ribs was delicious but a little rich. Server was attentive and made great recommendations. Atmosphere is a little older. I would definitely return.
(4)Brian F.
Salad and pan seared chicken made for a very good meal. Good service, good food, nice atmosphere. This place was highly recommended to me and I was happy I went. And, the chocolate banana cake finished the meal off well.
(5)