Really enjoyed the truffle gnocchi. Highly recommend. Reasonably priced and happy hour drinks available for only 7$.

Great people watching. Excellent Salmon Nicoise Salad with a TON of salmon on it. Wonderful cocktails - especially the Balans Lush. Dined alone and did feel a bit mocked, bit that could just be South Beach. read more

Balans - Salmon Nicoise - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Came here for the Happy Hour after seeing reviews on Yelp. The server was pretty good, paid attention and we never felt ignored. I had the Mango Mojito which was delicious. Sriracha chicken wings: spicy! came with a blue cheese dip with blue cheese crumbled on top. I'm not crazy about blue cheese but the combination of the spicy wings with the cooling blue cheese was delicious. Spinach dip: the warm chips was a nice touch. The dip was mostly spinach with barely any cheese. It was ok but I prefer a more cheesy creamy spinach dip. Short ribs: these were good. They come with 2 pretty big sized ribs in a really good BBQ sauce and green onions. My BF really enjoyed these. Sliders: 2 decently sized sliders. They were juicy and the caramelized onions made these a big hit. Definitely recommend! Overall it was one of the best happy hour menus. I recommend everything we ordered. read more

Balans - Spinach dip with pico de gallo, Sriracha wings with blue cheese dip & short ribs (sliders and Mojito not pictured) - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

My wife and I was deciding exactly where to eat this morning so we left it up to google and the first place that popped up was Balans restaurant and bar so we glared in each other's eyes like little love bird and immediately said let's try that place, when we walked up immediately Valentin greeted us with great hospitality and he's very knowledgeable and articulate about the menu he showed us around the restaurant & told us to sit anywhere we would like, started explaining to us some of the best items on the menu he recommending different beverages and breakfast food dishes we completely would like to recommend Balans restaurant and bar to everyone and make sure you ask for server Valentin. read more

Balans - Pancakes with strawberries Side a ham and sausage & Huevos - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Shrimp curry was delicious! (Photo attached) Good atmosphere and great for people watching. Attentive servers. read more

Balans - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

We visited for a brunch for a bachelorette party. The staff was friendly and accommodating with taking pictures for the bridal party! The food was delicious and the drinks were well made. Try the crab linguine is you're looking for a fresh meal with all the feeling of a seafood restaurant. read more

Balans - Crab linguine. The food was good and filling. It was affordable. - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Love this place. All the food is good. The manager takes care of the place ordered wings that were too spicy and got a new batch with the sauce on the side! Amazing overall! Definitely would come again read more

This review is for their happy hour! Lets start by saying that the service is excellent, all staff was super friendly and very attentive. I went on a Friday afternoon at around 3pm. I ordered a sangria and a few appetizers - the sangria was really tasty - I almost thought it was just juice until I started to feel the alcohol half way into the drink. The food was also really amazing. I ordered the brussel sprouts, flat bread, tuna tartare and truffle mac n' cheese - all were really good orders. Highly recommend checking out for happy hour! read more

I have been coming here for breakfast or Brunch for years. Don't care much about their lunch and dinner menu. The Eggs Benedict is amazing and so are the Crab Cakes. I stopped coming here for a while because service was terrible and the food was inconsistent but the new manager knows what he's doing. This location is also much better and cleaner than the location on Biscayne. read more

Balans on Lincoln Road is always a good pick when looking for where to breakfast or brunch. A yummy selection to pick from on the menu and Bellinis or Mimosas to wash breakfast down. Parking to get here can be a challenge especially on Friday and Saturdays. I recommend it to anyone whose in South Beach and is undecided. read more

The service has been excellent since the moment we sat down. Our server, Lorena, was very attentive and sweet. The food was delicious as well. We ordered the eggs Benedict with bacon and the eggs with potatoes/toast. Both were very good. A glass of mimosa is $8.50 which is not bad and $25 for a pitcher which serves about 5 glasses. The atmosphere is laid back and perfect for people watching. I would definitely come here again for brunch. read more

Balans - Eggs with potatoes and toast - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

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I love the atmosphere and service , but the eggs Benedict were not good, the has corn beef hash was not satisfactory it was overly seasoned and a small portion. Won't do. Brunch here again...Great for socialization and people watching coffee was good social experience and staff was very courteous. read more

Kind of randomly stopped at this place on a Friday night. We were a large party of 5 and this still seemed like a pretty good location to people watch. The guy up front was rude but service was ok. Not much on the menu to accommodate me (no main dish) besides a salad option. I had the superfood salad. Basically a kale/quinoa salad with simple balsamic and olive oil on the side instead of the yogurt tahini dressing. read more

First of all don't order any of their specialty drinks we personally did not enjoy them. But, the food. Oh the food was amazing. We had the crab cake it was so tender and flavorful. The remoulade sauce that comes with it is to die for. I ordered the burrata and watermelon salad. It exceeded my expectations, the tomatoes and watermelon were super fresh, the burrata was creamy and cold and the balsamic dressing was amazing. My husband ordered their burger, he said it was one of the best burgers he's eaten in Miami. Our server, Cesar, was amazing super friendly and not imposing but assessed our needs perfectly! We will definitely be coming back here to try other dishes! read more

Best food prices and service ever! Herb chicken and crab linguine amazing Highly recommended will come back with my family! read more

Our go to spot whenever we are in Miami Beach. Always a great experience, friendly service and unbeatable happy hour menu and prices.

This place was great! Not too expensive and the food was phenomenal!! I had Eggs Benedict with bacon and it was so delicious. I would recommend their breakfast/brunch menu to anyone if they are in the area. It's great. read more

Balans - Eggs Benedict with bacon was to die for! - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Mint Mango Margarita is my favorite! I come here only for that :) also love their music. super chilly :) read more

Balans - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Not a fan at all, feels like a total tourist trap. Sales driven but food sucks. As a local, will never return. Had appetizer and left.

3.5 Better than its Brickell sibling which is shocking because, you know, South Beach. But, it should be said. The food and service at the Lincoln location is better. The scenery is a wash. Whether you're in Mary Brickell Village or smack dab in the middle of Lincoln, you're going to have your choice of eye candy to ogle. That's one that no one can ever take from Miami: insane hotness. Everywhere. Whereas I would tip the scale to the Brickell location for night life, Balans on the Beach is all about breakfast/brunch. And, so, brunch it would be for me and my friend. We nabbed a table on the outside walkway, received a smile (!) from our waiter, shielded ourselves from the sun's lethal rays thanks to the umbrella, and got to the business of ordering, detoxing and talking business. I kept it simple: an Arnold Palmer, crab salad... and truffle mac & cheese. What? Yeah yeah yeah. One of these doesn't look like the other. i get it. BUT when you need strength to ogle, gossip, plot, and side-eye, leaves don't get it done, son. You gotta go for the fat. And, that fat was delicious. While it's quite possible to eff up mac & cheese, I'm pleased to report that Balans did not. Nor did they drown the dish in truffle oil so that you forgot what you were eating. The dish had a nice balance. Once I scarfed that down, I could pretend that I was a real South Beach resident by eating a salad. Sitting atop a bed of greens was lump crabmeat, watermelon, pink grapefruit, and orange. Rather than the mango-ish dressing (I'm a touch allergic), I got a cool, little mint number. The salad was delightfully refreshing and I'd order it again and again. You can't go wrong with fresh seafood, greens, fruit, and mint. I felt so healthy. Knowing the isht show Balans Brickell can be, I came here expecting a mess and received a nice start to my Wednesday. This Balans has the perfect blend of location, eye candy, atmosphere, and food to start your South Beach day just the way you want it. Shockingly, recommended. read more

I come every time I'm in Miami. salmon Benedict is bae. Don't understand why it only has 3 stars. It's actually decent every time I've gone lol. read more

Balans - Salmon Benedict - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

Forget hello, you had me at British magazines. I'm an Anglo-mag-phile so when I strolled in for a Sunday brunch with one of my favorite coworkers I was excited to see a small newstand in the back corner. I didn't even sit, instead, I excused myself and sped to the magazines. I pulled British Elle and Vogue down and the new Vanity Fair just to be fair. That my friends is the high point of my meal. The rest was well, slow. Slow and forgettable. The wonderful Chef Michelle Bernstein was mentioned to me that if you can't remember what you ate then it wasn't good. And that's exactly what happened here. I ordered a Croque Madame and Pancakes with Bananas and Dulce De Leche. Neither of the dishes stood out. The one thing I remember thinking is that it was rather bland, nothing popped. The pancakes were the worse of the two with the pancakes themselves feeling heavy, the bananas weren't ripe, and the dulce de leche was great as dulce de leche was actually stolen from the gods but still I'd have liked more of a sauce-like version. Oh Balans, you have a prime location, pleasant servers, cool magazines, if only your kitchen could pull it together. read more

Smiling faces... on the staff and then on us after eating! The restaurant is on the Lincoln Mall walkway and easy to find. It is New Year's Eve morning (8:00 am) and they just opened. They were the only open place for the breakfast BNI chapter meeting... lucky us! We sat outside in the middle of the mall walkway and enjoyed the morning sun, the cool air and the hot coffee. The staff turned down the music so we could hear the chapter members talk but the upbeat music could still set the mood in the background. The service was quick and attentive. The waitstaff was very helpful in their descriptions of the menu items and patient in waiting for a decision... too many delicious descriptions to choose from. When the food did appear (which was rather quickly) there were no disappointments voiced over the description vs the taste. Each plate was masterfully laid out as if to delight the eye as well as the tongue. And delight the tongue they did, indeed. Let me just report that everyone was thoroughly delighted (well, there was one case of sour dough toast being served instead of rye but that was quickly corrected). I think the Chapter may very well be looking at Balan's as a new base of operations for their meetings. Praise doesn't get much higher than that. read more

We were staying close by so this was a supposed to be a good option for breakfast. I was pretty disappointed. The food was decent but nothing special as far as breakfast food goes. It could have been better if it had arrived to the table warmer and in a timely manner. While this was disappointing it could have been overlooked if the bathroom hadn't been so appalling. There were separate mens and women's single stall bathrooms. The reason I'm pointing this out will be apparent in a moment. The ladies bathroom was absolutely disgusting. I am shocked by how poorly a woman can leave a restroom. This isn't even the worst part. I left our table three times during the course of breakfast in hopes that the bathroom would have been cleaned so I could actually use it but to no luck. I did finally resort to using the men's bathroom, a first for me. It was clean enough to use but I would not say it was sparkling in any way. These bathrooms are in a prime spot in the restaurant and I do not understand why they weren't checked on more regularly. Overall, I wouldn't return here because the food was mediocre and the bathrooms needed some serious help. read more

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One of my fave places in sobe. Fresh and quality. Gala is perfect-intelligent and attentive. Love her!

The steak salad (per the suggestion of the waitress) was lovely. Only problem was there wasn't enough fat on there for me. So I ordered a side of goat cheese and a side of avocado - BAM, best salad ever! The server was a bit on the day-dreamy side, but since she suggested the steak salad, I'm giving her a "pass". Overall great place to relax, people-watch, and drink a decent glass of wine on Lincoln Street. read more

Love the crab linguine really GAVE ME LIFE BRUH second time coming here im actually back again at the moment servers are friendly everyones friendly and the food is good if your on south beach its a must come im about to finish eating read more

Balans - Couldmt help myself started eating before the picture kais recommened this of he says its good its good - New American Near Me - Miami Beach, Florida

I'm shocked that I haven't written about Balan's. Since I moved to the beach 2 years ago, it's been one of my consistent places to grab a great leisurely and affordable bite along Lincoln, and do some great people-watching. I'm a big fan of their weekend brunch, and they definitely make a strong bloody mary! I'm a big fan of eggs benedict, and at Balans, you can get yours made with a choice of the traditional canadian bacon, real bacon, or even fresh spinach. Each are equally tasty. The french toast is delicious too. When I don't go for brunch, I usually end up getting one of their daily specials, which are conveniently listed on the chalkboard that's propped against the hostess station. Definitely check these out! On the weekends, there can be a long wait and huge crowds, especially during prime brunching hours. But if you want to sit inside, or have a smaller party, you'll likely get seated faster. read more

SOLID. My spouse and I have been to Balans dozens of times over the years, and it remains a go-to spot when we're doing dinner and a movie on the Beach. It's just steps from the Regal and it provides consistently good food in a fun people-watching environment. One of the reasons it remains a perennial favorite with Mr. Wonderful is the no-nonsense menu. Balans has English roots, so what they lack in panache is made up for in wholesomeness and generous portions. Last time we were there he had a pasta with lobster, I got a veggie Thai curry, and for dessert, we shared a flourless pecan brownie with pistachio ice cream. Delish! Considering the Lincoln Road location, prices at Balans have remained quite reasonable, too. Seating is comfy at Balans, and with the pedestrians passing by, it's never boring. That's important because food service can be slow. I think their kitchen is too small for the number of tables they added outside. Plan to eat after the movie and you're all set! read more

very rude management, I walked in and told bartender that I would be waiting for another person, ordered a restroom and went in to use the restroom only to be kicked out by a woman manager, yes, very rude and uncalled for, really paints a sassy picture I didn't want to entangle myself in. Save your money and go to a nice place on ocean drive! read more

Balan's is one of the reasons that I heart Miami. We ordered a pitcher of white wine sangria which was dangerously non-alcoholic tasting, causing me to fall asleep at the table 30 minutes into our meal. That aside, the food was delicious. I ordered the chili beef salad with tofu and the beef slices were tender and perfectly marinated. I don't think that I've enjoyed a salad this much. My friends were also very pleased with their food. I loved the outdoor seating and the Lincoln Road atmosphere. Would definitely come here (and to Miami) again! read more

Yum yum yum :) Balans on Lincoln is the perfect people-watching spot to enjoy delicious food. I have come here several times over the years for breakfast/brunch and just recently I ate dinner here for the first time. We ordered salads to keep it light since we had plans after, and I actually had to box up half my salad because it was so huge! I ordered the cobb salad, no bleu cheese. Everything was fresh and tasty and the dressing was light. Note that because it's on Lincoln, like most places in South Beach, gratuity is automatically included. read more

Balans and I go way backkkk!!! Many a hangovers have been cured with a midday breakfast platter and a painkiller or 2. So why the two stars??? Well the service for one was slowwwww and I was sitting at the bar...go figure. But worse than the service was my tiny mojito! Tinyyyyy!!!! Like child size glassware! And full priced $15 w/ tax & tip (already included). Dislike button! read more

Balan's is a great Lincoln Road dining spot with a lovely ambiance that affords seating both indoors and out. The service is above average and generally friendly and attentive. The food is good and in some cases great (home made corned beef hash, prosciutto salad). Balan's for breakfast and lunch definitely earns four stars. For dinner, I find the value to misalign with the quality of the food and service just slightly. That is to say, for the price of the entrees I expect a bit more pizzazz across the board. That doesn't mean I have any love lost for Balan's, though. They have been one of my go-to staples for years. In short, Balan's is a consistent, must-try for a lovely daytime dining experience. read more

Like any Lincoln Road eatery, Balans boasts a great opportunity to experience dinning outdoors with plenty of passersby satisfy the people-watcher in you. We stopped in for dinner one Saturday night. The menu was extensive enough. They offer pasta, sea food, a couple of Asian inspired dishes, and even a burger. I had the Pumpkin Tortellini and shared the cappuccino brulee for desert. Both were delicious. I'm looking forward to their new location on Biscayne and 67th, under construction. read more

Several months ago, I posted a review of Balans here in which I complained about being seated next to a table of smokers with dogs that kept sniffing us. It was such a bad experience that I insisted that Balans had lost us as loyal customers forever. "Never again," I wrote. To his credit, Jonathan of Balans responded to that review and apologized. So, when we were back in Miami Beach over the Christmas holidays, we had an open mind about giving a second chance to what has been one of my favourite restaurants for almost two decades. Walking along Lincoln Road, we spotted a waiter working at Balans whom I have seen there for probably 14 or 15 years...so we figured we should try again because he has always made our experience there a positive one. As expected, the service was excellent and the food was delicious. But just as we were debating ordering another round of drinks, three people at the table beside us starting smoking. (We come from a city where smoking on restaurant patios is prohibited because it's gross and unhealthy.) Then, the group at the table on the other side of us starting using of those hookah things (why these even exist in places that serve food is a mystery). We were literally stuck between cigarette smoke and fruity-smelling vapours. We got the bill, paid and left. I understand Balans needs to make money, and maybe hookahs are profitable. I also understand Balans doesn't make bylaws about smoking on restaurant patios. So all I can say is it's disappointing. I decided to post this follow-up review because Balans deserves points for its service and its food. I'm sure we will find ourselves back there. To be fair, everyone has different expectations... so if you don't mind smoking, hookahs and dogs while you're eating/drinking, you won't find Balans as disappointing as we do. read more

I've always liked the menu at Balans, a nice variety with some world-fusion flare. I also love eating outside on Lincoln road and watching the endless South Beach parade. I love the pumpkin marscapone tortellini and have a definite soft spot for their calamari. My most recent visit there had some weird service issues, though. It was on a Monday night in August meaning Lincoln Rd was pretty much deserted. Our server cheerfully sat us outside as we requested, gave us the specials and offered to bring us water. So far so good. But after a few minutes we were sweltering under the umbrellas and asked to be moved to where we could catch a breeze from one of the fans. Once he moved us, our server, holding our water glasses in his hand, did a complete about-face saying "your waiter will be with you shortly," and stormed off. Um, weren't you our waiter? And why hold our water glasses hostage while we wait another 10 minutes for our new waiter to come by? I waitressed for a couple years so I know asking to move tables can be tricky business - servers have sections they guard very jealously - but really, we were one of four tables on the entire patio. We really liked our first server and it felt liked we'd been dumped. His attitude definitely put a little damper on the evening. read more

Food was really good, but we waited for an hour for it to come out. It wasn't really that busy... I ordered the bacon benedict, and really enjoyed it, but maybe it was because i was famished by the time it arrived. Sit outside, the people watching is amazing!! Drinks are expensive, but they are EVERYWHERE in South Beach. read more

The food was much more expensive than expected. I had a mediocre omelette, not so great potatoes and two pieces of toast, along with 2 mimosas and my bill came to $42. Side salsa is $2 extra. The omelette only comes with one topping, each extra is $2. I guess I read the menu wrong because I wasn't expecting my bill to be over $26. And on top of that I was sitting for at least fifteen minutes before I even got water. I wouldn't recommend this place. At all. read more

I'm a regular customer and usually love Balans, both on the beach and in Brickell...having said that, there's a very tall blonde waitress that is making me and my friends reconsider going any longer. She doesn't care about the tables, nor does she even bring the things you ask. I write this as a person who has had more than one experience with her. My friends literally will avoid going inside if they see that she's working. Balans should really reconsider this hiring choice if they can't motivate her to match the attentive nature of everyone else that works there. read more