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i used to go to Magnum regularly.... but hadnt set foot in the establishment in about a year until this past weekend.... and im glad nothings changed. ( well with the execption of the dark and sultry outdoor bar area)
The reason i visited Magnum in the first place was based on a review I read on the new times ( The area is not "good" by any means and it's relatively far from my house) BUT, the review was great.... and i wasnt dissapointed.
Red velvet drapes...really dim lighting .... CRAZY movies playing in the background, ( some that i've seen : carwash ( pryor), wizard of oz, little shop of horrors) and the live piano.... with nonstop show tunes!!!! After one or two cocktails you're pretty much singing along with everyone else.
The decor is reminiscent of old hollywood and I find VERY romantic! Ive dined here once and had the filet mignon - it didnt dissapoint. Also had a bottle of pinot grigio with my meal and I thought it was all very affordable.... I already know that if I want to be blown away by the food, ill go to a place that's known for the good food.
The bartenders and the entertainment are awesome and if you are ever bored on a Friday or Saturday night, check this place out... It will not dissapoint.
I've finally got around to checking out the Upper EastSide's famous Magnum Lounge and it didn't disappoint. It's kinda like Fox's Sherron Inn over in South Miami, only it's mostly a gay hangout. There are a lot of noticeable similarities to both spots. They're both very dimly lit, both feature an old school atmosphere, and both have a slightly spendy menu featuring mostly meat. While Fox's has kinda been taken over by a college crowd, Magnum is mostly older and gay, but the good news is that they welcome us all. Just don't go there expecting to pick up on any hot girls. You're more likely to pony up to the bar and meet some cougar's mother. No matter, everyone there is upbeat and friendly. It might have something to do with the piano player, disco ball, and guest singers. I guess anyone can accompany the piano player and sing a song. Maybe like karaoke set up. I'm not sure. I didn't dare go anywhere near the piano. I enjoyed my cocktails from a safe distance. Coward I might be. Virtuoso singer, I am not : )
Fun, fun, fun! The main room bartenders are fantastic! The live music is great!
Food is ok, depending on what is ordered and most is a bit overpriced.
This review is long over due.
On Jose Luis' reco we came here in December for Emilio's birthday. It was a weekday, and the bar was not too full, so we were able to grab a corner of the bar, pull up a few stools and gather round without blocking too much space from other patrons.
There are two rooms, one with the bar, the other is a sit-down restaurant; divided by a small wall and the piano.
I really liked the live piano music they have, and the piano player was pretty friendly (especially with the handsome men who approached him). He takes requests and knows a lot of songs; mostly Sinatra-ish music, so be prepared to dance a slow one if you'd like.
The only thing I didn't love about the restaurant was the entertainment on the TV screens around the bar. It seems there was a variety show type of "show" on, where the men were all naked, dancing Rockette-style and all. Yup - you read right - NAKED MEN. I'm usually not bothered to see a naked man, everyone is entitled to their own dress code, but when it's 10+ men dancing in a kickline, it can be a little disturbing, especially after you've had a few drinks.
With that said, I'm sure by now you've figured out the type of crowd this bar caters. So, do not be alarmed if by last call you see a man getting close to your bf/husband and rubbing his back all up and down as he asks for a cigarette :-) It was quite the evening; entertaining and definitely an amusing way to start a new year.
My girlfriends and I decided to try Magnum last night. We had heard great things about it and were excited to get out of our dining rut. I have to say that we were very disappointed. The food is overpriced and just ok. The decor and ambiance are different from the typical Miami spots but then again so is Fox's and their food is much tastier, bigger portions, and comes with a salad.
The pros: drinks were a good price, free parking, the beignets were great, and the show tunes playing were fun.
Magnum lounge is incredible!!
The piano is playing, the show tunes are belted out, the food is served...and what DELICIOUS food it is!!! The best food I've had at any restaurant thus far! There were these little fried-doughy-breads with powdered sugar on top...TO DIE FOR!! The cheesecake is like none I have ever tasted. Everything was just so fresh!! The food is reason enough to take a trip to Magnum!
We really enjoyed the show tunes too and the piano playing. It was so much fun!!
The only thing I have to say against it is that the drinks aren't the best and the waiter got our order mixed up. But everything else is so great we had to overlook that.
Make sure to make a trip to Magnum. You won't regret it!!
After all the rave reviews about this spot, I finally decided to go. My review does not reflect the masses because I found this spot just OK.
I agree it is different from the typical Miami scene. The crowd is very diverse (age, gender, sexual orientation), which I love and appreciate.
The food was OK...nothing extra special, the ambiance is cool and chic, and the staff is ultra friendly.
The piano karaoke is quite cool. However the only people singing were elderly folk. Wish the younger folk would have joined to keep the vibe up tempo. Most reviews compare this spot to an Urban lounge in NYC, but that wasn't my experience (and I'm from NYC). Urban is not the correct word to describe this spot.
Next time I return, I wouldn't have a sit down dinner. Rather, I would have a drink and chill at the bar as that is where the most fun is happening.
To be honest, the ratio of older folk (50+), was so high that it took away that chic urban vibe. Although it is a nice spot, it is not what I expected.
My first review-/////deep sigh////.
I haven't been to Magnum in a over a year, so my review is dated. The establishment is around the corner from my condo and I dropped in a few times for a drink. I found the bartender easy on the eyes, personable and, when we both discovered the other was a father to a young son, he was very engaging. Drink prices were resonable and, having taken music lessons for 10 years, I really enjoyed the piano player.
I've taken dates to the dining area a couple of times but have found the food to be over priced for what you get. But all in all, at least a year ago, I enjoyed my visits.
I was hanging at my favorite watering hole, the Boy Bar in Normady Village and learned from some of the other patrons that Magnum had added a new 'tikki' bar, so I'll have to drop in again soon.
Clientele: Mostly Middle age professionals of the gay persuasian.
David
More Information:
Happy Hour Everyday: 5PM to 9PM
Ladies drink 1/2 price Wednesdays all day/night
Closed Mondays
Piano Bar Singers: (Not 100% sure of the hours)
7:30 PM to 11 PM Tuesday to Thursday, Sunday
7:30 PM to 2 AM Friday
7:30 PM to 1 AM Saturday
And yes, most importantly, still a great place!
Scary... A friend of mine and I drove here and all we saw was a worn down building next to a worn… Read more »
Yelpers,
YOu have to go to Magnum Piano Lounge. This place is so RAD. I went for the fisrt time last Friday and the next day too (saturday), I fall in love with this place.
I spent the whole night there. I have never seen a place like this in Miami; I felt like I was in some urban bar in New York .
It has three different areas which are:
1. Karaoke Little House. Which is located in a separate buillding (a few steps from the main piano bar.)
2. Pation, with red couches and zebras couches.
3. Piano Bar (smoker's zone)
4. Dinning Room. (same floor as Piano bar)
inside its really dark, the walls are red, red velvet curtains, and the interior design its ecclectic with a touch of the french traditional. I don't know how to describe the type of music, I will called it showtune music or standar music, because most of the live music was like old musical movies. Oh! And its not a gay bar even though most of the people that go are gay.
We usually make it to Miami once a year from Fargo, ND to see family and friends and always on the "To-Do" list is to have dinner at the Magnum Lounge at least twice during our stay. We also love to hit up their happy hour during our visit as they have some of the best drink specials in Miami. Top shelf service, wonderful food, fantastic atmosphere with a stellar piano bar. I would highly recommend this place to anyone visiting the Miami area!
p.s. Cheers Jeffery!
Four stars = 'Yay! I'm a fan.'
Such a subjective term. After all, some of us are fans of horror films, others of love stories, others of high-camp comedies, and still others of film noir. At Magnum Lounge, where I went last night, we found it all: horror, love, comedy, and a smoky, sultry joint of old Hollywood (CA not FL.)
The horror was twofold: walking in to the darkest bar I've ever been got my hypothalamus gland throbbing at the thought of impending danger. Then, that danger presented itself in the form of 1/2 price cocktails and the mysterious odor of gasoline. (Apparently, there had been a wee spill on the property right after we arrived.) It wasn't a big issue. I'm not sure if the smell dissipated or if our olfactory nerves simply gave in to the numbing effects of happy hour.
The love story happened on my plate. I ordered the (sigh) Shrimp Marsala. Now, I'm of Sicilian-descent. Pasta is important to me. I rarely order it out as a result. My wise Aunt told me years ago, "Kenny, why order something out when you can make it better at home." So, why I ordered the pasta, I'm not sure. Oh, how glad I am I did. Like many love stories, it happen when one least expects it. This was the lightest, freshest, most angelic pasta I've had out in...EVER! I'm not overstating this. It was perfect. So much so that this only-child actually shared it with others at the table just to ensure that he wasn't dreaming. I'm not sure whether they make it there or not, and frankly don't care. I just want more. Others at the table ordered the fried chicken which was Flintstone-sized slabs of juicy chicken fried up, and up, and up. Delicious! The entree and app prices were higher than expected, but when all was said and done, the total of our bill was quite reasonable. I think Ditmar (See below) slipped in a free round or two. (NOTE: It is possible that the food was so good because the place wasn't slammed. I'm not sure if the quality of food stands up on busier nights.)
The high-camp came in many forms. One of them the chiseled form of our bartender Ditmar, who took great care of us, and made us feel like the only table in the place. Oh, wait, we were the only table. Regardless, he was a joy. Sitting outside in the living room-like setting, eating our meals, drinking our drinks we had a wonderful time in Ditmar's hands. Then, onto the piano bar which was....umm...surreal. We made the mistake of singing along while a performer, who I'll refer to as 'Clutch' (since he never took his hands of the mic for a moment) glared at us for ruining his set. Clutch, it was ruined before we arrived. I'll say no more.
Finally, the look of Magnum Lounge is straight out of 'Mildred Pierce'. Red banquettes. The aforementioned low lighting. A dessert cart!? Don't expect Miami. Expect NYC in the 40's. We even had that classic film moment when the boozy bar patrons, comfortable in the darkness, get jarred by sunlight piercing their peace when a new patron opens the door. It was perfect.
I'll go back, and yes...'Yay! I'm a fan.' I hope to see your dark, shadowy figure at Magnum Lounge one night. Just use the back door, please, as not to let in that dreaded sunlight.
Love it, what can i say. Brothel-esque decor meets campy piano bar-restaurant. Very good food, friendly host and service. Dinner and a show-what's not to love? Come on, one more over-the-top show tune before they bring dessert. Always entertaining, never dull and ever great. Magnum is not TGIFridays-so don't expect ginormous portions. And it is not typical Miami chic, so if you are looking for that well you can find it, um, everywhere else.
Ha! This place is so rad.
Bring your red velvet smoking jacket and your sequin shoes because you will be transported to a strange alternate reality where everything is just right when you walk in the door.
Also the food was good and anywhere that brings me hot beignets with dinner is an instant classic. Kudos to Jordan for the first review on this one.
I LOVE this place.
It is like stepping back in time to an old 40's movie. The piano bar in the bar is always entertaining, the service is wonderful. The owner treats you as if you were in his home.
I really like the food a lot.
They have an excellent 'gourmet' burger, and the fried chicken is really good.
If you're thrown off by a mix of old and young and looking to be in the scene then this may not be the place for you, but if you're looking for a place where everyone is really having a great time, listening to the cabaret singers and some of the regulars joining in, then you will be in heaven. It is a wonderful place
i was dying to go to this place. ive been so curious since ive read every single review for this place so last week, i finally made it to the magnum lounge in company of my gf.
i guess the location is kinda hidden, but theres a few signs so just be on the lookout as soon as you turn east on 79th street.
i agree with everybody about the ambiance.. its really really cool.
i cant comment on the food because i was there for drinks. our bartender was really nice especially to my gf, but thats ok, i just wanted to point that out. also, we were possibly the only straight couple there so i got to see some drunk men singing and dancing to billy idol. priceless!!!
i really wanna go back for dinner sometime, perhaps early 2009.
Oh, hell yes. Yelpers, you rock. Went on a Friday despite a local Miami friend's utter disdain of the place (for no reason I could discern) because you Yelpers were so adamant about it. Loved it!
Our one regret is not having gone earlier in the evening, because we only got to hear about 1.5 hours of the piano player. He stops at 12:30, sharp. Bang.
My friend, herself a performer, practically ran to the piano and asked him to do "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." A couple of minutes into her singing and the owner, Jeffrey, was at our table, asking who her manager was and could he buy us some shots. He was charming and affable and lent even more fun to the place.
We'd already eaten, which was too bad, because the food looked really good. Okay, well, even though we'd already eaten, we still had to order some fried chicken, and it was yummy!
If you have any fondness for show tunes, piano bars and/or truly chill lounges, you canNOT go to Miami and not try Magnum.
ok im giving the 3 stars to be extra nice.. but really im thinking 2.5 is more appropriate!!
arrived at magnum about 930ish found parking in the very tight parking lot and headed inside..
the bar area is really cool, it was packed almost all the way around. then i saw the piano.. soo much fun. the guys were singing (complete with boas wrapped around their necks) people were actually sitting at the piano and eating and drinking. had never seen that before, and that coolness is what bumped from 2.5 to 3 stars!!
so we were seated within 5 minutes, the host was a really nice guy!
we review the menu, and everyone decides on their dish of choice. our food took a pretty long time, a little too long between appetizers and entrees.
luckily we had the little bread basket with those amazing fluffy and delicious beignets.
the calamari was barely decent. extremely chewy, which imho is not a good thing.
the french onion soup was just ok, nothing special there.
the crab quesadillas should have been called spinach quesadillas as that was the overwhelming ingredient with a sprinkle of crab meat. i know its a tough economy, but ggeezzz..
the pistachio crusted chicken at $22 was barely alright. i mean if paying over 20 bucks for chicken im expecting to be wowed and i wasnt. it was pretty bland and honestly a small piece of chicken breast.
someoone else ordered the special, short ribs, and they were all fat!!
the dessert cart looked amazing with many great options, but we just settled for the rest of the beignets in the bread basket.
the host brought us complimentary port for our after dinner drink which was a nice touch.
overall the best part of this place is the piano bar, i would go back to sit at the bar for drinks only, eat elsewhere beforehand..
Wow, wait a minute, Genvieve what is this place...
Ahh - what a great establishment , the vibe in there is just low - cool and way chill. If I lived in Miami this would be my spot to go to after pay day, first dates, birth day's, and the place to entertain out of towners.
I have only been here once as and we sat at the bar for cocktails. The bar tender was cool- even though he made a remark when we order Mojitos - in his defence they are a pain to make - but hey I'm so close to Cuba and I'm from Cali.
Unfortunately we only had drinks since this was our first destination on our tour of a Miami night out- but I did have my eye's on the Calamari plate and from the looks- O.M.G. i'm still hunted.
As noted in other reviews the duo singing makes the place even more "marry" , I was there in December and when walking out of this place , I really thought it was going to snow in Miami.
I gave into going to this place after having scores of friends tell me it was more than worth a shot and boy am I glad. Food is better than you would think especially for a lounge but the drinks are the real draw. Went with a group of buddies and everyone absolutely loved it. Great live music and a solid wine list are a big plus.
After reading so many great reviews, I had to see this place for myself. The place was easy to find and parking was secured despite the fact that it's in a seedy area of town.
Walking inside you feel like you are entering another world. It's very dark and red. There is a large bar right in front of you with the piano and singer dividing the bar from the dining room. We arrived early and had drinks and were pleasantly surprised to be seated in the booth right next to the piano.
The wine list was small, unpretentious, and very well priced. Most of the bottles are in the $35 range. However, the servers are just as happy to get you a beer or cocktail.
They basically give you doughnut holes as your bread service and of course those were yummy. We also ordered calamari for our appetizer and thought it was some of the better calamari we've ever had.
The service is deliberately slow, because of course, you are there just to chill and relax while you listen to the piano and singer, who were great by the way.
My wife ended up ordering the crab cakes and I had the half duck for our entrees. Both were great. The portions were pretty large so admittedly I started getting a food coma while waiting for the dessert but I was happy, that's all that matters in the end.
The desserts were equally delicious and the owner ended it all with some port wine. Very classy, very chill.
If I have to give this place any negative criticism at all, it would be the bathroom situation. Basically, the bathrooms are wide open(no door) and my wife and I employed the gate guard method to ensure we could go in privacy.
I found the prices of the food and drink to be very reasonable. No entree was more than $27.
So, two beers at the bar, a bottle of wine, appetizer, two entrees, and two desserts came out to ~$150 after tip. Next time we will share a dessert because we left there absolutely stuffed.
I don't come here just for the food/beverages, I come because of the unique and spectacular atmosphere. It really has the perfect vibe; at least for me. I ate there tonight and had a great time eating, talking with friends, and listening to great Piano music and opera style voices on the mic. The decorations are awesome and semi-erotic. The bathrooms are very raunchy, yet artistic. The beers are always cold. I'm a big fan of both the indoor and outdoor area. As far as the food goes, the soup de jour today was a vegetable soup that was surprisingly and delightfully spicy. The buffalo mozzerella salad is amazing in it's own right partly due to the amazing proscuitto you're presented with. The balsamic vinegar is flavored with onions and mini fruits to give it extra "pazang." The quality of the meat is also very good. Its a hybridization of a dive bar, a fancy restaurant, and an overall classy place with a New York/Bohemian feel to it.
What a pleasant little experience Magnum Lounge was. It's located in a very unassuming part of the… Read more »
after reading jordan's review, i was uber intrigued. i just got back from taking my girlfriend to a super early dinner here. and wow, what a place! yeah, the neighborhood is shady (it's pretty much the corner of biscayne and 79th), but man... when you walk through the doors you're no longer in miami.
the ambiance is fantastic. it's like nothing i've ever seen down here. actually reminds me of a few places in n.y.
well, since it was 6 pm, we apparently were the first ones there for dinner. we plopped ourselves in a very comfy private booth in the corner and surveyed our surroundings. darkly lit, a long wooden bar, big comfy red booths, old wine prints hanging on the walls. too f-ing cool. we even said, 'hey, if the food sucks, i'd still come back to drink.
we then ordered some tasty wine from oregon. and snacked on the different kinds of fresh baked bread. i forget what our waiter called them, but in the basket were these little breads that tasted and resembled the fried dough you get at carnivals. they were delicious. we killed all of them!
i ordered the snapper covered in crab meat in a lobster sauce. it was pretty tasty. i think i would've like a little more flavor in the sauce, but it was still damn good. and my girlfriend got the fillet done med-rare. it was delicious. perfectly cooked and flavored. we both weren't huge fans of the mashed potatoes that came with our meals, but all-in-all our meals were both very good. and the drip coffee was delicious (i wanted a cappuccino but our waiter suggested otherwise, and i'm glad he did). we both killed the bread and our meals so there was no room for dessert, but he still rolled over the dessert cart. i must admit they all looked delicious, and i'll be sure to save room next time.
the crowd was very random. some old couples. a couple groups. a few couples hidden in dark corners. even looking at all of them (from what i could make out), i felt like they were thinking the same thing, 'what random people at this random, wonderful place'
we absolutely plan on going back! i thought the place was fabulous. so unusual and so enjoyable. one of the best restaurants in the upper eastside.
UPDATE... tried to take a friend on friday night. the parking lot was completely full. we figured we'd give it a shot even though we knew it'd be crowded. well we could barely even get inside there were so many people. the owner was trying to find a way to fit us, but it didn't seem like it was gonna happen anytime soon. now i know... MAKE RESERVATIONS on the weekend!!! it was a completely different vibe then when we went early on a weeknight.
Probably the most unique "non Miami" restaurant lounge that you may experience in Dade (not counting Jimbo's which is in a whooole other category). The decor is a NY:Chicago deceptive hole-in-the-wall, old jazz club that is seems out of your price range. A couple used to sing here...but I think they broke up (it's a piano bar...). One still plays with any excited armature that wants to join. People get into it, before you know it your belting out some Elton John sipping on Port the owner so generously gives out when he is having a good night. The food is great, try the simple duck! Drink prices were typical but with more realistically priced wines. Dessert cart. Sweet rolls you can't get enough of. ON A BUDGET? Pregame a bit, savor the wine by the glass, unlimited bread basket with variety, and the french onion soup. Oh my the french onion soup. And enjoy the music because it is free! (Told you "non Miami")
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