DIOR Café Miami — Restaurant in Miami

My friends and I visited the Dior Cafe for my best friend’s birthday. Of course we were excited to visit because it appeared to be a very nice cafe from pictures and videos on social media. We were greeted by a young lady whose job it was to check guests in to the cafe. We were told that it would be a 10-15 minute wait. My best friend provided her name and telephone number. We were then told that we could walk around the area until our table was ready. My best friend asked if we could look around the store, and we were told that we could with a sales associate and that we couldn’t wait in the store (uummmm, okay….). She also said we could form a line to wait. As we were outside in our created line, a group of ladies of Caucasian descent (oh, I failed to mention that three of us are African American and one is Latino) walked in front us (to be fair they wanted to go to the cafe too, so they appeared to be looking to inquire). The “check in lady” begins to help them and proceeds to tell us that we have to leave from in front of the store because she needed to form a line. So now I ask “Are they here for the cafe or to shop?” The check-in lady pretends that she doesn’t understand my question, so I repeat it again, and she still plays dumb. By this time our table is ready and we proceed upstairs to the cafe.

Now, the cafe…staff, 10000 out of 10. Croissants, 1000 out of 10. The lemonade and cappuccino, 1000 out of 10. Our waitress Agatha, 10000 out of 10! The gentleman host upstairs, 10000 out of 10! The server, 10000 out of 10! The overall experience at the cafe, AMAZING!

So we proceed to leave and on the way out my friends stop to smell some scents. My other friend smelled some scents but she came outside to join me. Apparently, while my two friends remained inside, the check in lady proceeds to come inside (because she was outside) and stands by my two friends. At this point three of us asks for a manager. The manager was very apologetic and kind. I proceed to tell him that amongst us is a doctor, two of us have Master’s level degrees, we all are homeowners and we all make no less than six figures. We all drive luxury cars and we all work hard and have money to spend. And I say all this not to brag, not to boost, but to say that no one should ever judge a book by the color of their skin, how their dressed or what a person thinks someone should look like. The check in lady was clearly racist and it’s a disservice to Dior to have an individual like that working at their store. Would I return, only if I didn’t have to interact with her. Would Dior send her to a cultural competent training? Probably not. Would Dior issue an apology to my friends and I higher than store management? I doubt it. But at least I’ve done my part by writing this...

As someone who genuinely appreciates Dior and has previously had an exceptional experience at the Dior Café in Bangkok, I came to the Miami location with high expectations despite knowing it’s a tourist trap. Sadly, my experience was incredibly disappointing and left a sour taste that I didn’t expect from a brand of this caliber.

My friend and I followed the usual protocol of waiting for a table (since they don’t take reservations), and up to that point, everything was smooth. Once seated, we placed our order and began taking a couple of casual photos with a digital camera — just two quick shots. That’s when an older male staff wearing glasses (who appeared to be in a supervisory or managerial role) approached us and told us cameras were not allowed. Fair enough. I felt a bit bummed but we respected that rule and put the camera away without issue.

However, things took a turn when we began taking some simple pictures on our phones — which, let’s be honest, is a completely normal part of the experience when visiting aesthetic cafés like this, especially during brunch with friends. First, our server came over. Then another staff member. Finally, the same man returned and approached us in a way that felt passive-aggressive and dismissive. It made us feel incredibly uncomfortable, like we were being watched and rushed. This completely killed the vibe for us, and we ended up hurrying through our food just to avoid more confrontation.

After paying the bill, we were having a brief and pleasant chat with our server when the same man came over again — this time speaking to the server in another language, which immediately cut our conversation short. Our server abruptly ended the interaction and dismissed us with a “goodbye,” which felt cold and unwelcoming.

What’s worse is that we personally witnessed this same man warmly interacting with other guests and taking their photos, clearly being far more accommodating. This double standard was very noticeable and disappointing. When my friend tried taking a photo of me at the end, he once again interrupted us with a pointed “Excuse me,” which felt targeted and unnecessary.

For a café that’s built around branding, experience, and elevated service, this fell miles short. I never expected to be treated in such a dismissive and selective manner at a Dior establishment. Based on this experience, I will not be returning, and I would urge Dior to reevaluate the behavior and training of their staff if they want to uphold the luxury and elegance their brand...

I recently stopped by the Dior Café located on the third floor of the Dior store in Miami’s Design District. Upon arrival, I was promptly greeted by the staff at the entrance, who politely directed me to the café upstairs. Though their directions were kind, I did run into a bit of confusion finding the elevator and determining which floor the café was actually on. I mistakenly went to the second floor first, but was eventually guided by security to the third floor rooftop where the café sits.

Upon reaching the rooftop, I was met by a staff member who seated me at a table directly in the sun, uncomfortably close to another party. With the Florida sun beaming down intensely, it was difficult to even read the menu comfortably. After a few moments, I requested to move to a shaded area. While the staff member did point me toward a more comfortable seat under the umbrella near the shrubs, he didn’t escort me, which felt a bit impersonal, especially for a luxury experience. Ironically, he mentioned the seating would feel the same as my previous spot. It wasn’t. The new seat was easily 10 degrees cooler and far more pleasant.

I ordered a cappuccino and a croissant, both of which were good. Not extraordinary, but enjoyable. Honestly, the quality reminded me of something I could easily find at Erewhon or a boutique café elsewhere. The bill came out to about $42 for one person.

The biggest drawback for me was the overall atmosphere. Instead of a peaceful, elevated café experience, the space was crowded with influencers, tripods, and countless photo shoots taking place at every table. Rather than people enjoying their coffee or company, many seemed far more focused on capturing the perfect Instagram shot. It made the space feel more like a content studio than a café.

Service, while polite, lacked the attention to detail you would expect at a brand like Dior. Crumbs weren’t wiped, plates weren’t cleared quickly and it took some effort to flag someone down for the check. Little touches that usually define luxury service were noticeably absent.

I couldn’t help but feel that many guests there were visiting for the aesthetic rather than any genuine connection to the Dior brand. Which is perfectly fine, but for someone looking for a serene luxury café experience, this visit fell short of expectations.

Overall: worth visiting once to check off the list, but not somewhere I’m...