Osteria Positano — Restaurant in Miami Beach

Gosh, I feel like I am missing something here. It seems I’m the only one who does not love this restaurant! Perhaps because of their excellent location and reputation, they are resting on their accolades? Here is a complete breakdown of what we ordered and my assessment. Let’s start with the good elements and move on to the tricky elements. The atmosphere is gorgeous. We opted to eat outside, but the interior of the restaurant was beautiful and cozy as well, although it was large. They still seemed to make it cozy and inviting. The menu looked to be substantial with a lot of the standards. The cocktail menu also had a lot of good offerings.

The servers are attractive. (I’ll return to that comment later, as normally that is not something I would include in a review, but I felt it was important here). Read on!

The food: My husband ordered a fried calamari and shrimp and I tried it as well, and it was really really chewy. We have had calamari for decades, so we know when it is chewy. This dish also only boated the rings, and not the tentacles, so you would expect it to be mostly selected pieces. I love the tentacles, perhaps they thought we were too Americanized for the tentacles? Overall that was not a good dish. He also had the Caesar salad. And he said that the dressing was really quite bland, almost bottled. I saw that mentioned somewhere else as well. We like a little zing with our Caesar, as well as the wonderful garlic balance, and it did not feel as if this dressing had any anchovies in it. The lemon-anchovy-creamy-Parmesan balance was way off. Again, seemed a bit Americanized?

I had the pasta cacio e Pepe and truffle. It was a gnocchi. I love a good gnocchi. And I asked if it was soft, and the service said it was pillowy. Although it was not gummy, it certainly was not pillowy. But it was an average gnocchi. The sauce was the star here. And it did have some shaved truffle on it, but it didn’t seem to add much to the sauce. I’m not saying the truffle was stale, but I’m saying the balance of the sauce overwhelmed the truffle. Maybe save the truffle for a dish that’s more delicate? This was a very nice sauce.

And here is why I brought up the fact that the servers seem to be attractive. A lot of these reviews are raving about the attention from the servers, and I wonder if it’s just the diners appreciating some attention from some attractive people. I know that sounds like a really odd thing to say, but our server actually disappeared for about 20 minutes when we needed the check. Literally, we thought maybe he was on a smoke break. And then he came back to the table next to us and prepared the special meal. People were really enjoying the special meal that was prepped at tableside out of a giant cheese wheel. It looked very special, but it also looked like it was more of a circus act. Like you order it the same way you order a bananas foster tableside and watch it flame. I love things prepared tableside, but it felt like there was a big show of it, and I’m wondering if it was taking away from the servers attention trying to serve other tables perhaps? We literally could not find him for 20 minutes, even going inside the restaurant! And then he returned to serve the table next to us all the special dishes and that added another 10 minutes or so, so we ended up waiting for the check for about half an hour. And 20% is included in the bill, so there was nothing we could really do there. Although even if we get crappy service I do tend to tip 20%. Servers work hard for their money!

Overall, not a restaurant I would return to, which is disappointing, because some of the review sites really made this sound like this place boasted old world Italian flavors with interesting takes on the recipes. We could totally forgive the server’s disappearance if the Caesar salad and the calamari were good, but… They were really not good, my husband said some of the chewiest calamari he...

What a delightful evening it was at this charming restaurant!

As you step inside, you'll feel like you've been transported to the stunning Amalfi coastal region, with its soothing light blue, white, and floral decor that truly enhances the ambiance. The option to dine indoors or al fresco adds to the experience.

We kicked off our meal with the Sgroppino a Limone, a delightful blend of vodka, Prosecco, lemon sorbet, and fresh mint. It's a truly refreshing concoction that cleanses the palate between each delectable bite. My friend indulged in both the Espresso Martini and the Positano Spritz, which were equally delightful.

Once we were comfortably seated, a warm basket of bread accompanied by olive oil and balsamic vinegar was served to begin a delightful start.

For our appetizer, we savored succulent prime beef carpaccio, artistically adorned with delicate flower petals – a visual and delicious treat.

As we moved on to the main course, we were treated to a captivating tableside presentation of their Cacio e Pepe, generously crowned with creamy burrata and fragrant fresh truffles.

In addition, we enjoyed sharing the delectable stuffed ravioli lobster in tomato sauce.

To wrap up the meal, a mesmerizing tableside preparation of velvety tiramisu and rich decadent chocolate left my taste buds dancing with joy.

To conclude the meal, we enjoyed their chocolate cake with ice cream and watched a mesmerizing tableside preparation of velvety tiramisu that left our taste buds dancing with pure joy.

The impeccable service provided by our waiter, Daniel, added to the overall experience with his in-depth knowledge of the menu and warm hospitality.

I also loved how involved the owner was he could be seen welcoming in tables and talking with everyone.

Do keep in mind that this being South Beach, parking is metered, but the exceptional dining experience is well worth it!

Order: Prime Beef Carpaccio Special Cacio E Pepe Ravioli...

Impeccable food, service and atmosphere! 5/5 deserved.

Our server Allegria was so so accommodating and hospitable, she was very friendly and helped us make our selection. Tip of 20% is included in the bill, which is quite common in Miami from what I have experienced so far. But I noticed a lack in service everywhere, even our resort, as tips are auto-included. But the service at Osteria Positana was impeccable!!! Shoutout to Allegria, you’re doing amazing

Coming to the food, their lunch deal is a steal. For $30 per person you get an appetizer, main & dessert. (Drinks are extra but discounted) My husband and I both got the lunch deals but we had no idea the portions would be SO generous! So it was definitely a huge meal for us, but we’re not complaining!

For appetizers we got the Calamari & Bruschetta Mains: Spaghetti Pomodoro, Cacio e Pepe linguini (I requested linguini instead of gnocchi and they happily accommodated) Dessert: cannoli & tiramisu

Everything was amazing but for me the highlights were the pastas and the cannoli!! The pastas were authentic Italian, perfectly el dente & so flavourful. Pasta is made fresh in house and so are the sauces. The cannoli was probably one of the best I have had! They also give complimentary bread with olive oil / balsamic.

I also tried a virgin strawberry mojito and it was spot on! The only thing we didn’t enjoy as much as the rest of the meal was the bruschetta, could’ve had more to it. But everything else was a 10/10

The ambiance is adorable, it’s got the cutest Italy vibes! They also gave us a $20 voucher that is applicable at various other restaurants, at the end...