Kekoon Restaurant & Lounge — Restaurant in Davie

My Mother's Day 2025 Let me be clear: this is not a restaurant. It’s a nightclub posing as a restaurant. I wouldn’t want anyone else to make the same mistake.

Arrival & Valet Experience We valet as it appears it was the only option and there was no ticket system to track cars. Do not hand over your keys unless you get a ticket—if you use valet at all. More to come...

Security Checks & First Impressions At the entrance, men were patted down and women’s bags searched—something you'd expect at a nightclub, not a restaurant. That was my first red flag. I should’ve turned back!

Seated Amid Chaos We were seated outside, where the music was unbearably loud. The server apologized repeatedly—she could barely hear us and vice versa. We saw four men smoking marijuana near the DJ booth. One, dressed like staff, stood out—more on him later. The DJ to play vulgar music, including lyrics like “suck out yuh madda”—on Mother’s Day. It pained me to see others arriving in their Sunday Best and the smiles turn disappointment.

Unacceptable Food Delays An hour later, we still hadn’t received any food. Our server, visibly overwhelmed, said there were only three orders ahead and our food would be out “shortly.”

Clearly, the kitchen was understaffed or mismanaged. At 8:25 PM, my eldest daughter’s meal finally arrived. Twenty minutes later, my wife’s plate was delivered by the same man in black who’d been smoking, and he reeked of ganja. He then went back to light another joint stored in a basket by the DJ. Worse still, he passed the joint to a female staff member, also in full black, who smoked it openly, in full view of customers.

Manager Interaction: A Lesson in Poor Leadership By 8:45 PM, and two bites of her cold fish my wife asked for the manager. He arrived literally chewing food while speaking. He unapologetically said "the kitchen board was red” and even the owner was helping. They knew traffic would be high on Mother's Day, yet failed to staff properly.

I calmly said we’d waited nearly two hours, which was unacceptable. He agreed and promised the last meals would come soon. Once again only one meal came for my other daughter. By 9:00 PM, I’d had enough. I refused to support the place any longer. My wife summoned and the manager came back—still chewing—and my wife asked for the check, requesting her uneaten meal (minus two bites)to be be removed. That’s when his tone changed.

Confrontation & Disrespect The manager became hostile, challenging my wife, “Bad service doesn’t mean bad food!” She calmly explained that cold, server 20 minutes apart after an hour of waiting is bad food, no matter the taste.

He offered no apology, only repeated that the kitchen was overwhelmed and demand payment for the meal in the photo below. As things escalated, I chose to de-escalate. I tipped the waitress in cash, paid the full bill with my card. As my grandmother said, I just “grinned and bore it.”

But make no mistake: if I were alone, I wouldn’t have paid a cent. This experience was disgraceful. Food isn’t cheap, and neither is your reputation. Look at the photo of the fish meal the manager insisted we pay for, despite multiple apologies for it arriving almost two hours late and cold.

Final Straw: The Valet Nightmare The valet attendant demanded a $25 fee. I lost it. I said, “I’ve had the worst dining experience ever. My car is two spaces away. Give me my keys or prepare for a problem.”

He apologized and gave me a set of keys—but it opened the wrong car. This just highlighted the venue’s total lack of professionalism and control.

Final Thoughts: A Misrepresented Business To the owner, if you’re reading this: your venue has potential but is mismanaged at every level.

This isn’t a restaurant—it’s a nightclub with food service. It should be marketed that way. The atmosphere is chaotic, the music obscene, staff openly smoke marijuana, and the customer service is confrontational. I can’t speak to the food quality—I never ate. But everything else was terrible.

To other patrons: if you’re thinking of coming here, DO NOT GO to...

TLDR: Service needs work, drinks need work, some food dishes need work = restaurant portion needs serious work; it’s good for music and hookah…more of a lounge than a restaurant.

DETAILED REVIEW: CONS SERVICE: I made reservations. I walked in and there was no hostess near the front. Eventually, one showed up but then I had to wait again to be seated while following her to the table because the owner stopped her to talk. Things like that happen, but as a customer of an “upscale” establishment, service starts from the door. A sign saying "please wait to be seated", or seating the customer first before having managerial conversation longer than a quick sec, is a bit more in line with what you want the place to present. I waited for a while before finally being asked by a busboy if I needed anything. The waitress came a while after that, super polite, but unsure if my table had been helped yet. Keeping with this theme, throughout the night (which was not one of their busier time frames) I had to wait for longer-than-normal periods to request and then receive napkins, our drinks (which I still got like 20 minutes before my guest did despite us ordering at the same time), our food, sauce, and the check. I was also charged extra at first. It did get rectified, but that took extra time on top of how long it took for me to flag my waitress down, wait for the check, then flag her back down to inquire about the extra charge. Everyone is so kind, and do the best they can, but the rotation and attentiveness needs to be a bit more effective for the dining experience to feel welcoming and seamless.

FOOD: This is very much more of a LOUNGE, than a RESTAURANT. It’s like the restaurant side—hostess rotation, communication, & command of flow, seating timing, service timing, menu options, menu options being available, waitresses and waiters being well informed on what is in stock, all dishes being consistently and evenly flavored, plating, beverage quality, providing necessary napkins alongside pre-tabled silverware rolls, ensuring the bill is correct, ensuring menus are correctly explained (if limited on items), etc.—needs serious work. If you’re going for music and hookah, and need a snack while you do that…then they’ve got you covered. But the restaurant side is lacking if you’re going for an overall dining experience.

The vegan dish, oyster mushrooms (escovitched), had no flavor except only in the carrots and onions. And it’s plated poorly/inconveniently. Was also dry. The rum cake was just like a lemon pound cake with alleged rum drizzle. Didn’t taste it at all. The drinks were subpar; had the Jah Jah and the margarita. My fellow diner got chunks of fatty bits in her oxtail egg rolls (like every bite she took. It wasn’t my experience, but it made the overall food experience bad from the beginning) Menu is limited, which is fine for it being the place’s first few weeks open—they can play with what works and what doesn’t. But that unfortunately leaves less options for favored food items (only one oxtail dish, for example, and it’s a small appetizer) and leaves some subpar options that don’t have great alternatives.

PROS Some dishes: lamb chops were bangin! The quantity, the plating, the pairing with the mashed potatoes and asparagus…yes! And despite that “rum cake”, recommended by the chef, not tasting like rum cake, it was good with the ice cream and well plated. The oxtail egg rolls were EVERYTHING. So good. The food is definitely cooked WELL, just not every dish is great.

Atmosphere: music is great at all times, bartenders seem to be enjoying their time behind the bar and have great energy, and the vibes are vibing—both indoors and outdoors. If the drinks didn’t come out so poorly, I would’ve made a home at the bar for the vibes!

Potential: they have the right pieces for an upscale experience but they haven’t quite mastered that marriage of all of the above along with this upscale appearance. The illusion starts to crumble pretty quickly once you walk...

The ambiance of the restaurant truly sets it apart as an upscale establishment. From the moment you step inside, you're warmly greeted by their hostess, along with an atmosphere that exudes sophistication and attention to detail. One of the standout features is the beautiful cherry blossom tree, which adds a touch of elegance and charm to the interior. While I didn't explore the outdoor seating area on this occasion, I'm certain the experience will be the perfect paring to the indoor experience. I opted to sit at the bar for a more interactive experience, and I was not disappointed. The highlight of this visit was their Thursday special, where ladies are treated to complimentary drinks. What impressed me the most was the quality of these drinks—they were not your typical "watered-down" freebies. Each sip was a testament to the premium standards maintained by the establishment, even during promotional offers. The DJ's passion and expertise in the genre and understanding of R&B music were evident in the selection of songs, which ranged from soulful ballads to upbeat anthems, catering to a diverse audience with varied tastes. I must give a special shout-out to my delightful bartender, Raquel, whose attentive service greatly enhanced my first experience. From the moment I arrived until the end of my visit, Raquel demonstrated exceptional attention to detail and a genuine commitment to ensuring my satisfaction. She made excellent cocktail recommendations and was considerate of my request for my cocktails to be served with ice without the girly cocktail glasses. One observation I made was the need for additional bartenders to accommodate the increased demand, as the evening progressed. While the existing bartenders were skilled and attentive, the sheer volume of customers resulted in longer wait times for drinks. In summary, Raquel's professionalism, attentiveness, and personable nature greatly contributed to my overall enjoyment of the evening. Her dedication to providing exceptional service sets a high standard for hospitality, and I would not hesitate to request her assistance on future visits. Let's talk cuisine 3 stars - As someone who enjoys indulging in appetizers but values healthy options, I found the selection lacking in nutritious choices. On this occasion, I opted for the wings escovitch and salt and pepper shrimp. While both dishes were flavorful, unfortunately, they were both overcooked, which detracted from the overall enjoyment. (Raquel did offer to have them redone however I tend to stick to what I am served rather than send it back for redos) I prefer to explore appetizer menus since they allow me to experience different flavors and textures and set the tone for another dining experience at the chosen restaurant. As a health-conscious diner, I was bored with the appetizers since the menu consisted of all things fried. As a health-conscious diner, I would have appreciated lighter, better-balanced options that still packed a punch in terms of taste. The plating and presentation were quite creative and provided a great visual. Overall, my experience at this restaurant was nothing short of fantastic. Whether you're looking for a relaxed evening or a vibrant night out, this place has something to offer for everyone. I can't wait to return and indulge in more of their excellent...