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Pros: 1) they use real wasabi plant root; 2) real Japanese chef. Cons: 1) sushi was ok, nothing special; 3) rice was so bad, tasted too salty and old; 2) no music at all; 3) too complicated to get car back at the valet, so many people and one valet guy; 4) weird seating timing, you enjoying the food, and next 30 min another seating is coming, too much movements, why not use different timing like another omakase doing, like One seating leaves, another comes.
This was a great experience to sample an assortment of fresh fish. The service was top notch! We appreciated all the explanations of the food. The Den was very personal, with room for only 12. I appreciated that it was in a separate room from the main restaurant, so we could focus on the food and chef. It's a must try if you're in South Beach. It is located inside The Staton Marriott Hotel.
Michelin starred Miami outpost of a revered Omakase counter which gets a soft 4 for a high end if not exciting experience. The hostess leads you through busy Azabu to a back room hosting The Den which is infinitely more intimate. The counter is relatively large with room for 18 but the warm wooden decor makes it feel cozy. The chefs work right in front of you and demonstrate excellent technique. The meal consists of 20 courses interlacing nigiri and composed dishes. The opener was a beautiful thin slice of tuna in an uni soy sauce which was really good and unique. The nigiri selection features a tuna progression, smoked trout, gizzard shad, nodoguro and uni. I found the soup dishes (like the miso soup and Florida stone crab dumpling) disappointingly bland. For dessert there was mochi ice cream and a Japanese musk melon. The melon was not a perfect specimen but was still better than any ordinary honeydew. The strawberry and blackberry were sour and felt like a weird inclusion next to that melon. In some ways the den is everything it should be for a high end Omakase but it was missing the wow factor for me.
This was a hugely pleasant surprise during a recent trip to Miami at the hotel I was staying at (Marriott Stanton South Beach Miami). A top notch Japanese restaurant that included a private "omakase" offering and menu. The fact that everything is imported from Japan on a daily basis surprised me a bit, and the chefs are from Japan. I lived in Tokyo for some time and if you are in Florida, Miami in particular, this is probably the closest you will ever get to high grade Japanese cuisine without travelling to Japan. Everything was superb and went for seconds on the maguro. Highly recommended.
We had been wanting to try The Den for a while, they got a Michelin star recently so when they had the summer tasting menu we decided to go. Well, I was very disappointed, yes the chef in front of you is great the fish was good, directly from Japan but in all honesty not worth the money, 14 pcs of sushi on rice for $175 and we came out still very hungry, we had to go for pizza after that. I have been to other Japanese tasting menus but I never had to go for another meal after. Also just sushi on rice with not even a bit of decoration on your plate, some elaboration in the plating, nothing at all, really not an experience to repeat, unfortunately
Went with friends for their Omakase experience and it was a great food experience. The place is very serious so if a cool miami ambiance is what you are looking for this is not the place for it. Is traditional omakase, quiet and formal. Each dish was delicious I loved that they combined cook dishes to begin ending with the raw selection. My favorites were the eel ( I'm not a fan of eel and this one won me over), their tuna options were delicious. The sardine as weird as it might sound was not fishy at all and meaty a perfect bite. The attention was on point and overall a great traditional Omakase.
Great vibes and high-quality fish, with a limited but quiet private space. The food is a bit expensive , especially considering you can find similar or better options for the same cost.
Just absolutely delightful. Michelin star only 30 minutes away? Woo hoo! Walking into the omakase experience room felt like walking into a cool movie set. The chef was informative and all the staff was kind and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the summer menu, thank you for an incredible experience.
Delighted to finally find a world-class omakase experience in South Florida. The Den earns its Michelin star through the outstanding attention to detail and freshness of the fish (most of which is flown in from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo). In total, there were 20 courses. Some highlights include the suzuki with ponzu and chives; young Spanish mackerel; Japanese tiger prawn; Hokkaido uni, and the Toro-Taku roll. The Tuna Tasting is stupendous: Akame Zuki (soy-sauce marinated lean tuna), followed by Chu-toro, and then O-toro. The fried butterfish with miso also was memorable, and real wasabe is deployed throughout the experience. The refreshing muskmelon with a chocolate truffle is a nice finishing touch. Our sushi sous chef, Ryu, was engaging, and thoughtfully provided a menu with calligraphy to celebrate a special occasion. Hands-down the best sushi/omakase in metro Miami.
Best omakase experience I've had in a while. Not only was the food incredibly fresh and delicious, but the service was on point and the sushi chef a pleasure to speak to. We went to the 6:30 seating, there were two other parties sitting at the bar, however our chef was only catering to my party of 4. The prices are high, but it's well worth the money. Felt like I was in Tokyo.
Absolutely 5 star in every way. My husband and I were celebrating our ten year anniversary and upon entering the host greeted us by my name (I still don't know how he knew it) and told us happy anniversary. We got celebratory champagne and entered into the beautiful room. The chef is incredible and so kind. He explained every dish to us and told us how to eat each dish which I appreciated. We were served 21 dishes, all exquisite. Our favorites were the medium fat tuna and the warm dishes, but there was not one single thing that was below 5 star. My husband loved his sake tasting and I got the Koi, which was delicious. At one point I got a stain on my menu and within 20 seconds I had a new one. The whole team is great and everyone seems to love what they're doing. Cannot recommend this experience enough!
What an experience. Came here to celebrate my birthday & was blown away to say the least. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted, & transported to the back, champagne was poured, and custom birthday menus had been placed on each of our table settings (Michelin service at its best) - from there the experience truly began. opted for the omakase + sake pairing, which I highly recommend. Every bite was meticulously crafted & masterfully plated. Not over the top - traditional, but elevated allowing the true essence of each ingredient to shine. I really appreciated that aspect. The atmosphere was peaceful & intimate - subtle chatter can be heard amongst the other guests and the chef, but reserved...again, allowing you to relish in the flavors without noise. Cellphones were given their own little tray to be placed on while dining and a damped towel was served to wipe your fingers between nigiri courses (it's the details). Anyways, this was truly a spiritual experience & an art form for all the senses - more than impressed. Thank you.
I came here with my husband last night to celebrate my birthday. We are not super wealthy people, and this was a huge splurge for us. Let me tell you- it was worth every penny. The service was outstanding from the second we walked in. I feel terrible I don't remember the name of our server! She was a beautiful Asian woman who really made us feel at home. A woman next to me was cold, and this server brought her a red shawl to cover her shoulders! The food- the omakase menu consisted of TWENTY different things! And every single item was tasty and delicious. My favorite part was that, even though almost everything was fish (with the exception of the tamago and dessert), every single piece still had different flavor profiles going on, making each course a new and interesting experience. You can tell the chef put great care into this menu. It did not taste "repetitive," if you know what I mean. At the end of the meal, our head chef wrote our names and a short message on our menu, in kana! What a thoughtful, personal touch, and gave us a nice little souvenir to take home. Will come back here next time we are in Miami. I have been to several other Michelin restaurants before, but this has been my favorite by far.
This is truly such a hidden gem and I mean gem. The Den is a legit omakase experience tucked inside the Azabu restaurant at the Marriott, and I promise you, I've done omakase before, but never like this. Only 15 seats. Two seatings per day. We went for the 9:15 pm and from start to finish, it was a solid two hour experience that flew by because everything was just that good. The hospitality alone would've made the night, but then the food had to go and be equally incredible. The group is split so that half the seats have their own dedicated chef and server, and the other half has their own making the whole thing feel incredibly intimate even with a full house. Shoutout to Chef Anthony, who was not only insanely talented but genuinely funny and engaging the whole time. And our server AK was so attentive and on point all night. Every single person working there brought that same level of care and presence which honestly? You just don't see in the restaurant industry anymore. We had flounder, squid, snapper, fatty tuna, lean tuna, scallops, sea urchin and everything was pristine. All the fish is imported directly from Japan and you can absolutely taste the difference. Fresh doesn't even cover it. Some aged upto two weeks If you know, you know. And now you know. Go book it. read more
My very first Omakase experience and it was incredible. I absolutely recommend The Den private dining experience. It was quiet, felt exclusive and the service was very attentive. Every piece of sashimi was fresh and delicious. The rice was cooked to perfection and I loved that the chefs asked if each piece was made the way you liked it before the next one. Pure excellence! read more
Pros: 1) they use real wasabi plant root; 2) real Japanese chef. Cons: 1) sushi was ok, nothing special; 3) rice was so bad, tasted too salty and old; 2) no music at all; 3) too complicated to get car back at the valet, so many people and one valet guy; 4) weird seating timing, you enjoying the food, and next 30 min another seating is coming, too much movements, why not use different timing like another omakase doing, like One seating leaves, another comes. read more
9 months ago
This was a great experience to sample an assortment of fresh fish. The service was top notch! We appreciated all the explanations of the food. The Den was very personal, with room for only 12. I appreciated that it was in a separate room from the main restaurant, so we could focus on the food and chef. It's a must try if you're in South Beach. It is located inside The Staton Marriott Hotel. read more
5 months ago
Michelin starred Miami outpost of a revered Omakase counter which gets a soft 4 for a high end if not exciting experience. The hostess leads you through busy Azabu to a back room hosting The Den which is infinitely more intimate. The counter is relatively large with room for 18 but the warm wooden decor makes it feel cozy. The chefs work right in front of you and demonstrate excellent technique. The meal consists of 20 courses interlacing nigiri and composed dishes. The opener was a beautiful thin slice of tuna in an uni soy sauce which was really good and unique. The nigiri selection features a tuna progression, smoked trout, gizzard shad, nodoguro and uni. I found the soup dishes (like the miso soup and Florida stone crab dumpling) disappointingly bland. For dessert there was mochi ice cream and a Japanese musk melon. The melon was not a perfect specimen but was still better than any ordinary honeydew. The strawberry and blackberry were sour and felt like a weird inclusion next to that melon. In some ways the den is everything it should be for a high end Omakase but it was missing the wow factor for me. read more
This was a hugely pleasant surprise during a recent trip to Miami at the hotel I was staying at (Marriott Stanton South Beach Miami). A top notch Japanese restaurant that included a private "omakase" offering and menu. The fact that everything is imported from Japan on a daily basis surprised me a bit, and the chefs are from Japan. I lived in Tokyo for some time and if you are in Florida, Miami in particular, this is probably the closest you will ever get to high grade Japanese cuisine without travelling to Japan. Everything was superb and went for seconds on the maguro. Highly recommended. read more
We had been wanting to try The Den for a while, they got a Michelin star recently so when they had the summer tasting menu we decided to go. Well, I was very disappointed, yes the chef in front of you is great the fish was good, directly from Japan but in all honesty not worth the money, 14 pcs of sushi on rice for $175 and we came out still very hungry, we had to go for pizza after that. I have been to other Japanese tasting menus but I never had to go for another meal after. Also just sushi on rice with not even a bit of decoration on your plate, some elaboration in the plating, nothing at all, really not an experience to repeat, unfortunately read more
1 year ago
Went with friends for their Omakase experience and it was a great food experience. The place is very serious so if a cool miami ambiance is what you are looking for this is not the place for it. Is traditional omakase, quiet and formal. Each dish was delicious I loved that they combined cook dishes to begin ending with the raw selection. My favorites were the eel ( I'm not a fan of eel and this one won me over), their tuna options were delicious. The sardine as weird as it might sound was not fishy at all and meaty a perfect bite. The attention was on point and overall a great traditional Omakase. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
Great vibes and high-quality fish, with a limited but quiet private space. The food is a bit expensive , especially considering you can find similar or better options for the same cost. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
Just absolutely delightful. Michelin star only 30 minutes away? Woo hoo! Walking into the omakase experience room felt like walking into a cool movie set. The chef was informative and all the staff was kind and knowledgeable. We enjoyed the summer menu, thank you for an incredible experience. read more
Delighted to finally find a world-class omakase experience in South Florida. The Den earns its Michelin star through the outstanding attention to detail and freshness of the fish (most of which is flown in from the Toyosu Market in Tokyo). In total, there were 20 courses. Some highlights include the suzuki with ponzu and chives; young Spanish mackerel; Japanese tiger prawn; Hokkaido uni, and the Toro-Taku roll. The Tuna Tasting is stupendous: Akame Zuki (soy-sauce marinated lean tuna), followed by Chu-toro, and then O-toro. The fried butterfish with miso also was memorable, and real wasabe is deployed throughout the experience. The refreshing muskmelon with a chocolate truffle is a nice finishing touch. Our sushi sous chef, Ryu, was engaging, and thoughtfully provided a menu with calligraphy to celebrate a special occasion. Hands-down the best sushi/omakase in metro Miami. read more
Best omakase experience I've had in a while. Not only was the food incredibly fresh and delicious, but the service was on point and the sushi chef a pleasure to speak to. We went to the 6:30 seating, there were two other parties sitting at the bar, however our chef was only catering to my party of 4. The prices are high, but it's well worth the money. Felt like I was in Tokyo. read more
Absolutely 5 star in every way. My husband and I were celebrating our ten year anniversary and upon entering the host greeted us by my name (I still don't know how he knew it) and told us happy anniversary. We got celebratory champagne and entered into the beautiful room. The chef is incredible and so kind. He explained every dish to us and told us how to eat each dish which I appreciated. We were served 21 dishes, all exquisite. Our favorites were the medium fat tuna and the warm dishes, but there was not one single thing that was below 5 star. My husband loved his sake tasting and I got the Koi, which was delicious. At one point I got a stain on my menu and within 20 seconds I had a new one. The whole team is great and everyone seems to love what they're doing. Cannot recommend this experience enough! read more
What an experience. Came here to celebrate my birthday & was blown away to say the least. Upon arrival we were warmly greeted, & transported to the back, champagne was poured, and custom birthday menus had been placed on each of our table settings (Michelin service at its best) - from there the experience truly began. opted for the omakase + sake pairing, which I highly recommend. Every bite was meticulously crafted & masterfully plated. Not over the top - traditional, but elevated allowing the true essence of each ingredient to shine. I really appreciated that aspect. The atmosphere was peaceful & intimate - subtle chatter can be heard amongst the other guests and the chef, but reserved...again, allowing you to relish in the flavors without noise. Cellphones were given their own little tray to be placed on while dining and a damped towel was served to wipe your fingers between nigiri courses (it's the details). Anyways, this was truly a spiritual experience & an art form for all the senses - more than impressed. Thank you. read more
3 years ago
I came here with my husband last night to celebrate my birthday. We are not super wealthy people, and this was a huge splurge for us. Let me tell you- it was worth every penny. The service was outstanding from the second we walked in. I feel terrible I don't remember the name of our server! She was a beautiful Asian woman who really made us feel at home. A woman next to me was cold, and this server brought her a red shawl to cover her shoulders! The food- the omakase menu consisted of TWENTY different things! And every single item was tasty and delicious. My favorite part was that, even though almost everything was fish (with the exception of the tamago and dessert), every single piece still had different flavor profiles going on, making each course a new and interesting experience. You can tell the chef put great care into this menu. It did not taste "repetitive," if you know what I mean. At the end of the meal, our head chef wrote our names and a short message on our menu, in kana! What a thoughtful, personal touch, and gave us a nice little souvenir to take home. Will come back here next time we are in Miami. I have been to several other Michelin restaurants before, but this has been my favorite by far. read more
3 years ago
Truly a one of a kind experience. My wife and I love sushi, and we were in Miami Beach for our anniversary. So naturally we had to check out the Michelin Star Sushi spot The Den. Most of their ingredients are flown in daily from Tokyo, and the quality is apparent with each bite. Head chef Atsushi Okawara is truly an artist at his craft (yes he even has 'sushi' in his name) We also opted for the sake pairing which went perfect with the melt in mouth sushi menu. Dress code is business casual, but they do allow men to wear dressy shorts (which was nice in July in Miami) Thank you for making our anniversary so memorable! read more
3 years ago
Everything about my experience here was incredible, from the ambience of warm light wood Japanese simplicity to the outstanding service by a very friendly and professional staff. We told them we were celebrating a special event and they made a personalized menu for us and the adorable origami swans were a nice touch. This is probably the best Omakase I have ever been to. I enjoyed every piece of sushi which was so fresh and melted in my mouth. And the sake pairing was right on. Thanks for making this such a memorable evening. I would love to return! read more
3 years ago
The Den is excellent. The setting is intimate without being cramped. We decided to get a sake with a cherry profile. I'm not a fan of dry drinks, so this worked well. The opening had a tuna with a soy uni sauce on the side, and I've never had such a stunning sauce. Soy uni, who comes up with this ingenious idea? We also had amberjack and trout. One of the nigiri pieces we had was a smoked trout, which was unlike anything I'd ever had in a pleasant manner. The food was great, but the chef was a bit reserved, and I understand that he is there to prepare great food, not necessarily entertain, but it's an added bonus when the chef can also give great information on the history of the foods, etc... There was one piece of sushi with a vinegar egg powder on top that I did not particularly care for, but that is to personal taste, and my husband enjoyed it. In all, I would say Hiden has a slight upper hand, but The Den is still an excellent establishment. read more
3 years ago
Great omakase experience in this private room which is part of a hotel and larger restaurant. The presentation was stunning and a very pleasant seating arrangement. Fish was good, heavy on the nigiri but ended perfectly with a warm broth and light fruit dessert. I highly recommend this if you enjoy omakase. read more
1 year ago
3 years ago
What an amazing experience. So first off, the people were super amazing and nice. My guest showed up late due to a torrential Miami downpour and they were nothing but extremely understanding. The location is in the back of another restaurant in a small, intimate space. Very nicely done. For the food it was a wide variety to try and they were all amazing. Didn't have one course I didn't like. Of course I had my favs (toro anyone) but not one of the courses did I regret having. We did the sake pairing too. They did a great job with the pairing and are very generous with the amount of sake you get. If you do this I recommend getting an Uber. Ha. There servers and chef were also super friendly and amazing people. Omakase is obviously expensive but when you compare this experience to others, this was an amazing deal. I will definitely come back. Picture included so you know I'm not a fake reviewer. read more
They said there's no good sushi in Florida. They are correct, especially in Southwest Florida. But The Den shows that there's no good sushi in Miami, but there is fantastic sushi in South Beach. The only question here is why only one Michelin star? Why not two? As something of an aficionado, this is among the best sushi and attendant cooked dishes I have ever had. The Den was recommended by Chef Tomo of Wako in San Francisco. Tomo-sama worked with Chef Atsushi in San Francisco at a neighborhood sushi place, Sanraku. Both moved on to open their own Michelin star Omekase restaurants. Both are impressive and showcase quality and dedication to their art. I want to especially note the otsukuri course with the Chuutoro with an Uni soyu, the most delectable sashimi course I've ever had. I want to also note the Nihonshu pairing which was well-chosen. You must come here if you're in the Miami area. There is fantastic sushi in Florida! read more
My boyfriend and I had the BEST time! It was very intimate - the food was incredible and everything about the experience was authentic. This was definitely some of the best omakase we have ever had. I highly recommend this spot for special occasions. The omakase was $250 each and then we got additional pieces of tuna and 2 carafes of sake so it needed up being about a little under $800 after tip (so not an ideal spot to hit on the regular). Lastly, the service was really great and certainly made it a premium experience! read more
4 years ago
I have never in my life had a better sushi experience. I am ruined. The skill and mastery of the ingredients could be tasted in every single one of the 10 courses. It's money well spent on an incredible omakase. read more
This was a lovely Omakase experience. Everything was fresh, and paired perfectly. Japanese uni was spectacular. The pairings were interesting and used ingredients I haven't had or rarely get the pleasure of enjoying. Absolutely worth a stop. 10/10 read more
4 years ago
Over all, great experience. Each bite melts in your mouth. I wish I could experience this meal every weekend! Be aware that you can easily spend $700 for 2 people with the meal plus drinks. However, it was money well spent for a memorable date night. read more
4 years ago
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More info about The Den
161 Ocean Dr
Miami Beach, FL 33139
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(786) 276-0520
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https://www.azabumiami.com/the-den
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