Need some dining recommendations (Miami, South Beach: hotel, living in, restaurants)

[BigCheeze]

My company has some stuff in Miami, close to South Beach. I have to go there a couple times a year, and I'm getting burned out on the whole Ocean Drive/South Beach thing. While the food is generally good, it's over priced and the service is often... lacking.

So I'm looking to find some place some what close to South Beach and/or the seaside mall area. As my hotel is in South Beach and we work around the Seaside mall area.

I'm looking for any type of food, for any meal (I admit though that I generally eat breakfast at The Big Pink because I like the food, it's ok priced and I normally get reasonably good service). I will have a car so I can drive some place, hopefully not more than 20 - 30 min drive though. Budget would some place under $50 for dinner or $25 for lunch (if it's a really good lunch thing I can reverse those though ).

I really do have pretty diverse tastes, do like spicy food, seafood, Asian, etc... So looking for something new, good, and maybe not something someone originally from California, now living in Colorado would have had before. Thanks!!!

[doggiebus]

When you say Seaside Mall I assume you mean Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami???? Some different places to try would be Tobacco Road just west of Brickell Ave. its a hole in the wall kind of place but it has a lot of history and its cheap. For dinner you could try the Mexican restaurant or Oceanaire (a chain restaurant not sure if it would fit your budget????) at Mary Brickell Village. Also on Brickell Gordon Biersh, Deli Lane, Au Bon Pon, Perricones all good. On Brickell Key theres a good Italian restaurant called Brassiere.

Then a few minutes south in Coconut Grove there are a few other restaurants. Scotty's Landing is on the water a cheap plastic chairs kind of place. Mr. Moes and Green Street Cafe, The Sandbar, Senor Frogs are some of our cheaper favorites there.

[spyderman33]

I love Zuperpollo on Coral Way (cheap and delicious)... Chocolate on Coral Way is also pretty good and within that price range...

Now in the Gables, you can have a field day... There is a ton... Cafe Abracci, Christie's, Gastronomia, Puchettas, Gables Diner, Graziano's. Nexxt, Bugatti, Pascals to name a few...

[BigCheeze]

Originally Posted by doggiebus

When you say Seaside Mall I assume you mean Bayside Marketplace in downtown Miami???? Some different places to try would be Tobacco Road just west of Brickell Ave. its a hole in the wall kind of place but it has a lot of history and its cheap. For dinner you could try the Mexican restaurant or Oceanaire (a chain restaurant not sure if it would fit your budget????) at Mary Brickell Village. Also on Brickell Gordon Biersh, Deli Lane, Au Bon Pon, Perricones all good. On Brickell Key theres a good Italian restaurant called Brassiere.

Then a few minutes south in Coconut Grove there are a few other restaurants. Scotty's Landing is on the water a cheap plastic chairs kind of place. Mr. Moes and Green Street Cafe, The Sandbar, Senor Frogs are some of our cheaper favorites there.

I apologize, yes I mean Bayside Marketplace. The place where they launch the cruise ships from and the arena.

Thanks (to both you and spyderman33) for the recommendations, I'll take a look at them.

Also where is a good place to get some good LOCAL micro-brews? One time I asked in the bars/liquor stores in South Beach and I just got blank stares...

Lastly... if there is just some place that the food/service/whatever is so great that I really should go, price be damed. Company will only pay the first $50, I will pay the rest

[nicsma2002]

Originally Posted by BigCheeze

Lastly... if there is just some place that the food/service/whatever is so great that I really should go, price be damed. Company will only pay the first $50, I will pay the rest

Well if that's the case:

http://www.thecapitalgrille.com/

I've never been there myself, but have heard great things. Be prepared to shell out some bucks.

I just realized it's a chain, don't know if you're interested in that.

[BigCheeze]

Thanks nicsma2002, but yea I'm not really looking for any high-end chain places. I can find them any place, looking for something more unique.