Paperfish Sushi — Restaurant in Miami Beach

The sushi was delicious, but everything else about our experience here was terrible.

We made a reservation here outdoors for New Year’s Eve because we absolutely love the atmosphere of eating on Española, among all the trees and fairy lights and other festive diners. We even wrote a note in our reservation asking to be put as far towards the middle of Española as possible so that we could be in this atmosphere that we love, and as far from the DJ as possible so that we could still hear our conversation.

However, when we arrived for our 8:30pm reservation they had set up a table that was not even directly outside of their restaurant. It was outside of an empty store front, and across from another empty store front, right next to the DJ stand.

We were not in amongst the other tables and the lights and the trees that we love on Española at all, instead we were surrounded by bare cement and dark, papered-over windows. Then 30 minutes after we were seated, at 9, the DJ started up and it became clear that the bare open space we had been seated in was in fact the dance floor for the Española NYE celebration. The stage directly next to us was blasting music so loudly and directly at us that it was not festive and enjoyable at all, instead it was rattling our dishes and making our hearts pound. There were rotating lights which every 30 seconds would sweep across our table and shine directly in our eyes. We couldn’t hear a word anyone else at the table said without shouting, as if we were right up at the stage in a crowded night club.

Now, we’ve eaten New Year’s Eve dinner on Española way every year for the past 10 years or so. Yes, it is usually loud and crowded, but this is not what we were signing up for. We could see the warm joyful atmosphere that we have enjoyed every year only 20 feet away, but this was not it.

Then, there was the matter of the food and drinks.

We started with cocktails. The cocktails were poorly balanced and way too sweet. My husband ordered the “old fashioned” made with mezcal. It came with a fun (if over the top) presentation in a chest with smoke, but we were very disappointed when we tasted it. It was, as he described it, “tooth achingly” sweet, and that sweetness drowned out all other complexity of flavor. I ordered the floridita daiquiri and it was only ok. It was kind of watery and mildly sweet, and not much else. It desperately needed more citrus. Also it had an off scent as if perhaps the lime juice had gone slightly rancid.

We were with a party of 8 and 6 of us ordered the (very expensive) NYE special. The other 2 ordered 4 dishes off the menu instead. We were very surprised when all 4 of their dishes came out at once almost immediately, and long before the NYE specials came out. These 2 people in our party had ordered hot food instead of sushi and it was getting cold. It sat on the table for a very long time (maybe 10 min) while waiting for the specials to come out, until they finally sent it back in to be kept warm in the kitchen while we waited.

Eventually the specials came, and they were beautifully presented and delicious. No complaints there, in fact the sushi was particularly high quality.

Finally we finished off this experience with the promised chocolate lava cake. It was not warm (in fact it was almost actively cold) so the “molten” center didn’t ooze out as it was supposed to. Instead it was thick and gummy. So much so that someone said “this is weird, is this filled with ganache?”

Overall, I would come here again for casual sushi on just an ordinary day if the prices were more reasonable in that context, but I will not trust them with a special occasion again and I will make sure to reserve elsewhere for future NYE...

One star because the food was excellent - but after a particularly odd and negative experience with a server, we will not be back. First off, I would NOT advise dining here if you and your dinner partner are not the same race. I would also not advise dining here if you do not consume alcohol and don't want to be hounded about the reasons why. My boyfriend and I visit Miami at least once a year and stay on Espanola way - one of our favorite local gems. On our most recent trip, after a long afternoon walk, we decided to get a small snack and some water to tide us over until dinner. A sushi roll sounded perfect, so he went back to the room to change and I got a table at Paperfish, which was right across from our hotel. The problem began when I was seated and the server asked what I wanted to drink. When I said "just a water, please" and explained my partner would be coming in a moment, she stood at the table for a long time and was very pushy about me ordering alcohol. I said maybe three times that I didn't care for a drink, but she kept pushing. I finally explained that I don't drink much and certainly not during the day (it was only about 3pm?) and she said, "Well I'm an alcoholic, so..." then turned and left, visibly insulted. The shocking response and awkward interaction was enough to make me want to leave, but I decided to brush it off. When my boyfriend arrived, he sat down and the waitress approached us. That's when things got plain weird. "OH!" she said, "I'VE SEEN YOU! You're the couple that's staying at (hotel name and location)." She then proceeded to tell us in alarming detail that each day when we left our unit to take a walk, the servers who work for Paperfish stood outside and asked one another "why a white woman would be with a black man." We were then submitted to a one-sided monologue that went on for a painful period of time as she provided a detailed description of her entire experience and opinions of interracial relationships, complete with why we shouldn't "feel bad" and that "someone I know even had biracial kids!" We desperately wanted to walk out, but by that time the food had come and I was a little afraid to make a scene because, frankly, I'd just learned the entire waitstaff spends their time at work peering into hotel windows and making bigoted comments about their patrons. We have previously lived in FL and are well accustomed to the occasional innocent and sometimes rude remark, and frankly it's fine - people can have their opinions. But this was the first time such remarks have come from someone representing a business, and it's also the first time I've felt the need to warn other patrons about their privacy and peace of mind. So...probably don't eat here. If you do, be aware that the friendly staff at Paperfish has likely noted where you sleep and made lots of colorful comments about the person you love while simultaneously trying to win your business. DO...

Best place for a bite on Espanola. Went for a delicious cocktail at El Salon (perfect happy hour stop prior to this) and continued on for a great meal.

While most of Espanola is filled with tourist traps, that is changing slowly. Every dish was outstanding:

Ishiyaki Del Mar - Seafood in Japanese butter on the shell cannot be missed. You literally must order this. It is a 10/10. Torched truffle yellowtail - 8.5 Black Cod bites in phyllo dough - unreal - 72 hour marinated little chomps of heaven - 10/10 charred baby corn - solid, simple, fun. 7/10 hamachi tiradito yummy ebi kaosu role with shrimp and salmon outstanding and unique - 9/10 Ichiban Sando - had their signature roll which was more of a sandwich style bulit with layers like a club with avocado, salmon, tuna, etc... it was fun, but a bit mushy so felt I'd skip it next time. Wish I tried the truffle fried rice, but I failed to order the extra carbs (sad face).

Marija from Romania - the very best server we've had in years in South Beach - outstanding! Ask for her! Recommended a nice bottle of clear, dry sake after letting us taste one or two. Wahakan old fashion - really fun, served in a wild manner - awesome.

I rarely am impressed with sushi these days - this was a huge winner. I hope they make it. The sushi varieties are limited vs. an omakase or more traditional place with 25 raw options to pick from the board a slice at a time. For example, no amber jack offerings let alone more adventurous stuff from uni to live scallop. It's more rolls, entrees, and fun apps, but truly outstanding flavors.

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