Excellent Japanese restaurant. The food is outstanding. Service could have been a little better but not bad. Atmosphere is a highlight here....very comfortable and chic place in the Bal Harbour shops. Short rib tacos here were excellent.
(4)
Vic V.
Hamachi, crispy rice spicy tuna and Brussel sprouts were all STELLAR!!!! Delicious sushi.
(5)
Giulia R.
I cannot tell you how many times I've been to this restaurant. I know the menu by heart. Service is right on point, food comes quick and well presented. I have tried almost everything on the menu and have not found one thing to complain about.. besides the fact that they changed their curry shrimp roll to a different type of sauce and I'm not much of a fan but people seem to be enjoying their change. anyway, i would recommend this place to everyone. Fish is fresh and the grilled food is cooked to perfection, also they have fun meals like the kobe beef cooked on a hot stone right at your table!
(5)
Customer T.
Amazing selection and super fresh food, nice atmosphere.
(5)
S S.
Writing this review as I still sit here.... Waited 1.5 hours to sit outside when only two tables were ahead of us.... Thought it was busy but now that I've dined I realize it's because the service is severely short handed. There are questionably two servers for the outside patio on a Friday night. Seriously? Could barely get a water refill, app never arrived... Food was good but not that good! Won't be back.
(2)
Val C.
Went in for a quick lunch meeting. Mike Velardi was our server, was extremely knowledgeable on the menu, great support by the bussers and runners. Food was delicious! We were all only eating Fish and Vegetables and we had plenty of options to pick from.
(5)
Gavin H.
Excellent. Japanese with some creative liberties, loved the short rib ramen, the lobster roll, ceviche and soba. They also have excellent Japanese craft beers by the bottle. Not cheap, but worth it!
(5)
javier g.
Let me start off by saying that if you love sushi you must go here! Everything about this place is great. It's nice and dark so it's great for families or dates. They have a wide variety. Prices aren't terrible. The management team there is excellent. Always around if you need anything. They have an outside area which is also nice. Must go again!
(5)
Iryna M.
Excellent! Ordered 5 different dishes. One word- delicious. Short ribs were amazing! Sushi- just perfect! Drinks were great! Wonderful atmosphere. Great service. Will definitely recommend.
(5)
Natasa S.
I would say food was ok but nothing spectacular. We had crispy spicy tuna rice, too greasy for my taste and tuna was kiind of bland. Short rib robata was great, very tender and flavorful. We had a lobster roll, nothing to write home about. Now, SERVICE HORRIBLE!! My husband is alergic to oil and we told that to our waiter, she must have been from eastern europe( as i am and I know the mentality) but my husband is not and he was so irritated at the inquisition on oil and did not make it pleasant for us at all, kept saying you cant even take olive oil, all of a sudden olive oil is not oil. She was full of attitude and should not have been in a service business. My husband had a vegetable fried rice which was cookd in soy and corn robata with no butter or oil. That was good but nothing extraordinary.
Always enjoying going to Makoto because the food is really good. I like sitting at the sushi counter to see all the action and get into the flow of the energy of the sushi counter. The sashimi, chirashi and makimono were very nice and even though it was busy the sushi staff knocked it out. I tried the cauliflower from the robata and I was surprised how good it was. We also tried out the fried rice in a stone bowl and enjoyed it. One point, please work on the service training. Great personalities but how to provide service with the guests in mind is not so easy to do. Keep working at it and I'll be back with friends soon!
(4)
John O.
If this place were in LA, it would put Nobu out of business. I DREAM of the Tuna pizza -- words cannot describe how good it is. Also, their himachi appetizer with ponzu was out of this world. However, I have never had Miso Sea Bass this frigging good -- they marinate it for TWO days and it is an incredible piece of fish. I could eat this every day. They have a great selection of house cocktails and I got the mango something or other and it went down way too easy!!! Service is spectacular from the time you walk in the door. AND, finally a restaurant where the manager makes the rounds!!! Shouldn't every GOOD restaurant manager "walk the boiler room"? I think she is probably the reason this place rocks. Also, they have an interesting bar and some tables in the center of the mall (Shops at Bal Harbour). Great location and GREAT food and service -- I will be back!!!
(5)
Shamir S.
This place is awesome !!! -playing Bob marley and dope food Eveyone should come here !!! The owner has amazing taste Will come back I live in st.regis across the street
(5)
Romina G.
I looove Makoto, me and my husband go there at least once a week. I'm vegan and of all the sushi restaurants with veggie rolls that I've tried in Miami until now, this one is hands down the best. I usually order the vegan stephen (amaziiiing), and the garden roll, which has no rice but its filled with raw veggie goodness (if you are vegan ask for the mayo on the side, it has eggs). To start, the spicy edamames are pretty good. My husband usually goes for the short ribs noodles and he is obsessed. The crispy rice tuna appetizer is one of his favorites too. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that they bring the dishes as soon as they are done. So usually if you are not sharing (which is our case), one eats first and the other watches and so on haha! But its nothing that would keep me from going again. They are also open to modifying their rolls (If you want to order them without an ingredient, etc). I definitely recommend it and applaud their efforts on making creative and delicious veggie sushi.
(4)
Raquel S.
Best meal ever! The menu has such great different variety. Be sure to get the Brussels sprouts they are amazing! It's also located in a designer brand mall so it's nice to look around before dinner! You should try to book if you want to sit outside because it's a cute area on a nice evening! Loved!
(5)
Frank S.
Excellent food, attentive service , very pleased with the overall experience. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. The server recommended a Pisco cocktail that was perfect. He also recommended an excellent starter. We ordered several Items with Kobe Beef and all were excellent. Sushi and sashimi were fresh and we were not disappointed. We don't live nearby but if we are back in the Bal Harbour area I would definitely dine here again.
(5)
Nicole M.
I have been there couple times with my girls, it was fantastic!!! Tapas style, family sharing style which I love!!!! Server is amazing! I really like one girl there, she s fantastic, she s really on top of everything, but her name is so difficult to pronounce. Food!!! Toro tartar, crab salad, crab hand roll , and risotto are highly recommended ... Can't wait to go back
(4)
B L.
I ate lunch here with the family. House salad is very good 5/5 Spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer 6/5 Unagi sushi 5/5 Various Rolls 4/5 New york steak 4+/5 (my kid ordered it what can I say) Service was actually pretty good, especially considering its Miami and in Bal Harbour. I would give it 5 stars if the traditional sushi like the hamachi or salmon were better quality and thicker cuts...they felt average at best (and this has been the case on many occasions trying sashimi at Makoto) Recommended if you want to stay away from carb haven Carpaccio - just know its almost 2x the price...
(4)
Andrew R.
Interesting menu. Good atmosphere. Will come back. Servers are nice. Try to come at an off time to get a good table.
(4)
Lisa S.
Amazing Makoto house salad! The baby beet Robato is a must have. Great sake choices. You will enjoy an amazing lunch or dinner....five stars!!
Makoto would get 5 stars if the indoor dining experience was as ambient as the outside experience. Granted its Miami and more often, outdoor seating is probably a general preference, I just felt the indoor could use a little more warmth and TLC. All esthetics aside, the food was absolutely outstanding. My boyfriend and I ordered a bunch of apps and sides which were all incredible but were completely blown away by the braised short rib robata with truffle miso appetizer. It was nothing short of just heavenly. We were going to order some rolls and entrees after but just ended up ordering more of the short ribs! We live in New York with comparably great sushi places, yet we still talk about how great this place was, and how we can't wait to go back. Service was excellent and it was such a pleasurable experience. Loved it!!
(4)
Robin D.
Makoto has never let me down. Some of my favs...rock shrimp tempura, Makoto house salad, watermelon ceviche, and the chocolate oozoo cake
(5)
Vanessa C.
I visited Makoto with SOS on a Friday night. The restaurant is located in the Bal Harbour shops in Miami. I enjoyed the ambiance with the dim lighting and the dark furniture. The place was busy and the music was just the right volume. The service was great! Our table must have been visited by more than 3 different employees ranging from server to (possibly) manager. The server was very informative and gave us great suggestions. We ordered a variety of food... my favorite appetizer was the Brussels sprouts but everything we ordered was exceptional in my opinion. We also had salmon sashimi, tuna tare tare, a delicious white fish entree, and sake. My favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami so far. Cannot wait to return.
(5)
Adrienne C.
MIAMI SPICE IS NICE Went to Makoto Wednesday evening with a party of ten. Good scotch stone sour at outside bar $13.77 + tip Bartender never heard of a stone sour but I've resigned myself to always explaining it, except in California where every bartender knows how to make one. Inside, we were seated and given menus quickly. Orders taken, 8 from spice menu and 2 a la carte. I chose the Spicy tuna rice. I usually shy away from tuna and lean toward salmon but this was WONDERFUL; made a believer outta me. Must..explore..more..tuna..creations! Second course was the Short Rib Yaki Udon stir fry. Absatively exquisite!!! Took some home, family member peeked in box and said "spaghetti, eh?" I said, no, try it. With scrunched nose ( and I was soooo posed to grab it away and eat it myself,) he said ..."pretty good." Then he licked the plate CLEAN! he loved it so much that I cringe to think he might have even done that in the restaurant!.. I don't 'really' live with savages but sometimes they play them on TV. Desert was a scrumptious mango mochi accompanied by a small phenomenally delicious chocolate- truffle pretzel mousse-like wonderful -thingy- in- a -cup. ( I would have preferred a vat but hey...) Now, what was not superb . Our water glasses were never refilled nor could we refill our own glasses as liter water bottles on tables remained empty throughout. Waiter, (who took the order) ,at one point stood at one end of the long table and asked (holding food up in the air) "Who had the pork chop?" ( the Iberico Pork chop Robata.) He should have KNOWN. All three round dishes of slightly different sushi combinations entrees were placed in front of the wrong people. Two friends simply switched. The third. person,.the waiter came over, picked up his dish and we watched him place it on another table. It hadn't been touched but still... All the mochi/mousse combos were on a large serving dish and placed in the middle of the table. I know we were all wondering ; do we reach in and grab one?..., is there a serving implement?..., what do we put it ON in front of us?, are there spoons? individual serving plates?..Didn't have to ponder long as the waiter picked it up and AGAIN and placed on another table . THEN we all got individual portions on plates with spoons.....except me. I was talking.... glanced up, noticed most people were already finished and had to then signal the waiter and ask for mine,which I savored. At Denny's, a waitress who stands at the foot of a table and announces "Who got the grilled cheese sandwich" is to be expected. Here? No sir. All in all, I had a wonderful time, and I'm giving it the 5th star because no errors were insurmountable and I'm not the customer from hell and I for SURE will visit again . .. ...glancing at penny jar..wondering if I can go back next week....................... With tax and 18% tip added to the check, $52.
(5)
Tracey S.
Had dinner there last night with some friends for my boyfriends birthday... The service was great... The food was mouthwatering and the cocktails were refreshing.. Def will be coming back and bringing more friends... Def a must visit!!!!
(5)
K D.
The food here is amazing. Makoto is an upscale Japanese dining restaurant. We had a large party and everyones food was outstanding. A little pricey but you're in Bal Harbour, so thats expected. I got the brussel sprouts and hot pepper chicken. The flavors were a bit strong.I should have ordered white rice to neutralize all the different flavors and spices. If you're a foodie, give it a go, you're sure to enjoy.
(4)
Paul K.
This place killed it. Everything we had was super delicious. Especially the watermelon ceviche. I will come back just for that. The robata chicken wings tasted great & were cooked to perfection. Sushi, robata, maki, & entrees. Hans was our waiter & did a great job.
(5)
Angela M.
This was my first, and certainly not my last, experience here. My mom and I were doing a little xmas shopping at bal harbor, and we decided to pop in for lunch. Our server was so sweet and extremely professional and efficient. I'm sad i didn't get her name- she was a young blonde girl with glasses. She made our lunch even more special by just being awesome. The food was great. We split the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, the grilled japanese eggplant with miso sauce, and two pieces of toro sushi to start. Everything was outstanding. Perfect ten. Next, we split short rib yaki soba noodle stir fry appetizer. My mom and I were both BLOWN away! It's the best noodle dish i've ever had at a restaurant in my life. We also shared two rolls, which is where things started to go a little bit down hill. The crab salad in the rolls was a little fishy, in a bad way. We had the soft shell crab roll, which my mom said was good (i didn't try this roll). We also had the rock shrimp tempura roll, which the waitress reiterated the curry flavored coating it came with. It should have a good spicy mayo on top. I get that they're trying to be different in w world full of "bang bang shrimp-esque" dishes, but it's just an odd combo. Based on these two rolls, i would stick to the appetizer page! All in all, i cannot wait to return with my husband, and skip the rolls. I need more room for those amazing noodles.
(4)
Rachel L.
I come here every time I come to Miami (multiple times per visit if possible). The food is incredible. Once we weren't seated for a while and were getting pretty irritated, but they gave us free champagne and some appetizers to compensate. 100% recommended!
(5)
Frank J.
Every visit gets better and better, I've started making makoto my go to restaurant especially for out of town guests. The service is always great with out being pretentious which could easily happen in this mall. The menu is quite large so we're still working our way through it the cold sushi dishes are always great but recently we've been very impressed with the branzino and the short rib noodle dish.
(5)
Krys P.
My friends and I were so looking forward to trying Makoto because we heard such great reviews about it, from here and Miami Herald. Unfortunately, the whole experience was a big disappointment. The robata pork chop was flavorful enough but very dry. We ordered two types of sushi combo, but sadly of all the pieces, the spicy tuna tasted the best. Which means that they don't have high quality fish, though they excel in seasoning them to make mediocre fish tastes great. The short ribs yakisoba was quite delicious. Food was meh but service was total chaos. I would expect a restaurant situated in Bal Harbor Shops to do much better. The empty water carafe sat empty for long while, and when we got someone to refill it, he just set it down without filling our glasses first (which would be a nice gesture as apology for leaving the carafe empty). Also, the waitstaff had no clue who ordered what. Twice they made the mistake of putting down a plate in front of one of us, then came back a few minutes later to whisk it away as it belonged to someone else. Once they simply held up the plate and asked who ordered it. Excuse me? Even your average casual dining chain does a better job of noting down who orders what. Totally UNACCEPTABLE. Sorry but I've had better sushi and better service elsewhere. WON"T BE BACK.
(2)
Pedro C.
Ate during the 6pm seating. Had a reservation and asked for a table in which I could sit next to my girlfriend instead of across from her. The hostess denied my request because that meant she'd have to seat us at a 4 top. After she told me that wasnt possible, she went ahead and sat an older couple at a 4 top who were walk ins and requested the same exact thing after hearing my request....f'in hostess. Now the food. The cooked food was pretty decent. Ordered the tiger prawns, short rib, and the spicy tuna crispy rice. All were pretty good....4 stars for that. We also got the $50 sashimi. Now, people on yelp said this was the best sashimi in miami....um sorry, no. Not to bring ethinicity into this but, I'm asian and I've had much better, fresher sashimi. These yelp reviewers that are raving about the sashimi....probably not asian. Nonetheless, overall good experience, but I will be looking for another place for sashimi.
(3)
Julien D.
Not far from a four, but the service is so inconsistent that I cannot put a four star... When this place is good and you have the good server, well you are in for a good moment. Otherwise, you are in for a moment that will ruin your day... So beyond consistency, in the good days, the food is just excellent, and you will have a blast, for all the other days you will wonder if you ever will return... Being in one of the most luxurious mall of all, places like this, practicing the prices that are applied are entitled to be judged very severely towards their offering, and that is exactly what I am doing. I never complain about expensive, or even over expensive places, but the least I expect is flawless service and consistency...
(3)
Gurmeet S.
The food is very good - servers are excellent Manager Jennifer Johns lacks the experience / management skills. They could not give us a time for seating us but kept repeating come every 15 minutes - waited for 1.5 hours and still same answers Find it hard to believe how a manager and the front reception do not know how much time it will take to seat a party of 3 persons.total mismanagement at the front reception Someone from senior management should look into what's going on on the front desk GSA
(3)
Zhen W.
The food was top notch and the service was friendly and non-pretentious. Only reason I left out a star was due to its price. I would definitely recommend the yaki noodles in any kind. We also had the Kobe beef app and the king salmon. We cleaned the plate and wanted more! The scene was bustling and people were streaming in and out constantly so you know it is a hot spot for nighttime hang out. The outdoor seating had overhead fans to keep the bugs at bay allowing for an enjoyable dining experience. It is situated in a high end retail area so the patrons there wouldn't really care for the price. However, for normal Tweens like us one would definitely take a toll on the wallet. I recommend this place for anyone who is. Japanese food fan who wants their food done right!
(4)
Greg N.
Came for a business lunch and had the salmon Robata box which was awesome. A long and string rain shower kept us in the mall for a while so decided to have a cocktail at their outdoor bar which was very nice, but also not meant for rain. Only a handful of people can sit under their overhangs. But food definitely awesome.
(5)
Marty C.
Makoto is so dank. Best Asian food I've had in Miami, hands down. The interior is totally awesome and reminded me of a really trendy Japanese spot that I fell in love with in San Francisco. We had the spicy yellowtail roll and the rainbow roll to start - both were fresh and delicious. We then moved on to the "Frosty Kobe Fried Rice" with foie gras and jidori egg - this one really did it for us. The foie and egg really added serious depth of flavor and I actually asked for a fork because I couldn't shovel it into my mouth fast enough with the chop sticks (lol). We then moved to the cauliflower robata which was delicious and finally the kobe beef which we cooked on a hot stone and dipped in a delicious sesame soy. Boom. One of the better meals I've had in Miami, highly recommend. Afterthought - service was mostly great, with the exception of a couple of overzealous bus boys (as seen in previous reviews), but it was cool because they were polite.
(5)
Yuyan C.
Really decent ambience and food. We ordered sushi and skirt beef from the Miami spice menu and both are great. Fish from the sushi melted right away and the beef was really tender. Mocha tiramisu was also a good combination.
(5)
J B.
This place and lovely ambience , great service and delicious heathy food .....if theirs any downside it's the prices .....if you have a drink or two you won't get out for less than 250 ....food is very fresh
(4)
D. B.
It was one of my kid's birthday. He wanted to check out a Sushi place that was much better than the norm. Arriving, we walked through the Bal Harbour shops (as fast as possible as far as I am concerned lol). Everybody ordered something different, but I immediately go hooked and hopelessly addicted to the spicy tuna hand roll.. The combination of the perfect amount of rice, tuna, and spicy sauce was amazing.. I would rate Makoto 4 stars and definitely will plan a return trip.
(4)
Amanda G.
My boyfriend and I finally got around to trying out Makoto. We love sushi and we were very excited with all the great reviews! We got there around 9pm on a Thursday and expected to wait a little as we did not have a reservation. The hostess took our name and phone number and we headed over to the bar. We were texted two minutes later that our table was ready. We were seated outside on the terrace. The small two top table we were seated at gave us enough room to sit side by side, which we enjoyed. Service was OK. Our waitress was triple seated and it took her a little time to get around to us. After our drinks were in we waited even longer to put our food in because she was getting held up at one of the three new tables. Another waiter must have seen her distress because he popped over to our table and took our order. For that, we were grateful. The food was delicious! We really enjoyed the Hamachi Ponzu (WOW), the Brussels, the Dynamite Hand Roll, the Crispy Rice (Katsuya's is still my favorite though) and my boyfriend LOVED his Salmon Sashimi. We also had the Lobster Maki and Spicy Tuna, both were good, but not our favorites. The cocktails we had were great, and they had a nice wine/sake selection. We were feeling some dessert but when our server listed our options, we chose the check instead. Overall we had a nice dinner and we'll definitely be back for more!
(4)
Jennifer D.
Saw Iron Chef Morimoto in the restaurant and figured it was a good sign. Boy, was I wrong. Some of the fish was slightly funky and the sushi rice was chewy and crunchy. I'm so disappointed, I can't write more. At least I went with a good crowd.
(2)
Jerry K.
Great for people and car watching, especially in the outdoor patio. We were lucky enough to see Ray Allen! Server was great, sashimi was fresh, and the green tea mojito was amazing! (Also, get the frosty Kobe fried rice with foie gras!)
(4)
Sandra R.
Had a ramen soup which was amazing. After came out a sushi roll with a long piece of hair inside of it. When my husband grabbed the roll he was able to spot it because it was stuck to the roll. Waitress was very apologetic and super nice. When the manager came over, he basically blamed it on me (even though I am not a blonde) and was very rude. I told him we didn't want a free meal or anything we jut didn't want extra surprises. We had been there precious times but after that , never again. Worse restaurant manager I have ever dealt with.
(2)
Sidney P.
Best sushi to be had in Miami. Always fresh with great atmosphere. Excellent service usually
(5)
Jamie R.
My go-to local place for great sushi and drinks
(4)
Frank V.
Very good, Good Service, Beautiful place, Fresh fish surely much better than Nobu! Must go! Bonus for me because is not overpriced.
(5)
Samantha L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant, every plate it's very elaborate, don't miss the crisp tuna sushi and the short ribs noodles. Service was great too, only thing is that we where a party of 8 and the didn't want to sit us until everyone's got there, even with a reservation. Prices are high, but quality is there too.
(4)
Ashley B.
I was visiting Miami and ate here after a cruise. I was with my family of 8 and got to try a lot of dishes. Every single one was amazing! Even the mint ice cream cookie at the end was delicious. Service was really nice, place is really cute. :)
(5)
Josie D.
Posh restaurant! BUT! Never in my life have I gotten a bone in a piece of Toro sushi. Considered they replaced the sushi, it was still a huge bummer. The wagu beef on hot stone was fun and the sea scallops sushi was amazing. However, for the price, I have had better sushi.
(3)
David R.
Best Japanese food in Miami. Great atmosphere, and excellent service. We went for Miami Spice. I had the chicken ramen-best I ever had. Skirt steak was delicious. My wife had the grouper tempura- sooooo good. I would go back just for that.
(5)
Yiwen W.
Sea bass, Risotto, Sushi, cocktail, etc. Every dish is so delicate and delicious. Love Seafood so much.
(5)
Nicole R.
Despite its location in a mall, this is seriously one of the best sushi spots in Miami, hands down. After a full day of shopping in Bal-Harbour, my mom and I decided to check out Makoto since we'd passed it plenty of times but had never been. It has now become THE reason to go to Bal-Harbour! The service is great and very prompt. We usually choose to sit outside because it's quite chilly inside the restaurant (Miamians tend to be overzealous with the AC!). The waiters are very helpful with the menu, eager to help you with recommendations and make sure that you choose the right dishes. I 've been there a few times and have tried the following: - Edamame: classic, can't go wrong; portions here are VERY generous - Hamachi Ponzu: also a classic sashimi dish; the ponzu sauce is very tasty and perfectly tart; the serrano chilis add the perfect amount of spice - Crispy brussels sprouts: one of the best brussels sprouts dishes I've had, these are VERY crispy and covered in a yummy kimchi sauce - Spicy tuna w/crispy rice: I expected a type of fried rice dish here, but it's actually a sushi presentation but using crispy rice instead. The spicy tuna was not covered in mayo (which I hate) and the crispy rice added a wonderful crunch - Cauliflower robata: yum! I love grilled cauliflower and the combo with the teriyaki sauce was incredible - King crab w/yuzu butter robata: so buttery, so tender! - Short rib w/truffle miso: I thought the truffle miso sauce was a little heavy on this, but otherwise a solid dish with tender meat - Sake (king salmon) sushi/sashimi: so fresh! - Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) sushi/sashimi: I'm not a huge fatty tuna fan, but this was really smooth and I can see why fatty tuna fans would love this (as well as the 'fully' fatty tuna sushi/sashimi) - Spicy yellowtail maki: again, very fresh sushi and the additions of scallion, jalapeno, avocado and wasabi make this a perfect roll Overall, I'm so impressed with this place! I feel so healthy coming here so it's quickly becoming my favorite sushi spot in Miami. I still need to come for dinner, and I am dying to try the Kobe Fried Rice and some of their fish mains!
Went on Friday night. Table of 8. All of us very happy. Good service, perfect food! Try the skirt steak, different for a Japanese restaurant but with an incredible taste. Sushi then was perfect.
(4)
Roy P.
Came to Makato on a nice Sunday afternoon and loved it. The place was calm, the vibe was earthy and the staff was really nice. Everything we had was super fresh. Definitely a great lunch spot to get a delicious meal. Very reminiscent of Katsuya in LA.
(4)
Kwan W.
I keep coming back. I've tried almost every dish; some are good and most are excellent. Only one item on the menu I disliked for its price l, taste and quality. Overall the staff are friendly and professional and food arrives quickly even on a busy night. Recommended all my friends and they all like it.
(5)
Gina C.
MAKO-YEAH! amazing atmosphere and welcoming staff. Our waiter was Hanz. He made sure to let us know the dining style which is food is served as it come out. A lot of small plates are for sharing and they come out when its ready and not when YOU'RE ready. I had the Mako Tai cocktail drink: pineapple and coconut bacardi. Delicious! We ordered the Scallop Tiradito. The plating was wymsical with a huge cucumber foam on top. Next, grilled prawns. Hands down the best prawns i've had. We had the soft shell crab roll which was 5 pieces the size of a silver dollar. Great for sharing. We ordered the kobe beef and foie fried rice wich was good considering that fried rice is almost always good. Now the thing that absolutely made me fall in love more than anything was the Kobe beef dish. RAW Thinly cut pieces of Kobe sprinkled with green onion with a side of soy, ginger and honey sauce. This comes with a hot stone so that you can choose how well done you want the beef. You could eat this raw and its still delicious. What a great time my b.f. and i had sharing these small plates. We were stuff!!!!
(5)
Leah T.
So sad bc this is literally one of my fav restaurants!!! I usually eat here 2 times a week. Lart night the food was beyond salty and horrible. The waitor who i have had in the past was sooo slow as usual and i waited 30 min for water. I think during "season" i should stay away. Food was just slopped together. Usually it looks and tastes amazing!!! Stomach is killing me!!
(1)
Laura L.
Food and service is good here. I like coming here for lunch and recommend going for lunch or early dinner Bc it's gets packed and even with a reservation you can wait awhile.
(4)
Eli S.
One of the best Japanese in Miami.
(5)
Bonnie L.
Great ambiance, convenient location inside of bal harbor shops and most importantly amazing chef! Although service can improve a bit. I would say this restaurant is worth the price tag, the most important factor to me after a meal is feeling satisfied and happy and Makoto's does the job! Recommend: Pesto Prawns Crispy spicy tuna (better than katsuya 100%) Kobe beef carpaccio Tres leche dessert
(5)
Angel L.
Exceptional sushi! Service was great. Uni is to die for. Must try! This is my go-to high end sushi place!
(5)
Meghan C.
One of my favorite restaurants in Miami/ Bal Harbour. Absolutely delicious fresh tasting food that is always seasoned beautifully. I have eaten here probably about 5 times in the last year and have yet to be disappointed. The Kobe fried rice is to die for as others have mentioned. The waiters I have had up until now have always been helpful and friendly. I even once brought a date here and he broke a glass (the poor clumsy thing!) Which was quickly cleaned up while we all shared a good laugh at a light hearted joke regarding the awkward moment. The waiter and manager who were walking by were great about the situation and my date felt better about it immediately. Anyways, I love the food here and the fact that it's surrounded by great designer stores doesn't hurt either! The prices match to the great quality so don't forget your wallet; I promise you won't feel bad about the bill as you will be over the moon with your meal. Overall an impressive spot that's especially perfect for bringing visiting friends and family.
(5)
Liane W.
I can't recall why I gave this 4 stars earlier this year, but I'm upping it now. :) Came back for my birthday and absolutely love-love-loved this restaurant the most out of my entire food-filled-gut-bursting-oh-so-satisfying birthday bash weekend. The boy and I have back-to-back birthdays, so you can imagine how much celebrating occurs with both family and friends. Hold onto those fat-day pants. You'll need it! lol (Or at least I will... :'() Anyway, service is always wonderful at this restaurant. You barely notice when they refill water; they're diligent about clearing plates; everyone is super polite from when they ask if you need something cleared, topped off, or even if you need a picture taken. Here are our menu favorites! FOOD + Makoto House Salad: This still hasn't changed. This has been a fav from Day 1. It is light and refreshing. The dressing is soooo deliciously extraordinary simply because it's not standard fare. + Short rib yaki noodles: We ordered this again, but it was 1 of 2 carb dishes. Soooo... note to self: Stephen and I agreed! Get only 1 or we get stuffed. I prefer this dish because of its sweetness, but the boy prefers the... + Frosty Kobe (Beef) Fried Rice: I'll admit. This is definitely delicious. If you're more of a rice fan than a noodles fan, you'll like this better. There's a fried egg on top, but don't forget to mix up the frosty beef with the rice to heat things up. + Sake Sashimi (or king salmon sashimi): This. This is like buttah, babe. Order it if you like sashimi. It's gently crooning your name as you move your chopsticks closer, and then as it goes down, it's like a sigh of delight. LOOK OKAY. I'm practically writing a song here. + Rainbow roll: I honestly was stuffed at this point. I think I had one piece, and it was of the yum. DRINKS Ok ok... I've had a couple cocktails here before, but this last time I went, I had a Passionfruit Pisco Sour. This note is more for me than for you (lol). Liane, don't forget to reorder this. If you are like me, and like sweet sweet candied alcoholic beverages that are better suited for 12 year olds, get this. It's delicious. Can definitely taste the kick of the alcohol, but it's a luscious kick. :) DESSERT I'm not much for mochi (not a fan of the texture). But, I ordered a scoop of green tea ice cream, and it was mmmmm. Definitely more matcha, which is exactly my preference. (Not a fan of the "floral" green tea ice creams that abound in some locations.) So oui. :) Enjoy! Note to self: Try another roll, one of the crispy rice things, AND get the unagi next time we come back.
(5)
Kariza M.
This is the best place for Japanese Cuisine I have been lately in Miami! Very exotic menu, filled with tasty and unique ingredients, amazing outdoor area surrounded by the tropical landscape of The Bal Harbor Shops. It's definitely my new favorite place! Thumbs up and highly recommend!
(5)
Luis H.
Service was good, the waiters were being so friendly to my gay friend who suffers from autism after he started screaming "CALL ME TARZAN CUZ I SWING FROM DICK TO DICK"
(4)
Patrick J.
Poor service. Attitude of the people working there is inexplicably snooty. Perhaps they feel that location in Bal Harbor should be sufficient compensation for overpriced poor quality food and worse service. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this pretentious joint
(1)
Christina K.
Our second time at Makoto but our first sitting at the sushi bar. We wanted to interact with the chefs and have omakase (chef's choice) and it was a great experience! I am a bit of a sushi fanatic and Yasuda in NY is one of my all time favs. I have also dined at Nakazawa, Sushi of Gari and other famous sushi restaurants in NY and Makoto definitely ranks on the list. Their selection was fresh and thoughtfully prepared with scents of yuzu, shiso leaves, caviar, etc where needed. It was a bit more of an elaborate preparation than what I would go for but the flavors all made sense together so it wasn't over the top. There were two chefs we were speaking to and both were fun, laid back and clearly loved their art. I think the only thing I took away from the experience to truly make it amazing was that there was too much ambient noise and smells around to enjoy just the sushi. Eating is all five senses and smelling BBQ while eating a delicate piece of fish was sometimes distracting. Of course it is a busy restaurant that serves other menu items and to be expected so this is a personal preference, but for me, I love it when I can focus on the sushi. Service was excellent and we were pleasantly surprised by our end bill. We each had about 20+ pieces and a roll and it was about $100/each for the omakase. We will be back!
(4)
Gina T.
Makoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. I live practically across the street from Bal Harbour Shops, so my boyfriend and I come to Makoto at least once a week. These are a few of my favorite dishes: Tuna pizza Dynamite hand roll Makoto house salad King crab robata Uni (although it's been hard to come by lately) Chef's choice sashimi sampler The food is consistently fresh and delicious and the staff is always accommodating. There is a reason Makoto is always busy!
(5)
Nate T.
I've been coming here for a year now and I can say that they have fine quality sushi. Makoto is a fun restaurant with a cool reggae ambiance that is filled with positive vibes. I really enjoy the company of the servers because they are very knowledgable of the menu. We have no problems asking for special meal request from the servers and chefs. What I like most about Makoto is the way they present their food, it is purely a form of art the Japanese practice. When we order a variety of sashimi we always look forward to the presentation. Yoshi, Taka, Anderson, Jerry, and Jesus were all great and fun chefs that entertain us when we sit at the sushi bar.
(5)
Imran K.
Good atmosphere. Good food. Small portions compared to other chain restaurants. It's worth a try if you never been. Be ready to drop some guap though
(4)
Sebastiana B.
I have been wanting to try out makoto for a while and unfortunately was not as great as I expected. Server could have been more knowledgeable and helpful with menu selections. Food was good not amazing. I had the tuna crispy rice, short rib yaki, kobe fried rice, rock shrimp tempura, japanese eggplant, a rainbow roll, & a fruit and sorbet tobanyaki for desert. My favorites were the crispy rice and rock shrimp tempura, & the short rib robota. Even though the short rib could have had more meat. Over all i had a good time for my boyfriends birthday.
(3)
Michelle M.
Makoto has been on my must-try list of restaurants for quite some time now. I feel that, ever since it opened its doors at Bal Harbour Shops four years ago, this Stephen Starr sushi resto has been eluding me... Every time I made plans to try it, somehow they fell through! This past weekend I decided to finally try it with one of my best friends, who happens to have lived in Tokyo and is both a sushi connoisseur, and an extremely picky foodie. One thing you must know about my approach to trying new restaurants is that I always make it a point to find their "signature dish". You know, the one that will stand out from the rest and will make me want to come back for more over and over again. If you've ever had Yardbird's Fried Green Tomato BLT or Hillstone's Thai Steak and Noodle Salad, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Let me tell you, this one-hit approach of mine does NOT apply to Makoto. You see, at this place, every single dish that I had was worth coming back for! Though I was just there last night, I'm still savoring each and every single bite. It is that special. We started off with some cocktails and tried the very recommended roasted pineapple margarita. The spicy rim and roasted-pineapple-infused tequila gave it a distinct taste that paired perfectly well with our first appetizer, the incredibly popular Crispy Rice Tuna. Let me tell you, this dish was BRILLIANT. The rice was crunchy and chewy at the same time, the perfect texture to combine with the tuna, and topped with a thin slice of poblano chili, which just tickled your tongue without quite kicking it. A total hit! This was followed by the beautifully presented Kobe Beef and Truffle Carpaccio, which, from the name, you can probably already guess that it was nothing short of fantastic. A very elegant dish topped with tiny chopped garlic and a thin slice of ginger that balanced it nicely and gave it some texture. Lets talk about the main dish, shall we? The Makoto Ramen was heavenly. Despite the fact that ramen is usually considered a comfort food in Japan and often found at fast food joints, Makoto puts a nice twist on it, making it gourmet by adding perfectly tender short rib to it. This, plus the noodles and the pickled cabbage on top made it an incredibly savory dish. If you order it, make sure to separate a few pieces of the short rib to appreciate it on its own. It was so soft and fatty that it just melted in my mouth. I want more already! I have a feeling that, just like me, once you go to Makoto you'll want to try every single dish that passes by in front of your table, but I urge you: as difficult as it might be, leave some space for dessert. And not just any dessert. THE dessert: Fruit Toban Yaki. 100% homemade, this beauty consists of fresh fruit, served in a bowl full of white chocolate passion fruit sauce, ginger graham cracker crumble, marshmallows and a scoop of mango sorbet. I know it sounds like a lot of flavors, but trust me, they blend in perfectly together. This dish has officially entered my top 3 best desserts in Miami. At the risk of sounding repetitive, let me conclude by saying that Makoto is most definitely one of the top restaurants in Miami, and one of my new faves. The food has a level of sophistication and creativity that you would expect from a Stephen Starr restaurant, and the price is very reasonable for the quality and the amazing experience and service. Needless to say... I will be back for more soon!
(5)
Grace R.
I love sushi, and Makoto does a very good job of it, but it gets 5 stars from me because it executes so well on everything else as well: it has one of the few robata grills in all of Miami, it has some ultra-rare meats and other treats that are top quality, and the desserts have a unique 'east meets west' (think "green tea tiramisu", for example). Makoto is unquestionably the top table in Bal Harbor (which is losing relevance as the pre-eminent shopping destination in Miami as places defect to the up and coming Wynwood area, and Aventura Mall). Even with validation, you will still be paying for your parking here. The chef here is an obvious talent, and I share the opinion of one of the other reviews asking him to incorporate at this location some of the magical Izakaya dishes that were served up at a 'pop up' meal held in another great Miami restaurant: Pubbelly.
(5)
Yung Min L.
Possibly some of the nicest food that I've had anywhere. Beautiful interior and a very good menu, and relatively reasonable considering its location. The mushroom risotto was excellent, and their desserts are pretty amazing!
(5)
AL K.
Iron chef Makoto worked w Iron chef Morimoto and I just had to dine here. The quality of their ingredients ars top notch. Service is friendly but the busboys are too eager to take your dish even when you are not yet done. Every dish we had was just incredible. The desssert was a delightful surprise,it was a 15min wait but it was worth it. Toban Yaki,its love at first bite!!!
(4)
Tal H.
One of the rare finds in the world, super fine desert! Just make sure you book a table in advance. And pretty pricy, so not for a weekly spot
(5)
Cynthia J.
This was probably the most inexpensive meal (at a fine cruise restaurant) I've experience since my vacation here in Miami. And this is in Bal Harbor, so it speaks volumes. :-) Fresh sushi and they have fried rice!!! Say what?!? LOL Pros- Outside siting, price and service
(5)
Elisa M.
I know a lot of japanese food, and I love it, so I am always open to try new places. This place is not bad in terms of food quality, presentation and freshness of ingredients, but overall I find it too expensive for what they offer. I think this place is tourist-oriented, they don´t have a lot of options in the menu, and the ones they have are quite special, inventive, elaborated and somehow original (mixing japanese and some latin tastes), but if you are local and you like to eat good and simple japanese food, I know other places where you can do so without paying this much. I recommend the hamachi ponzu as a starter, and the Japanzanella salad, it was really delicious and very original with the rice cubes. The rainbow roll was disapppointing, fish slices were thin as paper and the roll was dry and tasted just avocado and sesame. They have several options for hot teas, don´t miss the herb citrus tea if you like to dine with hot drinks! :) * One curiosity: I suspect the "soy sauce" they put on the table is not soy sauce but a mikder version (maybe soy sauce with water) or dashi, so it doesn´t cover up the taste of sashimi and sushi, it might be too mild if you like the saltiness of soy sauce and you dislike the taste of raw fish.
(3)
Vanessa V.
This restaurant was phenomenal! We came for our anniversary and I'm so glad we did. The ambiance inside was very romantic, with dim lighting and candles on each table. Definitely a place for date nights. The manager sat us and took the time to explain the menu to us, and he helped us choose what sake to try. Our waiter was just as helpful. Excellent service. We had the kobe beef carpaccio, the corn robata, and the wagyu short rib robata as our appetizers. The corn was so different, with a hint of spice, and a crunchy texture. The short rib skewers were amazing! It was the perfect blend of meat and fat, melt in your mouth good. For our entrees we had the kobe fried rice, the sashimi sampler, and the kobe beef which is cooked table-side on a hot river stone. The rice was very good, and the kobe beef was tender and flavorful. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because our food did not come out in the order that we requested. We understood that everything comes out at different times, but we asked that at least the appetizers come out before the entrees, in whatever order they were ready. We suggested that they wait until we got the appetizers to put in the entree order, but it didn't work out. Unfortunately the HUGE sashimi sampler came out first with the rice. So there was barely any space at the table for when the appetizers came out. And the rice was not as hot anymore by the time the kobe beef came out. :( I can't wait to go back though, everything was worth coming back for again and again. I'll just order the appetizers and entrees separately :)
(4)
Vanessa B.
Definitely one of the best restaurants in Miami. Great food, ambiance, and service. The restaurant itself is very trendy and fun so it is always very nice to go to.
(5)
Jonathan V.
Oh my, what can I say about Makoto. It is simply amazing! And when I say amazing, I mean amazing. For those that like Japanese, and especially sashimi and sushi, will definitely enjoy this restaurant. Now it's not the cheapest place, but I can guarantee that you will enjoy it. My review will basically be explaining how delicious there raw fish and seafood is, and I will be extremely biased because of how much I enjoyed it. I had the $50 sashimi sampler and it did not disappoint. I had rare cuts of fish that I've never had before and probably will not find anywhere else. The UNI was like butter, delicious butter from the sea. Even my wife, who does not normally do sashimi, liked it also. The Toro Tartare was also amazing. The creme fraiche and the rice crisp give the toro a nice flavor, especially with the wasabi. Although I said the review would be mainly about the sashimi and raw items, I would like to mention several other delicious items we enjoyed of. The roast corn had an amazing flavor, somewhat smoky and spicy. The molten chocolate cake dessert was also very good. The ice cream that it was served with was wrapped in these rice crisps which gave it a wonderful texture. All in all, this restaurant is something I dream of. The food was just delicious and the service was even better. Happy eating!!
(5)
Theresa L.
Situated at the bal harbor shops. Beautiful and elegant decor, friendly staff. Got there around noon on Saturday and the place is pretty empty. We ordered the frosty Kobe fried rice, absolutely delicious (tip: flip the egg over, break the yolk and mix it well with the rice). Next we got the $50 sushi sampler. A warm bowl of fruit and mango sorbet for dessert! We had a wonderful dining experience, highly recommended.
(4)
Kathryn S.
I'm not a huge fan of places that are known for their sushi (since I don't eat it), so I was hesitant that I would like Makoto. Luckily, I was proven wrong by their wide array of choices and delicious menu. I visited the restaurant with a few veterans so I felt comfortable with them giving me advice on what I should eat. I really wanted to try the Japanese risotto, but was unable to get it since we were pressed for time. With recommendations from my fellow patrons, I decided to share the chicken noodle ramen and the vegetable fried rice with someone. Both were very good, but if I had to choose a favorite, I choose the vegetable fried rice. I really liked Makoto, and I would like to visit again. Next time I go, I'd like to go with ample time so that I can get the Japanese risotto that I initially wanted.
(4)
William H.
Excellent choice for my birthday. We had the Bento and the mango sorbet in a fruit sauce for dessert... Out of this world ... see photos.
(5)
Andre G.
Last two times we were there we ordered the large sashimi platter and twice we were given the sushi platter. The fish is always good though and they replaced with the correct dish pretty quick.
(4)
Jessie L.
It pains me to write this review, but after consistent poor service at Makoto I have to say that I'm really disappointed at what used to be my favorite sushi restaurant in Miami. Makoto has been one of my and my family's favorite restaurants of all time since they've opened. The decline in service has reached a point that we will never go there again, and hope to caution you, dear reader, from spending your time and money here. We gave it a couple goes with the poor service, hoping it was just unusual circumstance. But it isn't. From the time you walk in to the time you BEG to leave because you just want to get out of there, while the food is great, the service falls flat on it's face. We elected to sit at the empty sushi bar as we didn't want to sit outside and get pegged by Mosquitos. Out of the entire empty sushi bar, the hostess tried to sit us THISCLOSE to the one other couple at the bar. When we asked to sit one chair away from them so we could have some breathing room, she told us there were separate waiters for the one chair difference so she would have to ask if it was ok..... Ok.... We should have left then. We waited 16 min to be asked what water we wanted, 17 min to be served tap water and soggy, overdone edamame and 18 min to put in our first order of crispy rice and eel (when it finally came 19 min later it was delicious). An average of 20 min in between being checked in with but we tried to be good natured and order a final round of sea bass and Kobe fried rice with cocktails. The food came out 21 min before the cocktails. As we sobered up over the sea bass and fried rice (nearly $100 worth of food) we realized that the glory days of Makoto were so over. We sent the final round of cocktails back and asked for the check - which after waiting 22 minutes for we went to the front and asked to just pay so we could leave. The manager did offer to comp the meal but that wasn't our intention - we just wanted decent service. The food was good - we paid and tipped the waiter out of integrity but if you are reading this review we advise you please pick another restaurant.
(2)
Bowie S.
A - OK. I went on a Sunday night, not so busy. I was excited to try this for Miami Spice 2014. I ordered a side order of Uni and ordered the Duck Ramen (on the MS menu) but both were not available that night :( The Uni supposedly comes in fresh daily so I missed the mark on that. Sad but, if you're an Uni lover this is normal. For MS, I ordered the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. The dish was okay, I thought it looked cool on the pictures on Yelp, but overall it was a little unique but nothing over the top. Four pieces is definitely enough for this dish, gets a little repetitive. My roomie had the Hamachi Pastrami, so I got to try that. It was cool and unique, something to try if you go for MS, it's something you won't get at other restaurants. We also got Oh-toro, negi toro & unagi. All were ok to me. The sushi-snob inside me was not impressed, but it was OK. For the second course, I ordered Duck Ramen but they said the chef wouldn't cook it because the duck wasn't to his expectations. Which I guess is good that the chef felt this serious about the ingredients, but I was a little disappointed. This only meant my expectations for the Skirt Steak were going to be very high. The Skirt Steak was alright. Zuma has a better Skirt Steak in my opinion. Three of us at the table ordered it and it came w/ avocado and ginger puree, they forgot to bring that out for 2/3 of us and we waited quite a while for them to bring out one more, but I had already ate about half of my dish, and they didn't even bring the third, we didn't want to ask three times. Roomie had the Grouper Tempura, I thought that was cool and we were surprised at the beginning b/c it's black, we were expecting it to be burnt tasting, but it's actually squid ink and it tasted amazing. Service: The waiter was not very attentive or professional in my opinion. Forgot to bring out the avocado stuff, and didn't finish taking our order until the 4th time he circled back after a while. But he's got the water refilling down to a T. Third course... desserts! Best of the night, I ordered the Matcha Tiramisu, it was above average. The real deal was the Sudachi Cheesecake, and that was amazing! I love unique flavors and desserts and this is a must try! I couldn't even nail down everything that was in it, but it was amazing, you need to try it for yourself. A little dip n dot action w/ key lime and mysterious deliciousness at the bottom. The dessert almost made up for my disappointment. Just overall, I think I had too high of expectations, don't get me wrong, this is a great restaurant, but I think once is enough, not so good that I'll come back again. Good place to try though if you live in South Florida and want something different. I'm glad they participated in MS. Definitely worth it if you go for Miami Spice!
(3)
Nicole R.
Went to makoto and was greeted by Samantha great customer service! Our server was Chelsea she was fascinate great recommendations! Chris the manager on the floor tonight was personable and was very good with customer service and attentiveness! All and all I will be back makoto thank you!!! Ps food was to die for all of it!
(5)
Caro R.
Went for lunch, waited at hostess stand for a few minutes to be seated, sat at bar and was never waited on. Finally a manager came over to inform me a waiter was coming - never happened so manager took my order.. felt as if no one wanted to assist me. Lunch sushi bento was good, sushi chef was friendly. Let down on service being a Starr restaurant.
(2)
Mark S.
Makoto makes some incredible things, and chef Makoto Okuwa has some real talent. I experienced the best example of this, ironically, at another restaurant (Pubbelly), where Okuwa did a pop up last summer for a Izakaya meal where I had some of the best bites of 2013. Chef Okuwa: if you or your staff ever read this, PLEASE reprise that pop up menu, either at Makoto or in a separate venue - it was a revelation! I usually check in at Bal Harbor once or twice a year. This month I had the $23 "Miami Spice" lunch (where expensive Makoto is one if the best venues to take advantage of the summer promo). Our table had most of the available menu options. The Robata chicken is $10 on the regular menu, so the 2 skewers were not much of a bargain as a choice on the spice menu (and more of an appetizer size than a main). The way to go: start with the tuna on crispy rice (2nd choice: the salad, it's sizeable and tasty, bit crispy rice is a house specialty, so this is a pretty distant 2nd), then rainbow roll (next would be the jicama tacos, but agsin a distant 2nd: the rainbow roll is amazing!), and the no-choice dessert is a matcha tiramisu, which we all loved. At spice prices, this is 5-star. At regular price it would be a 4, because it loses the value factor. This (getting 5) is why participating in Miami spice is a good idea for restaurants.
(5)
Carolina M.
Still loving this place. Came on a Sunday to the Bal harbour shops and we stopped there to have brunch. Recommend a reservation as they are normally fully booked. Lots of people there and definitely a trendy spot. The food, as usual was solid!. The watermelon ceviche was great. Fresh and well prepared. All the ingredients used are top quality. Edamame was a little overcooked for my taste. The short rib yaki noodles were fantastic. Very flavorful. We also had the king salmon. Very fresh and perfectly done, like salmon should be cooked. medium rare. We also ordered 2 rolls and they were both fantastic. : Spicy yellowtail (fave) and the rainbow roll. Very good. I am only giving 4 stars because of the service. This time around was a little slow. We sat outside and yes, it was pretty busy but never too crowded. And for a while we sat there with our water glasses and beers empty. Additionally, the bathrooms were kind of dirty. At a place inside the Bal Harbour Shops, were everything is so upscale and expensive, the least they can do would be having nice , spotless bathrooms. I found them in need of a remodeled of at least a good deep cleaning.
(4)
Katherine D.
There are many restaurant options in Bal Harbor, but this is one you shouldn't miss. I went with two friends for lunch and we sat outside, but there was plenty of space inside too. Makoto is a good restaurant for groups because you can order various dishes to share. We had the cold sesame noodles which had an incredible unique tasting sauce. Additionally we ordered the tuna pizza, frosty Kobe fried rice, king salmon, and the Kobe beef entree. Everything was rich in flavor and filling. The salmon came with Brussels sprouts and miso soup. To drink, I ordered the green tea caipiroska which would remind you of a mojito. The service was good and overall it was a delicious meal. I truly believe anything on this menu would be good, but with what we ordered, we enjoyed a variety of fresh flavors. My favorite dishes were the Kobe beef and the fried rice. I would absolutely come back here again.
(5)
Thien H.
$2.50 for a small glass of coke, okay fine. Another $2.50 for one refill on the small glass of coke, Makoto? Really?! So odd. I feel like the server should have warned us. On this second visit to Makoto we went with the $50 Sashimi Combo (sashimi on ice) again. It didn't come with a cute little tree/leaf decoration this time so I was a little disappointed. The fish was high-quality, tender, and stringyness-free like usual. The crispy rice and tuna $12 was also tasty but I can't honestly tell you if it's that much better than RA sushi's happy hour $7 crispy rice spicy tuna. Spicy yellowtail eight piece roll $12 was as expected. I feared that the Frosty Kobe Fried Rice $18 would underwhelm me, but to my surprise I could taste and find pieces of foie gras in there. The server mixed the jidori egg in the hot rice at our table which made for a nice presentation. The portion is kinda small though. We went with the makoto ramen $14 again. It was very spicy like last time, but there were definitely less bean sprouts and other fillers in the soup :( However, I am appreciative that they automatically offer to split the order into two separate bowls so we don't have to share the bowl. Dress cute because this place is snobby and filled with hilariously snobby diners. This time gratuity was not automatically added to our bill, which was nice. Gurl coulda warned us about that coke refill charge, just sayin'. Get your Bal Harbour Shops parking garage ticket validated for a discount on the parking.
(4)
Mel F.
AMAZING!!!!! Everything is Delicious... Great place with an amazing vibe! Make sure you make a reservation before, they're normally fully booked everyday.
(5)
Alex K.
We came here for an appetizer and a drink and left with full bellies. We got the Kobe beef that you cook yourself on a hot stone, which is not only delicious but so fun and different than just sitting and eating. The mall atmosphere is beautiful and I would definitely recommend going. We sat at the cute bar courtyard that's within the mall and had an amazing time.
(5)
G N.
I love sushi. You walk in this place and it makes you want to eat sushi - the three separate dining areas are novel and each very pretty. And there are some inventive dishes at Makoto. The Kobe beef served with the hot river stone, for example, is phenomenal, although the heavy-handed instruction to first dip the beef in the dipping sauce is unfortunate - the beef has enough taste to stand on its own without the sauce, which detracts from the natural taste of the beef. This brings me to the overriding problem with Makoto: the service is exceptionally poor. And at a high-end (and let's be honest, over-priced) restaurant like Makoto, the service should at least be decent. From the hostesses to the servers to the busing staff, they just aren't well-trained, and it shows. I've been a half-dozen times in the past six months, and there have always been issues. Slow, inattentive service, combined with a we-know-more-than-you approach, steers me back to Sawadee, the BYO joint on 72nd, which has comparable sushi, excellent service, and is about one-third the price.
(2)
Brenda P.
Makoto has been on my must-try list for a LONG LONG time. The scoop: LOVED the food, but found the ambiance and decor mediocre. Thankfully, the food delivered in a big way! As usual, our party of 4 ordered too much food. At least it gave us a chance to sample a great variety of food in one sitting. Mango Passion- VERY good Lychee Martini- Didn't try it, but my friend loved it. Sake- Ginjo Dewazakura- a must! Kobe Beef Carpaccio- Delicate, delicious, perfect! Toro Tartare- Good, but not a table favorite. Spicy Yellowtail- Great! Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice- Good, but the tuna mixture had an odd texture to it. Tuna Pizza- One of my favorites! Rock Shrimp Tempura- Great! Exploding with flavor. Frosty Kobe Fried Rice- My favorite! Foie gras and topped with a gorgeous jidori egg. Incredible. Japanese Risotto- Cooked table side and very good. It would have been enough with the fried rice order. We still ate it. That's how we roll (or rather-rolled- out of there) Miso Chilean Sea Bass- It's not PB Steak or Nobu's cod (both with a similar preparation), but it's damn close and simply EXCEPTIONAL! The crispy kale was an added bonus. Short rib + Truffle Miso- The truffle miso on top was incredible. Unfortunately, the short rib was overcooked by a whole lot. Salmon Avocado Maki- Simple, but fresh and delicious. Dessert- Nothing stood out. We ordered the lava chocolate cake. I had a bite and didn't feel the need to have more. Blah. Makoto resides inside the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops. With matching menu prices (ended up being about $100 pp), I expected the luxury of the area and shops to spill into the restaurant. As I walked towards the restaurant, I passed several other restaurants (on a Saturday night) where diners were nicely dressed. Imagine my surprise to find, diners (probably tourists) in ripped shorts, caps, tees and flip flops all around mixed in with the (mostly) appropriately dressed locals. Hmmmm, was I at the right place? I then looked around and noticed the rather simple, brightly lit decor (very unlike the photos I had seem online). I know, I know, it's not about the looks. Except, it's Saturday night, I've reserved at a "supposed" upscale restaurant. I was expecting the full "polished" package: ambiance + decor + service + incredible food. We sat on one of the high traffic, partial booths near the kitchen. All night long, all we saw was a constant parade of staff and diners walk past us. N O N S T O P. Dizzying, to say the least. In hindsight, we should have requested to move. Service was good enough, but again, extremely casual. Will I return? yes! The food is well worth it. I don't think it tops NAOE or NOBU, but it IS damn good. Next time though, I will make sure to polish my best flip flops to fit in with the "crowd" and leave my stilettos at home. Maybe.
(4)
Rach K.
Not bad... I knew this place would be overpriced because of its location inside the Bal Harbour shops but I hoped the food would live up to the pricing. We sat outside, and it was a really pretty setting. I thought the portions were actually decent but the fish was just so-so. One of the girls ordered a soft-shell crab roll which was good, but it was made up of half fake crab. My other friend ordered a tuna and scallion roll and a spicy yellowtail roll. The tuna was a little fishy. The yellowtail was decent but I've had better. It was unfortunate; I thought being so close to the ocean meant that the fish would be super duper fresh. I ordered a bento box with the short ribs. They were pretty good but oversalted. The staff were friendly and accommodating.
(3)
Mrs V.
Awesome choices for vegetarians. Order: Vegan something rolls The garden rolls Veg fried rice: right mount of moisture no need for soy sauce. Japanzella: salad with fried sesame tofu and soft tofu with tomato and cucumber and ginger dressing. Chilli strings Broccoli tempura: small pieces of broccoli.., fried but not oily.., with tempura sauce. Desert: passion fruit cream with white chocolate ganache and mango sorbet on almond crunch and marshmallows Each flavor melted in the mouth Shout out to O.D. (Oscar Daniel) Our attentive and service oriented server... Best ever !!!
This place is GREAT! There is a wide variety of sushi and the appetizers are delicious. i would recommend the crispy tuna rise as an appetizer. As for the main course, i would say anything from the menu will do because everything there is fantastic, its fresh and has amazing taste and presentation. This place is a must if you are visiting Miami.
(5)
Anita G.
This is one of my fav sushi places! It's located at the overpriced Bal Harbour mall but the food and prices are super fair! The sushi is big and has a very thin later of rice on the outside of the rolls which for me is perfect (the less rice the better!). My fav roll there is the spicy yellowtail. Service could always improve...oh, Miami!
(4)
Spencer A.
Wow! This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. Not just great sushi, but other things like grilled vegetables and salads are spectacular. Amazing service. Amazing people watching. Located next to Saks in Bal Harbor. I loved it.
(5)
Mendy C.
8/5/2014 Came here to try their Miami Spice 2014 menu. Quite disappointed...food was not taste good as usual, I think it is not worth it. I rather order something else from the regular menu or definitely omakase always the best!
(4)
Sarah C.
This place is VERY popular, and very pretty. It's a little hard to find if you don't know your way around the shops - I think it's to the left of the parking entrance? The courtyard seating is first come first served - just grab a table/bar seat if you see one open up. I sat on a nice couch at a table outside right next to a fire lamp, and it was super cozy and nice. The food was fine. Nice portions, a little pricey perhaps. I had the spicy tuna roll and the short rib udon noodles. Both were very good, but not terribly impressive. I'm a little lost as to why this place is on Eater's top 38 for Miami. The service was really lovely. If I lived in Miami I'd probably go back to try more on the menu, and maybe a second trip would bring it up to four stars, but probably not five. If I could be more specific, I'd say this is a 3.5.
(3)
Tal T.
Hello, delicious! Makoto is a solid choice for delicious food served in a lovely ambiance. We ate: Shishito peppers. Delicious, robust flavor. Mild spice - definitely not overpowering. This dish stood out above the others because of its presentation, ample portion, and bold flavors. It was served with extremely thin slices of serrano ham shaved atop the peppers. In fact, the ham was so thin that it danced around as the meat sizzled on the hot peppers. Fascinating effect, and while I didn't taste the meat, my hubby assured me it added a nice smokiness to the dish. Robata Cauliflower. Again, beautiful presentation and a level of depth in this dish you would not expect from something so seemingly simple Oh Toro. I mean it's fatty tuna. It's freaking delicious. If you do not think you like sashimi, please order toro and ask yourself that question again. Here, it was well-priced at $12 for two slices. Also a stand-out. Must-order. Spicy Yellowtail Roll. Well-balanced but mild with quality fresh fish. I would have enjoyed it a little spicier. When something is titled "spicy," I expect a kick! Rainbow Roll. Fresh fish, beautifully served. Sesame seeds were a tad too pronounced in this roll. There were a couple of hiccups with the service. We ordered martinis, and mine was tinged with the flavor of whatever sweet-tini was made in the bartender's tin before my supposed-to-be-crisp-and-clean vodka martini. Some may have just sucked it up, but when I am paying $13+ for a drink, I expect to enjoy it, so I sent mine back. It took another 20 minutes after the original 15 minutes to get my new drink, so I received my first and only drink of the night about half way through dinner. Really, that's unacceptable. About halfway through our meal, we were approached by a busser, who asked if we would like new plates. This was odd, because we had already had both sushi and hot items, so we said no thank you. He took our plates anyway, and there we were with a few glorious pieces of yellowtail waiting for us to devour them, and no plates on which to do so. Another busser also swiped our wasabi without asking (my hubby wasn't done wit it), and another asked mid-bite if we were done with an item that was clearly still being eaten. The awkward moments with service would be addressed easily by a hands-on manager who was involved with service from the beginning. Our server was trying, but he had many other tables so I don't blame it on him. 18% tip included is fine, but a little strange for a party of two in this part of town. Total for our dinner: $110 including everything for a party of two. Bottom Line: Excellent, well-priced food in an inspiring setting. Service rated "needs improvement."
(4)
Ava F.
Literally my favorite restaurant---come here twice a week. The best are the "Short-rib Yaki Noodles" and the "Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice". The house salad is also delicious. --- tips: If you will be in the Bal Harbour area make a reservation, as the restaurant fills up fast. If you don't have a reservation, the terrace by the stores is self seating. If you order a soda, as for it with the can as each glass is $2.50 and they only give you about 1/3 of the can!
Cool spot. Similar to Tao Vegas but so different at the same time. Great menu. Delicious rolls. Service was fantastic, not sure why so many people trashed their service. Good restaurant and not over priced. Will return. We were a party of 8 and were seated within minutes. Great food and was a busy restaurant.
(5)
Michael P.
My wife has been bothering me about this place so we finally went to check it out. The decor is very nice and we were seated promptly because we had a reservation and it was a Monday so the place was half full. I Knew it was going to be pricey and i saw a review that the portions were generous. Nonetheless i came somewhat hungry and i am glad i did because the portions were nothing close to generous. We had the chicken robata , the kobe beef and the ramen makoto. The chicken was very tender and seasoned well so that was a good choice, next the kobe came out and it was fun because you get to cook it on a hot stone at your table! The bad thing is that the kobe is paper thin and practically tasteless because it is paper thin. The guy said dip it in the sesame first then cook it but the rock got sticky and burned after 3 dips so it did not help the beef. The ramen made the night because it was plentiful and delicious, it was very similar to the flavors at khong river house and if you have not been there it is the bomb so as you can tell the ramen was good. On to the service which was understaffed they had one girl running around serving everyone so we had to sit and wait 10 minutes before ordering but the food came out quick. All in all it was alright for tooo much money but that's bal harbor.
(3)
Mark H.
Be prepared to pay out the Sea Bass for this food unless your a poster child for global wealth disparity. This is not your local take out sushi joint. This was a departure for me. Normally I stick to cheap food in general. I tend to think food is like wine. Once you get over a certain minimum price threshold, you really stop paying for the quality of you food and start paying for snootiness and hype. The wife, though, had just done something important and deserved a night out, and if you're a smart husband you'll know that a night out isn't an obligation, it's an opportunity. The wife loves sushi a little too much. Sometimes I get jealous of fresh tuna filets, because I know she'll never love me exactly that way; she'll never devour me like a hand-crafted sashimi roll or tenderly pick me up with chopsticks and bite me in half...er...not that I want to be bitten in half. It occurred to me while I was considering a purchase of a seaweed underwear that instead of trying to BE a wild Alaskan salmon filet, I could use a little Pavlov to get her to associate me with sushi, sushi with me. Enter Makoto. My plan required one thing though - the best sushi in Miami. Because if she's going to associate me with sushi, it better not be a slimy $5 roll. The kind that leaves you wondering if sushi is really worth ruining the ocean ecosystem for. No, it needed to be the kind of sushi that creates such a state of euphoria that you know that the even the last Bluefin Tuna would sigh, nod his head, and understand that the extinction of his species was perfectly reasonable considering the temporary pleasure his flesh brought to your mouth. Dolphin and tuna pity is bogus anyways. It's natural selection. If they didn't want to go extinct, they shouldn't have evolved to taste so damn good. I let the wife do most of the ordering, because it always tastes better if you choose it. There was some crab roll and some other stuff too, I don't really remember the specifics. I do remember that it was some of the best sushi I've ever had, and the perfect tool for the task at hand. I started by jamming her mental faculties with some mixed drink. Pavlov was able to condition dogs, which are significantly less intelligent than my wife, even in sushi stupor, and to be safe I knew I need to liquor her into a more suggestible, canine state. As usual, when the food began to arrive her vision began to tunnel and she began to lose focus on her surroundings, zoning onto the platter in an almost hypnotic state. "I'm the sushi," I murmured softly. "Maaaaark is suuuuuushi..." The good news is that it worked. At the end of the meal she was very pleased. I could tell by the way she smiled, sighed comfortably and looked at me that the associations were working; she thought I was sushi. I'd done it. I successfully conditioned her into feeling like she was eating great sushi by simply being in my presence. Life's been great since. No arguments, no disagreements, she just stares at me dreamily and occasionally bites me. There are problems at times. Occasionally if I walk into a room at a dinner party her eyes may glaze over and saliva may begin to drip down her shirt as she stares at me. I'm investing in some adult-sized bibs. It's a price I'm willing to pay. At least I'm not wearing seaweed underwear.
(5)
Eve C.
Service in a "fine dining" establishment such as Makoto should be top-notch. The bottom line is that Makoto's wasn't. To say that service was an epic fail would be just about on-point. But the food was amazing. And for that, I can't help but give Makoto 4 stars. It's been a couple weeks since I had dinner at Makoto, and while the epic service fail has been largely forgotten, the memory of the spicy tuna on crispy rice is still at the forefront of my mind. I cannot wait to go back and indulge in those perfect bites of cool, spicy tuna and crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside rice. I was pleasantly shocked at how reasonably priced Makoto's sushi offerings were, especially considering the price tag of the stores surrounding it in the Shops of Bal Harbour! We managed to stuff ourselves silly for the low price of about $30 per person! Makoto offers a wide assortment of non-sushi Japanese fare that all sounds (and looks) delectable. I hope to return to check that out sometime, but I know that I will most certainly be back for my new chart-topper spicy tuna/crispy rice favorite!
(4)
Kazuna A.
we werent greeted by anyone at the door. There was a manager and some hostess. i was irritated when i saw him escort other womens came up after me. he didnt greet us , not even eye contact! I think he just couldnt see me however i was infront of him. Worth to just try it, but never again.
(2)
Ian T.
A great, upscale modern-Japanese eatery in the high-end Bal Harbour shops. Be warned, its not even close to cheap. The sushi and sashimi were creamy and popping with flavor. The ramen was excellent, as were some of the specialty dishes we sampled, like the spicy tuna on crispy rice. The beef carpaccio was also outstanding. The wife and I also loved the tiger prawn and thai basil Robata (basically a grilled skewer similar to yakitori). The two skewers were smoky and grilled perfectly (a real skill with shrimp so as to neither undercook nor overcook and thus render them powdery). The prawns themselves were large and firm. As much as we enjoyed what we received, we also gazed in jealousy at our neighbors who -- apparently hosted by a member of the Starr Restaurant Group that funds Makoto -- knew exactly what to get and were treated to dish after dish of what looked and smelled to be supremely tempting delicacies. The following day, we had to be in the area again and, as it's a long drive for us, decided to try lunch. I have to say that their Bento lunch special is actually quite reasonably priced, and the taste is the same high-quality, delicious modern Japanese cuisine. Even their wasabi vegetable fried rice was savory without being greasy. Special mention for the decor, whose dark, grained wood and beautiful sushi bar was both evocative of a Japanese eating house, but also very modern. When we saw Chef Makoto pop-up as a judge on Top Chef Masters shortly after our visit, let's just say that having recently eaten there, I wasn't surprised that he was such a well-respected chef.
(5)
Jessica S.
Delicious sushis and asian-inspired dishes. My family's favorite was the miso glazed sea bass. Trendy atmosphere and very friendly staff. Great wine list as well.
(5)
Ash G.
Makoto Amazing food Great service Exceptional atmosphere (beautiful indoor and outdoor seating available) Favorites on the menu: Kobe beef on the hot stone Sashimi/sushi Hamachi ponzu Beef carpaccio
(5)
Cristy D.
Good food and service. I highly recommend this restaurant. Here is a breakdown of each item I got Sushi- pretty good; the presentation was nice and the flavor was good Fried rice- flavorful and very light Peppers- my favorite! The flavor is very good and they are fun to eat; you are always debating whether you will get one that is sweet or hot. One out of 10 will burn you mouth, but they are still amazing Risotto- I love this dish and the truffle oil really tops it off; serves about 4 people; a little heavy but very good Rock shrimp tempura- these are great in taste and flavor; highly recommended Miso soup- it was okay, compared to the rest of the meal
(4)
David D.
There's two levels here: 5 stars when Makoto serves you omakase, and 3 stars with anyone else! I requested omakase with Makoto, and he was stellar. I'm smiling just thinking about it now. Here's a run down of what he did: 1) Toro tartar with uni and caviar (5/5) -- Makoto starts big. Melt-in-your mouth toro coupled with creamy uni and textured caviar. Right away, you know this man means business 2) Maguro nigiri (4/5) -- Makoto's omakase's are interspersed with nigiri. I found this interesting. The maguro was aged, which added some richness to the flavor 3) Live scallops in sea foam (5/5) -- wonderfully delicious and textured. Probably not the best picture here 4) Aji nigiri (4/5) -- very good with just the right embellishment. I should note Makoto himself grated the fresh wasabi from the root for me 5) Chu toro (4/5) -- another awesome piece, although I unfortunately snapped a terrible pic 6) Saba (4/5) -- surprisingly good from such an eclectic establishment 7) Tai (3/5) -- lacked a little flavor at this point 8) Sashimi platter (2/5) -- prepared by his apprentice. Very discordant. Too much fish at this point in the meal 9) Ikura (4/5) -- quickly remedied situation 10) Tako (5/5) -- maybe my favorite octopus. As tender as the high-end sushi bars, however, marinated so much more flavor 11) Sanma (5/5) -- chef on fire at this point 12) King salmon (5/5) -- the otoro of sake 13) Orange clam (4/5) -- mixing up the textures 14) Clam muscle (4/5) -- does it again with leaf 15) Uni (4/5) -- had some reservations, but fresh as can be 16) King crab with hairy crab adornment over hot charcoals (5/5) -- highlight of the meal, unbelievably creamy goodness. Nirvana 17) Roasted maguro (5/5) -- maybe the only thing that could pair with the king crab; it worked 18) Anago (5/5) -- wait he did more, and it was savory! 19) Japanese radish maki (5/5) -- at this point Makoto knew I was feeling overfull, so he went with a light roll with just a hint of sweetness 20) Homemade chocolate mouse over vanilla bean ice cream served over graham crackers and mixed berries (5/50 -- yes
(5)
Trish B.
Appetizers, and entrees were fresh & delicious. Beautiful presentation. Very busy at lunch but well worth the wait. Patio a little crowded but dining room was spacious.
(5)
Nicole H.
Wowza. My husband, who knows that I'm obsessed with cheap fast-food sushi, decided to take me here for our Valentine's Day dinner. I don't think either of us were prepared for the shocking quality of food that Makoto serves. We started off by splitting the Dynamite Hand Roll, which is a single roll stuffed with warm baked crab and a creamy citrus sauce. Our waiter was definitely hiding a grin as he set the miniature $11 appetizer in front of us, but I can honestly say that those two bites (my half of the roll) were the best bites of sushi that I've ever had. We calculated out that we paid $3 per bite, which sounds steep but was totally worth it. We also split the Miso soup, which was standard-size and standard quality. This was the only item we had that night that wasn't rave-worthy. For our main courses, we had the Kobe Beef and the Miso Sea Bass. The beef was served rare with a hot stone for cooking along with a smoky sauce. It was delicious. In my mind, though, the star was the Miso Sea Bass, which was served with a fruity sauce and topped with crispy, sweet-tasting kale. The portions were small, the prices were expensive, but this was probably the single best meal I've had in my entire life. I'm a cheapskate, but this meal was an experience that I don't regret paying for. ... or maybe that's just the Green Tea Caipiroska talking.
(5)
Laure M.
Very good japanese restaurant inside the beautiful mall of Bal Harbour. The menu is comprehensive and features authentic japaneses dishes, sushis and other specials. The bento box for lunch is a great and delicious deal. The two patios are very enjoyable to eat outside. Service is very attentive with many waiters for each table!
(4)
Carlos L.
OMG, i can die now a happy man. The food is out of this world, crafty delicate Japanese dishes with a push of flavor and a twist. Everything (no exception) was delicious: spicy tuna roll, spicy yellowtail, spicy edamame, chicken teriyaki, and a dessert that was basically a bowl of awesome melted into a hot medley of awesome (ok seriously: passion fruit ice cream, assorted fruits, warm condensed milk, graham cracker crust). Prices seem high on entrees, rolls and other common items are very average given the location, look around you!! Prada, D&G, Cartier, oh who is that? Lenny F'ing Kravitz! They had 36 reservations on a Thursday night....so, plan your visit. Service is great.
(5)
A K.
Having lunch on a Sunday. Food is taking a while giving me lots of time to write this review as I wait...and wait... and wait. . Rolls were fresh. But the rolls contain way too much wasabi is not evenly spread across the roll. Almost died.
(3)
Nato S.
If you feel like trying Makoto without spending the money, just drive yourself to the nearest publix right before closing time and buy their left over sushi. Disgusting cold flavorless rolls at a premium price. The service was beyond terrible, the food came out ridiculously spaced out, I had to ask the waiter to refill my water 3 times, also had to ask for utensils after the waiter had told us he would bring them. Cocktails were good, but that doesn't make up for a waste of time, money and energy.
(1)
Archana B.
Hands down... So far my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. First visit last evening. Beautiful ambience, was a little chilly so we sat outside by the lovely warm lamps. Where do I begin... Every single dish was fantastic. As we were being seated we looked at the dishes on all the other tables and immediately felt like ordering each and every one which is pretty much what we did! Highly recommend... Well.. All the dishes really. Brussels sprouts was off the chain. So delicious did not stop picking on it until it was all over. The tuna tataki salad, bursting with freshness and flavor totally delightful. Can't even say enough about the short rib robata grilled skewers... Mmmm! Flavor was intensely delightful. And the dipping sauce.. Little zinger... Wow! Next up was spicy tuna roll... Probably the best one I've had since Bond St closed down. Spicy mayo with a whole new flavor profile. Really yummy. Tuna on crispy rice cakes ... I have to say this is probably the only one I wasn't too crazy about only because I think the rice portion should have been a little smaller... It overwhelmed the tuna... But flavor totally showed up to the party. The Japanese risotto was just not normal... What a beautiful surprise flavor and we ordered it so it came last ... What a great way to end the meal.... Intense flavors, hints of truffle... Served table side by your waiter or waitress ... We were so cheeky we ordered another short rib skewer to finish off the rice. I can't say enough about what a totally delectably delicious and delightful meal this was. Wow! So happily impressed. Top points in my book for ambience, decor, staff, service and food.
(5)
Ting W.
Very Overrated. This is the second Steven Star restaurant and I am definitely not looking forward to another. Portions are tiny, the sashimi was not fresh, the "crispy rice with spicy tuna" was mediocre, rainbow roll was good because of the real crab, but the fish on top were not fresh at all! Everything here is over priced and their "outdoor" bar is too small and allows people to smoke? yuck.
(2)
Michelle L.
Excellent food, presentation, and service. Located inside the shops at Bal Harbour, Makoto is top-notch! My good friend and I love to come here for lunch because of their benzo box lunch specials. Not your typical bento box. It includes a miso or watercrest salad (on the spicy side contains wasabi dressing) main entree which we love is the ponzu glazed salmon with brussel sprouts, and wasabi rice. The crispy rice spicy tunas are a must as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside over a hot stone. Also, try the Japanese Risotto with brown rice and truffle butter served piping hot. I knock off one star because the yellowtail sushi roll we ordered didn't taste so good.Needless to say, Makoto is a culinary experience that tantalizes the taste buds! Save room for some mochi ice cream and be sure to validate your parking ticket.
(4)
Jack G.
Chef's special for $30 was over valued. Waiter said 17 pc, there were 13 pc. Pieces were very thin. Service was impeccable. Food presentation was great. Plum wine was in dry side. Ginger and wasabi are first class. Brown rice worth trying. Overall great experience.
(4)
Tina C.
Excellent Japanese sushi inside of this very high end mall. Clientele arrives in Bentleys and Roll Royce. Fashionable people milling around with tanned faces. Good people watching. Service was excellent as well.
(4)
Chris P.
Makoto is very very good!! I really was not expecting much at all for a night out with family to a Bal Harbour sushi restaurant. Being away from the hot spots in Miami Beach, like a Katsuya or Nobu...honestly Makoto is just as good!! Great service from the friendly hostess when we came in to the Great waiter who took care of us. He was friendly and funny...even apologized for the food taking only a few minutes too long, which was totally fine!! He gave us a great recommendation for Saki and always made sure our glasses were filled just right! He was also spot on with the food recommendations. Food choices were so Good!!! From the Crispy rice to start to the Short Rib on the stick!! Under the Fish & Meat part of the menu, i definitely would say the Scallops and Sea Bass were top notch!! So so good! The sushi rolls were just as good...Soft Shell crab tempura, rock shrimp tempura and the caterpillar were all Amazing!!!! This place not be in Miami Beach and not have the name...but this is a very very good sushi restaurant.
(5)
Zev N.
place definitely lives up to hype! appetizers came out lightining quick, server was highly attentive and very helpful with the menu and making suggestions. in my opinion would be much easier to come here after an afternoon of shopping at bal harbour then braving crowds at capaccio reccomended dishes include the chicken noodle ramen, kobe fried rice and brussel sprouts. also offers an intriguing cocktail menu and imported craft beers
(4)
Jeff S.
We have been looking for a sushi resturant othen then the same old basic places that have been popping up around the city. While those restutants are fine for rolls they lack in that unique selection of sushi. This is what Makato has and it was amazing as well as everything else we tried. Looking for a real sushi resturant - look no further.
(5)
D W.
Sushi & Sashimi were perfect with beautiful presentation. It's pricey, but worth it. Staff sometimes makes mistakes, which is common in most restaurants.
(5)
Jonah K.
Through the end of May they have a $45 tasting menu which you need to specifically ask for. It comes with a LOT of food, I believe it was 2 sets of rolls, main courses with fried rice, 2 more sets of rolls, and desert. Standouts were the spicy yellowtail roll, as well as the beef short rib, both were amazing. Really great food overall, and I was impressed. The prices are high, but not as high as other top notch Japanese places. The outdoors is nice, but being in a parking lot isn't ideal. Great decor all around and very good service.
(5)
Arthur G.
Great tasting food. Which it better be for the cost! The fried rice is ridiculous. I think this makes a great evening out at the mall. It's definitely nice enough for a special event with an intimate group of people.
(4)
Alain M.
Excellent, excellent did I mention excellent everything was delicious amazing service. I expected a small restaurant like all the others in Bal harbour shops but Makoto is surprisingly a very big restaurant with outside seating front and back. This is a must try if your in the area highly recommend very similar to hakassan in fountain bleu.
(5)
Princess C.
Do you want to know how terrible the sushi at Makoto was? The sushi at this restaurant is garbage, to the degree that makes sushi at Publix not that bad in comparison. The fish was not fresh, and the rice was old. The $21 lobster roll had barely any lobster in it, and was mostly made up of "old" cheap un-nutritious iceberg lettuce you can buy from any grocery store. The lettuce was discolored as well, meaning it was old. It said on the menu that it had avocado, but it did not come with any. So, basically the lobster roll was mostly made of old rice, old lettuce, and crumbs of lobster that was not even in all the pieces, and no avocado. Also, if you have been to any legit Japanese sushi restaurant in the US or anywhere in the World, you will always find a California roll topped with a long fresh piece of eel and masago. They did not have that on the menu, however, the server said that they can create it as a custom order for us. But, when the roll came there was no eel on top. The server explained that if we were to put the eel on top the chef will charge us four full orders of unagi, $10 each which means $40 total + 9 = $49 for one roll. Outrageous! You can find this roll at any legit sushi restaurant for between $12 - $20. So, instead of coming back to ask us if we even want it or not, the chef took it upon himself to make the decision for us by sending us a California roll with eel inside instead of at the top. and more insulting is that the eel was no were to be found inside the roll!!!! There was crumbs of eel that tasted like old and nothing. and EVERYTHING in the sushi menu is garbage. I have no problem with the servers there. The servers were very attentive, professional, and nice. However, I find the food in this restaurant to be really insulting and mediocre. This restaurant is for people who know nothing about food and sushi. Its for people who never tried authentic Japanese sushi. Its a restaurant run by people who think they can get away with bullshit quality just because they are in Bal Harbour.
(1)
Arthur W.
2nd time here - our son goes to school in North Miami Beach and I've stayed at the St. Regis and Trump International Resort (Sunny Isles) - that's another review altogether. Makoto's is located in the very very upscale Bal Harbor shopping plaza with Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as the anchors along with many designer shops. Not cheap sushi but the quality was outstanding ranging from very fresh varieties of tuna to quail egg topped uni sushi. Their miso black cod while expensive at $28 - was a very large portion and exquisitely prepared. If you've got money to shop here, and love sushi - you have to try Makoto's.
(4)
Gabriel B.
Makoto was a great spot to get some fresh fresh sushi. I loved the music and the food. My server Chris was a pro, he must have been there since the beginning. He was very verse with the menu and really knew what to suggest. I loved the place and the sake also!
(5)
Joey C.
All the other reviews about ambience are accurate. But tonight in the Toro Tartar we found a piece of string in the mix. Yes, a piece of string. It was disgusting.we complained to the waiter and the manager, and all they offered was to remove the dish from our bill. A restaurant of this calibre should have offered us a little more. Perhaps a free replacement dish? I mean, it was an awful experience for us. And the least this expensive restaurant could have done is offer us something extra. It costs them nothing, and would have made our experience less awful. Even when we told the manager, he told us a piece of the towel from cleaning the sushi knife may have been cut off. And then he offered us nothing to compensate. It's really a shame because now I will never come back and tell everyone I know about this experience.
(1)
Nicky B.
Love this place!!! The ambience is calm and sophisticated so except for the plethora of shopping bags you might even forget your are in the Bal Harbour Shops. Service is polished and professional and staff friendly and knowledgable. Chef Makoto is a humble genius, the food is beautifully presented, delicious and textural and interesting. To start try the spicy tuna crispy rice, the Japanese caprese salad, the Ono which is a delicate fish sashimi (almost a carpaccio) with slivers of julienned flash fried carrots for crunch and the spicy edamame. The skewers are delicious as well, I recommend the short rib and the prawns for protein and the beets and the corn for veggies. The Vegan Stephen is my favorite roll, amazing in its texture and deliciousness. All the sushi and sashimi is great, my husband loves the spicy yellowtail roll. I love all the cooked fish as well and there are several interesting cooked rice options as well as some good ( but not traditional) ramen soups. Make a reservation or go early as this place gets busy on the weekends. Great sake selection as well as some interesting beers. Enjoy!!!
(5)
Gary N.
The most wonderful service ever! We loved our waitress, from Poland, and beautiful, fun, down to earth, just wonderful...
(4)
David A.
Did not know that this was a Starr restaurant before visiting. I have been to most of his Philly restaurants. They are all consistently good. Had mixed feelings about this place. Mainly about the prices but I guess I paid for the expensive rent. Also didn't realize it was located in the Shoppes at Bal Harbour when I made my plans or I would have probably selected another place. The food was very good, as well as the service. The prices. Way too much. I took my wife and three daughters. The bill was $400+ The highlights: Spicy Tuna Roll and Crunchy Rice Kimchee Fried Rice Robata Shrimp Dishes were all very small and we ordered a lot to fill up. Had two Sake carafes for $30 each. They were a rip off. Very small. Starr quality and serivice is always great. The price/value relationship just was not there for me at this location. I would not dine here again for these prices but you can't knock the service or quality here.
(4)
Char Char C.
Um amazing!!!!! Kobe fried rice, Brussel sprouts, and the sea bass!!!!! To die for actually went to a much more expensive restraint called Zuma and is place is 10 times better!!!! Fav place ever!!!
(5)
Peggy B.
very very good quality sushi! love the terrace, a bit smelly inside, but nice looking restaurant. Amazing soft shell crab roll!
(5)
Susan W.
Just finished what I consider to be a wonderful all around dinner at Makoto. Just a darn nice restaurant. Not noisy (at least while we were there, which was on the earlier side), comfortable seating, pleasant front room staff and wait-staff. We had a fabulous server, and our food was really delicious. For the most part, we ate family style and ordered plenty of things that we could pick at - Makoto House Salad watercress, chikuwa, wasabi dressing. One salad was plenty for 3 of us to share. The dressing was simply awesome. Hamachi Ponzu. FABULOUS. I could have eaten a few of these plates all by myself. Rock Shrimp Tempura. Not the best rock shrimp tempura I ever had (that would be Nobu's), but addictive nevertheless. Sushi/Sashimi/Maki. All was super-fresh and tasty. Spend a few bucks and order the Oh-Toro. It's literally like "butta". Friend ordered the Miso Sea Bass and gobbled it up. I'm guessing that too was delicious. All 3 of us agreed that this restaurant is a keeper. I will definitely be back my next visit to Miami Beach.
(4)
Nevik E.
Note: On Yelp I review exclusively sushi bars. A recent return trip has prompted another review. As I previously mentioned, this is a joint for sushi fans. Makoto is complete with an attractive bar, serving shelf (very rare in S. Fl), high quality fish, broad selection, new age/fusion options, and a homemade soy sauce (applied by the chef, not the sauce on the bar/table). They serve two small pieces (traditional) as opposed to one large piece that doesn't fit in your mouth. Even small things such as servers who refilled our beer from the bottle to the glass are details here (in Japan you would not typically refill your own alcoholic drink, someone near you should notice and refill for you). Most importantly are chefs who will take your order directly and interact with you about their sushi. This is tied for my third favorite sushi joint in South Florida. What I really wanted to add is that most of the high end, upscale 'names' in South Florida sushi are too high volume and concerned about their flashy presentation to cater to a sushi lover at the bar. Many of them will not allow you to order directly from the chef, which is such an integral part of the experience of excellent sushi. It also prevents the ability of ordering one or two pieces at a time. Ordering one or two instead of a whole plate ensures cool fish on a warm bed of rice, delicious! The only drawback is a pricey tab, if that is not a concern, you will enjoy your meal.
(5)
Katti W.
Very delicious Japanese restaurant in this area. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was perfect. We did not feel that the "Chef's Special plate" for sushi and sashimi were worth the price. I would have preferred to just get more of their amazing rolls! Tobanyaki dessert is amazing as well!! Homemade marshmallows, fresh fruit, homemade mango sorbet, heated in a ganache of some sort.
(4)
Melissa N.
Great top of the line service, very nice and fresh food. Totally in love with this place. The terrace is a very nice place to have a nice glass of wine but the ambient inside and the decor is great to enjoy! huge fan!
(4)
Steven W.
4.5 Stars--Makoto is probably the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. Service--Excellent--Fast (in a good way) and hospitable. Our waiter was great. It felt like we were guests in his home. We ate outside on a breezy day that couldn't have been better as a back drop for a nice lunch. If the weather is right, enjoy the outdoor area! Food: The hits: The Spicy Tuna above Crispy Rice is pretty nuts. We should have doubled our order of this...The tuna is so flavorful, and kind of pulverized (I know that doesn't sound good), but atop the warm crispy/crunchy rice (which had a toasted essence) it made for a spectacular combination of flavor and texture that I haven't had anywhere else. The Standard House Salad--I know that sounds strange...I can only say--Just do it! More crispy rice on this one (sprinkled atop) adding an amazing crunch. The miso dressing was really good as well. Nothing like I've had at any other Japanese restaurant. The Salmon, glazed and served with brussel sprouts--Fish and vegetables both cooked perfectly...just the right amount of glaze and the sprouts alive with flavor. Dessert--The 3 Flavors of mochi-wrapped ice cream--Words won't do this justice...creamy, yet chewy, flavor packed perfection. It was hard to not order two of these. The Misses--Plain and simply the Robata--The corn had nice flavor, but just didn't do anything for me and the cauliflower was simply inedible. It tasted burnt.
(4)
Sarah B.
One of the most memorable meals of my year! A5 wagyu beef was perfection, hamachi with yuzu was as fresh as it gets, menu had great variety in general. A nice balance of Japanese fusion with a few traditional dishes. The service was attentive and professional.
(5)
Sunny B.
Very very very nice place! Delicious food, very quick service, very good staff! I can't remember what we ordered, but I think you won't be disappointed with any food in there! Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Melina P.
I have yet to find a sushi place better than Nobu but this just may be the runner up. I don't remember the names of everything I tried when I went out with friends it sure was tasty. The one name I do remember is the Spicy Yellowtail. There hasn't been a time when I haven't ordered that. Our waiter was friendly, as well as the "bus boys". I can't complain about the customer service. The music was great too as they always play reggae.
(4)
Jon W.
Wow, what a find. And not hard to find, as it's right there as you enter Bal harbour mall. We sat at the sushi bar , which felt like Tokyo, and we had Beata as our server who was excellent. She's very knowledgable and helped identify some of the Yelp photos that had no id. Must have the shishito peppers. Anyway you can't go wrong. Will definitely have to return. Soon.
(5)
S G.
I recommend their Miami Spice Dinner menu! as the price is really great. Service is excellent, food is heavenly
(5)
Kyle H.
Makoto was fantastic. Went early last night and split a bunch of food with friends. The standouts were the little grilled dishes. The short ribs and asparagus were my favorite. The chicken was good too. I started with the vegan steven maki roll and it was amazing. Really unique, healthy, and perfectly cut (not too big so you don't look like a fool choking down sushi). My friend got the chocolate cake for dessert - said it was great. Another buddy got the mochi (raspberry and another flavor) and said those were perfect too. Oh - and the cocktails are all great. A gin mint julep was the favorite but a lemon one was good too. We sat outside in the courtyard of the bal harbour mall. It was quiet and just unexpectedly pleasant.
(5)
Tara G.
Ok, so when I found out it was in the mall I was a little worried. But this is some of the best sushi I've ever had. And I live in the San Francisco Bay Area so I know sushi! The rolls are creative and well balanced. This is the kind of place that you don't need the soy sauce. I can't remember the exact names but crunchy rice spicy tuna and the rock shrimp tempura roll were the two I had. Delicious! I sat outside at the bar and was amazed at both the customer service and the cocktails themselves. I had the Lychee martini which was very refreshing. The thing that I noticed was that the bartender talked to me, which seems to be a lost art these days, AND the other staff would also talk to me; Ask me how my roll was, talk about how they eat it every night, etc. Really friendly! I would definitely come back!
(5)
Nayla B.
Ahh I love this restaraunt. I always come here for lunch right after I have finished my shopping in Bal Harbour. Their appetizers are fantastic....I suggest you order the spicy edamame, spicy tuna crispy rice, and their house salad. For rolls, my personal favorite is the rock shrimp tempura. They also have great steak that is presented on a grill. For dessert, get the fruit toban yaki, which is simply divine. It is filled with flambeed fruits such as passionfruit and bananas and on the bottom it has a crunchy crust... it is top with a refreshing and delicious mango sorbet! This is definitely one of the best Japanese restaurants in Miami, alongside Zuma and sushisamba!
(5)
Omer D.
Wow. Now that's what I am looking for in a restaurant: diversity, quality , atmosphere, service. Friends of ours took us here after very disappointing culinary experience in Miami. We loved it so much we came the night after.
(5)
Alejandra G.
My sister invited me last night. It was a beautiful place, great service and delicious. But the food was way too small and over priced. Don't get me wrong. I get the fancy and over creative plates with the all novel cuisine kind of food thing, but hey, not expecting a big meal, but something a bit bigger. 90 dollars for a Kobe steak? It doesn't do its justice. But I love the experience, not that I want to go back. After 3 small bottles of Sake, you are ready to go eat something else. Not there.
(3)
Tony A.
I really enjoyed Makoto. I have to admit when I first stepped in I was a little turned off by the vibe (maybe a shade too trendy), but the food quickly dispelled any negative feelings. While the food at Makoto is not cheap by any means, there are actually some good value on the menu, namely the robata and the maki. We started the meal off with robata. The chicken yakitori was very good, and authentic. We also had an order of the short rib skewers and the japanese eggplant skewers, which were both really good. The sushi was very good. We got the Chef's combination. There is a cheaper one and a more expensive one, and the difference is the type of fish they use. The cheaper combo has more ordinary fish, where the more expensive one will have stuff like toro, aji, etc. The combo also comes with a good sized roll of the chef's choice. Our's was a simple tuna roll. All in all, maybe not the best value (the more expensive one), but the sushi was all good, and the portion was bigger than expected. Lastly our rolls came out. I don't even remember what type we got, but both were very good and very large. Each was perhaps a 10 piece roll that came on a long plate. After seeing the size of the two rolls, we decided that if we came back we'd build a meal around the rolls, because they are easily the best value on the menu. In closing, we really enjoyed Makoto and already have reservations to go back with some friends this weekend. It's definitely now in my Miami sushi rotation.
(4)
B S.
BEST Sushi I have EVER had! Food was delicious, drinks were amazing, especially the lychee martini. Server was very nice and manager came up to us and introduced himself. Rarely happens in Miami. I would def recommend this place.
(5)
andreniki s.
I love Makato. I have been there a few times, and find the food is consistently delicious. Friendly staff, definitely returning again.
(5)
Alex S.
Disappointing. I'm used to better quality and value in Starr establishments in philly. I know it's Miami and apricey mall but the food is overpriced. That would be tolerable but the quality and lack of sophistication in food preparation earns it 3 stars because I'm in good mood today. The value to price ratio is closer to 2 stars. The rolls had mediocre fish. The ceviche was meh. If a corporate account pays for dinner with a great company I would not refuse an invite.
(3)
Victoria C.
This became my absolute favorite in Miami. The sushi rolls are absolutely spot on!!! We had sashimi, rolls, salads, carpaccio, beets, collie flower, spicy tuna on crispy rice. Everything was delicious. I can't wait come come back to satisfy my sushi craving!!! Yummy yummy, in my tummy:))).
(5)
Karin R.
Simply a wonderful experience. We truly enjoyed how they prepared and presented each and every dish, especially the whole branzino...delicious!!! Highly recommend the ice cream in all the flavours. Also a great scene, loved it!
(5)
Linda B.
Best Japanese food I have ever had in Miami - quality, presentation, flavor, combination of all foods, sauces and menu is unique and can't be found anywhere else in the city. Must go! Chef Makoto is incredible.
(5)
Yislin C.
Makoto? More like Yumoto! Simple, delectable and elegant. Pure, fresh and a sensory delight. I tend to feel uncomfortable in fancy pants places like this but Makoto is different somehow. It's not stuffy at all. The wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Smiles all around from the hostesses. I think even the Chef introduced himself and shook my hand. Indoors the decor is sleek and modern. Outdoors I felt like I was in a tropical place amidst Palm trees and bamboo furniture. We *were* overlooking the Bal Harbour parking lot, but it was pleasant. This place is modern Japanese tapas with everything beautifully plated. Do you look up at the clouds and see how intricate yet simple they are? That's how Makoto's food is. A quiet storm of flavor. From the King Crab Robata to the Salmon Ponzu to the Beef Ramen Bowl the amalgam of flavors sublimely coats your palate. They have signature drinks that are so refreshing you'll feel like you were taking a swim in them. Also, a lovely wine list for the wine lover in you. Our lunch tab rang in at a 154.00. We shared 7 plates and had 2 glasses of wine and 2 signature drinks as well as a deliciously, creamy ice cream sandwich dessert that tickled that sweet tooth without overwhelming. Beautiful restaurant with an equally beautifully crafted menu makes for a lovely experience. Once I get that sugar daddy, I'll be back. Makoto, I'll be dreaming of you for days to come.
(5)
Pab P.
There really is nothing else that can be said other than whats been said by many before me. This place is top of the line dining at its best. Every dish was inventive, flavorful, and outstanding. They really make it a whole experience for you... right down to the hot stone where you can cook your own Kobe beef. I have yet to try a Spicy Tuna Roll anywhere else as good as the one they serve here. Their fried rice which comes garnished with a quail egg was another fantastic dish. Their rainbow roll, amazing! Their specialty martinis... wow!! Everything we had was perfect. Absolutely no complaints. And the service was top notch. I've never had such meticulous and attentive service as what I received when dining at Makoto. It is extremely expensive, so this isn't the type of place you can frequent often unless you have tons of money (which I don't - but if you do - then awesome! haha). There was 4 of us in our party, and between all the food and all the drinks we ordered, our bill was nearly $400. But for a special occasion or a romantic night out with your partner, I would definitely recommend this exceptional restaurant.
(5)
Barbara R.
I had lunch at Makoto today for the first time, after exhausting myself in the mall. I was ravenous and ate all of the Sunomono salad an the tuna tatami I ordered. I found it great while I was eating, but in hindsight, I think it was just good. The salad was actually excellent. Tuna tataki is probably my favorite dish and the Makoto's version is not the best that I had: the tuna is cut too thick for my taste and the huge pile of vegetables that serves as a base, distracts from the tuna itself, making the dish too 'grassy'. The presentation was beautiful though. The restaurant is very sophisticated and tastefully decorated, but it has cold feel. I will go again, maybe for dinner with my husband.
(3)
Colin P.
While dining at Florida's original Stephen Starr establishment, Steak 954, I mentioned that I was headed to Makoto the next day and the server actually apologized in advance for the service. I was a little bit stunned, because I've always received at least good - usually exceptional - service at his restaurants. More on that later. Let me first mention that the Bal Harbour Shops is a pretty serious mall. It's like a retail museum, designed for people who curate (or have someone curate for them) their own collections of wearable goods, who treat and store them like art. Despite my flip flops, I didn't feel one bit out of place. It's a pretty nice place to kill time (and lines of credit). I made a reservation expecting this new restaurant with its fashionable location to be busy for a weekday noontime lunch, but none was needed. Makoto fits right in at Bal Harbour. Some have described Starr's places as "theme restaurants for yuppies." It is true that the northern locations can feel somewhat inauthentic (though still fun), but I found Makoto to be beautifully simple, elegant, modern AND comfortable. Our server, Onju (it sounds too much like au jus to forget), who was very difficult to understand through her thick accent, seemed to be less interested in serving and more interested in selling menu items. At the time, I wasn't aware of the automatic 18% gratuity. I didn't notice whether it was printed on the menu, but I found it very distasteful regardless of whether it's standard practice. Having been forewarned, I arrived expecting lackluster service and that expectation was met. I started with a green tea Caipiroska; it was good, but at $10 for about five ounces of actual drink, I didn't order another. Sushi was tasty. Robata (smallish half-kabobs, ordered the short rib and non-meatball chicken) - very tasty. Had we ordered four or five robata I'd have been perfectly satisfied. Tan tan noodles were completely underwhelming, and I wouldn't even want to pay half of the sixteen dollar pricetag for a bowl of nothing-special cold noodles, broth and beef. The service staff wipes down the tables way too often. Literally every five minutes or so, someone came by to wipe the sweat from the cocktail and water glasses off the tabletop. They lingered for a little too long while doing it, and whatever cloth they used mostly just smeared it around instead of absorbing it! It was not necessary and actually felt pretty intrusive considering the amount of time and effort they put into it. Water glasses were kept filled to the brim. Total for two rolls, two robata, one noodle bowl and one cocktail was $86, including the 18% automatic gratuity. Don't come here expecting any kind of value. If I ever found myself here again, I'd avoid the noodles, explore the other parts of the menu, or just stick to the rolls and robata. Don't forget to validate your parking, it's $1/hour instead of $4/hour.
(3)
Jacinto G.
I liked the lobster roll, crispy rice tuna and many other things. I believe that this restaurant is very expensive!
(4)
Analys C.
This place is everything I ever wished for in life :) Lol. One of my top 3 fave restaurants in Miami! Makoto the chef is extra nice & makes sure to acknowledge and greet his costumers. The staff is very friendly as well. The food to die for. Absolutely everything on the menu is a must try!
(5)
Ana M.
I think this is definitely a place you go to for a special occasion. It costs an arm and a leg, so it's just not possible for an average Joe like me. Actually we went here because they had that special in May where you eat 6 course for $45 a person. It was good because it got me to go here and I WILL be back. It was delicious. I recommend getting reservations and trying a little bit of everything. Don't just stick to the sushi because the other items are really good too. Its a strange spot for this restaurant I must say, but whatever. Parking is easy and if you have dinero you can buy yourself something ridiculously overpriced at Bal Harbour shops before dinner. Don't let the snooty crowd get to you- just enjoy the food. This has to be the best Japanese restaurant in town. I loved it. Loosen your wallet. Go.... You wont be disappointed.
(5)
Akram b.
makoto still one of the best spots for japanese in miami.
(5)
Marco V.
The food is really good, I come here often! Really like the place. Not giving it more stars because of the personnel, especially the girl who works the front desk. Blond girl, avoid by all means. Very rude, giving attitude to people!! Can't understand how someone like this can work in such a restaurant. Brings the entire quality of the place down..
(3)
Rich D.
Brought my wife there for her birthday and we both loved it. We chose to sit outside and the atmosphere was great. Our Server was very helpful and always around when we needed something. They had some unique menu items as well as the usual favorites. We feasted and didn't leave one bite for the kitchen to clean up. Price was what you'd expect for such a trendy spot, well worth it for special occasions. Enjoy!
(5)
Mindy G.
All sashimi and sushi were extremely fresh. Ambiance is trendy. Drinks were great. Only pitfall is that you get so little food for the price. Would definitely recommend this place for some of the freshest sushi in town.
(4)
Teresa K.
Husband and I went here for a special tasting menu they offered through the month of May. For $45 a person we got a TON of food. We sat outside and the weather was perfect. It started off with sushi. The spicy yellowtail was amazing. Then we got smoked eggplant and short ribs, each on skewers with a side of fried rice made with kobe beef for goodness sake! Every bite of food we had was a mouthgasm. The short ribs alone are worth a visit. The meal was finished off with ice cream wrapped in rice paper which was unique and delicious. Even the regular menu, although not cheap, isn't as bad as some other high end places I have been to and the amount of food you get for your money is impressive. Also the service was great. Everyone from the hostesses to our waiter, to the people who bussed our table were professional, polite and helpful. If you want a great dining experience this place should definitely be on your list.
(5)
Marcio K.
Excelente restaurante! Recomendo a Caipiroska de Chá Verde, muito bom!
(4)
Eric J.
Um...so here is what I'm saying. I try to review as much as I can but am busy. I like food and am something of a foodie (but hate that freaking term). If you don't like this place you either like a palatte or are such a hipster that you feel like you have to not like it. I could nit pick. But why? Holy crap. Every component of this meal was right on. Ok, Toro Tartare was ok and the portion was so small it was hard to appreciate but if your feeling the love for $300 + for a meal for 2 and wan everything to work just right, don't bother with the haters, this place is first rate.....Ok, service was slow,, there I said, who the f*&k cares....
(5)
Deanna D.
Amazing food. I came with a friend who has a fish allergy and found the waiter and chef to be extremely accommodating, especially considering that much of Japan food is fish related, even the sauces on vegetarian dishes. Jacob, our waiter was my friend's gatekeeper with the food with regards to her allergy. Great wine list and ample amounts by the glass. The Makoto salad is amazing as are the shisito peppers.
(5)
Alex G.
HO-LY-MACKERAL! The food here is crazy good! Everything is creatively designed and beautifully presented. The crowd is hip and sexy, and the sake smooth and tasty. (The only thing we disliked was the fresh water eel, a bit soft). Japanese Risotto was amazing, Tuna air bread a total treat, and all the rolls perfectly made. Yum!
(5)
Ilan S.
The best sushi i ever had in my life Great service Great and fresh fresh fresh sushi I extremely recommend the branzino they do it amazing Plus the manager was super friendly and present. He went out of his way to make us comfortable !! 5 stars for Makoto
(5)
Tommy N.
This place sucks. The quality is the same as sushi from 7 eleven in Japan. Overpriced touristy and totally lame don't waste your money.
(1)
Alissa W.
Great place and the prices are not bad i was expecting everything to be much higher. Started out with then spicy tuna and crispy rice amazing I bed this appetizer. Also the roasted corn on the rubato grill was good just a little to sweet for my liking. Also had an entire crab appetizer was a special $55 not a bad price either. Fr my I got the salmon with crispy Brussels sprouts nice size portion $20. Also the black cod was very good. For dessert this is where they lost a star. I wanted the mocha but the waiter reccomnded the fruit . I thought it was a fresh fruit platter but was so heated sauce with sliced apples and pineapple with the skin in $16 rip off and not good. The waiter was nice thigh he asked if we liked it I said no. We did nt eat it he offered to take it off the bill. That was nice of him but I just didn't like the dessert wasn't his fault. I would go back!
(4)
Daniel M.
The "kobe beef" cooked on the hot stone was awesome! The spicy tuna crispy rice was the bomb.. I think we placed three orders since it was so good! I was hesitant about ordering skirt steak at a sushi restaurant but it was so much better than I had expected. The avocado dip for the steak was so good. Spicy tuna rolls were probably my favorite of the rolls. My wife tried the spice menu and kind of regretted it since all the other dishes off the menu were so fantastic.
(4)
Gloria D.
I been to Makoto at least 30 times every time I'm in town, is very close to my home. Last night I had the worst experience ever the food had so much salt that was impossible to eat . The service bad. Even the dessert was bad!!!!
(1)
Whitney K.
Unpretentious excellence at a fabulous price. The ambiance is elegant and glamorous just like the dishes. The service was outstanding: prompt, insightful, and engaging without being over the top. Each dish was flavorfully crafted to compliment the pallet and drinks. The perfect place for a date and stroll around Bal Harbor.
(5)
Sharon H.
We stayed at St. Regis across from Makoto, so I decided to give it a try due to the convenient location & highly rated reviews. It was the Miami Spice week, but we (2 people) both ordered something extra in addition to the prix fixed lunch menu. We walked out of the restaurant beyond full & satified after the meal. Service was top notch no doubt! VERY ATTENTIVE (probably also because it was nearly empty when we walked in at 12pm). I must agree with one of the Yelper's review: the house salad is delicious. Simple dish, but so soo sooo good! Bottled beers are a little over priced, but it's imported from Japan exclusively, so we didn't mind paying extra $ for it. After all, it's Bal Harbour, spending big bucks are well expected.
(4)
Melanie A.
We came here for lunch after shopping around at the Bal Harbour shops. My fiance REALLY was raving about the chef here, so we decided that we had to eat at Makoto. Maybe our expectations were too high or it was an off day, but it appeared that the waiter was half asleep, then another one took various orders from us and announced them really loud to the other one (I felt like I was at Mcdonalds). We had a mango martini/beer, edamame, the crab roll, the house salad (with soy-free dressing instead), the shrimp tempura (also with soy-free sauce, that was very spicy and VERY tasty), and the chocolate dessert (with mango sorbet instead of ice cream). I liked that they were able to accommodate my requests for soy free dressings/dipping sauces as well as substitute the mango sorbet rather than ice cream but I can definitely say that this place is over rated. They have a dish on the menu with ramen noodles. If I wanted to eat ramen noodles or eat edamame that looked like it just came out of the bag from Publix, I would have just stayed home and cooked myself dinner. The staff wasn't all that professional and the food was pretty bland. For the price that we paid, I don't think that we would return here again.
(3)
Deborah A.
This restaurant is outstanding. The food is high quality and the flavors are excellent. The service was unbelievably prompt and attentive. I have come here 2 nights in a row! Fabulous!
(5)
Jeremy B.
Simply put, the food at Makoto is outstanding: fresh, innovative, excellent presentation and delicious. We went with a big group (10 people), so we got to try a bunch of stuff: started with some good edamame, then had the roasted shishito peppers, which I am definitely ordering next time, and father in law had miso soup and said it was great and had a nice, smoky flavor. We also shared the spicy tuna crispy rice which was the perfect combination with the fried rice on bottom and a fresh slice of tuna with a serrano pepper on top. Continuing with the tuna theme, we had the tuna air bread which was delicious as well but you only get two pieces. The portions are not large here, so while a lot of the dishes are between $7-$14, you might end up ordering quite a few. The bill tends to add up, so be aware of that. Four of us then shared an order of the kobe fried rice, which was interesting because the beef is frosted and mixed into the hot fried rice, which contains vegetables, foie gras and a quail egg. The flavors mixed together worked perfectly. Everything was so good, we kept eating. Next we tried some items from the robata grill: tiger prawns, chicken, short ribs on a stick with a miso glaze, japanese eggplant, cauliflower and corn. The meat and veggies were all seasoned nicely and excellent from the grill. Some others shared a nice size piece of miso seabass with crispy kale. The fire and ice oysters were amazing too - I wish we got more than 4 because I could eat a dozen of those! We did not neglect the sushi menu either, as we had the rainbow roll (delicious), california roll and then went all out and had a sushi sampler with several different kinds. The sushi was not the best sushi I've had ever, but was still high quality. Drinks were great but pricey: $12-$16 per cocktail and $6-$7 for one beer or $12-$16 for a 22 oz. I went for the 22 oz Sapporo for $12, because it seemed like the best value. We did not try the sake but they had an extensive menu of it. The green tea capiriroska (sp?) was excellent - tasted like a mojito with vodka. I don't usually go for dessert but we all shared some and it was delish/ All in all, the place is not cheap but every single thing we had, everyone agreed, was either very good or flat-out amazing. I left stuffed. Nothing disappointed, not even the service which was very professional, nice and attentive. I can't wait to go back again. Highly recommended.
(5)
JJ L.
I just wrote a bunch of reviews for our Miami trip, from hotels to restaurants to jewerly stores. Only 1 place gets 5 stars -- Makoto. I am VERY picky when it comes to Japanese food. I spend most of my time in the SF area and NYC, where the sushi and Japanese food is spectacular. I have had my share of world class Japanese food in Tokyo as well. Makoto is in the 5 star league, hands down. So creative with the menu with reasonable prices for what you get. My wife and I loved it, and were raving about it to each other for days afterwards. What we got for a light to medium dinner (for dessert we had macarons at the nearby MM Chocolate Bar) - Vegan sushi roll. Odd choice right? Yes, it was. But oh so delicious, what a surprise! - Udon salad. Awesome, creative, beautifully presented. Yum. - Tuna on crispy rice. Regret ordering just 1. Creative and spectacular. - Grilled eggplant. I still think about this dish sometimes. Sooo good. - Grilled cauliflower. Fantastic as well. All around amazingness. Highly highly recommend. Love Bal Harbour the city, love the Bal Harbour shops, love the Bal Harbour beach, and love Makoto most of all in Bal Harbour.
(5)
A B.
After strolling through Bal Harbour for a couple of hours, I was famished, and decided to find a place to eat. I was craving Sushi, and Makoto's patio looked pretty busy, so I ventured inside the restaurant to have a look at the menu. The menu is pretty extensive, with a lot of unique and creative sushi dishes that you won't find anywhere else. The interior of the restaurant is terrific, and I was conflicted as to whether to sit outside and take advantage of the beautiful weather, or to enjoy the ambiance inside. I chose the patio. I wasn't sure what to have, so the waitress recommended the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice dish, and I also had the Cauliflower Robata. Both were delicious. The food was made with high quality ingredients, and the fish was fresh. The level of spicyness was just right, and both dishes were immensely flavourful. I will definitely return here when I visit Miami again. My only qualm is that the service was slow and inattentive. I had to wait a long time to get the bill. Other than that, loved this place!
(4)
Allan L.
This place is just OK. Nothing special in my opinion. I was expecting something out of this world.
(3)
Nate M.
Fresh fun and imaginative. Great ambience at lunch and dinner. Very accommodating for kids.
(4)
Zarina R.
2/14/12-- I love the decor of this place.. It's my new go to spot to eat lunch at when I'm shopping in Bal Harbor. One thing I need to warn you about is that the restaurant has some wood benches and be careful when pulling them out to sit down because my friend got a splinter in her hand. Thank God the restaurant had a sterile sealed tweezer to remove the splinter. I started off lunch by ordering the "Tuna Air Bread" with caesar foam, tomato, red onion. ( I love this light and airy delicious dish). I also ordered the short rib robata with truffle miso fried rice. The short rib was very tender and tasty and a pretty decent size portion. I even love their ice teas (green tea and mint. They were both very refreshing. The only negative about the restaurant was the Service. I have eaten at this restaurant twice and both times I ate there the service was quite slow.
(4)
Gals S.
Food and drinks were great nice ambiance as well.
(4)
Jay C.
This truly was the best food I've ever had. I've been around the world and back ... tried all sorts of food, even though I am not even a big sushi or seafood eater, this is some of the tastiest cuisine I've ever tried. Chef Makoto's is hands down the best, and a must if you are in the area.
(5)
Dave G.
We are not from the area, so had no idea what to expect - we were very happy with the sea bass - it was outstanding! I think the waitress probably had too many tables, but there was plenty of other help, so we were satisfied. I would absolutely go back - would probably try the sushi next time.
(5)
Auston B.
A few friends recommended this place after a rock climb. If you have the chance to check out this place, do so. We ate family style so I had the chance to sample a decent amount of the menu (Ono, Tuna Tataki, Tuna Air Bread, Edamame, Shishito Roasted Peppers, Japanese Risotto, Oh-Toro, Spicy Tuna & California roll - I know we are fat asses). I can honestly say every single piece of food that entered my mouth was absolutely delectable - the kind of delicious that you experience in your dreams. We had the perfect combination of food & I would highly recommend this place to anyone considering going here.
(5)
Jasmine K.
I love this place! I always come to Makoto for lunch or dinner when I'm in Miami. The air spinach, tuna air bread, fried rice, and toro melon are my must have's. The tuna air bread and air spinach especially are my favorite!
(5)
vanessa l.
My favorite Japanese spot in South Florida. They have indoor/outdoor seating and a nice, relaxed ambience. Easy dishes like the watercress house salad with wasabi dressing and various robatas are so good and consistent. They also have more interesting options like the Japanese caprese and ponzu salmon with ikura. I prefer their sushi a la carte vs their rolls and am overall more partial to their appetizers and cooked dishes. It's always a treat to dine here.
(5)
David C.
Been here 10x.... awesome...!!!
(5)
Evan Z.
My girlfriend and I had previously had cocktails and light bites at Makoto approximately one week after it had opened, and were sufficiently impressed to want to have a full meal there when we had the time. Honestly, I wish I hadn't gone back. Most of my complaints seem minor, but when you have a restaurant touting itself as owned by master restaurateur Stephen Starr, it should in fact live up to its self-proclaimed reputation. The first issue I had was that my seat did not have a place setting. This would normally be no big deal, but in light of the rest of the evening it can't be forgiven. We started with cocktails (I had the green tea caipirinha and my girlfriend had the ginger-infused sake), which were okay except for the fact that the sake had quite a few ice chips floating in the drink. Our first food item was the black edamame. They weren't black. They weren't bad, but they weren't black. Next was the tea crusted tuna tataki. This dish was excellent, and frankly was the only thing that made me give Makoto two stars instead of one. After that came the short rib robata. The meat was cooked well, but was slightly cold and the sauce tasted like a sub-par barbecue - there's no way it was the truffle miso advertised with the dish. Finally, we had the spicy yellowtail roll. The sushi chef who prepared this should be ashamed, as the entire thing fell apart the minute you touched it. If the food issues weren't enough, the service was simply *atrocious*. All of the items came at the same time and overloaded our small table. The servers removed plates before we were finished (without asking!) and completely forgot to provide us with soy sauce. In short, an $80 meal which was worth $35 at best. I'll stick with Hiro's.
(2)
Dinorah a.
Neighborhood gem! I love this place . It's a favorite lunch spot for my hubby and I . Good food, great service and exotic cocktails .. Beautiful trendy decor and u can go shopping right after to burn some calories or more $$$$
(4)
Rocky A.
Ever go to a restaurant and you want to order the whole menu, 'cause everything looks AMAZING ? One word MAKOTO in Bal Harbor I went to MAKOTO and found the source to GREAT Japanese cuisine, Professional service mixed with Reggae , Rock & Roll and a little of this and that. Make this dining experience a MUST DO. Tuna air bread, fire & ice oysters, spicy tuna crispy rice, sauteed air spinach, and some other interesting choices are delicacies on the menu, and these are all appetizers The premium wagyu bone in rib eye 26 oz., kobe beef fried rice, the sashimi or sushi sampler with dessert being no less than mochi ice cream are some of the stand outs Its located in Bal Harbor and with the easy parking, makes it even better. Easy in and out. So when you go stroll around after an Unforgettable meal, REMEMBER I'm an XL.
(5)
M K.
Good but definitely not great. The fish was pretty fresh and everything was pretty solid generally. Nice setting outside on the patio. Service was terrible -- one of our sushi dishes never came (1.5 hours) and another was very, very late. They apologized but I'm still at a loss as to how the problem happened -- they recognized the problem early then an hour later it still wasn't corrected. A sushi dish takes like 5 minutes to prepare, just fix the problem. It was especially a problem because for the person whose dish was "lost" it was one-half her meal. Anyway, we might go back but only because it was a nice setting and there aren't too many options near the A1A between there and 20 minutes north (or south before South Beach). The food overall was a solid B+. One thing to add: the edamame was the best I've ever had. And I've eaten a ton of edamame. The waitress said it was "black" edamame which from googling is actually legit -- there is a variety of edamame from black soybean. (It was green and looked just like regular edamame but was very firm and flavorful).
(2)
Claire C.
First, it's a beautiful place and I was sorta surprised to find it in the Bal Habor shops setting. Make sure you make a reservation, especially if it's for dinner on the weekend. If you can, make sure you get one of the large wood bench tables near the sushi bar of the restaurant. In terms of food, i'd highly recommend the shisito peppers, the rainbow sushi roll, and the ramen! and also, obviously the wagyu steak that you make on the hot stone. It's a great experience and the beef is an excellent cut in fact. I highly recommend it! Just one minor note though - in contrast to what the waiters are saying in terms of the small size of the dishes, you'll find that they are actually not that small. I'd recommend to order 2-3 dishes per person rather the 3-4 dishes that they often recommend.
(4)
Alexandra R.
Delicious delicious delicious. The only thing I could think of while I was eating was 'wow, this taste like what I ate in Tokyo'. Extremely authentic! Chef Makoto has Japanese as well as French culinary experience and you can definitley taste the sophistication in his dishes. It's located in Bal Harbour shops, but don't let that or the chic interior deter you. Dinner for 2 would be well worth it, I promise! So throw on your best knock offs, and play the ritzy part until you walk into the restaurant. Then, let loose and enjoy the goodies Makoto's menu has to offer!
(5)
Malaise L.
Went to Makoto for dinner on Memorial Day night at around 8:45 pm. The patio out front was crowded. We chose to sit outside in the back (inside the mall) and we were the only people there which was really nice. Think of this place as Japanese tapas. The food comes out as it's ready. I ordered some asparagus tempura and, unbeknownst to me, my husband had ordered some as well which came out towards the end. Once again, I need an ordering strategy! In any case, it was really good, accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce (mayo?) that was really tasty. My husband also ordered Toro Tartar which was about the size of a thimble at 20-odd dollars. He enjoyed it and it looked beautiful, down to the gold leaf sprinkles. He also had Tajima Beef fillet (over 50 bucks!) which he said was good and had garlic chips which I wish were not on top of the meat so I could just swipe them. That did look good! I had the Vegan Stephen roll. At first, when ordering, I was a bit disappointed that they did not have more of a vegetarian/vegan choice and this roll did not sound that great but it really, really was! I greatly enjoyed it. Each bit was different and flavorful. We also had a real good sake. One word of caution: This place is EXPENSIVE and it seems like the prices on their online menu might not match the ones on the menu once you get there. My roll I did notice was a dollar more on their printed menu than it is online but I don't know if that was the case with anything else. Service was very good as well. I feel our waiter was initially a little awkward but warmed up to us. He checked on us enough to make sure that we were being well served but not so much as to make us uncomfortable. I would go back but it would be really awesome if they had some more choices for us non-meat eaters.
(5)
Michael H.
I had the pleasure this past weekend to dine at Makoto, the newest creation from restaurant mastermind Stephen Starr. I will break down the review in 3 separate categories. Vibe & Decor, Food&Beverage, and Service. Vibe & Decor: Dark wood, dim lighting, a 12-seat sushi bar and smooth reggae music provide a very chill experience for any foodie. Outdoor courtyard has limited seating but is the perfect scenery for a quick lunch as you dine beside running fountains and colorful koi ponds. The back terrace which seemed to be the most popular choice was furnished with cozy couches and marble tabletops. Food & Beverage: The cocktails are inventive and refreshing. Green Tea Capirosca, Lemongrass Cooler, & Gingered Sake were some notable gems. The sake list is quite extensive, everything from your traditional sake to some specialty and exclusives only offered at this establishment. Now the food was a step above incredible. You think Japanese, you sometimes think sushi and sushi only, but head chef Makoto Okuwa goes above and beyond to cater to the likes of every palate. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice was a signature to the restaurant, the Japanese Caprese salad was refreshing and creative, Short Rib Robata was so tender it melts right in your mouth. Black Cod was the best I've ever tasted. The sushi is fresh and far superior to any in the area. Try the Rainbow Roll, Vegan Stephen (100% Vegetarian), and the Rock Shrimp Tempura Roll. Service: The servers are very knowledgeable when it comes to the menu, feel free to ask about anything and expect a tempting description. Keep in mind, due to heavy tourism in the Bal Harbour Shops, Makoto does include an 18% gratuity which is understandable and fair. Overall this place has set the bar very high for Japanese dining in Miami and can offer something different for your palate any day of the week. Whether it be lunch or dinner, expect the very best from Mr. Stephen Starr and his all-star chef Makoto Okuwa.
(5)
Brian L.
15 words or less: Really pretty inside and outside. Good to very good food. Pricey. 15 words or more: Makoto is another entry into the growing high-end Japanese restaurant scene in South Florida. Nobu and Zuma set the standard. I am not sure this place can get there. But while trying to play in that arena, the menu does not seem to have the same depth from top to bottom. I was there for lunch but eyeballed the dinner menu. The menus are close, but there are some changes to accommodate the mall lunch crowds. The lunch menu features a few less fish and meat entrees. In their place are an additional salad or two and two sandwiches (one being a hamburger). The addition of a hamburger is smart because it will help placate that one person who does not like sushi but is forced to go because of his/her significant other. I shared a number of dishes for lunch. This included a chilled lobster salad and a tea-crusted tuna tataki salad. Both were very nice. The ingredients were fresh and the flavors came through. I proceeded to have a sushi sampler. The sampler ($30) was large, featuring this time a spicy tuna roll (6 pieces) and another 12 pieces of a variety of fishes. While I had a piece of tuna, hamachi, uni, unagi, and scallop, the standout was the salmon. Couple of things to note. The restaurant makes it own soy sauce, which is infused with bonito flakes. They also use unpolished rice (so the rice will be brown and white in color and may have a slightly crunchier texture). The restaurant also does not use big eye tuna, in an acknowledgement to the over-harvesting of this fish. Finally, the restaurant has a number of robata items, which seemed interesting. This is a tough one for me. While the food was very good and the presentation of the dishes beautiful, I am not sure the high price sets it far apart from what is your favorite neighborhood sushi joint or otherwise warrant the price if you are willing to spend a little more for Nobu and Zuma. This place is not charging those prices, but it is an expensive lunch, and I could see dinner sneaking up in price given the small plate/Japanese tapas concept. I do hope the place can make it. It is a nice lunch option in Bal Harbour Shops. And I will give it a try for dinner to try some of the robata items and to see what vibe and scene it may have.
(4)
Elham A.
This place has ok sushi. Not too good and not too bad. Some things on the menu was good such as the amberjack and kanpachi. Their fish was ok, not much to cheer about. IF you are cheering, you are probably from Florida and used to bad sushi :) The two spicy rolls we ordered had no taste to them. Only fish and rice, not spicy at all! Very disappointing...! The staff is very nice and attentive, but the food is not worth the price.
(3)
Tina T.
It's fresh and it's good - but it's not the be all and end all. The atmosphere of this restaurant is very cool and zen-like. They are located in an upscale shopping mall, and on a recent trip to Miami Beach I stopped and got some sushi. There's an outside bar and the bartenders were wonderful. Very laid back environment. The sushi wasn't as good as I would expect from a restaurant in Florida. Honestly, I had way better in Chicago! But it's still a worthy place to go to, even if because of the great atmosphere and drinks.
(4)
Taylor R.
Makoto has very good food as well as a great atmosphere. I personally love sitting in there courtyard section.
(5)
Red R.
I'm going to be honest. I was famished when I ate at this place. I had been walking around the Bal Harbour Mall desperately trying to find some new threads to sport that evening downtown. Surprisingly, I found little to suit my fancy. What can I say, I need a 34" inseam and apparently most Floridian men rarely reach the 6 foot mark (poor ladies). I was disappointed and a bit disgusted that I couldn't find much to compliment my 6'4" frame, so I decided to pause for some lunch. It was late, nearly 3 in the afternoon, when I walked into Makoto. Being that it was after the lunch rush, I had my choice of seats but opted to sit at the sushi bar, which was spacious and smartly designed. I knew I was meeting a friend for dinner in just a few hours, but I NEEDED FOOD, so I decided I should eat something light. I checked out the menu and was hard pressed to find one item to settle on. There was ramen, udon, tataki, and even ceviche (this is Miami after all). The one truly odd menu seemed to be the hamburger. 'Really, a hamburger,' I thought. That's like going to Morton's and ordering a salad - I don't understand it. Anyway, I digress....I decided that since I was seated at the sushi bar, I would order the sushi sampler, the smallest one. I think there were 9 pieces or so (tuna, yellowtail, salmon, etc.) and also included a tuna roll and miso soup. To accompany my dish I ordered a glass of sancerre. I devoured everything in record time and washed it back with another glass of sancerre. The standouts were the wahoo, the uni and the mackeral, all expertly garnished and fresh tasting. I quizzed the chef about some of the ingredients used with the sushi. He was polite and seemed pleased that I had enjoyed my dish. The next day, I was reading a local rag and saw the same chef's picture gracing the pages of an article on "rising chefs" in Miami. Not surprised! I left Makoto with my belly full and vowed to hit this place again on my next visit. It's been a good two weeks since I've eaten there and I sometimes find myself thinking about the wahoo. P.S. I never did find anything to wear at that Mall.
As a out of towner, and my coworker looked up this place based on reviews. Upon arrive I realized it was located in a mall. I don't usually associate high end sushi with malls. Therefore going in, I had really low expectations (1 Star expectation). The place was better than expected but no where near what others rave about. Eating here made me sad for the locals because this place was just eh.... As a side note, don't sit outside. There was a guy constantly on a blow horn flagging down taxis (or just being an ass)
(3)
David S.
Despite being in the Bal Harbor Mall, I thought this restaurant has great value. There were 3 of us at the table and we ordered the following: 2x Japanese Eggplant Robata Braised Short Rib Robata Tuna with Crispy Rice Some noodle appetizer dish (I forget the name) Spicy Yellowtail rool Baby Beets Mochi Ice Cream and their special desert with fruit and I think mango sorbet (I forgot the name of it) We just had water and the total bill came out to about $125 (tax and gratuity included) We were stuffed. So at about $42 a person, we were satisfied. So there is where the value is... here is the food part: AMAZING. I have never been this satisfied with tastes presented at a restaurant. All 3 of us agreed that while one dish may outshine others, the plates all around were delicious. The Japanese Eggplant: Semi-crispy outer skin, brown sugar, some cheese... it was sweet and delicious with a creamy texture. One thing, though, is that it comes out like hot lava so you may want to order another dish and eat that one first before diving into the eggplant. The roof of your mouth will thank me later. Short ribs robata: Shreds nicely, tender, easy to eat, delicious sauce. I just wanted to let it sit in my mouth forever. The best part is that each skewer has three pieces and there were three of us... so sharing was easy. (Same with the eggplant) Tuna with crispy rice: Sweet and a little spicy with the jalapeno pepper on top. Great taste. Noodles: Probably the most normal tasting food.. but still delicious. Yellowtail Roll: I like the dab of sauce and the pepper on top. The fish tasted fresh. There were about 8 pieces on a long plate. Easy to share and we all enjoyed it. Baby Beets: OMFG BEETS. I put one of the beets in my mouth and I almost fell out of my chair in a gooey blob of satisfaction. It gave me tingles... that's all I will say. Desert: Satisfying, the mango Mochi flavor is the best. There other signature desert is sweet and creamy and there is some fruit in there so you don't feel too guilty. Overall.. at $42 a person for all that food.. I am VERY HAPPY. However, at that price, I will only come back once in a while; but with a big smile on my face. Also, sitting outside is preferable especially on a nice night.
(5)
Jon G.
Great service and comfortable yet sleek atmosphere. The uni was good but about 1/-3/4 of the portion I'm used to having. Chu-toro was exceptional. The watercress salad was a must order. All in all it was a nice experience in an amazing location but definitely just short of a top tier sushi restaurant.
(4)
Kim S.
There were Some good things and some horrible things like the lobster roll and the rock shrimp tempura roll. The lobster roll tastes like a men's bathroom, and the rock shrimp tempura roll tastes like plain oil. The good things were the shishito peppers, the sunimono salad, and the edamame. These are simple things so I'm not suprised they were good.
(1)
Julia K.
Sushi should be an easy one in Miami -- fishing is practically the official hobby of this city. So why is sushi so complicated? Sushi is fantastic at nobu, zuma or bond street -- but these restaurants come equipped with a huge scene and price tag. Or maybe one can hit one of the small, local place and settle for mediocre sushi in a dive setting. Then there is Makoto. The ambiance is nice -- beautiful actually -- inside or outside, depending on the mood. I prefer the more quiet outdoor option. Ahhhh, the food - excellent. Spicy jalapeño and yellowtail roll has the perfect amount of kick. And the spicy tuna on crispy rice is also different and delicious. I also has the shisio peppers -- mmmm. My hubby had Rainbow rolls and they were perfect, too. I think Makoto is just what Miami needed.
(4)
Armando A.
Probably one of the best places for sushi I have been to in the world. No matter what you order here it is amazing especially drinks.
(5)
Timothy A.
Spectacular! You get what you pay for, and this place does not disappoint. Great food and service. The menu and dish preparation is unmatched in South Florida. Very happy with Makoto. Prices are high, but I guess that's what you have to pay for quality these days.
(4)
Christopher R.
You know it's a good spot when you go there at least once a week. Yes, that may also be because it is close to my house, but still. I love the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice -- it is a must! Both the inside and outside sections provide a great vibe and they even have a smokeless outdoor section which is great -- because why do only the smokers get to enjoy the beautiful Miami weather?! Also -- it's not as expensive as it looks, definitely worth a try!
(5)
Eugene Y.
Another amazing dinner but after revisiting both restaurants Zuma is def a notch ahead of makoto. With that being said, I will continue to visit both! :)
(5)
Melissa C.
Great dinner! Our server was knowledgeable and attentive.However, the automatic 18% gratuity made me instantly suspicious when I saw I had been charged for wine that was double the price of the wine I ordered and knew I was drinking. Hmmmm...but I'll give our lovely server the benefit of the doubt. Spicy tuna crispy rice was our our favorite as well as the sake infused with ginger, lemongrass (I think it was lemongrass) and rosemary. The scallop robata was tasty but the bacon wrapped around it was overkill and overpowered the scallop. The salmon and sweet shrimp sushi was fresh and delicious but the rice was slightly undercooked which was a disappointment. The Serrano chili on top of our spicy yellowtail roll added a perfect kick. We sat outside and it was comfortable with the normal level of buzz you can expect to experience when eating outdoors at the bal harbour shops. I also liked the vibe inside the restaurant and will return to sit at their long sushi bar. Overall a great dining experience. We will return and recommend Makoto to our friends.
(4)
Judy M.
After having many good dinners in the past, tonight was a very disappointing experience. Disorganized service. Rice for sushi was crumbling in our hands. My wife and I did not enjoy a straightforward sushi dinner . KM & JM.
(1)
Dagwood S.
This was one of the highlights of our trip when it came to eating. We sat outside, the staff was super friendly and really helped us decide what to get. Because we were really hungry, we had mostly rolls and a Toro Tartare ($29) which was uneventful and expensive, but that was our mistake for reading the price wrong. I think we had about 4-5 rolls and each one was super fresh and flavorful. Next time I will dive into the sushi/sashimi more and report back. Loved the food, atmosphere (outside int he courtyard) and staff. Good job.
(5)
rhett t.
There's a real genius at work here, but the flaws are noticeable. I posted my first review weeks after opening and I compared it harshly to Zuma. And, in many ways the review holds up, but . . . if the flaws were corrected this would be outstanding. First, the menu has evolved, slightly, but noticeably, if that makes senses. Second, the execution of the meal as a whole is ridiculously flawed. The dishes all arrived at once and the waiter grunted as he struggled to make room as if it were our fault. (the service was excellent apart from the timing and the failure to staff two hostess stations). Third, there needs to be a slurping spoon for the ramen which was excellent save for the greenery that was stringy and chewy. The sushi was a highlight, as were the robata dishes (Chicken and corn were wonderful, the short rib I could have skipped). The shishito peppers are not only outstanding, they provided a show for my son as he watched the bonito flakes move (Look, they're moving). The kobe beef on the hot stone is always a crowd-pleaser (but please angle the plate with the hot stone away from the child) (Look if you poke the flakes they move). The wine list is better if by half. There are a few better options, but it is still an unbelievably thin list at the upper end. (Look, they're not moving, wait the flakes are moving!). But, the undeniable star of the show was a chocolate fondant dessert with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, fruit on a cold slate plate that my son clearly enjoyed. Look, if Stephen Starr fixes the pacing, and tweaks a few elements, this place would be extremely enjoyable.
(4)
Felix T.
Excellent. Price in the high end but the food and service was excellent. I found awkward the fact that we ordered flat water and they charged 2$ by refilling a Sparkling water bottle. With a dinner of over 200$ for two, I don't think a restaurant in this category need to do that ... why my 4 star.
(4)
Amy A.
WOW! We wanted to order the whole menu! Everything was amazing! The food is scrumptious- the taste, texture, the presentation- top quality. Also the lychee martini is amazing! The sushi is amazing... can't wait to go back!
(5)
Amy S.
Did the Spice lunch menu the other day and was beyond impressed with the selection and how much food they offered. For $22 its a great deal. The service was horrible though, we went around 2pm on a Friday and they just didn't seem well enough staffed for the people dining. We got the spicy tuna crispy rice, robata eggplant, short ribs and chicken rice bowl. All were delicious! Go take advantage of this menu!
(4)
Candice L.
Makoto has amazing food,,but simply put there is just not enough of it for the price. By no means am I cheap and I was not even the one paying for the meal,,but it is way overpriced! We had sparkling water and I asked for limes which never came. As we wanted wahoo,,the waiter highly recommended the wahoo sashimi in an orange ponzu sauce with chiles and topped with crunchy carrots. Boy,,was he spot on! It was amazing!!! He was also extremely knowledgeable about all types of sushi and everything on the menu. The other sashimi we had was the salmon,,medium-fatty tuna and cobia. The presentation was stunningly beautiful,,the fish melted like butter in my mouth and was incredibly fresh. However,,it was so tiny,,it was ridiculous! In addition we ordered 2 orders of the amaebi (sweet shrimp) sushi with fried heads. Unfortunately,,it came out sashimi without the heads and was only one order. :( The heads came out at least 5 minutes later after I asked twice for them. 2 pieces of sweet shrimp sashimi and 3 fried heads 5 minutes later for 2 people?! Ummm.. After much waiting time,,eventually our Kobe beef with the hot riverstone rock for table cooking finally arrived. It was absolutely out of this world delicious but simply not enough of it! And I like small portions.. They apologized for the wait and blamed it on having to wait for a stone. Then buy some more as much as you charge! Finally,,the other person ordered the lychee martini which I had a sip of and it was amazing as well!!! Overall,,the prices are exorbitant for the portion size across the board,,the service was good but not excellent and the food was succulent. By the way,,I had gone here one night before and we sat outside as well for 10 minutes and no one came up to us so we informed the hostess,,waited for another 10 minutes and still no one so we left. This time we informed the hostess when we arrived that we were sitting outside and our waiter did come over. I also saw someone post that they don't ask you before clearing your plates and this is true. In all honesty,,I do not like to have to ask for my plate to stay on the table so I may finish what little food was on it to begin with. Bring your biggest wallet and try not to be famished when you go.
(3)
Charlie S.
Yes it is expensive. It's definitely not for the weak hearted but I am in the business and I see where the labor and high food costs go in. Also one of my top go to restaurants. Never been dissapointed. The chilled udon noodle salad is out of this world and so it the makoto salad. My only complaint, wish is was a little closer to where I lived and not at the bal harbour shops. I always get side tracked and spend more money than budgeted at those damn shops!
(5)
Tough C.
Four words: Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice! So tasty and different. The sushi is fresh and good, the service is just OK, but I don't like to rush when I am eating sushi, so it works for me. The decor is very nice, dark woods and soft mood lighting makes for a great dining experience. I recommend it.
(4)
Aaron P.
Great place check it out.
(5)
Isa P.
Excelent! - The WASABI VEGETABLE FRIED RICE /pickled ginger is delicious and The fruit toban yaki Dessert is YUMMMY!
(5)
Karin V.
OK this one is gonna be a bit pricey...but its totally worth it!!! Everything is absolutely delicious, but you must try the Japanese caprese, house salad, udon noodles with chicken, spicy tuna with crispy rice, maki roll with rock shrimp and I could go on and on! They also have a great Sake selection and the service is friendly and unpretentious. Oh and I really loved the cool interior and the Reggae playing in the background, how refreshing and different from the annoying "SoBe boom boom restaurant sound"
(5)
Scott P.
Their new sushi chef is absolutely amazing. He used to be an apprentice for the Iron Chef "Morimoto." This guy is the real deal. Definitely worth the trip to Bal Harbour.
(5)
Ryan C.
Me and a group of friends had dinner their opening week, so this review is based on a situation that hopefully continues to improve. We ordered the shishito peppers, seafood hotpot, wagyu beef fried rice, tokyo stir fried, foie gras beef rolls, braised beef short ribs, and the sushi sampler, and chicked meatballs. The dining style is similar to "tapas" and our group grazed on a bit of everything. Winners: - shishito peppers, fried rice, tokyo stir fry Losers: - chicken meatballs (basically salt sticks), seafood hotpot (stock was very sweet), sushi sampler (fish quality was reasonable, rice flavor was lacking) In general the restaurant succeeds aesthetically and delivers solid service. Not sure if its opening week jitters, but many of the dishes suffered from over seasoning. I'd be willing to try the restaurant again to see if flavor profiles have improved. I'd recommend this for those that aren't too finicky about sushi and want to have a meal in a beautiful setting.
(3)
Lance W.
Another Japanese Restaurant bites the dust. This place is reminiscent of Zuma, with the exception of the service which was lacking. The food was great: Beef carpaccio, sweet corn, watercress salad, skirt steak and the sushi is well worth the try as well. I do recommend this place especially if the service improves.
(3)
Jim C.
Food was outstanding. We stayed at one bal harbour- thought it was juts to eat at a restaurant in a mall, but experience was really good. Noodles w braised short ribs were so good!!!! Brussels sprouts, we tried many things. Bill for 2 w wine in lauding tip was $160 and we ordered a ton. No dessert but very full: don't listen to other reviews about ppl walking out hungry. They just ordered stingy :) Service was great- BUT, in a quiet way they were pushing to turn the table. It was bothersome but in a background way. We were by no means the couple who stayed long! Only suggestion keeping from a 5
(4)
Anna R.
to me the food here is just average. Nothing exciting, no special flavors at all. The most surprising to me is that they offer the same menu item Katsuya at the new SLS in South Beach offers, which is the spicy tuna cirspy rice with serrano chili. However, the dish here was just bland, the rice was dry and not crispy at all however at Katsuya it is much much better, actually amazing. We had the fire and ice oysters which were good as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside which is a joke. I guess the price shows at only 20 for kobe but we needed 4 orders of them to even remotely feel satisfied. I wouldn't go here again.
(3)
chris h.
We went last Sunday for lunch. Both had bento box - one CHIRASHI scattered fish and one SUSHI ROLL spicy tuna, california. They came with salad, soup and a fried rice. Enjoyed everything. We feel the food quality is better than what you get at an average Japanese restaurant. Planning on going back again next week.
(4)
Yang H.
This restaurant is WAYYYYYY overrated. First we ordered Lychee martini, I am sorry, it tastes like soapy water and took 20 mins to come out. Second, we ordered Kobe beef cooked on stone, it could not be any saltier! Then, we had the tiger shrimp, this one is not too bad. We also had the sushi sampler for 30. The spicy tuna roll was really suck, all i could taste was spiciness, nothing else. the fish on the sushi was not very good especially shrimp, it looked like been soaking in water for a week. Desert was the mochi platter, however, the flavor was very very light i could nearly taste anything. For better sushi experience i would go sushi samba or sugar cane.
(2)
Gregory E.
Went there this past Friday, which I'm told was their busiest day. With a 9pm reservation, we had to wait upwards of 30 minutes to get seated. We were not overly agitated by it, but the host was very kind in offering us drinks while we waited, and schmoozing with us to pass the time. We were told that generally any reservation between 8-10pm is going to have trouble getting seated on time during a prime weekend night. So caveat emptor. That said... Decor: minimalistic, but clean. Smaller parties sit along a long sofa that goes along an entire end of the restaurant (the other side of the table has chairs). Service: Very good and on point without being over the top. We were checked on routinely (as food comes out as it is cooked), and our water glasses were never empty, which is always a good sign. Food: The menu is very diverse, so much to the point where our party stuck to non-sushi items, except for the spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer. Having lived on the west coast for two years, this is a staple dish over there that for some reason has never made it back to the East Coast, short of a few NYC imports (Tao, Koi, etc...). Until now, that is. Makoto had it on the menu, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Executed to perfection. We also shared a number of robata items, including the foie gras (which it was different from what I expected, as the texture was more along the lines of a sausage as opposed to a traditionally seared warm foie gras). We also shared the short rib, which was tender and doused in a great sauce. Additionally, we shared a soup/noodle/beef dish, that was forgettable, as it had more noodles than anything else. What was tasty was the frosty kobe rice.. The texture of the rice was super sticky, and the rest of the ingredients in the dish blended and tasted great. For dessert, we shared the Moshi (very good, but small for $10...just saying) and the raspberry molten chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream that had been rolled in some sort of flavored rice sprinkles. Very Good! Overall: Being from Broward, this is a good spot to go to instead of traveling even further for Nobu or Zuma. The overall experience was enjoyable, and while I will be back frequently, I will not run back as if it were the best thing since sliced bread.
(4)
Derek S.
Amazing menu for casual sushi at my favorite mall, Bal Harbour Shops
(5)
Fred O.
Wow. The sushi was absolutely hands down some of the best I've ever had. It's pricey but worth it each piece was like butter. The appetizers (hot) were all delicious!
(5)
Stephanie Z.
Love this place! The food is so good. My favorite wasabi fried rice, tuna tataki and the robatas! Service is also very pleasant
(5)
Greg K.
Excellent Japanese which just opened in Bal Harbor Shops. The Makoto Ramen Noodles were delicious (meat was more like in a spaghetti sauce but the broth was spicy and delicious). The Foie Grad Beef Robata was also excellent as was the pork belly. We had one beef roll which was disappointing. Prices are on the higher side and portions are small as with all high-end Japanese restaurants. Atmosphere is sophisticated yet at the same time comfortable with a nice outdoor seating area. Very nice option to the Carpaccio/La Golue Mall offering. This one should stick. It is really a 9/10 ( if a 10 start rating applied).
(5)
judy b.
One word: excellent! I am not a fan of Bal Harbor Shops. Just can't stand the in your face monied atmosphere, but, I can ignore it to go to this restaurant. The restaurant itself was designed to be comfortable yet still fits in with the rest of the mall (yes, folks, it's a mall). There were three of us and we just kept ordering. The wine list was excellent, and the Marlborough sauvignon blanc was chilled and delish. We ordered probably a third of the menu and everything was top notch. The wagyu beef was outstanding. The seaweed salad delightful, sweet, tangy and just the right amount of sesame. The rolls were extremely fresh and I even ate some toro tuna, which I normally do not eat. The service was beautiful, each presentation crisp and efficient without being overbearing. We sat outside on a comfortable sofa, the fans kept us cool; I highly recommend this restaurant. I do hope they keep it up.
(5)
Jean C.
Great innovative cuisine. Nice atmosphere. Attentive service. Probably the best restaurant in Bal Harbor shops.
(5)
T. donald H.
This is the worst most overrated restaurant I've had the misfortune to eat in. First, they lost our reservation, then seated us at a dumb table for 7 (we were 10). The horror began with drinks (wine) which took 45 minutes to get. We ordered and waited as one or two dishes were delivered after one hour. Two people never got their order. We left after 3 hours of hell. No management person ever apologized . Waitress insisted on bringing complementary deserts which we declined. The food was fair at best, scallops salty and rubberized. Whole fish never came, rolls took hours to come and were falling apart. Price tag for this misery $930. Incl. 18.5% tip. They even had the nerve to charge $2.00 per bottle for tap water. I wouldn't go back if they paid me.
(1)
David D.
There's two levels here: 5 stars when Makoto serves you omakase, and 3 stars with anyone else! I requested omakase with Makoto, and he was stellar. I'm smiling just thinking about it now. Here's a run down of what he did: 1) Toro tartar with uni and caviar (5/5) -- Makoto starts big. Melt-in-your mouth toro coupled with creamy uni and textured caviar. Right away, you know this man means business 2) Maguro nigiri (4/5) -- Makoto's omakase's are interspersed with nigiri. I found this interesting. The maguro was aged, which added some richness to the flavor 3) Live scallops in sea foam (5/5) -- wonderfully delicious and textured. Probably not the best picture here 4) Aji nigiri (4/5) -- very good with just the right embellishment. I should note Makoto himself grated the fresh wasabi from the root for me 5) Chu toro (4/5) -- another awesome piece, although I unfortunately snapped a terrible pic 6) Saba (4/5) -- surprisingly good from such an eclectic establishment 7) Tai (3/5) -- lacked a little flavor at this point 8) Sashimi platter (2/5) -- prepared by his apprentice. Very discordant. Too much fish at this point in the meal 9) Ikura (4/5) -- quickly remedied situation 10) Tako (5/5) -- maybe my favorite octopus. As tender as the high-end sushi bars, however, marinated so much more flavor 11) Sanma (5/5) -- chef on fire at this point 12) King salmon (5/5) -- the otoro of sake 13) Orange clam (4/5) -- mixing up the textures 14) Clam muscle (4/5) -- does it again with leaf 15) Uni (4/5) -- had some reservations, but fresh as can be 16) King crab with hairy crab adornment over hot charcoals (5/5) -- highlight of the meal, unbelievably creamy goodness. Nirvana 17) Roasted maguro (5/5) -- maybe the only thing that could pair with the king crab; it worked 18) Anago (5/5) -- wait he did more, and it was savory! 19) Japanese radish maki (5/5) -- at this point Makoto knew I was feeling overfull, so he went with a light roll with just a hint of sweetness 20) Homemade chocolate mouse over vanilla bean ice cream served over graham crackers and mixed berries (5/50 -- yes
(5)
Trish B.
Appetizers, and entrees were fresh & delicious. Beautiful presentation. Very busy at lunch but well worth the wait. Patio a little crowded but dining room was spacious.
(5)
Nicole H.
Wowza. My husband, who knows that I'm obsessed with cheap fast-food sushi, decided to take me here for our Valentine's Day dinner. I don't think either of us were prepared for the shocking quality of food that Makoto serves. We started off by splitting the Dynamite Hand Roll, which is a single roll stuffed with warm baked crab and a creamy citrus sauce. Our waiter was definitely hiding a grin as he set the miniature $11 appetizer in front of us, but I can honestly say that those two bites (my half of the roll) were the best bites of sushi that I've ever had. We calculated out that we paid $3 per bite, which sounds steep but was totally worth it. We also split the Miso soup, which was standard-size and standard quality. This was the only item we had that night that wasn't rave-worthy. For our main courses, we had the Kobe Beef and the Miso Sea Bass. The beef was served rare with a hot stone for cooking along with a smoky sauce. It was delicious. In my mind, though, the star was the Miso Sea Bass, which was served with a fruity sauce and topped with crispy, sweet-tasting kale. The portions were small, the prices were expensive, but this was probably the single best meal I've had in my entire life. I'm a cheapskate, but this meal was an experience that I don't regret paying for. ... or maybe that's just the Green Tea Caipiroska talking.
(5)
Carlos L.
OMG, i can die now a happy man. The food is out of this world, crafty delicate Japanese dishes with a push of flavor and a twist. Everything (no exception) was delicious: spicy tuna roll, spicy yellowtail, spicy edamame, chicken teriyaki, and a dessert that was basically a bowl of awesome melted into a hot medley of awesome (ok seriously: passion fruit ice cream, assorted fruits, warm condensed milk, graham cracker crust). Prices seem high on entrees, rolls and other common items are very average given the location, look around you!! Prada, D&G, Cartier, oh who is that? Lenny F'ing Kravitz! They had 36 reservations on a Thursday night....so, plan your visit. Service is great.
(5)
A K.
Having lunch on a Sunday. Food is taking a while giving me lots of time to write this review as I wait...and wait... and wait. . Rolls were fresh. But the rolls contain way too much wasabi is not evenly spread across the roll. Almost died.
(3)
Nato S.
If you feel like trying Makoto without spending the money, just drive yourself to the nearest publix right before closing time and buy their left over sushi. Disgusting cold flavorless rolls at a premium price. The service was beyond terrible, the food came out ridiculously spaced out, I had to ask the waiter to refill my water 3 times, also had to ask for utensils after the waiter had told us he would bring them. Cocktails were good, but that doesn't make up for a waste of time, money and energy.
(1)
Archana B.
Hands down... So far my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. First visit last evening. Beautiful ambience, was a little chilly so we sat outside by the lovely warm lamps. Where do I begin... Every single dish was fantastic. As we were being seated we looked at the dishes on all the other tables and immediately felt like ordering each and every one which is pretty much what we did! Highly recommend... Well.. All the dishes really. Brussels sprouts was off the chain. So delicious did not stop picking on it until it was all over. The tuna tataki salad, bursting with freshness and flavor totally delightful. Can't even say enough about the short rib robata grilled skewers... Mmmm! Flavor was intensely delightful. And the dipping sauce.. Little zinger... Wow! Next up was spicy tuna roll... Probably the best one I've had since Bond St closed down. Spicy mayo with a whole new flavor profile. Really yummy. Tuna on crispy rice cakes ... I have to say this is probably the only one I wasn't too crazy about only because I think the rice portion should have been a little smaller... It overwhelmed the tuna... But flavor totally showed up to the party. The Japanese risotto was just not normal... What a beautiful surprise flavor and we ordered it so it came last ... What a great way to end the meal.... Intense flavors, hints of truffle... Served table side by your waiter or waitress ... We were so cheeky we ordered another short rib skewer to finish off the rice. I can't say enough about what a totally delectably delicious and delightful meal this was. Wow! So happily impressed. Top points in my book for ambience, decor, staff, service and food.
(5)
Michelle L.
Excellent food, presentation, and service. Located inside the shops at Bal Harbour, Makoto is top-notch! My good friend and I love to come here for lunch because of their benzo box lunch specials. Not your typical bento box. It includes a miso or watercrest salad (on the spicy side contains wasabi dressing) main entree which we love is the ponzu glazed salmon with brussel sprouts, and wasabi rice. The crispy rice spicy tunas are a must as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside over a hot stone. Also, try the Japanese Risotto with brown rice and truffle butter served piping hot. I knock off one star because the yellowtail sushi roll we ordered didn't taste so good.Needless to say, Makoto is a culinary experience that tantalizes the taste buds! Save room for some mochi ice cream and be sure to validate your parking ticket.
(4)
Jack G.
Chef's special for $30 was over valued. Waiter said 17 pc, there were 13 pc. Pieces were very thin. Service was impeccable. Food presentation was great. Plum wine was in dry side. Ginger and wasabi are first class. Brown rice worth trying. Overall great experience.
(4)
Tina C.
Excellent Japanese sushi inside of this very high end mall. Clientele arrives in Bentleys and Roll Royce. Fashionable people milling around with tanned faces. Good people watching. Service was excellent as well.
(4)
Juan S.
Excellent Japanese restaurant. The food is outstanding. Service could have been a little better but not bad. Atmosphere is a highlight here....very comfortable and chic place in the Bal Harbour shops. Short rib tacos here were excellent.
(4)
Vic V.
Hamachi, crispy rice spicy tuna and Brussel sprouts were all STELLAR!!!! Delicious sushi.
(5)
javier g.
Let me start off by saying that if you love sushi you must go here! Everything about this place is great. It's nice and dark so it's great for families or dates. They have a wide variety. Prices aren't terrible. The management team there is excellent. Always around if you need anything. They have an outside area which is also nice. Must go again!
(5)
Iryna M.
Excellent! Ordered 5 different dishes. One word- delicious. Short ribs were amazing! Sushi- just perfect! Drinks were great! Wonderful atmosphere. Great service. Will definitely recommend.
(5)
Natasa S.
I would say food was ok but nothing spectacular. We had crispy spicy tuna rice, too greasy for my taste and tuna was kiind of bland. Short rib robata was great, very tender and flavorful. We had a lobster roll, nothing to write home about. Now, SERVICE HORRIBLE!! My husband is alergic to oil and we told that to our waiter, she must have been from eastern europe( as i am and I know the mentality) but my husband is not and he was so irritated at the inquisition on oil and did not make it pleasant for us at all, kept saying you cant even take olive oil, all of a sudden olive oil is not oil. She was full of attitude and should not have been in a service business. My husband had a vegetable fried rice which was cookd in soy and corn robata with no butter or oil. That was good but nothing extraordinary.
(3)
Jim C.
Food was outstanding. We stayed at one bal harbour- thought it was juts to eat at a restaurant in a mall, but experience was really good. Noodles w braised short ribs were so good!!!! Brussels sprouts, we tried many things. Bill for 2 w wine in lauding tip was $160 and we ordered a ton. No dessert but very full: don't listen to other reviews about ppl walking out hungry. They just ordered stingy :) Service was great- BUT, in a quiet way they were pushing to turn the table. It was bothersome but in a background way. We were by no means the couple who stayed long! Only suggestion keeping from a 5
Always enjoying going to Makoto because the food is really good. I like sitting at the sushi counter to see all the action and get into the flow of the energy of the sushi counter. The sashimi, chirashi and makimono were very nice and even though it was busy the sushi staff knocked it out. I tried the cauliflower from the robata and I was surprised how good it was. We also tried out the fried rice in a stone bowl and enjoyed it. One point, please work on the service training. Great personalities but how to provide service with the guests in mind is not so easy to do. Keep working at it and I'll be back with friends soon!
(4)
John O.
If this place were in LA, it would put Nobu out of business. I DREAM of the Tuna pizza -- words cannot describe how good it is. Also, their himachi appetizer with ponzu was out of this world. However, I have never had Miso Sea Bass this frigging good -- they marinate it for TWO days and it is an incredible piece of fish. I could eat this every day. They have a great selection of house cocktails and I got the mango something or other and it went down way too easy!!! Service is spectacular from the time you walk in the door. AND, finally a restaurant where the manager makes the rounds!!! Shouldn't every GOOD restaurant manager "walk the boiler room"? I think she is probably the reason this place rocks. Also, they have an interesting bar and some tables in the center of the mall (Shops at Bal Harbour). Great location and GREAT food and service -- I will be back!!!
(5)
Shamir S.
This place is awesome !!! -playing Bob marley and dope food Eveyone should come here !!! The owner has amazing taste Will come back I live in st.regis across the street
(5)
Val C.
Went in for a quick lunch meeting. Mike Velardi was our server, was extremely knowledgeable on the menu, great support by the bussers and runners. Food was delicious! We were all only eating Fish and Vegetables and we had plenty of options to pick from.
(5)
Gavin H.
Excellent. Japanese with some creative liberties, loved the short rib ramen, the lobster roll, ceviche and soba. They also have excellent Japanese craft beers by the bottle. Not cheap, but worth it!
(5)
Giulia R.
I cannot tell you how many times I've been to this restaurant. I know the menu by heart. Service is right on point, food comes quick and well presented. I have tried almost everything on the menu and have not found one thing to complain about.. besides the fact that they changed their curry shrimp roll to a different type of sauce and I'm not much of a fan but people seem to be enjoying their change. anyway, i would recommend this place to everyone. Fish is fresh and the grilled food is cooked to perfection, also they have fun meals like the kobe beef cooked on a hot stone right at your table!
(5)
Customer T.
Amazing selection and super fresh food, nice atmosphere.
(5)
Romina G.
I looove Makoto, me and my husband go there at least once a week. I'm vegan and of all the sushi restaurants with veggie rolls that I've tried in Miami until now, this one is hands down the best. I usually order the vegan stephen (amaziiiing), and the garden roll, which has no rice but its filled with raw veggie goodness (if you are vegan ask for the mayo on the side, it has eggs). To start, the spicy edamames are pretty good. My husband usually goes for the short ribs noodles and he is obsessed. The crispy rice tuna appetizer is one of his favorites too. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that they bring the dishes as soon as they are done. So usually if you are not sharing (which is our case), one eats first and the other watches and so on haha! But its nothing that would keep me from going again. They are also open to modifying their rolls (If you want to order them without an ingredient, etc). I definitely recommend it and applaud their efforts on making creative and delicious veggie sushi.
(4)
Raquel S.
Best meal ever! The menu has such great different variety. Be sure to get the Brussels sprouts they are amazing! It's also located in a designer brand mall so it's nice to look around before dinner! You should try to book if you want to sit outside because it's a cute area on a nice evening! Loved!
(5)
Frank S.
Excellent food, attentive service , very pleased with the overall experience. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. The server recommended a Pisco cocktail that was perfect. He also recommended an excellent starter. We ordered several Items with Kobe Beef and all were excellent. Sushi and sashimi were fresh and we were not disappointed. We don't live nearby but if we are back in the Bal Harbour area I would definitely dine here again.
(5)
Bowie S.
A - OK. I went on a Sunday night, not so busy. I was excited to try this for Miami Spice 2014. I ordered a side order of Uni and ordered the Duck Ramen (on the MS menu) but both were not available that night :( The Uni supposedly comes in fresh daily so I missed the mark on that. Sad but, if you're an Uni lover this is normal. For MS, I ordered the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. The dish was okay, I thought it looked cool on the pictures on Yelp, but overall it was a little unique but nothing over the top. Four pieces is definitely enough for this dish, gets a little repetitive. My roomie had the Hamachi Pastrami, so I got to try that. It was cool and unique, something to try if you go for MS, it's something you won't get at other restaurants. We also got Oh-toro, negi toro & unagi. All were ok to me. The sushi-snob inside me was not impressed, but it was OK. For the second course, I ordered Duck Ramen but they said the chef wouldn't cook it because the duck wasn't to his expectations. Which I guess is good that the chef felt this serious about the ingredients, but I was a little disappointed. This only meant my expectations for the Skirt Steak were going to be very high. The Skirt Steak was alright. Zuma has a better Skirt Steak in my opinion. Three of us at the table ordered it and it came w/ avocado and ginger puree, they forgot to bring that out for 2/3 of us and we waited quite a while for them to bring out one more, but I had already ate about half of my dish, and they didn't even bring the third, we didn't want to ask three times. Roomie had the Grouper Tempura, I thought that was cool and we were surprised at the beginning b/c it's black, we were expecting it to be burnt tasting, but it's actually squid ink and it tasted amazing. Service: The waiter was not very attentive or professional in my opinion. Forgot to bring out the avocado stuff, and didn't finish taking our order until the 4th time he circled back after a while. But he's got the water refilling down to a T. Third course... desserts! Best of the night, I ordered the Matcha Tiramisu, it was above average. The real deal was the Sudachi Cheesecake, and that was amazing! I love unique flavors and desserts and this is a must try! I couldn't even nail down everything that was in it, but it was amazing, you need to try it for yourself. A little dip n dot action w/ key lime and mysterious deliciousness at the bottom. The dessert almost made up for my disappointment. Just overall, I think I had too high of expectations, don't get me wrong, this is a great restaurant, but I think once is enough, not so good that I'll come back again. Good place to try though if you live in South Florida and want something different. I'm glad they participated in MS. Definitely worth it if you go for Miami Spice!
(3)
Nicole R.
Went to makoto and was greeted by Samantha great customer service! Our server was Chelsea she was fascinate great recommendations! Chris the manager on the floor tonight was personable and was very good with customer service and attentiveness! All and all I will be back makoto thank you!!! Ps food was to die for all of it!
(5)
Caro R.
Went for lunch, waited at hostess stand for a few minutes to be seated, sat at bar and was never waited on. Finally a manager came over to inform me a waiter was coming - never happened so manager took my order.. felt as if no one wanted to assist me. Lunch sushi bento was good, sushi chef was friendly. Let down on service being a Starr restaurant.
(2)
Mark S.
Makoto makes some incredible things, and chef Makoto Okuwa has some real talent. I experienced the best example of this, ironically, at another restaurant (Pubbelly), where Okuwa did a pop up last summer for a Izakaya meal where I had some of the best bites of 2013. Chef Okuwa: if you or your staff ever read this, PLEASE reprise that pop up menu, either at Makoto or in a separate venue - it was a revelation! I usually check in at Bal Harbor once or twice a year. This month I had the $23 "Miami Spice" lunch (where expensive Makoto is one if the best venues to take advantage of the summer promo). Our table had most of the available menu options. The Robata chicken is $10 on the regular menu, so the 2 skewers were not much of a bargain as a choice on the spice menu (and more of an appetizer size than a main). The way to go: start with the tuna on crispy rice (2nd choice: the salad, it's sizeable and tasty, bit crispy rice is a house specialty, so this is a pretty distant 2nd), then rainbow roll (next would be the jicama tacos, but agsin a distant 2nd: the rainbow roll is amazing!), and the no-choice dessert is a matcha tiramisu, which we all loved. At spice prices, this is 5-star. At regular price it would be a 4, because it loses the value factor. This (getting 5) is why participating in Miami spice is a good idea for restaurants.
(5)
Carolina M.
Still loving this place. Came on a Sunday to the Bal harbour shops and we stopped there to have brunch. Recommend a reservation as they are normally fully booked. Lots of people there and definitely a trendy spot. The food, as usual was solid!. The watermelon ceviche was great. Fresh and well prepared. All the ingredients used are top quality. Edamame was a little overcooked for my taste. The short rib yaki noodles were fantastic. Very flavorful. We also had the king salmon. Very fresh and perfectly done, like salmon should be cooked. medium rare. We also ordered 2 rolls and they were both fantastic. : Spicy yellowtail (fave) and the rainbow roll. Very good. I am only giving 4 stars because of the service. This time around was a little slow. We sat outside and yes, it was pretty busy but never too crowded. And for a while we sat there with our water glasses and beers empty. Additionally, the bathrooms were kind of dirty. At a place inside the Bal Harbour Shops, were everything is so upscale and expensive, the least they can do would be having nice , spotless bathrooms. I found them in need of a remodeled of at least a good deep cleaning.
(4)
Katherine D.
There are many restaurant options in Bal Harbor, but this is one you shouldn't miss. I went with two friends for lunch and we sat outside, but there was plenty of space inside too. Makoto is a good restaurant for groups because you can order various dishes to share. We had the cold sesame noodles which had an incredible unique tasting sauce. Additionally we ordered the tuna pizza, frosty Kobe fried rice, king salmon, and the Kobe beef entree. Everything was rich in flavor and filling. The salmon came with Brussels sprouts and miso soup. To drink, I ordered the green tea caipiroska which would remind you of a mojito. The service was good and overall it was a delicious meal. I truly believe anything on this menu would be good, but with what we ordered, we enjoyed a variety of fresh flavors. My favorite dishes were the Kobe beef and the fried rice. I would absolutely come back here again.
(5)
Thien H.
$2.50 for a small glass of coke, okay fine. Another $2.50 for one refill on the small glass of coke, Makoto? Really?! So odd. I feel like the server should have warned us. On this second visit to Makoto we went with the $50 Sashimi Combo (sashimi on ice) again. It didn't come with a cute little tree/leaf decoration this time so I was a little disappointed. The fish was high-quality, tender, and stringyness-free like usual. The crispy rice and tuna $12 was also tasty but I can't honestly tell you if it's that much better than RA sushi's happy hour $7 crispy rice spicy tuna. Spicy yellowtail eight piece roll $12 was as expected. I feared that the Frosty Kobe Fried Rice $18 would underwhelm me, but to my surprise I could taste and find pieces of foie gras in there. The server mixed the jidori egg in the hot rice at our table which made for a nice presentation. The portion is kinda small though. We went with the makoto ramen $14 again. It was very spicy like last time, but there were definitely less bean sprouts and other fillers in the soup :( However, I am appreciative that they automatically offer to split the order into two separate bowls so we don't have to share the bowl. Dress cute because this place is snobby and filled with hilariously snobby diners. This time gratuity was not automatically added to our bill, which was nice. Gurl coulda warned us about that coke refill charge, just sayin'. Get your Bal Harbour Shops parking garage ticket validated for a discount on the parking.
(4)
Mel F.
AMAZING!!!!! Everything is Delicious... Great place with an amazing vibe! Make sure you make a reservation before, they're normally fully booked everyday.
(5)
Alex K.
We came here for an appetizer and a drink and left with full bellies. We got the Kobe beef that you cook yourself on a hot stone, which is not only delicious but so fun and different than just sitting and eating. The mall atmosphere is beautiful and I would definitely recommend going. We sat at the cute bar courtyard that's within the mall and had an amazing time.
(5)
G N.
I love sushi. You walk in this place and it makes you want to eat sushi - the three separate dining areas are novel and each very pretty. And there are some inventive dishes at Makoto. The Kobe beef served with the hot river stone, for example, is phenomenal, although the heavy-handed instruction to first dip the beef in the dipping sauce is unfortunate - the beef has enough taste to stand on its own without the sauce, which detracts from the natural taste of the beef. This brings me to the overriding problem with Makoto: the service is exceptionally poor. And at a high-end (and let's be honest, over-priced) restaurant like Makoto, the service should at least be decent. From the hostesses to the servers to the busing staff, they just aren't well-trained, and it shows. I've been a half-dozen times in the past six months, and there have always been issues. Slow, inattentive service, combined with a we-know-more-than-you approach, steers me back to Sawadee, the BYO joint on 72nd, which has comparable sushi, excellent service, and is about one-third the price.
(2)
Brenda P.
Makoto has been on my must-try list for a LONG LONG time. The scoop: LOVED the food, but found the ambiance and decor mediocre. Thankfully, the food delivered in a big way! As usual, our party of 4 ordered too much food. At least it gave us a chance to sample a great variety of food in one sitting. Mango Passion- VERY good Lychee Martini- Didn't try it, but my friend loved it. Sake- Ginjo Dewazakura- a must! Kobe Beef Carpaccio- Delicate, delicious, perfect! Toro Tartare- Good, but not a table favorite. Spicy Yellowtail- Great! Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice- Good, but the tuna mixture had an odd texture to it. Tuna Pizza- One of my favorites! Rock Shrimp Tempura- Great! Exploding with flavor. Frosty Kobe Fried Rice- My favorite! Foie gras and topped with a gorgeous jidori egg. Incredible. Japanese Risotto- Cooked table side and very good. It would have been enough with the fried rice order. We still ate it. That's how we roll (or rather-rolled- out of there) Miso Chilean Sea Bass- It's not PB Steak or Nobu's cod (both with a similar preparation), but it's damn close and simply EXCEPTIONAL! The crispy kale was an added bonus. Short rib + Truffle Miso- The truffle miso on top was incredible. Unfortunately, the short rib was overcooked by a whole lot. Salmon Avocado Maki- Simple, but fresh and delicious. Dessert- Nothing stood out. We ordered the lava chocolate cake. I had a bite and didn't feel the need to have more. Blah. Makoto resides inside the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops. With matching menu prices (ended up being about $100 pp), I expected the luxury of the area and shops to spill into the restaurant. As I walked towards the restaurant, I passed several other restaurants (on a Saturday night) where diners were nicely dressed. Imagine my surprise to find, diners (probably tourists) in ripped shorts, caps, tees and flip flops all around mixed in with the (mostly) appropriately dressed locals. Hmmmm, was I at the right place? I then looked around and noticed the rather simple, brightly lit decor (very unlike the photos I had seem online). I know, I know, it's not about the looks. Except, it's Saturday night, I've reserved at a "supposed" upscale restaurant. I was expecting the full "polished" package: ambiance + decor + service + incredible food. We sat on one of the high traffic, partial booths near the kitchen. All night long, all we saw was a constant parade of staff and diners walk past us. N O N S T O P. Dizzying, to say the least. In hindsight, we should have requested to move. Service was good enough, but again, extremely casual. Will I return? yes! The food is well worth it. I don't think it tops NAOE or NOBU, but it IS damn good. Next time though, I will make sure to polish my best flip flops to fit in with the "crowd" and leave my stilettos at home. Maybe.
(4)
Rach K.
Not bad... I knew this place would be overpriced because of its location inside the Bal Harbour shops but I hoped the food would live up to the pricing. We sat outside, and it was a really pretty setting. I thought the portions were actually decent but the fish was just so-so. One of the girls ordered a soft-shell crab roll which was good, but it was made up of half fake crab. My other friend ordered a tuna and scallion roll and a spicy yellowtail roll. The tuna was a little fishy. The yellowtail was decent but I've had better. It was unfortunate; I thought being so close to the ocean meant that the fish would be super duper fresh. I ordered a bento box with the short ribs. They were pretty good but oversalted. The staff were friendly and accommodating.
This place is GREAT! There is a wide variety of sushi and the appetizers are delicious. i would recommend the crispy tuna rise as an appetizer. As for the main course, i would say anything from the menu will do because everything there is fantastic, its fresh and has amazing taste and presentation. This place is a must if you are visiting Miami.
(5)
Anita G.
This is one of my fav sushi places! It's located at the overpriced Bal Harbour mall but the food and prices are super fair! The sushi is big and has a very thin later of rice on the outside of the rolls which for me is perfect (the less rice the better!). My fav roll there is the spicy yellowtail. Service could always improve...oh, Miami!
(4)
Spencer A.
Wow! This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. Not just great sushi, but other things like grilled vegetables and salads are spectacular. Amazing service. Amazing people watching. Located next to Saks in Bal Harbor. I loved it.
(5)
Mendy C.
8/5/2014 Came here to try their Miami Spice 2014 menu. Quite disappointed...food was not taste good as usual, I think it is not worth it. I rather order something else from the regular menu or definitely omakase always the best!
(4)
Sarah C.
This place is VERY popular, and very pretty. It's a little hard to find if you don't know your way around the shops - I think it's to the left of the parking entrance? The courtyard seating is first come first served - just grab a table/bar seat if you see one open up. I sat on a nice couch at a table outside right next to a fire lamp, and it was super cozy and nice. The food was fine. Nice portions, a little pricey perhaps. I had the spicy tuna roll and the short rib udon noodles. Both were very good, but not terribly impressive. I'm a little lost as to why this place is on Eater's top 38 for Miami. The service was really lovely. If I lived in Miami I'd probably go back to try more on the menu, and maybe a second trip would bring it up to four stars, but probably not five. If I could be more specific, I'd say this is a 3.5.
(3)
Tal T.
Hello, delicious! Makoto is a solid choice for delicious food served in a lovely ambiance. We ate: Shishito peppers. Delicious, robust flavor. Mild spice - definitely not overpowering. This dish stood out above the others because of its presentation, ample portion, and bold flavors. It was served with extremely thin slices of serrano ham shaved atop the peppers. In fact, the ham was so thin that it danced around as the meat sizzled on the hot peppers. Fascinating effect, and while I didn't taste the meat, my hubby assured me it added a nice smokiness to the dish. Robata Cauliflower. Again, beautiful presentation and a level of depth in this dish you would not expect from something so seemingly simple Oh Toro. I mean it's fatty tuna. It's freaking delicious. If you do not think you like sashimi, please order toro and ask yourself that question again. Here, it was well-priced at $12 for two slices. Also a stand-out. Must-order. Spicy Yellowtail Roll. Well-balanced but mild with quality fresh fish. I would have enjoyed it a little spicier. When something is titled "spicy," I expect a kick! Rainbow Roll. Fresh fish, beautifully served. Sesame seeds were a tad too pronounced in this roll. There were a couple of hiccups with the service. We ordered martinis, and mine was tinged with the flavor of whatever sweet-tini was made in the bartender's tin before my supposed-to-be-crisp-and-clean vodka martini. Some may have just sucked it up, but when I am paying $13+ for a drink, I expect to enjoy it, so I sent mine back. It took another 20 minutes after the original 15 minutes to get my new drink, so I received my first and only drink of the night about half way through dinner. Really, that's unacceptable. About halfway through our meal, we were approached by a busser, who asked if we would like new plates. This was odd, because we had already had both sushi and hot items, so we said no thank you. He took our plates anyway, and there we were with a few glorious pieces of yellowtail waiting for us to devour them, and no plates on which to do so. Another busser also swiped our wasabi without asking (my hubby wasn't done wit it), and another asked mid-bite if we were done with an item that was clearly still being eaten. The awkward moments with service would be addressed easily by a hands-on manager who was involved with service from the beginning. Our server was trying, but he had many other tables so I don't blame it on him. 18% tip included is fine, but a little strange for a party of two in this part of town. Total for our dinner: $110 including everything for a party of two. Bottom Line: Excellent, well-priced food in an inspiring setting. Service rated "needs improvement."
(4)
Ava F.
Literally my favorite restaurant---come here twice a week. The best are the "Short-rib Yaki Noodles" and the "Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice". The house salad is also delicious. --- tips: If you will be in the Bal Harbour area make a reservation, as the restaurant fills up fast. If you don't have a reservation, the terrace by the stores is self seating. If you order a soda, as for it with the can as each glass is $2.50 and they only give you about 1/3 of the can!
Cool spot. Similar to Tao Vegas but so different at the same time. Great menu. Delicious rolls. Service was fantastic, not sure why so many people trashed their service. Good restaurant and not over priced. Will return. We were a party of 8 and were seated within minutes. Great food and was a busy restaurant.
(5)
Michael P.
My wife has been bothering me about this place so we finally went to check it out. The decor is very nice and we were seated promptly because we had a reservation and it was a Monday so the place was half full. I Knew it was going to be pricey and i saw a review that the portions were generous. Nonetheless i came somewhat hungry and i am glad i did because the portions were nothing close to generous. We had the chicken robata , the kobe beef and the ramen makoto. The chicken was very tender and seasoned well so that was a good choice, next the kobe came out and it was fun because you get to cook it on a hot stone at your table! The bad thing is that the kobe is paper thin and practically tasteless because it is paper thin. The guy said dip it in the sesame first then cook it but the rock got sticky and burned after 3 dips so it did not help the beef. The ramen made the night because it was plentiful and delicious, it was very similar to the flavors at khong river house and if you have not been there it is the bomb so as you can tell the ramen was good. On to the service which was understaffed they had one girl running around serving everyone so we had to sit and wait 10 minutes before ordering but the food came out quick. All in all it was alright for tooo much money but that's bal harbor.
(3)
Mark H.
Be prepared to pay out the Sea Bass for this food unless your a poster child for global wealth disparity. This is not your local take out sushi joint. This was a departure for me. Normally I stick to cheap food in general. I tend to think food is like wine. Once you get over a certain minimum price threshold, you really stop paying for the quality of you food and start paying for snootiness and hype. The wife, though, had just done something important and deserved a night out, and if you're a smart husband you'll know that a night out isn't an obligation, it's an opportunity. The wife loves sushi a little too much. Sometimes I get jealous of fresh tuna filets, because I know she'll never love me exactly that way; she'll never devour me like a hand-crafted sashimi roll or tenderly pick me up with chopsticks and bite me in half...er...not that I want to be bitten in half. It occurred to me while I was considering a purchase of a seaweed underwear that instead of trying to BE a wild Alaskan salmon filet, I could use a little Pavlov to get her to associate me with sushi, sushi with me. Enter Makoto. My plan required one thing though - the best sushi in Miami. Because if she's going to associate me with sushi, it better not be a slimy $5 roll. The kind that leaves you wondering if sushi is really worth ruining the ocean ecosystem for. No, it needed to be the kind of sushi that creates such a state of euphoria that you know that the even the last Bluefin Tuna would sigh, nod his head, and understand that the extinction of his species was perfectly reasonable considering the temporary pleasure his flesh brought to your mouth. Dolphin and tuna pity is bogus anyways. It's natural selection. If they didn't want to go extinct, they shouldn't have evolved to taste so damn good. I let the wife do most of the ordering, because it always tastes better if you choose it. There was some crab roll and some other stuff too, I don't really remember the specifics. I do remember that it was some of the best sushi I've ever had, and the perfect tool for the task at hand. I started by jamming her mental faculties with some mixed drink. Pavlov was able to condition dogs, which are significantly less intelligent than my wife, even in sushi stupor, and to be safe I knew I need to liquor her into a more suggestible, canine state. As usual, when the food began to arrive her vision began to tunnel and she began to lose focus on her surroundings, zoning onto the platter in an almost hypnotic state. "I'm the sushi," I murmured softly. "Maaaaark is suuuuuushi..." The good news is that it worked. At the end of the meal she was very pleased. I could tell by the way she smiled, sighed comfortably and looked at me that the associations were working; she thought I was sushi. I'd done it. I successfully conditioned her into feeling like she was eating great sushi by simply being in my presence. Life's been great since. No arguments, no disagreements, she just stares at me dreamily and occasionally bites me. There are problems at times. Occasionally if I walk into a room at a dinner party her eyes may glaze over and saliva may begin to drip down her shirt as she stares at me. I'm investing in some adult-sized bibs. It's a price I'm willing to pay. At least I'm not wearing seaweed underwear.
(5)
Eve C.
Service in a "fine dining" establishment such as Makoto should be top-notch. The bottom line is that Makoto's wasn't. To say that service was an epic fail would be just about on-point. But the food was amazing. And for that, I can't help but give Makoto 4 stars. It's been a couple weeks since I had dinner at Makoto, and while the epic service fail has been largely forgotten, the memory of the spicy tuna on crispy rice is still at the forefront of my mind. I cannot wait to go back and indulge in those perfect bites of cool, spicy tuna and crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside rice. I was pleasantly shocked at how reasonably priced Makoto's sushi offerings were, especially considering the price tag of the stores surrounding it in the Shops of Bal Harbour! We managed to stuff ourselves silly for the low price of about $30 per person! Makoto offers a wide assortment of non-sushi Japanese fare that all sounds (and looks) delectable. I hope to return to check that out sometime, but I know that I will most certainly be back for my new chart-topper spicy tuna/crispy rice favorite!
(4)
Kazuna A.
we werent greeted by anyone at the door. There was a manager and some hostess. i was irritated when i saw him escort other womens came up after me. he didnt greet us , not even eye contact! I think he just couldnt see me however i was infront of him. Worth to just try it, but never again.
(2)
Ian T.
A great, upscale modern-Japanese eatery in the high-end Bal Harbour shops. Be warned, its not even close to cheap. The sushi and sashimi were creamy and popping with flavor. The ramen was excellent, as were some of the specialty dishes we sampled, like the spicy tuna on crispy rice. The beef carpaccio was also outstanding. The wife and I also loved the tiger prawn and thai basil Robata (basically a grilled skewer similar to yakitori). The two skewers were smoky and grilled perfectly (a real skill with shrimp so as to neither undercook nor overcook and thus render them powdery). The prawns themselves were large and firm. As much as we enjoyed what we received, we also gazed in jealousy at our neighbors who -- apparently hosted by a member of the Starr Restaurant Group that funds Makoto -- knew exactly what to get and were treated to dish after dish of what looked and smelled to be supremely tempting delicacies. The following day, we had to be in the area again and, as it's a long drive for us, decided to try lunch. I have to say that their Bento lunch special is actually quite reasonably priced, and the taste is the same high-quality, delicious modern Japanese cuisine. Even their wasabi vegetable fried rice was savory without being greasy. Special mention for the decor, whose dark, grained wood and beautiful sushi bar was both evocative of a Japanese eating house, but also very modern. When we saw Chef Makoto pop-up as a judge on Top Chef Masters shortly after our visit, let's just say that having recently eaten there, I wasn't surprised that he was such a well-respected chef.
(5)
Jessica S.
Delicious sushis and asian-inspired dishes. My family's favorite was the miso glazed sea bass. Trendy atmosphere and very friendly staff. Great wine list as well.
(5)
Ash G.
Makoto Amazing food Great service Exceptional atmosphere (beautiful indoor and outdoor seating available) Favorites on the menu: Kobe beef on the hot stone Sashimi/sushi Hamachi ponzu Beef carpaccio
(5)
Ting W.
Very Overrated. This is the second Steven Star restaurant and I am definitely not looking forward to another. Portions are tiny, the sashimi was not fresh, the "crispy rice with spicy tuna" was mediocre, rainbow roll was good because of the real crab, but the fish on top were not fresh at all! Everything here is over priced and their "outdoor" bar is too small and allows people to smoke? yuck.
(2)
S S.
Writing this review as I still sit here.... Waited 1.5 hours to sit outside when only two tables were ahead of us.... Thought it was busy but now that I've dined I realize it's because the service is severely short handed. There are questionably two servers for the outside patio on a Friday night. Seriously? Could barely get a water refill, app never arrived... Food was good but not that good! Won't be back.
(2)
Lance W.
Another Japanese Restaurant bites the dust. This place is reminiscent of Zuma, with the exception of the service which was lacking. The food was great: Beef carpaccio, sweet corn, watercress salad, skirt steak and the sushi is well worth the try as well. I do recommend this place especially if the service improves.
(3)
Mrs V.
Awesome choices for vegetarians. Order: Vegan something rolls The garden rolls Veg fried rice: right mount of moisture no need for soy sauce. Japanzella: salad with fried sesame tofu and soft tofu with tomato and cucumber and ginger dressing. Chilli strings Broccoli tempura: small pieces of broccoli.., fried but not oily.., with tempura sauce. Desert: passion fruit cream with white chocolate ganache and mango sorbet on almond crunch and marshmallows Each flavor melted in the mouth Shout out to O.D. (Oscar Daniel) Our attentive and service oriented server... Best ever !!!
(5)
Cristy D.
Good food and service. I highly recommend this restaurant. Here is a breakdown of each item I got Sushi- pretty good; the presentation was nice and the flavor was good Fried rice- flavorful and very light Peppers- my favorite! The flavor is very good and they are fun to eat; you are always debating whether you will get one that is sweet or hot. One out of 10 will burn you mouth, but they are still amazing Risotto- I love this dish and the truffle oil really tops it off; serves about 4 people; a little heavy but very good Rock shrimp tempura- these are great in taste and flavor; highly recommended Miso soup- it was okay, compared to the rest of the meal
(4)
Laure M.
Very good japanese restaurant inside the beautiful mall of Bal Harbour. The menu is comprehensive and features authentic japaneses dishes, sushis and other specials. The bento box for lunch is a great and delicious deal. The two patios are very enjoyable to eat outside. Service is very attentive with many waiters for each table!
(4)
Liane W.
I can't recall why I gave this 4 stars earlier this year, but I'm upping it now. :) Came back for my birthday and absolutely love-love-loved this restaurant the most out of my entire food-filled-gut-bursting-oh-so-satisfying birthday bash weekend. The boy and I have back-to-back birthdays, so you can imagine how much celebrating occurs with both family and friends. Hold onto those fat-day pants. You'll need it! lol (Or at least I will... :'() Anyway, service is always wonderful at this restaurant. You barely notice when they refill water; they're diligent about clearing plates; everyone is super polite from when they ask if you need something cleared, topped off, or even if you need a picture taken. Here are our menu favorites! FOOD + Makoto House Salad: This still hasn't changed. This has been a fav from Day 1. It is light and refreshing. The dressing is soooo deliciously extraordinary simply because it's not standard fare. + Short rib yaki noodles: We ordered this again, but it was 1 of 2 carb dishes. Soooo... note to self: Stephen and I agreed! Get only 1 or we get stuffed. I prefer this dish because of its sweetness, but the boy prefers the... + Frosty Kobe (Beef) Fried Rice: I'll admit. This is definitely delicious. If you're more of a rice fan than a noodles fan, you'll like this better. There's a fried egg on top, but don't forget to mix up the frosty beef with the rice to heat things up. + Sake Sashimi (or king salmon sashimi): This. This is like buttah, babe. Order it if you like sashimi. It's gently crooning your name as you move your chopsticks closer, and then as it goes down, it's like a sigh of delight. LOOK OKAY. I'm practically writing a song here. + Rainbow roll: I honestly was stuffed at this point. I think I had one piece, and it was of the yum. DRINKS Ok ok... I've had a couple cocktails here before, but this last time I went, I had a Passionfruit Pisco Sour. This note is more for me than for you (lol). Liane, don't forget to reorder this. If you are like me, and like sweet sweet candied alcoholic beverages that are better suited for 12 year olds, get this. It's delicious. Can definitely taste the kick of the alcohol, but it's a luscious kick. :) DESSERT I'm not much for mochi (not a fan of the texture). But, I ordered a scoop of green tea ice cream, and it was mmmmm. Definitely more matcha, which is exactly my preference. (Not a fan of the "floral" green tea ice creams that abound in some locations.) So oui. :) Enjoy! Note to self: Try another roll, one of the crispy rice things, AND get the unagi next time we come back.
(5)
Imran K.
Good atmosphere. Good food. Small portions compared to other chain restaurants. It's worth a try if you never been. Be ready to drop some guap though
(4)
Sebastiana B.
I have been wanting to try out makoto for a while and unfortunately was not as great as I expected. Server could have been more knowledgeable and helpful with menu selections. Food was good not amazing. I had the tuna crispy rice, short rib yaki, kobe fried rice, rock shrimp tempura, japanese eggplant, a rainbow roll, & a fruit and sorbet tobanyaki for desert. My favorites were the crispy rice and rock shrimp tempura, & the short rib robota. Even though the short rib could have had more meat. Over all i had a good time for my boyfriends birthday.
(3)
Christina K.
Our second time at Makoto but our first sitting at the sushi bar. We wanted to interact with the chefs and have omakase (chef's choice) and it was a great experience! I am a bit of a sushi fanatic and Yasuda in NY is one of my all time favs. I have also dined at Nakazawa, Sushi of Gari and other famous sushi restaurants in NY and Makoto definitely ranks on the list. Their selection was fresh and thoughtfully prepared with scents of yuzu, shiso leaves, caviar, etc where needed. It was a bit more of an elaborate preparation than what I would go for but the flavors all made sense together so it wasn't over the top. There were two chefs we were speaking to and both were fun, laid back and clearly loved their art. I think the only thing I took away from the experience to truly make it amazing was that there was too much ambient noise and smells around to enjoy just the sushi. Eating is all five senses and smelling BBQ while eating a delicate piece of fish was sometimes distracting. Of course it is a busy restaurant that serves other menu items and to be expected so this is a personal preference, but for me, I love it when I can focus on the sushi. Service was excellent and we were pleasantly surprised by our end bill. We each had about 20+ pieces and a roll and it was about $100/each for the omakase. We will be back!
(4)
Gina T.
Makoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. I live practically across the street from Bal Harbour Shops, so my boyfriend and I come to Makoto at least once a week. These are a few of my favorite dishes: Tuna pizza Dynamite hand roll Makoto house salad King crab robata Uni (although it's been hard to come by lately) Chef's choice sashimi sampler The food is consistently fresh and delicious and the staff is always accommodating. There is a reason Makoto is always busy!
(5)
Kariza M.
This is the best place for Japanese Cuisine I have been lately in Miami! Very exotic menu, filled with tasty and unique ingredients, amazing outdoor area surrounded by the tropical landscape of The Bal Harbor Shops. It's definitely my new favorite place! Thumbs up and highly recommend!
(5)
Luis H.
Service was good, the waiters were being so friendly to my gay friend who suffers from autism after he started screaming "CALL ME TARZAN CUZ I SWING FROM DICK TO DICK"
(4)
Patrick J.
Poor service. Attitude of the people working there is inexplicably snooty. Perhaps they feel that location in Bal Harbor should be sufficient compensation for overpriced poor quality food and worse service. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this pretentious joint
(1)
Nate T.
I've been coming here for a year now and I can say that they have fine quality sushi. Makoto is a fun restaurant with a cool reggae ambiance that is filled with positive vibes. I really enjoy the company of the servers because they are very knowledgable of the menu. We have no problems asking for special meal request from the servers and chefs. What I like most about Makoto is the way they present their food, it is purely a form of art the Japanese practice. When we order a variety of sashimi we always look forward to the presentation. Yoshi, Taka, Anderson, Jerry, and Jesus were all great and fun chefs that entertain us when we sit at the sushi bar.
(5)
Michelle M.
Makoto has been on my must-try list of restaurants for quite some time now. I feel that, ever since it opened its doors at Bal Harbour Shops four years ago, this Stephen Starr sushi resto has been eluding me... Every time I made plans to try it, somehow they fell through! This past weekend I decided to finally try it with one of my best friends, who happens to have lived in Tokyo and is both a sushi connoisseur, and an extremely picky foodie. One thing you must know about my approach to trying new restaurants is that I always make it a point to find their "signature dish". You know, the one that will stand out from the rest and will make me want to come back for more over and over again. If you've ever had Yardbird's Fried Green Tomato BLT or Hillstone's Thai Steak and Noodle Salad, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Let me tell you, this one-hit approach of mine does NOT apply to Makoto. You see, at this place, every single dish that I had was worth coming back for! Though I was just there last night, I'm still savoring each and every single bite. It is that special. We started off with some cocktails and tried the very recommended roasted pineapple margarita. The spicy rim and roasted-pineapple-infused tequila gave it a distinct taste that paired perfectly well with our first appetizer, the incredibly popular Crispy Rice Tuna. Let me tell you, this dish was BRILLIANT. The rice was crunchy and chewy at the same time, the perfect texture to combine with the tuna, and topped with a thin slice of poblano chili, which just tickled your tongue without quite kicking it. A total hit! This was followed by the beautifully presented Kobe Beef and Truffle Carpaccio, which, from the name, you can probably already guess that it was nothing short of fantastic. A very elegant dish topped with tiny chopped garlic and a thin slice of ginger that balanced it nicely and gave it some texture. Lets talk about the main dish, shall we? The Makoto Ramen was heavenly. Despite the fact that ramen is usually considered a comfort food in Japan and often found at fast food joints, Makoto puts a nice twist on it, making it gourmet by adding perfectly tender short rib to it. This, plus the noodles and the pickled cabbage on top made it an incredibly savory dish. If you order it, make sure to separate a few pieces of the short rib to appreciate it on its own. It was so soft and fatty that it just melted in my mouth. I want more already! I have a feeling that, just like me, once you go to Makoto you'll want to try every single dish that passes by in front of your table, but I urge you: as difficult as it might be, leave some space for dessert. And not just any dessert. THE dessert: Fruit Toban Yaki. 100% homemade, this beauty consists of fresh fruit, served in a bowl full of white chocolate passion fruit sauce, ginger graham cracker crumble, marshmallows and a scoop of mango sorbet. I know it sounds like a lot of flavors, but trust me, they blend in perfectly together. This dish has officially entered my top 3 best desserts in Miami. At the risk of sounding repetitive, let me conclude by saying that Makoto is most definitely one of the top restaurants in Miami, and one of my new faves. The food has a level of sophistication and creativity that you would expect from a Stephen Starr restaurant, and the price is very reasonable for the quality and the amazing experience and service. Needless to say... I will be back for more soon!
(5)
Grace R.
I love sushi, and Makoto does a very good job of it, but it gets 5 stars from me because it executes so well on everything else as well: it has one of the few robata grills in all of Miami, it has some ultra-rare meats and other treats that are top quality, and the desserts have a unique 'east meets west' (think "green tea tiramisu", for example). Makoto is unquestionably the top table in Bal Harbor (which is losing relevance as the pre-eminent shopping destination in Miami as places defect to the up and coming Wynwood area, and Aventura Mall). Even with validation, you will still be paying for your parking here. The chef here is an obvious talent, and I share the opinion of one of the other reviews asking him to incorporate at this location some of the magical Izakaya dishes that were served up at a 'pop up' meal held in another great Miami restaurant: Pubbelly.
(5)
Yung Min L.
Possibly some of the nicest food that I've had anywhere. Beautiful interior and a very good menu, and relatively reasonable considering its location. The mushroom risotto was excellent, and their desserts are pretty amazing!
(5)
AL K.
Iron chef Makoto worked w Iron chef Morimoto and I just had to dine here. The quality of their ingredients ars top notch. Service is friendly but the busboys are too eager to take your dish even when you are not yet done. Every dish we had was just incredible. The desssert was a delightful surprise,it was a 15min wait but it was worth it. Toban Yaki,its love at first bite!!!
(4)
Tal H.
One of the rare finds in the world, super fine desert! Just make sure you book a table in advance. And pretty pricy, so not for a weekly spot
(5)
Cynthia J.
This was probably the most inexpensive meal (at a fine cruise restaurant) I've experience since my vacation here in Miami. And this is in Bal Harbor, so it speaks volumes. :-) Fresh sushi and they have fried rice!!! Say what?!? LOL Pros- Outside siting, price and service
(5)
Elisa M.
I know a lot of japanese food, and I love it, so I am always open to try new places. This place is not bad in terms of food quality, presentation and freshness of ingredients, but overall I find it too expensive for what they offer. I think this place is tourist-oriented, they don´t have a lot of options in the menu, and the ones they have are quite special, inventive, elaborated and somehow original (mixing japanese and some latin tastes), but if you are local and you like to eat good and simple japanese food, I know other places where you can do so without paying this much. I recommend the hamachi ponzu as a starter, and the Japanzanella salad, it was really delicious and very original with the rice cubes. The rainbow roll was disapppointing, fish slices were thin as paper and the roll was dry and tasted just avocado and sesame. They have several options for hot teas, don´t miss the herb citrus tea if you like to dine with hot drinks! :) * One curiosity: I suspect the "soy sauce" they put on the table is not soy sauce but a mikder version (maybe soy sauce with water) or dashi, so it doesn´t cover up the taste of sashimi and sushi, it might be too mild if you like the saltiness of soy sauce and you dislike the taste of raw fish.
(3)
Vanessa V.
This restaurant was phenomenal! We came for our anniversary and I'm so glad we did. The ambiance inside was very romantic, with dim lighting and candles on each table. Definitely a place for date nights. The manager sat us and took the time to explain the menu to us, and he helped us choose what sake to try. Our waiter was just as helpful. Excellent service. We had the kobe beef carpaccio, the corn robata, and the wagyu short rib robata as our appetizers. The corn was so different, with a hint of spice, and a crunchy texture. The short rib skewers were amazing! It was the perfect blend of meat and fat, melt in your mouth good. For our entrees we had the kobe fried rice, the sashimi sampler, and the kobe beef which is cooked table-side on a hot river stone. The rice was very good, and the kobe beef was tender and flavorful. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because our food did not come out in the order that we requested. We understood that everything comes out at different times, but we asked that at least the appetizers come out before the entrees, in whatever order they were ready. We suggested that they wait until we got the appetizers to put in the entree order, but it didn't work out. Unfortunately the HUGE sashimi sampler came out first with the rice. So there was barely any space at the table for when the appetizers came out. And the rice was not as hot anymore by the time the kobe beef came out. :( I can't wait to go back though, everything was worth coming back for again and again. I'll just order the appetizers and entrees separately :)
(4)
Vanessa B.
Definitely one of the best restaurants in Miami. Great food, ambiance, and service. The restaurant itself is very trendy and fun so it is always very nice to go to.
(5)
Jonathan V.
Oh my, what can I say about Makoto. It is simply amazing! And when I say amazing, I mean amazing. For those that like Japanese, and especially sashimi and sushi, will definitely enjoy this restaurant. Now it's not the cheapest place, but I can guarantee that you will enjoy it. My review will basically be explaining how delicious there raw fish and seafood is, and I will be extremely biased because of how much I enjoyed it. I had the $50 sashimi sampler and it did not disappoint. I had rare cuts of fish that I've never had before and probably will not find anywhere else. The UNI was like butter, delicious butter from the sea. Even my wife, who does not normally do sashimi, liked it also. The Toro Tartare was also amazing. The creme fraiche and the rice crisp give the toro a nice flavor, especially with the wasabi. Although I said the review would be mainly about the sashimi and raw items, I would like to mention several other delicious items we enjoyed of. The roast corn had an amazing flavor, somewhat smoky and spicy. The molten chocolate cake dessert was also very good. The ice cream that it was served with was wrapped in these rice crisps which gave it a wonderful texture. All in all, this restaurant is something I dream of. The food was just delicious and the service was even better. Happy eating!!
(5)
Theresa L.
Situated at the bal harbor shops. Beautiful and elegant decor, friendly staff. Got there around noon on Saturday and the place is pretty empty. We ordered the frosty Kobe fried rice, absolutely delicious (tip: flip the egg over, break the yolk and mix it well with the rice). Next we got the $50 sushi sampler. A warm bowl of fruit and mango sorbet for dessert! We had a wonderful dining experience, highly recommended.
(4)
Kathryn S.
I'm not a huge fan of places that are known for their sushi (since I don't eat it), so I was hesitant that I would like Makoto. Luckily, I was proven wrong by their wide array of choices and delicious menu. I visited the restaurant with a few veterans so I felt comfortable with them giving me advice on what I should eat. I really wanted to try the Japanese risotto, but was unable to get it since we were pressed for time. With recommendations from my fellow patrons, I decided to share the chicken noodle ramen and the vegetable fried rice with someone. Both were very good, but if I had to choose a favorite, I choose the vegetable fried rice. I really liked Makoto, and I would like to visit again. Next time I go, I'd like to go with ample time so that I can get the Japanese risotto that I initially wanted.
(4)
William H.
Excellent choice for my birthday. We had the Bento and the mango sorbet in a fruit sauce for dessert... Out of this world ... see photos.
(5)
Andre G.
Last two times we were there we ordered the large sashimi platter and twice we were given the sushi platter. The fish is always good though and they replaced with the correct dish pretty quick.
(4)
Jessie L.
It pains me to write this review, but after consistent poor service at Makoto I have to say that I'm really disappointed at what used to be my favorite sushi restaurant in Miami. Makoto has been one of my and my family's favorite restaurants of all time since they've opened. The decline in service has reached a point that we will never go there again, and hope to caution you, dear reader, from spending your time and money here. We gave it a couple goes with the poor service, hoping it was just unusual circumstance. But it isn't. From the time you walk in to the time you BEG to leave because you just want to get out of there, while the food is great, the service falls flat on it's face. We elected to sit at the empty sushi bar as we didn't want to sit outside and get pegged by Mosquitos. Out of the entire empty sushi bar, the hostess tried to sit us THISCLOSE to the one other couple at the bar. When we asked to sit one chair away from them so we could have some breathing room, she told us there were separate waiters for the one chair difference so she would have to ask if it was ok..... Ok.... We should have left then. We waited 16 min to be asked what water we wanted, 17 min to be served tap water and soggy, overdone edamame and 18 min to put in our first order of crispy rice and eel (when it finally came 19 min later it was delicious). An average of 20 min in between being checked in with but we tried to be good natured and order a final round of sea bass and Kobe fried rice with cocktails. The food came out 21 min before the cocktails. As we sobered up over the sea bass and fried rice (nearly $100 worth of food) we realized that the glory days of Makoto were so over. We sent the final round of cocktails back and asked for the check - which after waiting 22 minutes for we went to the front and asked to just pay so we could leave. The manager did offer to comp the meal but that wasn't our intention - we just wanted decent service. The food was good - we paid and tipped the waiter out of integrity but if you are reading this review we advise you please pick another restaurant.
Makoto would get 5 stars if the indoor dining experience was as ambient as the outside experience. Granted its Miami and more often, outdoor seating is probably a general preference, I just felt the indoor could use a little more warmth and TLC. All esthetics aside, the food was absolutely outstanding. My boyfriend and I ordered a bunch of apps and sides which were all incredible but were completely blown away by the braised short rib robata with truffle miso appetizer. It was nothing short of just heavenly. We were going to order some rolls and entrees after but just ended up ordering more of the short ribs! We live in New York with comparably great sushi places, yet we still talk about how great this place was, and how we can't wait to go back. Service was excellent and it was such a pleasurable experience. Loved it!!
(4)
Robin D.
Makoto has never let me down. Some of my favs...rock shrimp tempura, Makoto house salad, watermelon ceviche, and the chocolate oozoo cake
(5)
Nicole M.
I have been there couple times with my girls, it was fantastic!!! Tapas style, family sharing style which I love!!!! Server is amazing! I really like one girl there, she s fantastic, she s really on top of everything, but her name is so difficult to pronounce. Food!!! Toro tartar, crab salad, crab hand roll , and risotto are highly recommended ... Can't wait to go back
(4)
B L.
I ate lunch here with the family. House salad is very good 5/5 Spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer 6/5 Unagi sushi 5/5 Various Rolls 4/5 New york steak 4+/5 (my kid ordered it what can I say) Service was actually pretty good, especially considering its Miami and in Bal Harbour. I would give it 5 stars if the traditional sushi like the hamachi or salmon were better quality and thicker cuts...they felt average at best (and this has been the case on many occasions trying sashimi at Makoto) Recommended if you want to stay away from carb haven Carpaccio - just know its almost 2x the price...
(4)
Andrew R.
Interesting menu. Good atmosphere. Will come back. Servers are nice. Try to come at an off time to get a good table.
(4)
Lisa S.
Amazing Makoto house salad! The baby beet Robato is a must have. Great sake choices. You will enjoy an amazing lunch or dinner....five stars!!
(5)
Vanessa C.
I visited Makoto with SOS on a Friday night. The restaurant is located in the Bal Harbour shops in Miami. I enjoyed the ambiance with the dim lighting and the dark furniture. The place was busy and the music was just the right volume. The service was great! Our table must have been visited by more than 3 different employees ranging from server to (possibly) manager. The server was very informative and gave us great suggestions. We ordered a variety of food... my favorite appetizer was the Brussels sprouts but everything we ordered was exceptional in my opinion. We also had salmon sashimi, tuna tare tare, a delicious white fish entree, and sake. My favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami so far. Cannot wait to return.
(5)
Adrienne C.
MIAMI SPICE IS NICE Went to Makoto Wednesday evening with a party of ten. Good scotch stone sour at outside bar $13.77 + tip Bartender never heard of a stone sour but I've resigned myself to always explaining it, except in California where every bartender knows how to make one. Inside, we were seated and given menus quickly. Orders taken, 8 from spice menu and 2 a la carte. I chose the Spicy tuna rice. I usually shy away from tuna and lean toward salmon but this was WONDERFUL; made a believer outta me. Must..explore..more..tuna..creations! Second course was the Short Rib Yaki Udon stir fry. Absatively exquisite!!! Took some home, family member peeked in box and said "spaghetti, eh?" I said, no, try it. With scrunched nose ( and I was soooo posed to grab it away and eat it myself,) he said ..."pretty good." Then he licked the plate CLEAN! he loved it so much that I cringe to think he might have even done that in the restaurant!.. I don't 'really' live with savages but sometimes they play them on TV. Desert was a scrumptious mango mochi accompanied by a small phenomenally delicious chocolate- truffle pretzel mousse-like wonderful -thingy- in- a -cup. ( I would have preferred a vat but hey...) Now, what was not superb . Our water glasses were never refilled nor could we refill our own glasses as liter water bottles on tables remained empty throughout. Waiter, (who took the order) ,at one point stood at one end of the long table and asked (holding food up in the air) "Who had the pork chop?" ( the Iberico Pork chop Robata.) He should have KNOWN. All three round dishes of slightly different sushi combinations entrees were placed in front of the wrong people. Two friends simply switched. The third. person,.the waiter came over, picked up his dish and we watched him place it on another table. It hadn't been touched but still... All the mochi/mousse combos were on a large serving dish and placed in the middle of the table. I know we were all wondering ; do we reach in and grab one?..., is there a serving implement?..., what do we put it ON in front of us?, are there spoons? individual serving plates?..Didn't have to ponder long as the waiter picked it up and AGAIN and placed on another table . THEN we all got individual portions on plates with spoons.....except me. I was talking.... glanced up, noticed most people were already finished and had to then signal the waiter and ask for mine,which I savored. At Denny's, a waitress who stands at the foot of a table and announces "Who got the grilled cheese sandwich" is to be expected. Here? No sir. All in all, I had a wonderful time, and I'm giving it the 5th star because no errors were insurmountable and I'm not the customer from hell and I for SURE will visit again . .. ...glancing at penny jar..wondering if I can go back next week....................... With tax and 18% tip added to the check, $52.
(5)
Tracey S.
Had dinner there last night with some friends for my boyfriends birthday... The service was great... The food was mouthwatering and the cocktails were refreshing.. Def will be coming back and bringing more friends... Def a must visit!!!!
(5)
K D.
The food here is amazing. Makoto is an upscale Japanese dining restaurant. We had a large party and everyones food was outstanding. A little pricey but you're in Bal Harbour, so thats expected. I got the brussel sprouts and hot pepper chicken. The flavors were a bit strong.I should have ordered white rice to neutralize all the different flavors and spices. If you're a foodie, give it a go, you're sure to enjoy.
(4)
Paul K.
This place killed it. Everything we had was super delicious. Especially the watermelon ceviche. I will come back just for that. The robata chicken wings tasted great & were cooked to perfection. Sushi, robata, maki, & entrees. Hans was our waiter & did a great job.
(5)
Angela M.
This was my first, and certainly not my last, experience here. My mom and I were doing a little xmas shopping at bal harbor, and we decided to pop in for lunch. Our server was so sweet and extremely professional and efficient. I'm sad i didn't get her name- she was a young blonde girl with glasses. She made our lunch even more special by just being awesome. The food was great. We split the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, the grilled japanese eggplant with miso sauce, and two pieces of toro sushi to start. Everything was outstanding. Perfect ten. Next, we split short rib yaki soba noodle stir fry appetizer. My mom and I were both BLOWN away! It's the best noodle dish i've ever had at a restaurant in my life. We also shared two rolls, which is where things started to go a little bit down hill. The crab salad in the rolls was a little fishy, in a bad way. We had the soft shell crab roll, which my mom said was good (i didn't try this roll). We also had the rock shrimp tempura roll, which the waitress reiterated the curry flavored coating it came with. It should have a good spicy mayo on top. I get that they're trying to be different in w world full of "bang bang shrimp-esque" dishes, but it's just an odd combo. Based on these two rolls, i would stick to the appetizer page! All in all, i cannot wait to return with my husband, and skip the rolls. I need more room for those amazing noodles.
(4)
Krys P.
My friends and I were so looking forward to trying Makoto because we heard such great reviews about it, from here and Miami Herald. Unfortunately, the whole experience was a big disappointment. The robata pork chop was flavorful enough but very dry. We ordered two types of sushi combo, but sadly of all the pieces, the spicy tuna tasted the best. Which means that they don't have high quality fish, though they excel in seasoning them to make mediocre fish tastes great. The short ribs yakisoba was quite delicious. Food was meh but service was total chaos. I would expect a restaurant situated in Bal Harbor Shops to do much better. The empty water carafe sat empty for long while, and when we got someone to refill it, he just set it down without filling our glasses first (which would be a nice gesture as apology for leaving the carafe empty). Also, the waitstaff had no clue who ordered what. Twice they made the mistake of putting down a plate in front of one of us, then came back a few minutes later to whisk it away as it belonged to someone else. Once they simply held up the plate and asked who ordered it. Excuse me? Even your average casual dining chain does a better job of noting down who orders what. Totally UNACCEPTABLE. Sorry but I've had better sushi and better service elsewhere. WON"T BE BACK.
(2)
Pedro C.
Ate during the 6pm seating. Had a reservation and asked for a table in which I could sit next to my girlfriend instead of across from her. The hostess denied my request because that meant she'd have to seat us at a 4 top. After she told me that wasnt possible, she went ahead and sat an older couple at a 4 top who were walk ins and requested the same exact thing after hearing my request....f'in hostess. Now the food. The cooked food was pretty decent. Ordered the tiger prawns, short rib, and the spicy tuna crispy rice. All were pretty good....4 stars for that. We also got the $50 sashimi. Now, people on yelp said this was the best sashimi in miami....um sorry, no. Not to bring ethinicity into this but, I'm asian and I've had much better, fresher sashimi. These yelp reviewers that are raving about the sashimi....probably not asian. Nonetheless, overall good experience, but I will be looking for another place for sashimi.
(3)
Julien D.
Not far from a four, but the service is so inconsistent that I cannot put a four star... When this place is good and you have the good server, well you are in for a good moment. Otherwise, you are in for a moment that will ruin your day... So beyond consistency, in the good days, the food is just excellent, and you will have a blast, for all the other days you will wonder if you ever will return... Being in one of the most luxurious mall of all, places like this, practicing the prices that are applied are entitled to be judged very severely towards their offering, and that is exactly what I am doing. I never complain about expensive, or even over expensive places, but the least I expect is flawless service and consistency...
(3)
Gurmeet S.
The food is very good - servers are excellent Manager Jennifer Johns lacks the experience / management skills. They could not give us a time for seating us but kept repeating come every 15 minutes - waited for 1.5 hours and still same answers Find it hard to believe how a manager and the front reception do not know how much time it will take to seat a party of 3 persons.total mismanagement at the front reception Someone from senior management should look into what's going on on the front desk GSA
(3)
Rachel L.
I come here every time I come to Miami (multiple times per visit if possible). The food is incredible. Once we weren't seated for a while and were getting pretty irritated, but they gave us free champagne and some appetizers to compensate. 100% recommended!
(5)
Frank J.
Every visit gets better and better, I've started making makoto my go to restaurant especially for out of town guests. The service is always great with out being pretentious which could easily happen in this mall. The menu is quite large so we're still working our way through it the cold sushi dishes are always great but recently we've been very impressed with the branzino and the short rib noodle dish.
(5)
Zhen W.
The food was top notch and the service was friendly and non-pretentious. Only reason I left out a star was due to its price. I would definitely recommend the yaki noodles in any kind. We also had the Kobe beef app and the king salmon. We cleaned the plate and wanted more! The scene was bustling and people were streaming in and out constantly so you know it is a hot spot for nighttime hang out. The outdoor seating had overhead fans to keep the bugs at bay allowing for an enjoyable dining experience. It is situated in a high end retail area so the patrons there wouldn't really care for the price. However, for normal Tweens like us one would definitely take a toll on the wallet. I recommend this place for anyone who is. Japanese food fan who wants their food done right!
(4)
Greg N.
Came for a business lunch and had the salmon Robata box which was awesome. A long and string rain shower kept us in the mall for a while so decided to have a cocktail at their outdoor bar which was very nice, but also not meant for rain. Only a handful of people can sit under their overhangs. But food definitely awesome.
(5)
Marty C.
Makoto is so dank. Best Asian food I've had in Miami, hands down. The interior is totally awesome and reminded me of a really trendy Japanese spot that I fell in love with in San Francisco. We had the spicy yellowtail roll and the rainbow roll to start - both were fresh and delicious. We then moved on to the "Frosty Kobe Fried Rice" with foie gras and jidori egg - this one really did it for us. The foie and egg really added serious depth of flavor and I actually asked for a fork because I couldn't shovel it into my mouth fast enough with the chop sticks (lol). We then moved to the cauliflower robata which was delicious and finally the kobe beef which we cooked on a hot stone and dipped in a delicious sesame soy. Boom. One of the better meals I've had in Miami, highly recommend. Afterthought - service was mostly great, with the exception of a couple of overzealous bus boys (as seen in previous reviews), but it was cool because they were polite.
(5)
Peggy B.
very very good quality sushi! love the terrace, a bit smelly inside, but nice looking restaurant. Amazing soft shell crab roll!
(5)
Susan W.
Just finished what I consider to be a wonderful all around dinner at Makoto. Just a darn nice restaurant. Not noisy (at least while we were there, which was on the earlier side), comfortable seating, pleasant front room staff and wait-staff. We had a fabulous server, and our food was really delicious. For the most part, we ate family style and ordered plenty of things that we could pick at - Makoto House Salad watercress, chikuwa, wasabi dressing. One salad was plenty for 3 of us to share. The dressing was simply awesome. Hamachi Ponzu. FABULOUS. I could have eaten a few of these plates all by myself. Rock Shrimp Tempura. Not the best rock shrimp tempura I ever had (that would be Nobu's), but addictive nevertheless. Sushi/Sashimi/Maki. All was super-fresh and tasty. Spend a few bucks and order the Oh-Toro. It's literally like "butta". Friend ordered the Miso Sea Bass and gobbled it up. I'm guessing that too was delicious. All 3 of us agreed that this restaurant is a keeper. I will definitely be back my next visit to Miami Beach.
(4)
Nevik E.
Note: On Yelp I review exclusively sushi bars. A recent return trip has prompted another review. As I previously mentioned, this is a joint for sushi fans. Makoto is complete with an attractive bar, serving shelf (very rare in S. Fl), high quality fish, broad selection, new age/fusion options, and a homemade soy sauce (applied by the chef, not the sauce on the bar/table). They serve two small pieces (traditional) as opposed to one large piece that doesn't fit in your mouth. Even small things such as servers who refilled our beer from the bottle to the glass are details here (in Japan you would not typically refill your own alcoholic drink, someone near you should notice and refill for you). Most importantly are chefs who will take your order directly and interact with you about their sushi. This is tied for my third favorite sushi joint in South Florida. What I really wanted to add is that most of the high end, upscale 'names' in South Florida sushi are too high volume and concerned about their flashy presentation to cater to a sushi lover at the bar. Many of them will not allow you to order directly from the chef, which is such an integral part of the experience of excellent sushi. It also prevents the ability of ordering one or two pieces at a time. Ordering one or two instead of a whole plate ensures cool fish on a warm bed of rice, delicious! The only drawback is a pricey tab, if that is not a concern, you will enjoy your meal.
(5)
Alejandra G.
My sister invited me last night. It was a beautiful place, great service and delicious. But the food was way too small and over priced. Don't get me wrong. I get the fancy and over creative plates with the all novel cuisine kind of food thing, but hey, not expecting a big meal, but something a bit bigger. 90 dollars for a Kobe steak? It doesn't do its justice. But I love the experience, not that I want to go back. After 3 small bottles of Sake, you are ready to go eat something else. Not there.
(3)
Steven W.
4.5 Stars--Makoto is probably the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. Service--Excellent--Fast (in a good way) and hospitable. Our waiter was great. It felt like we were guests in his home. We ate outside on a breezy day that couldn't have been better as a back drop for a nice lunch. If the weather is right, enjoy the outdoor area! Food: The hits: The Spicy Tuna above Crispy Rice is pretty nuts. We should have doubled our order of this...The tuna is so flavorful, and kind of pulverized (I know that doesn't sound good), but atop the warm crispy/crunchy rice (which had a toasted essence) it made for a spectacular combination of flavor and texture that I haven't had anywhere else. The Standard House Salad--I know that sounds strange...I can only say--Just do it! More crispy rice on this one (sprinkled atop) adding an amazing crunch. The miso dressing was really good as well. Nothing like I've had at any other Japanese restaurant. The Salmon, glazed and served with brussel sprouts--Fish and vegetables both cooked perfectly...just the right amount of glaze and the sprouts alive with flavor. Dessert--The 3 Flavors of mochi-wrapped ice cream--Words won't do this justice...creamy, yet chewy, flavor packed perfection. It was hard to not order two of these. The Misses--Plain and simply the Robata--The corn had nice flavor, but just didn't do anything for me and the cauliflower was simply inedible. It tasted burnt.
(4)
Sarah B.
One of the most memorable meals of my year! A5 wagyu beef was perfection, hamachi with yuzu was as fresh as it gets, menu had great variety in general. A nice balance of Japanese fusion with a few traditional dishes. The service was attentive and professional.
(5)
Sunny B.
Very very very nice place! Delicious food, very quick service, very good staff! I can't remember what we ordered, but I think you won't be disappointed with any food in there! Highly recommend this place!
(5)
Melina P.
I have yet to find a sushi place better than Nobu but this just may be the runner up. I don't remember the names of everything I tried when I went out with friends it sure was tasty. The one name I do remember is the Spicy Yellowtail. There hasn't been a time when I haven't ordered that. Our waiter was friendly, as well as the "bus boys". I can't complain about the customer service. The music was great too as they always play reggae.
(4)
Jon W.
Wow, what a find. And not hard to find, as it's right there as you enter Bal harbour mall. We sat at the sushi bar , which felt like Tokyo, and we had Beata as our server who was excellent. She's very knowledgable and helped identify some of the Yelp photos that had no id. Must have the shishito peppers. Anyway you can't go wrong. Will definitely have to return. Soon.
(5)
S G.
I recommend their Miami Spice Dinner menu! as the price is really great. Service is excellent, food is heavenly
(5)
Kyle H.
Makoto was fantastic. Went early last night and split a bunch of food with friends. The standouts were the little grilled dishes. The short ribs and asparagus were my favorite. The chicken was good too. I started with the vegan steven maki roll and it was amazing. Really unique, healthy, and perfectly cut (not too big so you don't look like a fool choking down sushi). My friend got the chocolate cake for dessert - said it was great. Another buddy got the mochi (raspberry and another flavor) and said those were perfect too. Oh - and the cocktails are all great. A gin mint julep was the favorite but a lemon one was good too. We sat outside in the courtyard of the bal harbour mall. It was quiet and just unexpectedly pleasant.
(5)
Tara G.
Ok, so when I found out it was in the mall I was a little worried. But this is some of the best sushi I've ever had. And I live in the San Francisco Bay Area so I know sushi! The rolls are creative and well balanced. This is the kind of place that you don't need the soy sauce. I can't remember the exact names but crunchy rice spicy tuna and the rock shrimp tempura roll were the two I had. Delicious! I sat outside at the bar and was amazed at both the customer service and the cocktails themselves. I had the Lychee martini which was very refreshing. The thing that I noticed was that the bartender talked to me, which seems to be a lost art these days, AND the other staff would also talk to me; Ask me how my roll was, talk about how they eat it every night, etc. Really friendly! I would definitely come back!
(5)
Nayla B.
Ahh I love this restaraunt. I always come here for lunch right after I have finished my shopping in Bal Harbour. Their appetizers are fantastic....I suggest you order the spicy edamame, spicy tuna crispy rice, and their house salad. For rolls, my personal favorite is the rock shrimp tempura. They also have great steak that is presented on a grill. For dessert, get the fruit toban yaki, which is simply divine. It is filled with flambeed fruits such as passionfruit and bananas and on the bottom it has a crunchy crust... it is top with a refreshing and delicious mango sorbet! This is definitely one of the best Japanese restaurants in Miami, alongside Zuma and sushisamba!
(5)
Katti W.
Very delicious Japanese restaurant in this area. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was perfect. We did not feel that the "Chef's Special plate" for sushi and sashimi were worth the price. I would have preferred to just get more of their amazing rolls! Tobanyaki dessert is amazing as well!! Homemade marshmallows, fresh fruit, homemade mango sorbet, heated in a ganache of some sort.
(4)
Melissa N.
Great top of the line service, very nice and fresh food. Totally in love with this place. The terrace is a very nice place to have a nice glass of wine but the ambient inside and the decor is great to enjoy! huge fan!
(4)
Omer D.
Wow. Now that's what I am looking for in a restaurant: diversity, quality , atmosphere, service. Friends of ours took us here after very disappointing culinary experience in Miami. We loved it so much we came the night after.
(5)
Tony A.
I really enjoyed Makoto. I have to admit when I first stepped in I was a little turned off by the vibe (maybe a shade too trendy), but the food quickly dispelled any negative feelings. While the food at Makoto is not cheap by any means, there are actually some good value on the menu, namely the robata and the maki. We started the meal off with robata. The chicken yakitori was very good, and authentic. We also had an order of the short rib skewers and the japanese eggplant skewers, which were both really good. The sushi was very good. We got the Chef's combination. There is a cheaper one and a more expensive one, and the difference is the type of fish they use. The cheaper combo has more ordinary fish, where the more expensive one will have stuff like toro, aji, etc. The combo also comes with a good sized roll of the chef's choice. Our's was a simple tuna roll. All in all, maybe not the best value (the more expensive one), but the sushi was all good, and the portion was bigger than expected. Lastly our rolls came out. I don't even remember what type we got, but both were very good and very large. Each was perhaps a 10 piece roll that came on a long plate. After seeing the size of the two rolls, we decided that if we came back we'd build a meal around the rolls, because they are easily the best value on the menu. In closing, we really enjoyed Makoto and already have reservations to go back with some friends this weekend. It's definitely now in my Miami sushi rotation.
(4)
B S.
BEST Sushi I have EVER had! Food was delicious, drinks were amazing, especially the lychee martini. Server was very nice and manager came up to us and introduced himself. Rarely happens in Miami. I would def recommend this place.
(5)
andreniki s.
I love Makato. I have been there a few times, and find the food is consistently delicious. Friendly staff, definitely returning again.
(5)
Alex S.
Disappointing. I'm used to better quality and value in Starr establishments in philly. I know it's Miami and apricey mall but the food is overpriced. That would be tolerable but the quality and lack of sophistication in food preparation earns it 3 stars because I'm in good mood today. The value to price ratio is closer to 2 stars. The rolls had mediocre fish. The ceviche was meh. If a corporate account pays for dinner with a great company I would not refuse an invite.
(3)
Victoria C.
This became my absolute favorite in Miami. The sushi rolls are absolutely spot on!!! We had sashimi, rolls, salads, carpaccio, beets, collie flower, spicy tuna on crispy rice. Everything was delicious. I can't wait come come back to satisfy my sushi craving!!! Yummy yummy, in my tummy:))).
(5)
Karin R.
Simply a wonderful experience. We truly enjoyed how they prepared and presented each and every dish, especially the whole branzino...delicious!!! Highly recommend the ice cream in all the flavours. Also a great scene, loved it!
(5)
Linda B.
Best Japanese food I have ever had in Miami - quality, presentation, flavor, combination of all foods, sauces and menu is unique and can't be found anywhere else in the city. Must go! Chef Makoto is incredible.
(5)
Yislin C.
Makoto? More like Yumoto! Simple, delectable and elegant. Pure, fresh and a sensory delight. I tend to feel uncomfortable in fancy pants places like this but Makoto is different somehow. It's not stuffy at all. The wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Smiles all around from the hostesses. I think even the Chef introduced himself and shook my hand. Indoors the decor is sleek and modern. Outdoors I felt like I was in a tropical place amidst Palm trees and bamboo furniture. We *were* overlooking the Bal Harbour parking lot, but it was pleasant. This place is modern Japanese tapas with everything beautifully plated. Do you look up at the clouds and see how intricate yet simple they are? That's how Makoto's food is. A quiet storm of flavor. From the King Crab Robata to the Salmon Ponzu to the Beef Ramen Bowl the amalgam of flavors sublimely coats your palate. They have signature drinks that are so refreshing you'll feel like you were taking a swim in them. Also, a lovely wine list for the wine lover in you. Our lunch tab rang in at a 154.00. We shared 7 plates and had 2 glasses of wine and 2 signature drinks as well as a deliciously, creamy ice cream sandwich dessert that tickled that sweet tooth without overwhelming. Beautiful restaurant with an equally beautifully crafted menu makes for a lovely experience. Once I get that sugar daddy, I'll be back. Makoto, I'll be dreaming of you for days to come.
(5)
Pab P.
There really is nothing else that can be said other than whats been said by many before me. This place is top of the line dining at its best. Every dish was inventive, flavorful, and outstanding. They really make it a whole experience for you... right down to the hot stone where you can cook your own Kobe beef. I have yet to try a Spicy Tuna Roll anywhere else as good as the one they serve here. Their fried rice which comes garnished with a quail egg was another fantastic dish. Their rainbow roll, amazing! Their specialty martinis... wow!! Everything we had was perfect. Absolutely no complaints. And the service was top notch. I've never had such meticulous and attentive service as what I received when dining at Makoto. It is extremely expensive, so this isn't the type of place you can frequent often unless you have tons of money (which I don't - but if you do - then awesome! haha). There was 4 of us in our party, and between all the food and all the drinks we ordered, our bill was nearly $400. But for a special occasion or a romantic night out with your partner, I would definitely recommend this exceptional restaurant.
(5)
Barbara R.
I had lunch at Makoto today for the first time, after exhausting myself in the mall. I was ravenous and ate all of the Sunomono salad an the tuna tatami I ordered. I found it great while I was eating, but in hindsight, I think it was just good. The salad was actually excellent. Tuna tataki is probably my favorite dish and the Makoto's version is not the best that I had: the tuna is cut too thick for my taste and the huge pile of vegetables that serves as a base, distracts from the tuna itself, making the dish too 'grassy'. The presentation was beautiful though. The restaurant is very sophisticated and tastefully decorated, but it has cold feel. I will go again, maybe for dinner with my husband.
(3)
Colin P.
While dining at Florida's original Stephen Starr establishment, Steak 954, I mentioned that I was headed to Makoto the next day and the server actually apologized in advance for the service. I was a little bit stunned, because I've always received at least good - usually exceptional - service at his restaurants. More on that later. Let me first mention that the Bal Harbour Shops is a pretty serious mall. It's like a retail museum, designed for people who curate (or have someone curate for them) their own collections of wearable goods, who treat and store them like art. Despite my flip flops, I didn't feel one bit out of place. It's a pretty nice place to kill time (and lines of credit). I made a reservation expecting this new restaurant with its fashionable location to be busy for a weekday noontime lunch, but none was needed. Makoto fits right in at Bal Harbour. Some have described Starr's places as "theme restaurants for yuppies." It is true that the northern locations can feel somewhat inauthentic (though still fun), but I found Makoto to be beautifully simple, elegant, modern AND comfortable. Our server, Onju (it sounds too much like au jus to forget), who was very difficult to understand through her thick accent, seemed to be less interested in serving and more interested in selling menu items. At the time, I wasn't aware of the automatic 18% gratuity. I didn't notice whether it was printed on the menu, but I found it very distasteful regardless of whether it's standard practice. Having been forewarned, I arrived expecting lackluster service and that expectation was met. I started with a green tea Caipiroska; it was good, but at $10 for about five ounces of actual drink, I didn't order another. Sushi was tasty. Robata (smallish half-kabobs, ordered the short rib and non-meatball chicken) - very tasty. Had we ordered four or five robata I'd have been perfectly satisfied. Tan tan noodles were completely underwhelming, and I wouldn't even want to pay half of the sixteen dollar pricetag for a bowl of nothing-special cold noodles, broth and beef. The service staff wipes down the tables way too often. Literally every five minutes or so, someone came by to wipe the sweat from the cocktail and water glasses off the tabletop. They lingered for a little too long while doing it, and whatever cloth they used mostly just smeared it around instead of absorbing it! It was not necessary and actually felt pretty intrusive considering the amount of time and effort they put into it. Water glasses were kept filled to the brim. Total for two rolls, two robata, one noodle bowl and one cocktail was $86, including the 18% automatic gratuity. Don't come here expecting any kind of value. If I ever found myself here again, I'd avoid the noodles, explore the other parts of the menu, or just stick to the rolls and robata. Don't forget to validate your parking, it's $1/hour instead of $4/hour.
(3)
Jacinto G.
I liked the lobster roll, crispy rice tuna and many other things. I believe that this restaurant is very expensive!
(4)
Analys C.
This place is everything I ever wished for in life :) Lol. One of my top 3 fave restaurants in Miami! Makoto the chef is extra nice & makes sure to acknowledge and greet his costumers. The staff is very friendly as well. The food to die for. Absolutely everything on the menu is a must try!
(5)
Marcio K.
Excelente restaurante! Recomendo a Caipiroska de Chá Verde, muito bom!
(4)
Ana M.
I think this is definitely a place you go to for a special occasion. It costs an arm and a leg, so it's just not possible for an average Joe like me. Actually we went here because they had that special in May where you eat 6 course for $45 a person. It was good because it got me to go here and I WILL be back. It was delicious. I recommend getting reservations and trying a little bit of everything. Don't just stick to the sushi because the other items are really good too. Its a strange spot for this restaurant I must say, but whatever. Parking is easy and if you have dinero you can buy yourself something ridiculously overpriced at Bal Harbour shops before dinner. Don't let the snooty crowd get to you- just enjoy the food. This has to be the best Japanese restaurant in town. I loved it. Loosen your wallet. Go.... You wont be disappointed.
(5)
Akram b.
makoto still one of the best spots for japanese in miami.
(5)
Marco V.
The food is really good, I come here often! Really like the place. Not giving it more stars because of the personnel, especially the girl who works the front desk. Blond girl, avoid by all means. Very rude, giving attitude to people!! Can't understand how someone like this can work in such a restaurant. Brings the entire quality of the place down..
(3)
Rich D.
Brought my wife there for her birthday and we both loved it. We chose to sit outside and the atmosphere was great. Our Server was very helpful and always around when we needed something. They had some unique menu items as well as the usual favorites. We feasted and didn't leave one bite for the kitchen to clean up. Price was what you'd expect for such a trendy spot, well worth it for special occasions. Enjoy!
(5)
Mindy G.
All sashimi and sushi were extremely fresh. Ambiance is trendy. Drinks were great. Only pitfall is that you get so little food for the price. Would definitely recommend this place for some of the freshest sushi in town.
(4)
Teresa K.
Husband and I went here for a special tasting menu they offered through the month of May. For $45 a person we got a TON of food. We sat outside and the weather was perfect. It started off with sushi. The spicy yellowtail was amazing. Then we got smoked eggplant and short ribs, each on skewers with a side of fried rice made with kobe beef for goodness sake! Every bite of food we had was a mouthgasm. The short ribs alone are worth a visit. The meal was finished off with ice cream wrapped in rice paper which was unique and delicious. Even the regular menu, although not cheap, isn't as bad as some other high end places I have been to and the amount of food you get for your money is impressive. Also the service was great. Everyone from the hostesses to our waiter, to the people who bussed our table were professional, polite and helpful. If you want a great dining experience this place should definitely be on your list.
(5)
Eric J.
Um...so here is what I'm saying. I try to review as much as I can but am busy. I like food and am something of a foodie (but hate that freaking term). If you don't like this place you either like a palatte or are such a hipster that you feel like you have to not like it. I could nit pick. But why? Holy crap. Every component of this meal was right on. Ok, Toro Tartare was ok and the portion was so small it was hard to appreciate but if your feeling the love for $300 + for a meal for 2 and wan everything to work just right, don't bother with the haters, this place is first rate.....Ok, service was slow,, there I said, who the f*&k cares....
(5)
Deanna D.
Amazing food. I came with a friend who has a fish allergy and found the waiter and chef to be extremely accommodating, especially considering that much of Japan food is fish related, even the sauces on vegetarian dishes. Jacob, our waiter was my friend's gatekeeper with the food with regards to her allergy. Great wine list and ample amounts by the glass. The Makoto salad is amazing as are the shisito peppers.
(5)
Alex G.
HO-LY-MACKERAL! The food here is crazy good! Everything is creatively designed and beautifully presented. The crowd is hip and sexy, and the sake smooth and tasty. (The only thing we disliked was the fresh water eel, a bit soft). Japanese Risotto was amazing, Tuna air bread a total treat, and all the rolls perfectly made. Yum!
(5)
Ilan S.
The best sushi i ever had in my life Great service Great and fresh fresh fresh sushi I extremely recommend the branzino they do it amazing Plus the manager was super friendly and present. He went out of his way to make us comfortable !! 5 stars for Makoto
(5)
Tommy N.
This place sucks. The quality is the same as sushi from 7 eleven in Japan. Overpriced touristy and totally lame don't waste your money.
(1)
Alissa W.
Great place and the prices are not bad i was expecting everything to be much higher. Started out with then spicy tuna and crispy rice amazing I bed this appetizer. Also the roasted corn on the rubato grill was good just a little to sweet for my liking. Also had an entire crab appetizer was a special $55 not a bad price either. Fr my I got the salmon with crispy Brussels sprouts nice size portion $20. Also the black cod was very good. For dessert this is where they lost a star. I wanted the mocha but the waiter reccomnded the fruit . I thought it was a fresh fruit platter but was so heated sauce with sliced apples and pineapple with the skin in $16 rip off and not good. The waiter was nice thigh he asked if we liked it I said no. We did nt eat it he offered to take it off the bill. That was nice of him but I just didn't like the dessert wasn't his fault. I would go back!
(4)
Daniel M.
The "kobe beef" cooked on the hot stone was awesome! The spicy tuna crispy rice was the bomb.. I think we placed three orders since it was so good! I was hesitant about ordering skirt steak at a sushi restaurant but it was so much better than I had expected. The avocado dip for the steak was so good. Spicy tuna rolls were probably my favorite of the rolls. My wife tried the spice menu and kind of regretted it since all the other dishes off the menu were so fantastic.
(4)
Yuyan C.
Really decent ambience and food. We ordered sushi and skirt beef from the Miami spice menu and both are great. Fish from the sushi melted right away and the beef was really tender. Mocha tiramisu was also a good combination.
(5)
J B.
This place and lovely ambience , great service and delicious heathy food .....if theirs any downside it's the prices .....if you have a drink or two you won't get out for less than 250 ....food is very fresh
(4)
D. B.
It was one of my kid's birthday. He wanted to check out a Sushi place that was much better than the norm. Arriving, we walked through the Bal Harbour shops (as fast as possible as far as I am concerned lol). Everybody ordered something different, but I immediately go hooked and hopelessly addicted to the spicy tuna hand roll.. The combination of the perfect amount of rice, tuna, and spicy sauce was amazing.. I would rate Makoto 4 stars and definitely will plan a return trip.
(4)
Amanda G.
My boyfriend and I finally got around to trying out Makoto. We love sushi and we were very excited with all the great reviews! We got there around 9pm on a Thursday and expected to wait a little as we did not have a reservation. The hostess took our name and phone number and we headed over to the bar. We were texted two minutes later that our table was ready. We were seated outside on the terrace. The small two top table we were seated at gave us enough room to sit side by side, which we enjoyed. Service was OK. Our waitress was triple seated and it took her a little time to get around to us. After our drinks were in we waited even longer to put our food in because she was getting held up at one of the three new tables. Another waiter must have seen her distress because he popped over to our table and took our order. For that, we were grateful. The food was delicious! We really enjoyed the Hamachi Ponzu (WOW), the Brussels, the Dynamite Hand Roll, the Crispy Rice (Katsuya's is still my favorite though) and my boyfriend LOVED his Salmon Sashimi. We also had the Lobster Maki and Spicy Tuna, both were good, but not our favorites. The cocktails we had were great, and they had a nice wine/sake selection. We were feeling some dessert but when our server listed our options, we chose the check instead. Overall we had a nice dinner and we'll definitely be back for more!
(4)
Jennifer D.
Saw Iron Chef Morimoto in the restaurant and figured it was a good sign. Boy, was I wrong. Some of the fish was slightly funky and the sushi rice was chewy and crunchy. I'm so disappointed, I can't write more. At least I went with a good crowd.
(2)
Jerry K.
Great for people and car watching, especially in the outdoor patio. We were lucky enough to see Ray Allen! Server was great, sashimi was fresh, and the green tea mojito was amazing! (Also, get the frosty Kobe fried rice with foie gras!)
(4)
Sandra R.
Had a ramen soup which was amazing. After came out a sushi roll with a long piece of hair inside of it. When my husband grabbed the roll he was able to spot it because it was stuck to the roll. Waitress was very apologetic and super nice. When the manager came over, he basically blamed it on me (even though I am not a blonde) and was very rude. I told him we didn't want a free meal or anything we jut didn't want extra surprises. We had been there precious times but after that , never again. Worse restaurant manager I have ever dealt with.
(2)
Sidney P.
Best sushi to be had in Miami. Always fresh with great atmosphere. Excellent service usually
(5)
Jamie R.
My go-to local place for great sushi and drinks
(4)
Frank V.
Very good, Good Service, Beautiful place, Fresh fish surely much better than Nobu! Must go! Bonus for me because is not overpriced.
(5)
Samantha L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant, every plate it's very elaborate, don't miss the crisp tuna sushi and the short ribs noodles. Service was great too, only thing is that we where a party of 8 and the didn't want to sit us until everyone's got there, even with a reservation. Prices are high, but quality is there too.
(4)
Ashley B.
I was visiting Miami and ate here after a cruise. I was with my family of 8 and got to try a lot of dishes. Every single one was amazing! Even the mint ice cream cookie at the end was delicious. Service was really nice, place is really cute. :)
(5)
Josie D.
Posh restaurant! BUT! Never in my life have I gotten a bone in a piece of Toro sushi. Considered they replaced the sushi, it was still a huge bummer. The wagu beef on hot stone was fun and the sea scallops sushi was amazing. However, for the price, I have had better sushi.
(3)
David R.
Best Japanese food in Miami. Great atmosphere, and excellent service. We went for Miami Spice. I had the chicken ramen-best I ever had. Skirt steak was delicious. My wife had the grouper tempura- sooooo good. I would go back just for that.
(5)
Yiwen W.
Sea bass, Risotto, Sushi, cocktail, etc. Every dish is so delicate and delicious. Love Seafood so much.
(5)
Nicole R.
Despite its location in a mall, this is seriously one of the best sushi spots in Miami, hands down. After a full day of shopping in Bal-Harbour, my mom and I decided to check out Makoto since we'd passed it plenty of times but had never been. It has now become THE reason to go to Bal-Harbour! The service is great and very prompt. We usually choose to sit outside because it's quite chilly inside the restaurant (Miamians tend to be overzealous with the AC!). The waiters are very helpful with the menu, eager to help you with recommendations and make sure that you choose the right dishes. I 've been there a few times and have tried the following: - Edamame: classic, can't go wrong; portions here are VERY generous - Hamachi Ponzu: also a classic sashimi dish; the ponzu sauce is very tasty and perfectly tart; the serrano chilis add the perfect amount of spice - Crispy brussels sprouts: one of the best brussels sprouts dishes I've had, these are VERY crispy and covered in a yummy kimchi sauce - Spicy tuna w/crispy rice: I expected a type of fried rice dish here, but it's actually a sushi presentation but using crispy rice instead. The spicy tuna was not covered in mayo (which I hate) and the crispy rice added a wonderful crunch - Cauliflower robata: yum! I love grilled cauliflower and the combo with the teriyaki sauce was incredible - King crab w/yuzu butter robata: so buttery, so tender! - Short rib w/truffle miso: I thought the truffle miso sauce was a little heavy on this, but otherwise a solid dish with tender meat - Sake (king salmon) sushi/sashimi: so fresh! - Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) sushi/sashimi: I'm not a huge fatty tuna fan, but this was really smooth and I can see why fatty tuna fans would love this (as well as the 'fully' fatty tuna sushi/sashimi) - Spicy yellowtail maki: again, very fresh sushi and the additions of scallion, jalapeno, avocado and wasabi make this a perfect roll Overall, I'm so impressed with this place! I feel so healthy coming here so it's quickly becoming my favorite sushi spot in Miami. I still need to come for dinner, and I am dying to try the Kobe Fried Rice and some of their fish mains!
Went on Friday night. Table of 8. All of us very happy. Good service, perfect food! Try the skirt steak, different for a Japanese restaurant but with an incredible taste. Sushi then was perfect.
(4)
Roy P.
Came to Makato on a nice Sunday afternoon and loved it. The place was calm, the vibe was earthy and the staff was really nice. Everything we had was super fresh. Definitely a great lunch spot to get a delicious meal. Very reminiscent of Katsuya in LA.
(4)
Kwan W.
I keep coming back. I've tried almost every dish; some are good and most are excellent. Only one item on the menu I disliked for its price l, taste and quality. Overall the staff are friendly and professional and food arrives quickly even on a busy night. Recommended all my friends and they all like it.
(5)
Arthur G.
Great tasting food. Which it better be for the cost! The fried rice is ridiculous. I think this makes a great evening out at the mall. It's definitely nice enough for a special event with an intimate group of people.
(4)
Alain M.
Excellent, excellent did I mention excellent everything was delicious amazing service. I expected a small restaurant like all the others in Bal harbour shops but Makoto is surprisingly a very big restaurant with outside seating front and back. This is a must try if your in the area highly recommend very similar to hakassan in fountain bleu.
(5)
Gina C.
MAKO-YEAH! amazing atmosphere and welcoming staff. Our waiter was Hanz. He made sure to let us know the dining style which is food is served as it come out. A lot of small plates are for sharing and they come out when its ready and not when YOU'RE ready. I had the Mako Tai cocktail drink: pineapple and coconut bacardi. Delicious! We ordered the Scallop Tiradito. The plating was wymsical with a huge cucumber foam on top. Next, grilled prawns. Hands down the best prawns i've had. We had the soft shell crab roll which was 5 pieces the size of a silver dollar. Great for sharing. We ordered the kobe beef and foie fried rice wich was good considering that fried rice is almost always good. Now the thing that absolutely made me fall in love more than anything was the Kobe beef dish. RAW Thinly cut pieces of Kobe sprinkled with green onion with a side of soy, ginger and honey sauce. This comes with a hot stone so that you can choose how well done you want the beef. You could eat this raw and its still delicious. What a great time my b.f. and i had sharing these small plates. We were stuff!!!!
(5)
Leah T.
So sad bc this is literally one of my fav restaurants!!! I usually eat here 2 times a week. Lart night the food was beyond salty and horrible. The waitor who i have had in the past was sooo slow as usual and i waited 30 min for water. I think during "season" i should stay away. Food was just slopped together. Usually it looks and tastes amazing!!! Stomach is killing me!!
(1)
Laura L.
Food and service is good here. I like coming here for lunch and recommend going for lunch or early dinner Bc it's gets packed and even with a reservation you can wait awhile.
(4)
Eli S.
One of the best Japanese in Miami.
(5)
Bonnie L.
Great ambiance, convenient location inside of bal harbor shops and most importantly amazing chef! Although service can improve a bit. I would say this restaurant is worth the price tag, the most important factor to me after a meal is feeling satisfied and happy and Makoto's does the job! Recommend: Pesto Prawns Crispy spicy tuna (better than katsuya 100%) Kobe beef carpaccio Tres leche dessert
(5)
Angel L.
Exceptional sushi! Service was great. Uni is to die for. Must try! This is my go-to high end sushi place!
(5)
Jonah K.
Through the end of May they have a $45 tasting menu which you need to specifically ask for. It comes with a LOT of food, I believe it was 2 sets of rolls, main courses with fried rice, 2 more sets of rolls, and desert. Standouts were the spicy yellowtail roll, as well as the beef short rib, both were amazing. Really great food overall, and I was impressed. The prices are high, but not as high as other top notch Japanese places. The outdoors is nice, but being in a parking lot isn't ideal. Great decor all around and very good service.
(5)
Meghan C.
One of my favorite restaurants in Miami/ Bal Harbour. Absolutely delicious fresh tasting food that is always seasoned beautifully. I have eaten here probably about 5 times in the last year and have yet to be disappointed. The Kobe fried rice is to die for as others have mentioned. The waiters I have had up until now have always been helpful and friendly. I even once brought a date here and he broke a glass (the poor clumsy thing!) Which was quickly cleaned up while we all shared a good laugh at a light hearted joke regarding the awkward moment. The waiter and manager who were walking by were great about the situation and my date felt better about it immediately. Anyways, I love the food here and the fact that it's surrounded by great designer stores doesn't hurt either! The prices match to the great quality so don't forget your wallet; I promise you won't feel bad about the bill as you will be over the moon with your meal. Overall an impressive spot that's especially perfect for bringing visiting friends and family.
(5)
Chris P.
Makoto is very very good!! I really was not expecting much at all for a night out with family to a Bal Harbour sushi restaurant. Being away from the hot spots in Miami Beach, like a Katsuya or Nobu...honestly Makoto is just as good!! Great service from the friendly hostess when we came in to the Great waiter who took care of us. He was friendly and funny...even apologized for the food taking only a few minutes too long, which was totally fine!! He gave us a great recommendation for Saki and always made sure our glasses were filled just right! He was also spot on with the food recommendations. Food choices were so Good!!! From the Crispy rice to start to the Short Rib on the stick!! Under the Fish & Meat part of the menu, i definitely would say the Scallops and Sea Bass were top notch!! So so good! The sushi rolls were just as good...Soft Shell crab tempura, rock shrimp tempura and the caterpillar were all Amazing!!!! This place not be in Miami Beach and not have the name...but this is a very very good sushi restaurant.
(5)
Zev N.
place definitely lives up to hype! appetizers came out lightining quick, server was highly attentive and very helpful with the menu and making suggestions. in my opinion would be much easier to come here after an afternoon of shopping at bal harbour then braving crowds at capaccio reccomended dishes include the chicken noodle ramen, kobe fried rice and brussel sprouts. also offers an intriguing cocktail menu and imported craft beers
(4)
Jeff S.
We have been looking for a sushi resturant othen then the same old basic places that have been popping up around the city. While those restutants are fine for rolls they lack in that unique selection of sushi. This is what Makato has and it was amazing as well as everything else we tried. Looking for a real sushi resturant - look no further.
(5)
D W.
Sushi & Sashimi were perfect with beautiful presentation. It's pricey, but worth it. Staff sometimes makes mistakes, which is common in most restaurants.
(5)
Princess C.
Do you want to know how terrible the sushi at Makoto was? The sushi at this restaurant is garbage, to the degree that makes sushi at Publix not that bad in comparison. The fish was not fresh, and the rice was old. The $21 lobster roll had barely any lobster in it, and was mostly made up of "old" cheap un-nutritious iceberg lettuce you can buy from any grocery store. The lettuce was discolored as well, meaning it was old. It said on the menu that it had avocado, but it did not come with any. So, basically the lobster roll was mostly made of old rice, old lettuce, and crumbs of lobster that was not even in all the pieces, and no avocado. Also, if you have been to any legit Japanese sushi restaurant in the US or anywhere in the World, you will always find a California roll topped with a long fresh piece of eel and masago. They did not have that on the menu, however, the server said that they can create it as a custom order for us. But, when the roll came there was no eel on top. The server explained that if we were to put the eel on top the chef will charge us four full orders of unagi, $10 each which means $40 total + 9 = $49 for one roll. Outrageous! You can find this roll at any legit sushi restaurant for between $12 - $20. So, instead of coming back to ask us if we even want it or not, the chef took it upon himself to make the decision for us by sending us a California roll with eel inside instead of at the top. and more insulting is that the eel was no were to be found inside the roll!!!! There was crumbs of eel that tasted like old and nothing. and EVERYTHING in the sushi menu is garbage. I have no problem with the servers there. The servers were very attentive, professional, and nice. However, I find the food in this restaurant to be really insulting and mediocre. This restaurant is for people who know nothing about food and sushi. Its for people who never tried authentic Japanese sushi. Its a restaurant run by people who think they can get away with bullshit quality just because they are in Bal Harbour.
(1)
Arthur W.
2nd time here - our son goes to school in North Miami Beach and I've stayed at the St. Regis and Trump International Resort (Sunny Isles) - that's another review altogether. Makoto's is located in the very very upscale Bal Harbor shopping plaza with Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as the anchors along with many designer shops. Not cheap sushi but the quality was outstanding ranging from very fresh varieties of tuna to quail egg topped uni sushi. Their miso black cod while expensive at $28 - was a very large portion and exquisitely prepared. If you've got money to shop here, and love sushi - you have to try Makoto's.
(4)
Gabriel B.
Makoto was a great spot to get some fresh fresh sushi. I loved the music and the food. My server Chris was a pro, he must have been there since the beginning. He was very verse with the menu and really knew what to suggest. I loved the place and the sake also!
(5)
Joey C.
All the other reviews about ambience are accurate. But tonight in the Toro Tartar we found a piece of string in the mix. Yes, a piece of string. It was disgusting.we complained to the waiter and the manager, and all they offered was to remove the dish from our bill. A restaurant of this calibre should have offered us a little more. Perhaps a free replacement dish? I mean, it was an awful experience for us. And the least this expensive restaurant could have done is offer us something extra. It costs them nothing, and would have made our experience less awful. Even when we told the manager, he told us a piece of the towel from cleaning the sushi knife may have been cut off. And then he offered us nothing to compensate. It's really a shame because now I will never come back and tell everyone I know about this experience.
(1)
Nicky B.
Love this place!!! The ambience is calm and sophisticated so except for the plethora of shopping bags you might even forget your are in the Bal Harbour Shops. Service is polished and professional and staff friendly and knowledgable. Chef Makoto is a humble genius, the food is beautifully presented, delicious and textural and interesting. To start try the spicy tuna crispy rice, the Japanese caprese salad, the Ono which is a delicate fish sashimi (almost a carpaccio) with slivers of julienned flash fried carrots for crunch and the spicy edamame. The skewers are delicious as well, I recommend the short rib and the prawns for protein and the beets and the corn for veggies. The Vegan Stephen is my favorite roll, amazing in its texture and deliciousness. All the sushi and sashimi is great, my husband loves the spicy yellowtail roll. I love all the cooked fish as well and there are several interesting cooked rice options as well as some good ( but not traditional) ramen soups. Make a reservation or go early as this place gets busy on the weekends. Great sake selection as well as some interesting beers. Enjoy!!!
(5)
Gary N.
The most wonderful service ever! We loved our waitress, from Poland, and beautiful, fun, down to earth, just wonderful...
(4)
David A.
Did not know that this was a Starr restaurant before visiting. I have been to most of his Philly restaurants. They are all consistently good. Had mixed feelings about this place. Mainly about the prices but I guess I paid for the expensive rent. Also didn't realize it was located in the Shoppes at Bal Harbour when I made my plans or I would have probably selected another place. The food was very good, as well as the service. The prices. Way too much. I took my wife and three daughters. The bill was $400+ The highlights: Spicy Tuna Roll and Crunchy Rice Kimchee Fried Rice Robata Shrimp Dishes were all very small and we ordered a lot to fill up. Had two Sake carafes for $30 each. They were a rip off. Very small. Starr quality and serivice is always great. The price/value relationship just was not there for me at this location. I would not dine here again for these prices but you can't knock the service or quality here.
(4)
Char Char C.
Um amazing!!!!! Kobe fried rice, Brussel sprouts, and the sea bass!!!!! To die for actually went to a much more expensive restraint called Zuma and is place is 10 times better!!!! Fav place ever!!!
(5)
Gloria D.
I been to Makoto at least 30 times every time I'm in town, is very close to my home. Last night I had the worst experience ever the food had so much salt that was impossible to eat . The service bad. Even the dessert was bad!!!!
(1)
Whitney K.
Unpretentious excellence at a fabulous price. The ambiance is elegant and glamorous just like the dishes. The service was outstanding: prompt, insightful, and engaging without being over the top. Each dish was flavorfully crafted to compliment the pallet and drinks. The perfect place for a date and stroll around Bal Harbor.
(5)
Sharon H.
We stayed at St. Regis across from Makoto, so I decided to give it a try due to the convenient location & highly rated reviews. It was the Miami Spice week, but we (2 people) both ordered something extra in addition to the prix fixed lunch menu. We walked out of the restaurant beyond full & satified after the meal. Service was top notch no doubt! VERY ATTENTIVE (probably also because it was nearly empty when we walked in at 12pm). I must agree with one of the Yelper's review: the house salad is delicious. Simple dish, but so soo sooo good! Bottled beers are a little over priced, but it's imported from Japan exclusively, so we didn't mind paying extra $ for it. After all, it's Bal Harbour, spending big bucks are well expected.
(4)
Melanie A.
We came here for lunch after shopping around at the Bal Harbour shops. My fiance REALLY was raving about the chef here, so we decided that we had to eat at Makoto. Maybe our expectations were too high or it was an off day, but it appeared that the waiter was half asleep, then another one took various orders from us and announced them really loud to the other one (I felt like I was at Mcdonalds). We had a mango martini/beer, edamame, the crab roll, the house salad (with soy-free dressing instead), the shrimp tempura (also with soy-free sauce, that was very spicy and VERY tasty), and the chocolate dessert (with mango sorbet instead of ice cream). I liked that they were able to accommodate my requests for soy free dressings/dipping sauces as well as substitute the mango sorbet rather than ice cream but I can definitely say that this place is over rated. They have a dish on the menu with ramen noodles. If I wanted to eat ramen noodles or eat edamame that looked like it just came out of the bag from Publix, I would have just stayed home and cooked myself dinner. The staff wasn't all that professional and the food was pretty bland. For the price that we paid, I don't think that we would return here again.
(3)
Deborah A.
This restaurant is outstanding. The food is high quality and the flavors are excellent. The service was unbelievably prompt and attentive. I have come here 2 nights in a row! Fabulous!
(5)
Jeremy B.
Simply put, the food at Makoto is outstanding: fresh, innovative, excellent presentation and delicious. We went with a big group (10 people), so we got to try a bunch of stuff: started with some good edamame, then had the roasted shishito peppers, which I am definitely ordering next time, and father in law had miso soup and said it was great and had a nice, smoky flavor. We also shared the spicy tuna crispy rice which was the perfect combination with the fried rice on bottom and a fresh slice of tuna with a serrano pepper on top. Continuing with the tuna theme, we had the tuna air bread which was delicious as well but you only get two pieces. The portions are not large here, so while a lot of the dishes are between $7-$14, you might end up ordering quite a few. The bill tends to add up, so be aware of that. Four of us then shared an order of the kobe fried rice, which was interesting because the beef is frosted and mixed into the hot fried rice, which contains vegetables, foie gras and a quail egg. The flavors mixed together worked perfectly. Everything was so good, we kept eating. Next we tried some items from the robata grill: tiger prawns, chicken, short ribs on a stick with a miso glaze, japanese eggplant, cauliflower and corn. The meat and veggies were all seasoned nicely and excellent from the grill. Some others shared a nice size piece of miso seabass with crispy kale. The fire and ice oysters were amazing too - I wish we got more than 4 because I could eat a dozen of those! We did not neglect the sushi menu either, as we had the rainbow roll (delicious), california roll and then went all out and had a sushi sampler with several different kinds. The sushi was not the best sushi I've had ever, but was still high quality. Drinks were great but pricey: $12-$16 per cocktail and $6-$7 for one beer or $12-$16 for a 22 oz. I went for the 22 oz Sapporo for $12, because it seemed like the best value. We did not try the sake but they had an extensive menu of it. The green tea capiriroska (sp?) was excellent - tasted like a mojito with vodka. I don't usually go for dessert but we all shared some and it was delish/ All in all, the place is not cheap but every single thing we had, everyone agreed, was either very good or flat-out amazing. I left stuffed. Nothing disappointed, not even the service which was very professional, nice and attentive. I can't wait to go back again. Highly recommended.
(5)
JJ L.
I just wrote a bunch of reviews for our Miami trip, from hotels to restaurants to jewerly stores. Only 1 place gets 5 stars -- Makoto. I am VERY picky when it comes to Japanese food. I spend most of my time in the SF area and NYC, where the sushi and Japanese food is spectacular. I have had my share of world class Japanese food in Tokyo as well. Makoto is in the 5 star league, hands down. So creative with the menu with reasonable prices for what you get. My wife and I loved it, and were raving about it to each other for days afterwards. What we got for a light to medium dinner (for dessert we had macarons at the nearby MM Chocolate Bar) - Vegan sushi roll. Odd choice right? Yes, it was. But oh so delicious, what a surprise! - Udon salad. Awesome, creative, beautifully presented. Yum. - Tuna on crispy rice. Regret ordering just 1. Creative and spectacular. - Grilled eggplant. I still think about this dish sometimes. Sooo good. - Grilled cauliflower. Fantastic as well. All around amazingness. Highly highly recommend. Love Bal Harbour the city, love the Bal Harbour shops, love the Bal Harbour beach, and love Makoto most of all in Bal Harbour.
(5)
A B.
After strolling through Bal Harbour for a couple of hours, I was famished, and decided to find a place to eat. I was craving Sushi, and Makoto's patio looked pretty busy, so I ventured inside the restaurant to have a look at the menu. The menu is pretty extensive, with a lot of unique and creative sushi dishes that you won't find anywhere else. The interior of the restaurant is terrific, and I was conflicted as to whether to sit outside and take advantage of the beautiful weather, or to enjoy the ambiance inside. I chose the patio. I wasn't sure what to have, so the waitress recommended the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice dish, and I also had the Cauliflower Robata. Both were delicious. The food was made with high quality ingredients, and the fish was fresh. The level of spicyness was just right, and both dishes were immensely flavourful. I will definitely return here when I visit Miami again. My only qualm is that the service was slow and inattentive. I had to wait a long time to get the bill. Other than that, loved this place!
(4)
Allan L.
This place is just OK. Nothing special in my opinion. I was expecting something out of this world.
(3)
Nate M.
Fresh fun and imaginative. Great ambience at lunch and dinner. Very accommodating for kids.
(4)
Zarina R.
2/14/12-- I love the decor of this place.. It's my new go to spot to eat lunch at when I'm shopping in Bal Harbor. One thing I need to warn you about is that the restaurant has some wood benches and be careful when pulling them out to sit down because my friend got a splinter in her hand. Thank God the restaurant had a sterile sealed tweezer to remove the splinter. I started off lunch by ordering the "Tuna Air Bread" with caesar foam, tomato, red onion. ( I love this light and airy delicious dish). I also ordered the short rib robata with truffle miso fried rice. The short rib was very tender and tasty and a pretty decent size portion. I even love their ice teas (green tea and mint. They were both very refreshing. The only negative about the restaurant was the Service. I have eaten at this restaurant twice and both times I ate there the service was quite slow.
(4)
Gals S.
Food and drinks were great nice ambiance as well.
(4)
Jay C.
This truly was the best food I've ever had. I've been around the world and back ... tried all sorts of food, even though I am not even a big sushi or seafood eater, this is some of the tastiest cuisine I've ever tried. Chef Makoto's is hands down the best, and a must if you are in the area.
(5)
Dave G.
We are not from the area, so had no idea what to expect - we were very happy with the sea bass - it was outstanding! I think the waitress probably had too many tables, but there was plenty of other help, so we were satisfied. I would absolutely go back - would probably try the sushi next time.
(5)
Auston B.
A few friends recommended this place after a rock climb. If you have the chance to check out this place, do so. We ate family style so I had the chance to sample a decent amount of the menu (Ono, Tuna Tataki, Tuna Air Bread, Edamame, Shishito Roasted Peppers, Japanese Risotto, Oh-Toro, Spicy Tuna & California roll - I know we are fat asses). I can honestly say every single piece of food that entered my mouth was absolutely delectable - the kind of delicious that you experience in your dreams. We had the perfect combination of food & I would highly recommend this place to anyone considering going here.
(5)
Jasmine K.
I love this place! I always come to Makoto for lunch or dinner when I'm in Miami. The air spinach, tuna air bread, fried rice, and toro melon are my must have's. The tuna air bread and air spinach especially are my favorite!
(5)
vanessa l.
My favorite Japanese spot in South Florida. They have indoor/outdoor seating and a nice, relaxed ambience. Easy dishes like the watercress house salad with wasabi dressing and various robatas are so good and consistent. They also have more interesting options like the Japanese caprese and ponzu salmon with ikura. I prefer their sushi a la carte vs their rolls and am overall more partial to their appetizers and cooked dishes. It's always a treat to dine here.
(5)
David C.
Been here 10x.... awesome...!!!
(5)
Evan Z.
My girlfriend and I had previously had cocktails and light bites at Makoto approximately one week after it had opened, and were sufficiently impressed to want to have a full meal there when we had the time. Honestly, I wish I hadn't gone back. Most of my complaints seem minor, but when you have a restaurant touting itself as owned by master restaurateur Stephen Starr, it should in fact live up to its self-proclaimed reputation. The first issue I had was that my seat did not have a place setting. This would normally be no big deal, but in light of the rest of the evening it can't be forgiven. We started with cocktails (I had the green tea caipirinha and my girlfriend had the ginger-infused sake), which were okay except for the fact that the sake had quite a few ice chips floating in the drink. Our first food item was the black edamame. They weren't black. They weren't bad, but they weren't black. Next was the tea crusted tuna tataki. This dish was excellent, and frankly was the only thing that made me give Makoto two stars instead of one. After that came the short rib robata. The meat was cooked well, but was slightly cold and the sauce tasted like a sub-par barbecue - there's no way it was the truffle miso advertised with the dish. Finally, we had the spicy yellowtail roll. The sushi chef who prepared this should be ashamed, as the entire thing fell apart the minute you touched it. If the food issues weren't enough, the service was simply *atrocious*. All of the items came at the same time and overloaded our small table. The servers removed plates before we were finished (without asking!) and completely forgot to provide us with soy sauce. In short, an $80 meal which was worth $35 at best. I'll stick with Hiro's.
(2)
Dinorah a.
Neighborhood gem! I love this place . It's a favorite lunch spot for my hubby and I . Good food, great service and exotic cocktails .. Beautiful trendy decor and u can go shopping right after to burn some calories or more $$$$
(4)
Rocky A.
Ever go to a restaurant and you want to order the whole menu, 'cause everything looks AMAZING ? One word MAKOTO in Bal Harbor I went to MAKOTO and found the source to GREAT Japanese cuisine, Professional service mixed with Reggae , Rock & Roll and a little of this and that. Make this dining experience a MUST DO. Tuna air bread, fire & ice oysters, spicy tuna crispy rice, sauteed air spinach, and some other interesting choices are delicacies on the menu, and these are all appetizers The premium wagyu bone in rib eye 26 oz., kobe beef fried rice, the sashimi or sushi sampler with dessert being no less than mochi ice cream are some of the stand outs Its located in Bal Harbor and with the easy parking, makes it even better. Easy in and out. So when you go stroll around after an Unforgettable meal, REMEMBER I'm an XL.
(5)
M K.
Good but definitely not great. The fish was pretty fresh and everything was pretty solid generally. Nice setting outside on the patio. Service was terrible -- one of our sushi dishes never came (1.5 hours) and another was very, very late. They apologized but I'm still at a loss as to how the problem happened -- they recognized the problem early then an hour later it still wasn't corrected. A sushi dish takes like 5 minutes to prepare, just fix the problem. It was especially a problem because for the person whose dish was "lost" it was one-half her meal. Anyway, we might go back but only because it was a nice setting and there aren't too many options near the A1A between there and 20 minutes north (or south before South Beach). The food overall was a solid B+. One thing to add: the edamame was the best I've ever had. And I've eaten a ton of edamame. The waitress said it was "black" edamame which from googling is actually legit -- there is a variety of edamame from black soybean. (It was green and looked just like regular edamame but was very firm and flavorful).
(2)
Claire C.
First, it's a beautiful place and I was sorta surprised to find it in the Bal Habor shops setting. Make sure you make a reservation, especially if it's for dinner on the weekend. If you can, make sure you get one of the large wood bench tables near the sushi bar of the restaurant. In terms of food, i'd highly recommend the shisito peppers, the rainbow sushi roll, and the ramen! and also, obviously the wagyu steak that you make on the hot stone. It's a great experience and the beef is an excellent cut in fact. I highly recommend it! Just one minor note though - in contrast to what the waiters are saying in terms of the small size of the dishes, you'll find that they are actually not that small. I'd recommend to order 2-3 dishes per person rather the 3-4 dishes that they often recommend.
(4)
Alexandra R.
Delicious delicious delicious. The only thing I could think of while I was eating was 'wow, this taste like what I ate in Tokyo'. Extremely authentic! Chef Makoto has Japanese as well as French culinary experience and you can definitley taste the sophistication in his dishes. It's located in Bal Harbour shops, but don't let that or the chic interior deter you. Dinner for 2 would be well worth it, I promise! So throw on your best knock offs, and play the ritzy part until you walk into the restaurant. Then, let loose and enjoy the goodies Makoto's menu has to offer!
(5)
Malaise L.
Went to Makoto for dinner on Memorial Day night at around 8:45 pm. The patio out front was crowded. We chose to sit outside in the back (inside the mall) and we were the only people there which was really nice. Think of this place as Japanese tapas. The food comes out as it's ready. I ordered some asparagus tempura and, unbeknownst to me, my husband had ordered some as well which came out towards the end. Once again, I need an ordering strategy! In any case, it was really good, accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce (mayo?) that was really tasty. My husband also ordered Toro Tartar which was about the size of a thimble at 20-odd dollars. He enjoyed it and it looked beautiful, down to the gold leaf sprinkles. He also had Tajima Beef fillet (over 50 bucks!) which he said was good and had garlic chips which I wish were not on top of the meat so I could just swipe them. That did look good! I had the Vegan Stephen roll. At first, when ordering, I was a bit disappointed that they did not have more of a vegetarian/vegan choice and this roll did not sound that great but it really, really was! I greatly enjoyed it. Each bit was different and flavorful. We also had a real good sake. One word of caution: This place is EXPENSIVE and it seems like the prices on their online menu might not match the ones on the menu once you get there. My roll I did notice was a dollar more on their printed menu than it is online but I don't know if that was the case with anything else. Service was very good as well. I feel our waiter was initially a little awkward but warmed up to us. He checked on us enough to make sure that we were being well served but not so much as to make us uncomfortable. I would go back but it would be really awesome if they had some more choices for us non-meat eaters.
(5)
Michael H.
I had the pleasure this past weekend to dine at Makoto, the newest creation from restaurant mastermind Stephen Starr. I will break down the review in 3 separate categories. Vibe & Decor, Food&Beverage, and Service. Vibe & Decor: Dark wood, dim lighting, a 12-seat sushi bar and smooth reggae music provide a very chill experience for any foodie. Outdoor courtyard has limited seating but is the perfect scenery for a quick lunch as you dine beside running fountains and colorful koi ponds. The back terrace which seemed to be the most popular choice was furnished with cozy couches and marble tabletops. Food & Beverage: The cocktails are inventive and refreshing. Green Tea Capirosca, Lemongrass Cooler, & Gingered Sake were some notable gems. The sake list is quite extensive, everything from your traditional sake to some specialty and exclusives only offered at this establishment. Now the food was a step above incredible. You think Japanese, you sometimes think sushi and sushi only, but head chef Makoto Okuwa goes above and beyond to cater to the likes of every palate. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice was a signature to the restaurant, the Japanese Caprese salad was refreshing and creative, Short Rib Robata was so tender it melts right in your mouth. Black Cod was the best I've ever tasted. The sushi is fresh and far superior to any in the area. Try the Rainbow Roll, Vegan Stephen (100% Vegetarian), and the Rock Shrimp Tempura Roll. Service: The servers are very knowledgeable when it comes to the menu, feel free to ask about anything and expect a tempting description. Keep in mind, due to heavy tourism in the Bal Harbour Shops, Makoto does include an 18% gratuity which is understandable and fair. Overall this place has set the bar very high for Japanese dining in Miami and can offer something different for your palate any day of the week. Whether it be lunch or dinner, expect the very best from Mr. Stephen Starr and his all-star chef Makoto Okuwa.
(5)
Brian L.
15 words or less: Really pretty inside and outside. Good to very good food. Pricey. 15 words or more: Makoto is another entry into the growing high-end Japanese restaurant scene in South Florida. Nobu and Zuma set the standard. I am not sure this place can get there. But while trying to play in that arena, the menu does not seem to have the same depth from top to bottom. I was there for lunch but eyeballed the dinner menu. The menus are close, but there are some changes to accommodate the mall lunch crowds. The lunch menu features a few less fish and meat entrees. In their place are an additional salad or two and two sandwiches (one being a hamburger). The addition of a hamburger is smart because it will help placate that one person who does not like sushi but is forced to go because of his/her significant other. I shared a number of dishes for lunch. This included a chilled lobster salad and a tea-crusted tuna tataki salad. Both were very nice. The ingredients were fresh and the flavors came through. I proceeded to have a sushi sampler. The sampler ($30) was large, featuring this time a spicy tuna roll (6 pieces) and another 12 pieces of a variety of fishes. While I had a piece of tuna, hamachi, uni, unagi, and scallop, the standout was the salmon. Couple of things to note. The restaurant makes it own soy sauce, which is infused with bonito flakes. They also use unpolished rice (so the rice will be brown and white in color and may have a slightly crunchier texture). The restaurant also does not use big eye tuna, in an acknowledgement to the over-harvesting of this fish. Finally, the restaurant has a number of robata items, which seemed interesting. This is a tough one for me. While the food was very good and the presentation of the dishes beautiful, I am not sure the high price sets it far apart from what is your favorite neighborhood sushi joint or otherwise warrant the price if you are willing to spend a little more for Nobu and Zuma. This place is not charging those prices, but it is an expensive lunch, and I could see dinner sneaking up in price given the small plate/Japanese tapas concept. I do hope the place can make it. It is a nice lunch option in Bal Harbour Shops. And I will give it a try for dinner to try some of the robata items and to see what vibe and scene it may have.
(4)
Elham A.
This place has ok sushi. Not too good and not too bad. Some things on the menu was good such as the amberjack and kanpachi. Their fish was ok, not much to cheer about. IF you are cheering, you are probably from Florida and used to bad sushi :) The two spicy rolls we ordered had no taste to them. Only fish and rice, not spicy at all! Very disappointing...! The staff is very nice and attentive, but the food is not worth the price.
(3)
Tina T.
It's fresh and it's good - but it's not the be all and end all. The atmosphere of this restaurant is very cool and zen-like. They are located in an upscale shopping mall, and on a recent trip to Miami Beach I stopped and got some sushi. There's an outside bar and the bartenders were wonderful. Very laid back environment. The sushi wasn't as good as I would expect from a restaurant in Florida. Honestly, I had way better in Chicago! But it's still a worthy place to go to, even if because of the great atmosphere and drinks.
(4)
Taylor R.
Makoto has very good food as well as a great atmosphere. I personally love sitting in there courtyard section.
(5)
Red R.
I'm going to be honest. I was famished when I ate at this place. I had been walking around the Bal Harbour Mall desperately trying to find some new threads to sport that evening downtown. Surprisingly, I found little to suit my fancy. What can I say, I need a 34" inseam and apparently most Floridian men rarely reach the 6 foot mark (poor ladies). I was disappointed and a bit disgusted that I couldn't find much to compliment my 6'4" frame, so I decided to pause for some lunch. It was late, nearly 3 in the afternoon, when I walked into Makoto. Being that it was after the lunch rush, I had my choice of seats but opted to sit at the sushi bar, which was spacious and smartly designed. I knew I was meeting a friend for dinner in just a few hours, but I NEEDED FOOD, so I decided I should eat something light. I checked out the menu and was hard pressed to find one item to settle on. There was ramen, udon, tataki, and even ceviche (this is Miami after all). The one truly odd menu seemed to be the hamburger. 'Really, a hamburger,' I thought. That's like going to Morton's and ordering a salad - I don't understand it. Anyway, I digress....I decided that since I was seated at the sushi bar, I would order the sushi sampler, the smallest one. I think there were 9 pieces or so (tuna, yellowtail, salmon, etc.) and also included a tuna roll and miso soup. To accompany my dish I ordered a glass of sancerre. I devoured everything in record time and washed it back with another glass of sancerre. The standouts were the wahoo, the uni and the mackeral, all expertly garnished and fresh tasting. I quizzed the chef about some of the ingredients used with the sushi. He was polite and seemed pleased that I had enjoyed my dish. The next day, I was reading a local rag and saw the same chef's picture gracing the pages of an article on "rising chefs" in Miami. Not surprised! I left Makoto with my belly full and vowed to hit this place again on my next visit. It's been a good two weeks since I've eaten there and I sometimes find myself thinking about the wahoo. P.S. I never did find anything to wear at that Mall.
As a out of towner, and my coworker looked up this place based on reviews. Upon arrive I realized it was located in a mall. I don't usually associate high end sushi with malls. Therefore going in, I had really low expectations (1 Star expectation). The place was better than expected but no where near what others rave about. Eating here made me sad for the locals because this place was just eh.... As a side note, don't sit outside. There was a guy constantly on a blow horn flagging down taxis (or just being an ass)
(3)
David S.
Despite being in the Bal Harbor Mall, I thought this restaurant has great value. There were 3 of us at the table and we ordered the following: 2x Japanese Eggplant Robata Braised Short Rib Robata Tuna with Crispy Rice Some noodle appetizer dish (I forget the name) Spicy Yellowtail rool Baby Beets Mochi Ice Cream and their special desert with fruit and I think mango sorbet (I forgot the name of it) We just had water and the total bill came out to about $125 (tax and gratuity included) We were stuffed. So at about $42 a person, we were satisfied. So there is where the value is... here is the food part: AMAZING. I have never been this satisfied with tastes presented at a restaurant. All 3 of us agreed that while one dish may outshine others, the plates all around were delicious. The Japanese Eggplant: Semi-crispy outer skin, brown sugar, some cheese... it was sweet and delicious with a creamy texture. One thing, though, is that it comes out like hot lava so you may want to order another dish and eat that one first before diving into the eggplant. The roof of your mouth will thank me later. Short ribs robata: Shreds nicely, tender, easy to eat, delicious sauce. I just wanted to let it sit in my mouth forever. The best part is that each skewer has three pieces and there were three of us... so sharing was easy. (Same with the eggplant) Tuna with crispy rice: Sweet and a little spicy with the jalapeno pepper on top. Great taste. Noodles: Probably the most normal tasting food.. but still delicious. Yellowtail Roll: I like the dab of sauce and the pepper on top. The fish tasted fresh. There were about 8 pieces on a long plate. Easy to share and we all enjoyed it. Baby Beets: OMFG BEETS. I put one of the beets in my mouth and I almost fell out of my chair in a gooey blob of satisfaction. It gave me tingles... that's all I will say. Desert: Satisfying, the mango Mochi flavor is the best. There other signature desert is sweet and creamy and there is some fruit in there so you don't feel too guilty. Overall.. at $42 a person for all that food.. I am VERY HAPPY. However, at that price, I will only come back once in a while; but with a big smile on my face. Also, sitting outside is preferable especially on a nice night.
(5)
Jon G.
Great service and comfortable yet sleek atmosphere. The uni was good but about 1/-3/4 of the portion I'm used to having. Chu-toro was exceptional. The watercress salad was a must order. All in all it was a nice experience in an amazing location but definitely just short of a top tier sushi restaurant.
(4)
Kim S.
There were Some good things and some horrible things like the lobster roll and the rock shrimp tempura roll. The lobster roll tastes like a men's bathroom, and the rock shrimp tempura roll tastes like plain oil. The good things were the shishito peppers, the sunimono salad, and the edamame. These are simple things so I'm not suprised they were good.
(1)
Julia K.
Sushi should be an easy one in Miami -- fishing is practically the official hobby of this city. So why is sushi so complicated? Sushi is fantastic at nobu, zuma or bond street -- but these restaurants come equipped with a huge scene and price tag. Or maybe one can hit one of the small, local place and settle for mediocre sushi in a dive setting. Then there is Makoto. The ambiance is nice -- beautiful actually -- inside or outside, depending on the mood. I prefer the more quiet outdoor option. Ahhhh, the food - excellent. Spicy jalapeño and yellowtail roll has the perfect amount of kick. And the spicy tuna on crispy rice is also different and delicious. I also has the shisio peppers -- mmmm. My hubby had Rainbow rolls and they were perfect, too. I think Makoto is just what Miami needed.
(4)
Armando A.
Probably one of the best places for sushi I have been to in the world. No matter what you order here it is amazing especially drinks.
(5)
Timothy A.
Spectacular! You get what you pay for, and this place does not disappoint. Great food and service. The menu and dish preparation is unmatched in South Florida. Very happy with Makoto. Prices are high, but I guess that's what you have to pay for quality these days.
(4)
Christopher R.
You know it's a good spot when you go there at least once a week. Yes, that may also be because it is close to my house, but still. I love the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice -- it is a must! Both the inside and outside sections provide a great vibe and they even have a smokeless outdoor section which is great -- because why do only the smokers get to enjoy the beautiful Miami weather?! Also -- it's not as expensive as it looks, definitely worth a try!
(5)
Eugene Y.
Another amazing dinner but after revisiting both restaurants Zuma is def a notch ahead of makoto. With that being said, I will continue to visit both! :)
(5)
Melissa C.
Great dinner! Our server was knowledgeable and attentive.However, the automatic 18% gratuity made me instantly suspicious when I saw I had been charged for wine that was double the price of the wine I ordered and knew I was drinking. Hmmmm...but I'll give our lovely server the benefit of the doubt. Spicy tuna crispy rice was our our favorite as well as the sake infused with ginger, lemongrass (I think it was lemongrass) and rosemary. The scallop robata was tasty but the bacon wrapped around it was overkill and overpowered the scallop. The salmon and sweet shrimp sushi was fresh and delicious but the rice was slightly undercooked which was a disappointment. The Serrano chili on top of our spicy yellowtail roll added a perfect kick. We sat outside and it was comfortable with the normal level of buzz you can expect to experience when eating outdoors at the bal harbour shops. I also liked the vibe inside the restaurant and will return to sit at their long sushi bar. Overall a great dining experience. We will return and recommend Makoto to our friends.
(4)
Judy M.
After having many good dinners in the past, tonight was a very disappointing experience. Disorganized service. Rice for sushi was crumbling in our hands. My wife and I did not enjoy a straightforward sushi dinner . KM & JM.
(1)
Dagwood S.
This was one of the highlights of our trip when it came to eating. We sat outside, the staff was super friendly and really helped us decide what to get. Because we were really hungry, we had mostly rolls and a Toro Tartare ($29) which was uneventful and expensive, but that was our mistake for reading the price wrong. I think we had about 4-5 rolls and each one was super fresh and flavorful. Next time I will dive into the sushi/sashimi more and report back. Loved the food, atmosphere (outside int he courtyard) and staff. Good job.
(5)
rhett t.
There's a real genius at work here, but the flaws are noticeable. I posted my first review weeks after opening and I compared it harshly to Zuma. And, in many ways the review holds up, but . . . if the flaws were corrected this would be outstanding. First, the menu has evolved, slightly, but noticeably, if that makes senses. Second, the execution of the meal as a whole is ridiculously flawed. The dishes all arrived at once and the waiter grunted as he struggled to make room as if it were our fault. (the service was excellent apart from the timing and the failure to staff two hostess stations). Third, there needs to be a slurping spoon for the ramen which was excellent save for the greenery that was stringy and chewy. The sushi was a highlight, as were the robata dishes (Chicken and corn were wonderful, the short rib I could have skipped). The shishito peppers are not only outstanding, they provided a show for my son as he watched the bonito flakes move (Look, they're moving). The kobe beef on the hot stone is always a crowd-pleaser (but please angle the plate with the hot stone away from the child) (Look if you poke the flakes they move). The wine list is better if by half. There are a few better options, but it is still an unbelievably thin list at the upper end. (Look, they're not moving, wait the flakes are moving!). But, the undeniable star of the show was a chocolate fondant dessert with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, fruit on a cold slate plate that my son clearly enjoyed. Look, if Stephen Starr fixes the pacing, and tweaks a few elements, this place would be extremely enjoyable.
(4)
Felix T.
Excellent. Price in the high end but the food and service was excellent. I found awkward the fact that we ordered flat water and they charged 2$ by refilling a Sparkling water bottle. With a dinner of over 200$ for two, I don't think a restaurant in this category need to do that ... why my 4 star.
(4)
Amy A.
WOW! We wanted to order the whole menu! Everything was amazing! The food is scrumptious- the taste, texture, the presentation- top quality. Also the lychee martini is amazing! The sushi is amazing... can't wait to go back!
(5)
Amy S.
Did the Spice lunch menu the other day and was beyond impressed with the selection and how much food they offered. For $22 its a great deal. The service was horrible though, we went around 2pm on a Friday and they just didn't seem well enough staffed for the people dining. We got the spicy tuna crispy rice, robata eggplant, short ribs and chicken rice bowl. All were delicious! Go take advantage of this menu!
(4)
Candice L.
Makoto has amazing food,,but simply put there is just not enough of it for the price. By no means am I cheap and I was not even the one paying for the meal,,but it is way overpriced! We had sparkling water and I asked for limes which never came. As we wanted wahoo,,the waiter highly recommended the wahoo sashimi in an orange ponzu sauce with chiles and topped with crunchy carrots. Boy,,was he spot on! It was amazing!!! He was also extremely knowledgeable about all types of sushi and everything on the menu. The other sashimi we had was the salmon,,medium-fatty tuna and cobia. The presentation was stunningly beautiful,,the fish melted like butter in my mouth and was incredibly fresh. However,,it was so tiny,,it was ridiculous! In addition we ordered 2 orders of the amaebi (sweet shrimp) sushi with fried heads. Unfortunately,,it came out sashimi without the heads and was only one order. :( The heads came out at least 5 minutes later after I asked twice for them. 2 pieces of sweet shrimp sashimi and 3 fried heads 5 minutes later for 2 people?! Ummm.. After much waiting time,,eventually our Kobe beef with the hot riverstone rock for table cooking finally arrived. It was absolutely out of this world delicious but simply not enough of it! And I like small portions.. They apologized for the wait and blamed it on having to wait for a stone. Then buy some more as much as you charge! Finally,,the other person ordered the lychee martini which I had a sip of and it was amazing as well!!! Overall,,the prices are exorbitant for the portion size across the board,,the service was good but not excellent and the food was succulent. By the way,,I had gone here one night before and we sat outside as well for 10 minutes and no one came up to us so we informed the hostess,,waited for another 10 minutes and still no one so we left. This time we informed the hostess when we arrived that we were sitting outside and our waiter did come over. I also saw someone post that they don't ask you before clearing your plates and this is true. In all honesty,,I do not like to have to ask for my plate to stay on the table so I may finish what little food was on it to begin with. Bring your biggest wallet and try not to be famished when you go.
(3)
Charlie S.
Yes it is expensive. It's definitely not for the weak hearted but I am in the business and I see where the labor and high food costs go in. Also one of my top go to restaurants. Never been dissapointed. The chilled udon noodle salad is out of this world and so it the makoto salad. My only complaint, wish is was a little closer to where I lived and not at the bal harbour shops. I always get side tracked and spend more money than budgeted at those damn shops!
(5)
Tough C.
Four words: Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice! So tasty and different. The sushi is fresh and good, the service is just OK, but I don't like to rush when I am eating sushi, so it works for me. The decor is very nice, dark woods and soft mood lighting makes for a great dining experience. I recommend it.
(4)
Aaron P.
Great place check it out.
(5)
Isa P.
Excelent! - The WASABI VEGETABLE FRIED RICE /pickled ginger is delicious and The fruit toban yaki Dessert is YUMMMY!
(5)
Karin V.
OK this one is gonna be a bit pricey...but its totally worth it!!! Everything is absolutely delicious, but you must try the Japanese caprese, house salad, udon noodles with chicken, spicy tuna with crispy rice, maki roll with rock shrimp and I could go on and on! They also have a great Sake selection and the service is friendly and unpretentious. Oh and I really loved the cool interior and the Reggae playing in the background, how refreshing and different from the annoying "SoBe boom boom restaurant sound"
(5)
Scott P.
Their new sushi chef is absolutely amazing. He used to be an apprentice for the Iron Chef "Morimoto." This guy is the real deal. Definitely worth the trip to Bal Harbour.
(5)
Ryan C.
Me and a group of friends had dinner their opening week, so this review is based on a situation that hopefully continues to improve. We ordered the shishito peppers, seafood hotpot, wagyu beef fried rice, tokyo stir fried, foie gras beef rolls, braised beef short ribs, and the sushi sampler, and chicked meatballs. The dining style is similar to "tapas" and our group grazed on a bit of everything. Winners: - shishito peppers, fried rice, tokyo stir fry Losers: - chicken meatballs (basically salt sticks), seafood hotpot (stock was very sweet), sushi sampler (fish quality was reasonable, rice flavor was lacking) In general the restaurant succeeds aesthetically and delivers solid service. Not sure if its opening week jitters, but many of the dishes suffered from over seasoning. I'd be willing to try the restaurant again to see if flavor profiles have improved. I'd recommend this for those that aren't too finicky about sushi and want to have a meal in a beautiful setting.
(3)
Anna R.
to me the food here is just average. Nothing exciting, no special flavors at all. The most surprising to me is that they offer the same menu item Katsuya at the new SLS in South Beach offers, which is the spicy tuna cirspy rice with serrano chili. However, the dish here was just bland, the rice was dry and not crispy at all however at Katsuya it is much much better, actually amazing. We had the fire and ice oysters which were good as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside which is a joke. I guess the price shows at only 20 for kobe but we needed 4 orders of them to even remotely feel satisfied. I wouldn't go here again.
(3)
chris h.
We went last Sunday for lunch. Both had bento box - one CHIRASHI scattered fish and one SUSHI ROLL spicy tuna, california. They came with salad, soup and a fried rice. Enjoyed everything. We feel the food quality is better than what you get at an average Japanese restaurant. Planning on going back again next week.
(4)
Yang H.
This restaurant is WAYYYYYY overrated. First we ordered Lychee martini, I am sorry, it tastes like soapy water and took 20 mins to come out. Second, we ordered Kobe beef cooked on stone, it could not be any saltier! Then, we had the tiger shrimp, this one is not too bad. We also had the sushi sampler for 30. The spicy tuna roll was really suck, all i could taste was spiciness, nothing else. the fish on the sushi was not very good especially shrimp, it looked like been soaking in water for a week. Desert was the mochi platter, however, the flavor was very very light i could nearly taste anything. For better sushi experience i would go sushi samba or sugar cane.
(2)
Gregory E.
Went there this past Friday, which I'm told was their busiest day. With a 9pm reservation, we had to wait upwards of 30 minutes to get seated. We were not overly agitated by it, but the host was very kind in offering us drinks while we waited, and schmoozing with us to pass the time. We were told that generally any reservation between 8-10pm is going to have trouble getting seated on time during a prime weekend night. So caveat emptor. That said... Decor: minimalistic, but clean. Smaller parties sit along a long sofa that goes along an entire end of the restaurant (the other side of the table has chairs). Service: Very good and on point without being over the top. We were checked on routinely (as food comes out as it is cooked), and our water glasses were never empty, which is always a good sign. Food: The menu is very diverse, so much to the point where our party stuck to non-sushi items, except for the spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer. Having lived on the west coast for two years, this is a staple dish over there that for some reason has never made it back to the East Coast, short of a few NYC imports (Tao, Koi, etc...). Until now, that is. Makoto had it on the menu, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Executed to perfection. We also shared a number of robata items, including the foie gras (which it was different from what I expected, as the texture was more along the lines of a sausage as opposed to a traditionally seared warm foie gras). We also shared the short rib, which was tender and doused in a great sauce. Additionally, we shared a soup/noodle/beef dish, that was forgettable, as it had more noodles than anything else. What was tasty was the frosty kobe rice.. The texture of the rice was super sticky, and the rest of the ingredients in the dish blended and tasted great. For dessert, we shared the Moshi (very good, but small for $10...just saying) and the raspberry molten chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream that had been rolled in some sort of flavored rice sprinkles. Very Good! Overall: Being from Broward, this is a good spot to go to instead of traveling even further for Nobu or Zuma. The overall experience was enjoyable, and while I will be back frequently, I will not run back as if it were the best thing since sliced bread.
(4)
Derek S.
Amazing menu for casual sushi at my favorite mall, Bal Harbour Shops
(5)
Fred O.
Wow. The sushi was absolutely hands down some of the best I've ever had. It's pricey but worth it each piece was like butter. The appetizers (hot) were all delicious!
(5)
Stephanie Z.
Love this place! The food is so good. My favorite wasabi fried rice, tuna tataki and the robatas! Service is also very pleasant
(5)
Greg K.
Excellent Japanese which just opened in Bal Harbor Shops. The Makoto Ramen Noodles were delicious (meat was more like in a spaghetti sauce but the broth was spicy and delicious). The Foie Grad Beef Robata was also excellent as was the pork belly. We had one beef roll which was disappointing. Prices are on the higher side and portions are small as with all high-end Japanese restaurants. Atmosphere is sophisticated yet at the same time comfortable with a nice outdoor seating area. Very nice option to the Carpaccio/La Golue Mall offering. This one should stick. It is really a 9/10 ( if a 10 start rating applied).
(5)
judy b.
One word: excellent! I am not a fan of Bal Harbor Shops. Just can't stand the in your face monied atmosphere, but, I can ignore it to go to this restaurant. The restaurant itself was designed to be comfortable yet still fits in with the rest of the mall (yes, folks, it's a mall). There were three of us and we just kept ordering. The wine list was excellent, and the Marlborough sauvignon blanc was chilled and delish. We ordered probably a third of the menu and everything was top notch. The wagyu beef was outstanding. The seaweed salad delightful, sweet, tangy and just the right amount of sesame. The rolls were extremely fresh and I even ate some toro tuna, which I normally do not eat. The service was beautiful, each presentation crisp and efficient without being overbearing. We sat outside on a comfortable sofa, the fans kept us cool; I highly recommend this restaurant. I do hope they keep it up.
(5)
Jean C.
Great innovative cuisine. Nice atmosphere. Attentive service. Probably the best restaurant in Bal Harbor shops.
(5)
T. donald H.
This is the worst most overrated restaurant I've had the misfortune to eat in. First, they lost our reservation, then seated us at a dumb table for 7 (we were 10). The horror began with drinks (wine) which took 45 minutes to get. We ordered and waited as one or two dishes were delivered after one hour. Two people never got their order. We left after 3 hours of hell. No management person ever apologized . Waitress insisted on bringing complementary deserts which we declined. The food was fair at best, scallops salty and rubberized. Whole fish never came, rolls took hours to come and were falling apart. Price tag for this misery $930. Incl. 18.5% tip. They even had the nerve to charge $2.00 per bottle for tap water. I wouldn't go back if they paid me.
Takes Reservations : Yes Delivery : No Take-out : Yes Accepts Credit Cards : Yes Good For : Lunch, Dinner Parking : Garage Bike Parking : Yes Good for Kids : Yes Good for Groups : Yes Attire : Casual Ambience : Trendy Noise Level : Average Alcohol : Full Bar Outdoor Seating : Yes Wi-Fi : No Has TV : No Waiter Service : Yes Caters : Yes
Juan S.
Excellent Japanese restaurant. The food is outstanding. Service could have been a little better but not bad. Atmosphere is a highlight here....very comfortable and chic place in the Bal Harbour shops. Short rib tacos here were excellent.
(4)Vic V.
Hamachi, crispy rice spicy tuna and Brussel sprouts were all STELLAR!!!! Delicious sushi.
(5)Giulia R.
I cannot tell you how many times I've been to this restaurant. I know the menu by heart. Service is right on point, food comes quick and well presented. I have tried almost everything on the menu and have not found one thing to complain about.. besides the fact that they changed their curry shrimp roll to a different type of sauce and I'm not much of a fan but people seem to be enjoying their change. anyway, i would recommend this place to everyone. Fish is fresh and the grilled food is cooked to perfection, also they have fun meals like the kobe beef cooked on a hot stone right at your table!
(5)Customer T.
Amazing selection and super fresh food, nice atmosphere.
(5)S S.
Writing this review as I still sit here.... Waited 1.5 hours to sit outside when only two tables were ahead of us.... Thought it was busy but now that I've dined I realize it's because the service is severely short handed. There are questionably two servers for the outside patio on a Friday night. Seriously? Could barely get a water refill, app never arrived... Food was good but not that good! Won't be back.
(2)Val C.
Went in for a quick lunch meeting. Mike Velardi was our server, was extremely knowledgeable on the menu, great support by the bussers and runners. Food was delicious! We were all only eating Fish and Vegetables and we had plenty of options to pick from.
(5)Gavin H.
Excellent. Japanese with some creative liberties, loved the short rib ramen, the lobster roll, ceviche and soba. They also have excellent Japanese craft beers by the bottle. Not cheap, but worth it!
(5)javier g.
Let me start off by saying that if you love sushi you must go here! Everything about this place is great. It's nice and dark so it's great for families or dates. They have a wide variety. Prices aren't terrible. The management team there is excellent. Always around if you need anything. They have an outside area which is also nice. Must go again!
(5)Iryna M.
Excellent! Ordered 5 different dishes. One word- delicious. Short ribs were amazing! Sushi- just perfect! Drinks were great! Wonderful atmosphere. Great service. Will definitely recommend.
(5)Natasa S.
I would say food was ok but nothing spectacular. We had crispy spicy tuna rice, too greasy for my taste and tuna was kiind of bland. Short rib robata was great, very tender and flavorful. We had a lobster roll, nothing to write home about. Now, SERVICE HORRIBLE!! My husband is alergic to oil and we told that to our waiter, she must have been from eastern europe( as i am and I know the mentality) but my husband is not and he was so irritated at the inquisition on oil and did not make it pleasant for us at all, kept saying you cant even take olive oil, all of a sudden olive oil is not oil. She was full of attitude and should not have been in a service business. My husband had a vegetable fried rice which was cookd in soy and corn robata with no butter or oil. That was good but nothing extraordinary.
(3)Lawrence P.
This is a tough review for me BECAUSE we just went to Douzo in Boston which basically is the same type of restaurant. Located in Bal Harbour, Makoto has been on my wife's list for some time. So, after we returned from Boston (and Douzo) just a few weeks back, we made a reservation. The first thing that was disappointing about this one was the décor. The restaurant screams PF Changs. It lacks décor. I understand the look they are trying to pull off but... The tables are absolutely bare, so are the floors and the wall. Also, the area we were at was basically a long corridor with tables on one side and a wall of waiters, tables for glasses, etc. on the other. I just didn't like all the waiters walking behind me like that all night. We began by opening my bottle of wine ($25 corkage fee) and began our experience with another couple. Some order cocktails but I stuck to my wine. When the waiter came, he told us the concept was 4-5 items per person. So we began with the Toro Tartare (caviar, nori and wasabi) which was excellent. The tuna pizza on a grilled tortilla with tomato and cilantro was excellent as well. The kobe beef carpaccio with ginger was so good we ordered another. Finally from the starter menu, we ordered the pastrami hamachi which was ok. We then moved onto some sushi rolls and, the best in show, the miso sea bass. This was a 3 star rating for me until the sea bass. Not as good as the miso black cod from Nobu but damn close. This was exquisite!!! I wish the restaurant looked a bit more upscale to match the prices. I also wish the service was more professional... again, given the prices, I expected a bit more. In the end, this was good... not Douzo good... but good!
(4)Ron B.
Always enjoying going to Makoto because the food is really good. I like sitting at the sushi counter to see all the action and get into the flow of the energy of the sushi counter. The sashimi, chirashi and makimono were very nice and even though it was busy the sushi staff knocked it out. I tried the cauliflower from the robata and I was surprised how good it was. We also tried out the fried rice in a stone bowl and enjoyed it. One point, please work on the service training. Great personalities but how to provide service with the guests in mind is not so easy to do. Keep working at it and I'll be back with friends soon!
(4)John O.
If this place were in LA, it would put Nobu out of business. I DREAM of the Tuna pizza -- words cannot describe how good it is. Also, their himachi appetizer with ponzu was out of this world. However, I have never had Miso Sea Bass this frigging good -- they marinate it for TWO days and it is an incredible piece of fish. I could eat this every day. They have a great selection of house cocktails and I got the mango something or other and it went down way too easy!!! Service is spectacular from the time you walk in the door. AND, finally a restaurant where the manager makes the rounds!!! Shouldn't every GOOD restaurant manager "walk the boiler room"? I think she is probably the reason this place rocks. Also, they have an interesting bar and some tables in the center of the mall (Shops at Bal Harbour). Great location and GREAT food and service -- I will be back!!!
(5)Shamir S.
This place is awesome !!! -playing Bob marley and dope food Eveyone should come here !!! The owner has amazing taste Will come back I live in st.regis across the street
(5)Romina G.
I looove Makoto, me and my husband go there at least once a week. I'm vegan and of all the sushi restaurants with veggie rolls that I've tried in Miami until now, this one is hands down the best. I usually order the vegan stephen (amaziiiing), and the garden roll, which has no rice but its filled with raw veggie goodness (if you are vegan ask for the mayo on the side, it has eggs). To start, the spicy edamames are pretty good. My husband usually goes for the short ribs noodles and he is obsessed. The crispy rice tuna appetizer is one of his favorites too. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that they bring the dishes as soon as they are done. So usually if you are not sharing (which is our case), one eats first and the other watches and so on haha! But its nothing that would keep me from going again. They are also open to modifying their rolls (If you want to order them without an ingredient, etc). I definitely recommend it and applaud their efforts on making creative and delicious veggie sushi.
(4)Raquel S.
Best meal ever! The menu has such great different variety. Be sure to get the Brussels sprouts they are amazing! It's also located in a designer brand mall so it's nice to look around before dinner! You should try to book if you want to sit outside because it's a cute area on a nice evening! Loved!
(5)Frank S.
Excellent food, attentive service , very pleased with the overall experience. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. The server recommended a Pisco cocktail that was perfect. He also recommended an excellent starter. We ordered several Items with Kobe Beef and all were excellent. Sushi and sashimi were fresh and we were not disappointed. We don't live nearby but if we are back in the Bal Harbour area I would definitely dine here again.
(5)Nicole M.
I have been there couple times with my girls, it was fantastic!!! Tapas style, family sharing style which I love!!!! Server is amazing! I really like one girl there, she s fantastic, she s really on top of everything, but her name is so difficult to pronounce. Food!!! Toro tartar, crab salad, crab hand roll , and risotto are highly recommended ... Can't wait to go back
(4)B L.
I ate lunch here with the family. House salad is very good 5/5 Spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer 6/5 Unagi sushi 5/5 Various Rolls 4/5 New york steak 4+/5 (my kid ordered it what can I say) Service was actually pretty good, especially considering its Miami and in Bal Harbour. I would give it 5 stars if the traditional sushi like the hamachi or salmon were better quality and thicker cuts...they felt average at best (and this has been the case on many occasions trying sashimi at Makoto) Recommended if you want to stay away from carb haven Carpaccio - just know its almost 2x the price...
(4)Andrew R.
Interesting menu. Good atmosphere. Will come back. Servers are nice. Try to come at an off time to get a good table.
(4)Lisa S.
Amazing Makoto house salad! The baby beet Robato is a must have. Great sake choices. You will enjoy an amazing lunch or dinner....five stars!!
(5)Christopher R.
Believe the hype! Lets start with the fact we arrived an hour early for our reservation and we seated promptly and allowed our pick of the restaurant. One thing that struck us immediately was the sheer amount of staff. I love a place that's ready for business. Makoto struck all of my foodie chords: décor, service, and food. Zero opportunities provided for points deducted. Décor- the outside bar/dining area is a lush tropical setting. It's inviting and feels VERY Miami. Next time we'll sit out here but this time the sky was threatening to open so we sat in doors near the sushi counter. Indoors has seating at the counter, in central dining areas and along the wall. I personally enjoy sitting close enough to engage my neighbors in conversation should they be inviting enough. Some find it cramped but I found it both intimate and spacious (and I'm freaking huge). Service- Hanz (real name?) was our service. Let me start by saying he was attentive to the point that my beer glass (22 oz bottle) was never empty nor filled by my own hand. He explained the menu and dining style which allowed for us to make informed ordering decisions. Please understand that food come out when it's ready not when YOURE ready. Cater your order to your dining style. Take your time enjoying drinks and snacking? Order one item at a time. Like to keep your face full? They will FLY FOOD TO YOUR TABLE. Either way be conscious of their service system if you truly want to enjoy the menu. FOOD!- Absolutely wonderful. We shared 5 items. The tiradito (beautifully presented scallop dish with a bubble bath beard of cucumber foam). Soft shell crab roll (5 pieces each about the size of a silver dollar pancake). Frosty kobe rice (an exercise in umami consisting of egg, beef, foie, soy and sesame). Prawns (the best prawn Ive had in Miami) and kobe beef cooked on hot stone table side (so soft. so soft) Now I can see how folks may be disappointed with volume here. Please understand this restaurant is not about volume. If you want a lot of food, order ALOT of food. My g.f. and I were stuffed after sharing 5 items from the menu. The fried rice was the only item we ordered that I would consider a "meal" in and of itself. Come expecting to spend around 100 bucks per person on a truly memorable meal. Thanks Makoto!
(5)Sumiee K.
Obsessed with the Brussel Sprouts here!
(5)Restaurant S.
Makoto would get 5 stars if the indoor dining experience was as ambient as the outside experience. Granted its Miami and more often, outdoor seating is probably a general preference, I just felt the indoor could use a little more warmth and TLC. All esthetics aside, the food was absolutely outstanding. My boyfriend and I ordered a bunch of apps and sides which were all incredible but were completely blown away by the braised short rib robata with truffle miso appetizer. It was nothing short of just heavenly. We were going to order some rolls and entrees after but just ended up ordering more of the short ribs! We live in New York with comparably great sushi places, yet we still talk about how great this place was, and how we can't wait to go back. Service was excellent and it was such a pleasurable experience. Loved it!!
(4)Robin D.
Makoto has never let me down. Some of my favs...rock shrimp tempura, Makoto house salad, watermelon ceviche, and the chocolate oozoo cake
(5)Vanessa C.
I visited Makoto with SOS on a Friday night. The restaurant is located in the Bal Harbour shops in Miami. I enjoyed the ambiance with the dim lighting and the dark furniture. The place was busy and the music was just the right volume. The service was great! Our table must have been visited by more than 3 different employees ranging from server to (possibly) manager. The server was very informative and gave us great suggestions. We ordered a variety of food... my favorite appetizer was the Brussels sprouts but everything we ordered was exceptional in my opinion. We also had salmon sashimi, tuna tare tare, a delicious white fish entree, and sake. My favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami so far. Cannot wait to return.
(5)Adrienne C.
MIAMI SPICE IS NICE Went to Makoto Wednesday evening with a party of ten. Good scotch stone sour at outside bar $13.77 + tip Bartender never heard of a stone sour but I've resigned myself to always explaining it, except in California where every bartender knows how to make one. Inside, we were seated and given menus quickly. Orders taken, 8 from spice menu and 2 a la carte. I chose the Spicy tuna rice. I usually shy away from tuna and lean toward salmon but this was WONDERFUL; made a believer outta me. Must..explore..more..tuna..creations! Second course was the Short Rib Yaki Udon stir fry. Absatively exquisite!!! Took some home, family member peeked in box and said "spaghetti, eh?" I said, no, try it. With scrunched nose ( and I was soooo posed to grab it away and eat it myself,) he said ..."pretty good." Then he licked the plate CLEAN! he loved it so much that I cringe to think he might have even done that in the restaurant!.. I don't 'really' live with savages but sometimes they play them on TV. Desert was a scrumptious mango mochi accompanied by a small phenomenally delicious chocolate- truffle pretzel mousse-like wonderful -thingy- in- a -cup. ( I would have preferred a vat but hey...) Now, what was not superb . Our water glasses were never refilled nor could we refill our own glasses as liter water bottles on tables remained empty throughout. Waiter, (who took the order) ,at one point stood at one end of the long table and asked (holding food up in the air) "Who had the pork chop?" ( the Iberico Pork chop Robata.) He should have KNOWN. All three round dishes of slightly different sushi combinations entrees were placed in front of the wrong people. Two friends simply switched. The third. person,.the waiter came over, picked up his dish and we watched him place it on another table. It hadn't been touched but still... All the mochi/mousse combos were on a large serving dish and placed in the middle of the table. I know we were all wondering ; do we reach in and grab one?..., is there a serving implement?..., what do we put it ON in front of us?, are there spoons? individual serving plates?..Didn't have to ponder long as the waiter picked it up and AGAIN and placed on another table . THEN we all got individual portions on plates with spoons.....except me. I was talking.... glanced up, noticed most people were already finished and had to then signal the waiter and ask for mine,which I savored. At Denny's, a waitress who stands at the foot of a table and announces "Who got the grilled cheese sandwich" is to be expected. Here? No sir. All in all, I had a wonderful time, and I'm giving it the 5th star because no errors were insurmountable and I'm not the customer from hell and I for SURE will visit again . .. ...glancing at penny jar..wondering if I can go back next week....................... With tax and 18% tip added to the check, $52.
(5)Tracey S.
Had dinner there last night with some friends for my boyfriends birthday... The service was great... The food was mouthwatering and the cocktails were refreshing.. Def will be coming back and bringing more friends... Def a must visit!!!!
(5)K D.
The food here is amazing. Makoto is an upscale Japanese dining restaurant. We had a large party and everyones food was outstanding. A little pricey but you're in Bal Harbour, so thats expected. I got the brussel sprouts and hot pepper chicken. The flavors were a bit strong.I should have ordered white rice to neutralize all the different flavors and spices. If you're a foodie, give it a go, you're sure to enjoy.
(4)Paul K.
This place killed it. Everything we had was super delicious. Especially the watermelon ceviche. I will come back just for that. The robata chicken wings tasted great & were cooked to perfection. Sushi, robata, maki, & entrees. Hans was our waiter & did a great job.
(5)Angela M.
This was my first, and certainly not my last, experience here. My mom and I were doing a little xmas shopping at bal harbor, and we decided to pop in for lunch. Our server was so sweet and extremely professional and efficient. I'm sad i didn't get her name- she was a young blonde girl with glasses. She made our lunch even more special by just being awesome. The food was great. We split the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, the grilled japanese eggplant with miso sauce, and two pieces of toro sushi to start. Everything was outstanding. Perfect ten. Next, we split short rib yaki soba noodle stir fry appetizer. My mom and I were both BLOWN away! It's the best noodle dish i've ever had at a restaurant in my life. We also shared two rolls, which is where things started to go a little bit down hill. The crab salad in the rolls was a little fishy, in a bad way. We had the soft shell crab roll, which my mom said was good (i didn't try this roll). We also had the rock shrimp tempura roll, which the waitress reiterated the curry flavored coating it came with. It should have a good spicy mayo on top. I get that they're trying to be different in w world full of "bang bang shrimp-esque" dishes, but it's just an odd combo. Based on these two rolls, i would stick to the appetizer page! All in all, i cannot wait to return with my husband, and skip the rolls. I need more room for those amazing noodles.
(4)Rachel L.
I come here every time I come to Miami (multiple times per visit if possible). The food is incredible. Once we weren't seated for a while and were getting pretty irritated, but they gave us free champagne and some appetizers to compensate. 100% recommended!
(5)Frank J.
Every visit gets better and better, I've started making makoto my go to restaurant especially for out of town guests. The service is always great with out being pretentious which could easily happen in this mall. The menu is quite large so we're still working our way through it the cold sushi dishes are always great but recently we've been very impressed with the branzino and the short rib noodle dish.
(5)Krys P.
My friends and I were so looking forward to trying Makoto because we heard such great reviews about it, from here and Miami Herald. Unfortunately, the whole experience was a big disappointment. The robata pork chop was flavorful enough but very dry. We ordered two types of sushi combo, but sadly of all the pieces, the spicy tuna tasted the best. Which means that they don't have high quality fish, though they excel in seasoning them to make mediocre fish tastes great. The short ribs yakisoba was quite delicious. Food was meh but service was total chaos. I would expect a restaurant situated in Bal Harbor Shops to do much better. The empty water carafe sat empty for long while, and when we got someone to refill it, he just set it down without filling our glasses first (which would be a nice gesture as apology for leaving the carafe empty). Also, the waitstaff had no clue who ordered what. Twice they made the mistake of putting down a plate in front of one of us, then came back a few minutes later to whisk it away as it belonged to someone else. Once they simply held up the plate and asked who ordered it. Excuse me? Even your average casual dining chain does a better job of noting down who orders what. Totally UNACCEPTABLE. Sorry but I've had better sushi and better service elsewhere. WON"T BE BACK.
(2)Pedro C.
Ate during the 6pm seating. Had a reservation and asked for a table in which I could sit next to my girlfriend instead of across from her. The hostess denied my request because that meant she'd have to seat us at a 4 top. After she told me that wasnt possible, she went ahead and sat an older couple at a 4 top who were walk ins and requested the same exact thing after hearing my request....f'in hostess. Now the food. The cooked food was pretty decent. Ordered the tiger prawns, short rib, and the spicy tuna crispy rice. All were pretty good....4 stars for that. We also got the $50 sashimi. Now, people on yelp said this was the best sashimi in miami....um sorry, no. Not to bring ethinicity into this but, I'm asian and I've had much better, fresher sashimi. These yelp reviewers that are raving about the sashimi....probably not asian. Nonetheless, overall good experience, but I will be looking for another place for sashimi.
(3)Julien D.
Not far from a four, but the service is so inconsistent that I cannot put a four star... When this place is good and you have the good server, well you are in for a good moment. Otherwise, you are in for a moment that will ruin your day... So beyond consistency, in the good days, the food is just excellent, and you will have a blast, for all the other days you will wonder if you ever will return... Being in one of the most luxurious mall of all, places like this, practicing the prices that are applied are entitled to be judged very severely towards their offering, and that is exactly what I am doing. I never complain about expensive, or even over expensive places, but the least I expect is flawless service and consistency...
(3)Gurmeet S.
The food is very good - servers are excellent Manager Jennifer Johns lacks the experience / management skills. They could not give us a time for seating us but kept repeating come every 15 minutes - waited for 1.5 hours and still same answers Find it hard to believe how a manager and the front reception do not know how much time it will take to seat a party of 3 persons.total mismanagement at the front reception Someone from senior management should look into what's going on on the front desk GSA
(3)Zhen W.
The food was top notch and the service was friendly and non-pretentious. Only reason I left out a star was due to its price. I would definitely recommend the yaki noodles in any kind. We also had the Kobe beef app and the king salmon. We cleaned the plate and wanted more! The scene was bustling and people were streaming in and out constantly so you know it is a hot spot for nighttime hang out. The outdoor seating had overhead fans to keep the bugs at bay allowing for an enjoyable dining experience. It is situated in a high end retail area so the patrons there wouldn't really care for the price. However, for normal Tweens like us one would definitely take a toll on the wallet. I recommend this place for anyone who is. Japanese food fan who wants their food done right!
(4)Greg N.
Came for a business lunch and had the salmon Robata box which was awesome. A long and string rain shower kept us in the mall for a while so decided to have a cocktail at their outdoor bar which was very nice, but also not meant for rain. Only a handful of people can sit under their overhangs. But food definitely awesome.
(5)Marty C.
Makoto is so dank. Best Asian food I've had in Miami, hands down. The interior is totally awesome and reminded me of a really trendy Japanese spot that I fell in love with in San Francisco. We had the spicy yellowtail roll and the rainbow roll to start - both were fresh and delicious. We then moved on to the "Frosty Kobe Fried Rice" with foie gras and jidori egg - this one really did it for us. The foie and egg really added serious depth of flavor and I actually asked for a fork because I couldn't shovel it into my mouth fast enough with the chop sticks (lol). We then moved to the cauliflower robata which was delicious and finally the kobe beef which we cooked on a hot stone and dipped in a delicious sesame soy. Boom. One of the better meals I've had in Miami, highly recommend. Afterthought - service was mostly great, with the exception of a couple of overzealous bus boys (as seen in previous reviews), but it was cool because they were polite.
(5)Yuyan C.
Really decent ambience and food. We ordered sushi and skirt beef from the Miami spice menu and both are great. Fish from the sushi melted right away and the beef was really tender. Mocha tiramisu was also a good combination.
(5)J B.
This place and lovely ambience , great service and delicious heathy food .....if theirs any downside it's the prices .....if you have a drink or two you won't get out for less than 250 ....food is very fresh
(4)D. B.
It was one of my kid's birthday. He wanted to check out a Sushi place that was much better than the norm. Arriving, we walked through the Bal Harbour shops (as fast as possible as far as I am concerned lol). Everybody ordered something different, but I immediately go hooked and hopelessly addicted to the spicy tuna hand roll.. The combination of the perfect amount of rice, tuna, and spicy sauce was amazing.. I would rate Makoto 4 stars and definitely will plan a return trip.
(4)Amanda G.
My boyfriend and I finally got around to trying out Makoto. We love sushi and we were very excited with all the great reviews! We got there around 9pm on a Thursday and expected to wait a little as we did not have a reservation. The hostess took our name and phone number and we headed over to the bar. We were texted two minutes later that our table was ready. We were seated outside on the terrace. The small two top table we were seated at gave us enough room to sit side by side, which we enjoyed. Service was OK. Our waitress was triple seated and it took her a little time to get around to us. After our drinks were in we waited even longer to put our food in because she was getting held up at one of the three new tables. Another waiter must have seen her distress because he popped over to our table and took our order. For that, we were grateful. The food was delicious! We really enjoyed the Hamachi Ponzu (WOW), the Brussels, the Dynamite Hand Roll, the Crispy Rice (Katsuya's is still my favorite though) and my boyfriend LOVED his Salmon Sashimi. We also had the Lobster Maki and Spicy Tuna, both were good, but not our favorites. The cocktails we had were great, and they had a nice wine/sake selection. We were feeling some dessert but when our server listed our options, we chose the check instead. Overall we had a nice dinner and we'll definitely be back for more!
(4)Jennifer D.
Saw Iron Chef Morimoto in the restaurant and figured it was a good sign. Boy, was I wrong. Some of the fish was slightly funky and the sushi rice was chewy and crunchy. I'm so disappointed, I can't write more. At least I went with a good crowd.
(2)Jerry K.
Great for people and car watching, especially in the outdoor patio. We were lucky enough to see Ray Allen! Server was great, sashimi was fresh, and the green tea mojito was amazing! (Also, get the frosty Kobe fried rice with foie gras!)
(4)Sandra R.
Had a ramen soup which was amazing. After came out a sushi roll with a long piece of hair inside of it. When my husband grabbed the roll he was able to spot it because it was stuck to the roll. Waitress was very apologetic and super nice. When the manager came over, he basically blamed it on me (even though I am not a blonde) and was very rude. I told him we didn't want a free meal or anything we jut didn't want extra surprises. We had been there precious times but after that , never again. Worse restaurant manager I have ever dealt with.
(2)Sidney P.
Best sushi to be had in Miami. Always fresh with great atmosphere. Excellent service usually
(5)Jamie R.
My go-to local place for great sushi and drinks
(4)Frank V.
Very good, Good Service, Beautiful place, Fresh fish surely much better than Nobu! Must go! Bonus for me because is not overpriced.
(5)Samantha L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant, every plate it's very elaborate, don't miss the crisp tuna sushi and the short ribs noodles. Service was great too, only thing is that we where a party of 8 and the didn't want to sit us until everyone's got there, even with a reservation. Prices are high, but quality is there too.
(4)Ashley B.
I was visiting Miami and ate here after a cruise. I was with my family of 8 and got to try a lot of dishes. Every single one was amazing! Even the mint ice cream cookie at the end was delicious. Service was really nice, place is really cute. :)
(5)Josie D.
Posh restaurant! BUT! Never in my life have I gotten a bone in a piece of Toro sushi. Considered they replaced the sushi, it was still a huge bummer. The wagu beef on hot stone was fun and the sea scallops sushi was amazing. However, for the price, I have had better sushi.
(3)David R.
Best Japanese food in Miami. Great atmosphere, and excellent service. We went for Miami Spice. I had the chicken ramen-best I ever had. Skirt steak was delicious. My wife had the grouper tempura- sooooo good. I would go back just for that.
(5)Yiwen W.
Sea bass, Risotto, Sushi, cocktail, etc. Every dish is so delicate and delicious. Love Seafood so much.
(5)Nicole R.
Despite its location in a mall, this is seriously one of the best sushi spots in Miami, hands down. After a full day of shopping in Bal-Harbour, my mom and I decided to check out Makoto since we'd passed it plenty of times but had never been. It has now become THE reason to go to Bal-Harbour! The service is great and very prompt. We usually choose to sit outside because it's quite chilly inside the restaurant (Miamians tend to be overzealous with the AC!). The waiters are very helpful with the menu, eager to help you with recommendations and make sure that you choose the right dishes. I 've been there a few times and have tried the following: - Edamame: classic, can't go wrong; portions here are VERY generous - Hamachi Ponzu: also a classic sashimi dish; the ponzu sauce is very tasty and perfectly tart; the serrano chilis add the perfect amount of spice - Crispy brussels sprouts: one of the best brussels sprouts dishes I've had, these are VERY crispy and covered in a yummy kimchi sauce - Spicy tuna w/crispy rice: I expected a type of fried rice dish here, but it's actually a sushi presentation but using crispy rice instead. The spicy tuna was not covered in mayo (which I hate) and the crispy rice added a wonderful crunch - Cauliflower robata: yum! I love grilled cauliflower and the combo with the teriyaki sauce was incredible - King crab w/yuzu butter robata: so buttery, so tender! - Short rib w/truffle miso: I thought the truffle miso sauce was a little heavy on this, but otherwise a solid dish with tender meat - Sake (king salmon) sushi/sashimi: so fresh! - Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) sushi/sashimi: I'm not a huge fatty tuna fan, but this was really smooth and I can see why fatty tuna fans would love this (as well as the 'fully' fatty tuna sushi/sashimi) - Spicy yellowtail maki: again, very fresh sushi and the additions of scallion, jalapeno, avocado and wasabi make this a perfect roll Overall, I'm so impressed with this place! I feel so healthy coming here so it's quickly becoming my favorite sushi spot in Miami. I still need to come for dinner, and I am dying to try the Kobe Fried Rice and some of their fish mains!
(5)Ashley A.
Mind-blowing! I wish there were more stars that I could use to rate this restaurant. You will NOT be disappointed here - top notch service to exquisite ambiance are only appropriate compliments to such a creative, adventurous menu. For anyone from the Philly area, you'll be extremely pleased to know that this is another fabulous Steven Starr restaurant. I must admit, I was expecting it to be the usual ultra modern Japanese restaurant toting the usual sushi menu lineup. Nothing to write home about... My experience (notice I'm not referring to this as just lunch but, rather, an experience) began with our friendly hostess seating my friends and me at the best table in the house. Our friendly waitress greeted us immediately and navigated us through the menu and was diligent about notating my dairy allergy (extra bonus points). We ordered miso soup, the Vegan Stephen, and the Japanese risotto - all of which were epic dishes! For my vegan friends, the vegan sushi is absolutely life-changing. Simply put, mind altering and life-changing. It's like finally meeting the perfect guy and realizing you've been dealing with nothing but cheap amateurs your entire life. I am now forever ruined because I can never settle for anything less than that perfectly executed vegan sushi. Don't settle for the lackluster raw veggie roll at those popular cafés - this is the real deal! Perfectly marinated asparagus, butternut squash, red onion, and sheer culinary genius all combined into a dish that looks like it will make your eyes roll! The Japanese risotto was definitely a high note. The aroma, the texture, the perfect ingredients (sans the truffle butter thanks to our awesome waitress) made me want more, more, MORE! FYI- do not get up from your table without trying the fruit bowl dessert. I promise you, you will not stop talking about it.
(5)Giulio P.
Went on Friday night. Table of 8. All of us very happy. Good service, perfect food! Try the skirt steak, different for a Japanese restaurant but with an incredible taste. Sushi then was perfect.
(4)Roy P.
Came to Makato on a nice Sunday afternoon and loved it. The place was calm, the vibe was earthy and the staff was really nice. Everything we had was super fresh. Definitely a great lunch spot to get a delicious meal. Very reminiscent of Katsuya in LA.
(4)Kwan W.
I keep coming back. I've tried almost every dish; some are good and most are excellent. Only one item on the menu I disliked for its price l, taste and quality. Overall the staff are friendly and professional and food arrives quickly even on a busy night. Recommended all my friends and they all like it.
(5)Gina C.
MAKO-YEAH! amazing atmosphere and welcoming staff. Our waiter was Hanz. He made sure to let us know the dining style which is food is served as it come out. A lot of small plates are for sharing and they come out when its ready and not when YOU'RE ready. I had the Mako Tai cocktail drink: pineapple and coconut bacardi. Delicious! We ordered the Scallop Tiradito. The plating was wymsical with a huge cucumber foam on top. Next, grilled prawns. Hands down the best prawns i've had. We had the soft shell crab roll which was 5 pieces the size of a silver dollar. Great for sharing. We ordered the kobe beef and foie fried rice wich was good considering that fried rice is almost always good. Now the thing that absolutely made me fall in love more than anything was the Kobe beef dish. RAW Thinly cut pieces of Kobe sprinkled with green onion with a side of soy, ginger and honey sauce. This comes with a hot stone so that you can choose how well done you want the beef. You could eat this raw and its still delicious. What a great time my b.f. and i had sharing these small plates. We were stuff!!!!
(5)Leah T.
So sad bc this is literally one of my fav restaurants!!! I usually eat here 2 times a week. Lart night the food was beyond salty and horrible. The waitor who i have had in the past was sooo slow as usual and i waited 30 min for water. I think during "season" i should stay away. Food was just slopped together. Usually it looks and tastes amazing!!! Stomach is killing me!!
(1)Laura L.
Food and service is good here. I like coming here for lunch and recommend going for lunch or early dinner Bc it's gets packed and even with a reservation you can wait awhile.
(4)Eli S.
One of the best Japanese in Miami.
(5)Bonnie L.
Great ambiance, convenient location inside of bal harbor shops and most importantly amazing chef! Although service can improve a bit. I would say this restaurant is worth the price tag, the most important factor to me after a meal is feeling satisfied and happy and Makoto's does the job! Recommend: Pesto Prawns Crispy spicy tuna (better than katsuya 100%) Kobe beef carpaccio Tres leche dessert
(5)Angel L.
Exceptional sushi! Service was great. Uni is to die for. Must try! This is my go-to high end sushi place!
(5)Meghan C.
One of my favorite restaurants in Miami/ Bal Harbour. Absolutely delicious fresh tasting food that is always seasoned beautifully. I have eaten here probably about 5 times in the last year and have yet to be disappointed. The Kobe fried rice is to die for as others have mentioned. The waiters I have had up until now have always been helpful and friendly. I even once brought a date here and he broke a glass (the poor clumsy thing!) Which was quickly cleaned up while we all shared a good laugh at a light hearted joke regarding the awkward moment. The waiter and manager who were walking by were great about the situation and my date felt better about it immediately. Anyways, I love the food here and the fact that it's surrounded by great designer stores doesn't hurt either! The prices match to the great quality so don't forget your wallet; I promise you won't feel bad about the bill as you will be over the moon with your meal. Overall an impressive spot that's especially perfect for bringing visiting friends and family.
(5)Liane W.
I can't recall why I gave this 4 stars earlier this year, but I'm upping it now. :) Came back for my birthday and absolutely love-love-loved this restaurant the most out of my entire food-filled-gut-bursting-oh-so-satisfying birthday bash weekend. The boy and I have back-to-back birthdays, so you can imagine how much celebrating occurs with both family and friends. Hold onto those fat-day pants. You'll need it! lol (Or at least I will... :'() Anyway, service is always wonderful at this restaurant. You barely notice when they refill water; they're diligent about clearing plates; everyone is super polite from when they ask if you need something cleared, topped off, or even if you need a picture taken. Here are our menu favorites! FOOD + Makoto House Salad: This still hasn't changed. This has been a fav from Day 1. It is light and refreshing. The dressing is soooo deliciously extraordinary simply because it's not standard fare. + Short rib yaki noodles: We ordered this again, but it was 1 of 2 carb dishes. Soooo... note to self: Stephen and I agreed! Get only 1 or we get stuffed. I prefer this dish because of its sweetness, but the boy prefers the... + Frosty Kobe (Beef) Fried Rice: I'll admit. This is definitely delicious. If you're more of a rice fan than a noodles fan, you'll like this better. There's a fried egg on top, but don't forget to mix up the frosty beef with the rice to heat things up. + Sake Sashimi (or king salmon sashimi): This. This is like buttah, babe. Order it if you like sashimi. It's gently crooning your name as you move your chopsticks closer, and then as it goes down, it's like a sigh of delight. LOOK OKAY. I'm practically writing a song here. + Rainbow roll: I honestly was stuffed at this point. I think I had one piece, and it was of the yum. DRINKS Ok ok... I've had a couple cocktails here before, but this last time I went, I had a Passionfruit Pisco Sour. This note is more for me than for you (lol). Liane, don't forget to reorder this. If you are like me, and like sweet sweet candied alcoholic beverages that are better suited for 12 year olds, get this. It's delicious. Can definitely taste the kick of the alcohol, but it's a luscious kick. :) DESSERT I'm not much for mochi (not a fan of the texture). But, I ordered a scoop of green tea ice cream, and it was mmmmm. Definitely more matcha, which is exactly my preference. (Not a fan of the "floral" green tea ice creams that abound in some locations.) So oui. :) Enjoy! Note to self: Try another roll, one of the crispy rice things, AND get the unagi next time we come back.
(5)Kariza M.
This is the best place for Japanese Cuisine I have been lately in Miami! Very exotic menu, filled with tasty and unique ingredients, amazing outdoor area surrounded by the tropical landscape of The Bal Harbor Shops. It's definitely my new favorite place! Thumbs up and highly recommend!
(5)Luis H.
Service was good, the waiters were being so friendly to my gay friend who suffers from autism after he started screaming "CALL ME TARZAN CUZ I SWING FROM DICK TO DICK"
(4)Patrick J.
Poor service. Attitude of the people working there is inexplicably snooty. Perhaps they feel that location in Bal Harbor should be sufficient compensation for overpriced poor quality food and worse service. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this pretentious joint
(1)Christina K.
Our second time at Makoto but our first sitting at the sushi bar. We wanted to interact with the chefs and have omakase (chef's choice) and it was a great experience! I am a bit of a sushi fanatic and Yasuda in NY is one of my all time favs. I have also dined at Nakazawa, Sushi of Gari and other famous sushi restaurants in NY and Makoto definitely ranks on the list. Their selection was fresh and thoughtfully prepared with scents of yuzu, shiso leaves, caviar, etc where needed. It was a bit more of an elaborate preparation than what I would go for but the flavors all made sense together so it wasn't over the top. There were two chefs we were speaking to and both were fun, laid back and clearly loved their art. I think the only thing I took away from the experience to truly make it amazing was that there was too much ambient noise and smells around to enjoy just the sushi. Eating is all five senses and smelling BBQ while eating a delicate piece of fish was sometimes distracting. Of course it is a busy restaurant that serves other menu items and to be expected so this is a personal preference, but for me, I love it when I can focus on the sushi. Service was excellent and we were pleasantly surprised by our end bill. We each had about 20+ pieces and a roll and it was about $100/each for the omakase. We will be back!
(4)Gina T.
Makoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. I live practically across the street from Bal Harbour Shops, so my boyfriend and I come to Makoto at least once a week. These are a few of my favorite dishes: Tuna pizza Dynamite hand roll Makoto house salad King crab robata Uni (although it's been hard to come by lately) Chef's choice sashimi sampler The food is consistently fresh and delicious and the staff is always accommodating. There is a reason Makoto is always busy!
(5)Nate T.
I've been coming here for a year now and I can say that they have fine quality sushi. Makoto is a fun restaurant with a cool reggae ambiance that is filled with positive vibes. I really enjoy the company of the servers because they are very knowledgable of the menu. We have no problems asking for special meal request from the servers and chefs. What I like most about Makoto is the way they present their food, it is purely a form of art the Japanese practice. When we order a variety of sashimi we always look forward to the presentation. Yoshi, Taka, Anderson, Jerry, and Jesus were all great and fun chefs that entertain us when we sit at the sushi bar.
(5)Imran K.
Good atmosphere. Good food. Small portions compared to other chain restaurants. It's worth a try if you never been. Be ready to drop some guap though
(4)Sebastiana B.
I have been wanting to try out makoto for a while and unfortunately was not as great as I expected. Server could have been more knowledgeable and helpful with menu selections. Food was good not amazing. I had the tuna crispy rice, short rib yaki, kobe fried rice, rock shrimp tempura, japanese eggplant, a rainbow roll, & a fruit and sorbet tobanyaki for desert. My favorites were the crispy rice and rock shrimp tempura, & the short rib robota. Even though the short rib could have had more meat. Over all i had a good time for my boyfriends birthday.
(3)Michelle M.
Makoto has been on my must-try list of restaurants for quite some time now. I feel that, ever since it opened its doors at Bal Harbour Shops four years ago, this Stephen Starr sushi resto has been eluding me... Every time I made plans to try it, somehow they fell through! This past weekend I decided to finally try it with one of my best friends, who happens to have lived in Tokyo and is both a sushi connoisseur, and an extremely picky foodie. One thing you must know about my approach to trying new restaurants is that I always make it a point to find their "signature dish". You know, the one that will stand out from the rest and will make me want to come back for more over and over again. If you've ever had Yardbird's Fried Green Tomato BLT or Hillstone's Thai Steak and Noodle Salad, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Let me tell you, this one-hit approach of mine does NOT apply to Makoto. You see, at this place, every single dish that I had was worth coming back for! Though I was just there last night, I'm still savoring each and every single bite. It is that special. We started off with some cocktails and tried the very recommended roasted pineapple margarita. The spicy rim and roasted-pineapple-infused tequila gave it a distinct taste that paired perfectly well with our first appetizer, the incredibly popular Crispy Rice Tuna. Let me tell you, this dish was BRILLIANT. The rice was crunchy and chewy at the same time, the perfect texture to combine with the tuna, and topped with a thin slice of poblano chili, which just tickled your tongue without quite kicking it. A total hit! This was followed by the beautifully presented Kobe Beef and Truffle Carpaccio, which, from the name, you can probably already guess that it was nothing short of fantastic. A very elegant dish topped with tiny chopped garlic and a thin slice of ginger that balanced it nicely and gave it some texture. Lets talk about the main dish, shall we? The Makoto Ramen was heavenly. Despite the fact that ramen is usually considered a comfort food in Japan and often found at fast food joints, Makoto puts a nice twist on it, making it gourmet by adding perfectly tender short rib to it. This, plus the noodles and the pickled cabbage on top made it an incredibly savory dish. If you order it, make sure to separate a few pieces of the short rib to appreciate it on its own. It was so soft and fatty that it just melted in my mouth. I want more already! I have a feeling that, just like me, once you go to Makoto you'll want to try every single dish that passes by in front of your table, but I urge you: as difficult as it might be, leave some space for dessert. And not just any dessert. THE dessert: Fruit Toban Yaki. 100% homemade, this beauty consists of fresh fruit, served in a bowl full of white chocolate passion fruit sauce, ginger graham cracker crumble, marshmallows and a scoop of mango sorbet. I know it sounds like a lot of flavors, but trust me, they blend in perfectly together. This dish has officially entered my top 3 best desserts in Miami. At the risk of sounding repetitive, let me conclude by saying that Makoto is most definitely one of the top restaurants in Miami, and one of my new faves. The food has a level of sophistication and creativity that you would expect from a Stephen Starr restaurant, and the price is very reasonable for the quality and the amazing experience and service. Needless to say... I will be back for more soon!
(5)Grace R.
I love sushi, and Makoto does a very good job of it, but it gets 5 stars from me because it executes so well on everything else as well: it has one of the few robata grills in all of Miami, it has some ultra-rare meats and other treats that are top quality, and the desserts have a unique 'east meets west' (think "green tea tiramisu", for example). Makoto is unquestionably the top table in Bal Harbor (which is losing relevance as the pre-eminent shopping destination in Miami as places defect to the up and coming Wynwood area, and Aventura Mall). Even with validation, you will still be paying for your parking here. The chef here is an obvious talent, and I share the opinion of one of the other reviews asking him to incorporate at this location some of the magical Izakaya dishes that were served up at a 'pop up' meal held in another great Miami restaurant: Pubbelly.
(5)Yung Min L.
Possibly some of the nicest food that I've had anywhere. Beautiful interior and a very good menu, and relatively reasonable considering its location. The mushroom risotto was excellent, and their desserts are pretty amazing!
(5)AL K.
Iron chef Makoto worked w Iron chef Morimoto and I just had to dine here. The quality of their ingredients ars top notch. Service is friendly but the busboys are too eager to take your dish even when you are not yet done. Every dish we had was just incredible. The desssert was a delightful surprise,it was a 15min wait but it was worth it. Toban Yaki,its love at first bite!!!
(4)Tal H.
One of the rare finds in the world, super fine desert! Just make sure you book a table in advance. And pretty pricy, so not for a weekly spot
(5)Cynthia J.
This was probably the most inexpensive meal (at a fine cruise restaurant) I've experience since my vacation here in Miami. And this is in Bal Harbor, so it speaks volumes. :-) Fresh sushi and they have fried rice!!! Say what?!? LOL Pros- Outside siting, price and service
(5)Elisa M.
I know a lot of japanese food, and I love it, so I am always open to try new places. This place is not bad in terms of food quality, presentation and freshness of ingredients, but overall I find it too expensive for what they offer. I think this place is tourist-oriented, they don´t have a lot of options in the menu, and the ones they have are quite special, inventive, elaborated and somehow original (mixing japanese and some latin tastes), but if you are local and you like to eat good and simple japanese food, I know other places where you can do so without paying this much. I recommend the hamachi ponzu as a starter, and the Japanzanella salad, it was really delicious and very original with the rice cubes. The rainbow roll was disapppointing, fish slices were thin as paper and the roll was dry and tasted just avocado and sesame. They have several options for hot teas, don´t miss the herb citrus tea if you like to dine with hot drinks! :) * One curiosity: I suspect the "soy sauce" they put on the table is not soy sauce but a mikder version (maybe soy sauce with water) or dashi, so it doesn´t cover up the taste of sashimi and sushi, it might be too mild if you like the saltiness of soy sauce and you dislike the taste of raw fish.
(3)Vanessa V.
This restaurant was phenomenal! We came for our anniversary and I'm so glad we did. The ambiance inside was very romantic, with dim lighting and candles on each table. Definitely a place for date nights. The manager sat us and took the time to explain the menu to us, and he helped us choose what sake to try. Our waiter was just as helpful. Excellent service. We had the kobe beef carpaccio, the corn robata, and the wagyu short rib robata as our appetizers. The corn was so different, with a hint of spice, and a crunchy texture. The short rib skewers were amazing! It was the perfect blend of meat and fat, melt in your mouth good. For our entrees we had the kobe fried rice, the sashimi sampler, and the kobe beef which is cooked table-side on a hot river stone. The rice was very good, and the kobe beef was tender and flavorful. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because our food did not come out in the order that we requested. We understood that everything comes out at different times, but we asked that at least the appetizers come out before the entrees, in whatever order they were ready. We suggested that they wait until we got the appetizers to put in the entree order, but it didn't work out. Unfortunately the HUGE sashimi sampler came out first with the rice. So there was barely any space at the table for when the appetizers came out. And the rice was not as hot anymore by the time the kobe beef came out. :( I can't wait to go back though, everything was worth coming back for again and again. I'll just order the appetizers and entrees separately :)
(4)Vanessa B.
Definitely one of the best restaurants in Miami. Great food, ambiance, and service. The restaurant itself is very trendy and fun so it is always very nice to go to.
(5)Jonathan V.
Oh my, what can I say about Makoto. It is simply amazing! And when I say amazing, I mean amazing. For those that like Japanese, and especially sashimi and sushi, will definitely enjoy this restaurant. Now it's not the cheapest place, but I can guarantee that you will enjoy it. My review will basically be explaining how delicious there raw fish and seafood is, and I will be extremely biased because of how much I enjoyed it. I had the $50 sashimi sampler and it did not disappoint. I had rare cuts of fish that I've never had before and probably will not find anywhere else. The UNI was like butter, delicious butter from the sea. Even my wife, who does not normally do sashimi, liked it also. The Toro Tartare was also amazing. The creme fraiche and the rice crisp give the toro a nice flavor, especially with the wasabi. Although I said the review would be mainly about the sashimi and raw items, I would like to mention several other delicious items we enjoyed of. The roast corn had an amazing flavor, somewhat smoky and spicy. The molten chocolate cake dessert was also very good. The ice cream that it was served with was wrapped in these rice crisps which gave it a wonderful texture. All in all, this restaurant is something I dream of. The food was just delicious and the service was even better. Happy eating!!
(5)Theresa L.
Situated at the bal harbor shops. Beautiful and elegant decor, friendly staff. Got there around noon on Saturday and the place is pretty empty. We ordered the frosty Kobe fried rice, absolutely delicious (tip: flip the egg over, break the yolk and mix it well with the rice). Next we got the $50 sushi sampler. A warm bowl of fruit and mango sorbet for dessert! We had a wonderful dining experience, highly recommended.
(4)Kathryn S.
I'm not a huge fan of places that are known for their sushi (since I don't eat it), so I was hesitant that I would like Makoto. Luckily, I was proven wrong by their wide array of choices and delicious menu. I visited the restaurant with a few veterans so I felt comfortable with them giving me advice on what I should eat. I really wanted to try the Japanese risotto, but was unable to get it since we were pressed for time. With recommendations from my fellow patrons, I decided to share the chicken noodle ramen and the vegetable fried rice with someone. Both were very good, but if I had to choose a favorite, I choose the vegetable fried rice. I really liked Makoto, and I would like to visit again. Next time I go, I'd like to go with ample time so that I can get the Japanese risotto that I initially wanted.
(4)William H.
Excellent choice for my birthday. We had the Bento and the mango sorbet in a fruit sauce for dessert... Out of this world ... see photos.
(5)Andre G.
Last two times we were there we ordered the large sashimi platter and twice we were given the sushi platter. The fish is always good though and they replaced with the correct dish pretty quick.
(4)Jessie L.
It pains me to write this review, but after consistent poor service at Makoto I have to say that I'm really disappointed at what used to be my favorite sushi restaurant in Miami. Makoto has been one of my and my family's favorite restaurants of all time since they've opened. The decline in service has reached a point that we will never go there again, and hope to caution you, dear reader, from spending your time and money here. We gave it a couple goes with the poor service, hoping it was just unusual circumstance. But it isn't. From the time you walk in to the time you BEG to leave because you just want to get out of there, while the food is great, the service falls flat on it's face. We elected to sit at the empty sushi bar as we didn't want to sit outside and get pegged by Mosquitos. Out of the entire empty sushi bar, the hostess tried to sit us THISCLOSE to the one other couple at the bar. When we asked to sit one chair away from them so we could have some breathing room, she told us there were separate waiters for the one chair difference so she would have to ask if it was ok..... Ok.... We should have left then. We waited 16 min to be asked what water we wanted, 17 min to be served tap water and soggy, overdone edamame and 18 min to put in our first order of crispy rice and eel (when it finally came 19 min later it was delicious). An average of 20 min in between being checked in with but we tried to be good natured and order a final round of sea bass and Kobe fried rice with cocktails. The food came out 21 min before the cocktails. As we sobered up over the sea bass and fried rice (nearly $100 worth of food) we realized that the glory days of Makoto were so over. We sent the final round of cocktails back and asked for the check - which after waiting 22 minutes for we went to the front and asked to just pay so we could leave. The manager did offer to comp the meal but that wasn't our intention - we just wanted decent service. The food was good - we paid and tipped the waiter out of integrity but if you are reading this review we advise you please pick another restaurant.
(2)Bowie S.
A - OK. I went on a Sunday night, not so busy. I was excited to try this for Miami Spice 2014. I ordered a side order of Uni and ordered the Duck Ramen (on the MS menu) but both were not available that night :( The Uni supposedly comes in fresh daily so I missed the mark on that. Sad but, if you're an Uni lover this is normal. For MS, I ordered the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. The dish was okay, I thought it looked cool on the pictures on Yelp, but overall it was a little unique but nothing over the top. Four pieces is definitely enough for this dish, gets a little repetitive. My roomie had the Hamachi Pastrami, so I got to try that. It was cool and unique, something to try if you go for MS, it's something you won't get at other restaurants. We also got Oh-toro, negi toro & unagi. All were ok to me. The sushi-snob inside me was not impressed, but it was OK. For the second course, I ordered Duck Ramen but they said the chef wouldn't cook it because the duck wasn't to his expectations. Which I guess is good that the chef felt this serious about the ingredients, but I was a little disappointed. This only meant my expectations for the Skirt Steak were going to be very high. The Skirt Steak was alright. Zuma has a better Skirt Steak in my opinion. Three of us at the table ordered it and it came w/ avocado and ginger puree, they forgot to bring that out for 2/3 of us and we waited quite a while for them to bring out one more, but I had already ate about half of my dish, and they didn't even bring the third, we didn't want to ask three times. Roomie had the Grouper Tempura, I thought that was cool and we were surprised at the beginning b/c it's black, we were expecting it to be burnt tasting, but it's actually squid ink and it tasted amazing. Service: The waiter was not very attentive or professional in my opinion. Forgot to bring out the avocado stuff, and didn't finish taking our order until the 4th time he circled back after a while. But he's got the water refilling down to a T. Third course... desserts! Best of the night, I ordered the Matcha Tiramisu, it was above average. The real deal was the Sudachi Cheesecake, and that was amazing! I love unique flavors and desserts and this is a must try! I couldn't even nail down everything that was in it, but it was amazing, you need to try it for yourself. A little dip n dot action w/ key lime and mysterious deliciousness at the bottom. The dessert almost made up for my disappointment. Just overall, I think I had too high of expectations, don't get me wrong, this is a great restaurant, but I think once is enough, not so good that I'll come back again. Good place to try though if you live in South Florida and want something different. I'm glad they participated in MS. Definitely worth it if you go for Miami Spice!
(3)Nicole R.
Went to makoto and was greeted by Samantha great customer service! Our server was Chelsea she was fascinate great recommendations! Chris the manager on the floor tonight was personable and was very good with customer service and attentiveness! All and all I will be back makoto thank you!!! Ps food was to die for all of it!
(5)Caro R.
Went for lunch, waited at hostess stand for a few minutes to be seated, sat at bar and was never waited on. Finally a manager came over to inform me a waiter was coming - never happened so manager took my order.. felt as if no one wanted to assist me. Lunch sushi bento was good, sushi chef was friendly. Let down on service being a Starr restaurant.
(2)Mark S.
Makoto makes some incredible things, and chef Makoto Okuwa has some real talent. I experienced the best example of this, ironically, at another restaurant (Pubbelly), where Okuwa did a pop up last summer for a Izakaya meal where I had some of the best bites of 2013. Chef Okuwa: if you or your staff ever read this, PLEASE reprise that pop up menu, either at Makoto or in a separate venue - it was a revelation! I usually check in at Bal Harbor once or twice a year. This month I had the $23 "Miami Spice" lunch (where expensive Makoto is one if the best venues to take advantage of the summer promo). Our table had most of the available menu options. The Robata chicken is $10 on the regular menu, so the 2 skewers were not much of a bargain as a choice on the spice menu (and more of an appetizer size than a main). The way to go: start with the tuna on crispy rice (2nd choice: the salad, it's sizeable and tasty, bit crispy rice is a house specialty, so this is a pretty distant 2nd), then rainbow roll (next would be the jicama tacos, but agsin a distant 2nd: the rainbow roll is amazing!), and the no-choice dessert is a matcha tiramisu, which we all loved. At spice prices, this is 5-star. At regular price it would be a 4, because it loses the value factor. This (getting 5) is why participating in Miami spice is a good idea for restaurants.
(5)Carolina M.
Still loving this place. Came on a Sunday to the Bal harbour shops and we stopped there to have brunch. Recommend a reservation as they are normally fully booked. Lots of people there and definitely a trendy spot. The food, as usual was solid!. The watermelon ceviche was great. Fresh and well prepared. All the ingredients used are top quality. Edamame was a little overcooked for my taste. The short rib yaki noodles were fantastic. Very flavorful. We also had the king salmon. Very fresh and perfectly done, like salmon should be cooked. medium rare. We also ordered 2 rolls and they were both fantastic. : Spicy yellowtail (fave) and the rainbow roll. Very good. I am only giving 4 stars because of the service. This time around was a little slow. We sat outside and yes, it was pretty busy but never too crowded. And for a while we sat there with our water glasses and beers empty. Additionally, the bathrooms were kind of dirty. At a place inside the Bal Harbour Shops, were everything is so upscale and expensive, the least they can do would be having nice , spotless bathrooms. I found them in need of a remodeled of at least a good deep cleaning.
(4)Katherine D.
There are many restaurant options in Bal Harbor, but this is one you shouldn't miss. I went with two friends for lunch and we sat outside, but there was plenty of space inside too. Makoto is a good restaurant for groups because you can order various dishes to share. We had the cold sesame noodles which had an incredible unique tasting sauce. Additionally we ordered the tuna pizza, frosty Kobe fried rice, king salmon, and the Kobe beef entree. Everything was rich in flavor and filling. The salmon came with Brussels sprouts and miso soup. To drink, I ordered the green tea caipiroska which would remind you of a mojito. The service was good and overall it was a delicious meal. I truly believe anything on this menu would be good, but with what we ordered, we enjoyed a variety of fresh flavors. My favorite dishes were the Kobe beef and the fried rice. I would absolutely come back here again.
(5)Thien H.
$2.50 for a small glass of coke, okay fine. Another $2.50 for one refill on the small glass of coke, Makoto? Really?! So odd. I feel like the server should have warned us. On this second visit to Makoto we went with the $50 Sashimi Combo (sashimi on ice) again. It didn't come with a cute little tree/leaf decoration this time so I was a little disappointed. The fish was high-quality, tender, and stringyness-free like usual. The crispy rice and tuna $12 was also tasty but I can't honestly tell you if it's that much better than RA sushi's happy hour $7 crispy rice spicy tuna. Spicy yellowtail eight piece roll $12 was as expected. I feared that the Frosty Kobe Fried Rice $18 would underwhelm me, but to my surprise I could taste and find pieces of foie gras in there. The server mixed the jidori egg in the hot rice at our table which made for a nice presentation. The portion is kinda small though. We went with the makoto ramen $14 again. It was very spicy like last time, but there were definitely less bean sprouts and other fillers in the soup :( However, I am appreciative that they automatically offer to split the order into two separate bowls so we don't have to share the bowl. Dress cute because this place is snobby and filled with hilariously snobby diners. This time gratuity was not automatically added to our bill, which was nice. Gurl coulda warned us about that coke refill charge, just sayin'. Get your Bal Harbour Shops parking garage ticket validated for a discount on the parking.
(4)Mel F.
AMAZING!!!!! Everything is Delicious... Great place with an amazing vibe! Make sure you make a reservation before, they're normally fully booked everyday.
(5)Alex K.
We came here for an appetizer and a drink and left with full bellies. We got the Kobe beef that you cook yourself on a hot stone, which is not only delicious but so fun and different than just sitting and eating. The mall atmosphere is beautiful and I would definitely recommend going. We sat at the cute bar courtyard that's within the mall and had an amazing time.
(5)G N.
I love sushi. You walk in this place and it makes you want to eat sushi - the three separate dining areas are novel and each very pretty. And there are some inventive dishes at Makoto. The Kobe beef served with the hot river stone, for example, is phenomenal, although the heavy-handed instruction to first dip the beef in the dipping sauce is unfortunate - the beef has enough taste to stand on its own without the sauce, which detracts from the natural taste of the beef. This brings me to the overriding problem with Makoto: the service is exceptionally poor. And at a high-end (and let's be honest, over-priced) restaurant like Makoto, the service should at least be decent. From the hostesses to the servers to the busing staff, they just aren't well-trained, and it shows. I've been a half-dozen times in the past six months, and there have always been issues. Slow, inattentive service, combined with a we-know-more-than-you approach, steers me back to Sawadee, the BYO joint on 72nd, which has comparable sushi, excellent service, and is about one-third the price.
(2)Brenda P.
Makoto has been on my must-try list for a LONG LONG time. The scoop: LOVED the food, but found the ambiance and decor mediocre. Thankfully, the food delivered in a big way! As usual, our party of 4 ordered too much food. At least it gave us a chance to sample a great variety of food in one sitting. Mango Passion- VERY good Lychee Martini- Didn't try it, but my friend loved it. Sake- Ginjo Dewazakura- a must! Kobe Beef Carpaccio- Delicate, delicious, perfect! Toro Tartare- Good, but not a table favorite. Spicy Yellowtail- Great! Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice- Good, but the tuna mixture had an odd texture to it. Tuna Pizza- One of my favorites! Rock Shrimp Tempura- Great! Exploding with flavor. Frosty Kobe Fried Rice- My favorite! Foie gras and topped with a gorgeous jidori egg. Incredible. Japanese Risotto- Cooked table side and very good. It would have been enough with the fried rice order. We still ate it. That's how we roll (or rather-rolled- out of there) Miso Chilean Sea Bass- It's not PB Steak or Nobu's cod (both with a similar preparation), but it's damn close and simply EXCEPTIONAL! The crispy kale was an added bonus. Short rib + Truffle Miso- The truffle miso on top was incredible. Unfortunately, the short rib was overcooked by a whole lot. Salmon Avocado Maki- Simple, but fresh and delicious. Dessert- Nothing stood out. We ordered the lava chocolate cake. I had a bite and didn't feel the need to have more. Blah. Makoto resides inside the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops. With matching menu prices (ended up being about $100 pp), I expected the luxury of the area and shops to spill into the restaurant. As I walked towards the restaurant, I passed several other restaurants (on a Saturday night) where diners were nicely dressed. Imagine my surprise to find, diners (probably tourists) in ripped shorts, caps, tees and flip flops all around mixed in with the (mostly) appropriately dressed locals. Hmmmm, was I at the right place? I then looked around and noticed the rather simple, brightly lit decor (very unlike the photos I had seem online). I know, I know, it's not about the looks. Except, it's Saturday night, I've reserved at a "supposed" upscale restaurant. I was expecting the full "polished" package: ambiance + decor + service + incredible food. We sat on one of the high traffic, partial booths near the kitchen. All night long, all we saw was a constant parade of staff and diners walk past us. N O N S T O P. Dizzying, to say the least. In hindsight, we should have requested to move. Service was good enough, but again, extremely casual. Will I return? yes! The food is well worth it. I don't think it tops NAOE or NOBU, but it IS damn good. Next time though, I will make sure to polish my best flip flops to fit in with the "crowd" and leave my stilettos at home. Maybe.
(4)Rach K.
Not bad... I knew this place would be overpriced because of its location inside the Bal Harbour shops but I hoped the food would live up to the pricing. We sat outside, and it was a really pretty setting. I thought the portions were actually decent but the fish was just so-so. One of the girls ordered a soft-shell crab roll which was good, but it was made up of half fake crab. My other friend ordered a tuna and scallion roll and a spicy yellowtail roll. The tuna was a little fishy. The yellowtail was decent but I've had better. It was unfortunate; I thought being so close to the ocean meant that the fish would be super duper fresh. I ordered a bento box with the short ribs. They were pretty good but oversalted. The staff were friendly and accommodating.
(3)Mrs V.
Awesome choices for vegetarians. Order: Vegan something rolls The garden rolls Veg fried rice: right mount of moisture no need for soy sauce. Japanzella: salad with fried sesame tofu and soft tofu with tomato and cucumber and ginger dressing. Chilli strings Broccoli tempura: small pieces of broccoli.., fried but not oily.., with tempura sauce. Desert: passion fruit cream with white chocolate ganache and mango sorbet on almond crunch and marshmallows Each flavor melted in the mouth Shout out to O.D. (Oscar Daniel) Our attentive and service oriented server... Best ever !!!
(5)Renier C.
Behold, Makoto. The one restaurant in BHS to dine at for lunch or dinner. Don't settle for the old, crusty, and sub-par Carpaccio. Luckily, due to our frequency of visits, besides my favorite dish I have also found my favorite server: Biata! She is absolutely the best! Lively and fun, I forget we are at a restaurant and feel like I'm visiting a friend! It's not the same when it's her day off! On to the food: here are the must haves! Starters: Scallop Tiradito Toro Tartare Kobe Carpaccio House Salad (Never have I loved a "house" salad as much!) Cold sesame Noodles Entree pairings: Japanese Risotto + Miso Seabass (divinely rich) Wasabi Fried Rice Kobe beef on stone Wagyu beef filet Tempura grouper Hot pepper chicken + air sautéed spinach Seared scallops Short Rib Noodles* Perfect for a quick lunch. The Selection of spirits is wonderful. My favorite cocktail is their salt rimmed Margaritas, however more often than not, I find them too full of ice and diluted. It's like they splashed the tequila in the cocktail. And Naturally, That's my one disappointment here.
(5)Santiago Z.
This place is GREAT! There is a wide variety of sushi and the appetizers are delicious. i would recommend the crispy tuna rise as an appetizer. As for the main course, i would say anything from the menu will do because everything there is fantastic, its fresh and has amazing taste and presentation. This place is a must if you are visiting Miami.
(5)Anita G.
This is one of my fav sushi places! It's located at the overpriced Bal Harbour mall but the food and prices are super fair! The sushi is big and has a very thin later of rice on the outside of the rolls which for me is perfect (the less rice the better!). My fav roll there is the spicy yellowtail. Service could always improve...oh, Miami!
(4)Spencer A.
Wow! This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. Not just great sushi, but other things like grilled vegetables and salads are spectacular. Amazing service. Amazing people watching. Located next to Saks in Bal Harbor. I loved it.
(5)Mendy C.
8/5/2014 Came here to try their Miami Spice 2014 menu. Quite disappointed...food was not taste good as usual, I think it is not worth it. I rather order something else from the regular menu or definitely omakase always the best!
(4)Sarah C.
This place is VERY popular, and very pretty. It's a little hard to find if you don't know your way around the shops - I think it's to the left of the parking entrance? The courtyard seating is first come first served - just grab a table/bar seat if you see one open up. I sat on a nice couch at a table outside right next to a fire lamp, and it was super cozy and nice. The food was fine. Nice portions, a little pricey perhaps. I had the spicy tuna roll and the short rib udon noodles. Both were very good, but not terribly impressive. I'm a little lost as to why this place is on Eater's top 38 for Miami. The service was really lovely. If I lived in Miami I'd probably go back to try more on the menu, and maybe a second trip would bring it up to four stars, but probably not five. If I could be more specific, I'd say this is a 3.5.
(3)Tal T.
Hello, delicious! Makoto is a solid choice for delicious food served in a lovely ambiance. We ate: Shishito peppers. Delicious, robust flavor. Mild spice - definitely not overpowering. This dish stood out above the others because of its presentation, ample portion, and bold flavors. It was served with extremely thin slices of serrano ham shaved atop the peppers. In fact, the ham was so thin that it danced around as the meat sizzled on the hot peppers. Fascinating effect, and while I didn't taste the meat, my hubby assured me it added a nice smokiness to the dish. Robata Cauliflower. Again, beautiful presentation and a level of depth in this dish you would not expect from something so seemingly simple Oh Toro. I mean it's fatty tuna. It's freaking delicious. If you do not think you like sashimi, please order toro and ask yourself that question again. Here, it was well-priced at $12 for two slices. Also a stand-out. Must-order. Spicy Yellowtail Roll. Well-balanced but mild with quality fresh fish. I would have enjoyed it a little spicier. When something is titled "spicy," I expect a kick! Rainbow Roll. Fresh fish, beautifully served. Sesame seeds were a tad too pronounced in this roll. There were a couple of hiccups with the service. We ordered martinis, and mine was tinged with the flavor of whatever sweet-tini was made in the bartender's tin before my supposed-to-be-crisp-and-clean vodka martini. Some may have just sucked it up, but when I am paying $13+ for a drink, I expect to enjoy it, so I sent mine back. It took another 20 minutes after the original 15 minutes to get my new drink, so I received my first and only drink of the night about half way through dinner. Really, that's unacceptable. About halfway through our meal, we were approached by a busser, who asked if we would like new plates. This was odd, because we had already had both sushi and hot items, so we said no thank you. He took our plates anyway, and there we were with a few glorious pieces of yellowtail waiting for us to devour them, and no plates on which to do so. Another busser also swiped our wasabi without asking (my hubby wasn't done wit it), and another asked mid-bite if we were done with an item that was clearly still being eaten. The awkward moments with service would be addressed easily by a hands-on manager who was involved with service from the beginning. Our server was trying, but he had many other tables so I don't blame it on him. 18% tip included is fine, but a little strange for a party of two in this part of town. Total for our dinner: $110 including everything for a party of two. Bottom Line: Excellent, well-priced food in an inspiring setting. Service rated "needs improvement."
(4)Ava F.
Literally my favorite restaurant---come here twice a week. The best are the "Short-rib Yaki Noodles" and the "Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice". The house salad is also delicious. --- tips: If you will be in the Bal Harbour area make a reservation, as the restaurant fills up fast. If you don't have a reservation, the terrace by the stores is self seating. If you order a soda, as for it with the can as each glass is $2.50 and they only give you about 1/3 of the can!
(5)Ute L.
With 6 weeks of Miami Spice remaining, a couple of helpful pointers on getting the most out of the $39 fix price menu. For starters, skip the Hamachi pumpernickel. It's weird and it doesn't work. Think of it of a giant rye fortune cookie that is bland and filled with a strange, broken sour mayo "foam", then topped with raw Hamachi. It's nothing like I imagined based on the menu description. You are better off ordering the crispy rice tuna or ramen bowl appetizer. For your entrée, skip the tempura fish. The website states tempura sea bass, what I got was fried grouper. The batter was too thick, not light and delicate as tempura should be. The spicy miso sauce reminded me of McDonalds BBQ sauce, a poor match for the fish. I felt like I was eating fish and chips at a pub. Your best bet is the chef sushi platter, which gets you 8 pieces of spicy tuna maki roll and another 8 pieces or so of mixed nigiri. The sushi rice was sub par, it was a dry and undercooked. The green tea tiramisu got mixed reviews at our table. It didn't have much flavor other than sweet and was very rich. It lacked texture and booze, and was less tiramisu and more custard made of full fat mascarpone and heavy cream. Overall a little disappointing for a restaurant of this caliber.
(3)Yuri S.
Cool spot. Similar to Tao Vegas but so different at the same time. Great menu. Delicious rolls. Service was fantastic, not sure why so many people trashed their service. Good restaurant and not over priced. Will return. We were a party of 8 and were seated within minutes. Great food and was a busy restaurant.
(5)Michael P.
My wife has been bothering me about this place so we finally went to check it out. The decor is very nice and we were seated promptly because we had a reservation and it was a Monday so the place was half full. I Knew it was going to be pricey and i saw a review that the portions were generous. Nonetheless i came somewhat hungry and i am glad i did because the portions were nothing close to generous. We had the chicken robata , the kobe beef and the ramen makoto. The chicken was very tender and seasoned well so that was a good choice, next the kobe came out and it was fun because you get to cook it on a hot stone at your table! The bad thing is that the kobe is paper thin and practically tasteless because it is paper thin. The guy said dip it in the sesame first then cook it but the rock got sticky and burned after 3 dips so it did not help the beef. The ramen made the night because it was plentiful and delicious, it was very similar to the flavors at khong river house and if you have not been there it is the bomb so as you can tell the ramen was good. On to the service which was understaffed they had one girl running around serving everyone so we had to sit and wait 10 minutes before ordering but the food came out quick. All in all it was alright for tooo much money but that's bal harbor.
(3)Mark H.
Be prepared to pay out the Sea Bass for this food unless your a poster child for global wealth disparity. This is not your local take out sushi joint. This was a departure for me. Normally I stick to cheap food in general. I tend to think food is like wine. Once you get over a certain minimum price threshold, you really stop paying for the quality of you food and start paying for snootiness and hype. The wife, though, had just done something important and deserved a night out, and if you're a smart husband you'll know that a night out isn't an obligation, it's an opportunity. The wife loves sushi a little too much. Sometimes I get jealous of fresh tuna filets, because I know she'll never love me exactly that way; she'll never devour me like a hand-crafted sashimi roll or tenderly pick me up with chopsticks and bite me in half...er...not that I want to be bitten in half. It occurred to me while I was considering a purchase of a seaweed underwear that instead of trying to BE a wild Alaskan salmon filet, I could use a little Pavlov to get her to associate me with sushi, sushi with me. Enter Makoto. My plan required one thing though - the best sushi in Miami. Because if she's going to associate me with sushi, it better not be a slimy $5 roll. The kind that leaves you wondering if sushi is really worth ruining the ocean ecosystem for. No, it needed to be the kind of sushi that creates such a state of euphoria that you know that the even the last Bluefin Tuna would sigh, nod his head, and understand that the extinction of his species was perfectly reasonable considering the temporary pleasure his flesh brought to your mouth. Dolphin and tuna pity is bogus anyways. It's natural selection. If they didn't want to go extinct, they shouldn't have evolved to taste so damn good. I let the wife do most of the ordering, because it always tastes better if you choose it. There was some crab roll and some other stuff too, I don't really remember the specifics. I do remember that it was some of the best sushi I've ever had, and the perfect tool for the task at hand. I started by jamming her mental faculties with some mixed drink. Pavlov was able to condition dogs, which are significantly less intelligent than my wife, even in sushi stupor, and to be safe I knew I need to liquor her into a more suggestible, canine state. As usual, when the food began to arrive her vision began to tunnel and she began to lose focus on her surroundings, zoning onto the platter in an almost hypnotic state. "I'm the sushi," I murmured softly. "Maaaaark is suuuuuushi..." The good news is that it worked. At the end of the meal she was very pleased. I could tell by the way she smiled, sighed comfortably and looked at me that the associations were working; she thought I was sushi. I'd done it. I successfully conditioned her into feeling like she was eating great sushi by simply being in my presence. Life's been great since. No arguments, no disagreements, she just stares at me dreamily and occasionally bites me. There are problems at times. Occasionally if I walk into a room at a dinner party her eyes may glaze over and saliva may begin to drip down her shirt as she stares at me. I'm investing in some adult-sized bibs. It's a price I'm willing to pay. At least I'm not wearing seaweed underwear.
(5)Eve C.
Service in a "fine dining" establishment such as Makoto should be top-notch. The bottom line is that Makoto's wasn't. To say that service was an epic fail would be just about on-point. But the food was amazing. And for that, I can't help but give Makoto 4 stars. It's been a couple weeks since I had dinner at Makoto, and while the epic service fail has been largely forgotten, the memory of the spicy tuna on crispy rice is still at the forefront of my mind. I cannot wait to go back and indulge in those perfect bites of cool, spicy tuna and crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside rice. I was pleasantly shocked at how reasonably priced Makoto's sushi offerings were, especially considering the price tag of the stores surrounding it in the Shops of Bal Harbour! We managed to stuff ourselves silly for the low price of about $30 per person! Makoto offers a wide assortment of non-sushi Japanese fare that all sounds (and looks) delectable. I hope to return to check that out sometime, but I know that I will most certainly be back for my new chart-topper spicy tuna/crispy rice favorite!
(4)Kazuna A.
we werent greeted by anyone at the door. There was a manager and some hostess. i was irritated when i saw him escort other womens came up after me. he didnt greet us , not even eye contact! I think he just couldnt see me however i was infront of him. Worth to just try it, but never again.
(2)Ian T.
A great, upscale modern-Japanese eatery in the high-end Bal Harbour shops. Be warned, its not even close to cheap. The sushi and sashimi were creamy and popping with flavor. The ramen was excellent, as were some of the specialty dishes we sampled, like the spicy tuna on crispy rice. The beef carpaccio was also outstanding. The wife and I also loved the tiger prawn and thai basil Robata (basically a grilled skewer similar to yakitori). The two skewers were smoky and grilled perfectly (a real skill with shrimp so as to neither undercook nor overcook and thus render them powdery). The prawns themselves were large and firm. As much as we enjoyed what we received, we also gazed in jealousy at our neighbors who -- apparently hosted by a member of the Starr Restaurant Group that funds Makoto -- knew exactly what to get and were treated to dish after dish of what looked and smelled to be supremely tempting delicacies. The following day, we had to be in the area again and, as it's a long drive for us, decided to try lunch. I have to say that their Bento lunch special is actually quite reasonably priced, and the taste is the same high-quality, delicious modern Japanese cuisine. Even their wasabi vegetable fried rice was savory without being greasy. Special mention for the decor, whose dark, grained wood and beautiful sushi bar was both evocative of a Japanese eating house, but also very modern. When we saw Chef Makoto pop-up as a judge on Top Chef Masters shortly after our visit, let's just say that having recently eaten there, I wasn't surprised that he was such a well-respected chef.
(5)Jessica S.
Delicious sushis and asian-inspired dishes. My family's favorite was the miso glazed sea bass. Trendy atmosphere and very friendly staff. Great wine list as well.
(5)Ash G.
Makoto Amazing food Great service Exceptional atmosphere (beautiful indoor and outdoor seating available) Favorites on the menu: Kobe beef on the hot stone Sashimi/sushi Hamachi ponzu Beef carpaccio
(5)Cristy D.
Good food and service. I highly recommend this restaurant. Here is a breakdown of each item I got Sushi- pretty good; the presentation was nice and the flavor was good Fried rice- flavorful and very light Peppers- my favorite! The flavor is very good and they are fun to eat; you are always debating whether you will get one that is sweet or hot. One out of 10 will burn you mouth, but they are still amazing Risotto- I love this dish and the truffle oil really tops it off; serves about 4 people; a little heavy but very good Rock shrimp tempura- these are great in taste and flavor; highly recommended Miso soup- it was okay, compared to the rest of the meal
(4)David D.
There's two levels here: 5 stars when Makoto serves you omakase, and 3 stars with anyone else! I requested omakase with Makoto, and he was stellar. I'm smiling just thinking about it now. Here's a run down of what he did: 1) Toro tartar with uni and caviar (5/5) -- Makoto starts big. Melt-in-your mouth toro coupled with creamy uni and textured caviar. Right away, you know this man means business 2) Maguro nigiri (4/5) -- Makoto's omakase's are interspersed with nigiri. I found this interesting. The maguro was aged, which added some richness to the flavor 3) Live scallops in sea foam (5/5) -- wonderfully delicious and textured. Probably not the best picture here 4) Aji nigiri (4/5) -- very good with just the right embellishment. I should note Makoto himself grated the fresh wasabi from the root for me 5) Chu toro (4/5) -- another awesome piece, although I unfortunately snapped a terrible pic 6) Saba (4/5) -- surprisingly good from such an eclectic establishment 7) Tai (3/5) -- lacked a little flavor at this point 8) Sashimi platter (2/5) -- prepared by his apprentice. Very discordant. Too much fish at this point in the meal 9) Ikura (4/5) -- quickly remedied situation 10) Tako (5/5) -- maybe my favorite octopus. As tender as the high-end sushi bars, however, marinated so much more flavor 11) Sanma (5/5) -- chef on fire at this point 12) King salmon (5/5) -- the otoro of sake 13) Orange clam (4/5) -- mixing up the textures 14) Clam muscle (4/5) -- does it again with leaf 15) Uni (4/5) -- had some reservations, but fresh as can be 16) King crab with hairy crab adornment over hot charcoals (5/5) -- highlight of the meal, unbelievably creamy goodness. Nirvana 17) Roasted maguro (5/5) -- maybe the only thing that could pair with the king crab; it worked 18) Anago (5/5) -- wait he did more, and it was savory! 19) Japanese radish maki (5/5) -- at this point Makoto knew I was feeling overfull, so he went with a light roll with just a hint of sweetness 20) Homemade chocolate mouse over vanilla bean ice cream served over graham crackers and mixed berries (5/50 -- yes
(5)Trish B.
Appetizers, and entrees were fresh & delicious. Beautiful presentation. Very busy at lunch but well worth the wait. Patio a little crowded but dining room was spacious.
(5)Nicole H.
Wowza. My husband, who knows that I'm obsessed with cheap fast-food sushi, decided to take me here for our Valentine's Day dinner. I don't think either of us were prepared for the shocking quality of food that Makoto serves. We started off by splitting the Dynamite Hand Roll, which is a single roll stuffed with warm baked crab and a creamy citrus sauce. Our waiter was definitely hiding a grin as he set the miniature $11 appetizer in front of us, but I can honestly say that those two bites (my half of the roll) were the best bites of sushi that I've ever had. We calculated out that we paid $3 per bite, which sounds steep but was totally worth it. We also split the Miso soup, which was standard-size and standard quality. This was the only item we had that night that wasn't rave-worthy. For our main courses, we had the Kobe Beef and the Miso Sea Bass. The beef was served rare with a hot stone for cooking along with a smoky sauce. It was delicious. In my mind, though, the star was the Miso Sea Bass, which was served with a fruity sauce and topped with crispy, sweet-tasting kale. The portions were small, the prices were expensive, but this was probably the single best meal I've had in my entire life. I'm a cheapskate, but this meal was an experience that I don't regret paying for. ... or maybe that's just the Green Tea Caipiroska talking.
(5)Laure M.
Very good japanese restaurant inside the beautiful mall of Bal Harbour. The menu is comprehensive and features authentic japaneses dishes, sushis and other specials. The bento box for lunch is a great and delicious deal. The two patios are very enjoyable to eat outside. Service is very attentive with many waiters for each table!
(4)Carlos L.
OMG, i can die now a happy man. The food is out of this world, crafty delicate Japanese dishes with a push of flavor and a twist. Everything (no exception) was delicious: spicy tuna roll, spicy yellowtail, spicy edamame, chicken teriyaki, and a dessert that was basically a bowl of awesome melted into a hot medley of awesome (ok seriously: passion fruit ice cream, assorted fruits, warm condensed milk, graham cracker crust). Prices seem high on entrees, rolls and other common items are very average given the location, look around you!! Prada, D&G, Cartier, oh who is that? Lenny F'ing Kravitz! They had 36 reservations on a Thursday night....so, plan your visit. Service is great.
(5)A K.
Having lunch on a Sunday. Food is taking a while giving me lots of time to write this review as I wait...and wait... and wait. . Rolls were fresh. But the rolls contain way too much wasabi is not evenly spread across the roll. Almost died.
(3)Nato S.
If you feel like trying Makoto without spending the money, just drive yourself to the nearest publix right before closing time and buy their left over sushi. Disgusting cold flavorless rolls at a premium price. The service was beyond terrible, the food came out ridiculously spaced out, I had to ask the waiter to refill my water 3 times, also had to ask for utensils after the waiter had told us he would bring them. Cocktails were good, but that doesn't make up for a waste of time, money and energy.
(1)Archana B.
Hands down... So far my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. First visit last evening. Beautiful ambience, was a little chilly so we sat outside by the lovely warm lamps. Where do I begin... Every single dish was fantastic. As we were being seated we looked at the dishes on all the other tables and immediately felt like ordering each and every one which is pretty much what we did! Highly recommend... Well.. All the dishes really. Brussels sprouts was off the chain. So delicious did not stop picking on it until it was all over. The tuna tataki salad, bursting with freshness and flavor totally delightful. Can't even say enough about the short rib robata grilled skewers... Mmmm! Flavor was intensely delightful. And the dipping sauce.. Little zinger... Wow! Next up was spicy tuna roll... Probably the best one I've had since Bond St closed down. Spicy mayo with a whole new flavor profile. Really yummy. Tuna on crispy rice cakes ... I have to say this is probably the only one I wasn't too crazy about only because I think the rice portion should have been a little smaller... It overwhelmed the tuna... But flavor totally showed up to the party. The Japanese risotto was just not normal... What a beautiful surprise flavor and we ordered it so it came last ... What a great way to end the meal.... Intense flavors, hints of truffle... Served table side by your waiter or waitress ... We were so cheeky we ordered another short rib skewer to finish off the rice. I can't say enough about what a totally delectably delicious and delightful meal this was. Wow! So happily impressed. Top points in my book for ambience, decor, staff, service and food.
(5)Ting W.
Very Overrated. This is the second Steven Star restaurant and I am definitely not looking forward to another. Portions are tiny, the sashimi was not fresh, the "crispy rice with spicy tuna" was mediocre, rainbow roll was good because of the real crab, but the fish on top were not fresh at all! Everything here is over priced and their "outdoor" bar is too small and allows people to smoke? yuck.
(2)Michelle L.
Excellent food, presentation, and service. Located inside the shops at Bal Harbour, Makoto is top-notch! My good friend and I love to come here for lunch because of their benzo box lunch specials. Not your typical bento box. It includes a miso or watercrest salad (on the spicy side contains wasabi dressing) main entree which we love is the ponzu glazed salmon with brussel sprouts, and wasabi rice. The crispy rice spicy tunas are a must as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside over a hot stone. Also, try the Japanese Risotto with brown rice and truffle butter served piping hot. I knock off one star because the yellowtail sushi roll we ordered didn't taste so good.Needless to say, Makoto is a culinary experience that tantalizes the taste buds! Save room for some mochi ice cream and be sure to validate your parking ticket.
(4)Jack G.
Chef's special for $30 was over valued. Waiter said 17 pc, there were 13 pc. Pieces were very thin. Service was impeccable. Food presentation was great. Plum wine was in dry side. Ginger and wasabi are first class. Brown rice worth trying. Overall great experience.
(4)Tina C.
Excellent Japanese sushi inside of this very high end mall. Clientele arrives in Bentleys and Roll Royce. Fashionable people milling around with tanned faces. Good people watching. Service was excellent as well.
(4)Chris P.
Makoto is very very good!! I really was not expecting much at all for a night out with family to a Bal Harbour sushi restaurant. Being away from the hot spots in Miami Beach, like a Katsuya or Nobu...honestly Makoto is just as good!! Great service from the friendly hostess when we came in to the Great waiter who took care of us. He was friendly and funny...even apologized for the food taking only a few minutes too long, which was totally fine!! He gave us a great recommendation for Saki and always made sure our glasses were filled just right! He was also spot on with the food recommendations. Food choices were so Good!!! From the Crispy rice to start to the Short Rib on the stick!! Under the Fish & Meat part of the menu, i definitely would say the Scallops and Sea Bass were top notch!! So so good! The sushi rolls were just as good...Soft Shell crab tempura, rock shrimp tempura and the caterpillar were all Amazing!!!! This place not be in Miami Beach and not have the name...but this is a very very good sushi restaurant.
(5)Zev N.
place definitely lives up to hype! appetizers came out lightining quick, server was highly attentive and very helpful with the menu and making suggestions. in my opinion would be much easier to come here after an afternoon of shopping at bal harbour then braving crowds at capaccio reccomended dishes include the chicken noodle ramen, kobe fried rice and brussel sprouts. also offers an intriguing cocktail menu and imported craft beers
(4)Jeff S.
We have been looking for a sushi resturant othen then the same old basic places that have been popping up around the city. While those restutants are fine for rolls they lack in that unique selection of sushi. This is what Makato has and it was amazing as well as everything else we tried. Looking for a real sushi resturant - look no further.
(5)D W.
Sushi & Sashimi were perfect with beautiful presentation. It's pricey, but worth it. Staff sometimes makes mistakes, which is common in most restaurants.
(5)Jonah K.
Through the end of May they have a $45 tasting menu which you need to specifically ask for. It comes with a LOT of food, I believe it was 2 sets of rolls, main courses with fried rice, 2 more sets of rolls, and desert. Standouts were the spicy yellowtail roll, as well as the beef short rib, both were amazing. Really great food overall, and I was impressed. The prices are high, but not as high as other top notch Japanese places. The outdoors is nice, but being in a parking lot isn't ideal. Great decor all around and very good service.
(5)Arthur G.
Great tasting food. Which it better be for the cost! The fried rice is ridiculous. I think this makes a great evening out at the mall. It's definitely nice enough for a special event with an intimate group of people.
(4)Alain M.
Excellent, excellent did I mention excellent everything was delicious amazing service. I expected a small restaurant like all the others in Bal harbour shops but Makoto is surprisingly a very big restaurant with outside seating front and back. This is a must try if your in the area highly recommend very similar to hakassan in fountain bleu.
(5)Princess C.
Do you want to know how terrible the sushi at Makoto was? The sushi at this restaurant is garbage, to the degree that makes sushi at Publix not that bad in comparison. The fish was not fresh, and the rice was old. The $21 lobster roll had barely any lobster in it, and was mostly made up of "old" cheap un-nutritious iceberg lettuce you can buy from any grocery store. The lettuce was discolored as well, meaning it was old. It said on the menu that it had avocado, but it did not come with any. So, basically the lobster roll was mostly made of old rice, old lettuce, and crumbs of lobster that was not even in all the pieces, and no avocado. Also, if you have been to any legit Japanese sushi restaurant in the US or anywhere in the World, you will always find a California roll topped with a long fresh piece of eel and masago. They did not have that on the menu, however, the server said that they can create it as a custom order for us. But, when the roll came there was no eel on top. The server explained that if we were to put the eel on top the chef will charge us four full orders of unagi, $10 each which means $40 total + 9 = $49 for one roll. Outrageous! You can find this roll at any legit sushi restaurant for between $12 - $20. So, instead of coming back to ask us if we even want it or not, the chef took it upon himself to make the decision for us by sending us a California roll with eel inside instead of at the top. and more insulting is that the eel was no were to be found inside the roll!!!! There was crumbs of eel that tasted like old and nothing. and EVERYTHING in the sushi menu is garbage. I have no problem with the servers there. The servers were very attentive, professional, and nice. However, I find the food in this restaurant to be really insulting and mediocre. This restaurant is for people who know nothing about food and sushi. Its for people who never tried authentic Japanese sushi. Its a restaurant run by people who think they can get away with bullshit quality just because they are in Bal Harbour.
(1)Arthur W.
2nd time here - our son goes to school in North Miami Beach and I've stayed at the St. Regis and Trump International Resort (Sunny Isles) - that's another review altogether. Makoto's is located in the very very upscale Bal Harbor shopping plaza with Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as the anchors along with many designer shops. Not cheap sushi but the quality was outstanding ranging from very fresh varieties of tuna to quail egg topped uni sushi. Their miso black cod while expensive at $28 - was a very large portion and exquisitely prepared. If you've got money to shop here, and love sushi - you have to try Makoto's.
(4)Gabriel B.
Makoto was a great spot to get some fresh fresh sushi. I loved the music and the food. My server Chris was a pro, he must have been there since the beginning. He was very verse with the menu and really knew what to suggest. I loved the place and the sake also!
(5)Joey C.
All the other reviews about ambience are accurate. But tonight in the Toro Tartar we found a piece of string in the mix. Yes, a piece of string. It was disgusting.we complained to the waiter and the manager, and all they offered was to remove the dish from our bill. A restaurant of this calibre should have offered us a little more. Perhaps a free replacement dish? I mean, it was an awful experience for us. And the least this expensive restaurant could have done is offer us something extra. It costs them nothing, and would have made our experience less awful. Even when we told the manager, he told us a piece of the towel from cleaning the sushi knife may have been cut off. And then he offered us nothing to compensate. It's really a shame because now I will never come back and tell everyone I know about this experience.
(1)Nicky B.
Love this place!!! The ambience is calm and sophisticated so except for the plethora of shopping bags you might even forget your are in the Bal Harbour Shops. Service is polished and professional and staff friendly and knowledgable. Chef Makoto is a humble genius, the food is beautifully presented, delicious and textural and interesting. To start try the spicy tuna crispy rice, the Japanese caprese salad, the Ono which is a delicate fish sashimi (almost a carpaccio) with slivers of julienned flash fried carrots for crunch and the spicy edamame. The skewers are delicious as well, I recommend the short rib and the prawns for protein and the beets and the corn for veggies. The Vegan Stephen is my favorite roll, amazing in its texture and deliciousness. All the sushi and sashimi is great, my husband loves the spicy yellowtail roll. I love all the cooked fish as well and there are several interesting cooked rice options as well as some good ( but not traditional) ramen soups. Make a reservation or go early as this place gets busy on the weekends. Great sake selection as well as some interesting beers. Enjoy!!!
(5)Gary N.
The most wonderful service ever! We loved our waitress, from Poland, and beautiful, fun, down to earth, just wonderful...
(4)David A.
Did not know that this was a Starr restaurant before visiting. I have been to most of his Philly restaurants. They are all consistently good. Had mixed feelings about this place. Mainly about the prices but I guess I paid for the expensive rent. Also didn't realize it was located in the Shoppes at Bal Harbour when I made my plans or I would have probably selected another place. The food was very good, as well as the service. The prices. Way too much. I took my wife and three daughters. The bill was $400+ The highlights: Spicy Tuna Roll and Crunchy Rice Kimchee Fried Rice Robata Shrimp Dishes were all very small and we ordered a lot to fill up. Had two Sake carafes for $30 each. They were a rip off. Very small. Starr quality and serivice is always great. The price/value relationship just was not there for me at this location. I would not dine here again for these prices but you can't knock the service or quality here.
(4)Char Char C.
Um amazing!!!!! Kobe fried rice, Brussel sprouts, and the sea bass!!!!! To die for actually went to a much more expensive restraint called Zuma and is place is 10 times better!!!! Fav place ever!!!
(5)Peggy B.
very very good quality sushi! love the terrace, a bit smelly inside, but nice looking restaurant. Amazing soft shell crab roll!
(5)Susan W.
Just finished what I consider to be a wonderful all around dinner at Makoto. Just a darn nice restaurant. Not noisy (at least while we were there, which was on the earlier side), comfortable seating, pleasant front room staff and wait-staff. We had a fabulous server, and our food was really delicious. For the most part, we ate family style and ordered plenty of things that we could pick at - Makoto House Salad watercress, chikuwa, wasabi dressing. One salad was plenty for 3 of us to share. The dressing was simply awesome. Hamachi Ponzu. FABULOUS. I could have eaten a few of these plates all by myself. Rock Shrimp Tempura. Not the best rock shrimp tempura I ever had (that would be Nobu's), but addictive nevertheless. Sushi/Sashimi/Maki. All was super-fresh and tasty. Spend a few bucks and order the Oh-Toro. It's literally like "butta". Friend ordered the Miso Sea Bass and gobbled it up. I'm guessing that too was delicious. All 3 of us agreed that this restaurant is a keeper. I will definitely be back my next visit to Miami Beach.
(4)Nevik E.
Note: On Yelp I review exclusively sushi bars. A recent return trip has prompted another review. As I previously mentioned, this is a joint for sushi fans. Makoto is complete with an attractive bar, serving shelf (very rare in S. Fl), high quality fish, broad selection, new age/fusion options, and a homemade soy sauce (applied by the chef, not the sauce on the bar/table). They serve two small pieces (traditional) as opposed to one large piece that doesn't fit in your mouth. Even small things such as servers who refilled our beer from the bottle to the glass are details here (in Japan you would not typically refill your own alcoholic drink, someone near you should notice and refill for you). Most importantly are chefs who will take your order directly and interact with you about their sushi. This is tied for my third favorite sushi joint in South Florida. What I really wanted to add is that most of the high end, upscale 'names' in South Florida sushi are too high volume and concerned about their flashy presentation to cater to a sushi lover at the bar. Many of them will not allow you to order directly from the chef, which is such an integral part of the experience of excellent sushi. It also prevents the ability of ordering one or two pieces at a time. Ordering one or two instead of a whole plate ensures cool fish on a warm bed of rice, delicious! The only drawback is a pricey tab, if that is not a concern, you will enjoy your meal.
(5)Katti W.
Very delicious Japanese restaurant in this area. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was perfect. We did not feel that the "Chef's Special plate" for sushi and sashimi were worth the price. I would have preferred to just get more of their amazing rolls! Tobanyaki dessert is amazing as well!! Homemade marshmallows, fresh fruit, homemade mango sorbet, heated in a ganache of some sort.
(4)Melissa N.
Great top of the line service, very nice and fresh food. Totally in love with this place. The terrace is a very nice place to have a nice glass of wine but the ambient inside and the decor is great to enjoy! huge fan!
(4)Steven W.
4.5 Stars--Makoto is probably the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. Service--Excellent--Fast (in a good way) and hospitable. Our waiter was great. It felt like we were guests in his home. We ate outside on a breezy day that couldn't have been better as a back drop for a nice lunch. If the weather is right, enjoy the outdoor area! Food: The hits: The Spicy Tuna above Crispy Rice is pretty nuts. We should have doubled our order of this...The tuna is so flavorful, and kind of pulverized (I know that doesn't sound good), but atop the warm crispy/crunchy rice (which had a toasted essence) it made for a spectacular combination of flavor and texture that I haven't had anywhere else. The Standard House Salad--I know that sounds strange...I can only say--Just do it! More crispy rice on this one (sprinkled atop) adding an amazing crunch. The miso dressing was really good as well. Nothing like I've had at any other Japanese restaurant. The Salmon, glazed and served with brussel sprouts--Fish and vegetables both cooked perfectly...just the right amount of glaze and the sprouts alive with flavor. Dessert--The 3 Flavors of mochi-wrapped ice cream--Words won't do this justice...creamy, yet chewy, flavor packed perfection. It was hard to not order two of these. The Misses--Plain and simply the Robata--The corn had nice flavor, but just didn't do anything for me and the cauliflower was simply inedible. It tasted burnt.
(4)Sarah B.
One of the most memorable meals of my year! A5 wagyu beef was perfection, hamachi with yuzu was as fresh as it gets, menu had great variety in general. A nice balance of Japanese fusion with a few traditional dishes. The service was attentive and professional.
(5)Sunny B.
Very very very nice place! Delicious food, very quick service, very good staff! I can't remember what we ordered, but I think you won't be disappointed with any food in there! Highly recommend this place!
(5)Melina P.
I have yet to find a sushi place better than Nobu but this just may be the runner up. I don't remember the names of everything I tried when I went out with friends it sure was tasty. The one name I do remember is the Spicy Yellowtail. There hasn't been a time when I haven't ordered that. Our waiter was friendly, as well as the "bus boys". I can't complain about the customer service. The music was great too as they always play reggae.
(4)Jon W.
Wow, what a find. And not hard to find, as it's right there as you enter Bal harbour mall. We sat at the sushi bar , which felt like Tokyo, and we had Beata as our server who was excellent. She's very knowledgable and helped identify some of the Yelp photos that had no id. Must have the shishito peppers. Anyway you can't go wrong. Will definitely have to return. Soon.
(5)S G.
I recommend their Miami Spice Dinner menu! as the price is really great. Service is excellent, food is heavenly
(5)Kyle H.
Makoto was fantastic. Went early last night and split a bunch of food with friends. The standouts were the little grilled dishes. The short ribs and asparagus were my favorite. The chicken was good too. I started with the vegan steven maki roll and it was amazing. Really unique, healthy, and perfectly cut (not too big so you don't look like a fool choking down sushi). My friend got the chocolate cake for dessert - said it was great. Another buddy got the mochi (raspberry and another flavor) and said those were perfect too. Oh - and the cocktails are all great. A gin mint julep was the favorite but a lemon one was good too. We sat outside in the courtyard of the bal harbour mall. It was quiet and just unexpectedly pleasant.
(5)Tara G.
Ok, so when I found out it was in the mall I was a little worried. But this is some of the best sushi I've ever had. And I live in the San Francisco Bay Area so I know sushi! The rolls are creative and well balanced. This is the kind of place that you don't need the soy sauce. I can't remember the exact names but crunchy rice spicy tuna and the rock shrimp tempura roll were the two I had. Delicious! I sat outside at the bar and was amazed at both the customer service and the cocktails themselves. I had the Lychee martini which was very refreshing. The thing that I noticed was that the bartender talked to me, which seems to be a lost art these days, AND the other staff would also talk to me; Ask me how my roll was, talk about how they eat it every night, etc. Really friendly! I would definitely come back!
(5)Nayla B.
Ahh I love this restaraunt. I always come here for lunch right after I have finished my shopping in Bal Harbour. Their appetizers are fantastic....I suggest you order the spicy edamame, spicy tuna crispy rice, and their house salad. For rolls, my personal favorite is the rock shrimp tempura. They also have great steak that is presented on a grill. For dessert, get the fruit toban yaki, which is simply divine. It is filled with flambeed fruits such as passionfruit and bananas and on the bottom it has a crunchy crust... it is top with a refreshing and delicious mango sorbet! This is definitely one of the best Japanese restaurants in Miami, alongside Zuma and sushisamba!
(5)Omer D.
Wow. Now that's what I am looking for in a restaurant: diversity, quality , atmosphere, service. Friends of ours took us here after very disappointing culinary experience in Miami. We loved it so much we came the night after.
(5)Alejandra G.
My sister invited me last night. It was a beautiful place, great service and delicious. But the food was way too small and over priced. Don't get me wrong. I get the fancy and over creative plates with the all novel cuisine kind of food thing, but hey, not expecting a big meal, but something a bit bigger. 90 dollars for a Kobe steak? It doesn't do its justice. But I love the experience, not that I want to go back. After 3 small bottles of Sake, you are ready to go eat something else. Not there.
(3)Tony A.
I really enjoyed Makoto. I have to admit when I first stepped in I was a little turned off by the vibe (maybe a shade too trendy), but the food quickly dispelled any negative feelings. While the food at Makoto is not cheap by any means, there are actually some good value on the menu, namely the robata and the maki. We started the meal off with robata. The chicken yakitori was very good, and authentic. We also had an order of the short rib skewers and the japanese eggplant skewers, which were both really good. The sushi was very good. We got the Chef's combination. There is a cheaper one and a more expensive one, and the difference is the type of fish they use. The cheaper combo has more ordinary fish, where the more expensive one will have stuff like toro, aji, etc. The combo also comes with a good sized roll of the chef's choice. Our's was a simple tuna roll. All in all, maybe not the best value (the more expensive one), but the sushi was all good, and the portion was bigger than expected. Lastly our rolls came out. I don't even remember what type we got, but both were very good and very large. Each was perhaps a 10 piece roll that came on a long plate. After seeing the size of the two rolls, we decided that if we came back we'd build a meal around the rolls, because they are easily the best value on the menu. In closing, we really enjoyed Makoto and already have reservations to go back with some friends this weekend. It's definitely now in my Miami sushi rotation.
(4)B S.
BEST Sushi I have EVER had! Food was delicious, drinks were amazing, especially the lychee martini. Server was very nice and manager came up to us and introduced himself. Rarely happens in Miami. I would def recommend this place.
(5)andreniki s.
I love Makato. I have been there a few times, and find the food is consistently delicious. Friendly staff, definitely returning again.
(5)Alex S.
Disappointing. I'm used to better quality and value in Starr establishments in philly. I know it's Miami and apricey mall but the food is overpriced. That would be tolerable but the quality and lack of sophistication in food preparation earns it 3 stars because I'm in good mood today. The value to price ratio is closer to 2 stars. The rolls had mediocre fish. The ceviche was meh. If a corporate account pays for dinner with a great company I would not refuse an invite.
(3)Victoria C.
This became my absolute favorite in Miami. The sushi rolls are absolutely spot on!!! We had sashimi, rolls, salads, carpaccio, beets, collie flower, spicy tuna on crispy rice. Everything was delicious. I can't wait come come back to satisfy my sushi craving!!! Yummy yummy, in my tummy:))).
(5)Karin R.
Simply a wonderful experience. We truly enjoyed how they prepared and presented each and every dish, especially the whole branzino...delicious!!! Highly recommend the ice cream in all the flavours. Also a great scene, loved it!
(5)Linda B.
Best Japanese food I have ever had in Miami - quality, presentation, flavor, combination of all foods, sauces and menu is unique and can't be found anywhere else in the city. Must go! Chef Makoto is incredible.
(5)Yislin C.
Makoto? More like Yumoto! Simple, delectable and elegant. Pure, fresh and a sensory delight. I tend to feel uncomfortable in fancy pants places like this but Makoto is different somehow. It's not stuffy at all. The wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Smiles all around from the hostesses. I think even the Chef introduced himself and shook my hand. Indoors the decor is sleek and modern. Outdoors I felt like I was in a tropical place amidst Palm trees and bamboo furniture. We *were* overlooking the Bal Harbour parking lot, but it was pleasant. This place is modern Japanese tapas with everything beautifully plated. Do you look up at the clouds and see how intricate yet simple they are? That's how Makoto's food is. A quiet storm of flavor. From the King Crab Robata to the Salmon Ponzu to the Beef Ramen Bowl the amalgam of flavors sublimely coats your palate. They have signature drinks that are so refreshing you'll feel like you were taking a swim in them. Also, a lovely wine list for the wine lover in you. Our lunch tab rang in at a 154.00. We shared 7 plates and had 2 glasses of wine and 2 signature drinks as well as a deliciously, creamy ice cream sandwich dessert that tickled that sweet tooth without overwhelming. Beautiful restaurant with an equally beautifully crafted menu makes for a lovely experience. Once I get that sugar daddy, I'll be back. Makoto, I'll be dreaming of you for days to come.
(5)Pab P.
There really is nothing else that can be said other than whats been said by many before me. This place is top of the line dining at its best. Every dish was inventive, flavorful, and outstanding. They really make it a whole experience for you... right down to the hot stone where you can cook your own Kobe beef. I have yet to try a Spicy Tuna Roll anywhere else as good as the one they serve here. Their fried rice which comes garnished with a quail egg was another fantastic dish. Their rainbow roll, amazing! Their specialty martinis... wow!! Everything we had was perfect. Absolutely no complaints. And the service was top notch. I've never had such meticulous and attentive service as what I received when dining at Makoto. It is extremely expensive, so this isn't the type of place you can frequent often unless you have tons of money (which I don't - but if you do - then awesome! haha). There was 4 of us in our party, and between all the food and all the drinks we ordered, our bill was nearly $400. But for a special occasion or a romantic night out with your partner, I would definitely recommend this exceptional restaurant.
(5)Barbara R.
I had lunch at Makoto today for the first time, after exhausting myself in the mall. I was ravenous and ate all of the Sunomono salad an the tuna tatami I ordered. I found it great while I was eating, but in hindsight, I think it was just good. The salad was actually excellent. Tuna tataki is probably my favorite dish and the Makoto's version is not the best that I had: the tuna is cut too thick for my taste and the huge pile of vegetables that serves as a base, distracts from the tuna itself, making the dish too 'grassy'. The presentation was beautiful though. The restaurant is very sophisticated and tastefully decorated, but it has cold feel. I will go again, maybe for dinner with my husband.
(3)Colin P.
While dining at Florida's original Stephen Starr establishment, Steak 954, I mentioned that I was headed to Makoto the next day and the server actually apologized in advance for the service. I was a little bit stunned, because I've always received at least good - usually exceptional - service at his restaurants. More on that later. Let me first mention that the Bal Harbour Shops is a pretty serious mall. It's like a retail museum, designed for people who curate (or have someone curate for them) their own collections of wearable goods, who treat and store them like art. Despite my flip flops, I didn't feel one bit out of place. It's a pretty nice place to kill time (and lines of credit). I made a reservation expecting this new restaurant with its fashionable location to be busy for a weekday noontime lunch, but none was needed. Makoto fits right in at Bal Harbour. Some have described Starr's places as "theme restaurants for yuppies." It is true that the northern locations can feel somewhat inauthentic (though still fun), but I found Makoto to be beautifully simple, elegant, modern AND comfortable. Our server, Onju (it sounds too much like au jus to forget), who was very difficult to understand through her thick accent, seemed to be less interested in serving and more interested in selling menu items. At the time, I wasn't aware of the automatic 18% gratuity. I didn't notice whether it was printed on the menu, but I found it very distasteful regardless of whether it's standard practice. Having been forewarned, I arrived expecting lackluster service and that expectation was met. I started with a green tea Caipiroska; it was good, but at $10 for about five ounces of actual drink, I didn't order another. Sushi was tasty. Robata (smallish half-kabobs, ordered the short rib and non-meatball chicken) - very tasty. Had we ordered four or five robata I'd have been perfectly satisfied. Tan tan noodles were completely underwhelming, and I wouldn't even want to pay half of the sixteen dollar pricetag for a bowl of nothing-special cold noodles, broth and beef. The service staff wipes down the tables way too often. Literally every five minutes or so, someone came by to wipe the sweat from the cocktail and water glasses off the tabletop. They lingered for a little too long while doing it, and whatever cloth they used mostly just smeared it around instead of absorbing it! It was not necessary and actually felt pretty intrusive considering the amount of time and effort they put into it. Water glasses were kept filled to the brim. Total for two rolls, two robata, one noodle bowl and one cocktail was $86, including the 18% automatic gratuity. Don't come here expecting any kind of value. If I ever found myself here again, I'd avoid the noodles, explore the other parts of the menu, or just stick to the rolls and robata. Don't forget to validate your parking, it's $1/hour instead of $4/hour.
(3)Jacinto G.
I liked the lobster roll, crispy rice tuna and many other things. I believe that this restaurant is very expensive!
(4)Analys C.
This place is everything I ever wished for in life :) Lol. One of my top 3 fave restaurants in Miami! Makoto the chef is extra nice & makes sure to acknowledge and greet his costumers. The staff is very friendly as well. The food to die for. Absolutely everything on the menu is a must try!
(5)Ana M.
I think this is definitely a place you go to for a special occasion. It costs an arm and a leg, so it's just not possible for an average Joe like me. Actually we went here because they had that special in May where you eat 6 course for $45 a person. It was good because it got me to go here and I WILL be back. It was delicious. I recommend getting reservations and trying a little bit of everything. Don't just stick to the sushi because the other items are really good too. Its a strange spot for this restaurant I must say, but whatever. Parking is easy and if you have dinero you can buy yourself something ridiculously overpriced at Bal Harbour shops before dinner. Don't let the snooty crowd get to you- just enjoy the food. This has to be the best Japanese restaurant in town. I loved it. Loosen your wallet. Go.... You wont be disappointed.
(5)Akram b.
makoto still one of the best spots for japanese in miami.
(5)Marco V.
The food is really good, I come here often! Really like the place. Not giving it more stars because of the personnel, especially the girl who works the front desk. Blond girl, avoid by all means. Very rude, giving attitude to people!! Can't understand how someone like this can work in such a restaurant. Brings the entire quality of the place down..
(3)Rich D.
Brought my wife there for her birthday and we both loved it. We chose to sit outside and the atmosphere was great. Our Server was very helpful and always around when we needed something. They had some unique menu items as well as the usual favorites. We feasted and didn't leave one bite for the kitchen to clean up. Price was what you'd expect for such a trendy spot, well worth it for special occasions. Enjoy!
(5)Mindy G.
All sashimi and sushi were extremely fresh. Ambiance is trendy. Drinks were great. Only pitfall is that you get so little food for the price. Would definitely recommend this place for some of the freshest sushi in town.
(4)Teresa K.
Husband and I went here for a special tasting menu they offered through the month of May. For $45 a person we got a TON of food. We sat outside and the weather was perfect. It started off with sushi. The spicy yellowtail was amazing. Then we got smoked eggplant and short ribs, each on skewers with a side of fried rice made with kobe beef for goodness sake! Every bite of food we had was a mouthgasm. The short ribs alone are worth a visit. The meal was finished off with ice cream wrapped in rice paper which was unique and delicious. Even the regular menu, although not cheap, isn't as bad as some other high end places I have been to and the amount of food you get for your money is impressive. Also the service was great. Everyone from the hostesses to our waiter, to the people who bussed our table were professional, polite and helpful. If you want a great dining experience this place should definitely be on your list.
(5)Marcio K.
Excelente restaurante! Recomendo a Caipiroska de Chá Verde, muito bom!
(4)Eric J.
Um...so here is what I'm saying. I try to review as much as I can but am busy. I like food and am something of a foodie (but hate that freaking term). If you don't like this place you either like a palatte or are such a hipster that you feel like you have to not like it. I could nit pick. But why? Holy crap. Every component of this meal was right on. Ok, Toro Tartare was ok and the portion was so small it was hard to appreciate but if your feeling the love for $300 + for a meal for 2 and wan everything to work just right, don't bother with the haters, this place is first rate.....Ok, service was slow,, there I said, who the f*&k cares....
(5)Deanna D.
Amazing food. I came with a friend who has a fish allergy and found the waiter and chef to be extremely accommodating, especially considering that much of Japan food is fish related, even the sauces on vegetarian dishes. Jacob, our waiter was my friend's gatekeeper with the food with regards to her allergy. Great wine list and ample amounts by the glass. The Makoto salad is amazing as are the shisito peppers.
(5)Alex G.
HO-LY-MACKERAL! The food here is crazy good! Everything is creatively designed and beautifully presented. The crowd is hip and sexy, and the sake smooth and tasty. (The only thing we disliked was the fresh water eel, a bit soft). Japanese Risotto was amazing, Tuna air bread a total treat, and all the rolls perfectly made. Yum!
(5)Ilan S.
The best sushi i ever had in my life Great service Great and fresh fresh fresh sushi I extremely recommend the branzino they do it amazing Plus the manager was super friendly and present. He went out of his way to make us comfortable !! 5 stars for Makoto
(5)Tommy N.
This place sucks. The quality is the same as sushi from 7 eleven in Japan. Overpriced touristy and totally lame don't waste your money.
(1)Alissa W.
Great place and the prices are not bad i was expecting everything to be much higher. Started out with then spicy tuna and crispy rice amazing I bed this appetizer. Also the roasted corn on the rubato grill was good just a little to sweet for my liking. Also had an entire crab appetizer was a special $55 not a bad price either. Fr my I got the salmon with crispy Brussels sprouts nice size portion $20. Also the black cod was very good. For dessert this is where they lost a star. I wanted the mocha but the waiter reccomnded the fruit . I thought it was a fresh fruit platter but was so heated sauce with sliced apples and pineapple with the skin in $16 rip off and not good. The waiter was nice thigh he asked if we liked it I said no. We did nt eat it he offered to take it off the bill. That was nice of him but I just didn't like the dessert wasn't his fault. I would go back!
(4)Daniel M.
The "kobe beef" cooked on the hot stone was awesome! The spicy tuna crispy rice was the bomb.. I think we placed three orders since it was so good! I was hesitant about ordering skirt steak at a sushi restaurant but it was so much better than I had expected. The avocado dip for the steak was so good. Spicy tuna rolls were probably my favorite of the rolls. My wife tried the spice menu and kind of regretted it since all the other dishes off the menu were so fantastic.
(4)Gloria D.
I been to Makoto at least 30 times every time I'm in town, is very close to my home. Last night I had the worst experience ever the food had so much salt that was impossible to eat . The service bad. Even the dessert was bad!!!!
(1)Whitney K.
Unpretentious excellence at a fabulous price. The ambiance is elegant and glamorous just like the dishes. The service was outstanding: prompt, insightful, and engaging without being over the top. Each dish was flavorfully crafted to compliment the pallet and drinks. The perfect place for a date and stroll around Bal Harbor.
(5)Sharon H.
We stayed at St. Regis across from Makoto, so I decided to give it a try due to the convenient location & highly rated reviews. It was the Miami Spice week, but we (2 people) both ordered something extra in addition to the prix fixed lunch menu. We walked out of the restaurant beyond full & satified after the meal. Service was top notch no doubt! VERY ATTENTIVE (probably also because it was nearly empty when we walked in at 12pm). I must agree with one of the Yelper's review: the house salad is delicious. Simple dish, but so soo sooo good! Bottled beers are a little over priced, but it's imported from Japan exclusively, so we didn't mind paying extra $ for it. After all, it's Bal Harbour, spending big bucks are well expected.
(4)Melanie A.
We came here for lunch after shopping around at the Bal Harbour shops. My fiance REALLY was raving about the chef here, so we decided that we had to eat at Makoto. Maybe our expectations were too high or it was an off day, but it appeared that the waiter was half asleep, then another one took various orders from us and announced them really loud to the other one (I felt like I was at Mcdonalds). We had a mango martini/beer, edamame, the crab roll, the house salad (with soy-free dressing instead), the shrimp tempura (also with soy-free sauce, that was very spicy and VERY tasty), and the chocolate dessert (with mango sorbet instead of ice cream). I liked that they were able to accommodate my requests for soy free dressings/dipping sauces as well as substitute the mango sorbet rather than ice cream but I can definitely say that this place is over rated. They have a dish on the menu with ramen noodles. If I wanted to eat ramen noodles or eat edamame that looked like it just came out of the bag from Publix, I would have just stayed home and cooked myself dinner. The staff wasn't all that professional and the food was pretty bland. For the price that we paid, I don't think that we would return here again.
(3)Deborah A.
This restaurant is outstanding. The food is high quality and the flavors are excellent. The service was unbelievably prompt and attentive. I have come here 2 nights in a row! Fabulous!
(5)Jeremy B.
Simply put, the food at Makoto is outstanding: fresh, innovative, excellent presentation and delicious. We went with a big group (10 people), so we got to try a bunch of stuff: started with some good edamame, then had the roasted shishito peppers, which I am definitely ordering next time, and father in law had miso soup and said it was great and had a nice, smoky flavor. We also shared the spicy tuna crispy rice which was the perfect combination with the fried rice on bottom and a fresh slice of tuna with a serrano pepper on top. Continuing with the tuna theme, we had the tuna air bread which was delicious as well but you only get two pieces. The portions are not large here, so while a lot of the dishes are between $7-$14, you might end up ordering quite a few. The bill tends to add up, so be aware of that. Four of us then shared an order of the kobe fried rice, which was interesting because the beef is frosted and mixed into the hot fried rice, which contains vegetables, foie gras and a quail egg. The flavors mixed together worked perfectly. Everything was so good, we kept eating. Next we tried some items from the robata grill: tiger prawns, chicken, short ribs on a stick with a miso glaze, japanese eggplant, cauliflower and corn. The meat and veggies were all seasoned nicely and excellent from the grill. Some others shared a nice size piece of miso seabass with crispy kale. The fire and ice oysters were amazing too - I wish we got more than 4 because I could eat a dozen of those! We did not neglect the sushi menu either, as we had the rainbow roll (delicious), california roll and then went all out and had a sushi sampler with several different kinds. The sushi was not the best sushi I've had ever, but was still high quality. Drinks were great but pricey: $12-$16 per cocktail and $6-$7 for one beer or $12-$16 for a 22 oz. I went for the 22 oz Sapporo for $12, because it seemed like the best value. We did not try the sake but they had an extensive menu of it. The green tea capiriroska (sp?) was excellent - tasted like a mojito with vodka. I don't usually go for dessert but we all shared some and it was delish/ All in all, the place is not cheap but every single thing we had, everyone agreed, was either very good or flat-out amazing. I left stuffed. Nothing disappointed, not even the service which was very professional, nice and attentive. I can't wait to go back again. Highly recommended.
(5)JJ L.
I just wrote a bunch of reviews for our Miami trip, from hotels to restaurants to jewerly stores. Only 1 place gets 5 stars -- Makoto. I am VERY picky when it comes to Japanese food. I spend most of my time in the SF area and NYC, where the sushi and Japanese food is spectacular. I have had my share of world class Japanese food in Tokyo as well. Makoto is in the 5 star league, hands down. So creative with the menu with reasonable prices for what you get. My wife and I loved it, and were raving about it to each other for days afterwards. What we got for a light to medium dinner (for dessert we had macarons at the nearby MM Chocolate Bar) - Vegan sushi roll. Odd choice right? Yes, it was. But oh so delicious, what a surprise! - Udon salad. Awesome, creative, beautifully presented. Yum. - Tuna on crispy rice. Regret ordering just 1. Creative and spectacular. - Grilled eggplant. I still think about this dish sometimes. Sooo good. - Grilled cauliflower. Fantastic as well. All around amazingness. Highly highly recommend. Love Bal Harbour the city, love the Bal Harbour shops, love the Bal Harbour beach, and love Makoto most of all in Bal Harbour.
(5)A B.
After strolling through Bal Harbour for a couple of hours, I was famished, and decided to find a place to eat. I was craving Sushi, and Makoto's patio looked pretty busy, so I ventured inside the restaurant to have a look at the menu. The menu is pretty extensive, with a lot of unique and creative sushi dishes that you won't find anywhere else. The interior of the restaurant is terrific, and I was conflicted as to whether to sit outside and take advantage of the beautiful weather, or to enjoy the ambiance inside. I chose the patio. I wasn't sure what to have, so the waitress recommended the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice dish, and I also had the Cauliflower Robata. Both were delicious. The food was made with high quality ingredients, and the fish was fresh. The level of spicyness was just right, and both dishes were immensely flavourful. I will definitely return here when I visit Miami again. My only qualm is that the service was slow and inattentive. I had to wait a long time to get the bill. Other than that, loved this place!
(4)Allan L.
This place is just OK. Nothing special in my opinion. I was expecting something out of this world.
(3)Nate M.
Fresh fun and imaginative. Great ambience at lunch and dinner. Very accommodating for kids.
(4)Zarina R.
2/14/12-- I love the decor of this place.. It's my new go to spot to eat lunch at when I'm shopping in Bal Harbor. One thing I need to warn you about is that the restaurant has some wood benches and be careful when pulling them out to sit down because my friend got a splinter in her hand. Thank God the restaurant had a sterile sealed tweezer to remove the splinter. I started off lunch by ordering the "Tuna Air Bread" with caesar foam, tomato, red onion. ( I love this light and airy delicious dish). I also ordered the short rib robata with truffle miso fried rice. The short rib was very tender and tasty and a pretty decent size portion. I even love their ice teas (green tea and mint. They were both very refreshing. The only negative about the restaurant was the Service. I have eaten at this restaurant twice and both times I ate there the service was quite slow.
(4)Gals S.
Food and drinks were great nice ambiance as well.
(4)Jay C.
This truly was the best food I've ever had. I've been around the world and back ... tried all sorts of food, even though I am not even a big sushi or seafood eater, this is some of the tastiest cuisine I've ever tried. Chef Makoto's is hands down the best, and a must if you are in the area.
(5)Dave G.
We are not from the area, so had no idea what to expect - we were very happy with the sea bass - it was outstanding! I think the waitress probably had too many tables, but there was plenty of other help, so we were satisfied. I would absolutely go back - would probably try the sushi next time.
(5)Auston B.
A few friends recommended this place after a rock climb. If you have the chance to check out this place, do so. We ate family style so I had the chance to sample a decent amount of the menu (Ono, Tuna Tataki, Tuna Air Bread, Edamame, Shishito Roasted Peppers, Japanese Risotto, Oh-Toro, Spicy Tuna & California roll - I know we are fat asses). I can honestly say every single piece of food that entered my mouth was absolutely delectable - the kind of delicious that you experience in your dreams. We had the perfect combination of food & I would highly recommend this place to anyone considering going here.
(5)Jasmine K.
I love this place! I always come to Makoto for lunch or dinner when I'm in Miami. The air spinach, tuna air bread, fried rice, and toro melon are my must have's. The tuna air bread and air spinach especially are my favorite!
(5)vanessa l.
My favorite Japanese spot in South Florida. They have indoor/outdoor seating and a nice, relaxed ambience. Easy dishes like the watercress house salad with wasabi dressing and various robatas are so good and consistent. They also have more interesting options like the Japanese caprese and ponzu salmon with ikura. I prefer their sushi a la carte vs their rolls and am overall more partial to their appetizers and cooked dishes. It's always a treat to dine here.
(5)David C.
Been here 10x.... awesome...!!!
(5)Evan Z.
My girlfriend and I had previously had cocktails and light bites at Makoto approximately one week after it had opened, and were sufficiently impressed to want to have a full meal there when we had the time. Honestly, I wish I hadn't gone back. Most of my complaints seem minor, but when you have a restaurant touting itself as owned by master restaurateur Stephen Starr, it should in fact live up to its self-proclaimed reputation. The first issue I had was that my seat did not have a place setting. This would normally be no big deal, but in light of the rest of the evening it can't be forgiven. We started with cocktails (I had the green tea caipirinha and my girlfriend had the ginger-infused sake), which were okay except for the fact that the sake had quite a few ice chips floating in the drink. Our first food item was the black edamame. They weren't black. They weren't bad, but they weren't black. Next was the tea crusted tuna tataki. This dish was excellent, and frankly was the only thing that made me give Makoto two stars instead of one. After that came the short rib robata. The meat was cooked well, but was slightly cold and the sauce tasted like a sub-par barbecue - there's no way it was the truffle miso advertised with the dish. Finally, we had the spicy yellowtail roll. The sushi chef who prepared this should be ashamed, as the entire thing fell apart the minute you touched it. If the food issues weren't enough, the service was simply *atrocious*. All of the items came at the same time and overloaded our small table. The servers removed plates before we were finished (without asking!) and completely forgot to provide us with soy sauce. In short, an $80 meal which was worth $35 at best. I'll stick with Hiro's.
(2)Dinorah a.
Neighborhood gem! I love this place . It's a favorite lunch spot for my hubby and I . Good food, great service and exotic cocktails .. Beautiful trendy decor and u can go shopping right after to burn some calories or more $$$$
(4)Rocky A.
Ever go to a restaurant and you want to order the whole menu, 'cause everything looks AMAZING ? One word MAKOTO in Bal Harbor I went to MAKOTO and found the source to GREAT Japanese cuisine, Professional service mixed with Reggae , Rock & Roll and a little of this and that. Make this dining experience a MUST DO. Tuna air bread, fire & ice oysters, spicy tuna crispy rice, sauteed air spinach, and some other interesting choices are delicacies on the menu, and these are all appetizers The premium wagyu bone in rib eye 26 oz., kobe beef fried rice, the sashimi or sushi sampler with dessert being no less than mochi ice cream are some of the stand outs Its located in Bal Harbor and with the easy parking, makes it even better. Easy in and out. So when you go stroll around after an Unforgettable meal, REMEMBER I'm an XL.
(5)M K.
Good but definitely not great. The fish was pretty fresh and everything was pretty solid generally. Nice setting outside on the patio. Service was terrible -- one of our sushi dishes never came (1.5 hours) and another was very, very late. They apologized but I'm still at a loss as to how the problem happened -- they recognized the problem early then an hour later it still wasn't corrected. A sushi dish takes like 5 minutes to prepare, just fix the problem. It was especially a problem because for the person whose dish was "lost" it was one-half her meal. Anyway, we might go back but only because it was a nice setting and there aren't too many options near the A1A between there and 20 minutes north (or south before South Beach). The food overall was a solid B+. One thing to add: the edamame was the best I've ever had. And I've eaten a ton of edamame. The waitress said it was "black" edamame which from googling is actually legit -- there is a variety of edamame from black soybean. (It was green and looked just like regular edamame but was very firm and flavorful).
(2)Claire C.
First, it's a beautiful place and I was sorta surprised to find it in the Bal Habor shops setting. Make sure you make a reservation, especially if it's for dinner on the weekend. If you can, make sure you get one of the large wood bench tables near the sushi bar of the restaurant. In terms of food, i'd highly recommend the shisito peppers, the rainbow sushi roll, and the ramen! and also, obviously the wagyu steak that you make on the hot stone. It's a great experience and the beef is an excellent cut in fact. I highly recommend it! Just one minor note though - in contrast to what the waiters are saying in terms of the small size of the dishes, you'll find that they are actually not that small. I'd recommend to order 2-3 dishes per person rather the 3-4 dishes that they often recommend.
(4)Alexandra R.
Delicious delicious delicious. The only thing I could think of while I was eating was 'wow, this taste like what I ate in Tokyo'. Extremely authentic! Chef Makoto has Japanese as well as French culinary experience and you can definitley taste the sophistication in his dishes. It's located in Bal Harbour shops, but don't let that or the chic interior deter you. Dinner for 2 would be well worth it, I promise! So throw on your best knock offs, and play the ritzy part until you walk into the restaurant. Then, let loose and enjoy the goodies Makoto's menu has to offer!
(5)Malaise L.
Went to Makoto for dinner on Memorial Day night at around 8:45 pm. The patio out front was crowded. We chose to sit outside in the back (inside the mall) and we were the only people there which was really nice. Think of this place as Japanese tapas. The food comes out as it's ready. I ordered some asparagus tempura and, unbeknownst to me, my husband had ordered some as well which came out towards the end. Once again, I need an ordering strategy! In any case, it was really good, accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce (mayo?) that was really tasty. My husband also ordered Toro Tartar which was about the size of a thimble at 20-odd dollars. He enjoyed it and it looked beautiful, down to the gold leaf sprinkles. He also had Tajima Beef fillet (over 50 bucks!) which he said was good and had garlic chips which I wish were not on top of the meat so I could just swipe them. That did look good! I had the Vegan Stephen roll. At first, when ordering, I was a bit disappointed that they did not have more of a vegetarian/vegan choice and this roll did not sound that great but it really, really was! I greatly enjoyed it. Each bit was different and flavorful. We also had a real good sake. One word of caution: This place is EXPENSIVE and it seems like the prices on their online menu might not match the ones on the menu once you get there. My roll I did notice was a dollar more on their printed menu than it is online but I don't know if that was the case with anything else. Service was very good as well. I feel our waiter was initially a little awkward but warmed up to us. He checked on us enough to make sure that we were being well served but not so much as to make us uncomfortable. I would go back but it would be really awesome if they had some more choices for us non-meat eaters.
(5)Michael H.
I had the pleasure this past weekend to dine at Makoto, the newest creation from restaurant mastermind Stephen Starr. I will break down the review in 3 separate categories. Vibe & Decor, Food&Beverage, and Service. Vibe & Decor: Dark wood, dim lighting, a 12-seat sushi bar and smooth reggae music provide a very chill experience for any foodie. Outdoor courtyard has limited seating but is the perfect scenery for a quick lunch as you dine beside running fountains and colorful koi ponds. The back terrace which seemed to be the most popular choice was furnished with cozy couches and marble tabletops. Food & Beverage: The cocktails are inventive and refreshing. Green Tea Capirosca, Lemongrass Cooler, & Gingered Sake were some notable gems. The sake list is quite extensive, everything from your traditional sake to some specialty and exclusives only offered at this establishment. Now the food was a step above incredible. You think Japanese, you sometimes think sushi and sushi only, but head chef Makoto Okuwa goes above and beyond to cater to the likes of every palate. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice was a signature to the restaurant, the Japanese Caprese salad was refreshing and creative, Short Rib Robata was so tender it melts right in your mouth. Black Cod was the best I've ever tasted. The sushi is fresh and far superior to any in the area. Try the Rainbow Roll, Vegan Stephen (100% Vegetarian), and the Rock Shrimp Tempura Roll. Service: The servers are very knowledgeable when it comes to the menu, feel free to ask about anything and expect a tempting description. Keep in mind, due to heavy tourism in the Bal Harbour Shops, Makoto does include an 18% gratuity which is understandable and fair. Overall this place has set the bar very high for Japanese dining in Miami and can offer something different for your palate any day of the week. Whether it be lunch or dinner, expect the very best from Mr. Stephen Starr and his all-star chef Makoto Okuwa.
(5)Brian L.
15 words or less: Really pretty inside and outside. Good to very good food. Pricey. 15 words or more: Makoto is another entry into the growing high-end Japanese restaurant scene in South Florida. Nobu and Zuma set the standard. I am not sure this place can get there. But while trying to play in that arena, the menu does not seem to have the same depth from top to bottom. I was there for lunch but eyeballed the dinner menu. The menus are close, but there are some changes to accommodate the mall lunch crowds. The lunch menu features a few less fish and meat entrees. In their place are an additional salad or two and two sandwiches (one being a hamburger). The addition of a hamburger is smart because it will help placate that one person who does not like sushi but is forced to go because of his/her significant other. I shared a number of dishes for lunch. This included a chilled lobster salad and a tea-crusted tuna tataki salad. Both were very nice. The ingredients were fresh and the flavors came through. I proceeded to have a sushi sampler. The sampler ($30) was large, featuring this time a spicy tuna roll (6 pieces) and another 12 pieces of a variety of fishes. While I had a piece of tuna, hamachi, uni, unagi, and scallop, the standout was the salmon. Couple of things to note. The restaurant makes it own soy sauce, which is infused with bonito flakes. They also use unpolished rice (so the rice will be brown and white in color and may have a slightly crunchier texture). The restaurant also does not use big eye tuna, in an acknowledgement to the over-harvesting of this fish. Finally, the restaurant has a number of robata items, which seemed interesting. This is a tough one for me. While the food was very good and the presentation of the dishes beautiful, I am not sure the high price sets it far apart from what is your favorite neighborhood sushi joint or otherwise warrant the price if you are willing to spend a little more for Nobu and Zuma. This place is not charging those prices, but it is an expensive lunch, and I could see dinner sneaking up in price given the small plate/Japanese tapas concept. I do hope the place can make it. It is a nice lunch option in Bal Harbour Shops. And I will give it a try for dinner to try some of the robata items and to see what vibe and scene it may have.
(4)Elham A.
This place has ok sushi. Not too good and not too bad. Some things on the menu was good such as the amberjack and kanpachi. Their fish was ok, not much to cheer about. IF you are cheering, you are probably from Florida and used to bad sushi :) The two spicy rolls we ordered had no taste to them. Only fish and rice, not spicy at all! Very disappointing...! The staff is very nice and attentive, but the food is not worth the price.
(3)Tina T.
It's fresh and it's good - but it's not the be all and end all. The atmosphere of this restaurant is very cool and zen-like. They are located in an upscale shopping mall, and on a recent trip to Miami Beach I stopped and got some sushi. There's an outside bar and the bartenders were wonderful. Very laid back environment. The sushi wasn't as good as I would expect from a restaurant in Florida. Honestly, I had way better in Chicago! But it's still a worthy place to go to, even if because of the great atmosphere and drinks.
(4)Taylor R.
Makoto has very good food as well as a great atmosphere. I personally love sitting in there courtyard section.
(5)Red R.
I'm going to be honest. I was famished when I ate at this place. I had been walking around the Bal Harbour Mall desperately trying to find some new threads to sport that evening downtown. Surprisingly, I found little to suit my fancy. What can I say, I need a 34" inseam and apparently most Floridian men rarely reach the 6 foot mark (poor ladies). I was disappointed and a bit disgusted that I couldn't find much to compliment my 6'4" frame, so I decided to pause for some lunch. It was late, nearly 3 in the afternoon, when I walked into Makoto. Being that it was after the lunch rush, I had my choice of seats but opted to sit at the sushi bar, which was spacious and smartly designed. I knew I was meeting a friend for dinner in just a few hours, but I NEEDED FOOD, so I decided I should eat something light. I checked out the menu and was hard pressed to find one item to settle on. There was ramen, udon, tataki, and even ceviche (this is Miami after all). The one truly odd menu seemed to be the hamburger. 'Really, a hamburger,' I thought. That's like going to Morton's and ordering a salad - I don't understand it. Anyway, I digress....I decided that since I was seated at the sushi bar, I would order the sushi sampler, the smallest one. I think there were 9 pieces or so (tuna, yellowtail, salmon, etc.) and also included a tuna roll and miso soup. To accompany my dish I ordered a glass of sancerre. I devoured everything in record time and washed it back with another glass of sancerre. The standouts were the wahoo, the uni and the mackeral, all expertly garnished and fresh tasting. I quizzed the chef about some of the ingredients used with the sushi. He was polite and seemed pleased that I had enjoyed my dish. The next day, I was reading a local rag and saw the same chef's picture gracing the pages of an article on "rising chefs" in Miami. Not surprised! I left Makoto with my belly full and vowed to hit this place again on my next visit. It's been a good two weeks since I've eaten there and I sometimes find myself thinking about the wahoo. P.S. I never did find anything to wear at that Mall.
(4)Mitchell M.
Don't really understand all the great reviews and interestingly enough my wife and I could not agree on what was good. We went tapas style and between the two of us ordered roughly 10 portions/food portions. Cold sesame soba noodles (buckwheat) was not so good. BBQ short ribs bbq modest kimchi overlay was ok, cauliflower I liked (good) my wife did not like. Sautéed air spinach should have just been called sautéed spinach with garlic, I thought ok my wife thought very good. Wasabi fried rice for a fried rice lover was so so. Pepper hot chicken was so-so. House salad was good. Broccoli tempura was very good. Results: So so and not for me. I will watch Morimoto on food channel in lieu of eating his food.
(2)john h.
As a out of towner, and my coworker looked up this place based on reviews. Upon arrive I realized it was located in a mall. I don't usually associate high end sushi with malls. Therefore going in, I had really low expectations (1 Star expectation). The place was better than expected but no where near what others rave about. Eating here made me sad for the locals because this place was just eh.... As a side note, don't sit outside. There was a guy constantly on a blow horn flagging down taxis (or just being an ass)
(3)David S.
Despite being in the Bal Harbor Mall, I thought this restaurant has great value. There were 3 of us at the table and we ordered the following: 2x Japanese Eggplant Robata Braised Short Rib Robata Tuna with Crispy Rice Some noodle appetizer dish (I forget the name) Spicy Yellowtail rool Baby Beets Mochi Ice Cream and their special desert with fruit and I think mango sorbet (I forgot the name of it) We just had water and the total bill came out to about $125 (tax and gratuity included) We were stuffed. So at about $42 a person, we were satisfied. So there is where the value is... here is the food part: AMAZING. I have never been this satisfied with tastes presented at a restaurant. All 3 of us agreed that while one dish may outshine others, the plates all around were delicious. The Japanese Eggplant: Semi-crispy outer skin, brown sugar, some cheese... it was sweet and delicious with a creamy texture. One thing, though, is that it comes out like hot lava so you may want to order another dish and eat that one first before diving into the eggplant. The roof of your mouth will thank me later. Short ribs robata: Shreds nicely, tender, easy to eat, delicious sauce. I just wanted to let it sit in my mouth forever. The best part is that each skewer has three pieces and there were three of us... so sharing was easy. (Same with the eggplant) Tuna with crispy rice: Sweet and a little spicy with the jalapeno pepper on top. Great taste. Noodles: Probably the most normal tasting food.. but still delicious. Yellowtail Roll: I like the dab of sauce and the pepper on top. The fish tasted fresh. There were about 8 pieces on a long plate. Easy to share and we all enjoyed it. Baby Beets: OMFG BEETS. I put one of the beets in my mouth and I almost fell out of my chair in a gooey blob of satisfaction. It gave me tingles... that's all I will say. Desert: Satisfying, the mango Mochi flavor is the best. There other signature desert is sweet and creamy and there is some fruit in there so you don't feel too guilty. Overall.. at $42 a person for all that food.. I am VERY HAPPY. However, at that price, I will only come back once in a while; but with a big smile on my face. Also, sitting outside is preferable especially on a nice night.
(5)Jon G.
Great service and comfortable yet sleek atmosphere. The uni was good but about 1/-3/4 of the portion I'm used to having. Chu-toro was exceptional. The watercress salad was a must order. All in all it was a nice experience in an amazing location but definitely just short of a top tier sushi restaurant.
(4)Kim S.
There were Some good things and some horrible things like the lobster roll and the rock shrimp tempura roll. The lobster roll tastes like a men's bathroom, and the rock shrimp tempura roll tastes like plain oil. The good things were the shishito peppers, the sunimono salad, and the edamame. These are simple things so I'm not suprised they were good.
(1)Julia K.
Sushi should be an easy one in Miami -- fishing is practically the official hobby of this city. So why is sushi so complicated? Sushi is fantastic at nobu, zuma or bond street -- but these restaurants come equipped with a huge scene and price tag. Or maybe one can hit one of the small, local place and settle for mediocre sushi in a dive setting. Then there is Makoto. The ambiance is nice -- beautiful actually -- inside or outside, depending on the mood. I prefer the more quiet outdoor option. Ahhhh, the food - excellent. Spicy jalapeño and yellowtail roll has the perfect amount of kick. And the spicy tuna on crispy rice is also different and delicious. I also has the shisio peppers -- mmmm. My hubby had Rainbow rolls and they were perfect, too. I think Makoto is just what Miami needed.
(4)Armando A.
Probably one of the best places for sushi I have been to in the world. No matter what you order here it is amazing especially drinks.
(5)Timothy A.
Spectacular! You get what you pay for, and this place does not disappoint. Great food and service. The menu and dish preparation is unmatched in South Florida. Very happy with Makoto. Prices are high, but I guess that's what you have to pay for quality these days.
(4)Christopher R.
You know it's a good spot when you go there at least once a week. Yes, that may also be because it is close to my house, but still. I love the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice -- it is a must! Both the inside and outside sections provide a great vibe and they even have a smokeless outdoor section which is great -- because why do only the smokers get to enjoy the beautiful Miami weather?! Also -- it's not as expensive as it looks, definitely worth a try!
(5)Eugene Y.
Another amazing dinner but after revisiting both restaurants Zuma is def a notch ahead of makoto. With that being said, I will continue to visit both! :)
(5)Melissa C.
Great dinner! Our server was knowledgeable and attentive.However, the automatic 18% gratuity made me instantly suspicious when I saw I had been charged for wine that was double the price of the wine I ordered and knew I was drinking. Hmmmm...but I'll give our lovely server the benefit of the doubt. Spicy tuna crispy rice was our our favorite as well as the sake infused with ginger, lemongrass (I think it was lemongrass) and rosemary. The scallop robata was tasty but the bacon wrapped around it was overkill and overpowered the scallop. The salmon and sweet shrimp sushi was fresh and delicious but the rice was slightly undercooked which was a disappointment. The Serrano chili on top of our spicy yellowtail roll added a perfect kick. We sat outside and it was comfortable with the normal level of buzz you can expect to experience when eating outdoors at the bal harbour shops. I also liked the vibe inside the restaurant and will return to sit at their long sushi bar. Overall a great dining experience. We will return and recommend Makoto to our friends.
(4)Judy M.
After having many good dinners in the past, tonight was a very disappointing experience. Disorganized service. Rice for sushi was crumbling in our hands. My wife and I did not enjoy a straightforward sushi dinner . KM & JM.
(1)Dagwood S.
This was one of the highlights of our trip when it came to eating. We sat outside, the staff was super friendly and really helped us decide what to get. Because we were really hungry, we had mostly rolls and a Toro Tartare ($29) which was uneventful and expensive, but that was our mistake for reading the price wrong. I think we had about 4-5 rolls and each one was super fresh and flavorful. Next time I will dive into the sushi/sashimi more and report back. Loved the food, atmosphere (outside int he courtyard) and staff. Good job.
(5)rhett t.
There's a real genius at work here, but the flaws are noticeable. I posted my first review weeks after opening and I compared it harshly to Zuma. And, in many ways the review holds up, but . . . if the flaws were corrected this would be outstanding. First, the menu has evolved, slightly, but noticeably, if that makes senses. Second, the execution of the meal as a whole is ridiculously flawed. The dishes all arrived at once and the waiter grunted as he struggled to make room as if it were our fault. (the service was excellent apart from the timing and the failure to staff two hostess stations). Third, there needs to be a slurping spoon for the ramen which was excellent save for the greenery that was stringy and chewy. The sushi was a highlight, as were the robata dishes (Chicken and corn were wonderful, the short rib I could have skipped). The shishito peppers are not only outstanding, they provided a show for my son as he watched the bonito flakes move (Look, they're moving). The kobe beef on the hot stone is always a crowd-pleaser (but please angle the plate with the hot stone away from the child) (Look if you poke the flakes they move). The wine list is better if by half. There are a few better options, but it is still an unbelievably thin list at the upper end. (Look, they're not moving, wait the flakes are moving!). But, the undeniable star of the show was a chocolate fondant dessert with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, fruit on a cold slate plate that my son clearly enjoyed. Look, if Stephen Starr fixes the pacing, and tweaks a few elements, this place would be extremely enjoyable.
(4)Felix T.
Excellent. Price in the high end but the food and service was excellent. I found awkward the fact that we ordered flat water and they charged 2$ by refilling a Sparkling water bottle. With a dinner of over 200$ for two, I don't think a restaurant in this category need to do that ... why my 4 star.
(4)Amy A.
WOW! We wanted to order the whole menu! Everything was amazing! The food is scrumptious- the taste, texture, the presentation- top quality. Also the lychee martini is amazing! The sushi is amazing... can't wait to go back!
(5)Amy S.
Did the Spice lunch menu the other day and was beyond impressed with the selection and how much food they offered. For $22 its a great deal. The service was horrible though, we went around 2pm on a Friday and they just didn't seem well enough staffed for the people dining. We got the spicy tuna crispy rice, robata eggplant, short ribs and chicken rice bowl. All were delicious! Go take advantage of this menu!
(4)Candice L.
Makoto has amazing food,,but simply put there is just not enough of it for the price. By no means am I cheap and I was not even the one paying for the meal,,but it is way overpriced! We had sparkling water and I asked for limes which never came. As we wanted wahoo,,the waiter highly recommended the wahoo sashimi in an orange ponzu sauce with chiles and topped with crunchy carrots. Boy,,was he spot on! It was amazing!!! He was also extremely knowledgeable about all types of sushi and everything on the menu. The other sashimi we had was the salmon,,medium-fatty tuna and cobia. The presentation was stunningly beautiful,,the fish melted like butter in my mouth and was incredibly fresh. However,,it was so tiny,,it was ridiculous! In addition we ordered 2 orders of the amaebi (sweet shrimp) sushi with fried heads. Unfortunately,,it came out sashimi without the heads and was only one order. :( The heads came out at least 5 minutes later after I asked twice for them. 2 pieces of sweet shrimp sashimi and 3 fried heads 5 minutes later for 2 people?! Ummm.. After much waiting time,,eventually our Kobe beef with the hot riverstone rock for table cooking finally arrived. It was absolutely out of this world delicious but simply not enough of it! And I like small portions.. They apologized for the wait and blamed it on having to wait for a stone. Then buy some more as much as you charge! Finally,,the other person ordered the lychee martini which I had a sip of and it was amazing as well!!! Overall,,the prices are exorbitant for the portion size across the board,,the service was good but not excellent and the food was succulent. By the way,,I had gone here one night before and we sat outside as well for 10 minutes and no one came up to us so we informed the hostess,,waited for another 10 minutes and still no one so we left. This time we informed the hostess when we arrived that we were sitting outside and our waiter did come over. I also saw someone post that they don't ask you before clearing your plates and this is true. In all honesty,,I do not like to have to ask for my plate to stay on the table so I may finish what little food was on it to begin with. Bring your biggest wallet and try not to be famished when you go.
(3)Charlie S.
Yes it is expensive. It's definitely not for the weak hearted but I am in the business and I see where the labor and high food costs go in. Also one of my top go to restaurants. Never been dissapointed. The chilled udon noodle salad is out of this world and so it the makoto salad. My only complaint, wish is was a little closer to where I lived and not at the bal harbour shops. I always get side tracked and spend more money than budgeted at those damn shops!
(5)Tough C.
Four words: Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice! So tasty and different. The sushi is fresh and good, the service is just OK, but I don't like to rush when I am eating sushi, so it works for me. The decor is very nice, dark woods and soft mood lighting makes for a great dining experience. I recommend it.
(4)Aaron P.
Great place check it out.
(5)Isa P.
Excelent! - The WASABI VEGETABLE FRIED RICE /pickled ginger is delicious and The fruit toban yaki Dessert is YUMMMY!
(5)Karin V.
OK this one is gonna be a bit pricey...but its totally worth it!!! Everything is absolutely delicious, but you must try the Japanese caprese, house salad, udon noodles with chicken, spicy tuna with crispy rice, maki roll with rock shrimp and I could go on and on! They also have a great Sake selection and the service is friendly and unpretentious. Oh and I really loved the cool interior and the Reggae playing in the background, how refreshing and different from the annoying "SoBe boom boom restaurant sound"
(5)Scott P.
Their new sushi chef is absolutely amazing. He used to be an apprentice for the Iron Chef "Morimoto." This guy is the real deal. Definitely worth the trip to Bal Harbour.
(5)Ryan C.
Me and a group of friends had dinner their opening week, so this review is based on a situation that hopefully continues to improve. We ordered the shishito peppers, seafood hotpot, wagyu beef fried rice, tokyo stir fried, foie gras beef rolls, braised beef short ribs, and the sushi sampler, and chicked meatballs. The dining style is similar to "tapas" and our group grazed on a bit of everything. Winners: - shishito peppers, fried rice, tokyo stir fry Losers: - chicken meatballs (basically salt sticks), seafood hotpot (stock was very sweet), sushi sampler (fish quality was reasonable, rice flavor was lacking) In general the restaurant succeeds aesthetically and delivers solid service. Not sure if its opening week jitters, but many of the dishes suffered from over seasoning. I'd be willing to try the restaurant again to see if flavor profiles have improved. I'd recommend this for those that aren't too finicky about sushi and want to have a meal in a beautiful setting.
(3)Lance W.
Another Japanese Restaurant bites the dust. This place is reminiscent of Zuma, with the exception of the service which was lacking. The food was great: Beef carpaccio, sweet corn, watercress salad, skirt steak and the sushi is well worth the try as well. I do recommend this place especially if the service improves.
(3)Jim C.
Food was outstanding. We stayed at one bal harbour- thought it was juts to eat at a restaurant in a mall, but experience was really good. Noodles w braised short ribs were so good!!!! Brussels sprouts, we tried many things. Bill for 2 w wine in lauding tip was $160 and we ordered a ton. No dessert but very full: don't listen to other reviews about ppl walking out hungry. They just ordered stingy :) Service was great- BUT, in a quiet way they were pushing to turn the table. It was bothersome but in a background way. We were by no means the couple who stayed long! Only suggestion keeping from a 5
(4)Anna R.
to me the food here is just average. Nothing exciting, no special flavors at all. The most surprising to me is that they offer the same menu item Katsuya at the new SLS in South Beach offers, which is the spicy tuna cirspy rice with serrano chili. However, the dish here was just bland, the rice was dry and not crispy at all however at Katsuya it is much much better, actually amazing. We had the fire and ice oysters which were good as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside which is a joke. I guess the price shows at only 20 for kobe but we needed 4 orders of them to even remotely feel satisfied. I wouldn't go here again.
(3)chris h.
We went last Sunday for lunch. Both had bento box - one CHIRASHI scattered fish and one SUSHI ROLL spicy tuna, california. They came with salad, soup and a fried rice. Enjoyed everything. We feel the food quality is better than what you get at an average Japanese restaurant. Planning on going back again next week.
(4)Yang H.
This restaurant is WAYYYYYY overrated. First we ordered Lychee martini, I am sorry, it tastes like soapy water and took 20 mins to come out. Second, we ordered Kobe beef cooked on stone, it could not be any saltier! Then, we had the tiger shrimp, this one is not too bad. We also had the sushi sampler for 30. The spicy tuna roll was really suck, all i could taste was spiciness, nothing else. the fish on the sushi was not very good especially shrimp, it looked like been soaking in water for a week. Desert was the mochi platter, however, the flavor was very very light i could nearly taste anything. For better sushi experience i would go sushi samba or sugar cane.
(2)Gregory E.
Went there this past Friday, which I'm told was their busiest day. With a 9pm reservation, we had to wait upwards of 30 minutes to get seated. We were not overly agitated by it, but the host was very kind in offering us drinks while we waited, and schmoozing with us to pass the time. We were told that generally any reservation between 8-10pm is going to have trouble getting seated on time during a prime weekend night. So caveat emptor. That said... Decor: minimalistic, but clean. Smaller parties sit along a long sofa that goes along an entire end of the restaurant (the other side of the table has chairs). Service: Very good and on point without being over the top. We were checked on routinely (as food comes out as it is cooked), and our water glasses were never empty, which is always a good sign. Food: The menu is very diverse, so much to the point where our party stuck to non-sushi items, except for the spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer. Having lived on the west coast for two years, this is a staple dish over there that for some reason has never made it back to the East Coast, short of a few NYC imports (Tao, Koi, etc...). Until now, that is. Makoto had it on the menu, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Executed to perfection. We also shared a number of robata items, including the foie gras (which it was different from what I expected, as the texture was more along the lines of a sausage as opposed to a traditionally seared warm foie gras). We also shared the short rib, which was tender and doused in a great sauce. Additionally, we shared a soup/noodle/beef dish, that was forgettable, as it had more noodles than anything else. What was tasty was the frosty kobe rice.. The texture of the rice was super sticky, and the rest of the ingredients in the dish blended and tasted great. For dessert, we shared the Moshi (very good, but small for $10...just saying) and the raspberry molten chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream that had been rolled in some sort of flavored rice sprinkles. Very Good! Overall: Being from Broward, this is a good spot to go to instead of traveling even further for Nobu or Zuma. The overall experience was enjoyable, and while I will be back frequently, I will not run back as if it were the best thing since sliced bread.
(4)Derek S.
Amazing menu for casual sushi at my favorite mall, Bal Harbour Shops
(5)Fred O.
Wow. The sushi was absolutely hands down some of the best I've ever had. It's pricey but worth it each piece was like butter. The appetizers (hot) were all delicious!
(5)Stephanie Z.
Love this place! The food is so good. My favorite wasabi fried rice, tuna tataki and the robatas! Service is also very pleasant
(5)Greg K.
Excellent Japanese which just opened in Bal Harbor Shops. The Makoto Ramen Noodles were delicious (meat was more like in a spaghetti sauce but the broth was spicy and delicious). The Foie Grad Beef Robata was also excellent as was the pork belly. We had one beef roll which was disappointing. Prices are on the higher side and portions are small as with all high-end Japanese restaurants. Atmosphere is sophisticated yet at the same time comfortable with a nice outdoor seating area. Very nice option to the Carpaccio/La Golue Mall offering. This one should stick. It is really a 9/10 ( if a 10 start rating applied).
(5)judy b.
One word: excellent! I am not a fan of Bal Harbor Shops. Just can't stand the in your face monied atmosphere, but, I can ignore it to go to this restaurant. The restaurant itself was designed to be comfortable yet still fits in with the rest of the mall (yes, folks, it's a mall). There were three of us and we just kept ordering. The wine list was excellent, and the Marlborough sauvignon blanc was chilled and delish. We ordered probably a third of the menu and everything was top notch. The wagyu beef was outstanding. The seaweed salad delightful, sweet, tangy and just the right amount of sesame. The rolls were extremely fresh and I even ate some toro tuna, which I normally do not eat. The service was beautiful, each presentation crisp and efficient without being overbearing. We sat outside on a comfortable sofa, the fans kept us cool; I highly recommend this restaurant. I do hope they keep it up.
(5)Jean C.
Great innovative cuisine. Nice atmosphere. Attentive service. Probably the best restaurant in Bal Harbor shops.
(5)T. donald H.
This is the worst most overrated restaurant I've had the misfortune to eat in. First, they lost our reservation, then seated us at a dumb table for 7 (we were 10). The horror began with drinks (wine) which took 45 minutes to get. We ordered and waited as one or two dishes were delivered after one hour. Two people never got their order. We left after 3 hours of hell. No management person ever apologized . Waitress insisted on bringing complementary deserts which we declined. The food was fair at best, scallops salty and rubberized. Whole fish never came, rolls took hours to come and were falling apart. Price tag for this misery $930. Incl. 18.5% tip. They even had the nerve to charge $2.00 per bottle for tap water. I wouldn't go back if they paid me.
(1)David D.
There's two levels here: 5 stars when Makoto serves you omakase, and 3 stars with anyone else! I requested omakase with Makoto, and he was stellar. I'm smiling just thinking about it now. Here's a run down of what he did: 1) Toro tartar with uni and caviar (5/5) -- Makoto starts big. Melt-in-your mouth toro coupled with creamy uni and textured caviar. Right away, you know this man means business 2) Maguro nigiri (4/5) -- Makoto's omakase's are interspersed with nigiri. I found this interesting. The maguro was aged, which added some richness to the flavor 3) Live scallops in sea foam (5/5) -- wonderfully delicious and textured. Probably not the best picture here 4) Aji nigiri (4/5) -- very good with just the right embellishment. I should note Makoto himself grated the fresh wasabi from the root for me 5) Chu toro (4/5) -- another awesome piece, although I unfortunately snapped a terrible pic 6) Saba (4/5) -- surprisingly good from such an eclectic establishment 7) Tai (3/5) -- lacked a little flavor at this point 8) Sashimi platter (2/5) -- prepared by his apprentice. Very discordant. Too much fish at this point in the meal 9) Ikura (4/5) -- quickly remedied situation 10) Tako (5/5) -- maybe my favorite octopus. As tender as the high-end sushi bars, however, marinated so much more flavor 11) Sanma (5/5) -- chef on fire at this point 12) King salmon (5/5) -- the otoro of sake 13) Orange clam (4/5) -- mixing up the textures 14) Clam muscle (4/5) -- does it again with leaf 15) Uni (4/5) -- had some reservations, but fresh as can be 16) King crab with hairy crab adornment over hot charcoals (5/5) -- highlight of the meal, unbelievably creamy goodness. Nirvana 17) Roasted maguro (5/5) -- maybe the only thing that could pair with the king crab; it worked 18) Anago (5/5) -- wait he did more, and it was savory! 19) Japanese radish maki (5/5) -- at this point Makoto knew I was feeling overfull, so he went with a light roll with just a hint of sweetness 20) Homemade chocolate mouse over vanilla bean ice cream served over graham crackers and mixed berries (5/50 -- yes
(5)Trish B.
Appetizers, and entrees were fresh & delicious. Beautiful presentation. Very busy at lunch but well worth the wait. Patio a little crowded but dining room was spacious.
(5)Nicole H.
Wowza. My husband, who knows that I'm obsessed with cheap fast-food sushi, decided to take me here for our Valentine's Day dinner. I don't think either of us were prepared for the shocking quality of food that Makoto serves. We started off by splitting the Dynamite Hand Roll, which is a single roll stuffed with warm baked crab and a creamy citrus sauce. Our waiter was definitely hiding a grin as he set the miniature $11 appetizer in front of us, but I can honestly say that those two bites (my half of the roll) were the best bites of sushi that I've ever had. We calculated out that we paid $3 per bite, which sounds steep but was totally worth it. We also split the Miso soup, which was standard-size and standard quality. This was the only item we had that night that wasn't rave-worthy. For our main courses, we had the Kobe Beef and the Miso Sea Bass. The beef was served rare with a hot stone for cooking along with a smoky sauce. It was delicious. In my mind, though, the star was the Miso Sea Bass, which was served with a fruity sauce and topped with crispy, sweet-tasting kale. The portions were small, the prices were expensive, but this was probably the single best meal I've had in my entire life. I'm a cheapskate, but this meal was an experience that I don't regret paying for. ... or maybe that's just the Green Tea Caipiroska talking.
(5)Carlos L.
OMG, i can die now a happy man. The food is out of this world, crafty delicate Japanese dishes with a push of flavor and a twist. Everything (no exception) was delicious: spicy tuna roll, spicy yellowtail, spicy edamame, chicken teriyaki, and a dessert that was basically a bowl of awesome melted into a hot medley of awesome (ok seriously: passion fruit ice cream, assorted fruits, warm condensed milk, graham cracker crust). Prices seem high on entrees, rolls and other common items are very average given the location, look around you!! Prada, D&G, Cartier, oh who is that? Lenny F'ing Kravitz! They had 36 reservations on a Thursday night....so, plan your visit. Service is great.
(5)A K.
Having lunch on a Sunday. Food is taking a while giving me lots of time to write this review as I wait...and wait... and wait. . Rolls were fresh. But the rolls contain way too much wasabi is not evenly spread across the roll. Almost died.
(3)Nato S.
If you feel like trying Makoto without spending the money, just drive yourself to the nearest publix right before closing time and buy their left over sushi. Disgusting cold flavorless rolls at a premium price. The service was beyond terrible, the food came out ridiculously spaced out, I had to ask the waiter to refill my water 3 times, also had to ask for utensils after the waiter had told us he would bring them. Cocktails were good, but that doesn't make up for a waste of time, money and energy.
(1)Archana B.
Hands down... So far my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. First visit last evening. Beautiful ambience, was a little chilly so we sat outside by the lovely warm lamps. Where do I begin... Every single dish was fantastic. As we were being seated we looked at the dishes on all the other tables and immediately felt like ordering each and every one which is pretty much what we did! Highly recommend... Well.. All the dishes really. Brussels sprouts was off the chain. So delicious did not stop picking on it until it was all over. The tuna tataki salad, bursting with freshness and flavor totally delightful. Can't even say enough about the short rib robata grilled skewers... Mmmm! Flavor was intensely delightful. And the dipping sauce.. Little zinger... Wow! Next up was spicy tuna roll... Probably the best one I've had since Bond St closed down. Spicy mayo with a whole new flavor profile. Really yummy. Tuna on crispy rice cakes ... I have to say this is probably the only one I wasn't too crazy about only because I think the rice portion should have been a little smaller... It overwhelmed the tuna... But flavor totally showed up to the party. The Japanese risotto was just not normal... What a beautiful surprise flavor and we ordered it so it came last ... What a great way to end the meal.... Intense flavors, hints of truffle... Served table side by your waiter or waitress ... We were so cheeky we ordered another short rib skewer to finish off the rice. I can't say enough about what a totally delectably delicious and delightful meal this was. Wow! So happily impressed. Top points in my book for ambience, decor, staff, service and food.
(5)Michelle L.
Excellent food, presentation, and service. Located inside the shops at Bal Harbour, Makoto is top-notch! My good friend and I love to come here for lunch because of their benzo box lunch specials. Not your typical bento box. It includes a miso or watercrest salad (on the spicy side contains wasabi dressing) main entree which we love is the ponzu glazed salmon with brussel sprouts, and wasabi rice. The crispy rice spicy tunas are a must as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside over a hot stone. Also, try the Japanese Risotto with brown rice and truffle butter served piping hot. I knock off one star because the yellowtail sushi roll we ordered didn't taste so good.Needless to say, Makoto is a culinary experience that tantalizes the taste buds! Save room for some mochi ice cream and be sure to validate your parking ticket.
(4)Jack G.
Chef's special for $30 was over valued. Waiter said 17 pc, there were 13 pc. Pieces were very thin. Service was impeccable. Food presentation was great. Plum wine was in dry side. Ginger and wasabi are first class. Brown rice worth trying. Overall great experience.
(4)Tina C.
Excellent Japanese sushi inside of this very high end mall. Clientele arrives in Bentleys and Roll Royce. Fashionable people milling around with tanned faces. Good people watching. Service was excellent as well.
(4)Juan S.
Excellent Japanese restaurant. The food is outstanding. Service could have been a little better but not bad. Atmosphere is a highlight here....very comfortable and chic place in the Bal Harbour shops. Short rib tacos here were excellent.
(4)Vic V.
Hamachi, crispy rice spicy tuna and Brussel sprouts were all STELLAR!!!! Delicious sushi.
(5)javier g.
Let me start off by saying that if you love sushi you must go here! Everything about this place is great. It's nice and dark so it's great for families or dates. They have a wide variety. Prices aren't terrible. The management team there is excellent. Always around if you need anything. They have an outside area which is also nice. Must go again!
(5)Iryna M.
Excellent! Ordered 5 different dishes. One word- delicious. Short ribs were amazing! Sushi- just perfect! Drinks were great! Wonderful atmosphere. Great service. Will definitely recommend.
(5)Natasa S.
I would say food was ok but nothing spectacular. We had crispy spicy tuna rice, too greasy for my taste and tuna was kiind of bland. Short rib robata was great, very tender and flavorful. We had a lobster roll, nothing to write home about. Now, SERVICE HORRIBLE!! My husband is alergic to oil and we told that to our waiter, she must have been from eastern europe( as i am and I know the mentality) but my husband is not and he was so irritated at the inquisition on oil and did not make it pleasant for us at all, kept saying you cant even take olive oil, all of a sudden olive oil is not oil. She was full of attitude and should not have been in a service business. My husband had a vegetable fried rice which was cookd in soy and corn robata with no butter or oil. That was good but nothing extraordinary.
(3)Jim C.
Food was outstanding. We stayed at one bal harbour- thought it was juts to eat at a restaurant in a mall, but experience was really good. Noodles w braised short ribs were so good!!!! Brussels sprouts, we tried many things. Bill for 2 w wine in lauding tip was $160 and we ordered a ton. No dessert but very full: don't listen to other reviews about ppl walking out hungry. They just ordered stingy :) Service was great- BUT, in a quiet way they were pushing to turn the table. It was bothersome but in a background way. We were by no means the couple who stayed long! Only suggestion keeping from a 5
(4)Lawrence P.
This is a tough review for me BECAUSE we just went to Douzo in Boston which basically is the same type of restaurant. Located in Bal Harbour, Makoto has been on my wife's list for some time. So, after we returned from Boston (and Douzo) just a few weeks back, we made a reservation. The first thing that was disappointing about this one was the décor. The restaurant screams PF Changs. It lacks décor. I understand the look they are trying to pull off but... The tables are absolutely bare, so are the floors and the wall. Also, the area we were at was basically a long corridor with tables on one side and a wall of waiters, tables for glasses, etc. on the other. I just didn't like all the waiters walking behind me like that all night. We began by opening my bottle of wine ($25 corkage fee) and began our experience with another couple. Some order cocktails but I stuck to my wine. When the waiter came, he told us the concept was 4-5 items per person. So we began with the Toro Tartare (caviar, nori and wasabi) which was excellent. The tuna pizza on a grilled tortilla with tomato and cilantro was excellent as well. The kobe beef carpaccio with ginger was so good we ordered another. Finally from the starter menu, we ordered the pastrami hamachi which was ok. We then moved onto some sushi rolls and, the best in show, the miso sea bass. This was a 3 star rating for me until the sea bass. Not as good as the miso black cod from Nobu but damn close. This was exquisite!!! I wish the restaurant looked a bit more upscale to match the prices. I also wish the service was more professional... again, given the prices, I expected a bit more. In the end, this was good... not Douzo good... but good!
(4)Ron B.
Always enjoying going to Makoto because the food is really good. I like sitting at the sushi counter to see all the action and get into the flow of the energy of the sushi counter. The sashimi, chirashi and makimono were very nice and even though it was busy the sushi staff knocked it out. I tried the cauliflower from the robata and I was surprised how good it was. We also tried out the fried rice in a stone bowl and enjoyed it. One point, please work on the service training. Great personalities but how to provide service with the guests in mind is not so easy to do. Keep working at it and I'll be back with friends soon!
(4)John O.
If this place were in LA, it would put Nobu out of business. I DREAM of the Tuna pizza -- words cannot describe how good it is. Also, their himachi appetizer with ponzu was out of this world. However, I have never had Miso Sea Bass this frigging good -- they marinate it for TWO days and it is an incredible piece of fish. I could eat this every day. They have a great selection of house cocktails and I got the mango something or other and it went down way too easy!!! Service is spectacular from the time you walk in the door. AND, finally a restaurant where the manager makes the rounds!!! Shouldn't every GOOD restaurant manager "walk the boiler room"? I think she is probably the reason this place rocks. Also, they have an interesting bar and some tables in the center of the mall (Shops at Bal Harbour). Great location and GREAT food and service -- I will be back!!!
(5)Shamir S.
This place is awesome !!! -playing Bob marley and dope food Eveyone should come here !!! The owner has amazing taste Will come back I live in st.regis across the street
(5)Val C.
Went in for a quick lunch meeting. Mike Velardi was our server, was extremely knowledgeable on the menu, great support by the bussers and runners. Food was delicious! We were all only eating Fish and Vegetables and we had plenty of options to pick from.
(5)Gavin H.
Excellent. Japanese with some creative liberties, loved the short rib ramen, the lobster roll, ceviche and soba. They also have excellent Japanese craft beers by the bottle. Not cheap, but worth it!
(5)Giulia R.
I cannot tell you how many times I've been to this restaurant. I know the menu by heart. Service is right on point, food comes quick and well presented. I have tried almost everything on the menu and have not found one thing to complain about.. besides the fact that they changed their curry shrimp roll to a different type of sauce and I'm not much of a fan but people seem to be enjoying their change. anyway, i would recommend this place to everyone. Fish is fresh and the grilled food is cooked to perfection, also they have fun meals like the kobe beef cooked on a hot stone right at your table!
(5)Customer T.
Amazing selection and super fresh food, nice atmosphere.
(5)Romina G.
I looove Makoto, me and my husband go there at least once a week. I'm vegan and of all the sushi restaurants with veggie rolls that I've tried in Miami until now, this one is hands down the best. I usually order the vegan stephen (amaziiiing), and the garden roll, which has no rice but its filled with raw veggie goodness (if you are vegan ask for the mayo on the side, it has eggs). To start, the spicy edamames are pretty good. My husband usually goes for the short ribs noodles and he is obsessed. The crispy rice tuna appetizer is one of his favorites too. The only thing that bothers me a bit is that they bring the dishes as soon as they are done. So usually if you are not sharing (which is our case), one eats first and the other watches and so on haha! But its nothing that would keep me from going again. They are also open to modifying their rolls (If you want to order them without an ingredient, etc). I definitely recommend it and applaud their efforts on making creative and delicious veggie sushi.
(4)Raquel S.
Best meal ever! The menu has such great different variety. Be sure to get the Brussels sprouts they are amazing! It's also located in a designer brand mall so it's nice to look around before dinner! You should try to book if you want to sit outside because it's a cute area on a nice evening! Loved!
(5)Frank S.
Excellent food, attentive service , very pleased with the overall experience. We had a reservation and were seated promptly. The server recommended a Pisco cocktail that was perfect. He also recommended an excellent starter. We ordered several Items with Kobe Beef and all were excellent. Sushi and sashimi were fresh and we were not disappointed. We don't live nearby but if we are back in the Bal Harbour area I would definitely dine here again.
(5)Bowie S.
A - OK. I went on a Sunday night, not so busy. I was excited to try this for Miami Spice 2014. I ordered a side order of Uni and ordered the Duck Ramen (on the MS menu) but both were not available that night :( The Uni supposedly comes in fresh daily so I missed the mark on that. Sad but, if you're an Uni lover this is normal. For MS, I ordered the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice. The dish was okay, I thought it looked cool on the pictures on Yelp, but overall it was a little unique but nothing over the top. Four pieces is definitely enough for this dish, gets a little repetitive. My roomie had the Hamachi Pastrami, so I got to try that. It was cool and unique, something to try if you go for MS, it's something you won't get at other restaurants. We also got Oh-toro, negi toro & unagi. All were ok to me. The sushi-snob inside me was not impressed, but it was OK. For the second course, I ordered Duck Ramen but they said the chef wouldn't cook it because the duck wasn't to his expectations. Which I guess is good that the chef felt this serious about the ingredients, but I was a little disappointed. This only meant my expectations for the Skirt Steak were going to be very high. The Skirt Steak was alright. Zuma has a better Skirt Steak in my opinion. Three of us at the table ordered it and it came w/ avocado and ginger puree, they forgot to bring that out for 2/3 of us and we waited quite a while for them to bring out one more, but I had already ate about half of my dish, and they didn't even bring the third, we didn't want to ask three times. Roomie had the Grouper Tempura, I thought that was cool and we were surprised at the beginning b/c it's black, we were expecting it to be burnt tasting, but it's actually squid ink and it tasted amazing. Service: The waiter was not very attentive or professional in my opinion. Forgot to bring out the avocado stuff, and didn't finish taking our order until the 4th time he circled back after a while. But he's got the water refilling down to a T. Third course... desserts! Best of the night, I ordered the Matcha Tiramisu, it was above average. The real deal was the Sudachi Cheesecake, and that was amazing! I love unique flavors and desserts and this is a must try! I couldn't even nail down everything that was in it, but it was amazing, you need to try it for yourself. A little dip n dot action w/ key lime and mysterious deliciousness at the bottom. The dessert almost made up for my disappointment. Just overall, I think I had too high of expectations, don't get me wrong, this is a great restaurant, but I think once is enough, not so good that I'll come back again. Good place to try though if you live in South Florida and want something different. I'm glad they participated in MS. Definitely worth it if you go for Miami Spice!
(3)Nicole R.
Went to makoto and was greeted by Samantha great customer service! Our server was Chelsea she was fascinate great recommendations! Chris the manager on the floor tonight was personable and was very good with customer service and attentiveness! All and all I will be back makoto thank you!!! Ps food was to die for all of it!
(5)Caro R.
Went for lunch, waited at hostess stand for a few minutes to be seated, sat at bar and was never waited on. Finally a manager came over to inform me a waiter was coming - never happened so manager took my order.. felt as if no one wanted to assist me. Lunch sushi bento was good, sushi chef was friendly. Let down on service being a Starr restaurant.
(2)Mark S.
Makoto makes some incredible things, and chef Makoto Okuwa has some real talent. I experienced the best example of this, ironically, at another restaurant (Pubbelly), where Okuwa did a pop up last summer for a Izakaya meal where I had some of the best bites of 2013. Chef Okuwa: if you or your staff ever read this, PLEASE reprise that pop up menu, either at Makoto or in a separate venue - it was a revelation! I usually check in at Bal Harbor once or twice a year. This month I had the $23 "Miami Spice" lunch (where expensive Makoto is one if the best venues to take advantage of the summer promo). Our table had most of the available menu options. The Robata chicken is $10 on the regular menu, so the 2 skewers were not much of a bargain as a choice on the spice menu (and more of an appetizer size than a main). The way to go: start with the tuna on crispy rice (2nd choice: the salad, it's sizeable and tasty, bit crispy rice is a house specialty, so this is a pretty distant 2nd), then rainbow roll (next would be the jicama tacos, but agsin a distant 2nd: the rainbow roll is amazing!), and the no-choice dessert is a matcha tiramisu, which we all loved. At spice prices, this is 5-star. At regular price it would be a 4, because it loses the value factor. This (getting 5) is why participating in Miami spice is a good idea for restaurants.
(5)Carolina M.
Still loving this place. Came on a Sunday to the Bal harbour shops and we stopped there to have brunch. Recommend a reservation as they are normally fully booked. Lots of people there and definitely a trendy spot. The food, as usual was solid!. The watermelon ceviche was great. Fresh and well prepared. All the ingredients used are top quality. Edamame was a little overcooked for my taste. The short rib yaki noodles were fantastic. Very flavorful. We also had the king salmon. Very fresh and perfectly done, like salmon should be cooked. medium rare. We also ordered 2 rolls and they were both fantastic. : Spicy yellowtail (fave) and the rainbow roll. Very good. I am only giving 4 stars because of the service. This time around was a little slow. We sat outside and yes, it was pretty busy but never too crowded. And for a while we sat there with our water glasses and beers empty. Additionally, the bathrooms were kind of dirty. At a place inside the Bal Harbour Shops, were everything is so upscale and expensive, the least they can do would be having nice , spotless bathrooms. I found them in need of a remodeled of at least a good deep cleaning.
(4)Katherine D.
There are many restaurant options in Bal Harbor, but this is one you shouldn't miss. I went with two friends for lunch and we sat outside, but there was plenty of space inside too. Makoto is a good restaurant for groups because you can order various dishes to share. We had the cold sesame noodles which had an incredible unique tasting sauce. Additionally we ordered the tuna pizza, frosty Kobe fried rice, king salmon, and the Kobe beef entree. Everything was rich in flavor and filling. The salmon came with Brussels sprouts and miso soup. To drink, I ordered the green tea caipiroska which would remind you of a mojito. The service was good and overall it was a delicious meal. I truly believe anything on this menu would be good, but with what we ordered, we enjoyed a variety of fresh flavors. My favorite dishes were the Kobe beef and the fried rice. I would absolutely come back here again.
(5)Thien H.
$2.50 for a small glass of coke, okay fine. Another $2.50 for one refill on the small glass of coke, Makoto? Really?! So odd. I feel like the server should have warned us. On this second visit to Makoto we went with the $50 Sashimi Combo (sashimi on ice) again. It didn't come with a cute little tree/leaf decoration this time so I was a little disappointed. The fish was high-quality, tender, and stringyness-free like usual. The crispy rice and tuna $12 was also tasty but I can't honestly tell you if it's that much better than RA sushi's happy hour $7 crispy rice spicy tuna. Spicy yellowtail eight piece roll $12 was as expected. I feared that the Frosty Kobe Fried Rice $18 would underwhelm me, but to my surprise I could taste and find pieces of foie gras in there. The server mixed the jidori egg in the hot rice at our table which made for a nice presentation. The portion is kinda small though. We went with the makoto ramen $14 again. It was very spicy like last time, but there were definitely less bean sprouts and other fillers in the soup :( However, I am appreciative that they automatically offer to split the order into two separate bowls so we don't have to share the bowl. Dress cute because this place is snobby and filled with hilariously snobby diners. This time gratuity was not automatically added to our bill, which was nice. Gurl coulda warned us about that coke refill charge, just sayin'. Get your Bal Harbour Shops parking garage ticket validated for a discount on the parking.
(4)Mel F.
AMAZING!!!!! Everything is Delicious... Great place with an amazing vibe! Make sure you make a reservation before, they're normally fully booked everyday.
(5)Alex K.
We came here for an appetizer and a drink and left with full bellies. We got the Kobe beef that you cook yourself on a hot stone, which is not only delicious but so fun and different than just sitting and eating. The mall atmosphere is beautiful and I would definitely recommend going. We sat at the cute bar courtyard that's within the mall and had an amazing time.
(5)G N.
I love sushi. You walk in this place and it makes you want to eat sushi - the three separate dining areas are novel and each very pretty. And there are some inventive dishes at Makoto. The Kobe beef served with the hot river stone, for example, is phenomenal, although the heavy-handed instruction to first dip the beef in the dipping sauce is unfortunate - the beef has enough taste to stand on its own without the sauce, which detracts from the natural taste of the beef. This brings me to the overriding problem with Makoto: the service is exceptionally poor. And at a high-end (and let's be honest, over-priced) restaurant like Makoto, the service should at least be decent. From the hostesses to the servers to the busing staff, they just aren't well-trained, and it shows. I've been a half-dozen times in the past six months, and there have always been issues. Slow, inattentive service, combined with a we-know-more-than-you approach, steers me back to Sawadee, the BYO joint on 72nd, which has comparable sushi, excellent service, and is about one-third the price.
(2)Brenda P.
Makoto has been on my must-try list for a LONG LONG time. The scoop: LOVED the food, but found the ambiance and decor mediocre. Thankfully, the food delivered in a big way! As usual, our party of 4 ordered too much food. At least it gave us a chance to sample a great variety of food in one sitting. Mango Passion- VERY good Lychee Martini- Didn't try it, but my friend loved it. Sake- Ginjo Dewazakura- a must! Kobe Beef Carpaccio- Delicate, delicious, perfect! Toro Tartare- Good, but not a table favorite. Spicy Yellowtail- Great! Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice- Good, but the tuna mixture had an odd texture to it. Tuna Pizza- One of my favorites! Rock Shrimp Tempura- Great! Exploding with flavor. Frosty Kobe Fried Rice- My favorite! Foie gras and topped with a gorgeous jidori egg. Incredible. Japanese Risotto- Cooked table side and very good. It would have been enough with the fried rice order. We still ate it. That's how we roll (or rather-rolled- out of there) Miso Chilean Sea Bass- It's not PB Steak or Nobu's cod (both with a similar preparation), but it's damn close and simply EXCEPTIONAL! The crispy kale was an added bonus. Short rib + Truffle Miso- The truffle miso on top was incredible. Unfortunately, the short rib was overcooked by a whole lot. Salmon Avocado Maki- Simple, but fresh and delicious. Dessert- Nothing stood out. We ordered the lava chocolate cake. I had a bite and didn't feel the need to have more. Blah. Makoto resides inside the luxurious Bal Harbour Shops. With matching menu prices (ended up being about $100 pp), I expected the luxury of the area and shops to spill into the restaurant. As I walked towards the restaurant, I passed several other restaurants (on a Saturday night) where diners were nicely dressed. Imagine my surprise to find, diners (probably tourists) in ripped shorts, caps, tees and flip flops all around mixed in with the (mostly) appropriately dressed locals. Hmmmm, was I at the right place? I then looked around and noticed the rather simple, brightly lit decor (very unlike the photos I had seem online). I know, I know, it's not about the looks. Except, it's Saturday night, I've reserved at a "supposed" upscale restaurant. I was expecting the full "polished" package: ambiance + decor + service + incredible food. We sat on one of the high traffic, partial booths near the kitchen. All night long, all we saw was a constant parade of staff and diners walk past us. N O N S T O P. Dizzying, to say the least. In hindsight, we should have requested to move. Service was good enough, but again, extremely casual. Will I return? yes! The food is well worth it. I don't think it tops NAOE or NOBU, but it IS damn good. Next time though, I will make sure to polish my best flip flops to fit in with the "crowd" and leave my stilettos at home. Maybe.
(4)Rach K.
Not bad... I knew this place would be overpriced because of its location inside the Bal Harbour shops but I hoped the food would live up to the pricing. We sat outside, and it was a really pretty setting. I thought the portions were actually decent but the fish was just so-so. One of the girls ordered a soft-shell crab roll which was good, but it was made up of half fake crab. My other friend ordered a tuna and scallion roll and a spicy yellowtail roll. The tuna was a little fishy. The yellowtail was decent but I've had better. It was unfortunate; I thought being so close to the ocean meant that the fish would be super duper fresh. I ordered a bento box with the short ribs. They were pretty good but oversalted. The staff were friendly and accommodating.
(3)Renier C.
Behold, Makoto. The one restaurant in BHS to dine at for lunch or dinner. Don't settle for the old, crusty, and sub-par Carpaccio. Luckily, due to our frequency of visits, besides my favorite dish I have also found my favorite server: Biata! She is absolutely the best! Lively and fun, I forget we are at a restaurant and feel like I'm visiting a friend! It's not the same when it's her day off! On to the food: here are the must haves! Starters: Scallop Tiradito Toro Tartare Kobe Carpaccio House Salad (Never have I loved a "house" salad as much!) Cold sesame Noodles Entree pairings: Japanese Risotto + Miso Seabass (divinely rich) Wasabi Fried Rice Kobe beef on stone Wagyu beef filet Tempura grouper Hot pepper chicken + air sautéed spinach Seared scallops Short Rib Noodles* Perfect for a quick lunch. The Selection of spirits is wonderful. My favorite cocktail is their salt rimmed Margaritas, however more often than not, I find them too full of ice and diluted. It's like they splashed the tequila in the cocktail. And Naturally, That's my one disappointment here.
(5)Santiago Z.
This place is GREAT! There is a wide variety of sushi and the appetizers are delicious. i would recommend the crispy tuna rise as an appetizer. As for the main course, i would say anything from the menu will do because everything there is fantastic, its fresh and has amazing taste and presentation. This place is a must if you are visiting Miami.
(5)Anita G.
This is one of my fav sushi places! It's located at the overpriced Bal Harbour mall but the food and prices are super fair! The sushi is big and has a very thin later of rice on the outside of the rolls which for me is perfect (the less rice the better!). My fav roll there is the spicy yellowtail. Service could always improve...oh, Miami!
(4)Spencer A.
Wow! This is my favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami. Not just great sushi, but other things like grilled vegetables and salads are spectacular. Amazing service. Amazing people watching. Located next to Saks in Bal Harbor. I loved it.
(5)Mendy C.
8/5/2014 Came here to try their Miami Spice 2014 menu. Quite disappointed...food was not taste good as usual, I think it is not worth it. I rather order something else from the regular menu or definitely omakase always the best!
(4)Sarah C.
This place is VERY popular, and very pretty. It's a little hard to find if you don't know your way around the shops - I think it's to the left of the parking entrance? The courtyard seating is first come first served - just grab a table/bar seat if you see one open up. I sat on a nice couch at a table outside right next to a fire lamp, and it was super cozy and nice. The food was fine. Nice portions, a little pricey perhaps. I had the spicy tuna roll and the short rib udon noodles. Both were very good, but not terribly impressive. I'm a little lost as to why this place is on Eater's top 38 for Miami. The service was really lovely. If I lived in Miami I'd probably go back to try more on the menu, and maybe a second trip would bring it up to four stars, but probably not five. If I could be more specific, I'd say this is a 3.5.
(3)Tal T.
Hello, delicious! Makoto is a solid choice for delicious food served in a lovely ambiance. We ate: Shishito peppers. Delicious, robust flavor. Mild spice - definitely not overpowering. This dish stood out above the others because of its presentation, ample portion, and bold flavors. It was served with extremely thin slices of serrano ham shaved atop the peppers. In fact, the ham was so thin that it danced around as the meat sizzled on the hot peppers. Fascinating effect, and while I didn't taste the meat, my hubby assured me it added a nice smokiness to the dish. Robata Cauliflower. Again, beautiful presentation and a level of depth in this dish you would not expect from something so seemingly simple Oh Toro. I mean it's fatty tuna. It's freaking delicious. If you do not think you like sashimi, please order toro and ask yourself that question again. Here, it was well-priced at $12 for two slices. Also a stand-out. Must-order. Spicy Yellowtail Roll. Well-balanced but mild with quality fresh fish. I would have enjoyed it a little spicier. When something is titled "spicy," I expect a kick! Rainbow Roll. Fresh fish, beautifully served. Sesame seeds were a tad too pronounced in this roll. There were a couple of hiccups with the service. We ordered martinis, and mine was tinged with the flavor of whatever sweet-tini was made in the bartender's tin before my supposed-to-be-crisp-and-clean vodka martini. Some may have just sucked it up, but when I am paying $13+ for a drink, I expect to enjoy it, so I sent mine back. It took another 20 minutes after the original 15 minutes to get my new drink, so I received my first and only drink of the night about half way through dinner. Really, that's unacceptable. About halfway through our meal, we were approached by a busser, who asked if we would like new plates. This was odd, because we had already had both sushi and hot items, so we said no thank you. He took our plates anyway, and there we were with a few glorious pieces of yellowtail waiting for us to devour them, and no plates on which to do so. Another busser also swiped our wasabi without asking (my hubby wasn't done wit it), and another asked mid-bite if we were done with an item that was clearly still being eaten. The awkward moments with service would be addressed easily by a hands-on manager who was involved with service from the beginning. Our server was trying, but he had many other tables so I don't blame it on him. 18% tip included is fine, but a little strange for a party of two in this part of town. Total for our dinner: $110 including everything for a party of two. Bottom Line: Excellent, well-priced food in an inspiring setting. Service rated "needs improvement."
(4)Ava F.
Literally my favorite restaurant---come here twice a week. The best are the "Short-rib Yaki Noodles" and the "Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice". The house salad is also delicious. --- tips: If you will be in the Bal Harbour area make a reservation, as the restaurant fills up fast. If you don't have a reservation, the terrace by the stores is self seating. If you order a soda, as for it with the can as each glass is $2.50 and they only give you about 1/3 of the can!
(5)Ute L.
With 6 weeks of Miami Spice remaining, a couple of helpful pointers on getting the most out of the $39 fix price menu. For starters, skip the Hamachi pumpernickel. It's weird and it doesn't work. Think of it of a giant rye fortune cookie that is bland and filled with a strange, broken sour mayo "foam", then topped with raw Hamachi. It's nothing like I imagined based on the menu description. You are better off ordering the crispy rice tuna or ramen bowl appetizer. For your entrée, skip the tempura fish. The website states tempura sea bass, what I got was fried grouper. The batter was too thick, not light and delicate as tempura should be. The spicy miso sauce reminded me of McDonalds BBQ sauce, a poor match for the fish. I felt like I was eating fish and chips at a pub. Your best bet is the chef sushi platter, which gets you 8 pieces of spicy tuna maki roll and another 8 pieces or so of mixed nigiri. The sushi rice was sub par, it was a dry and undercooked. The green tea tiramisu got mixed reviews at our table. It didn't have much flavor other than sweet and was very rich. It lacked texture and booze, and was less tiramisu and more custard made of full fat mascarpone and heavy cream. Overall a little disappointing for a restaurant of this caliber.
(3)Yuri S.
Cool spot. Similar to Tao Vegas but so different at the same time. Great menu. Delicious rolls. Service was fantastic, not sure why so many people trashed their service. Good restaurant and not over priced. Will return. We were a party of 8 and were seated within minutes. Great food and was a busy restaurant.
(5)Michael P.
My wife has been bothering me about this place so we finally went to check it out. The decor is very nice and we were seated promptly because we had a reservation and it was a Monday so the place was half full. I Knew it was going to be pricey and i saw a review that the portions were generous. Nonetheless i came somewhat hungry and i am glad i did because the portions were nothing close to generous. We had the chicken robata , the kobe beef and the ramen makoto. The chicken was very tender and seasoned well so that was a good choice, next the kobe came out and it was fun because you get to cook it on a hot stone at your table! The bad thing is that the kobe is paper thin and practically tasteless because it is paper thin. The guy said dip it in the sesame first then cook it but the rock got sticky and burned after 3 dips so it did not help the beef. The ramen made the night because it was plentiful and delicious, it was very similar to the flavors at khong river house and if you have not been there it is the bomb so as you can tell the ramen was good. On to the service which was understaffed they had one girl running around serving everyone so we had to sit and wait 10 minutes before ordering but the food came out quick. All in all it was alright for tooo much money but that's bal harbor.
(3)Mark H.
Be prepared to pay out the Sea Bass for this food unless your a poster child for global wealth disparity. This is not your local take out sushi joint. This was a departure for me. Normally I stick to cheap food in general. I tend to think food is like wine. Once you get over a certain minimum price threshold, you really stop paying for the quality of you food and start paying for snootiness and hype. The wife, though, had just done something important and deserved a night out, and if you're a smart husband you'll know that a night out isn't an obligation, it's an opportunity. The wife loves sushi a little too much. Sometimes I get jealous of fresh tuna filets, because I know she'll never love me exactly that way; she'll never devour me like a hand-crafted sashimi roll or tenderly pick me up with chopsticks and bite me in half...er...not that I want to be bitten in half. It occurred to me while I was considering a purchase of a seaweed underwear that instead of trying to BE a wild Alaskan salmon filet, I could use a little Pavlov to get her to associate me with sushi, sushi with me. Enter Makoto. My plan required one thing though - the best sushi in Miami. Because if she's going to associate me with sushi, it better not be a slimy $5 roll. The kind that leaves you wondering if sushi is really worth ruining the ocean ecosystem for. No, it needed to be the kind of sushi that creates such a state of euphoria that you know that the even the last Bluefin Tuna would sigh, nod his head, and understand that the extinction of his species was perfectly reasonable considering the temporary pleasure his flesh brought to your mouth. Dolphin and tuna pity is bogus anyways. It's natural selection. If they didn't want to go extinct, they shouldn't have evolved to taste so damn good. I let the wife do most of the ordering, because it always tastes better if you choose it. There was some crab roll and some other stuff too, I don't really remember the specifics. I do remember that it was some of the best sushi I've ever had, and the perfect tool for the task at hand. I started by jamming her mental faculties with some mixed drink. Pavlov was able to condition dogs, which are significantly less intelligent than my wife, even in sushi stupor, and to be safe I knew I need to liquor her into a more suggestible, canine state. As usual, when the food began to arrive her vision began to tunnel and she began to lose focus on her surroundings, zoning onto the platter in an almost hypnotic state. "I'm the sushi," I murmured softly. "Maaaaark is suuuuuushi..." The good news is that it worked. At the end of the meal she was very pleased. I could tell by the way she smiled, sighed comfortably and looked at me that the associations were working; she thought I was sushi. I'd done it. I successfully conditioned her into feeling like she was eating great sushi by simply being in my presence. Life's been great since. No arguments, no disagreements, she just stares at me dreamily and occasionally bites me. There are problems at times. Occasionally if I walk into a room at a dinner party her eyes may glaze over and saliva may begin to drip down her shirt as she stares at me. I'm investing in some adult-sized bibs. It's a price I'm willing to pay. At least I'm not wearing seaweed underwear.
(5)Eve C.
Service in a "fine dining" establishment such as Makoto should be top-notch. The bottom line is that Makoto's wasn't. To say that service was an epic fail would be just about on-point. But the food was amazing. And for that, I can't help but give Makoto 4 stars. It's been a couple weeks since I had dinner at Makoto, and while the epic service fail has been largely forgotten, the memory of the spicy tuna on crispy rice is still at the forefront of my mind. I cannot wait to go back and indulge in those perfect bites of cool, spicy tuna and crispy-on-the-outside, creamy-on-the-inside rice. I was pleasantly shocked at how reasonably priced Makoto's sushi offerings were, especially considering the price tag of the stores surrounding it in the Shops of Bal Harbour! We managed to stuff ourselves silly for the low price of about $30 per person! Makoto offers a wide assortment of non-sushi Japanese fare that all sounds (and looks) delectable. I hope to return to check that out sometime, but I know that I will most certainly be back for my new chart-topper spicy tuna/crispy rice favorite!
(4)Kazuna A.
we werent greeted by anyone at the door. There was a manager and some hostess. i was irritated when i saw him escort other womens came up after me. he didnt greet us , not even eye contact! I think he just couldnt see me however i was infront of him. Worth to just try it, but never again.
(2)Ian T.
A great, upscale modern-Japanese eatery in the high-end Bal Harbour shops. Be warned, its not even close to cheap. The sushi and sashimi were creamy and popping with flavor. The ramen was excellent, as were some of the specialty dishes we sampled, like the spicy tuna on crispy rice. The beef carpaccio was also outstanding. The wife and I also loved the tiger prawn and thai basil Robata (basically a grilled skewer similar to yakitori). The two skewers were smoky and grilled perfectly (a real skill with shrimp so as to neither undercook nor overcook and thus render them powdery). The prawns themselves were large and firm. As much as we enjoyed what we received, we also gazed in jealousy at our neighbors who -- apparently hosted by a member of the Starr Restaurant Group that funds Makoto -- knew exactly what to get and were treated to dish after dish of what looked and smelled to be supremely tempting delicacies. The following day, we had to be in the area again and, as it's a long drive for us, decided to try lunch. I have to say that their Bento lunch special is actually quite reasonably priced, and the taste is the same high-quality, delicious modern Japanese cuisine. Even their wasabi vegetable fried rice was savory without being greasy. Special mention for the decor, whose dark, grained wood and beautiful sushi bar was both evocative of a Japanese eating house, but also very modern. When we saw Chef Makoto pop-up as a judge on Top Chef Masters shortly after our visit, let's just say that having recently eaten there, I wasn't surprised that he was such a well-respected chef.
(5)Jessica S.
Delicious sushis and asian-inspired dishes. My family's favorite was the miso glazed sea bass. Trendy atmosphere and very friendly staff. Great wine list as well.
(5)Ash G.
Makoto Amazing food Great service Exceptional atmosphere (beautiful indoor and outdoor seating available) Favorites on the menu: Kobe beef on the hot stone Sashimi/sushi Hamachi ponzu Beef carpaccio
(5)Ting W.
Very Overrated. This is the second Steven Star restaurant and I am definitely not looking forward to another. Portions are tiny, the sashimi was not fresh, the "crispy rice with spicy tuna" was mediocre, rainbow roll was good because of the real crab, but the fish on top were not fresh at all! Everything here is over priced and their "outdoor" bar is too small and allows people to smoke? yuck.
(2)S S.
Writing this review as I still sit here.... Waited 1.5 hours to sit outside when only two tables were ahead of us.... Thought it was busy but now that I've dined I realize it's because the service is severely short handed. There are questionably two servers for the outside patio on a Friday night. Seriously? Could barely get a water refill, app never arrived... Food was good but not that good! Won't be back.
(2)Lance W.
Another Japanese Restaurant bites the dust. This place is reminiscent of Zuma, with the exception of the service which was lacking. The food was great: Beef carpaccio, sweet corn, watercress salad, skirt steak and the sushi is well worth the try as well. I do recommend this place especially if the service improves.
(3)Mrs V.
Awesome choices for vegetarians. Order: Vegan something rolls The garden rolls Veg fried rice: right mount of moisture no need for soy sauce. Japanzella: salad with fried sesame tofu and soft tofu with tomato and cucumber and ginger dressing. Chilli strings Broccoli tempura: small pieces of broccoli.., fried but not oily.., with tempura sauce. Desert: passion fruit cream with white chocolate ganache and mango sorbet on almond crunch and marshmallows Each flavor melted in the mouth Shout out to O.D. (Oscar Daniel) Our attentive and service oriented server... Best ever !!!
(5)Cristy D.
Good food and service. I highly recommend this restaurant. Here is a breakdown of each item I got Sushi- pretty good; the presentation was nice and the flavor was good Fried rice- flavorful and very light Peppers- my favorite! The flavor is very good and they are fun to eat; you are always debating whether you will get one that is sweet or hot. One out of 10 will burn you mouth, but they are still amazing Risotto- I love this dish and the truffle oil really tops it off; serves about 4 people; a little heavy but very good Rock shrimp tempura- these are great in taste and flavor; highly recommended Miso soup- it was okay, compared to the rest of the meal
(4)Laure M.
Very good japanese restaurant inside the beautiful mall of Bal Harbour. The menu is comprehensive and features authentic japaneses dishes, sushis and other specials. The bento box for lunch is a great and delicious deal. The two patios are very enjoyable to eat outside. Service is very attentive with many waiters for each table!
(4)Liane W.
I can't recall why I gave this 4 stars earlier this year, but I'm upping it now. :) Came back for my birthday and absolutely love-love-loved this restaurant the most out of my entire food-filled-gut-bursting-oh-so-satisfying birthday bash weekend. The boy and I have back-to-back birthdays, so you can imagine how much celebrating occurs with both family and friends. Hold onto those fat-day pants. You'll need it! lol (Or at least I will... :'() Anyway, service is always wonderful at this restaurant. You barely notice when they refill water; they're diligent about clearing plates; everyone is super polite from when they ask if you need something cleared, topped off, or even if you need a picture taken. Here are our menu favorites! FOOD + Makoto House Salad: This still hasn't changed. This has been a fav from Day 1. It is light and refreshing. The dressing is soooo deliciously extraordinary simply because it's not standard fare. + Short rib yaki noodles: We ordered this again, but it was 1 of 2 carb dishes. Soooo... note to self: Stephen and I agreed! Get only 1 or we get stuffed. I prefer this dish because of its sweetness, but the boy prefers the... + Frosty Kobe (Beef) Fried Rice: I'll admit. This is definitely delicious. If you're more of a rice fan than a noodles fan, you'll like this better. There's a fried egg on top, but don't forget to mix up the frosty beef with the rice to heat things up. + Sake Sashimi (or king salmon sashimi): This. This is like buttah, babe. Order it if you like sashimi. It's gently crooning your name as you move your chopsticks closer, and then as it goes down, it's like a sigh of delight. LOOK OKAY. I'm practically writing a song here. + Rainbow roll: I honestly was stuffed at this point. I think I had one piece, and it was of the yum. DRINKS Ok ok... I've had a couple cocktails here before, but this last time I went, I had a Passionfruit Pisco Sour. This note is more for me than for you (lol). Liane, don't forget to reorder this. If you are like me, and like sweet sweet candied alcoholic beverages that are better suited for 12 year olds, get this. It's delicious. Can definitely taste the kick of the alcohol, but it's a luscious kick. :) DESSERT I'm not much for mochi (not a fan of the texture). But, I ordered a scoop of green tea ice cream, and it was mmmmm. Definitely more matcha, which is exactly my preference. (Not a fan of the "floral" green tea ice creams that abound in some locations.) So oui. :) Enjoy! Note to self: Try another roll, one of the crispy rice things, AND get the unagi next time we come back.
(5)Imran K.
Good atmosphere. Good food. Small portions compared to other chain restaurants. It's worth a try if you never been. Be ready to drop some guap though
(4)Sebastiana B.
I have been wanting to try out makoto for a while and unfortunately was not as great as I expected. Server could have been more knowledgeable and helpful with menu selections. Food was good not amazing. I had the tuna crispy rice, short rib yaki, kobe fried rice, rock shrimp tempura, japanese eggplant, a rainbow roll, & a fruit and sorbet tobanyaki for desert. My favorites were the crispy rice and rock shrimp tempura, & the short rib robota. Even though the short rib could have had more meat. Over all i had a good time for my boyfriends birthday.
(3)Christina K.
Our second time at Makoto but our first sitting at the sushi bar. We wanted to interact with the chefs and have omakase (chef's choice) and it was a great experience! I am a bit of a sushi fanatic and Yasuda in NY is one of my all time favs. I have also dined at Nakazawa, Sushi of Gari and other famous sushi restaurants in NY and Makoto definitely ranks on the list. Their selection was fresh and thoughtfully prepared with scents of yuzu, shiso leaves, caviar, etc where needed. It was a bit more of an elaborate preparation than what I would go for but the flavors all made sense together so it wasn't over the top. There were two chefs we were speaking to and both were fun, laid back and clearly loved their art. I think the only thing I took away from the experience to truly make it amazing was that there was too much ambient noise and smells around to enjoy just the sushi. Eating is all five senses and smelling BBQ while eating a delicate piece of fish was sometimes distracting. Of course it is a busy restaurant that serves other menu items and to be expected so this is a personal preference, but for me, I love it when I can focus on the sushi. Service was excellent and we were pleasantly surprised by our end bill. We each had about 20+ pieces and a roll and it was about $100/each for the omakase. We will be back!
(4)Gina T.
Makoto is one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. I live practically across the street from Bal Harbour Shops, so my boyfriend and I come to Makoto at least once a week. These are a few of my favorite dishes: Tuna pizza Dynamite hand roll Makoto house salad King crab robata Uni (although it's been hard to come by lately) Chef's choice sashimi sampler The food is consistently fresh and delicious and the staff is always accommodating. There is a reason Makoto is always busy!
(5)Kariza M.
This is the best place for Japanese Cuisine I have been lately in Miami! Very exotic menu, filled with tasty and unique ingredients, amazing outdoor area surrounded by the tropical landscape of The Bal Harbor Shops. It's definitely my new favorite place! Thumbs up and highly recommend!
(5)Luis H.
Service was good, the waiters were being so friendly to my gay friend who suffers from autism after he started screaming "CALL ME TARZAN CUZ I SWING FROM DICK TO DICK"
(4)Patrick J.
Poor service. Attitude of the people working there is inexplicably snooty. Perhaps they feel that location in Bal Harbor should be sufficient compensation for overpriced poor quality food and worse service. Do yourself a favor and steer clear of this pretentious joint
(1)Nate T.
I've been coming here for a year now and I can say that they have fine quality sushi. Makoto is a fun restaurant with a cool reggae ambiance that is filled with positive vibes. I really enjoy the company of the servers because they are very knowledgable of the menu. We have no problems asking for special meal request from the servers and chefs. What I like most about Makoto is the way they present their food, it is purely a form of art the Japanese practice. When we order a variety of sashimi we always look forward to the presentation. Yoshi, Taka, Anderson, Jerry, and Jesus were all great and fun chefs that entertain us when we sit at the sushi bar.
(5)Michelle M.
Makoto has been on my must-try list of restaurants for quite some time now. I feel that, ever since it opened its doors at Bal Harbour Shops four years ago, this Stephen Starr sushi resto has been eluding me... Every time I made plans to try it, somehow they fell through! This past weekend I decided to finally try it with one of my best friends, who happens to have lived in Tokyo and is both a sushi connoisseur, and an extremely picky foodie. One thing you must know about my approach to trying new restaurants is that I always make it a point to find their "signature dish". You know, the one that will stand out from the rest and will make me want to come back for more over and over again. If you've ever had Yardbird's Fried Green Tomato BLT or Hillstone's Thai Steak and Noodle Salad, you'll know exactly what I'm talking about. Let me tell you, this one-hit approach of mine does NOT apply to Makoto. You see, at this place, every single dish that I had was worth coming back for! Though I was just there last night, I'm still savoring each and every single bite. It is that special. We started off with some cocktails and tried the very recommended roasted pineapple margarita. The spicy rim and roasted-pineapple-infused tequila gave it a distinct taste that paired perfectly well with our first appetizer, the incredibly popular Crispy Rice Tuna. Let me tell you, this dish was BRILLIANT. The rice was crunchy and chewy at the same time, the perfect texture to combine with the tuna, and topped with a thin slice of poblano chili, which just tickled your tongue without quite kicking it. A total hit! This was followed by the beautifully presented Kobe Beef and Truffle Carpaccio, which, from the name, you can probably already guess that it was nothing short of fantastic. A very elegant dish topped with tiny chopped garlic and a thin slice of ginger that balanced it nicely and gave it some texture. Lets talk about the main dish, shall we? The Makoto Ramen was heavenly. Despite the fact that ramen is usually considered a comfort food in Japan and often found at fast food joints, Makoto puts a nice twist on it, making it gourmet by adding perfectly tender short rib to it. This, plus the noodles and the pickled cabbage on top made it an incredibly savory dish. If you order it, make sure to separate a few pieces of the short rib to appreciate it on its own. It was so soft and fatty that it just melted in my mouth. I want more already! I have a feeling that, just like me, once you go to Makoto you'll want to try every single dish that passes by in front of your table, but I urge you: as difficult as it might be, leave some space for dessert. And not just any dessert. THE dessert: Fruit Toban Yaki. 100% homemade, this beauty consists of fresh fruit, served in a bowl full of white chocolate passion fruit sauce, ginger graham cracker crumble, marshmallows and a scoop of mango sorbet. I know it sounds like a lot of flavors, but trust me, they blend in perfectly together. This dish has officially entered my top 3 best desserts in Miami. At the risk of sounding repetitive, let me conclude by saying that Makoto is most definitely one of the top restaurants in Miami, and one of my new faves. The food has a level of sophistication and creativity that you would expect from a Stephen Starr restaurant, and the price is very reasonable for the quality and the amazing experience and service. Needless to say... I will be back for more soon!
(5)Grace R.
I love sushi, and Makoto does a very good job of it, but it gets 5 stars from me because it executes so well on everything else as well: it has one of the few robata grills in all of Miami, it has some ultra-rare meats and other treats that are top quality, and the desserts have a unique 'east meets west' (think "green tea tiramisu", for example). Makoto is unquestionably the top table in Bal Harbor (which is losing relevance as the pre-eminent shopping destination in Miami as places defect to the up and coming Wynwood area, and Aventura Mall). Even with validation, you will still be paying for your parking here. The chef here is an obvious talent, and I share the opinion of one of the other reviews asking him to incorporate at this location some of the magical Izakaya dishes that were served up at a 'pop up' meal held in another great Miami restaurant: Pubbelly.
(5)Yung Min L.
Possibly some of the nicest food that I've had anywhere. Beautiful interior and a very good menu, and relatively reasonable considering its location. The mushroom risotto was excellent, and their desserts are pretty amazing!
(5)AL K.
Iron chef Makoto worked w Iron chef Morimoto and I just had to dine here. The quality of their ingredients ars top notch. Service is friendly but the busboys are too eager to take your dish even when you are not yet done. Every dish we had was just incredible. The desssert was a delightful surprise,it was a 15min wait but it was worth it. Toban Yaki,its love at first bite!!!
(4)Tal H.
One of the rare finds in the world, super fine desert! Just make sure you book a table in advance. And pretty pricy, so not for a weekly spot
(5)Cynthia J.
This was probably the most inexpensive meal (at a fine cruise restaurant) I've experience since my vacation here in Miami. And this is in Bal Harbor, so it speaks volumes. :-) Fresh sushi and they have fried rice!!! Say what?!? LOL Pros- Outside siting, price and service
(5)Elisa M.
I know a lot of japanese food, and I love it, so I am always open to try new places. This place is not bad in terms of food quality, presentation and freshness of ingredients, but overall I find it too expensive for what they offer. I think this place is tourist-oriented, they don´t have a lot of options in the menu, and the ones they have are quite special, inventive, elaborated and somehow original (mixing japanese and some latin tastes), but if you are local and you like to eat good and simple japanese food, I know other places where you can do so without paying this much. I recommend the hamachi ponzu as a starter, and the Japanzanella salad, it was really delicious and very original with the rice cubes. The rainbow roll was disapppointing, fish slices were thin as paper and the roll was dry and tasted just avocado and sesame. They have several options for hot teas, don´t miss the herb citrus tea if you like to dine with hot drinks! :) * One curiosity: I suspect the "soy sauce" they put on the table is not soy sauce but a mikder version (maybe soy sauce with water) or dashi, so it doesn´t cover up the taste of sashimi and sushi, it might be too mild if you like the saltiness of soy sauce and you dislike the taste of raw fish.
(3)Vanessa V.
This restaurant was phenomenal! We came for our anniversary and I'm so glad we did. The ambiance inside was very romantic, with dim lighting and candles on each table. Definitely a place for date nights. The manager sat us and took the time to explain the menu to us, and he helped us choose what sake to try. Our waiter was just as helpful. Excellent service. We had the kobe beef carpaccio, the corn robata, and the wagyu short rib robata as our appetizers. The corn was so different, with a hint of spice, and a crunchy texture. The short rib skewers were amazing! It was the perfect blend of meat and fat, melt in your mouth good. For our entrees we had the kobe fried rice, the sashimi sampler, and the kobe beef which is cooked table-side on a hot river stone. The rice was very good, and the kobe beef was tender and flavorful. The only reason I did not give this place 5 stars is because our food did not come out in the order that we requested. We understood that everything comes out at different times, but we asked that at least the appetizers come out before the entrees, in whatever order they were ready. We suggested that they wait until we got the appetizers to put in the entree order, but it didn't work out. Unfortunately the HUGE sashimi sampler came out first with the rice. So there was barely any space at the table for when the appetizers came out. And the rice was not as hot anymore by the time the kobe beef came out. :( I can't wait to go back though, everything was worth coming back for again and again. I'll just order the appetizers and entrees separately :)
(4)Vanessa B.
Definitely one of the best restaurants in Miami. Great food, ambiance, and service. The restaurant itself is very trendy and fun so it is always very nice to go to.
(5)Jonathan V.
Oh my, what can I say about Makoto. It is simply amazing! And when I say amazing, I mean amazing. For those that like Japanese, and especially sashimi and sushi, will definitely enjoy this restaurant. Now it's not the cheapest place, but I can guarantee that you will enjoy it. My review will basically be explaining how delicious there raw fish and seafood is, and I will be extremely biased because of how much I enjoyed it. I had the $50 sashimi sampler and it did not disappoint. I had rare cuts of fish that I've never had before and probably will not find anywhere else. The UNI was like butter, delicious butter from the sea. Even my wife, who does not normally do sashimi, liked it also. The Toro Tartare was also amazing. The creme fraiche and the rice crisp give the toro a nice flavor, especially with the wasabi. Although I said the review would be mainly about the sashimi and raw items, I would like to mention several other delicious items we enjoyed of. The roast corn had an amazing flavor, somewhat smoky and spicy. The molten chocolate cake dessert was also very good. The ice cream that it was served with was wrapped in these rice crisps which gave it a wonderful texture. All in all, this restaurant is something I dream of. The food was just delicious and the service was even better. Happy eating!!
(5)Theresa L.
Situated at the bal harbor shops. Beautiful and elegant decor, friendly staff. Got there around noon on Saturday and the place is pretty empty. We ordered the frosty Kobe fried rice, absolutely delicious (tip: flip the egg over, break the yolk and mix it well with the rice). Next we got the $50 sushi sampler. A warm bowl of fruit and mango sorbet for dessert! We had a wonderful dining experience, highly recommended.
(4)Kathryn S.
I'm not a huge fan of places that are known for their sushi (since I don't eat it), so I was hesitant that I would like Makoto. Luckily, I was proven wrong by their wide array of choices and delicious menu. I visited the restaurant with a few veterans so I felt comfortable with them giving me advice on what I should eat. I really wanted to try the Japanese risotto, but was unable to get it since we were pressed for time. With recommendations from my fellow patrons, I decided to share the chicken noodle ramen and the vegetable fried rice with someone. Both were very good, but if I had to choose a favorite, I choose the vegetable fried rice. I really liked Makoto, and I would like to visit again. Next time I go, I'd like to go with ample time so that I can get the Japanese risotto that I initially wanted.
(4)William H.
Excellent choice for my birthday. We had the Bento and the mango sorbet in a fruit sauce for dessert... Out of this world ... see photos.
(5)Andre G.
Last two times we were there we ordered the large sashimi platter and twice we were given the sushi platter. The fish is always good though and they replaced with the correct dish pretty quick.
(4)Jessie L.
It pains me to write this review, but after consistent poor service at Makoto I have to say that I'm really disappointed at what used to be my favorite sushi restaurant in Miami. Makoto has been one of my and my family's favorite restaurants of all time since they've opened. The decline in service has reached a point that we will never go there again, and hope to caution you, dear reader, from spending your time and money here. We gave it a couple goes with the poor service, hoping it was just unusual circumstance. But it isn't. From the time you walk in to the time you BEG to leave because you just want to get out of there, while the food is great, the service falls flat on it's face. We elected to sit at the empty sushi bar as we didn't want to sit outside and get pegged by Mosquitos. Out of the entire empty sushi bar, the hostess tried to sit us THISCLOSE to the one other couple at the bar. When we asked to sit one chair away from them so we could have some breathing room, she told us there were separate waiters for the one chair difference so she would have to ask if it was ok..... Ok.... We should have left then. We waited 16 min to be asked what water we wanted, 17 min to be served tap water and soggy, overdone edamame and 18 min to put in our first order of crispy rice and eel (when it finally came 19 min later it was delicious). An average of 20 min in between being checked in with but we tried to be good natured and order a final round of sea bass and Kobe fried rice with cocktails. The food came out 21 min before the cocktails. As we sobered up over the sea bass and fried rice (nearly $100 worth of food) we realized that the glory days of Makoto were so over. We sent the final round of cocktails back and asked for the check - which after waiting 22 minutes for we went to the front and asked to just pay so we could leave. The manager did offer to comp the meal but that wasn't our intention - we just wanted decent service. The food was good - we paid and tipped the waiter out of integrity but if you are reading this review we advise you please pick another restaurant.
(2)Christopher R.
Believe the hype! Lets start with the fact we arrived an hour early for our reservation and we seated promptly and allowed our pick of the restaurant. One thing that struck us immediately was the sheer amount of staff. I love a place that's ready for business. Makoto struck all of my foodie chords: décor, service, and food. Zero opportunities provided for points deducted. Décor- the outside bar/dining area is a lush tropical setting. It's inviting and feels VERY Miami. Next time we'll sit out here but this time the sky was threatening to open so we sat in doors near the sushi counter. Indoors has seating at the counter, in central dining areas and along the wall. I personally enjoy sitting close enough to engage my neighbors in conversation should they be inviting enough. Some find it cramped but I found it both intimate and spacious (and I'm freaking huge). Service- Hanz (real name?) was our service. Let me start by saying he was attentive to the point that my beer glass (22 oz bottle) was never empty nor filled by my own hand. He explained the menu and dining style which allowed for us to make informed ordering decisions. Please understand that food come out when it's ready not when YOURE ready. Cater your order to your dining style. Take your time enjoying drinks and snacking? Order one item at a time. Like to keep your face full? They will FLY FOOD TO YOUR TABLE. Either way be conscious of their service system if you truly want to enjoy the menu. FOOD!- Absolutely wonderful. We shared 5 items. The tiradito (beautifully presented scallop dish with a bubble bath beard of cucumber foam). Soft shell crab roll (5 pieces each about the size of a silver dollar pancake). Frosty kobe rice (an exercise in umami consisting of egg, beef, foie, soy and sesame). Prawns (the best prawn Ive had in Miami) and kobe beef cooked on hot stone table side (so soft. so soft) Now I can see how folks may be disappointed with volume here. Please understand this restaurant is not about volume. If you want a lot of food, order ALOT of food. My g.f. and I were stuffed after sharing 5 items from the menu. The fried rice was the only item we ordered that I would consider a "meal" in and of itself. Come expecting to spend around 100 bucks per person on a truly memorable meal. Thanks Makoto!
(5)Sumiee K.
Obsessed with the Brussel Sprouts here!
(5)Restaurant S.
Makoto would get 5 stars if the indoor dining experience was as ambient as the outside experience. Granted its Miami and more often, outdoor seating is probably a general preference, I just felt the indoor could use a little more warmth and TLC. All esthetics aside, the food was absolutely outstanding. My boyfriend and I ordered a bunch of apps and sides which were all incredible but were completely blown away by the braised short rib robata with truffle miso appetizer. It was nothing short of just heavenly. We were going to order some rolls and entrees after but just ended up ordering more of the short ribs! We live in New York with comparably great sushi places, yet we still talk about how great this place was, and how we can't wait to go back. Service was excellent and it was such a pleasurable experience. Loved it!!
(4)Robin D.
Makoto has never let me down. Some of my favs...rock shrimp tempura, Makoto house salad, watermelon ceviche, and the chocolate oozoo cake
(5)Nicole M.
I have been there couple times with my girls, it was fantastic!!! Tapas style, family sharing style which I love!!!! Server is amazing! I really like one girl there, she s fantastic, she s really on top of everything, but her name is so difficult to pronounce. Food!!! Toro tartar, crab salad, crab hand roll , and risotto are highly recommended ... Can't wait to go back
(4)B L.
I ate lunch here with the family. House salad is very good 5/5 Spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer 6/5 Unagi sushi 5/5 Various Rolls 4/5 New york steak 4+/5 (my kid ordered it what can I say) Service was actually pretty good, especially considering its Miami and in Bal Harbour. I would give it 5 stars if the traditional sushi like the hamachi or salmon were better quality and thicker cuts...they felt average at best (and this has been the case on many occasions trying sashimi at Makoto) Recommended if you want to stay away from carb haven Carpaccio - just know its almost 2x the price...
(4)Andrew R.
Interesting menu. Good atmosphere. Will come back. Servers are nice. Try to come at an off time to get a good table.
(4)Lisa S.
Amazing Makoto house salad! The baby beet Robato is a must have. Great sake choices. You will enjoy an amazing lunch or dinner....five stars!!
(5)Vanessa C.
I visited Makoto with SOS on a Friday night. The restaurant is located in the Bal Harbour shops in Miami. I enjoyed the ambiance with the dim lighting and the dark furniture. The place was busy and the music was just the right volume. The service was great! Our table must have been visited by more than 3 different employees ranging from server to (possibly) manager. The server was very informative and gave us great suggestions. We ordered a variety of food... my favorite appetizer was the Brussels sprouts but everything we ordered was exceptional in my opinion. We also had salmon sashimi, tuna tare tare, a delicious white fish entree, and sake. My favorite Japanese restaurant in Miami so far. Cannot wait to return.
(5)Adrienne C.
MIAMI SPICE IS NICE Went to Makoto Wednesday evening with a party of ten. Good scotch stone sour at outside bar $13.77 + tip Bartender never heard of a stone sour but I've resigned myself to always explaining it, except in California where every bartender knows how to make one. Inside, we were seated and given menus quickly. Orders taken, 8 from spice menu and 2 a la carte. I chose the Spicy tuna rice. I usually shy away from tuna and lean toward salmon but this was WONDERFUL; made a believer outta me. Must..explore..more..tuna..creations! Second course was the Short Rib Yaki Udon stir fry. Absatively exquisite!!! Took some home, family member peeked in box and said "spaghetti, eh?" I said, no, try it. With scrunched nose ( and I was soooo posed to grab it away and eat it myself,) he said ..."pretty good." Then he licked the plate CLEAN! he loved it so much that I cringe to think he might have even done that in the restaurant!.. I don't 'really' live with savages but sometimes they play them on TV. Desert was a scrumptious mango mochi accompanied by a small phenomenally delicious chocolate- truffle pretzel mousse-like wonderful -thingy- in- a -cup. ( I would have preferred a vat but hey...) Now, what was not superb . Our water glasses were never refilled nor could we refill our own glasses as liter water bottles on tables remained empty throughout. Waiter, (who took the order) ,at one point stood at one end of the long table and asked (holding food up in the air) "Who had the pork chop?" ( the Iberico Pork chop Robata.) He should have KNOWN. All three round dishes of slightly different sushi combinations entrees were placed in front of the wrong people. Two friends simply switched. The third. person,.the waiter came over, picked up his dish and we watched him place it on another table. It hadn't been touched but still... All the mochi/mousse combos were on a large serving dish and placed in the middle of the table. I know we were all wondering ; do we reach in and grab one?..., is there a serving implement?..., what do we put it ON in front of us?, are there spoons? individual serving plates?..Didn't have to ponder long as the waiter picked it up and AGAIN and placed on another table . THEN we all got individual portions on plates with spoons.....except me. I was talking.... glanced up, noticed most people were already finished and had to then signal the waiter and ask for mine,which I savored. At Denny's, a waitress who stands at the foot of a table and announces "Who got the grilled cheese sandwich" is to be expected. Here? No sir. All in all, I had a wonderful time, and I'm giving it the 5th star because no errors were insurmountable and I'm not the customer from hell and I for SURE will visit again . .. ...glancing at penny jar..wondering if I can go back next week....................... With tax and 18% tip added to the check, $52.
(5)Tracey S.
Had dinner there last night with some friends for my boyfriends birthday... The service was great... The food was mouthwatering and the cocktails were refreshing.. Def will be coming back and bringing more friends... Def a must visit!!!!
(5)K D.
The food here is amazing. Makoto is an upscale Japanese dining restaurant. We had a large party and everyones food was outstanding. A little pricey but you're in Bal Harbour, so thats expected. I got the brussel sprouts and hot pepper chicken. The flavors were a bit strong.I should have ordered white rice to neutralize all the different flavors and spices. If you're a foodie, give it a go, you're sure to enjoy.
(4)Paul K.
This place killed it. Everything we had was super delicious. Especially the watermelon ceviche. I will come back just for that. The robata chicken wings tasted great & were cooked to perfection. Sushi, robata, maki, & entrees. Hans was our waiter & did a great job.
(5)Angela M.
This was my first, and certainly not my last, experience here. My mom and I were doing a little xmas shopping at bal harbor, and we decided to pop in for lunch. Our server was so sweet and extremely professional and efficient. I'm sad i didn't get her name- she was a young blonde girl with glasses. She made our lunch even more special by just being awesome. The food was great. We split the crispy rice topped with spicy tuna, the grilled japanese eggplant with miso sauce, and two pieces of toro sushi to start. Everything was outstanding. Perfect ten. Next, we split short rib yaki soba noodle stir fry appetizer. My mom and I were both BLOWN away! It's the best noodle dish i've ever had at a restaurant in my life. We also shared two rolls, which is where things started to go a little bit down hill. The crab salad in the rolls was a little fishy, in a bad way. We had the soft shell crab roll, which my mom said was good (i didn't try this roll). We also had the rock shrimp tempura roll, which the waitress reiterated the curry flavored coating it came with. It should have a good spicy mayo on top. I get that they're trying to be different in w world full of "bang bang shrimp-esque" dishes, but it's just an odd combo. Based on these two rolls, i would stick to the appetizer page! All in all, i cannot wait to return with my husband, and skip the rolls. I need more room for those amazing noodles.
(4)Krys P.
My friends and I were so looking forward to trying Makoto because we heard such great reviews about it, from here and Miami Herald. Unfortunately, the whole experience was a big disappointment. The robata pork chop was flavorful enough but very dry. We ordered two types of sushi combo, but sadly of all the pieces, the spicy tuna tasted the best. Which means that they don't have high quality fish, though they excel in seasoning them to make mediocre fish tastes great. The short ribs yakisoba was quite delicious. Food was meh but service was total chaos. I would expect a restaurant situated in Bal Harbor Shops to do much better. The empty water carafe sat empty for long while, and when we got someone to refill it, he just set it down without filling our glasses first (which would be a nice gesture as apology for leaving the carafe empty). Also, the waitstaff had no clue who ordered what. Twice they made the mistake of putting down a plate in front of one of us, then came back a few minutes later to whisk it away as it belonged to someone else. Once they simply held up the plate and asked who ordered it. Excuse me? Even your average casual dining chain does a better job of noting down who orders what. Totally UNACCEPTABLE. Sorry but I've had better sushi and better service elsewhere. WON"T BE BACK.
(2)Pedro C.
Ate during the 6pm seating. Had a reservation and asked for a table in which I could sit next to my girlfriend instead of across from her. The hostess denied my request because that meant she'd have to seat us at a 4 top. After she told me that wasnt possible, she went ahead and sat an older couple at a 4 top who were walk ins and requested the same exact thing after hearing my request....f'in hostess. Now the food. The cooked food was pretty decent. Ordered the tiger prawns, short rib, and the spicy tuna crispy rice. All were pretty good....4 stars for that. We also got the $50 sashimi. Now, people on yelp said this was the best sashimi in miami....um sorry, no. Not to bring ethinicity into this but, I'm asian and I've had much better, fresher sashimi. These yelp reviewers that are raving about the sashimi....probably not asian. Nonetheless, overall good experience, but I will be looking for another place for sashimi.
(3)Julien D.
Not far from a four, but the service is so inconsistent that I cannot put a four star... When this place is good and you have the good server, well you are in for a good moment. Otherwise, you are in for a moment that will ruin your day... So beyond consistency, in the good days, the food is just excellent, and you will have a blast, for all the other days you will wonder if you ever will return... Being in one of the most luxurious mall of all, places like this, practicing the prices that are applied are entitled to be judged very severely towards their offering, and that is exactly what I am doing. I never complain about expensive, or even over expensive places, but the least I expect is flawless service and consistency...
(3)Gurmeet S.
The food is very good - servers are excellent Manager Jennifer Johns lacks the experience / management skills. They could not give us a time for seating us but kept repeating come every 15 minutes - waited for 1.5 hours and still same answers Find it hard to believe how a manager and the front reception do not know how much time it will take to seat a party of 3 persons.total mismanagement at the front reception Someone from senior management should look into what's going on on the front desk GSA
(3)Rachel L.
I come here every time I come to Miami (multiple times per visit if possible). The food is incredible. Once we weren't seated for a while and were getting pretty irritated, but they gave us free champagne and some appetizers to compensate. 100% recommended!
(5)Frank J.
Every visit gets better and better, I've started making makoto my go to restaurant especially for out of town guests. The service is always great with out being pretentious which could easily happen in this mall. The menu is quite large so we're still working our way through it the cold sushi dishes are always great but recently we've been very impressed with the branzino and the short rib noodle dish.
(5)Zhen W.
The food was top notch and the service was friendly and non-pretentious. Only reason I left out a star was due to its price. I would definitely recommend the yaki noodles in any kind. We also had the Kobe beef app and the king salmon. We cleaned the plate and wanted more! The scene was bustling and people were streaming in and out constantly so you know it is a hot spot for nighttime hang out. The outdoor seating had overhead fans to keep the bugs at bay allowing for an enjoyable dining experience. It is situated in a high end retail area so the patrons there wouldn't really care for the price. However, for normal Tweens like us one would definitely take a toll on the wallet. I recommend this place for anyone who is. Japanese food fan who wants their food done right!
(4)Greg N.
Came for a business lunch and had the salmon Robata box which was awesome. A long and string rain shower kept us in the mall for a while so decided to have a cocktail at their outdoor bar which was very nice, but also not meant for rain. Only a handful of people can sit under their overhangs. But food definitely awesome.
(5)Marty C.
Makoto is so dank. Best Asian food I've had in Miami, hands down. The interior is totally awesome and reminded me of a really trendy Japanese spot that I fell in love with in San Francisco. We had the spicy yellowtail roll and the rainbow roll to start - both were fresh and delicious. We then moved on to the "Frosty Kobe Fried Rice" with foie gras and jidori egg - this one really did it for us. The foie and egg really added serious depth of flavor and I actually asked for a fork because I couldn't shovel it into my mouth fast enough with the chop sticks (lol). We then moved to the cauliflower robata which was delicious and finally the kobe beef which we cooked on a hot stone and dipped in a delicious sesame soy. Boom. One of the better meals I've had in Miami, highly recommend. Afterthought - service was mostly great, with the exception of a couple of overzealous bus boys (as seen in previous reviews), but it was cool because they were polite.
(5)Peggy B.
very very good quality sushi! love the terrace, a bit smelly inside, but nice looking restaurant. Amazing soft shell crab roll!
(5)Susan W.
Just finished what I consider to be a wonderful all around dinner at Makoto. Just a darn nice restaurant. Not noisy (at least while we were there, which was on the earlier side), comfortable seating, pleasant front room staff and wait-staff. We had a fabulous server, and our food was really delicious. For the most part, we ate family style and ordered plenty of things that we could pick at - Makoto House Salad watercress, chikuwa, wasabi dressing. One salad was plenty for 3 of us to share. The dressing was simply awesome. Hamachi Ponzu. FABULOUS. I could have eaten a few of these plates all by myself. Rock Shrimp Tempura. Not the best rock shrimp tempura I ever had (that would be Nobu's), but addictive nevertheless. Sushi/Sashimi/Maki. All was super-fresh and tasty. Spend a few bucks and order the Oh-Toro. It's literally like "butta". Friend ordered the Miso Sea Bass and gobbled it up. I'm guessing that too was delicious. All 3 of us agreed that this restaurant is a keeper. I will definitely be back my next visit to Miami Beach.
(4)Nevik E.
Note: On Yelp I review exclusively sushi bars. A recent return trip has prompted another review. As I previously mentioned, this is a joint for sushi fans. Makoto is complete with an attractive bar, serving shelf (very rare in S. Fl), high quality fish, broad selection, new age/fusion options, and a homemade soy sauce (applied by the chef, not the sauce on the bar/table). They serve two small pieces (traditional) as opposed to one large piece that doesn't fit in your mouth. Even small things such as servers who refilled our beer from the bottle to the glass are details here (in Japan you would not typically refill your own alcoholic drink, someone near you should notice and refill for you). Most importantly are chefs who will take your order directly and interact with you about their sushi. This is tied for my third favorite sushi joint in South Florida. What I really wanted to add is that most of the high end, upscale 'names' in South Florida sushi are too high volume and concerned about their flashy presentation to cater to a sushi lover at the bar. Many of them will not allow you to order directly from the chef, which is such an integral part of the experience of excellent sushi. It also prevents the ability of ordering one or two pieces at a time. Ordering one or two instead of a whole plate ensures cool fish on a warm bed of rice, delicious! The only drawback is a pricey tab, if that is not a concern, you will enjoy your meal.
(5)Alejandra G.
My sister invited me last night. It was a beautiful place, great service and delicious. But the food was way too small and over priced. Don't get me wrong. I get the fancy and over creative plates with the all novel cuisine kind of food thing, but hey, not expecting a big meal, but something a bit bigger. 90 dollars for a Kobe steak? It doesn't do its justice. But I love the experience, not that I want to go back. After 3 small bottles of Sake, you are ready to go eat something else. Not there.
(3)Steven W.
4.5 Stars--Makoto is probably the best Japanese restaurant I've ever been to. Service--Excellent--Fast (in a good way) and hospitable. Our waiter was great. It felt like we were guests in his home. We ate outside on a breezy day that couldn't have been better as a back drop for a nice lunch. If the weather is right, enjoy the outdoor area! Food: The hits: The Spicy Tuna above Crispy Rice is pretty nuts. We should have doubled our order of this...The tuna is so flavorful, and kind of pulverized (I know that doesn't sound good), but atop the warm crispy/crunchy rice (which had a toasted essence) it made for a spectacular combination of flavor and texture that I haven't had anywhere else. The Standard House Salad--I know that sounds strange...I can only say--Just do it! More crispy rice on this one (sprinkled atop) adding an amazing crunch. The miso dressing was really good as well. Nothing like I've had at any other Japanese restaurant. The Salmon, glazed and served with brussel sprouts--Fish and vegetables both cooked perfectly...just the right amount of glaze and the sprouts alive with flavor. Dessert--The 3 Flavors of mochi-wrapped ice cream--Words won't do this justice...creamy, yet chewy, flavor packed perfection. It was hard to not order two of these. The Misses--Plain and simply the Robata--The corn had nice flavor, but just didn't do anything for me and the cauliflower was simply inedible. It tasted burnt.
(4)Sarah B.
One of the most memorable meals of my year! A5 wagyu beef was perfection, hamachi with yuzu was as fresh as it gets, menu had great variety in general. A nice balance of Japanese fusion with a few traditional dishes. The service was attentive and professional.
(5)Sunny B.
Very very very nice place! Delicious food, very quick service, very good staff! I can't remember what we ordered, but I think you won't be disappointed with any food in there! Highly recommend this place!
(5)Melina P.
I have yet to find a sushi place better than Nobu but this just may be the runner up. I don't remember the names of everything I tried when I went out with friends it sure was tasty. The one name I do remember is the Spicy Yellowtail. There hasn't been a time when I haven't ordered that. Our waiter was friendly, as well as the "bus boys". I can't complain about the customer service. The music was great too as they always play reggae.
(4)Jon W.
Wow, what a find. And not hard to find, as it's right there as you enter Bal harbour mall. We sat at the sushi bar , which felt like Tokyo, and we had Beata as our server who was excellent. She's very knowledgable and helped identify some of the Yelp photos that had no id. Must have the shishito peppers. Anyway you can't go wrong. Will definitely have to return. Soon.
(5)S G.
I recommend their Miami Spice Dinner menu! as the price is really great. Service is excellent, food is heavenly
(5)Kyle H.
Makoto was fantastic. Went early last night and split a bunch of food with friends. The standouts were the little grilled dishes. The short ribs and asparagus were my favorite. The chicken was good too. I started with the vegan steven maki roll and it was amazing. Really unique, healthy, and perfectly cut (not too big so you don't look like a fool choking down sushi). My friend got the chocolate cake for dessert - said it was great. Another buddy got the mochi (raspberry and another flavor) and said those were perfect too. Oh - and the cocktails are all great. A gin mint julep was the favorite but a lemon one was good too. We sat outside in the courtyard of the bal harbour mall. It was quiet and just unexpectedly pleasant.
(5)Tara G.
Ok, so when I found out it was in the mall I was a little worried. But this is some of the best sushi I've ever had. And I live in the San Francisco Bay Area so I know sushi! The rolls are creative and well balanced. This is the kind of place that you don't need the soy sauce. I can't remember the exact names but crunchy rice spicy tuna and the rock shrimp tempura roll were the two I had. Delicious! I sat outside at the bar and was amazed at both the customer service and the cocktails themselves. I had the Lychee martini which was very refreshing. The thing that I noticed was that the bartender talked to me, which seems to be a lost art these days, AND the other staff would also talk to me; Ask me how my roll was, talk about how they eat it every night, etc. Really friendly! I would definitely come back!
(5)Nayla B.
Ahh I love this restaraunt. I always come here for lunch right after I have finished my shopping in Bal Harbour. Their appetizers are fantastic....I suggest you order the spicy edamame, spicy tuna crispy rice, and their house salad. For rolls, my personal favorite is the rock shrimp tempura. They also have great steak that is presented on a grill. For dessert, get the fruit toban yaki, which is simply divine. It is filled with flambeed fruits such as passionfruit and bananas and on the bottom it has a crunchy crust... it is top with a refreshing and delicious mango sorbet! This is definitely one of the best Japanese restaurants in Miami, alongside Zuma and sushisamba!
(5)Katti W.
Very delicious Japanese restaurant in this area. The quality of the sushi and sashimi was perfect. We did not feel that the "Chef's Special plate" for sushi and sashimi were worth the price. I would have preferred to just get more of their amazing rolls! Tobanyaki dessert is amazing as well!! Homemade marshmallows, fresh fruit, homemade mango sorbet, heated in a ganache of some sort.
(4)Melissa N.
Great top of the line service, very nice and fresh food. Totally in love with this place. The terrace is a very nice place to have a nice glass of wine but the ambient inside and the decor is great to enjoy! huge fan!
(4)Omer D.
Wow. Now that's what I am looking for in a restaurant: diversity, quality , atmosphere, service. Friends of ours took us here after very disappointing culinary experience in Miami. We loved it so much we came the night after.
(5)Tony A.
I really enjoyed Makoto. I have to admit when I first stepped in I was a little turned off by the vibe (maybe a shade too trendy), but the food quickly dispelled any negative feelings. While the food at Makoto is not cheap by any means, there are actually some good value on the menu, namely the robata and the maki. We started the meal off with robata. The chicken yakitori was very good, and authentic. We also had an order of the short rib skewers and the japanese eggplant skewers, which were both really good. The sushi was very good. We got the Chef's combination. There is a cheaper one and a more expensive one, and the difference is the type of fish they use. The cheaper combo has more ordinary fish, where the more expensive one will have stuff like toro, aji, etc. The combo also comes with a good sized roll of the chef's choice. Our's was a simple tuna roll. All in all, maybe not the best value (the more expensive one), but the sushi was all good, and the portion was bigger than expected. Lastly our rolls came out. I don't even remember what type we got, but both were very good and very large. Each was perhaps a 10 piece roll that came on a long plate. After seeing the size of the two rolls, we decided that if we came back we'd build a meal around the rolls, because they are easily the best value on the menu. In closing, we really enjoyed Makoto and already have reservations to go back with some friends this weekend. It's definitely now in my Miami sushi rotation.
(4)B S.
BEST Sushi I have EVER had! Food was delicious, drinks were amazing, especially the lychee martini. Server was very nice and manager came up to us and introduced himself. Rarely happens in Miami. I would def recommend this place.
(5)andreniki s.
I love Makato. I have been there a few times, and find the food is consistently delicious. Friendly staff, definitely returning again.
(5)Alex S.
Disappointing. I'm used to better quality and value in Starr establishments in philly. I know it's Miami and apricey mall but the food is overpriced. That would be tolerable but the quality and lack of sophistication in food preparation earns it 3 stars because I'm in good mood today. The value to price ratio is closer to 2 stars. The rolls had mediocre fish. The ceviche was meh. If a corporate account pays for dinner with a great company I would not refuse an invite.
(3)Victoria C.
This became my absolute favorite in Miami. The sushi rolls are absolutely spot on!!! We had sashimi, rolls, salads, carpaccio, beets, collie flower, spicy tuna on crispy rice. Everything was delicious. I can't wait come come back to satisfy my sushi craving!!! Yummy yummy, in my tummy:))).
(5)Karin R.
Simply a wonderful experience. We truly enjoyed how they prepared and presented each and every dish, especially the whole branzino...delicious!!! Highly recommend the ice cream in all the flavours. Also a great scene, loved it!
(5)Linda B.
Best Japanese food I have ever had in Miami - quality, presentation, flavor, combination of all foods, sauces and menu is unique and can't be found anywhere else in the city. Must go! Chef Makoto is incredible.
(5)Yislin C.
Makoto? More like Yumoto! Simple, delectable and elegant. Pure, fresh and a sensory delight. I tend to feel uncomfortable in fancy pants places like this but Makoto is different somehow. It's not stuffy at all. The wait staff was very friendly and knowledgeable. Smiles all around from the hostesses. I think even the Chef introduced himself and shook my hand. Indoors the decor is sleek and modern. Outdoors I felt like I was in a tropical place amidst Palm trees and bamboo furniture. We *were* overlooking the Bal Harbour parking lot, but it was pleasant. This place is modern Japanese tapas with everything beautifully plated. Do you look up at the clouds and see how intricate yet simple they are? That's how Makoto's food is. A quiet storm of flavor. From the King Crab Robata to the Salmon Ponzu to the Beef Ramen Bowl the amalgam of flavors sublimely coats your palate. They have signature drinks that are so refreshing you'll feel like you were taking a swim in them. Also, a lovely wine list for the wine lover in you. Our lunch tab rang in at a 154.00. We shared 7 plates and had 2 glasses of wine and 2 signature drinks as well as a deliciously, creamy ice cream sandwich dessert that tickled that sweet tooth without overwhelming. Beautiful restaurant with an equally beautifully crafted menu makes for a lovely experience. Once I get that sugar daddy, I'll be back. Makoto, I'll be dreaming of you for days to come.
(5)Pab P.
There really is nothing else that can be said other than whats been said by many before me. This place is top of the line dining at its best. Every dish was inventive, flavorful, and outstanding. They really make it a whole experience for you... right down to the hot stone where you can cook your own Kobe beef. I have yet to try a Spicy Tuna Roll anywhere else as good as the one they serve here. Their fried rice which comes garnished with a quail egg was another fantastic dish. Their rainbow roll, amazing! Their specialty martinis... wow!! Everything we had was perfect. Absolutely no complaints. And the service was top notch. I've never had such meticulous and attentive service as what I received when dining at Makoto. It is extremely expensive, so this isn't the type of place you can frequent often unless you have tons of money (which I don't - but if you do - then awesome! haha). There was 4 of us in our party, and between all the food and all the drinks we ordered, our bill was nearly $400. But for a special occasion or a romantic night out with your partner, I would definitely recommend this exceptional restaurant.
(5)Barbara R.
I had lunch at Makoto today for the first time, after exhausting myself in the mall. I was ravenous and ate all of the Sunomono salad an the tuna tatami I ordered. I found it great while I was eating, but in hindsight, I think it was just good. The salad was actually excellent. Tuna tataki is probably my favorite dish and the Makoto's version is not the best that I had: the tuna is cut too thick for my taste and the huge pile of vegetables that serves as a base, distracts from the tuna itself, making the dish too 'grassy'. The presentation was beautiful though. The restaurant is very sophisticated and tastefully decorated, but it has cold feel. I will go again, maybe for dinner with my husband.
(3)Colin P.
While dining at Florida's original Stephen Starr establishment, Steak 954, I mentioned that I was headed to Makoto the next day and the server actually apologized in advance for the service. I was a little bit stunned, because I've always received at least good - usually exceptional - service at his restaurants. More on that later. Let me first mention that the Bal Harbour Shops is a pretty serious mall. It's like a retail museum, designed for people who curate (or have someone curate for them) their own collections of wearable goods, who treat and store them like art. Despite my flip flops, I didn't feel one bit out of place. It's a pretty nice place to kill time (and lines of credit). I made a reservation expecting this new restaurant with its fashionable location to be busy for a weekday noontime lunch, but none was needed. Makoto fits right in at Bal Harbour. Some have described Starr's places as "theme restaurants for yuppies." It is true that the northern locations can feel somewhat inauthentic (though still fun), but I found Makoto to be beautifully simple, elegant, modern AND comfortable. Our server, Onju (it sounds too much like au jus to forget), who was very difficult to understand through her thick accent, seemed to be less interested in serving and more interested in selling menu items. At the time, I wasn't aware of the automatic 18% gratuity. I didn't notice whether it was printed on the menu, but I found it very distasteful regardless of whether it's standard practice. Having been forewarned, I arrived expecting lackluster service and that expectation was met. I started with a green tea Caipiroska; it was good, but at $10 for about five ounces of actual drink, I didn't order another. Sushi was tasty. Robata (smallish half-kabobs, ordered the short rib and non-meatball chicken) - very tasty. Had we ordered four or five robata I'd have been perfectly satisfied. Tan tan noodles were completely underwhelming, and I wouldn't even want to pay half of the sixteen dollar pricetag for a bowl of nothing-special cold noodles, broth and beef. The service staff wipes down the tables way too often. Literally every five minutes or so, someone came by to wipe the sweat from the cocktail and water glasses off the tabletop. They lingered for a little too long while doing it, and whatever cloth they used mostly just smeared it around instead of absorbing it! It was not necessary and actually felt pretty intrusive considering the amount of time and effort they put into it. Water glasses were kept filled to the brim. Total for two rolls, two robata, one noodle bowl and one cocktail was $86, including the 18% automatic gratuity. Don't come here expecting any kind of value. If I ever found myself here again, I'd avoid the noodles, explore the other parts of the menu, or just stick to the rolls and robata. Don't forget to validate your parking, it's $1/hour instead of $4/hour.
(3)Jacinto G.
I liked the lobster roll, crispy rice tuna and many other things. I believe that this restaurant is very expensive!
(4)Analys C.
This place is everything I ever wished for in life :) Lol. One of my top 3 fave restaurants in Miami! Makoto the chef is extra nice & makes sure to acknowledge and greet his costumers. The staff is very friendly as well. The food to die for. Absolutely everything on the menu is a must try!
(5)Marcio K.
Excelente restaurante! Recomendo a Caipiroska de Chá Verde, muito bom!
(4)Ana M.
I think this is definitely a place you go to for a special occasion. It costs an arm and a leg, so it's just not possible for an average Joe like me. Actually we went here because they had that special in May where you eat 6 course for $45 a person. It was good because it got me to go here and I WILL be back. It was delicious. I recommend getting reservations and trying a little bit of everything. Don't just stick to the sushi because the other items are really good too. Its a strange spot for this restaurant I must say, but whatever. Parking is easy and if you have dinero you can buy yourself something ridiculously overpriced at Bal Harbour shops before dinner. Don't let the snooty crowd get to you- just enjoy the food. This has to be the best Japanese restaurant in town. I loved it. Loosen your wallet. Go.... You wont be disappointed.
(5)Akram b.
makoto still one of the best spots for japanese in miami.
(5)Marco V.
The food is really good, I come here often! Really like the place. Not giving it more stars because of the personnel, especially the girl who works the front desk. Blond girl, avoid by all means. Very rude, giving attitude to people!! Can't understand how someone like this can work in such a restaurant. Brings the entire quality of the place down..
(3)Rich D.
Brought my wife there for her birthday and we both loved it. We chose to sit outside and the atmosphere was great. Our Server was very helpful and always around when we needed something. They had some unique menu items as well as the usual favorites. We feasted and didn't leave one bite for the kitchen to clean up. Price was what you'd expect for such a trendy spot, well worth it for special occasions. Enjoy!
(5)Mindy G.
All sashimi and sushi were extremely fresh. Ambiance is trendy. Drinks were great. Only pitfall is that you get so little food for the price. Would definitely recommend this place for some of the freshest sushi in town.
(4)Teresa K.
Husband and I went here for a special tasting menu they offered through the month of May. For $45 a person we got a TON of food. We sat outside and the weather was perfect. It started off with sushi. The spicy yellowtail was amazing. Then we got smoked eggplant and short ribs, each on skewers with a side of fried rice made with kobe beef for goodness sake! Every bite of food we had was a mouthgasm. The short ribs alone are worth a visit. The meal was finished off with ice cream wrapped in rice paper which was unique and delicious. Even the regular menu, although not cheap, isn't as bad as some other high end places I have been to and the amount of food you get for your money is impressive. Also the service was great. Everyone from the hostesses to our waiter, to the people who bussed our table were professional, polite and helpful. If you want a great dining experience this place should definitely be on your list.
(5)Eric J.
Um...so here is what I'm saying. I try to review as much as I can but am busy. I like food and am something of a foodie (but hate that freaking term). If you don't like this place you either like a palatte or are such a hipster that you feel like you have to not like it. I could nit pick. But why? Holy crap. Every component of this meal was right on. Ok, Toro Tartare was ok and the portion was so small it was hard to appreciate but if your feeling the love for $300 + for a meal for 2 and wan everything to work just right, don't bother with the haters, this place is first rate.....Ok, service was slow,, there I said, who the f*&k cares....
(5)Deanna D.
Amazing food. I came with a friend who has a fish allergy and found the waiter and chef to be extremely accommodating, especially considering that much of Japan food is fish related, even the sauces on vegetarian dishes. Jacob, our waiter was my friend's gatekeeper with the food with regards to her allergy. Great wine list and ample amounts by the glass. The Makoto salad is amazing as are the shisito peppers.
(5)Alex G.
HO-LY-MACKERAL! The food here is crazy good! Everything is creatively designed and beautifully presented. The crowd is hip and sexy, and the sake smooth and tasty. (The only thing we disliked was the fresh water eel, a bit soft). Japanese Risotto was amazing, Tuna air bread a total treat, and all the rolls perfectly made. Yum!
(5)Ilan S.
The best sushi i ever had in my life Great service Great and fresh fresh fresh sushi I extremely recommend the branzino they do it amazing Plus the manager was super friendly and present. He went out of his way to make us comfortable !! 5 stars for Makoto
(5)Tommy N.
This place sucks. The quality is the same as sushi from 7 eleven in Japan. Overpriced touristy and totally lame don't waste your money.
(1)Alissa W.
Great place and the prices are not bad i was expecting everything to be much higher. Started out with then spicy tuna and crispy rice amazing I bed this appetizer. Also the roasted corn on the rubato grill was good just a little to sweet for my liking. Also had an entire crab appetizer was a special $55 not a bad price either. Fr my I got the salmon with crispy Brussels sprouts nice size portion $20. Also the black cod was very good. For dessert this is where they lost a star. I wanted the mocha but the waiter reccomnded the fruit . I thought it was a fresh fruit platter but was so heated sauce with sliced apples and pineapple with the skin in $16 rip off and not good. The waiter was nice thigh he asked if we liked it I said no. We did nt eat it he offered to take it off the bill. That was nice of him but I just didn't like the dessert wasn't his fault. I would go back!
(4)Daniel M.
The "kobe beef" cooked on the hot stone was awesome! The spicy tuna crispy rice was the bomb.. I think we placed three orders since it was so good! I was hesitant about ordering skirt steak at a sushi restaurant but it was so much better than I had expected. The avocado dip for the steak was so good. Spicy tuna rolls were probably my favorite of the rolls. My wife tried the spice menu and kind of regretted it since all the other dishes off the menu were so fantastic.
(4)Yuyan C.
Really decent ambience and food. We ordered sushi and skirt beef from the Miami spice menu and both are great. Fish from the sushi melted right away and the beef was really tender. Mocha tiramisu was also a good combination.
(5)J B.
This place and lovely ambience , great service and delicious heathy food .....if theirs any downside it's the prices .....if you have a drink or two you won't get out for less than 250 ....food is very fresh
(4)D. B.
It was one of my kid's birthday. He wanted to check out a Sushi place that was much better than the norm. Arriving, we walked through the Bal Harbour shops (as fast as possible as far as I am concerned lol). Everybody ordered something different, but I immediately go hooked and hopelessly addicted to the spicy tuna hand roll.. The combination of the perfect amount of rice, tuna, and spicy sauce was amazing.. I would rate Makoto 4 stars and definitely will plan a return trip.
(4)Amanda G.
My boyfriend and I finally got around to trying out Makoto. We love sushi and we were very excited with all the great reviews! We got there around 9pm on a Thursday and expected to wait a little as we did not have a reservation. The hostess took our name and phone number and we headed over to the bar. We were texted two minutes later that our table was ready. We were seated outside on the terrace. The small two top table we were seated at gave us enough room to sit side by side, which we enjoyed. Service was OK. Our waitress was triple seated and it took her a little time to get around to us. After our drinks were in we waited even longer to put our food in because she was getting held up at one of the three new tables. Another waiter must have seen her distress because he popped over to our table and took our order. For that, we were grateful. The food was delicious! We really enjoyed the Hamachi Ponzu (WOW), the Brussels, the Dynamite Hand Roll, the Crispy Rice (Katsuya's is still my favorite though) and my boyfriend LOVED his Salmon Sashimi. We also had the Lobster Maki and Spicy Tuna, both were good, but not our favorites. The cocktails we had were great, and they had a nice wine/sake selection. We were feeling some dessert but when our server listed our options, we chose the check instead. Overall we had a nice dinner and we'll definitely be back for more!
(4)Jennifer D.
Saw Iron Chef Morimoto in the restaurant and figured it was a good sign. Boy, was I wrong. Some of the fish was slightly funky and the sushi rice was chewy and crunchy. I'm so disappointed, I can't write more. At least I went with a good crowd.
(2)Jerry K.
Great for people and car watching, especially in the outdoor patio. We were lucky enough to see Ray Allen! Server was great, sashimi was fresh, and the green tea mojito was amazing! (Also, get the frosty Kobe fried rice with foie gras!)
(4)Sandra R.
Had a ramen soup which was amazing. After came out a sushi roll with a long piece of hair inside of it. When my husband grabbed the roll he was able to spot it because it was stuck to the roll. Waitress was very apologetic and super nice. When the manager came over, he basically blamed it on me (even though I am not a blonde) and was very rude. I told him we didn't want a free meal or anything we jut didn't want extra surprises. We had been there precious times but after that , never again. Worse restaurant manager I have ever dealt with.
(2)Sidney P.
Best sushi to be had in Miami. Always fresh with great atmosphere. Excellent service usually
(5)Jamie R.
My go-to local place for great sushi and drinks
(4)Frank V.
Very good, Good Service, Beautiful place, Fresh fish surely much better than Nobu! Must go! Bonus for me because is not overpriced.
(5)Samantha L.
I really enjoyed this restaurant, every plate it's very elaborate, don't miss the crisp tuna sushi and the short ribs noodles. Service was great too, only thing is that we where a party of 8 and the didn't want to sit us until everyone's got there, even with a reservation. Prices are high, but quality is there too.
(4)Ashley B.
I was visiting Miami and ate here after a cruise. I was with my family of 8 and got to try a lot of dishes. Every single one was amazing! Even the mint ice cream cookie at the end was delicious. Service was really nice, place is really cute. :)
(5)Josie D.
Posh restaurant! BUT! Never in my life have I gotten a bone in a piece of Toro sushi. Considered they replaced the sushi, it was still a huge bummer. The wagu beef on hot stone was fun and the sea scallops sushi was amazing. However, for the price, I have had better sushi.
(3)David R.
Best Japanese food in Miami. Great atmosphere, and excellent service. We went for Miami Spice. I had the chicken ramen-best I ever had. Skirt steak was delicious. My wife had the grouper tempura- sooooo good. I would go back just for that.
(5)Yiwen W.
Sea bass, Risotto, Sushi, cocktail, etc. Every dish is so delicate and delicious. Love Seafood so much.
(5)Nicole R.
Despite its location in a mall, this is seriously one of the best sushi spots in Miami, hands down. After a full day of shopping in Bal-Harbour, my mom and I decided to check out Makoto since we'd passed it plenty of times but had never been. It has now become THE reason to go to Bal-Harbour! The service is great and very prompt. We usually choose to sit outside because it's quite chilly inside the restaurant (Miamians tend to be overzealous with the AC!). The waiters are very helpful with the menu, eager to help you with recommendations and make sure that you choose the right dishes. I 've been there a few times and have tried the following: - Edamame: classic, can't go wrong; portions here are VERY generous - Hamachi Ponzu: also a classic sashimi dish; the ponzu sauce is very tasty and perfectly tart; the serrano chilis add the perfect amount of spice - Crispy brussels sprouts: one of the best brussels sprouts dishes I've had, these are VERY crispy and covered in a yummy kimchi sauce - Spicy tuna w/crispy rice: I expected a type of fried rice dish here, but it's actually a sushi presentation but using crispy rice instead. The spicy tuna was not covered in mayo (which I hate) and the crispy rice added a wonderful crunch - Cauliflower robata: yum! I love grilled cauliflower and the combo with the teriyaki sauce was incredible - King crab w/yuzu butter robata: so buttery, so tender! - Short rib w/truffle miso: I thought the truffle miso sauce was a little heavy on this, but otherwise a solid dish with tender meat - Sake (king salmon) sushi/sashimi: so fresh! - Chu-toro (medium fatty tuna) sushi/sashimi: I'm not a huge fatty tuna fan, but this was really smooth and I can see why fatty tuna fans would love this (as well as the 'fully' fatty tuna sushi/sashimi) - Spicy yellowtail maki: again, very fresh sushi and the additions of scallion, jalapeno, avocado and wasabi make this a perfect roll Overall, I'm so impressed with this place! I feel so healthy coming here so it's quickly becoming my favorite sushi spot in Miami. I still need to come for dinner, and I am dying to try the Kobe Fried Rice and some of their fish mains!
(5)Ashley A.
Mind-blowing! I wish there were more stars that I could use to rate this restaurant. You will NOT be disappointed here - top notch service to exquisite ambiance are only appropriate compliments to such a creative, adventurous menu. For anyone from the Philly area, you'll be extremely pleased to know that this is another fabulous Steven Starr restaurant. I must admit, I was expecting it to be the usual ultra modern Japanese restaurant toting the usual sushi menu lineup. Nothing to write home about... My experience (notice I'm not referring to this as just lunch but, rather, an experience) began with our friendly hostess seating my friends and me at the best table in the house. Our friendly waitress greeted us immediately and navigated us through the menu and was diligent about notating my dairy allergy (extra bonus points). We ordered miso soup, the Vegan Stephen, and the Japanese risotto - all of which were epic dishes! For my vegan friends, the vegan sushi is absolutely life-changing. Simply put, mind altering and life-changing. It's like finally meeting the perfect guy and realizing you've been dealing with nothing but cheap amateurs your entire life. I am now forever ruined because I can never settle for anything less than that perfectly executed vegan sushi. Don't settle for the lackluster raw veggie roll at those popular cafés - this is the real deal! Perfectly marinated asparagus, butternut squash, red onion, and sheer culinary genius all combined into a dish that looks like it will make your eyes roll! The Japanese risotto was definitely a high note. The aroma, the texture, the perfect ingredients (sans the truffle butter thanks to our awesome waitress) made me want more, more, MORE! FYI- do not get up from your table without trying the fruit bowl dessert. I promise you, you will not stop talking about it.
(5)Giulio P.
Went on Friday night. Table of 8. All of us very happy. Good service, perfect food! Try the skirt steak, different for a Japanese restaurant but with an incredible taste. Sushi then was perfect.
(4)Roy P.
Came to Makato on a nice Sunday afternoon and loved it. The place was calm, the vibe was earthy and the staff was really nice. Everything we had was super fresh. Definitely a great lunch spot to get a delicious meal. Very reminiscent of Katsuya in LA.
(4)Kwan W.
I keep coming back. I've tried almost every dish; some are good and most are excellent. Only one item on the menu I disliked for its price l, taste and quality. Overall the staff are friendly and professional and food arrives quickly even on a busy night. Recommended all my friends and they all like it.
(5)Arthur G.
Great tasting food. Which it better be for the cost! The fried rice is ridiculous. I think this makes a great evening out at the mall. It's definitely nice enough for a special event with an intimate group of people.
(4)Alain M.
Excellent, excellent did I mention excellent everything was delicious amazing service. I expected a small restaurant like all the others in Bal harbour shops but Makoto is surprisingly a very big restaurant with outside seating front and back. This is a must try if your in the area highly recommend very similar to hakassan in fountain bleu.
(5)Gina C.
MAKO-YEAH! amazing atmosphere and welcoming staff. Our waiter was Hanz. He made sure to let us know the dining style which is food is served as it come out. A lot of small plates are for sharing and they come out when its ready and not when YOU'RE ready. I had the Mako Tai cocktail drink: pineapple and coconut bacardi. Delicious! We ordered the Scallop Tiradito. The plating was wymsical with a huge cucumber foam on top. Next, grilled prawns. Hands down the best prawns i've had. We had the soft shell crab roll which was 5 pieces the size of a silver dollar. Great for sharing. We ordered the kobe beef and foie fried rice wich was good considering that fried rice is almost always good. Now the thing that absolutely made me fall in love more than anything was the Kobe beef dish. RAW Thinly cut pieces of Kobe sprinkled with green onion with a side of soy, ginger and honey sauce. This comes with a hot stone so that you can choose how well done you want the beef. You could eat this raw and its still delicious. What a great time my b.f. and i had sharing these small plates. We were stuff!!!!
(5)Leah T.
So sad bc this is literally one of my fav restaurants!!! I usually eat here 2 times a week. Lart night the food was beyond salty and horrible. The waitor who i have had in the past was sooo slow as usual and i waited 30 min for water. I think during "season" i should stay away. Food was just slopped together. Usually it looks and tastes amazing!!! Stomach is killing me!!
(1)Laura L.
Food and service is good here. I like coming here for lunch and recommend going for lunch or early dinner Bc it's gets packed and even with a reservation you can wait awhile.
(4)Eli S.
One of the best Japanese in Miami.
(5)Bonnie L.
Great ambiance, convenient location inside of bal harbor shops and most importantly amazing chef! Although service can improve a bit. I would say this restaurant is worth the price tag, the most important factor to me after a meal is feeling satisfied and happy and Makoto's does the job! Recommend: Pesto Prawns Crispy spicy tuna (better than katsuya 100%) Kobe beef carpaccio Tres leche dessert
(5)Angel L.
Exceptional sushi! Service was great. Uni is to die for. Must try! This is my go-to high end sushi place!
(5)Jonah K.
Through the end of May they have a $45 tasting menu which you need to specifically ask for. It comes with a LOT of food, I believe it was 2 sets of rolls, main courses with fried rice, 2 more sets of rolls, and desert. Standouts were the spicy yellowtail roll, as well as the beef short rib, both were amazing. Really great food overall, and I was impressed. The prices are high, but not as high as other top notch Japanese places. The outdoors is nice, but being in a parking lot isn't ideal. Great decor all around and very good service.
(5)Meghan C.
One of my favorite restaurants in Miami/ Bal Harbour. Absolutely delicious fresh tasting food that is always seasoned beautifully. I have eaten here probably about 5 times in the last year and have yet to be disappointed. The Kobe fried rice is to die for as others have mentioned. The waiters I have had up until now have always been helpful and friendly. I even once brought a date here and he broke a glass (the poor clumsy thing!) Which was quickly cleaned up while we all shared a good laugh at a light hearted joke regarding the awkward moment. The waiter and manager who were walking by were great about the situation and my date felt better about it immediately. Anyways, I love the food here and the fact that it's surrounded by great designer stores doesn't hurt either! The prices match to the great quality so don't forget your wallet; I promise you won't feel bad about the bill as you will be over the moon with your meal. Overall an impressive spot that's especially perfect for bringing visiting friends and family.
(5)Chris P.
Makoto is very very good!! I really was not expecting much at all for a night out with family to a Bal Harbour sushi restaurant. Being away from the hot spots in Miami Beach, like a Katsuya or Nobu...honestly Makoto is just as good!! Great service from the friendly hostess when we came in to the Great waiter who took care of us. He was friendly and funny...even apologized for the food taking only a few minutes too long, which was totally fine!! He gave us a great recommendation for Saki and always made sure our glasses were filled just right! He was also spot on with the food recommendations. Food choices were so Good!!! From the Crispy rice to start to the Short Rib on the stick!! Under the Fish & Meat part of the menu, i definitely would say the Scallops and Sea Bass were top notch!! So so good! The sushi rolls were just as good...Soft Shell crab tempura, rock shrimp tempura and the caterpillar were all Amazing!!!! This place not be in Miami Beach and not have the name...but this is a very very good sushi restaurant.
(5)Zev N.
place definitely lives up to hype! appetizers came out lightining quick, server was highly attentive and very helpful with the menu and making suggestions. in my opinion would be much easier to come here after an afternoon of shopping at bal harbour then braving crowds at capaccio reccomended dishes include the chicken noodle ramen, kobe fried rice and brussel sprouts. also offers an intriguing cocktail menu and imported craft beers
(4)Jeff S.
We have been looking for a sushi resturant othen then the same old basic places that have been popping up around the city. While those restutants are fine for rolls they lack in that unique selection of sushi. This is what Makato has and it was amazing as well as everything else we tried. Looking for a real sushi resturant - look no further.
(5)D W.
Sushi & Sashimi were perfect with beautiful presentation. It's pricey, but worth it. Staff sometimes makes mistakes, which is common in most restaurants.
(5)Princess C.
Do you want to know how terrible the sushi at Makoto was? The sushi at this restaurant is garbage, to the degree that makes sushi at Publix not that bad in comparison. The fish was not fresh, and the rice was old. The $21 lobster roll had barely any lobster in it, and was mostly made up of "old" cheap un-nutritious iceberg lettuce you can buy from any grocery store. The lettuce was discolored as well, meaning it was old. It said on the menu that it had avocado, but it did not come with any. So, basically the lobster roll was mostly made of old rice, old lettuce, and crumbs of lobster that was not even in all the pieces, and no avocado. Also, if you have been to any legit Japanese sushi restaurant in the US or anywhere in the World, you will always find a California roll topped with a long fresh piece of eel and masago. They did not have that on the menu, however, the server said that they can create it as a custom order for us. But, when the roll came there was no eel on top. The server explained that if we were to put the eel on top the chef will charge us four full orders of unagi, $10 each which means $40 total + 9 = $49 for one roll. Outrageous! You can find this roll at any legit sushi restaurant for between $12 - $20. So, instead of coming back to ask us if we even want it or not, the chef took it upon himself to make the decision for us by sending us a California roll with eel inside instead of at the top. and more insulting is that the eel was no were to be found inside the roll!!!! There was crumbs of eel that tasted like old and nothing. and EVERYTHING in the sushi menu is garbage. I have no problem with the servers there. The servers were very attentive, professional, and nice. However, I find the food in this restaurant to be really insulting and mediocre. This restaurant is for people who know nothing about food and sushi. Its for people who never tried authentic Japanese sushi. Its a restaurant run by people who think they can get away with bullshit quality just because they are in Bal Harbour.
(1)Arthur W.
2nd time here - our son goes to school in North Miami Beach and I've stayed at the St. Regis and Trump International Resort (Sunny Isles) - that's another review altogether. Makoto's is located in the very very upscale Bal Harbor shopping plaza with Neiman Marcus and Saks Fifth Avenue as the anchors along with many designer shops. Not cheap sushi but the quality was outstanding ranging from very fresh varieties of tuna to quail egg topped uni sushi. Their miso black cod while expensive at $28 - was a very large portion and exquisitely prepared. If you've got money to shop here, and love sushi - you have to try Makoto's.
(4)Gabriel B.
Makoto was a great spot to get some fresh fresh sushi. I loved the music and the food. My server Chris was a pro, he must have been there since the beginning. He was very verse with the menu and really knew what to suggest. I loved the place and the sake also!
(5)Joey C.
All the other reviews about ambience are accurate. But tonight in the Toro Tartar we found a piece of string in the mix. Yes, a piece of string. It was disgusting.we complained to the waiter and the manager, and all they offered was to remove the dish from our bill. A restaurant of this calibre should have offered us a little more. Perhaps a free replacement dish? I mean, it was an awful experience for us. And the least this expensive restaurant could have done is offer us something extra. It costs them nothing, and would have made our experience less awful. Even when we told the manager, he told us a piece of the towel from cleaning the sushi knife may have been cut off. And then he offered us nothing to compensate. It's really a shame because now I will never come back and tell everyone I know about this experience.
(1)Nicky B.
Love this place!!! The ambience is calm and sophisticated so except for the plethora of shopping bags you might even forget your are in the Bal Harbour Shops. Service is polished and professional and staff friendly and knowledgable. Chef Makoto is a humble genius, the food is beautifully presented, delicious and textural and interesting. To start try the spicy tuna crispy rice, the Japanese caprese salad, the Ono which is a delicate fish sashimi (almost a carpaccio) with slivers of julienned flash fried carrots for crunch and the spicy edamame. The skewers are delicious as well, I recommend the short rib and the prawns for protein and the beets and the corn for veggies. The Vegan Stephen is my favorite roll, amazing in its texture and deliciousness. All the sushi and sashimi is great, my husband loves the spicy yellowtail roll. I love all the cooked fish as well and there are several interesting cooked rice options as well as some good ( but not traditional) ramen soups. Make a reservation or go early as this place gets busy on the weekends. Great sake selection as well as some interesting beers. Enjoy!!!
(5)Gary N.
The most wonderful service ever! We loved our waitress, from Poland, and beautiful, fun, down to earth, just wonderful...
(4)David A.
Did not know that this was a Starr restaurant before visiting. I have been to most of his Philly restaurants. They are all consistently good. Had mixed feelings about this place. Mainly about the prices but I guess I paid for the expensive rent. Also didn't realize it was located in the Shoppes at Bal Harbour when I made my plans or I would have probably selected another place. The food was very good, as well as the service. The prices. Way too much. I took my wife and three daughters. The bill was $400+ The highlights: Spicy Tuna Roll and Crunchy Rice Kimchee Fried Rice Robata Shrimp Dishes were all very small and we ordered a lot to fill up. Had two Sake carafes for $30 each. They were a rip off. Very small. Starr quality and serivice is always great. The price/value relationship just was not there for me at this location. I would not dine here again for these prices but you can't knock the service or quality here.
(4)Char Char C.
Um amazing!!!!! Kobe fried rice, Brussel sprouts, and the sea bass!!!!! To die for actually went to a much more expensive restraint called Zuma and is place is 10 times better!!!! Fav place ever!!!
(5)Gloria D.
I been to Makoto at least 30 times every time I'm in town, is very close to my home. Last night I had the worst experience ever the food had so much salt that was impossible to eat . The service bad. Even the dessert was bad!!!!
(1)Whitney K.
Unpretentious excellence at a fabulous price. The ambiance is elegant and glamorous just like the dishes. The service was outstanding: prompt, insightful, and engaging without being over the top. Each dish was flavorfully crafted to compliment the pallet and drinks. The perfect place for a date and stroll around Bal Harbor.
(5)Sharon H.
We stayed at St. Regis across from Makoto, so I decided to give it a try due to the convenient location & highly rated reviews. It was the Miami Spice week, but we (2 people) both ordered something extra in addition to the prix fixed lunch menu. We walked out of the restaurant beyond full & satified after the meal. Service was top notch no doubt! VERY ATTENTIVE (probably also because it was nearly empty when we walked in at 12pm). I must agree with one of the Yelper's review: the house salad is delicious. Simple dish, but so soo sooo good! Bottled beers are a little over priced, but it's imported from Japan exclusively, so we didn't mind paying extra $ for it. After all, it's Bal Harbour, spending big bucks are well expected.
(4)Melanie A.
We came here for lunch after shopping around at the Bal Harbour shops. My fiance REALLY was raving about the chef here, so we decided that we had to eat at Makoto. Maybe our expectations were too high or it was an off day, but it appeared that the waiter was half asleep, then another one took various orders from us and announced them really loud to the other one (I felt like I was at Mcdonalds). We had a mango martini/beer, edamame, the crab roll, the house salad (with soy-free dressing instead), the shrimp tempura (also with soy-free sauce, that was very spicy and VERY tasty), and the chocolate dessert (with mango sorbet instead of ice cream). I liked that they were able to accommodate my requests for soy free dressings/dipping sauces as well as substitute the mango sorbet rather than ice cream but I can definitely say that this place is over rated. They have a dish on the menu with ramen noodles. If I wanted to eat ramen noodles or eat edamame that looked like it just came out of the bag from Publix, I would have just stayed home and cooked myself dinner. The staff wasn't all that professional and the food was pretty bland. For the price that we paid, I don't think that we would return here again.
(3)Deborah A.
This restaurant is outstanding. The food is high quality and the flavors are excellent. The service was unbelievably prompt and attentive. I have come here 2 nights in a row! Fabulous!
(5)Jeremy B.
Simply put, the food at Makoto is outstanding: fresh, innovative, excellent presentation and delicious. We went with a big group (10 people), so we got to try a bunch of stuff: started with some good edamame, then had the roasted shishito peppers, which I am definitely ordering next time, and father in law had miso soup and said it was great and had a nice, smoky flavor. We also shared the spicy tuna crispy rice which was the perfect combination with the fried rice on bottom and a fresh slice of tuna with a serrano pepper on top. Continuing with the tuna theme, we had the tuna air bread which was delicious as well but you only get two pieces. The portions are not large here, so while a lot of the dishes are between $7-$14, you might end up ordering quite a few. The bill tends to add up, so be aware of that. Four of us then shared an order of the kobe fried rice, which was interesting because the beef is frosted and mixed into the hot fried rice, which contains vegetables, foie gras and a quail egg. The flavors mixed together worked perfectly. Everything was so good, we kept eating. Next we tried some items from the robata grill: tiger prawns, chicken, short ribs on a stick with a miso glaze, japanese eggplant, cauliflower and corn. The meat and veggies were all seasoned nicely and excellent from the grill. Some others shared a nice size piece of miso seabass with crispy kale. The fire and ice oysters were amazing too - I wish we got more than 4 because I could eat a dozen of those! We did not neglect the sushi menu either, as we had the rainbow roll (delicious), california roll and then went all out and had a sushi sampler with several different kinds. The sushi was not the best sushi I've had ever, but was still high quality. Drinks were great but pricey: $12-$16 per cocktail and $6-$7 for one beer or $12-$16 for a 22 oz. I went for the 22 oz Sapporo for $12, because it seemed like the best value. We did not try the sake but they had an extensive menu of it. The green tea capiriroska (sp?) was excellent - tasted like a mojito with vodka. I don't usually go for dessert but we all shared some and it was delish/ All in all, the place is not cheap but every single thing we had, everyone agreed, was either very good or flat-out amazing. I left stuffed. Nothing disappointed, not even the service which was very professional, nice and attentive. I can't wait to go back again. Highly recommended.
(5)JJ L.
I just wrote a bunch of reviews for our Miami trip, from hotels to restaurants to jewerly stores. Only 1 place gets 5 stars -- Makoto. I am VERY picky when it comes to Japanese food. I spend most of my time in the SF area and NYC, where the sushi and Japanese food is spectacular. I have had my share of world class Japanese food in Tokyo as well. Makoto is in the 5 star league, hands down. So creative with the menu with reasonable prices for what you get. My wife and I loved it, and were raving about it to each other for days afterwards. What we got for a light to medium dinner (for dessert we had macarons at the nearby MM Chocolate Bar) - Vegan sushi roll. Odd choice right? Yes, it was. But oh so delicious, what a surprise! - Udon salad. Awesome, creative, beautifully presented. Yum. - Tuna on crispy rice. Regret ordering just 1. Creative and spectacular. - Grilled eggplant. I still think about this dish sometimes. Sooo good. - Grilled cauliflower. Fantastic as well. All around amazingness. Highly highly recommend. Love Bal Harbour the city, love the Bal Harbour shops, love the Bal Harbour beach, and love Makoto most of all in Bal Harbour.
(5)A B.
After strolling through Bal Harbour for a couple of hours, I was famished, and decided to find a place to eat. I was craving Sushi, and Makoto's patio looked pretty busy, so I ventured inside the restaurant to have a look at the menu. The menu is pretty extensive, with a lot of unique and creative sushi dishes that you won't find anywhere else. The interior of the restaurant is terrific, and I was conflicted as to whether to sit outside and take advantage of the beautiful weather, or to enjoy the ambiance inside. I chose the patio. I wasn't sure what to have, so the waitress recommended the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice dish, and I also had the Cauliflower Robata. Both were delicious. The food was made with high quality ingredients, and the fish was fresh. The level of spicyness was just right, and both dishes were immensely flavourful. I will definitely return here when I visit Miami again. My only qualm is that the service was slow and inattentive. I had to wait a long time to get the bill. Other than that, loved this place!
(4)Allan L.
This place is just OK. Nothing special in my opinion. I was expecting something out of this world.
(3)Nate M.
Fresh fun and imaginative. Great ambience at lunch and dinner. Very accommodating for kids.
(4)Zarina R.
2/14/12-- I love the decor of this place.. It's my new go to spot to eat lunch at when I'm shopping in Bal Harbor. One thing I need to warn you about is that the restaurant has some wood benches and be careful when pulling them out to sit down because my friend got a splinter in her hand. Thank God the restaurant had a sterile sealed tweezer to remove the splinter. I started off lunch by ordering the "Tuna Air Bread" with caesar foam, tomato, red onion. ( I love this light and airy delicious dish). I also ordered the short rib robata with truffle miso fried rice. The short rib was very tender and tasty and a pretty decent size portion. I even love their ice teas (green tea and mint. They were both very refreshing. The only negative about the restaurant was the Service. I have eaten at this restaurant twice and both times I ate there the service was quite slow.
(4)Gals S.
Food and drinks were great nice ambiance as well.
(4)Jay C.
This truly was the best food I've ever had. I've been around the world and back ... tried all sorts of food, even though I am not even a big sushi or seafood eater, this is some of the tastiest cuisine I've ever tried. Chef Makoto's is hands down the best, and a must if you are in the area.
(5)Dave G.
We are not from the area, so had no idea what to expect - we were very happy with the sea bass - it was outstanding! I think the waitress probably had too many tables, but there was plenty of other help, so we were satisfied. I would absolutely go back - would probably try the sushi next time.
(5)Auston B.
A few friends recommended this place after a rock climb. If you have the chance to check out this place, do so. We ate family style so I had the chance to sample a decent amount of the menu (Ono, Tuna Tataki, Tuna Air Bread, Edamame, Shishito Roasted Peppers, Japanese Risotto, Oh-Toro, Spicy Tuna & California roll - I know we are fat asses). I can honestly say every single piece of food that entered my mouth was absolutely delectable - the kind of delicious that you experience in your dreams. We had the perfect combination of food & I would highly recommend this place to anyone considering going here.
(5)Jasmine K.
I love this place! I always come to Makoto for lunch or dinner when I'm in Miami. The air spinach, tuna air bread, fried rice, and toro melon are my must have's. The tuna air bread and air spinach especially are my favorite!
(5)vanessa l.
My favorite Japanese spot in South Florida. They have indoor/outdoor seating and a nice, relaxed ambience. Easy dishes like the watercress house salad with wasabi dressing and various robatas are so good and consistent. They also have more interesting options like the Japanese caprese and ponzu salmon with ikura. I prefer their sushi a la carte vs their rolls and am overall more partial to their appetizers and cooked dishes. It's always a treat to dine here.
(5)David C.
Been here 10x.... awesome...!!!
(5)Evan Z.
My girlfriend and I had previously had cocktails and light bites at Makoto approximately one week after it had opened, and were sufficiently impressed to want to have a full meal there when we had the time. Honestly, I wish I hadn't gone back. Most of my complaints seem minor, but when you have a restaurant touting itself as owned by master restaurateur Stephen Starr, it should in fact live up to its self-proclaimed reputation. The first issue I had was that my seat did not have a place setting. This would normally be no big deal, but in light of the rest of the evening it can't be forgiven. We started with cocktails (I had the green tea caipirinha and my girlfriend had the ginger-infused sake), which were okay except for the fact that the sake had quite a few ice chips floating in the drink. Our first food item was the black edamame. They weren't black. They weren't bad, but they weren't black. Next was the tea crusted tuna tataki. This dish was excellent, and frankly was the only thing that made me give Makoto two stars instead of one. After that came the short rib robata. The meat was cooked well, but was slightly cold and the sauce tasted like a sub-par barbecue - there's no way it was the truffle miso advertised with the dish. Finally, we had the spicy yellowtail roll. The sushi chef who prepared this should be ashamed, as the entire thing fell apart the minute you touched it. If the food issues weren't enough, the service was simply *atrocious*. All of the items came at the same time and overloaded our small table. The servers removed plates before we were finished (without asking!) and completely forgot to provide us with soy sauce. In short, an $80 meal which was worth $35 at best. I'll stick with Hiro's.
(2)Dinorah a.
Neighborhood gem! I love this place . It's a favorite lunch spot for my hubby and I . Good food, great service and exotic cocktails .. Beautiful trendy decor and u can go shopping right after to burn some calories or more $$$$
(4)Rocky A.
Ever go to a restaurant and you want to order the whole menu, 'cause everything looks AMAZING ? One word MAKOTO in Bal Harbor I went to MAKOTO and found the source to GREAT Japanese cuisine, Professional service mixed with Reggae , Rock & Roll and a little of this and that. Make this dining experience a MUST DO. Tuna air bread, fire & ice oysters, spicy tuna crispy rice, sauteed air spinach, and some other interesting choices are delicacies on the menu, and these are all appetizers The premium wagyu bone in rib eye 26 oz., kobe beef fried rice, the sashimi or sushi sampler with dessert being no less than mochi ice cream are some of the stand outs Its located in Bal Harbor and with the easy parking, makes it even better. Easy in and out. So when you go stroll around after an Unforgettable meal, REMEMBER I'm an XL.
(5)M K.
Good but definitely not great. The fish was pretty fresh and everything was pretty solid generally. Nice setting outside on the patio. Service was terrible -- one of our sushi dishes never came (1.5 hours) and another was very, very late. They apologized but I'm still at a loss as to how the problem happened -- they recognized the problem early then an hour later it still wasn't corrected. A sushi dish takes like 5 minutes to prepare, just fix the problem. It was especially a problem because for the person whose dish was "lost" it was one-half her meal. Anyway, we might go back but only because it was a nice setting and there aren't too many options near the A1A between there and 20 minutes north (or south before South Beach). The food overall was a solid B+. One thing to add: the edamame was the best I've ever had. And I've eaten a ton of edamame. The waitress said it was "black" edamame which from googling is actually legit -- there is a variety of edamame from black soybean. (It was green and looked just like regular edamame but was very firm and flavorful).
(2)Claire C.
First, it's a beautiful place and I was sorta surprised to find it in the Bal Habor shops setting. Make sure you make a reservation, especially if it's for dinner on the weekend. If you can, make sure you get one of the large wood bench tables near the sushi bar of the restaurant. In terms of food, i'd highly recommend the shisito peppers, the rainbow sushi roll, and the ramen! and also, obviously the wagyu steak that you make on the hot stone. It's a great experience and the beef is an excellent cut in fact. I highly recommend it! Just one minor note though - in contrast to what the waiters are saying in terms of the small size of the dishes, you'll find that they are actually not that small. I'd recommend to order 2-3 dishes per person rather the 3-4 dishes that they often recommend.
(4)Alexandra R.
Delicious delicious delicious. The only thing I could think of while I was eating was 'wow, this taste like what I ate in Tokyo'. Extremely authentic! Chef Makoto has Japanese as well as French culinary experience and you can definitley taste the sophistication in his dishes. It's located in Bal Harbour shops, but don't let that or the chic interior deter you. Dinner for 2 would be well worth it, I promise! So throw on your best knock offs, and play the ritzy part until you walk into the restaurant. Then, let loose and enjoy the goodies Makoto's menu has to offer!
(5)Malaise L.
Went to Makoto for dinner on Memorial Day night at around 8:45 pm. The patio out front was crowded. We chose to sit outside in the back (inside the mall) and we were the only people there which was really nice. Think of this place as Japanese tapas. The food comes out as it's ready. I ordered some asparagus tempura and, unbeknownst to me, my husband had ordered some as well which came out towards the end. Once again, I need an ordering strategy! In any case, it was really good, accompanied by a spicy dipping sauce (mayo?) that was really tasty. My husband also ordered Toro Tartar which was about the size of a thimble at 20-odd dollars. He enjoyed it and it looked beautiful, down to the gold leaf sprinkles. He also had Tajima Beef fillet (over 50 bucks!) which he said was good and had garlic chips which I wish were not on top of the meat so I could just swipe them. That did look good! I had the Vegan Stephen roll. At first, when ordering, I was a bit disappointed that they did not have more of a vegetarian/vegan choice and this roll did not sound that great but it really, really was! I greatly enjoyed it. Each bit was different and flavorful. We also had a real good sake. One word of caution: This place is EXPENSIVE and it seems like the prices on their online menu might not match the ones on the menu once you get there. My roll I did notice was a dollar more on their printed menu than it is online but I don't know if that was the case with anything else. Service was very good as well. I feel our waiter was initially a little awkward but warmed up to us. He checked on us enough to make sure that we were being well served but not so much as to make us uncomfortable. I would go back but it would be really awesome if they had some more choices for us non-meat eaters.
(5)Michael H.
I had the pleasure this past weekend to dine at Makoto, the newest creation from restaurant mastermind Stephen Starr. I will break down the review in 3 separate categories. Vibe & Decor, Food&Beverage, and Service. Vibe & Decor: Dark wood, dim lighting, a 12-seat sushi bar and smooth reggae music provide a very chill experience for any foodie. Outdoor courtyard has limited seating but is the perfect scenery for a quick lunch as you dine beside running fountains and colorful koi ponds. The back terrace which seemed to be the most popular choice was furnished with cozy couches and marble tabletops. Food & Beverage: The cocktails are inventive and refreshing. Green Tea Capirosca, Lemongrass Cooler, & Gingered Sake were some notable gems. The sake list is quite extensive, everything from your traditional sake to some specialty and exclusives only offered at this establishment. Now the food was a step above incredible. You think Japanese, you sometimes think sushi and sushi only, but head chef Makoto Okuwa goes above and beyond to cater to the likes of every palate. Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice was a signature to the restaurant, the Japanese Caprese salad was refreshing and creative, Short Rib Robata was so tender it melts right in your mouth. Black Cod was the best I've ever tasted. The sushi is fresh and far superior to any in the area. Try the Rainbow Roll, Vegan Stephen (100% Vegetarian), and the Rock Shrimp Tempura Roll. Service: The servers are very knowledgeable when it comes to the menu, feel free to ask about anything and expect a tempting description. Keep in mind, due to heavy tourism in the Bal Harbour Shops, Makoto does include an 18% gratuity which is understandable and fair. Overall this place has set the bar very high for Japanese dining in Miami and can offer something different for your palate any day of the week. Whether it be lunch or dinner, expect the very best from Mr. Stephen Starr and his all-star chef Makoto Okuwa.
(5)Brian L.
15 words or less: Really pretty inside and outside. Good to very good food. Pricey. 15 words or more: Makoto is another entry into the growing high-end Japanese restaurant scene in South Florida. Nobu and Zuma set the standard. I am not sure this place can get there. But while trying to play in that arena, the menu does not seem to have the same depth from top to bottom. I was there for lunch but eyeballed the dinner menu. The menus are close, but there are some changes to accommodate the mall lunch crowds. The lunch menu features a few less fish and meat entrees. In their place are an additional salad or two and two sandwiches (one being a hamburger). The addition of a hamburger is smart because it will help placate that one person who does not like sushi but is forced to go because of his/her significant other. I shared a number of dishes for lunch. This included a chilled lobster salad and a tea-crusted tuna tataki salad. Both were very nice. The ingredients were fresh and the flavors came through. I proceeded to have a sushi sampler. The sampler ($30) was large, featuring this time a spicy tuna roll (6 pieces) and another 12 pieces of a variety of fishes. While I had a piece of tuna, hamachi, uni, unagi, and scallop, the standout was the salmon. Couple of things to note. The restaurant makes it own soy sauce, which is infused with bonito flakes. They also use unpolished rice (so the rice will be brown and white in color and may have a slightly crunchier texture). The restaurant also does not use big eye tuna, in an acknowledgement to the over-harvesting of this fish. Finally, the restaurant has a number of robata items, which seemed interesting. This is a tough one for me. While the food was very good and the presentation of the dishes beautiful, I am not sure the high price sets it far apart from what is your favorite neighborhood sushi joint or otherwise warrant the price if you are willing to spend a little more for Nobu and Zuma. This place is not charging those prices, but it is an expensive lunch, and I could see dinner sneaking up in price given the small plate/Japanese tapas concept. I do hope the place can make it. It is a nice lunch option in Bal Harbour Shops. And I will give it a try for dinner to try some of the robata items and to see what vibe and scene it may have.
(4)Elham A.
This place has ok sushi. Not too good and not too bad. Some things on the menu was good such as the amberjack and kanpachi. Their fish was ok, not much to cheer about. IF you are cheering, you are probably from Florida and used to bad sushi :) The two spicy rolls we ordered had no taste to them. Only fish and rice, not spicy at all! Very disappointing...! The staff is very nice and attentive, but the food is not worth the price.
(3)Tina T.
It's fresh and it's good - but it's not the be all and end all. The atmosphere of this restaurant is very cool and zen-like. They are located in an upscale shopping mall, and on a recent trip to Miami Beach I stopped and got some sushi. There's an outside bar and the bartenders were wonderful. Very laid back environment. The sushi wasn't as good as I would expect from a restaurant in Florida. Honestly, I had way better in Chicago! But it's still a worthy place to go to, even if because of the great atmosphere and drinks.
(4)Taylor R.
Makoto has very good food as well as a great atmosphere. I personally love sitting in there courtyard section.
(5)Red R.
I'm going to be honest. I was famished when I ate at this place. I had been walking around the Bal Harbour Mall desperately trying to find some new threads to sport that evening downtown. Surprisingly, I found little to suit my fancy. What can I say, I need a 34" inseam and apparently most Floridian men rarely reach the 6 foot mark (poor ladies). I was disappointed and a bit disgusted that I couldn't find much to compliment my 6'4" frame, so I decided to pause for some lunch. It was late, nearly 3 in the afternoon, when I walked into Makoto. Being that it was after the lunch rush, I had my choice of seats but opted to sit at the sushi bar, which was spacious and smartly designed. I knew I was meeting a friend for dinner in just a few hours, but I NEEDED FOOD, so I decided I should eat something light. I checked out the menu and was hard pressed to find one item to settle on. There was ramen, udon, tataki, and even ceviche (this is Miami after all). The one truly odd menu seemed to be the hamburger. 'Really, a hamburger,' I thought. That's like going to Morton's and ordering a salad - I don't understand it. Anyway, I digress....I decided that since I was seated at the sushi bar, I would order the sushi sampler, the smallest one. I think there were 9 pieces or so (tuna, yellowtail, salmon, etc.) and also included a tuna roll and miso soup. To accompany my dish I ordered a glass of sancerre. I devoured everything in record time and washed it back with another glass of sancerre. The standouts were the wahoo, the uni and the mackeral, all expertly garnished and fresh tasting. I quizzed the chef about some of the ingredients used with the sushi. He was polite and seemed pleased that I had enjoyed my dish. The next day, I was reading a local rag and saw the same chef's picture gracing the pages of an article on "rising chefs" in Miami. Not surprised! I left Makoto with my belly full and vowed to hit this place again on my next visit. It's been a good two weeks since I've eaten there and I sometimes find myself thinking about the wahoo. P.S. I never did find anything to wear at that Mall.
(4)Mitchell M.
Don't really understand all the great reviews and interestingly enough my wife and I could not agree on what was good. We went tapas style and between the two of us ordered roughly 10 portions/food portions. Cold sesame soba noodles (buckwheat) was not so good. BBQ short ribs bbq modest kimchi overlay was ok, cauliflower I liked (good) my wife did not like. Sautéed air spinach should have just been called sautéed spinach with garlic, I thought ok my wife thought very good. Wasabi fried rice for a fried rice lover was so so. Pepper hot chicken was so-so. House salad was good. Broccoli tempura was very good. Results: So so and not for me. I will watch Morimoto on food channel in lieu of eating his food.
(2)john h.
As a out of towner, and my coworker looked up this place based on reviews. Upon arrive I realized it was located in a mall. I don't usually associate high end sushi with malls. Therefore going in, I had really low expectations (1 Star expectation). The place was better than expected but no where near what others rave about. Eating here made me sad for the locals because this place was just eh.... As a side note, don't sit outside. There was a guy constantly on a blow horn flagging down taxis (or just being an ass)
(3)David S.
Despite being in the Bal Harbor Mall, I thought this restaurant has great value. There were 3 of us at the table and we ordered the following: 2x Japanese Eggplant Robata Braised Short Rib Robata Tuna with Crispy Rice Some noodle appetizer dish (I forget the name) Spicy Yellowtail rool Baby Beets Mochi Ice Cream and their special desert with fruit and I think mango sorbet (I forgot the name of it) We just had water and the total bill came out to about $125 (tax and gratuity included) We were stuffed. So at about $42 a person, we were satisfied. So there is where the value is... here is the food part: AMAZING. I have never been this satisfied with tastes presented at a restaurant. All 3 of us agreed that while one dish may outshine others, the plates all around were delicious. The Japanese Eggplant: Semi-crispy outer skin, brown sugar, some cheese... it was sweet and delicious with a creamy texture. One thing, though, is that it comes out like hot lava so you may want to order another dish and eat that one first before diving into the eggplant. The roof of your mouth will thank me later. Short ribs robata: Shreds nicely, tender, easy to eat, delicious sauce. I just wanted to let it sit in my mouth forever. The best part is that each skewer has three pieces and there were three of us... so sharing was easy. (Same with the eggplant) Tuna with crispy rice: Sweet and a little spicy with the jalapeno pepper on top. Great taste. Noodles: Probably the most normal tasting food.. but still delicious. Yellowtail Roll: I like the dab of sauce and the pepper on top. The fish tasted fresh. There were about 8 pieces on a long plate. Easy to share and we all enjoyed it. Baby Beets: OMFG BEETS. I put one of the beets in my mouth and I almost fell out of my chair in a gooey blob of satisfaction. It gave me tingles... that's all I will say. Desert: Satisfying, the mango Mochi flavor is the best. There other signature desert is sweet and creamy and there is some fruit in there so you don't feel too guilty. Overall.. at $42 a person for all that food.. I am VERY HAPPY. However, at that price, I will only come back once in a while; but with a big smile on my face. Also, sitting outside is preferable especially on a nice night.
(5)Jon G.
Great service and comfortable yet sleek atmosphere. The uni was good but about 1/-3/4 of the portion I'm used to having. Chu-toro was exceptional. The watercress salad was a must order. All in all it was a nice experience in an amazing location but definitely just short of a top tier sushi restaurant.
(4)Kim S.
There were Some good things and some horrible things like the lobster roll and the rock shrimp tempura roll. The lobster roll tastes like a men's bathroom, and the rock shrimp tempura roll tastes like plain oil. The good things were the shishito peppers, the sunimono salad, and the edamame. These are simple things so I'm not suprised they were good.
(1)Julia K.
Sushi should be an easy one in Miami -- fishing is practically the official hobby of this city. So why is sushi so complicated? Sushi is fantastic at nobu, zuma or bond street -- but these restaurants come equipped with a huge scene and price tag. Or maybe one can hit one of the small, local place and settle for mediocre sushi in a dive setting. Then there is Makoto. The ambiance is nice -- beautiful actually -- inside or outside, depending on the mood. I prefer the more quiet outdoor option. Ahhhh, the food - excellent. Spicy jalapeño and yellowtail roll has the perfect amount of kick. And the spicy tuna on crispy rice is also different and delicious. I also has the shisio peppers -- mmmm. My hubby had Rainbow rolls and they were perfect, too. I think Makoto is just what Miami needed.
(4)Armando A.
Probably one of the best places for sushi I have been to in the world. No matter what you order here it is amazing especially drinks.
(5)Timothy A.
Spectacular! You get what you pay for, and this place does not disappoint. Great food and service. The menu and dish preparation is unmatched in South Florida. Very happy with Makoto. Prices are high, but I guess that's what you have to pay for quality these days.
(4)Christopher R.
You know it's a good spot when you go there at least once a week. Yes, that may also be because it is close to my house, but still. I love the Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice -- it is a must! Both the inside and outside sections provide a great vibe and they even have a smokeless outdoor section which is great -- because why do only the smokers get to enjoy the beautiful Miami weather?! Also -- it's not as expensive as it looks, definitely worth a try!
(5)Eugene Y.
Another amazing dinner but after revisiting both restaurants Zuma is def a notch ahead of makoto. With that being said, I will continue to visit both! :)
(5)Melissa C.
Great dinner! Our server was knowledgeable and attentive.However, the automatic 18% gratuity made me instantly suspicious when I saw I had been charged for wine that was double the price of the wine I ordered and knew I was drinking. Hmmmm...but I'll give our lovely server the benefit of the doubt. Spicy tuna crispy rice was our our favorite as well as the sake infused with ginger, lemongrass (I think it was lemongrass) and rosemary. The scallop robata was tasty but the bacon wrapped around it was overkill and overpowered the scallop. The salmon and sweet shrimp sushi was fresh and delicious but the rice was slightly undercooked which was a disappointment. The Serrano chili on top of our spicy yellowtail roll added a perfect kick. We sat outside and it was comfortable with the normal level of buzz you can expect to experience when eating outdoors at the bal harbour shops. I also liked the vibe inside the restaurant and will return to sit at their long sushi bar. Overall a great dining experience. We will return and recommend Makoto to our friends.
(4)Judy M.
After having many good dinners in the past, tonight was a very disappointing experience. Disorganized service. Rice for sushi was crumbling in our hands. My wife and I did not enjoy a straightforward sushi dinner . KM & JM.
(1)Dagwood S.
This was one of the highlights of our trip when it came to eating. We sat outside, the staff was super friendly and really helped us decide what to get. Because we were really hungry, we had mostly rolls and a Toro Tartare ($29) which was uneventful and expensive, but that was our mistake for reading the price wrong. I think we had about 4-5 rolls and each one was super fresh and flavorful. Next time I will dive into the sushi/sashimi more and report back. Loved the food, atmosphere (outside int he courtyard) and staff. Good job.
(5)rhett t.
There's a real genius at work here, but the flaws are noticeable. I posted my first review weeks after opening and I compared it harshly to Zuma. And, in many ways the review holds up, but . . . if the flaws were corrected this would be outstanding. First, the menu has evolved, slightly, but noticeably, if that makes senses. Second, the execution of the meal as a whole is ridiculously flawed. The dishes all arrived at once and the waiter grunted as he struggled to make room as if it were our fault. (the service was excellent apart from the timing and the failure to staff two hostess stations). Third, there needs to be a slurping spoon for the ramen which was excellent save for the greenery that was stringy and chewy. The sushi was a highlight, as were the robata dishes (Chicken and corn were wonderful, the short rib I could have skipped). The shishito peppers are not only outstanding, they provided a show for my son as he watched the bonito flakes move (Look, they're moving). The kobe beef on the hot stone is always a crowd-pleaser (but please angle the plate with the hot stone away from the child) (Look if you poke the flakes they move). The wine list is better if by half. There are a few better options, but it is still an unbelievably thin list at the upper end. (Look, they're not moving, wait the flakes are moving!). But, the undeniable star of the show was a chocolate fondant dessert with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream, fruit on a cold slate plate that my son clearly enjoyed. Look, if Stephen Starr fixes the pacing, and tweaks a few elements, this place would be extremely enjoyable.
(4)Felix T.
Excellent. Price in the high end but the food and service was excellent. I found awkward the fact that we ordered flat water and they charged 2$ by refilling a Sparkling water bottle. With a dinner of over 200$ for two, I don't think a restaurant in this category need to do that ... why my 4 star.
(4)Amy A.
WOW! We wanted to order the whole menu! Everything was amazing! The food is scrumptious- the taste, texture, the presentation- top quality. Also the lychee martini is amazing! The sushi is amazing... can't wait to go back!
(5)Amy S.
Did the Spice lunch menu the other day and was beyond impressed with the selection and how much food they offered. For $22 its a great deal. The service was horrible though, we went around 2pm on a Friday and they just didn't seem well enough staffed for the people dining. We got the spicy tuna crispy rice, robata eggplant, short ribs and chicken rice bowl. All were delicious! Go take advantage of this menu!
(4)Candice L.
Makoto has amazing food,,but simply put there is just not enough of it for the price. By no means am I cheap and I was not even the one paying for the meal,,but it is way overpriced! We had sparkling water and I asked for limes which never came. As we wanted wahoo,,the waiter highly recommended the wahoo sashimi in an orange ponzu sauce with chiles and topped with crunchy carrots. Boy,,was he spot on! It was amazing!!! He was also extremely knowledgeable about all types of sushi and everything on the menu. The other sashimi we had was the salmon,,medium-fatty tuna and cobia. The presentation was stunningly beautiful,,the fish melted like butter in my mouth and was incredibly fresh. However,,it was so tiny,,it was ridiculous! In addition we ordered 2 orders of the amaebi (sweet shrimp) sushi with fried heads. Unfortunately,,it came out sashimi without the heads and was only one order. :( The heads came out at least 5 minutes later after I asked twice for them. 2 pieces of sweet shrimp sashimi and 3 fried heads 5 minutes later for 2 people?! Ummm.. After much waiting time,,eventually our Kobe beef with the hot riverstone rock for table cooking finally arrived. It was absolutely out of this world delicious but simply not enough of it! And I like small portions.. They apologized for the wait and blamed it on having to wait for a stone. Then buy some more as much as you charge! Finally,,the other person ordered the lychee martini which I had a sip of and it was amazing as well!!! Overall,,the prices are exorbitant for the portion size across the board,,the service was good but not excellent and the food was succulent. By the way,,I had gone here one night before and we sat outside as well for 10 minutes and no one came up to us so we informed the hostess,,waited for another 10 minutes and still no one so we left. This time we informed the hostess when we arrived that we were sitting outside and our waiter did come over. I also saw someone post that they don't ask you before clearing your plates and this is true. In all honesty,,I do not like to have to ask for my plate to stay on the table so I may finish what little food was on it to begin with. Bring your biggest wallet and try not to be famished when you go.
(3)Charlie S.
Yes it is expensive. It's definitely not for the weak hearted but I am in the business and I see where the labor and high food costs go in. Also one of my top go to restaurants. Never been dissapointed. The chilled udon noodle salad is out of this world and so it the makoto salad. My only complaint, wish is was a little closer to where I lived and not at the bal harbour shops. I always get side tracked and spend more money than budgeted at those damn shops!
(5)Tough C.
Four words: Spicy Tuna Crispy Rice! So tasty and different. The sushi is fresh and good, the service is just OK, but I don't like to rush when I am eating sushi, so it works for me. The decor is very nice, dark woods and soft mood lighting makes for a great dining experience. I recommend it.
(4)Aaron P.
Great place check it out.
(5)Isa P.
Excelent! - The WASABI VEGETABLE FRIED RICE /pickled ginger is delicious and The fruit toban yaki Dessert is YUMMMY!
(5)Karin V.
OK this one is gonna be a bit pricey...but its totally worth it!!! Everything is absolutely delicious, but you must try the Japanese caprese, house salad, udon noodles with chicken, spicy tuna with crispy rice, maki roll with rock shrimp and I could go on and on! They also have a great Sake selection and the service is friendly and unpretentious. Oh and I really loved the cool interior and the Reggae playing in the background, how refreshing and different from the annoying "SoBe boom boom restaurant sound"
(5)Scott P.
Their new sushi chef is absolutely amazing. He used to be an apprentice for the Iron Chef "Morimoto." This guy is the real deal. Definitely worth the trip to Bal Harbour.
(5)Ryan C.
Me and a group of friends had dinner their opening week, so this review is based on a situation that hopefully continues to improve. We ordered the shishito peppers, seafood hotpot, wagyu beef fried rice, tokyo stir fried, foie gras beef rolls, braised beef short ribs, and the sushi sampler, and chicked meatballs. The dining style is similar to "tapas" and our group grazed on a bit of everything. Winners: - shishito peppers, fried rice, tokyo stir fry Losers: - chicken meatballs (basically salt sticks), seafood hotpot (stock was very sweet), sushi sampler (fish quality was reasonable, rice flavor was lacking) In general the restaurant succeeds aesthetically and delivers solid service. Not sure if its opening week jitters, but many of the dishes suffered from over seasoning. I'd be willing to try the restaurant again to see if flavor profiles have improved. I'd recommend this for those that aren't too finicky about sushi and want to have a meal in a beautiful setting.
(3)Anna R.
to me the food here is just average. Nothing exciting, no special flavors at all. The most surprising to me is that they offer the same menu item Katsuya at the new SLS in South Beach offers, which is the spicy tuna cirspy rice with serrano chili. However, the dish here was just bland, the rice was dry and not crispy at all however at Katsuya it is much much better, actually amazing. We had the fire and ice oysters which were good as well as the kobe beef cooked tableside which is a joke. I guess the price shows at only 20 for kobe but we needed 4 orders of them to even remotely feel satisfied. I wouldn't go here again.
(3)chris h.
We went last Sunday for lunch. Both had bento box - one CHIRASHI scattered fish and one SUSHI ROLL spicy tuna, california. They came with salad, soup and a fried rice. Enjoyed everything. We feel the food quality is better than what you get at an average Japanese restaurant. Planning on going back again next week.
(4)Yang H.
This restaurant is WAYYYYYY overrated. First we ordered Lychee martini, I am sorry, it tastes like soapy water and took 20 mins to come out. Second, we ordered Kobe beef cooked on stone, it could not be any saltier! Then, we had the tiger shrimp, this one is not too bad. We also had the sushi sampler for 30. The spicy tuna roll was really suck, all i could taste was spiciness, nothing else. the fish on the sushi was not very good especially shrimp, it looked like been soaking in water for a week. Desert was the mochi platter, however, the flavor was very very light i could nearly taste anything. For better sushi experience i would go sushi samba or sugar cane.
(2)Gregory E.
Went there this past Friday, which I'm told was their busiest day. With a 9pm reservation, we had to wait upwards of 30 minutes to get seated. We were not overly agitated by it, but the host was very kind in offering us drinks while we waited, and schmoozing with us to pass the time. We were told that generally any reservation between 8-10pm is going to have trouble getting seated on time during a prime weekend night. So caveat emptor. That said... Decor: minimalistic, but clean. Smaller parties sit along a long sofa that goes along an entire end of the restaurant (the other side of the table has chairs). Service: Very good and on point without being over the top. We were checked on routinely (as food comes out as it is cooked), and our water glasses were never empty, which is always a good sign. Food: The menu is very diverse, so much to the point where our party stuck to non-sushi items, except for the spicy tuna crispy rice appetizer. Having lived on the west coast for two years, this is a staple dish over there that for some reason has never made it back to the East Coast, short of a few NYC imports (Tao, Koi, etc...). Until now, that is. Makoto had it on the menu, and I couldn't be more thrilled. Executed to perfection. We also shared a number of robata items, including the foie gras (which it was different from what I expected, as the texture was more along the lines of a sausage as opposed to a traditionally seared warm foie gras). We also shared the short rib, which was tender and doused in a great sauce. Additionally, we shared a soup/noodle/beef dish, that was forgettable, as it had more noodles than anything else. What was tasty was the frosty kobe rice.. The texture of the rice was super sticky, and the rest of the ingredients in the dish blended and tasted great. For dessert, we shared the Moshi (very good, but small for $10...just saying) and the raspberry molten chocolate cake with a scoop of ice cream that had been rolled in some sort of flavored rice sprinkles. Very Good! Overall: Being from Broward, this is a good spot to go to instead of traveling even further for Nobu or Zuma. The overall experience was enjoyable, and while I will be back frequently, I will not run back as if it were the best thing since sliced bread.
(4)Derek S.
Amazing menu for casual sushi at my favorite mall, Bal Harbour Shops
(5)Fred O.
Wow. The sushi was absolutely hands down some of the best I've ever had. It's pricey but worth it each piece was like butter. The appetizers (hot) were all delicious!
(5)Stephanie Z.
Love this place! The food is so good. My favorite wasabi fried rice, tuna tataki and the robatas! Service is also very pleasant
(5)Greg K.
Excellent Japanese which just opened in Bal Harbor Shops. The Makoto Ramen Noodles were delicious (meat was more like in a spaghetti sauce but the broth was spicy and delicious). The Foie Grad Beef Robata was also excellent as was the pork belly. We had one beef roll which was disappointing. Prices are on the higher side and portions are small as with all high-end Japanese restaurants. Atmosphere is sophisticated yet at the same time comfortable with a nice outdoor seating area. Very nice option to the Carpaccio/La Golue Mall offering. This one should stick. It is really a 9/10 ( if a 10 start rating applied).
(5)judy b.
One word: excellent! I am not a fan of Bal Harbor Shops. Just can't stand the in your face monied atmosphere, but, I can ignore it to go to this restaurant. The restaurant itself was designed to be comfortable yet still fits in with the rest of the mall (yes, folks, it's a mall). There were three of us and we just kept ordering. The wine list was excellent, and the Marlborough sauvignon blanc was chilled and delish. We ordered probably a third of the menu and everything was top notch. The wagyu beef was outstanding. The seaweed salad delightful, sweet, tangy and just the right amount of sesame. The rolls were extremely fresh and I even ate some toro tuna, which I normally do not eat. The service was beautiful, each presentation crisp and efficient without being overbearing. We sat outside on a comfortable sofa, the fans kept us cool; I highly recommend this restaurant. I do hope they keep it up.
(5)Jean C.
Great innovative cuisine. Nice atmosphere. Attentive service. Probably the best restaurant in Bal Harbor shops.
(5)T. donald H.
This is the worst most overrated restaurant I've had the misfortune to eat in. First, they lost our reservation, then seated us at a dumb table for 7 (we were 10). The horror began with drinks (wine) which took 45 minutes to get. We ordered and waited as one or two dishes were delivered after one hour. Two people never got their order. We left after 3 hours of hell. No management person ever apologized . Waitress insisted on bringing complementary deserts which we declined. The food was fair at best, scallops salty and rubberized. Whole fish never came, rolls took hours to come and were falling apart. Price tag for this misery $930. Incl. 18.5% tip. They even had the nerve to charge $2.00 per bottle for tap water. I wouldn't go back if they paid me.
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