Magnum Lounge

 

5

108

K Sera S.

Columbia, MD

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.

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19

99

swys -.

San Francisco, CA

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.

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8

44

Adam O.

Miami, FL

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.

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0

3

alexis a.

Miami, FL

Magnum is un-f*cking-believable.

Between the duo singing show tunes while sharing a drink, the delicious fried bread as a complimentary appetizer, the owner and host who delivers port wine as a complimentary dessert, the dessert cart that's just so crazy, the dim lighting, the choices, and more, it's just sensory over load.  That place makes people happy.

I brought my mom there for dinner with my sister and three friends and it was an outstanding experience.  My mom felt really special and I mean, it is definitely really tacky, in a shady neighborhood, etc. but that's the appeal.  Seriously, AWESOME.  Like a modern day speakeasy in the heart of the hood.

and ps...ive never had my water refilled so quickly.

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Elite '08

34

245

Liz T.

Miami, FL

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.

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Elite '08

27

821

JD N.

Miami, FL

Scary... A friend of mine and I drove here and all we saw was a worn down building next to a worn down strip mall with a vacant parking lot. We found out that there's a secured parking lot behind the vacant building which happened to be the Magnum Lounge.

We walked in and were surprised.

Yes, they do serve complimentary bread and butter before the meal. Yes, the service is top notch. Women get the menu first. Water was constantly refilled. The lamb shank special was $26. The pistachio-crusted chicken when mango sauce was $19. Granted, the prices are a little high, but you have no idea what you would be missing.

It's not the chic factor. It's not the "Miami Style" factor. Granted, the food was presented beautifully and the portions were not tiny but perfect for one person.  Probably the salads are bigger, but that's my hunch.

But what is missing from most restaurants is romance and this place got it all.

Dimmed lights, flickering candles... warmth of wood, mirrors on walls,  spacious chairs (some of which are booths and some of which are sofa chairs). Couple the atmosphere with the music, since Magnum Lounge is actually a Piano Bar, with a huge bar next to the restaurant portion of the building. And the two gay singers playing with the piano sits nicely in between, with lights illuminating their faces in the darkened restaurant. The music was good and classic.

And my table received a complimentary porto when we finished our meal.

So when you come here worrying about the prices, think about the service and about the music being offered. The prices probably hold a lot of hidden overhead costs that stretch beyond food to give you a memorable experience. I recommend this place and the food they offer, I really do.

And since this place is missing a website (or I just can't find it anywhere), I've decided to take the liberty of posting the menu if you want to read on! :-P

(Note: Even if this restaurant is expensive, it is not necessary to come in to eat here all the time. Going to the bar here to listen to the music would also be a pleasant experience and you could also share an appetizer with someone you bring along for something small).

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APPETIZERS:
Crab Cakes - $12.25
Fried Calamari - $11.25
Smoked Salmon - $11.25
Conch Fritters - $10.25
Crab Quesadilla - $12.75
Pate - $11.25

SOUPS:
Conch Chowder Soup - $5.50
Onion Soup au Gratin - $5.75
Soup du Jour - $5.50

SALADS:
Garden Salad - $4.25
Fresh Buffalo Mozzarella - $10.75
Caesar Salad - $10.95
(1/2 Salad - $5.50; With Chicken - $13.95; With Pan Seared Salmon - $15.95)
Avocado with Crabmeat - $15.95
California Cobb Salad - $14.50

ENTREES (all comes with sides):
Mom Homestyle Fried Chicken - $18.50
Crab Cakes - $23.95
Salmon - $20.75
Red Snapper Mosel - $22.95
Sirloin Steak - $27.95
Filet Mignon - $26.95
Vegetable Plate - $15.95
Pistachio Crusted Chicken - $19.50
Veal Cutlet - $19.25

PASTA:
(Angel Hair, Penne, Linguini; Add to any pasta dish below: Shrimp - $8, Mussels - $5, Chicken - $4)
Pomodoro - $13.95
Al Pesto - $14.95
Puttanesca - $15.95
Carbonara - $14.95

BURGERS (10 ounces):
Magnum Burger - 11.75
Greek Burger - 12.95
Barbecue Burger - 12.95
Swiss & Mushroom Burger - $12.75

DESSERTS:
(They will bring you a dessert tray to choose from)

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