Mangrove — Restaurant in Miami

Let me start off by stating that the customer service at this restaurant is commendable. I arrived around 6pm and my reservation was for 6:30pm but the restaurant opens at 6pm and it was basically empty except for 4 other people seated before me. I was seated promptly and the waiter, Wensley (I think that's his name) came over immediately to offer water etc. I had already checked out the menu online and knew what I was going to order. I chose the curried Oxtail (yummy), the Jamaican 🇯🇲 style Red Peas & Rice and a side order of the pineappple glazed fried plantains. For my drink I had the Red Red Wine (which is Jamaica's popular sorrel aka hibiscus plant beverage with rum and lemon juice). My entire meal was DELISH!! Kudos to the chef and the bartender! The restaurant has a nice relaxing lounge layout with soothing Jamaican reggae music playing in the background and the volume was at the right level preventing you from having to shout to speak to someone. Would I eat here again: YES!! My ONLY issue was the enormous 20% GRATUITY the slapped unto my bill without my prior knowledge or consent. Bearing in mind that LEGALLY, a customer CAN reject a gratuity charge, it is best that the restaurant have a sign up or on the tables alerting patrons to the fact that there will be a 20% gratuity so the patron can decide if he/she wants to have it lowered OR of he/she even wants to dine there. Additionally, I was there by myself so a 20% auto gratuity was a bit over the top. Please note that a customer CAN reject GRATUITY charge, it's the law. I would have preferred to decide the amount I wanted to give as a gratuity. If and when I visit again, I will tell the waiter to scratch that auto gratuity and allow me to tip the amount I wish! This whole tipping thing in the USA is getting real out of hand. Great restaurant tho and I wish them longevity...

This was expected to be an elevated Caribbean dining experience, and the Caribbean part held true. The typical “we nah av dat” rang true. We arrived early for Happy Hour and they were missing an ingredient to make the Red, Red Wine drink. Luckily the bartender/management was willing to substitute any other drink from the menu for it. We enjoyed the tequila drink, I can’t remember the name of, instead. It packed a punch and was tasty. Also enjoyed a beef patty at the bar and it was just ok. Not spicy and nothing special.

Once at the dinner table, we received the Miami Spice menu and was told they were out of salmon, also. When asked if there was a substitute for it, the server said no. Disappointing. His recommendations rang true to be liked by us, though.

The Rasta pasta topped with jerk chicken was delectable. The béchamel sauce was flavored to perfection. The jerk chicken breast was moist throughout and the skin was saucy. I’d go again just for that.

The other entree we ordered was the whole snapper. That was very good as well, especially the skin. The only critique I have is that the meat inside was not as flavorful, as I would like. I asked the server about the fish and made note that I was Haitian, so my expectations may be different from other patrons. That included marinade making it to the meat. All in all, I’d give the fish a 7.5/10.

The ambiance was nice in terms of the mood. I did expect to hear more Caribbean music but that didn’t start until we were getting...

Connected to JRK and next to Tâm-Tâm, you're in the right place if you're on the north steps of the old courthouse.

Getting right to the food - the jerk mac&cheese was a great choice that gives you a chance to try a bit of the jerk chicken, too, but the full dish is something you shouldn't miss. The rosé salmon was stunning and tasty, too. Every side dish is vegan-friendly, and for entrees there are plenty of vegetarian/pescatarian choices. I can't even speak to the desserts because the portions of everything else were so big and delicious that we didn't even get to try them, but the pudding looked great - not a problem because we intend to go back.

The service was wonderful - everyone was attentive and friendly. The music and atmosphere were great. You'll need to see it for yourself, but when it comes to the music I appreciate that it was quiet enough that you could maintain a conversation, while still adding plenty to the experience.

As for parking, there's a paid lot along with the usual Miami paid street parking. It's downtown Miami - whatever chaos you find on the way there is worth suffering through for this spot. However, it's directly across from the metro for anyone who takes public transit.

They convert to a lounge with a dj after dinner, so this is absolutely a spot for a self-contained full night out, but could easily be a first or last stop all on its own.

All said, it's a wonderful addition to a growing downtown scene and we can't...