Lion & The Rambler — Restaurant in Coral Gables

We had a reservation for 8:30pm and got seated at 9:17pm. We got a wine glass on the house at the bar while waiting for the table which we thought it was a nice gesture (It was the least they could do for such a long wait considering we had a reservation). Unfortunately almost everything after that was still a disaster. Once we got seated at the table you would expect that after such a long wait you would have a waiter right away taking care of you immediately making up for the lost time, but that was not the case. I had to raise my hand and call the waiter to get our oder in. She never told us that all the dishes are appetizer size, which was very surprising how small were some of them (we don't mind this, but it is important to let the customer know how to order so they order enough food/ the right dishes). She also didn't recommend any dish at all. Service was very mediocre, something you would expect to be the opposite in a restaurant with a policy on the menu stating that "20% service fee is included on all checks". Food was good, but not great. The two stars here are for the food, the only thing deserving to earn a star. Everything else was very disappointing unfortunately. We didn't even wanted to order a dessert, we just wanted to leave as soon as possible. The experience was terrible. Unfortunately, I will not be coming back...

Quiet, intimate small restaurant with simple, but effective, decor and lighting. My chair was a little awkward and I found myself shuffling about throughout dinner. Staff were pleasant and attentive (without over doing it).

I believe the menu changes from time to time, but we would absolutely come back for the sourdough bread and butter ($11), the roasted beets ($14), and the maitake mushrooms ($21) that were available. These were amazing, and the presentations of the beet and mushroom plates were fun, colorful, and intriguing. The mushroom plate came with a buttery croissant-like bread that paired very nicely with the mushroom’s fresh, herby, bright green sauce.

We also had the sourdough bucatini pasta, which was good and perfectly prepared, but wasn’t necessarily a standout. Our least favorite dish was the potato gnocchi. It wasn’t bad, but the plate needed something to break up the monotony… maybe a textural component or some brightness. The initial bite was almost gluey.

Overall, the Lion & the Rambler had some strong hits and minor (but not insignificant) misses. Understanding the challenges with a changing menu, a visit is definitely recommended for the service, intimate setting, and the home run plates. The bread and butter are made in-house and...

The staff at Lion & The Rambler made us feel welcome from the moment we walked in. They are warm and kind. The space is clean, beautiful, and organized. The food was delicious, artistically plated, and presented to our table with a full explanation of the components and preparation of each dish like in a very fine dining establishment. Lion & the Rambler even went the extra mile to make me a gorgeous, personal birthday cake to help me celebrate brought out by the chef himself! There was even a birthday card waiting for me at the table signed by all the staff. While they did not know this, my birthday has brought me bad luck for many years now, but rainbow ice cream cakes from Carvel Ice Cream make me remember the brighter times; this above and beyond effort by Lion & the Rambler, combined with the cheerful staff and positive energy in the space, really helped me turn that luck around. It may not have seeled like much to them, but that was one or the best birthdays I have had in a long time. Thank you!

My favorite dishes were the roasted beets and koji-aged NY Strip -...