The Deck at Island Gardens — Restaurant in Miami

3 stars for overall experience;

the location is great - either uber or valet, there is a city parking lot but you'll have to walk to restaurant. the views of highrises are a nice backdrop for pictures and the yachts fancy up the experience.

there is a 2hr table limit (the hostess mentions this to you when you check in) which is absurdly laughable considering the server and kitchen takes extremely long!

the food, well it was definitely a hit and lots of misses in execution. Our table ordered just under $1,000 worth of food and drinks (3 bottles of white wine, 1 cocktail, 1 soda, 2 appetizers, 3 salads, 1 pizza, 7 entrees and 2 sides)

the tuna tartare was fantastic and fresh. the octopus was well executed.

the endive salad and cesar salads were forgettable, the burrata and fig was great however i don't understand why they classified it under salads when not one shred of greens were on the plate.

the pear and gorgonzola pizza was a great match and another loved dish.

the filet was overcooked and served room temperature - noticed that check states med-well instead of med-rare as asked, definitely auditory mistake on the server's part but we waited for over an hour for food so we didn't send back.

the scallops smelled very fishy and only 3 between small/medium sized scallops per order.

the wild mushroom risotto was less than desirable even with the truffle accent - the restaurant used long grain rice instead of short grain rice, so it wasn't as creamy like a traditional risotto.

the short rib pappardelle pasta had wonderful flavor but the pasta was over cooked and mushy.

the seafood pasta was good but very very small portion.

the whipped mashed potatoes were an excellent side.

the truffle french fries came cold.

we didn't want to wait around for dessert.

the 20% automatically included gratuity was unjustified! i believe the service was so supremely supbar because the server knows they don't have to provide decent service since it'll already be included.

the music is loud but enjoyable, the entertainers were delightful.

we all laughed when we asked for pepper and the server brought us salt and pepper packets - such a "fancy" place and they don't even provide fresh cracked pepper 😏

feel like it's a been there done that once...

To start, the location, views and ambiance was great! Definitely gave you that "Miami feel" tourists would look for. I'm not a tourist, so that's why I wasn't that impressed. The place is higher in price point and we expected better dish presentations, portions, and quality of alcohol. My mango cocktail was good, but very weak. My husband went the bar and they didn't have any top shelf alcohol for a basic Old Fashioned. The best they had was Jack Daniel's.

We had a HUGE party with us. So we expected some delay in our meals. We ordered an appetizer off of the Starters menu and when I asked our waitress, Anna, where my appetizer was she said she didn't know I wanted it as an appetizer (charred octopus). I never indicated I didn't want it first, so I'm not sure why she got that impression. I ordered a regular dinner entree too, so that left me confused. At least offer to go check if you could bring it out first, but she just said it would come out later. I let it go and said No problem, I could wait for it to come with my meal. It never came with my meal. We asked again and she said it would be out shortly. That's when my husband said to just forget it, we really wanted it to pick on before our meal. She said again to him she didn't know I wanted it as an appetizer and he said it's on the Starters menu and that's why we ordered it. She rudely said "Well I'm not a wizard. If you want an appetizer, you have to tell me." I wanted to say that she needed to know the menu better, but im guessing she was stressed from the large party. She also didnt have any help. We let it go and said again we don't want it anymore. Then My father-in-laws Salmon came out about 10 minutes after his side dish came out, so his potatoes were already cold.

I would never come back here. The place was super cute and they had nice entertainment but, I basically paid a dinner bill of $400 for the 4 of us to watch a girl eat fire, cheap drinks, little fire sparklers for pics, and a guy in skinny jeans play the violin. Not to mention 4 cheap drinks at the bar for another $120. Not worth it. 😕 there are other places better than this. The food was good but small portions. Not even plated nicely! Overall...

A Return to Deck Island Garden: A Mixed Experience on July 4th

Rating: 3.5 stars for entertainment Rating: 5. Star for service Rating. 5. Star for Food

I recently revisited the Deck Island Garden in Miami after a hiatus of a few years, visiting from Atlanta, hoping to relive the vibrant atmosphere and entertainment that had left a lasting impression on me during my previous visits. However, this time around, I was met with a somewhat different experience.

Upon arrival on July 4th, I was immediately struck by the familiar ambiance that had drawn me in before. Despite the absence of the lively entertainers that had added an extra spark to my previous visits, the overall atmosphere remained inviting and enjoyable.

The 4th of July experience was spectacular light experience that we enjoyed while dining. The views are priceless

Turning my attention to the menu, I was pleased with the selection and opted for the seafood tower as a starter, octopus, which did not disappoint. Although my first choice of red snapper was unavailable, the Bronzino I ordered as an alternative exceeded my expectations. Cooked to perfection, it was a delicious choice that I thoroughly enjoyed.

To complement my main course, I selected a Greek salad and concluded my meal with a slice of the cobalt chocolate cake. Both dishes were flavorful and satisfying, adding to the overall dining experience.

While the absence of entertainers was a disappointment, I hope that they will be present on weekends to enhance the fun and lively vibes that I associate with the Deck Island Garden. Additionally, a special mention goes to Sam, our waiter, whose exceptional service and personable demeanor added a positive touch to our dining experience.

In conclusion, my return to the Deck Island Garden was a mixed experience. While the food quality remained excellent and the ambiance inviting, the absence of entertainers was noticeable. I look forward to the potential return of entertainers on my next weekend, to elevate the overall experience at this charming...