Café Sambal

I prefer brunch to any other meal at Café Sambal. The French toast is the stand out dish. The crispy corn flake crust combined with the soft center makes for a tasty start to the day!
I think they’re doing some construction now, so be sure to make a reservation!

My wife and I ate here multiple times over the last weekend as we were staying in the Mandarin Oriental.
I am not a fan of the Pad Thai or the swordfish… the Pad Thai was bland and the swordfish had four flavors that did not work well together. I did enjoy their wine list and dim sum, edamme, and spring rolls. They have good coffee and a great desert selection too.
I just was not that impressed considering their prices.

The view and the atmosphere are definite 5 star worthy.
The food has been hit or miss in the past along with the service.
But for a little getaway from the stress of everyday life, this place can’t be beat.

I was in the Mandarin Oriental for work, and had lunch in a blocked off area of the outdoor patio with colleagues one day. Then had breakfast alone on the outdoor patio the next day.
The lunch was buffet style with salad, chicken, fish, and beef choices along with couscous salad, an avocado salad, and a selection of 4 or 5 different desserts. Everything was extremely tasty. The servers were attentive and friendly. There was 1 close encounter with a bird flying into our space, but the wait staff was quick about shoo’ing it away. I assume they are use to the birds trying to get close enough to be fed. There was a raspberry cheesecake and a lemon tart that was so incredibly good. This was paid by the company I was with, so I don’t know what the pricing was, but it was a great lunch nonetheless.
Breakfast the next day was equally enjoyable. I had their «American Breakfast» which was a fruit salad, eggs cooked how you like, a choice of meat (I chose bacon, of course), a bread choice, skillet potatoes and a juice choice. I was given what I describe as a double-​shot glass of a mixed berry protein smoothie complimentary. It was fantastic. I also ordered a double espresso with my meal twice (I have a caffeine problem). Some times in these fancier restaurants, the portion sizes are on the smaller side. Here there was just enough. I’m sure if I told you how much I spent, you may gasp, but it was expected considering it’s in the Mandarin Oriental and it’s actually a really nice upscale restaurant. There was also a breakfast buffet option which a lot of other diners seemed to be ordering.
Eating outside over looking the bay was a great feeling. Very calming and relaxing. The service is as close to perfect as one can get. And in true Mandarin Oriental style, the servers always address you by your last name, which is a nice touch. All in all, I would recommend at least one meal here if you are in the hotel/​area.

I love this place we went Monday night and sat outside on the water. The views are spectacular. The service is great although I asked to take something out of my salad on a basic order but when I got it tat item was still in it. I ordered from reading reviews the chicken satay salad was so good. The chicken was cooked to perfection. They have a nice wine/​drink list. I also started with the edamame nice and crispy not over cooked and mushy with some sea salt. For my entrée I got salmon sashimi the fish was so fresh ! I suggest if you do eat here you sit outside I think this basically makes the restaurant have an extra star !

Well, I give this establishment four stars due to the view. Excellent location and great outdoor seating anytime of the day.
My husband and I met a couple friend of ours for breakfast. We ordered the breakfast buffet. Nothing out of this world. I wish they had a bigger selection of fats and proteins. Most of the food in the buffet where high carbohydrates such as fruits, juices, and bread. Not my cup of tea. I expected better from a restaurant at the Mandarin Oriental.

Great sunset views. Very tasty sushi and addictive wonton chips. The dipping sauce is wasabi/​honey mustard amazingness and the drinks are on point… I’m always sold when something includes bubbly and st germaine though.
I clearly have no issue spending a bit more for amazing food… but i think that overall it was a bit over priced. But amazing place for the sunset and snacks. :).

My husband and I were in Miami Beach for a weekend and came here for brunch. The service was in the top 3 of all my dining experiences. Everyone within the hotel was friendly and attentive — from valet to concierge. Our server was Rodolpho and he was very gracious and attentive. He advised us on the food, drinks, best camera settings for a proper photo overlooking the bay, and he directed us to the bayside path within the hotel and which scenery to not miss on our stroll. We will be back on our next trip.
Also, food was great. I recommend the ‘tutti fruity’ juice. Buffet was impressive — come hungry to get your $ 28 worth. Valet for brunch was $ 13.

Sambal is a consistently strong, versatile and quality Asian fusion café with a birds-​eye view of Biscayne Bay and a spa-​like ambience. Given its convenient location on Brickell Key, I’ve found myself there for many different meals-​breakfast, business lunch, late night post movie meal, mother’s day brunch, etc. All are generally great, and there is something especially relaxing sitting out on their waterside patio in such a beautiful hotel.
For breakfast, I recommend the salmon benedict and daily house smoothies. For lunch, try the sushi or bento boxes. And duck is always great for dinner.
Given how many friends and business colleagues I frequently bump into there, I know I’m not alone saying Sambal is one of my favorite spots in Brickell, for good reason.

Went here this weekend for my bday… Its located in the Mandarin Oriental…
We sat outside near the water with amazing views of water and miami skyline…
We were running a bit late for our reservations but they seated us right away. Service was impeccable. Our waitress was really nice and made sure everything was perfect…
We had the chicken pad thai, chicken coconut curry with vegetables and chicken fried rice. Everything was delicious…
I will definitely be back here soon…

Quick tips: Dress code casual, but it is a fun place to dress up. If the weather is nice, sit outside, there is a beautiful view of the water. Vegetarians: This may not be on the menu, but the Kung Pao Tofu and the glass noodles were delicious. Anything with tofu is a good choice It is very pricy, we spent a lot more than we intended.
Food: Kung Pao Tofu was delicious. They made it off the menu for me, it was originally Kung Pao Scallions. I would consider this under Service too, they were so nice about accommodating me. The tofu was perfectly cooked with the right amount of texture.
Service: Exquisite, no other word for it. Not one thing went wrong the entire night. Our waiter went above and beyond and didn’t want to charge me the same price for Kung Pao Scallions for the modified Kung Pao Tofu so my glass of Pinot was on the house.
Ambiance: Beautiful. Try to sit outside if the weather is nice. The dress code is casual, which we were, but I feel like it would be nice to have a nice night and dress up there.

I would rate Café Sambal five stars for their Shrimp Tempura «Dragonfly «roll, alone. This is, hands down, the most delicious, perfectly cooked, and beautiful orchestrated maki roll I’ve ever tasted.
They only offer valet parking and it is $ 11 dollars which you can only pay cash. The bayside views drove me to reserve a seat outside in the hot humid mosquito infested air. However, this was my fault and mine alone; they actually offer mosquito repellent and urge you to ask for it if you need it.
The service was outstanding and courteous. Our waiter recommended excellent dishes based on what we liked and even persuaded me to eat a steak cooked medium well which I loved. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to fit dessert into my plans as I finished everything I ordered. I would love to go back and try something else.

Breakfast was amazing! Tried a wide variety of food here on our 4 day stay. the waffles, fruit salad, blueberry pancakes, egg dishes and french toast were all the best. The Fruit salad was so fresh and good, every piece of fruit was perfect. The fresh juice was to die for.
Lunch– I had the Seafood fried rice, loved it!
I highly recommend eating here!!!

I went here back during Unilocal Eats & was very happy that I didn’t spend regular price money on this place… I liked the ambiance, but I must admit it was a bit dark inside and difficult to read the menu due to low light.
App — diver scallops, they were cooked well. However, I personally thought they were a little on the fishy side & didn’t taste entirely fresh
Dinner — the veggie pasta dish. The idea was good, the «noodles» were actually zucchini, but and the meatless meatballs were decent & spicy, but overall the dish left me wanting for more
And honestly, I don’t remember what I had for dessert.
The thing that REALLY stood out about the visit is that a number of people did not order from the Unilocal Eats menu & the staff brought their entrees with the Unilocal Eats appetizers… odd. When people don’t get a salad or starter main courses ALWAYS come with main courses!!! Wow, epic fail in service. Additionally, waters weren’t filled, it was difficult to get a drink etc. The waiters all seemed like the were in their own world on their own time table. If I’m going to drop $$$ on food the service should be attentive & know how to serve courses appropriately… and not leave beverages (water and alcohol alike) empty. Not impressed at all with the service. I don’t have any intentions on going back for another meal. On the plus side, they do have some decent deals for happy hour drinks and food. Maybe check that out first & see what you think…

Sleek and refined, Café Sambal exudes zen. With a soft waterfall trinkling inside, and a view of the entire city you can’t help but to feel relaxed. First came during the Chinese New Year celebration and enjoyed the tasty dim sum platter while watching the Dragon dancers snake their way through the restaurant. The only caveat was the fried rice we ordered was a bit dry and could have used a tad more oomph.
More recently went during Unilocal eats and ordered from the special menu. You could either choose to dine Miami Spice style (with one appetizer, entrée and dessert for $ 35), or choose each course a la carte. Started with a nice glass of wine and the waiter was very helpful in making a selection. Even gave us two glasses to «sample» to see which we liked better and upon choosing replaced the preview portions with a full glass. He also gave us those crisp little wonton chips that were insanely addictive with the mustard dipping sauce.
I chose the beef short ribs, which came beautifully plated and were so tender they immediately fell off the bone. The glaze was just a bit sweet and paired well with the grits (which possibly were the best grits I’ve ever had). The brussel sprout too were perfect and not at all bitter, I only wished that I had a few more! Tried my friend’s arctic char and found that although I liked the sweet potato pancakes, whatever glaze was on it (or nearby from the asparagus), gave it a bit of a spicy kick I didn’t care for. The fish itself too had a bit of heat, although it was very tender and well prepared.
For dessert we got the rhubarb and berry coulis with the panna cotta and a chocolate mousse with raspberries. The panna cotta was absolutely sinful, so creamy and decadent with just the right sweetness. Usually I find any other flavor added to a simple panna cotta is overkill, but the berry coulis really enhanced the experience. However, I fond the madeleine that accompanied it to be moist but a bit too dense. The chocolate mousse too was not particularly stellar. Although the mousse itself was bad, the chocolate was too sweet for such a bitter berry breaking up the dessert. Somehow it just missed the mark.
Overall, I’ve had very good experiences at Café Sambal with excellent service. That being said, not every dish is out of this world and some will definitely leave a bit to be desired. While I can see that it is less formal than Azul, it definitely isn’t casual. Makes for a beautiful happy hour spot and a great place to come with friends or on a date. Another perk is they have pretty decent vegetarian options as well if you are looking for that. If you don’t want to pay for valet, it’s only a short walk across the bridge if you’d like to park on the street near the Four Ambassadors.

SIMPLY DELIGHTFUL. The view is lovely, the seating is comfy, the service is good, and the food is tasty. There was a singer on the patio, just barely enough breeze to stay comfortable, and it wasn’t too crowded.
We had an orange-​limetini and a gin-​tini. We shared a Unilocal Eats meal: a seafood pasta app, an edamame and tofu entrée, and coconut mousse dessert. Everything tasted great. We took advantage of every possible discount, and our check came out to $ 53. Parking is $ 11.
This is a wonderful place for an elegant cocktail hour. But don’t kid yourself. It’s not cheap.

Café Sambal just started a new Friday Happy Hour and lured me in on the first day! So my review is specific to that experience; I have not yet enjoyed a full dinner here.
The food and drink menus look absolutely divine, with six different specialty cocktails and numerous small plates on the food side. If you’ve ever been to the Mandarin Oriental or any of its restaurants or bars, this part is a given: the view is GORGEOUS and the service is TOP NOTCH. In ambiance and hospitality, Café Sambal gets two enthusiastic thumbs up!
Between the four of us we tried all five of the cocktails, and each of them had a unique, lovely, refreshing taste. The cucumber-​kiwi-​gin concoction was more kiwi than cucumber, whose delicate flavor seemed to be washed out by the stronger kiwi fruit. I’m not sure where the gin went, but for a martini, there wasn’t a whole lot of it in my drink. The rest of the drinks followed in the Kiwi Cucumber martini’s footsteps: tasty but not exactly packing a punch. My favorite was the Orange Limetini, which was more well-​balanced than the aforementioned beverage.
Now the food. It was good, but not great. Portions were extremely small; I expected more tapas size and felt these were more «bites.» Example: Shu Mai Dim Sum (Steamed Shrimp and Pork) brought three small pieces so were gone in a flash. The corvina ceviche was what I was looking forward to most, but sadly was the most disappointing dish we tried. The fish was chopped into tiny squares and seemed to have cooked too long in its citrus bath.
Some positives on the food side: Shrimp Cocktail «ceviche» (Shrimp, Cilantro, Cucumber, Avocado, Jicama) was excellent and the Mexican Roll (Tempura Shrimp, Jalapeño, Avocado, Lettuce and Tomato) had a nice flavorful pop from the jalepeño. Yes, I know these dishes contain very similar ingredients; this is just a coincidence. The Duck Flatbread was good as well but the meat: a bit drier than I had anticipated.
I will surely be back to Café Sambal to check out their dinner offerings, but am in no rush to return for Happy Hour. At the end of the day, the value just isn’t there for me. Also note you really must valet your car to come here, which costs $ 11 with validation.
Bottom Line: Come to this Happy Hour if you’re dying to check it out or have never seen the beauty of the Mandarin Oriental property.

We were looking for a place away from the crowds for a quiet dinner in the Brickell Area. After drinks at M-​Bar, the W and I dined at Café Sambal in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. We started with Steamed Edamame with Sea Salt (a little oily) and some Summer Rolls (with Crab). I had a Tsing Tao Beer. For a main courses: California Blue Crab Rolls, Spider Rolls, Gulf Shrimp Tempura (the Tempura batter was excellent, the Shrimp could have been cooked a bit more) and a side of Edamame Rice (very good).
For dessert, we had the Chocolate Hazelnut pie which had a very tasty crust.
They validate your valet parking, but we walked across the Brickell Bay Bridge (under construction).

This place is a true delight. A friend and I visited last night and had an awesome evening.
Starting from the décor, the waterfall is very soothing and the service is top notch. Our waiter was very helpful and recommended some good dishes. My friend had the chicken with a sweet sauce, can’t recall the name with bamboo rice. I tried a bit of the rice and it was soo tasty!
I had the steamed shrimp shumai and dragonfly roll, both were also very good. For dessert we ordered the Tiramisu, I’m not too much into sweets. but this time I made an exception!
Overall, a great evening and of course u can’t beat the view, this time we sat inside due to the cold weather. but next time I’m seating outside again!

I have to average the 1 star experience I had with Miami Spice with the 5 star experience I had the first time I went to this restaurant. Thus, 3 stars.
I have never met a waiter who had more excuses for mistaken orders, delayed delivery of drinks and foods, and miscalculation of the bill before in my life.
It was also the teeny/​tiniest Miami Spice servings I’ve since had in the MIASpice season. Seriously, each dish was served as ‘art’ rather than substance. The Entrée ‘Nasi Goreng’ is a glorified ‘Pupu Platter’ — the quality was the same as any Wong or Tang Chinese Garden plate you can find in any city, anywhere in the world. The Surf and Turf was a shiite piece of ‘Kobe’ skirts steak and 1 shrimp tempura. What a joke. And the desserts were the size of a my pinky. What a joke!
The lychee martinis kept coming with Raspberry liqueur in it after repeatedly asking for NO raspberry (it happened 3 times in a row), and the waiter overcharged us twice and I had to complain in front of the manager…
Sigh.