Vagabond Restaurant & Bar

I liked this place a lot and would like to give it 3.5 instead of 3 but there were some issues. I’ve seen complaints about meat being too salty. It happened to my guest (she said the ham was beyond salted and had to leave a lot of it because of that). I’m vegetarian and had a 4 star experience. There is a blue corn dish for brunch that really stood out as something different. The place is Mimo glamourous. I loved it and the bar area is very nice. It reminds me of a real life Jetson’s look. Ice tea which believe it or not is a deal breaker for me was great. Service was good but not bringing out all food the table at once is a bit awkward. I want this place to be exceptional. I think with a little better attention to detail it can surely make it.

They cancelled my reservation.
My partner and I just moved to Miami this month. The moment we saw the Vagabond we have been looking forward to having dinner there. I made reservations for my partners birthday as a surprise for him and sadly I received a phone call the morning of cancelling my reservation for «unforeseen circumstances» that we’re closing the restaurant for the evening. When I called back to inquire about the cancellation it was eluded to me that the circumstances were a larger more important party was coming in. Bad business Vagabond, I’ll spend my money somewhere that appreciates my business.

Went for dinner with a group of 5 on a Saturday night. Typical Miami scene restaurant. Good was tasty. Service was weak. Wine list was weak. Cocktails were fussy (not great and straightforward). Server came and went from our table talking to whoever caught her attention before running off. Some food we ordered never showed up, the result of the restaurant being out of it but no one letting us know until the bill came. Wanted to order more food but menus were taken off the table. Twice. They bill stuff as family style but there is nothing that comes large enough to share. Just meh. Two stars because the food was well cooked.

Terrible terrible terrible experience! We went to Vagabond restaurant with my boyfriend for New Years and to celebrate our 6 year anniversary (the restaurant asked if we were celebrating a special occasion as we made our reservation over the phone). We got seated promptly since it was only 7PM and we had the place to ourselves.
We ordered as an appetizer caviar with crab lumps and avocado. $ 20 later, the lime overpowered the flavor of the dish so we hardly ate it. Next, we ordered a 32 oz bone in short rib (the most expensive dish on the menu @$ 66). My boyfriend wasn’t impressed. He said the presentation was poor and the flavor was mediocre, with a terrible consistency compared to Flemmings or Mortons. On my end, I ordered a skirt steak and it was almost inedible because of how salty it was. I brought it up to the waitress and mentioned if I could have limes to wash down the salt a bit. After all, it was New Years and we wanted to have a pleasant evening without complaining. The terrible part was that besides the food being bad, the waitress completely ignored my comment, didn’t offer to switch the dish or offered any alternative. I wish I could blame the poor food quality on how busy the place was but we beat the crowd by going at 7PM, so there was truly no excuse. Finally, we really had enough and were ready to go so we mentioned that my job had given me a voucher for $ 150 that would cover part of our $ 250 check. As soon as we mentioned this voucher, we completely lost the waitress. She didn’t pay any more attention to us for another 20mins even though she was servicing the table right next to us exceptionally well every 5 minutes. What made me feel even worst was that once I told her we were leaving a 22% tip, she became sweet again and offered dessert and even recommended wine. She made me feel embarrassed and undermined with her service and my boyfriend and I just wanted to go home. To top it all off, it’s worth noting that no one even brought up our anniversary even though they asked us if we were celebrating something special over the phone when we made the reservation.
Overall, we hated our experience at Vagabond. I called the general manager the next day to mention my experience and since he wasn’t in, the girl who took the message asked questions about my visit and said he would call me back. He never did!!! I’m so disappointed and will never recommend anyone to go to this restaurant!

I had an amazing dinner at the Vagabond Restaurant this past saturday. I have to describe it as an experience because it all started with The Maitre D Fernando rolling out the red carpet for myself and my friend, they got me into the valet despite it being «full», then they hooked us up with a reservation despite it being pretty packed that night. Granted we had to wait a bit but we had a few drinks at the bar, enjoyed some live music by the pool, so it was completely doable.
The dinner itself was quality, octopus was on point, the ceviche was also fresh and fantastic, the gnochi also hit the spot in a comfort food sort of way.
The dessert was interesting since we picked the ice cream/​toffee desert, it has a sea salt glaze of some sort which gave it a completely unexpected finish. I think the food here is very good and worth the trek up biscayne if you live in brickell like myself. Nothing but positive things to say. I also think that good people make the place and Fernando and the GM really made us feel welcome. I will be back for sure and enourage others to try it out if you have not been…

Well, I went back last night with friends for dinner. Expecting something other than a cool vibe was probably overshooting. All the dishes six were «meh». Vagabond, please get it together. You’ve got all the right elements, but you’re losing it in translation.

I should start by saying I have had decent service at this bar, the handful of times i have brought out of town guests here. I live in the neighborhood and consider this place a cool low key hang out, that is fun by the pool. THAT said, nothing could have prepared me for the totally rude reception & attitude that i got there last saturday. I literally had my jaw hang open at the cheeky snarkyness provided by the vest-​wearing, waxed up mustache-​ioed bartender. He was totally condescending & rude with zero reason. And when i asked about the special drink he couldn’t even be bothered to describe it. he just waved his hand and said «someone else created it» and left me hanging. Thankfully the lovely woman who
created the drink described it to me, i ordered it, and it was delicious! It’s a shame this lovely hotel/​bar allows such barbarians to work there! I have eaten many times in their restaurant and everyone is lovely. Its a shame to let one bad apple ruin a whole bunch, but he was so insanely rude and awful i just had to write this to let people know of this encroaching attitude on this new formerly down to earth place :(

The food was good, but if you pay extra for «bottomless mimosas» you want to keep them coming. We had to ask the staff to bring us another round every time our glass was empty.

Great place to eat! The old aged burger is amazing. The waiters and staff are pleasant and very knowledgeable about the menu. And the guy who makes the drink is amazing. Made my friends and I a drink, the best I’ve ever had. Check this place out it won’t disappoint.

Such a cute place and great place to grab a drink!
Friendly staff. Annoying having to valet. I did love the food. The avocado app was to die for yummy. The chicken wings are no lie spicy as hell but so good. The octopus was good but small in size. The cheese burger was greasy good. The few red drinks I had were very tasty! The downside is exactly 6 hours later I got sick as a dog from the food no doubt… super disappointed.

The food was, well, forgettable.
My group wasn’t floored and we expected to be floored. Mildly overpriced for the portion size and not enough flavor to back it up. Maybe I went on an off night, but it felt like more hype than substance.

I really didn’t want to like Vagabond. You see, I am a bit of a curmudgeon and the idea of «fusion cuisine» in a refurbished motel conjured terrifying images of hipsters run amok. So, I ranted and raved and disparaged Vagabond for months, even though I stubbornly refused to set foot in the place.
Fair is fair, though. I finally went (grudgingly) last night. And, it was superlative. First, the food is not exactly fusion, so much as it is a selection of various cuisines, side by side on the menu, with each retaining their original form. For example, the jerk chicken wings are in fact jerk chicken wings. No truffle oil or inventive foam to ruin the Caribbean goodness. Same goes for the papaya salad. And, for the straciatella. Delicious execution of classic dishes. No BS.
Two dishes particularly stood out — the beef tartare and the iberico diafragma (basically grilled pork skirt steak.) Seriously, if you told me that the only way I’d be allowed to eat these dishes again was to grow a hipster beard and arrive on a skateboard, I’d actually consider doing so. They are that good.
Service was also well above and beyond what I expected. From the host to the runners to the bussers, everyone was attentive, friendly, and knowledgeable. Special recognition needs to go to our server, Jandre, however. This guy knew every dish, inside and out, gave excellent suggestions, and made good conversation without being overly intrusive. At one point, there was a minor delay in bringing one of the dishes. We didn’t complain, because frankly I was enjoying my craft cocktail so much that I didn’t even notice that the dish was late. But Jandre noticed, apologized profusely, and sent over a comped dessert. That is unbelievably proactive and professional, and he is one of the best servers I have encountered in Miami. Management, if you read this, please give the guy a raise.
So it was a great experience. And now I feel like an idiot, because I should have gone months ago.

Great cocktails
Great food
Great company
Small portions but everything was delicious
It’s a great place to go get drinks and listen to live music by the pool or have fun dinner with interesting eats… They’re more Tapas style plates which makes it great because you can order a lot of different things and share. The prices for the portions are a bit pricey but you won’t be disappointed. Besides you can’t blame them– they gotta pay rent ;)
***We paid about $ 330 for 5 people. Plenty of drinks food and deserts…

Gnocchi, Lamb, Short Rib, Vagabond Burger, Grilled Iberico diafragma, etc. There is not a dish or a drink that wasn’t exquisite & well thought out. My friends and I left the Vagabond truly impressed and thankful for the prepreation and care that went into each dish. The service was top notch (not something Miami is known for), a welcomed addition to the Miami food scene.
This Vagabond is creating a food culture that is diverse, intelligent, and uplifting to our culture… we eventually will be greatful for this treasure in our community. Fine dining that rivals any resturant on South Beach… Thank You.

I am not sure what made me happier: The V.‘s bright and cheery open space, 70’s California playlist, or the fun brunch menu, a fusion of American, Mexican, Japanese, European and even Israeli food. We got to chat briefly with chef Alex, who is totally down to earth and easy on the eyes. Our waiter Jandre (sorry if I’m butchering his name) was not exactly chopped liver either, and gave us great service to boot.
The two sweet dishes on the brunch menu are great to share, I don’t believe they would stand on their own as an entrée. The waffle was so moist and fluffy that it didn’t need maple syrup. The plantain jam on top was delicious, I just needed more of it.
The Japanse milk bread topped with ricotta and home made berry preserves looks as good as it tastes. Baked in house, it’s a really soft white bread. They pan toast it so the bottom is crispy and the top soft. If you’ve ever been to Japan and noticed how all of their bread is very artificially white and spongy, this will take you back there.
The crispy blue corn tlacoyo with epazote and tomato salsa was awesome. So many colors on the plate. Loved the tiny squash blossoms, and the eggs were perfectly scrambled. Fluffy and still a little runny.
It’s refreshing to have a place in Miami that doesn’t take itself too seriously, and where the staff seems to actually have fun. Last time I experienced that was at Eating House.

Eh. Vagabond is the definition of «more sizzle than steak». It’s an interesting concept filled with cool design and beautiful people who want to see and be seen, but the actual service, food and prices are questionable. So it really depends on what you are wanting out of a restaurant or a night out: if you want cocktails and mingling with the fabulous crowd then it probably rates higher. If you want great food and to hang with your friends, this isn’t the spot. If you’re young and single, option «A» is perfectly reasonable. But I’m older, married, non-​fabulous and like food so Vagabond isn’t my thing.
I will give it props for uniqueness. I’d never seen nor conceived of a super high-​end «skybar» like vibe being established in a motor lodge. Leave it to Miami Beach to create the coolest, most trendy motel in existence. They were also pretty clever in embracing the sort of 50’s midcentury modern vibe that perfectly fits the Vagabond’s history, while updating it to crate a slick, Miami Modern version. They often also have performances by the pool, and when that’s not on offer, at least a DJ.
The food in the restaurant itself is quite expensive and of middling quality. I will give credit that they go for innovative dishes. We came with a group of friends, and started with Chapulines (crickets sauteed with almonds and Szechuan peppercorns); they were interesting, but honestly if you didn’t say they were crickets, you wouldn’t notice nor be impressed since it was a bit under-​crispy. We also had items like pan-​seared beef heart (served with an egg yolk). It was fine, but again middling. Finally the skirt steak, which was ok. There’s a trend here.
The service was also a bit on the slow and unresponsive side. While not overtly unfriendly, it was also clear there was going to be nothing but the most basic level of service for us. Not sure if this is universal, or just a symptom of the upscale trendy atmosphere.
So bottom line: it was Ok, but nothing we’d go out of our way to eat again — but I can think of worse places to visit if you’re looking to mingle.

Hands down most out-​of-​the-​box menu I have seen since the opening of The Eating House whose chef Giorgio Rapicavoli (in the most inoffensive way possible) must have been high or in another alternative state when creating his cap n’ crunch pancakes.
The Vagabond Restaurant is definitely a place where you can’t order any of your «go-to’s» as the flavors will strike you from left field. It’s all about trial and error. We ordered to share, ratings below based on a table of four (including a vegetarian, meatatarian, sauce-​a-​holic and Chad)
Peanuts & Chapulines (²⁄₄) — FYI Chapulines are grasshoppers (they add great texture, crunch)
Stracciatella (⁴⁄₄) — Amazing! Could totally use as butter on a daily basis
Crispy Pigs Head (½) — Loved all the flavors, but Chad didn’t think it was anything special.
Dry-​aged Beef Tartare (³⁄₃) — Can we talk about flavor?! Sauce-​a-​Holocene was licking the bowl.
Jerk Chicken Wings (¼) — Disclaimer: Sauce has allspice. I’m not a fan of allspice in general.
Crispy Fingerling Potatoes (²⁄₄) — Once you’ve had one Potato, you’ve had them all.
Seared Octopus (²⁄₃) — Decent, but a really small portion.
Buttermilk Fried Quail (¹⁄₃) — Um, just got to Yardbird.
Pistachio Cake (¼) — Very interesting! Wouldn’t order again, but would eat (without making a face) if served to me at a dinner party.
Key Lime Pie (³⁄₃) — O.M.G.
Chocolate Tart (⁴⁄₄) — Heaven!!!

Las domingos en la dia en el vagabound son buenisimos, el sitio tiene una vista espectacular al toda la biscayne en en el corazon de Mimo District. En el totalmente renovado Motel Vagabound el brunch del domingo esta buenisimo. Exquisitos sandwiches y platos rapidos para el dia

3.5 stars. Ricotta gnocchi was quite good. Softness of gnocchi complemented w the crispy crumbles were delish. Tomato salad –wow. Cobia ceviche was awesome — fish (tad undercooked= perfection). Sweet & sour shrimp — needs to be tad less sweet so to balance more properly w the sour flavor. Soft shell crabs would’ve been perfect if not over-​salted. Friday night vibes here were excellent ! Overall we enjoyed the experience here.

Delightful and delicious delicacies abound at this local new-​old hot spot. I would call it a neighborhood standout because it’s in my stomping ground, but vagabond is so much more than that and is worthy of becoming a destination location.
Firstly, the vibe is so cool it’s hot. Open kitchen, reminiscence of a bygone era, stylish yet diverse clientele, and welcoming dining area with huge open space and windows. It just feels good.
Second, service. Knowledgeable, warm, and attentive. Eager (bordering on too much so, but sincere, so not a negative). Our server Angela was honest with her recommendations, not pushy to upsell, and –sorry– so adorable! Not to mention kind and professional. Management was unobtrusively present — as they should be.
I know what you’re thinking but don’t fret; I’ve simply saved the best for last. The food was amazing. Rooted in familiar items but taken to the next level, this was one of the best meals I’ve had the pleasure of enjoying in recent years.
Exhibit A: sweet and sour shrimp. We’ve all eaten something similar, more than likely of the over battered, over cooked, murder your palate with sauce and sugar variety. The vagabond’s version couldn’t be further from that. It’s light, perfectly cooked, and just really damn interesting flavor wise. Thinly shaved ginger pops out the flavor of the shrimp subtly. In a world where seafood that isn’t over cooked is as difficult to find as the mythological chupocobra, it’s worth mentioning twice (or more) that this protein was perfectly cooked. Supple and satisfying, it was just divine.
Exhibit B: pistachio cake. This dessert is special. I call it my sweet terrarium, because that’s what it looks like. Rather than being presented as a slice of cake, this dessert is prepared as a crumble. Marscapone cheese «icing» tops the somewhat savory, herby dish to balance it perfectly. As Angela kindly advised us, it’s a love-​hate kind of item, and all three of us decidedly LOVED.
I could go on but it would be more of the same. The food was just inspired from top to bottom. I will definitely return, and I can rarely say that decidedly of a high end restaurant.
Bottom line: Warm and unpretentious, the Vagabond epitomizes what dining the out experience should be in every category. This is the food of the future.

I moved back to NYC from Miami in September and haven’t been back for a few months now. Upon my most recent trip, I had to get the 411 from many friends on what new restaurants opened while I was away. Vagabond was one name that kept coming up so of course I had to check it out. My girlfriend and I went on a Friday night and it was packed. We didn’t have to wait long for a table and scored one right in the window.
AMBIANCE
The atmosphere is unlike any other restaurant in Miami. It’s a modern spin on the retro vibe. I absolutely loved it. The layout was awesome as well as you could see almost every table from wherever you are seated. Lastly, the kitchen is a part of the open layout, so you can see everything going on (and even sit at the counter by the kitchen to really get a closer look).
The staff was on point and we didn’t have to wait long for anything (water especially, which is a pet peeve of mine). He was quick and attentive and recommended some great dishes.
FOOD
+ Chicken wings — I’m from Buffalo so trust me, I KNOW what’s up! I’m always skeptical to order wings anywhere because yes, the rumors are true, they are the best in Buffalo! I was advised that these were not just your ordinary wings, they are smoked over allspice leaves. The flavor really shined through as these were seasoned to perfection. They had a really unique taste that made these a favorite.
+ Blistered Cauliflower with grilled goats milk and smoked trout roe — I am obsessed with cauliflower, like, obsessed. I could eat this for breakfast, lunch & dinner. The presentation of this dish made me not even want to touch it, as it was that well presented (see photo). This was like something out of a 3-​Michelin starred restaurant. The flavor was even better than the presentation. Seriously delicious. A MUST-​ORDER.
+ Octopus — Another thing that I’m obsessed with is octopus. Melanie and octopus are side by side in the dictionary. If there is octopus on the menu, I am compelled to order it. It’s like an unspoken rule. All of my friends know this and so as soon as we saw this on the menu, my girlfriend was like I know what you’re ordering… yup! It had rancho gordo bean, epazote, and hojasanta. Don’t know what those are? Neither do I! What I do know was that the octopus was so tender it melted in my mouth. It’s seared then braised then baked. What a process.
The food is really unique and not your traditional Miami restaurant with a wonderful scene and shitty food. This place doesn’t disappoint. It’s on par with some Michelin restaurants and is definitely making a splash in the culinary world in Miami.
COCKTAILS
I’m a wine drinker. Me and vodka don’t get along (well we do but it’s a love/​hate relationship). We went to the pool beforehand to check out the vibe (with dj spinning and all) and I was talked into ordering a Vagabond Collins. It’s with vodka, lemon, lime, angostura bitters, and topped with rekorderlig pear cider. Another MUST-​ORDER. Stop by the pool before dinner and definitely order this. I could have drank those like water all night. Inside at dinner, I had another type of cocktail and of course after a few of those, I forgot what I had (oops). They have mixologists that can serve up a mean cocktail.
Definitely check this place out and be prepared for an experience.