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- Hours:
Mon-Sun 11 am - 12 am
- Delivery:
- No
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Street, Private Lot
- Attire:
- Casual
- Good for Groups:
- Yes
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Takes Reservations:
- Yes
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Take-out:
- Yes
- Waiter Service:
- Yes
- Outdoor Seating:
- Yes
- Wi-Fi:
- Free
- Good For:
- Dinner
- Music:
- Background
- Best Nights:
- Fri, Thu, Sat
- Happy Hour:
- No
- Alcohol:
- Beer & Wine Only
- Smoking:
- No
- Coat Check:
- No
- Noise Level:
- Average
- Good For Dancing:
- No
- Ambience:
- Casual
- Has TV:
- No
- Caters:
- No
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
232 reviews for Buena Vista Bistro
Review Highlights
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"The lamb chops were excellent and succulent." In 33 reviews -
"French restaurant located in the design district." In 19 reviews -
"The apple tart with a scoop of vanilla icecream." In 10 reviews
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232 reviews in English
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Review from Brian L.
4/8/2012 1 Check-in Here
15 words or less: Great balance of authentic bistro cuisine and ambiance at a relatively reasonable price.
15 words or more: This is as close to the feel and taste of a Parisian bistro in Miami as there is. If you for some reason have a hump against French food or long for good bistro fare, go to this place, stat. For the former, you will get over the hump that you have, which is likely based on from myths and misconceptions. For the latter, you will be visiting this place every other week.
The food is top notch. For starters, we had the country pate, fish soup, snails, and crab cake. The pate was excellent, rich as all get out, but nicely cut with mustard and the little vinegary French pickles. The soup was dense and rich in fish flavor. The sleeper was the crab cake. With so many great choices on the menu, this seemed like a boring choice. But it was really good. A tremendous crusty exterior broke through to a crab festival with no filler.
For mains, we had the steak onglet, monk fish special, corvino special, and bouillabaisse. What I like about this place is just how many fish options were on the menu. It was a deep roster of fish heavy hitters and all were great. The bouillabaisse was a stand out as I found myself dunking bread into the rich an dense broth.
The evening ended with a well-rounded selection of four cheeses.
This was a truly wonderful meal served in a very causal and enjoyable setting. While I wish corkage was a little cheaper, you can find some delicious wine choices on the menu at affordable prices. I am just sorry it took so long to go here but now that I have gone, I know I will be coming back a lot. -
Review from Greg W.
Miami Beach, FL
5/10/2012
Really love this little restaurant in the Design District. I'd usually say I'm not much for French food, but this place could change my mind on that. Almost everything I've had in three visits, including one bargain priced lunch, was great. The fish dishes are always good and the daily chalkboard specials are the best bet in my opinion.
My absolute favorite part of this place is the look and feel. It is one of the few restaurants in Miami that does not buy into the Miami "look and feel." it is totally authentic to itself and feels much more like a little family run place in New York, Paris or London with the wine list scrawled on the mirrors and the close and friendly tables. A really good vibe and good service too.
The fries with the mayo are a nice treat too. -
Review from William O.
Miami, FL
I'll tell you this much. My review will have very little to do with the food, and you'll soon find out why..
As a huge fan of Buena Vista Deli (freaking huge), I've been dying to try Buena Vista Bistro for some time, and truly, as a whole, the place did not disappoint. The interior is chic, modern, minimalistic, which gives the place as a whole the kind of feel that you'd expect in France at a place where the locals eat.
Emphasis on LOCALS.
And you know exactly what I mean. We see the same thing here in Miami: tourists head directly to South Beach, but we insiders know that, by and large, the best eateries are scattered and hidden away in the Magic City's dark and seedy corners...
To bolster my "locals" argument, a group of lively and boisterous Frenchmen chose to satisfy their hunger pangs at BVB the night that I patronized it, and I feel like that's a very good sign. I mean, the same way you don't really expect an Italian tourist to frequent the Olive Garden (don't get me wrong: I LOVE the Olive Garden), you don't expect a Frenchman to seek out French food at just any old place. Very good sign.
Also, side note: the owner is a CHARACTER. He pulled up in an old timey car with a blaring klaxon (not a horn; a KLAXON), and sat down for wine with his countrymen (and women). Seemed like a really cool dude.
I elected to sit outside in the patio area, which is made very charming by a number of French posters and a particularly charming clock that you would expect to see affixed to a lamppost in the early twentieth century. I could not take my eyes off of it.
Really, you get a total sensory experience. And the service is absolutely spectacular.
Now, I can't give it a five because I didn't really like my dish. THIS IS NOT A REFLECTION OF THE CHEF OR THE RESTAURANT. A little back story: I'm just now getting into seafood. I'm a seafood rookie. However, the night I went to BVB, I swung for the fences: ordered the seafood pasta, which came with scallops, shrimp, and mussels. To top it all off, much to my chagrin (though really, this is customary with seafood pastas), the pasta lacked a sauce of any kind. It hinged greatly on the flavors of the seafood.
Like I said. I got a little too... man, I can't use the word I want to use. Maybe you can figure it out on your own. (Think of a bulls HORNS.)
Either way, I'd totally go back to BVB. Absolutely. And I suggest you carve out some time in your busy schedule to make the trip to Buena Vista for a lovely French dinner.
Next time, I think I'll have the Beef Bourguignon... -
Review from Arwen L.
4/16/2012 2 Check-ins Here
This review is for brunch only.
First of all, the service was so painfully slow that we nearly walked out just before a server asked us if anyone had taken our order yet.
The answer was no.
Several members of the wait staff walked by us several times and made eye contact but never took our order.
The brunch was MEGA MEH. Honestly, had I known how mediocre it would have been, I would have gone to Publix and made breakfast at home.
My dining companion ordered a simple eggs, bacon, potato and toast entree. His food was cold. I assume this happened as they were waiting for my french toast to be ready as my dish was still warm.
My french toast was "ok," but not a single berry even for garnish? Pretty bland on delivery IMO.
Will I ever be back for brunch? No way.
Dinner? Perhaps, seeing that folks seem to dig it. Hopefully they speed up their service or interest in their customers a bit later in the day too. -
Review from aline c.
Miami, FL
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
great food, great service, great wine, fair price
We had a very good meal at this place. Try the veal chop from the specials menu. Scallops carpaccio was also sooo good. -
Review from Betsy G.
Miami, FL
5/24/2012 1 Check-in Here
Loved it. The food was great and so "homey"
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Review from Josue L.
Miami, FL
5/17/2012
Terrible Customer Service. Enough said.
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Review from Tony A.
3/16/2012 7 Check-ins Here
This spot is one of my "go to" restaurants. It's close to where I live, the food is always good (and in fact I think it has gotten better), it's a good value, and the service is always excellent. After three or four years, I'm glad that this place is still around. What's changed is that the crowd has gotten a little more varied. Where once it was just a younger design district/wynwood crowd, that demographic has given way to older couples who know where the good food is! Also makes me think that this place's future is somewhat secured, which makes me feel good.
While the prices have gone up slightly in the last year, and this place isn't the tremendous value it once was, it's still a great value. The regular menu is fairly small (in a good way), and the usuals include the Ribeye and Fries, red silk fish, lamb chops, onglet steak, and curry chicken. There are usually a couple of fish specials (have the monkfish whenever it's available!) and meat specials. They also seem to have an offal special too. A couple of visits ago I had braised veal kidneys and it was one of the best dishes I've had at BVB. Just awesome.
Wine prices are great, and the desserts always solid. Try the profiteroles. This is the epitome of a neighborhood joint. Glad it's here.Listed in: Best date restaurants…
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Review from Anastacia B.
Elmhurst, IL
3/17/2012
I really enjoy the BVB. It's on an off beat road next door to the Buena Vista Deli. The bread they start you off with is dreamy. Crab cake is the 2nd best one I've ever had. I tried the scallops and they didn't disappoint but the shining star of the evening was my sisters Grouper dish. I don't know how many sticks of butter are in the sauce that comes on that plate but they're well worth every last one.
My only frowny moment was the glass of wine I ordered was listed on the mirrored wall for $7 and I was charged $8. I asked and our server explained that it was because they were out and had a different brand. Yo! Then update your wall! -
Review from Rachel L.
3/20/2012
There's a hole in the wall, where the menu says it all... !!
This off-the-grid (ok, ok, on-the-grid now-a-days) bistro offers a select menu of French Inspired South Florida cuisine. The ambiance is more reminiscent of the LES (in my not-so-humble opinion) than SoFL, but don't let the seemingly uncomfortable chairs and eclectic wall hangings stop you from enjoying some truly fresh fare.
The grouper I ordered was fabulously French - a la prepared in a classic style. Yum! In truth, it was a bit heavy for lunch, but I'd certainly veer towards it for dinner. The mussels were great - my manfriend is stuck on auto-repeat with "those were the best mussels I had in Miami" (although I wasn't in heaven with their pommes frites).
What's more, one of my dining companions is of the vegetarian faith (I do not believe!). The meat-lovers dream stop of a restaurant was nevertheless delighted to prepare a custom dish for him. He much enjoyed it.
In a city full of overrated locales, this one truly deserves all the kudos a child can hide in his pockets. And, did I mention it's reasonably priced? ;) -
Review from Natalie Q.
Miami, FL
3/14/2012 1 Check-in Here
We've visited this lovely establishment literally since the second week it opened, when everything on the brunch menu was $5.00!
As amazing now as it was almost two years ago. The pancakes are the absolute best bar none! The crispy edges are to die for on a Sunday morning. Come back for lunch and dinner, everything is always fresh ans consistently fab! -
Review from Daniel R.
This is a very low key place, it's not surrounded by a crap load of different restaurants which attracts hundreds of peoples. Don't expect a 10 star Gordon Ramsey type of look, its a small restaurant but the owner and employees keep it nice and cozy for the customers. This is a french restaurant which comes with its own french style of dishes, they don't have LIQUOR but they do have wine and beer. I recommend to everyone if you like beer to get "Le Fin Dumont" which means end of the world it has 9% alcohol ..and .. yea one drink will you get you nice and typsy. The food is amazing, the cooks in the back know exactly what they're doing, the food comes out nice and fresh, and the plate size isn't gargantuan. The environment is very calm nothing crazy like south beach, its perfect for a date, for friends, anything you want.
I recommend this place to anyone who wants to try something new. -
Review from Monica C.
Miami Beach, FL
2/18/2012
Excellent French cuisine. Own by French guys with a casual environment. All entrees and appetizers were great: escargots, Fillet Mignon, Veal Chop (woooaa!), etc. It is my second time there and they seem very consistent.
Don't forget to try their next door French Bakery for breakfast, is one of my favorites in Miami. -
Review from Carole D.
Rochester, NY
4/23/2012
This could have more stars but the service was really awful - and our food was only hot on the inside - obviously had sat around for a while.
Other than that, our fish dishes were outstanding. Simple preparations of roasted salmon with mashed potatoes and corvina with spinach in cream both shined.
To their credit, they comped us a giant dessert of profiteroles - but after all that we couldn't even get the bill until we got up and prepared to leave. -
Review from Mari S.
Miami, FL
1/29/2012
So, my someone special tells me we're going to dinner at a little french rest. I am thinking its going to be in this lovely spot surrounded by many other things to do. Once he parks, all I can think is where in the world is he taking me, once I walked in I absolutely fell in love with this hole in the wall. It's small and charismatic, it has it's own personality & I loved their decor; especially how they have beautifully select pieces of photography on their walls.
Their fries were AMAZING but never getting the rib eye steak again, its great but what was I thinking!? Talk about an embarrassing moment I'll never forget! Love how it is hidden like in an alley looking place & how it can be romantic yet, family oriented. It is small and warm, the service is great. You can dine in or out which is always a plus, however there is only one bathroom & it's all the way at the end of the hall. Other than that its a great and different place to go to if you want to get away from the typical lounge/bar atmosphere. and right next to it is the bakery and you then you can go for a quick walk and see the different style's of houses in the area if you're into that sort of thing. Super cute. -
Review from Franky A.
Miami, FL
3/26/2012 1 Check-in Here
Excellent neighborhood spot to have a late lunch and coffee to kill off a lazy afternoon.
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Review from Paula E.
Updated - 2/12/2012
We have been waiting to be tended for 20 minutes, it's not even busy and about 3 other 2-tops have the same waiting annoyed face, NOT EVEN OUR MIMOSAS came out! And the kitchen looks like a shit show.... Walking out as we speak, so disappointed
Listed in: Vegetarians taste better!
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/2/2009
I read the yelp reviews prior to dinning there last night with Miss. Whitney R (read her review… Read more »
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Review from Carolina G.
Miami, FL
10/29/2011
Miami is a trend-driven city, especially when it comes to food/restaurants. This usually means that food is overrated, prices are sky-high and service is poor...Finding a place that has amazing food, affordable prices, good service AND has an intimate, casual vibe is a rarity! The BVB is THAT place...
Here are just a few reasons to check it out:
- the food is DELICIOUS; unpretentious, traditional preparations of classic french cuisine.
- the BEST fries
- the BEST filet mignon
- FRESH fish dishes served with the most scrumptious mashed potatoes and ratatouille
- concise and affordable wine list
- APPLE TART. order it.
- no fuss atmosphere; check your Miami ego at the door.
We live in MidTown...the area has been booming and there are restaurants opening left, right and center. Amidst all the dinning options BVB is still our go-to. In fact, it is the one place we never get tired of! I can't say enough great things about this bistro and our feelings are shared by most...it's the locals fav. -
Review from Alicia P.
9/26/2011 1 Check-in Here
One of my best friends chose this place as the location for her first Bridesmaid social event and we couldn't have been happier. There were five of us at the table, all of whom pride ourselves on being "foodies" at heart for sure.
Though we missed out on their highly regarded brunch (and plan to go back) lunch was incredible. I had the crab cake and the tuna tar-tare, two appetizers that were more than satisfying and sized perfectly to substitute an entree.
The table also shared a couple of bottles of their house champagne and it was actually quite nice (brut without being too dry).
Finally, the service was fantastic and the location is chic and cozy. We all agreed on coming back to try brunch and enjoying the other varieties on their menu. Looking forward to it.
P.S. We parked for free on the street in front of the homes surrounding the area but I noticed signs all around the restaurant regarding free parking, so that's something to keep in mind if the residential area is congested. -
Review from Gisela C.
Updated - 2/19/2012 2 Check-ins Here
It had been almost a year since I had been here... visiting again was LONG overdue. BVB delivers... the food quality has not changed, it is high quality for a freaking great price! I had the eggs benedict, easily my favorite in all of miami.
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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11/30/2010
Yummy! I love having brunch here! Prices are fair and the french toast is to die for!! Their potatos… Read more »
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Review from Samira K.
Miami, FL
Updated - 11/28/2011 4 Check-ins Here
I had been dying to finally try this place for brunch after obsessing over their dinner for so long. (Their lamb chops and escargot are so yummm) I finally had the opportunity do so this weekend, however, I was completely unimpressed.
My gf and I ordered the eggs benedict and it came with a side of roasted potatoes and tomato slices. There was nothing special or outstanding about the dish at all, and it lacked some much needed seasoning/flavor.
Friends of ours ordered the omelet and the 2 eggs, with bacon and toast and said the same about their plates.
The only positives about their brunch was that the service was pretty good and the food was delivered in a timely manner.
I will stick to dinner for this adorable little bistro.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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2/17/2011
Buena Vista is prefect for a date night or for a small intimate group of friends. It is pretty… Read more »
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Review from Ru F.
Miami, FL
8/29/2011 1 Check-in Here
Strongly reccomended for brunch.
Went on a hot Sunday morning with a group of 6.
Ok so perhaps only 3 out of 6 were really pleased with their meal, but in the restaurant's defense the 3 who were not, could have done something to improve their eating experience but chose not to... so in my eyes, place gets 3.5 stars
Strongly reccomend:
- Eggs Benedict
- Tropical Fruit salad (delicious selection of fresh figs, berries and more)
- Pancakes (ultra fluffy)
- Croissants (amazing and flaky)
Not so much:
- Egg and cheese omelette (the size is a bit of a turn-off. too big)
- Fritata: Its spanish omelette-ish. Nothing Special
Careful when you order, portions tend to be big.
Service is great and they accomodate large groups and also costumers with dogs. -
Review from Vanessa D.
Miami, FL
11/13/2011
I was so excited to go there because we had heard such amazing things about this place (mostly brunch) However we were super disappointed!
Service was not so great
-We had to ask for plates when the apps came
-When the main entree came we didn't have silverware. It took such a long time that my BF just got up and got them from another table because the food was getting cold.
Food
-I had to send THREE items back because they came almost at room temp. I know I like my food extremely hot. However, these items where at a 5 in a 1 to 10 scale. 10 being scalding hot
Escargot, soup, and scallops should arrive HOT to the table in my opinion.
Our dishes were suppose to come with ratatouille...they didn't. When I asked for it, they brought it with the cold scallops I had to send back. they plated it all over the top of the scallops totally masking the flavor of the scallops.
BTW - the scallops are a rip off. 3 medium scallops for $21 - Not jumbo as mentioned in the menu (the flavor was good)
Escargot were tasty, caprese salad was soso. The tomatoes were ice COLD...Like they just came out of the frig???? Thats a major NO NO. Everyone knows you do not refrigerate tomatoes because it kills the flavor. The soups were very good.
I could tell that the waiter/manager knew how irritated we were and he did try to make it up by comping a few items. However, we still spent $100 and were annoyed on our Saturday night! Not worth the discount.
I doubt we will go back. Maybe for brunch
Next time I will go to Lemoni right down the block. Super affordable and DELICIOUS! -
Review from George K.
Miami, FL
2/13/2012
Nothing special about this place really. Ok breakfast and the service is a bit rude. For example, our orders were wrong and forgot to bring one of our side orders. Oh well this is Miami after all...
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Review from Christopher S.
Miami, FL
12/30/2011
Unspeakable horror. Wish I can rate below 1 star.
Imagine every bad experience you had eating out and roll it into one night. That's what I experience at BVB, and no im not being over dramatic.
Our party was 8 people, 2 were obviously pregnant and if you were raised with one ounce of decency you cater to their condition and are polite to them. Sat down and everything was alright. Waiter came to us got our drink order, knew everything on the menu, after a bit of talking we ordered beers, appetizers, and our entrees. From that point on it was down hill.
The beers came 10 minutes later, but they went to the waiter's station not our table and sat there for like 20 minutes until we decided to go over there and take it for ourselves. So 40-60 minutes after we ordered our food the waiter says sorry no duck. So some people had to switch their entrée orders. We were also cold and asked the waiter if he could turn on the heat lamps that were around us. Another 20 minutes go by and they said one of the appetizers is out. So reordered that also. They offered if we want anything else to drink, we ordered more beer. They came back with beer from broom closet, which was warm, and offered it to us. No we don't drink warm beer. So like 90 minutes after ordering SOME of the appetizers showed up. Remember those heat lamps we asked to turn on... still off. And the lobster bisque was cold and watery. Not worth the wait. And to make things worse they weren't coming around to refill our water or bread basket.
Meanwhile the place wasn't full at all but people were getting their orders before we did. Some girls sat next to us after about 2 hours we sat down, they got their meal immediately and when they asked for the heat lamp the waiter rushed the propane tanks out. That was insulting to the girls in our table.
Waited and waited and no meal was on our way. So basically 2 and half hours of waiting and all we got was 2 refills of water, 2 refills of bread, some warm beer, half the appetizers cold, no heat lamp near us, no meal insight. We told the waiter we were leaving and to give us the check. But of course they couldn't do that on time. So we threw down more than enough to cover the few beers and few appetizers we got (if I had my way it would be zero dollars) and left.
I would give them -2 stars just for their lack of any decency, politeness, and total disregard when it comes to their customers. You could tell me this is a rare event or their food is great. But when a restaurant delivers this type of experience to their customers it says how bad they are to their core. -
Review from Gabriel R.
Miami, FL
2/20/2012
onglet steak for lunch is amazin me and my wife went there for brunch but sadly arrived late it was our fault. We were going to leave but mike the waiter (which was amazing) convinced us to stay. My wife had the chcken curri and i had the onglet steak with rattoutoui. best steak i ever had and the chicken was awesome and the bread they give u is perfect to dip in the curri
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Review from Christophe P.
Miami, FL
4/8/2012
We went there on Easter Sunday at 2pm based on a verbal recommendation. The only menu available was a brunch menu. Eggs Benedict with Salmon $13, the hollandaise sauce looked like it was from last month, the potatoes were cold, and I had to ask for a knife with teeth to cut through the stale English muffin. I ate because I was starving not because I liked it. My daughter had eggs scrambled with cheese, the eggs were soaking in some liquid which according to the waiter was due to the cheese. She ate 10% of it. We asked for sliced bread not toasted for her, they brought toasts. My wife ordered the steak and eggs for $15 and specified no tomato. They brought her plate with several large pieces of tomatoes on top of the food.
In summary, this was the worst brunch of my life and the worst Easter lunch ever. I would not go back if they paid me. Our server was good but the others seemed clueless when asked questions.
Parking is also an issue in that area as the adjacent streets require resident permit.
I should have followed my initial instinct and driven away when I saw the place was empty. The other restaurants in the area were packed. -
Review from Roger M.
Miami, FL
3/12/2012
This is our 3rd visit in 3 months and it keeps getting better. Our server made this evening enjoyable in every way. Wine and food smart.
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Review from B A.
Gainesville, VA
3/31/2012
I love the curry chicken...its only $12 and delicious. If I didn't live walking distance parking could be annoying.
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Review from Bill B.
Miami, FL
10/29/2011
I had been meaning to go to BVB for quite some time now. But as another reviewer pointed out there are so many restaurants opening in this area, it just got pushed aside. Plus, it's in a slightly odd location, not exactly sketchy, but not the design district either.
Anyway It was worth the wait. The food was well prepared and nicely flavored, I had the Peppercorn Tuna (wow), and everyone (6) at my table was very pleased with all of their meals; and service was competent and unobtrusive.
I would highly recommend reservations (it's small), and weather permitting sitting in the covered patio area. While more casual, its fine; and more spacious than the dining "room".
Oh yes, I felt the the quality of the food and dining experience both represented a good value . I'll be back many times. -
Review from T W.
Miami, FL
5/3/2011 1 Check-in Here
WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME TO ORDER TH RIBEYE?
WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME TO ORDER TH RIBEYE?
WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME TO ORDER TH RIBEYE?
WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME TO ORDER TH RIBEYE?
WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE TELL ME TO ORDER TH RIBEYE?
Dont get me wrong.. I fully enjoyed the Veal I ate, and the mashed potatoes and spinach were cooked to perfection. But when that ribeye landed across the table I could not help but to have dinner envy.
The service was excellent, friendly, knowledgeable, helpful and happy to serve us. But why didn't someone tell me to order the RIBEYE?
I fully enjoyed my visit to this tiny quiet french bistro, I will be back and next time, can you guess what I'm going to order? -
Review from Flower A.
Miami, FL
8/17/2011
I've never met a piece of bacon I didn't like....till this past weekend :/ Let's just say the bacon was more like very, very, very, tin strips of fat cracklings with NO FLAVOR. How is this possible you say!..dunno...but Buena vista Bistro may be able to explain it. The scrambble eggs I had were moist, but nothing to brag about.. I felt like the commercial....I should have had a v8.
What I should have really done instead is gone next door to the deli for breakfast. When I looked into the deli side it looked busy and the customer seemed happy. So after breakfast I decided to go to the deli side and got an expresso and a chocolate truffle....I must say the expresso and the truffle made up for my plain jane breakfast. Next time I will have the v8 or should I say visit Buena Vista Deli instead!! -
Review from Dana D.
3/13/2011
On a cool night, the outdoor seating is quiet and lovely. What's also lovely is the service:
I informed the waiter that I was in need of iron supplementation, and he offered the onlget, which wasn't even on the menu. I hadn't ever heard of that cut, but it was the most tender of the tenderest of meats- also rather bloody which is a quality that I like in my beef. PETA definitely hates me. PETA definitely hates Buena Vista Bistro as well.
BVB clearly demonstrates quality. Their deli rocks too. -
Review from Ernie H.
3/4/2011
After I write a 1-star Yelp review, I try to counter-act my grumpiness with a 5-star Yelp review. Hence this review for Buena Vista Bistro, which is pretty awesome.
As a resident of San Francisco, I don't usually go to restaurants that serve French cuisine -- I stick to the holy trinity of Mexican, Chinese and Italian food for the most part -- but I could totally eat here, no questions asked, on a regular basis; this restaurant is great for a nice meal with friends and it's after 10:30pm and you want to sit outside. I usually get the escargot -- which is something I would never get! -- but here, it's done really well.
For the most part, the meals range around the $15-$25 range, although the chicken curry is $10 and is really good. And everything I've had here -- the ratatouille, the salmon, the apple tart -- nothing has done me wrong. I'll pretty much be back the next time I'm in Miami. -
Review from Alexandra S.
Miami, FL
7/5/2011
Dropped by here with a friend for brunch on the weekend. I ordered the eggs Benedict and it was quite nice.
Someone that sat next to us got the french toast and it looked amazing. Also the pancakes came in a small stack wedged with fruit. Everything was really unique and delicious.
Really enjoyed the grit to the place and how they write exactly how many items are left to order that day.
Order up a croissant. It will come warm and melt in your mouth. -
Review from Orlando d.
Miami, FL
1/13/2011
Tiny places like this is what Miami needs more of instead of gimmicky burger + beer houses. We get it, burgers and beer are a great combination, now tell Burger King to get out of that game because Miller Lite and Whoppers are the bottom of the barrel when it comes to either of those things.
Tasty bistros inspire me to do great things, like Genghis Khan without all the raping, or Shaquille O'Neal without all the rapping, or Kobe Bryant without all the raping and rapping. I like the small, cozy atmosphere and their personal take on dishes, not to mention little spots like these tend to be on the cheap. I'm not broke or anything, but the less I spend on eating out the more I can spend on eating out if you know what I mean. I meant oral sex on female genitalia.
Its location is in the douchie artist zone, just north of the Design District. Design District is cop code for "about two blocks from the ghetto, so stay sharp and set your car alarms." Seriously, you see some nice looking quaint houses right around here. They look like pretty affluent people live there with their decent cars and retirement plans. However, the moment you move two blocks west and cross Miami Avenue your car ends up on bricks, even while you're driving. I briefly dated a girl that lived around the nicer part of the ghetto surrounding area (and coincidentally worked in Buena Vista Bistro), and there was a dude named Tonio living near her. Not Antonio, not Tony; Tonio.
I give the ghetto a lot of shit, but to be honest I'm more afraid of nice areas than I am of the shitty ones. I've had my car broken into about 5 times and the majority occurred in safe little whitewashed suburbs. Who gets their window smashed and their GPS that was completely concealed inside his glove compartment jacked in the nice part of Coral Springs? I do. What about a window smashed and a phone charger (what an asshole) stolen in Pinecrest? Me. I don't even lock my car anymore, fuck it, the stuff inside the car is worth a lot less than the cost of repairing the window.
The bistro. I don't need to tell you about how good the food is. Well, I mean, I do need to tell you, because this is a restaurant review and I've been talking about fellatio and ghetto areas the whole time. I had a crab cake and it made me want to go out and convert orthodox Jews to Christianity so they can try that shit without the wrath of Yahweh or their Jewier accountants. I think they give these crabs heroine for a month before killing them because the crabs' happiness upon being killed and cooked rubbed off on my tongue.
I've also had the sweet and sour tuna, and while it's as sweet as finding out that creepy dude that used to teach music classes in your elementary school is in prison for pedophilia, I'm going to have to call bullshit on the sour component. It's not as sour as you think it is, François, so give a ring to a Chinaman so he can show you how to sour up a sauce, mon amie.
I want to try brunch here. I've been told it's great but I've never arrived early enough to make it. I almost did once, but I have no regrets, because that's the day I discovered Le Café.
So yeah dude, go there, and don't lock your vehicle. I just saved you $180, you're welcome.
PEOPLE WHO WOULD ENJOY IT: Pizza people.
PEOPLE WHO WOULD NOY ENJOY IT: Anyone who likes getting a glass of water within 12 minutes of asking for it. -
Review from Gustavo A. L.
Orlando, FL
Heard a lot about this place, even read a few mixed reviews about BVB, naturally, it was on my list of places to try.
And try I have, in fact, it is sort of my go to place in the area now, and so far, neither myself nor my guests have yet to be disappointed.
The creations here are simply fantastic, from a simple croissant to a napoleon or an Escargot a la Provençale... the word is wow!
This place is open from Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner everyday of the week and no matter what time you come by, you get good service with a smile and a wonderful sample of good french cuisine.
Now in all fairness, this may not be a good place for large groups so break it up !!! -
Review from Jessica M.
Miami, FL
Updated - 7/25/2011
Please RUN to Buena Vista Bistro for their french toast! Thick slices of brioche, crispy on the edges and outside and soft on the inside. It tastes like bread pudding. I'm serious, its to die for.
We also had a ham and cheese omelet that I'll rate as a 3. Tasty but I couldn't taste the cheese!
Seriously, go try the french toast. NOW. Did I mention its also cheap? $6 for 2 thick glorious slices of heaven!Listed in: My Favorite Breakfast/Brunch…
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2/28/2011
This place deserves 4.5 stars. I have come here many times with my boyfriend and even turned this… Read more »
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Review from John v.
Miami Beach, FL
Updated - 1/3/2012
Upgraded Buena Vista Bistro (Deli) to 4 stars because of my latest quiche. It was AWESOME!!! As was the yummy salad with balsamic vinaigrette...with some extra attention to the coffee we might have five stars. Thank you Corey for your delicious food and warm reception. The BVD is a must go when in Miami!
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7/12/2011
Corey (sp.) is awesome! I love the vibe of this restaurant. The location is "Très" cool too.… Read more »
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Review from Jennifer Y.
Miami, FL
Updated - 4/6/2011
Tonight we had Endive and Blue cheese salad and the Lobster stew/soup.
Endive salad: sweet, crisp, crunchy, savory, creamy. The combination of blue cheese, aged balsamic vinegar, and super fresh endives is so very simple it's actually brilliant! I've had this salad many times and it never bores me.
Lobster stew: rich, meaty, hearty, velvety, incredible. You can't get this value or flavor anywhere else. For $20 we got a generous helping of stew and a side of fries, rice, or veggies. We opted for the fries and shared the dish. Don't think of traditional stew when trying to envision this. It has huge pieces of sweet, fresh lobster gracefully lounging on top of a silky light bisque.
We've gone to BVB with large groups and we've gone with just the two of us. Service tends to be more attentive and personable when it's just the two of us. Our go to man is Michael, he's funny, honest, and keeps you entertained.
We'll be back for more.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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3/28/2010
Great food, fair prices, and a good wine list. Buena Vista Bistro continues to please with honest… Read more »
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