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AltaMare Restaurant
Categories: Restaurants Seafood Restaurants American (New) Seafood, American (New) [Edit]
1233 Lincoln RdMiami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 532-3061
- Hours:
Tue-Thu, Sun 5 pm - 10:30 pm
Fri-Sat 5 pm - 11:30 pm
- Good for Kids:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$$
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Delivery:
- No
- Take-out:
- No
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- No
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Alcohol:
- Full Bar
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Ambience:
- Romantic, Classy
- Has TV:
- Yes
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
61 reviews for AltaMare Restaurant
Review Highlights
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"I started with the grilled octopus." In 7 reviews -
"House made pappardelle, braised short rib, sauté swank..." In 3 reviews -
"The deconstructed tiramisu was so yummy." In 4 reviews
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61 reviews in English
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Review from Gisela C.
5/19/2012
Loved it. Great ambiance, great service, excellent food. Everything we had tasted perfect and fresh.
Can't wait to return. -
Review from Brittany R.
Miami, FL
4/22/2012
I loved this place. But I'm giving it 4 stars because of service. The service was descent, everything was pretty timely, and the server was polite and knowledgeable. However, at the end of the meal, he basically forgot about us after asking if we wanted to see desert menu's and never brought them or came back. We ended up not getting it and just asking for the check because it took so long.
The food was excellent. So fresh. I thought it was some of the best seafood I've had. It's taken us awhile to get here, but I think we will be back. The bread is so good. The grilled octopus appy is phenomenal. The flavors were amazing. We all really enjoyed it. We ordered the Rare Wahoo (excellent consistency and flavor) and the Jefferies House Fettuccine.
The decor is very modern/clean. This place is really great for group dinners (4-6). There are a ton of large tables. My suggestion is to make a reservation, even if you are just 2. -
Review from Melanie L.
Miami, FL
4/16/2012 1 Check-in Here
i went there for lunch and it was raining so the crowd was a little weird. You have you table with the older couple (in their 80's, literally), the sugar daddy and sugar baby couple, and then the tourists who look like they are going to be the people who tell the waiter "we're not hungry, we're going to share_____" suuuuuuuuure you're not hungry. Ok I kid I kid I don't mean to be harsh but it IS kind of funny.
So it's a quaint little place on Lincoln Road next to Haven. For a FIRST, I finally found a restaurant with good service. WHAT you say? Good service exists in Miami? Well one fine day aka a few days ago, it most definitely did. It was like after I had a SIP of water it was replenished. I had a pasta dish and it was pretty good. My fiance had a fish dish (as their menu is literally almost ALL fish) but he didn't care for it too much. I think we will definitely give this place another try come dinner time and when I am in the mood for fish :) -
Review from Franny A.
4/11/2012
Another "Red Sauce Italian" goes Northern. This "popular with locals" seafood spot renovated and went Northern. It is a trend.
Jeffreys homemade pasta with seafood, asparagus and snowpeas- $19
Farmers salad with ramps, heirloom tomatoes- $13
Bread was unremarkable- liked the bread of years ago better otherwise food was delicious. Pasta was a lovely mix of shrimp, scallops and calamari and salad was interesting, foraged tasting, unusual! Still a local seafood fave.Listed in: MIA all the way!
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Review from Mona N.
New York, NY
3/26/2012 2 photos
South Beach is this bizarre pocket in the US where the restaurant pricing is astronomical. Coming from someone who's lived and dined in SF, LA, Tokyo and currently living in NY, the price point to quality ratio just makes zero sense. $80 for a piece of meat with chunks of mango and cilantro? Suuuuuure, whatever.
AltaMare was a pleasant surprise in a sea of overpriced, below average establishments. Granted, my dining companion and I chose to have appetizers as our meal but overall, it was very tasty.
- ceviche
- grilled octopus
- BBQ pork belly with pickled cauliflower and Romanesco broccoli (we ordered two!) were definitely winners
The losers: tuna tar tar and asparagus
For drinks, we started out with glasses of champagne we enjoyed with the ceviche and tar tar and ordered a bottle of wine to drink with the heavier foods. I requested the wine to be decanted and the server waited until our champagne glasses were empty, taken away and the pork belly served until he started decanting.
Very peculiar.
Perhaps we should've ordered mojitos or something. -
Review from Paul M.
2/21/2012 Seated via OpenTable 1 Check-in Here
This place has been here so long I honestly can't believe we took so long to check it out. After numerous recommendations we took my seafood fanatic brother in law here for dinner. WTF was I thinking waiting so long??
Seriously some of the best quality seafood I have had in Miami. The menu changes frequently depending on what fresh fish are available. We had the snapper, grouper, and hogfish which were all spectacular. I would say that the local hog fish was the star of the show and was simply divine. We also had the special FL oyster appetizer which was very good albeit on the smallish side.
Altogether, what a great experience - fresh, local fish, excellent service, and great secluded location make this place a big winner. It's a bit pricey but definitely worth a visit if you want some delicious seafood. -
Review from Megan W.
1/10/2012 1 Check-in Here
Stopped by for a few drinks Saturday evening. Everything smelled and looked amazing. The crowd is a bit older than other places in the area (like Haven right next door). My friend pointed out that there was no background music; maybe its just bad acoustics.
Seemed like the perfect place to take your parents or anyone else who likes seafood and would appreciate the classiness as opposed to trendiness. Looking forward to returning for a nice dinner! -
Review from Gabriella K.
Manhattan, NY
5/3/2012
This place is delicious, and that has been the truth for years. The salads are fresh and sometime local and organic, the selection of fish is wonderful (sometimes includes fish I've never before heard of). Dishes are always accompanied by perfect sides, the ambiance is nice (and slightly out of Lincoln Road's foot traffic), and the service is great. What more can you ask for?
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Review from Andy D.
I didn't know whether to entitle this "Revenge of the Mother" or "Always listen to your Mother"
On this fateful evening I chose to take my mom out to dinner. Any suggestions, expecting to hear none, but to my surprise she wanted to go to Altamar. I hadn't heard of that one mom, is it on the beach. as any restaurant on the beach, it's street parking. The Miami Beach Parking Nazi' are adept at ruining your day, so I wasn't to thrilled going, especially receiving suggestions like park there, mom it's a loading zone, we'll park there anyway!
Eventually parking was found, and the short walk to Altamare allowed me to peruse the Yelp site, where not only did I learn Altamare is delicious, but way pricey too. We sat outside and watched as other luckier souls got parking spaces.
Our waiter was very helpful and very much informed. He gave us the specials, which sounded so good I ordered the app special, which was crostini' shredded veal and a soft boiled egg. I can't tell you how good it was without drooling all over my self. On to the Pumpkin Swordfish (a swordfish with a pumpkin colored hue) this was on top Sunchokes and Chantrelle mushrooms. This to was excellent. My mom had Wreck Fish, which is close cousins to the Sea Bass. This to was excellent. Some of the best seafood Ive had in Miami as a matter of fact.
Guess mom was right, patents with the parking though!Listed in: If I Were On Death Row
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Review from ReviewHaiku F.
Manhattan, NY
12/19/2011 Seated via OpenTable
Fantastic pasta*
With a New York feel and price,
I expected more**.
*fettucini was amazing
**mussels were a let down -
Review from Persia T.
New York, NY
12/7/2011
Amazing.
We were visiting from NY and looking for a fresh seafood dinner.
Everything was pitch perfect.
Ambience is not over the top, the fish was amazing - all delicious, clean flavorful dishes with simple ingredients and the servers were fantastic.
There were four of us in our group and we all ordered a different fish dish and they were all soo good!
Next time I'm in Miami - I'll definitely be back. -
Review from Katy C.
Brooklyn, NY
1/31/2012 Seated via OpenTable
My husband and I went here for a nice dinner while visiting Miami. The service was friendly and fast, but not particularly attentive. And this a small thing but I always feel like the bread a restaurant serves speaks a lot about the quality of the restaurant and this bread was not terribly good. Both my husband and I were underwhelmed by our entrees, I had the fettucine which was extremely oily and my husband had the fish and chips which was bland and tasteless. I had the special appetizer of Spanish Mackerel. Considering the prices at this restaurant, I probably wouldn't go back.
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Review from Art V.
Atlanta, GA
2/15/2012
Dined with 3 friends.
Nice Latin waiter. Bit of a speed talker.
We needed to listen carefully.
Bread was semi dried out.
Clientele were for the most part well into the AARP zone. I didn't think that the retirement crowd stayed up past the early bird hour.
Apps were far better than the entrees. Grilled pork belly was very good.
Entrees were disappointing. Generally underseasoned and uninteresting. Brussels sprouts were raw and upon request were replaced with a cooked vegetable.
We went elsewhere for dessert as we felt that we weren't getting good value for the $ spent thus far. Altamare is expensive. Apps are 50% or more of the avg entree price.
They also pissed me off by adding an automatic tip. The waiter cost himself an additional 5% by doing so. -
Review from Annabella S.
Miami Beach, FL
6/14/2011
I admit.
I was wrong.
I shunned a place for 8 years- because I didn't like the idea of sitting next to parked cars, eating a $25+ entree.
So here I am. Deep into my eight year as a South Beach resident. A once-resident of Sunshine Bay at 1441 Lincoln Road- where passing AltaMare was necessary to get home. Where AltaMare could not be missed. Where friends RAVED about the deliciousness of the food.
But me being the hater, skeptic that I am- told myself that I would not eat next to cars unless I was at at a state fair (AK preferably)- never went there.
Until tonight. Our great dear friend, Jody was bartending- and so we decided to try it. As a South Beach local- you crave a place that is not trendy or familiar or the latest and greatest on yelp (heh heh)- nor costs a cabride onto mainland. but rather a place that you can walk to, that is full of locals and familiar faces and wowza delicious food. I decided I finally found that place- and it was tonight at AltaMare. We found our "Cheers".
For starters- Jody created a most delectably perfect vodka martini.
I told him three words- vodka, fresh, not sugary.
Voila- he shook up some fresh ginger with vodka with a hint of lime. A perfect martini.
Our starter was the home made wild mushroom ravioli.
My husband who always demands animal protein with every. single. meal.- loved it too. But then again, pour some of that liquid gold- a.k.a. truffle oil- on any dish- and you have him, "hook line and sinker"...but damn- they were good. Perfectly creamy, visibly fresh mandolined wild mushrooms lightly swirled in pillowy soft, mushroom stuffed pochettes of heaven. Better than Quattro's crack-like ravioli. Yes. MUST have the ravioli
For the main- we opted for 3 starters. The Octopus, Scallops and Vietnamese Fish Cakes. The Octopus was like buttah. Melt in your mouth, flavorful goodnes- atop my fave old-world Italian grain, faro grano. Again- perfectly, pearlescently goodness.
The Scallops were delish. Meaty and savory. A very lightly tomato-based yumminess. Delicious- will order again, but not before trying other things...just to be sure (kinda like dating).
The Vietnamese Fish Cakes. Now- this is where my Torontonian comes out... Born and raised in one of the world's most multi-cultural cities I can certifiably confirm that I have a diverse palette. So guess what, I wasn't a fan of the fish cakes. Susur Lee redefined the Fish Cake. These were the Tofurky of turkey. Just not right.
It screamed for a slightly fishier, scallion'ey and gingery (less vinegary), taste and denser texture. This was similar to a South Florida fish cake. Delicious and flaky. And far from "Vietnamese". Notice though- it wasn't bad enough to discount my FIVE STAR RATING so it could have been worse.
Anyway- since time is money when you are paying a sitter- we drank a few more cocktails, wrapped up with a delicious California Cabernet (a new fave of mine these days)- had laughs, food orgasms, met new friends and then power-walked home so I could yelp. And pay the sitter.
So- yes, I skeptic and hater- admit I was wrong.
Because after all of these years- I realize that AltaMare was so right. -
Review from Thomas B.
Miami Beach, FL
6/15/2011
When you live in a city known for its gorgeous beaches and beautiful marine life, it is practically a requirement to have a discerning taste when it comes to seafood. And as a tried and true Florida boy, I would like to think I do. Since moving to Miami from my hometown of Pensacola, I have tried a number of seafood restaurants and have rarely been blown away. Up until now, The River Oyster Bar and Garcia's in Downtown Miami have been my favorite spots to enjoy some of South Florida's delicious seafood fare, but had yet to really find a seafood restaurant on the beach for locals that really knew how to focus on the fish by keeping the ingredients and concept simple.
AltaMare really brings diners back to the basics. You may not see sparks flying out of champagne bottles or cakes topped with hot pink cotton candy, but you certainly got the freshest fish in town served in a way that only accentuated the salty seas that surround our multi-billion dollar sandbar.
When it comes to the menu, chef Simon decided to put the fish first and the ingredients second, allowing the flavor of the super fresh seafood to really shine, as opposed to being masked by a ridiculous amount of herbs and seasonings.
For an appetizer, my friend and I decided to put chef Simon to the test by ordering the grilled octopus with ferro and a saffron aioli. Octopus is a pretty difficult dish to get right, as most chefs tend to cook it to the point that it becomes chewy and almost impossible to eat. If he could get this right, everything else was sure to be fabulous. As for our entrees, we decided to split the hogfish served with a romesco sauce and a simple baby arugula and artichoke salad, as well as the New York strip - I definitely love seafood, but I wanted to experience something a little off the wall during this dinner.
Within minutes of placing the order, our food began to arrive. The first dish, of course, was the octopus, and it was grilled to perfection. Definitely not over cooked. Instead, the inside was moist and flavorful, while the outside had the perfect amount of char. And if that were not enough, the ferro - which I had never tasted before - was fantastic and very flavorful. You know you are dealing with a seasoned chef when he can make a very simple grain like ferro taste delectable.
As for the entrees, the New York strip was exactly that - a high grade of beef thrown on a grill. There was nothing about it that excited me or made me crave for more. If seafood is not your thing, I would certainly recommend it, but otherwise, I would stick to what Altamare is known for. The hogfish was terrific, and the romesco sauce was certainly a unique addition. I personally loved the simplicity of this dish, including the baby arugula salad with baby artichokes and a lemon and olive oil dressing. -
Review from Clint W.
Miami Beach, FL
5/7/2011
Went to AltaMare for the first time this evening. Generally good food with a few misses here and there...
-We had no problem getting a seat outdoors on a perfect Saturday night. Our waiter Patricio was very friendly and knowledgeable. (Very good customer serivce in general, they even replace your silverware after each meal) We didnt order any drinks (other than soft drinks), but wanted try the Fish Cakes as the starter. EXCELLENT CHOICE. The cakes were done PERFECTLY and the broth really made the appetizer having an almost Caviche taste to it. We found ourselves soaking up the broth with the fish cakes and the bread. A good start. We could have had several more servings.
- My wife had the House Made Pappardelle and I ordered the Fettucini with Rock Shrimp. Overall my wife throughly enjoyed her meal as the meat was cooked well, though she did notice the pasta was a bit undercooked.
- My meal was somewhat less enjoyable. The fettucine came with a generous portion of snap peas and asparagus shoots but the amount of shrimp offfered was definitely lacking. Of more concern was the toughness of my pasta. I like "al dente" pasta, but I actually found it VERY undercooked. (Actually had to cut it with a knife). I also ordered my meal with light garlic, but overall found the meal a bit bland for my liking.
We did not have dessert but I did order the cappacino which was quite good.
Pricey, but a pretty good evening. Just get the pasta right and it will warrant more stars. -
Review from Monique M.
Washington, DC
3/16/2011 1 Check-in Here
I bought a coupon for this place off of Living Social a couple weeks ago...$40 worth of food for $20. Silly me for thinking that would actually make a dent in our bill.
After a fantastic cheese course, strawberry mojitos, wine, scallops, pasta, and on and on...our bill came to an easy $150. Oh well. it was worth it. Pleasant, italian cuisine, with no surprises...happy to say we had big round bellies and warm & fuzzies as we stumbled away.
We sat outdoors, enjoying the sunset, and eclectic foot traffic. There were at least 4 waiters at our beck and call, ready to spring into action at the first sign of empty glass or plate. And if I'm not mistaken, a good chunk of the staff was Argentinean, which made for a nice background soundtrack.
Reservations are recommended, but we called ahead, and they said we'd have no trouble getting a seat before 6:30.
For the occasional indulgent splurge meal, Altamare will get it done. -
Review from Susie G.
Miami, FL
12/31/2010
I'm genuinely surprised this place doesn't have more reviews. I had one of the most sublime meals of my life here - pure perfection, from the scallop cerviche appetizer to the incomparable semifreddo dessert. Everything was completely fresh and delicious. The service was wonderful - our waiter was super attentive, friendly, and made excellent suggestions. It wasn't cheap, but the atmosphere, food, service, and (perhaps most surprisingly) dessert made it well worth the money.
Another word about the dessert - as I mentioned above, I had the chocolate peanut butter semifreddo, which was just melt-in-your-mouth perfection. However, the show-stealer was the deconstructed tiramisu. I am literally unable to adequately describe how delicious this dessert was. I kept stealing bites of it off my sister's plate. Absolutely AMAZING.
In sum, if you're looking for a fantastic meal on the beach without the typical Miami bullshit, come here! -
Review from Lourdes W.
Miami, FL
3/7/2011
Off the Lincoln Road beaten path is this savory seafood restaurant. This place is on the other side of Alton, but packs a serious punch with the best service I've had in Miami and amazing seafood dishes.
The restaurant has indoor/outdoor seating. We chose inside which gave us a view of the a really modern kitchen and bar. The lighting was dim so it still had a romantic vibe.
Mushroom truffle ravioli is what we started with and can I say "Oh My God". They were very generous with the shaved pieces of black truffle and the sauce was truly amazing. So good, that we dipped our bread in it!
I had the peppercorn seared tuna which was in a sweet sauce with bok choy. Again, this sauce is what made this plate different from any other seared tuna I have ever had. It was a tsunami of flavor. My date ordered the cobia, which she had never heard of before, but the server recommended it. She said it was seasoned and grilled to perfection.
The server took his time explaining all of the seafood dishes and even offered to make a special dish in the event we did not like the fish and sauce combinations. The menu changes daily. The desserts looked good, but we just could not eat any more. We were pleasantly full with this healthy meal. If you like Oceanaire, this is comparable minus the chain-like feel to it. I've been looking for a place like this. AltaMare is quaint and delicious! -
Review from Max D.
Boca Raton, FL
Food outstanding- small European sized portions, but big South Beach prices. Be prepared to open your wallets. Servers are attentive but you sometimes have to track them down. I'll return, but will be cautious what I order - all the salads are way overpriced as are most of the appetizers.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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5/17/2011
Outstanding attentive service. Dined outside on a Thursday night. Lots of street traffic, good… Read more »
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Review from Morgan M.
Miami, FL
6/26/2011
We went here for a date last week. I had a groupon for here that was about to expire so we hurried on over.
The ambiance is classy, but low key. We sat outside and were lucky to have live music coming from a spanish guitarist playing at the restaurant adjacent to ours.
We've been trying to live on the cheap more lately, but we came prepared that this restaurant is a bit more expensive than our usual fare. Since we were trying to stay within our groupon amount it made choosing entrees somewhat tricky, we decided on the Beer Battered Snapper with yukon potato wedges and house made pappardelle with braised short ribs.
They serve very nice fresh bread here and a light breeze picked up while were waiting on our food. Some may complain about sitting next to a street, but its not a busy street and it has its own special Sobe charm. Of course you can sit inside for a classier date.
Our entrees arrived.... the snapper looked great even before tasting it. And it was SO good! It was served very simply on paper with a great pickled cucumber tartar style (but better!) sauce and piping hot Yukon wedges. It is so hard to find restaurants that actually know how to cook seafood with a minimal amount of seasonings and let the fresh flavors speak for themselves. AltaMare is one of the few places that does this well.
The pappardelle is a very wide thin pasta (think extra wide egg noodle) it was really good. The braised short rib was shredded and served with this awesome tomato sauce and melted chunks of buffalo mozzarella. My husband loves oxtail and I thought of him immediately because the braised rib tasted very similar to oxtail. He loved it, we loved it all..... It is a good day when you can find absolutely nothing at fault with your meal.
You probably won't get out of here under $80 - $100 for a couple, but the food quality is excellent and you should definitely add it to your short list of fine restaurants. -
Review from Michael S.
Coral Gables, FL
Updated - 10/12/2010 1 Check-in Here
Just had the best ceviche I have had in Miami. The cobia ceviche is out of this world. The octopus is great, the scallops are great...... I haven't had anything bad yet. Our wine was excellent, a falanghina, and fairly priced for an Italian wine at an upscale Italian restaurant.
The service can be spotty. We had a waiter several weeks ago that was very good. Last weekend, the waiter couldn't care less. Stick with the older, experienced waiters.Listed in: Top Restaurants
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/20/2009
This restaurant may have the best fish in Miami. They certainly have the freshest. Every meal I have… Read more »
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Review from Ute L.
3/21/2011
Three stars solely based on the prices in relation to portion size. The service is impeccable and it certainly does not hurt that the wait staff looks like out of Italian GQ magazine. We were unfamiliar with some of the local fresh fish menu options and our waiter was very helpful in explaining their different textures and flavors. I do understand their menu changes frequently based on seasonal items and fresh fish availability. Fennel seemed to be a popular menu addition as it is in season right now. Here is what we decided to order:
Cold cobia appetizer- Thinly slided raw cobia, very small serving. The delicate flavor of the fish was overpowered by the saltiness of the marinade. Not worth the price.
Seared scallops appetizer- The table next to us ordered this and it looked so great that I chose this as my entree. The scallops are phenomenal and the pink sauce they are served with so delicious I had to dip my bread in it. You do get three jumbo scallops which was perfect for me.
Seared cobia entree- This is very similar to rare tuna except milder in flavor and lighter in color. The texture was buttery and soft and I really liked it but the BF thought it was too fishy.
Goat cheesecake- Disappointing. Small portion and you can't really taste the goat cheese. As I understand it, they use a blend of ricotta and goat cheese. I would have liked more tang from the goat cheese but it was pretty much an orange flavored ricotta cheesecake.
Flourless chocolate cake- This was delicious and the portion size was just right as this is a rich dessert. It is nothing like the flourless chocolate cake one would expect. It is neither warm nor souffle like nor does it have a liquid center. It is served chilled and the texture somewhere between a dark chocolate cheesecake and a mousse. Very rich and decadent, I do recommend it if you like dark chocolate.
All in all, I think the prices are a tad high but we didn't mind it so much because they have the service and food quality to back it up. -
Review from Christine K.
Miami Beach, FL
11/1/2010
When you are enjoying the most sublime version of Tiramisu ever, and out of nowhere angelic chanting and soaring music materializes, adding a little extra something to this very celestial experience, you know you have found a very special place.
But wait, you may ask, why review dessert, is this not a seafood restaurant?
Well yes, of course it is. Let''s rewind, Lost style, to the beginning.
A long lost visiting friend from Chicago had picked Alta Mare for us to get together after years of not seeing each other. I had walked by a few times and checked the menu, but for some reason or other was never 100% convinced to stop in, so I figured this would be a great opportunity to finally try the place.
We were seated inside in a lovely dining room, and instantly were greeted by our server and were told about how the fish is sourced from local fishermen and not larger purveyors. He also gave us a few recommendations and explained several dishes on the menu. A basket of warm breads arrived at the table along with butter and olive oil & balsamic.
We ordered a lovely Louis Latour Pouilly Fuisse and the Crudo of Wahoo and grilled Octopus with Farro, Chorizo, Lemon and Saffron Alioli for starters. Both were absolutely delicious, especially the Octopus which in every bite revealed a different layer of flavors. After that we had the Beer Batter Snapper with a Cucumber-Dill Creme Fraiche and Grouper with a Meyer Lemon & Pistacho Risotto. Another hit, everything was perfectly seasoned and although the grouper was sligtly undercooked a quick trip back to the kitchen returned it to us "just right".
After this we were very very happy and full but when asked if we wanted to see the dessert menu my friend agreed, at which point our lovely waiter explained a little about how the desserts were made in house, and recommended the Deconstructed Tiramisu. I however, was all for ordering their cheese plate - which actually is listed among starters rather than desserts- and at the same time three other options caught my friends eye instead of the suggested Tiramisu. She asked the waiter which one of these three he would recommend. Tiramisu, he replied. Since he had not led us astray so far, the cheese plate, plum tart and two other desserts went by the wayside and Deconstructed Tiramisu it was.
Shortly a plate of ladyfingers covered with house made Mascarpone Mousse, generously dusted with Cocoa were placed on the table after which a cup of Bailey Irish Cream and a cup of Espresso were each poured into the plate.
Cue the celestial choir please.
It was Absolutely Heavenly!
This was a wonderful dining experience, with the kind of service that is so rare these days; competent, unobtrusive, yet always there when needed. The food was cooked with heart and even the little miss with the slightly raw center of the grouper was resolved so quickly and easily it didn't make a dent into what was otherwise a flawless meal.Listed in: Best Eats
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Review from Samantha G.
Miami Beach, FL
7/26/2011
so I have been craving seafood; and weirdly its not readily available around miami, good seafood (you know what I mean)...
anyhow on to the vibe/feel; cozy and comfy. at the end of lincoln; towards west for me which was convienent. I have consistently noticied altamare on lists of restaurants in miami and finally tried it and I'm sure glad I did.
we had a lovely attentive waiter; who explained the menu and specials. we had the scallops and shrimp soup for the appertizers. both were amazing! the soup was not overpowering or too fishy. it was perfect. the scallops were exremely tasty, its 3-4 large scallops in a tomato light sauce with a sprinkling of fried onions...YUM
entrees were the amazing grouper on top of the most garlicky and light gazpacho, on top of one (wished there was 5) crostini toasts, that soaked up the sauce. the grouper was a decent size, filling. BF had parpadelle with short rib; I had a few bites, short rib was good, as most high profile restaruants are, and the pasta was cooked again perfectly...
we were stuffed so no dessert for us...so overall, a lovely date and yummy place for a great fish dinner....got a feeling every dish on the menu wouldnt disappoint...Ill be back altamare!!! -
Review from Downtown C.
Los Angeles, CA
1/16/2011
The Best Italian Seafood in all of South Florida. High end cuisine, with equal service. I can always count on AltaMar. Delicious.
Jeffrey's pasta, Fish and Chips, Soup De Jours, Salads and Entrees always amaze but specials will knock your sox off!
Fine dinning fine service. Above excellent experiences. -
Review from Michelle T.
Miami, FL
8/18/2009
Man oh man, I haven't had such an enjoyable meal in a long time! I guess I was overdue for one.
So I ended up going to AltaMar after being unable to pick a spot on South Beach for dinner with a friend of mine. AltaMar is an Italian/seafood restaurant that I had heard really good things about, but never had the chance to actually go there. Boy was I glad I finally got my chance!
Upon seating we were given two kinds of bread with two kinds of butter - one unsalted and the other with, I believe, an anchovy flavor. The bread was good despite the fact that some of the thinner slices were too hard from being warmed too long. The anchovy flavored butter was interesting. I preferred it to the unsalted butter.
For dinner, my friend and I decided to share two dishes: the breaded and fried mackerel with tomatoes, creamed mashed potatoes & sauteed (or were they steamed?) veggies and the black truffle and wild mushroom homemade ravioli with truffled butter sauce.
Man, just typing that up right now made my mouth begin to water.
It was the first time either of us had ever tried mackerel and holy mackerel was it good! The breading for the fish was seasoned to perfection and was complimented wonderfully by the chopped tomatoes that were served all over it. The creamed mashed potatoes were also seasoned perfectly and were quite yummy. And the sauteed, or perhaps they were steamed, zucchini and squash were cooked al dente and were, once again, seasoned to perfection. The black truffle and wild mushroom homemade ravioli with truffled butter sauce was just simply delicious. The texture of the wild mushrooms along with the flavor of black truffle in my mouth was simply heaven. By the time I hit my last bite of both dishes I was wishing I had more.
For dessert, we shared the crème brûlée. The caramelized sugar on top was nice and hard, but the custard inside could have afforded to chill a little longer as it was a bit too soft. The flavor of the custard was on point, though.
By the end of the meal I really couldn't believe how much I enjoyed it. I hope to go back there again soon! -
Review from Preston C.
Miami, FL
11/8/2008
This has to be my favorite restaurant on SoBe.... not pretentious, just amazing food from the freshest ingredients.
Just about everything is amazing from their "Crudo" (raw tuna very thinly presented on a plate covered with olive oil and some salt) to their octopus carpaccio or their golden crab...
One my my favorite dishes is the mackarel, breaded and presented with mashed potatoes and vegetables... Also the grouper ravioli with butter sage sauce is out of this world!
Chef/Owner Claudio is always there to greet customers, overall a very nice experience, I dont feel like a tourist in my own town. 2 thumbs up, go there now and thank me later -
Review from Stein S.
Miami Beach, FL
1/4/2009
I saw this place a couple of times just driving by, came onto yelp to see the reviews, and gave it a shot.
It was FABULOUS!
I had tomato/wine broth mussles for an appetizer, and the special of the day--golden crab linguine--for my main dish.
The waiters were very attentive, i.e. take a drink of water and its magically replenished within 2.5 seconds, and the seating outdoors was clean, and great for people watching.
I highly recommend, especially for those looking to satisfy a delicious seafood craving :) -
Review from Liana S.
Miami Beach, FL
3/25/2009
Had 2 fish dishes. Bf had the seared Tilefish and I had the sesame crusted Wahoo with 'Oriental' dressing. (I thought nowadays we only used the term Oriental for rugs ... but I digress).
Service was good- we got there a little after 10 and they closed at 10:30, they were nice and didn't try to rush us, and were attentive but not overbearing.
Fish was great. Fresh, really well cooked and nice, simple flavors. The sides are what got me a little. We both had the same exact sides. A nice mash/puree of potatoes and sauteed veggies. When I order an entree that is priced between $28 - $32, I expect a little more thought to go into the accompaniments. Not to say that it wasn't tasty; the sides were also well done. You get me? I mean, did all the entrees have the same sides? If I'm getting an 'Oriental' inspired dish, give me some bok choy or something!
Nice seating area outside, but you will be next to parked cars... at least not a busy, noisy street.
Kinda expensive. 2 entrees and 1 hot tea was $80 (including tax and tip). -
Review from Steven G.
Miami, FL
10/14/2010
Outstanding! This is the best fish joint in the county. Period, end of discussion. Any one want to meet outside and discuss it like a man?
The mutton snapper was a revelation. The service is excellent. We ate at the captain's table and had a blast! -
Review from Jennifer R.
Miami, FL
12/21/2008
It's a cute little seafood restaurant off the crowded Lincoln Road. The capacity inside the restaurant is maybe 25 people and outside can seat about the same.
Great appetizers and awesome desserts, the main courses were okay.
The service was SLOW but attentive. A fews of the guys didn't not realize that this place was beer and wine only, NO LIQUOR.
One of the girls had to send back her scallops because it tasted Clorox-ish.
The food was good but I got massive stomach ache on the way home, I think the bad scallops got to me.
I would give it another try to redeem the experience but only on someone else's dime; it was too expensive for OKAY seafood. -
Review from Paula K.
Jersey City, NJ
9/16/2011
I ordered at the bar and stuck with the bartender's suggestions- cobia ceviche, grilled octopus on a bed of farro and chorizo, and a side of cauliflower with salsa verde. Amazing! Bartender was really nice and the place is upscale yet not too snooty.
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Review from David C.
Chicago, IL
9/11/2010
I ate here for my birthday and it was a nice gift! The food here is fantastic. The staff was friendly.... it was a wonderful dinner.
I started with the grilled octopus... sooo tasty. The flavor blew me away. My dining companion really loved it as well... he did not think he would like it but loved it. This is really a must for those who love octopus.
For dinner I had the grilled grouper. It too was very good. Cooked to perfection.
And to end the meal I had the dulce de leche crepes. Sweet... just like it like it.... it too come with a scoop of dulce de leche ice cream! Yum!
If you are looking for fresh and savory seafood.... this is your spot! -
Review from Rob L.
Bay Area
10/1/2009
FRESH SEAFOOD SERVED WITH AN ITALIAN FLAIR
We walked down the dozens of restaurants on the trendy Lincoln Avenue and ended up at Alta Mar because it was at the end of the strip. It was a hot evening and we were seated between two first dates. It was amusing to listen to the conversations and watch all of the body language.
Imported Mozzarella Di Bufala Caprese
A fresh salad of mozzarella, tomatoes, and basil. It was a very tasty appetizer but could of used more than four leaves of basil.
Clam Linguini
The clam linguini arrived perfectly cooked and was surrounded by fresh clams. As I was eating the pasta, I noticed subtle flavors of cilantro and ginger. It was a well-composed dish and none of the flavors were overpowering.
Striped Sea Bass
L ordered the striped sea bass and said, "It was much better than I expected." The fish was perfectly cooked and tasted fresh.
The service was absolutely amazing. We never had to ask for anything, the servers appeared to read our mind. Excellent service, fresh seafood, intimate (small) dining room, and a little pricey. -
Review from Rachel S.
6/11/2011 1 Check-in Here
A hidden gem on Lincoln road yet away from the busy touristed pedestrian mall. I had a Living Social Deal for $20 for $40 worth of food. Originally wanted to share with a friend. After checking out the menu I realized it may not even be enough for 1. I had 1 entree (seafood pot) and 1 glass of wine. The bill was over $60. Although a bit pricey, the food was high quality, delicious, and the service was good. I would go back and try more of their dishes.
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Review from P L.
Boston, MA
1/4/2009
This place is OK at best. Location wise, it may be outdoors seating, but you are sitting beside parked cars, so, you may as well be a car. Food wise, it wasn't anything to write home about and was a little too pricey for the quality. I mean, it tasted ok, but I had a sneaking suspicion that my meal (some mahi mahi dish) was reheated. My mahi mahi was $36 and most of the decent seafood specials were $30+.
They had a decent selection of wine (good value), and only 3 beers to choose from. The service wasn't too bad, however they had no advice to offer when questioning the menu choices, and I guess are just there to take orders.
Although our meals and experience was OK .. we don't plan to revisit. -
Review from Ms Critique S.
San Francisco, CA
9/26/2010
LOVED this place. This was one of my favorite restaurants in Miami. I had the grouper which was delicious!!
The tiramisu was the best I've ever had. It's delicious!!!
I wasn't a fan of the appetizers: crab meat with olive oil (the olive oil over powered and made the crab way too bitter) and the scallop ceviche. Their plates were warm and made the ceviche warm/nasty.
Overall, it was a great restaurant though and I'll be back. :) -
Review from Kevin W.
Miami, FL
2/14/2011
Unreal fresh fish. Menu changes somewhat daily in this regard. You must try Jeffrey's pasta named after the dude on Burn Notice. It is fettucine, rock shrimp and baby asparagus. Yummy!! Also, must try Hogfish carpacio. I went here 2 Saturday nights in a row since it is so good!! Enjoy
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Review from Jaimisa G.
Seattle, WA
8/2/2010
The concierge at the Besty Hotel suggested Altamare for our group, and it was great! The menu had a wide range of food choices and price options which is great when you have a lot of people to worry about. I shared the tuna tartare, beet salad and the grilled octopus with a friend. The tartare was fantastic, but the octopus took the grand prize!! Eveyone had a great time,espcially after the DJ started going and we literally started a block party on the sidewalk
It was another great miami meal! I'm so pleased to see the variety of quality food and service expanding in the city!
