What is a real Grove restaurant?
Some of us were having a discussion the other day and were debating about Grove restaurants. If a tourist asked you which restaurant in the Grove actually says "Coconut Grove", which would it be?
Scotty's Landing? Monty's? Greenstreets Cafe? Logghead? Hmmmm. I wonder. If the Taurus was still around, that is what I would pick. Now I don't know. Monty's is so downhill now, I would almost pick them, but I have not had a fresh or decent meal there in years.
posted by Tom Falco at 11:17 AM
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27 Comments:
Great topic - Grove restaurants, but i hope grease is not the criteria on judging what a Grove restaurant should be, it's just what the majority of them seem to be now. If we eliminate the chains and eliminate greasy food, we have a paltry selection left to choose from. There's no more Candlelight Inn, Kaleidoscope, Cafe Europa to name a few. If you're looking for a great and special place to go these days, the question that's hard to answer is, "where can we eat in the Grove (that's not a chain!)"?
p.s. and chain or no chain...what happened to Baccio???
SCOTTYS!!!!!!!1
baby!!!!
Although its not open for dinner and its casual, The Last Carrot is classic, old school Grove. Delicious salads, pita sandwiches, smoothies, plus nice people who work there, and the patrons are cool too.
All of the places named in the post are just god-awful.
although not a restaurant, the raw lunch at the farmer's market on saturdays is pretty grove-y.
Man! THANKS for changing the subject! All that Sarnoff crap was making me crazy! Sure he's a doodle bug! But this IS Coconut Grove. You're SUPPOSED to be nuts to live here!
As to the new topic, there's not a single restaurant in the Grove worthy of the name. They all serve survival food....things you eat solely to ward off starvation.....
Some have quaint atmospheres but the food is universally skanky!!
How about Professor Barbeque!
There is no place I really love to eat in the Grove anymore. We usually just end up at Cheesecake. Sad.
I read the question as, "which restaurant says 'Grove' to you," not, "which one has the best food," so my vote goes to Scotty's.
It's nice to know that to some people "Grove restaurant" means vile food served by people with oozing herpes blisters and no teeth.
God, Im a huge foodie and could go on all day, but I'll try to contain myself...
For "Grove feel", Id have to say Cafe Tu Tu Tango. I think the combo of art/tapas/drinks not only says Coconut Grove but Miami as well. Every time I have a guest in from out of town I take them there and we dine out on the patio. I think its a good welcome mat for introducing people to the area. Laid back with a classy/chill atmosphere and the food is good. Plus they make a killer mojito.
Not a fan of teh food at Panoram inside the Sonesta, but mainly because the price doesnt justify the quality/quantity. If you like mojitos though, hit this place up on Saturday when they are around $3 each. ;) Great views and nice breeze outside as well.
Scotty's is a good place to hang, but I wouldnt call it a restaurant. Its more of a bar that serves food. Love the live music on Friday's too. Those cats are a great cover band. Farmer's market is good eats, but again, not really a restaurant.
Berries has great daily specials and a solid menu to fall back on as well as a great happy hour crowd from 4-7p daily. Laid back, great music (especially live jazz Tues and Sat) and friendly/attentive staff.
Ceviche at Jaguar is killer and the food is generally well prepared, but its a little pricey for LatAm food. Great atmosphere. Staff there could be a little more friendly, competent, and attentive too, but this IS Miami we're talkin about...
One place that I used to love but just havent been to in awhile is Ginger Grove in teh Mayfair. Food there is great although you do pay the "Mayfair" price... Then again, a dinner for 2 with drinks set me back about $80 so it isnt too bad. Im not a lightweight drinker either...haha
#1 place in the Grove hands down has got to be Baleen. Although its pricey, the food is phenomenal and the ambiance outside on the bay is beautiful. Fellas, if you take a date there for dinner and dont do the "romantic stroll along the water" after you eat, youre missing out on dessert. Trust me, it works every time... ;)
Wow, someone remembered the Candlelight Inn. That's amazing. I loved the Tom Thumb for breakfast, and the lunch counter at the Florida Pharmacy.
Another good place was The Barn, after it was the Gaslight Inn, where Spanky and Our Gang played.
It was located on the spot where Starbuck's is now.
you'll find me at Foccacia Rustica 2-3 times a week for lunch. Not well known (yet) but it's a great small local place.
Awesome sandwiches, salads, and empanadas. A ton of other homeade sides and baked goods or great if you just want to pick up a baguette and a bottle of wine to take home for dinner.
If you dont use their own version of basalmic vinigarette on your sandwich, you're missing out on the whole experience.
Bonus: Code 33 member :)
The Taurus totally missed the boat. They could have been the best restaurant in the Grove if they'd hired an outstanding chef. The Taurus had history, loyal patrons, PARKING, a patio that could have been a alfresco dining area. However the patio was never used unless it was blowgun night. Then it was full of men drinking alcohol with blowguns slung over their shoulders blowing darts into a target. The only bar that served obviously armed men. It was a great location with a HUGE PARKING LOT, they just never made the mark with their food.
the last carrot, sandbar, berries and even though the food is terrible scotty's has a great grove feel. tu tu tango is fun but going into cocowalk is like going into any entertainment mall in the usa.
we need a couple more food options in the grove with a vibe.
We will soon have a spectacular destination restaurant when Christabelle's opens on Commodore - same owner as Mr. Moes. Latin Quarter atmosphere, good food (New Orleans chefs), great music and soon valet parking on Commodore coming in November.
Why are you people diss'n Scotty's, the food is fine. It's not "Fine Dinning", but it's got great comfort food. People it's a great place, really. And the location is totally Grove!
Please all you scotty's-haters, be rational, it's one of the few places where everyone in the Gove mixes (from shrimpers to uber-rich bankers).
And Foccacia Rustica, for a newer place is also great, the owner and staff are cool, and the bread and coffe can not be beat. Hey, my family and I had a wonderful breakfast there, and we just bought our weekend bread there yesterday. I love the places I can walk to!
-bill anderson
Cafe Med has decent food for decent price. Kind of forlorn looking inside, but the staff are generally friendly
Scotty's is fab for spending a couple of hours chatting, drinking beer and eating comfort food.
Funny no one mentioned the two french "bistros" (can't even remember their names); the small one is just terrible, even their breakfast sucks and, at night, you can see people just avoid it and the one in front, by Rani's, is way way way overpriced and overcrowded. One can't even sit down. Used to go a lot, but, quite frankly, not an enjoyable experience anymore.
GreenStreets however, is pretty decent.
Why are you people diss'n Scotty's,
Bad food. Terrible service. The place sucks.
the food is fine.
See above.
It's not "Fine Dinning", but it's got great comfort food.
Yeah, you keep saying that.
People it's a great place, really.
Just keep clicking the heels of your ruby-red slippers together. Repeat.
And the location is totally Grove!
I guess if by "Grove" you mean dodging forklifts on the way to your table, eating next to a gas pump, and being treated with disdain by an indifferent staff.
I think there's something nice about dodging forklifts on the way in, eating next to a gas pump and sitting on a big bench and getting my beer in a sloppy bucket. It makes scotty's the antithesis of obnoxiously pretentious beach bars. The food is pretty bad and the beer is expensive, and the band is a bit loud and (imho) not very good, but in terms of giving the grove-ites a place to get together I would hate to see it go, or clean up for that matter.
Well, I could easily take all of that, and more, if the wait staff wasn't so hostile. Call me crazy, but I don't care to drop my money in places where the staff behave as if I'm causing them problems by being there.
In case I wasn't clear, I was referring to Scotty's when I posted this:
Anonymous said...
It's nice to know that to some people "Grove restaurant" means vile food served by people with oozing herpes blisters and no teeth.
12:35 PM
There is a fat guy waiter at Scottys that probably gave me the worst service in my life. Rude, unattentive, constantly banging into our chairs w/o saying "excuse me", sweating like a pig, were just a few of his qualities. The moment that stole teh show was when we got the bill. He really deserved ZERO tip, but we gave him 15% (on a $40 check). This fatass had the nerve to plant the tip back on the table and ask if we were aware how much teh bill was and walked away!!! Like magic, that 15% went right into our pockets. Cant believe that fatass still works there. The only good server there is a guy named Mark. Always makes sure you have a drink and gets food there warm.
It is unfortunate but the quality of restuarants (and retail shops for that matter) in the Grove are definitely subpar.
Sadly, it is the landlords who are to blame. The rents are so high that many quality merchants won't even consider the grove.
Therefore, many of the businesses that do come to the grove have no business being in business in the first place. And the turnover of shops is indicative of this...
I believe that the grove and even the landlords would benefit in the long run if they charged reasonable rents. There would be less turnover and better quality stores/restaurants.
Everytime I stroll through the grove I feel as if I see another new place that I half-jokingly say to myself "it must be a front", or "this guy must want a green card".
I agree that service at Scotty's can be lazy at best, but it is one of the few places (maybe) the only place left in the grove where you can relax by ther water and not pay 2 fortunes for the priveledge.
Forklifts have the right of way. Signs are posted. TY :)
sammy c's has great food!!!
same with Jaguar!
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