The Best Restaurants On Bird Road

For lots of Miamians, Bird Road is a means to an end—a long, congested route from point A to B filled with a suspicious amount of smoke shops and funeral homes. But beyond Tropical Park and Simbad’s Birdhouse, the strip malls that line this road are full of incredible and diverse restaurants: Lebanese, Spanish, Salvadorian, Chinese , and Chilean food all between 57th and 98th Ave (the area we’re focusing on for this guide). There are so many delicious streets hidden around Miami. North Miami Beach has 163rd Street , and Shenandoah has Coral Way . But Westchester and southwest Miami have Bird Road, and the spots below show how lucky they are.

THE SPOTS

8.5

Lebanese Guys

This food truck is one of our favorite spots for Lebanese food in Miami. There’s no sign out front, so look for a smoke shop named “N Hale” and turn into that plaza. The truck is equipped with two vertical shawarma spits that pump out juicy beef and lamb shawarma sandwiches wrapped in Lebanese flatbread. The fries are hand-cut, the hummus is made with freshly squeezed lemon juice, and their toum sauce is so garlicky it will put you on a Transylvanian no-fly list. There’s nothing on this menu over $19, and all of it is fantastic.

8.4

Matsuri

Matsuri is a rare trifecta for a Miami sushi spot: affordable, consistent, and quiet. But you need to get there early or you’ll have to wait. And it is worth waiting for their nigiri and lunch specials, like the $12 bento box that comes with miso soup, a house salad, one california roll, chicken teriyaki, and makes you feel like the luckiest kid in the school cafeteria. Food arrives quickly, so the waitlist moves fast. And if you're coming here for dinner with a friend, get the masa special for two. It's a platter of over 30 pieces of the day's best sashimi, nigiri, and maki for just under $50.

8.3

Al-Amir

What sets this spot apart from the rest of Miami’s Lebanese restaurants is their oven. You can spot the monstrous double-decker thing through a small service window just past a deli counter filled with kibbeh, butter cookies, and baklava. And you’ll want anything that gets quality time inside of it, like pillowy pita to dip into baba ganoush, or the cheesy lahm bil ajeen flatbread. Part of the fun of coming here is interacting with the owner, who will help guide you through the menu. After you order a juicy lamb sandwich filled with peppers and a tangy sauce at the counter, take your food outside to the covered patio that the restaurant shares with three neighboring spots.

8.3

Los Gallegos

Los Gallegos is one of those Spanish restaurants your tio Raimundo and his friends already know about. The kind you’d find in Galicia, where the only wine options are house red or white, hearty stews act like a relief from the rain, and octopus is king. The small dining room is lined with pastoral paintings and families eating pulpo a la gallega drenched in olive oil, paprika, and salt. They’ve got the right idea: everything with the word “gallego” or “gallega” is amazing here. Start with caldo gallego, a soup with chunks of fatty pork and white beans lounging in broth so rich it soothes chapped lips. Then move on to a big filet topped with serrano ham, melted manchego cheese, and a mushroom sauce. Los Gallegos is the perfect place to bring your family for a nice dinner, including that uncle who knows his Spanish food.

8.3

Bangkok City Thai & Sushi

Bangkok City is a staple that’s been around since 1987 and has our favorite crispy duck in the city. There are several ways you can order it, but you’re missing out if you don’t go for the royal thai basil with chili paste, bell peppers, and basil leaves. It’s sweet, sticky, and crunchy—like the crispy duck version of caramel popcorn. But Bangkok City has other great dishes. The massaman curry with beef has a slow burn that creeps up on you the way sitting too close to a campfire does. But the peanuts and sweet coconut curry balance the heat. And unlike a lot of Thai spots where sushi is an afterthought—it’s actually good here. Get the I Love Lucy roll with fried shrimp, crab, and cream cheese covered in tempura flakes as curly as Lucy’s own hair.

8.3

Tropical Chinese Restaurant

Tropical Chinese is a Miami classic . Since 1984, this restaurant across from Tropical Park has been a go-to spot for dim sum lunches and family dinners. It’s known for its incredible dim sum, featuring pork dumplings, shrimp rice rolls, and even chicken feet that roll up to your table every day of the week from 11am to 3:30pm. But you should plan a revisit for their peking duck. It’s carved tableside, the crispiest bits are wrapped in pancake cones dripping in hoisin sauce, and the remainder reappears minutes later after being tossed in a wok with vegetables. The restaurant is filled with large round tables that are perfect for big groups and a cartoony mural with dumplings and the occasional (but mildly creepy) smiley face.

8.1

Kon Chau

Kon Chau is another great Cantonese restaurant near Tropical Park. They have standards like chow mein and chop suey. But the dim sum is the reason to come here—especially the green tea mushroom dumplings. They don’t come around in carts like they do at Tropical Chinese, but are made to order and stuffed generously. Kon Chau is also in the same shopping complex as Lucky Oriental Mart, a good little Asian grocery store where you can buy some frozen dumplings to store in your own freezer.

8.0

Super Subs Etc.

This old-school sandwich shop makes subs that are so massive and full of meat they require four hands and a warmup to eat. It’s mostly a takeout operation, but there are a handful of stools where you can eat a triple-patty burger sub and watch the husband-and-wife team char thinly sliced meat on a griddle for cheesesteaks. Not much has changed since the place opened in 1977, including prices. Our favorite sandwich is the chicken cordon bleu, a sweet and salty behemoth that costs less than $14 and can feed a small family. We’re guessing the etcetera part of the name refers to sides like crispy onion rings. Don’t gloss over those just because they're not the headliners.

8.0

Graziano's Restaurant Bird Road

Folks might be more familiar with the Argentinian steakhouse’s Coral Gables location , but the one on Bird is the original. Here, you’ll find the same charcoal grill filled with meat by the entrance. But this particular Graziano’s has a bit more gaucho flair, with its low wooden beam ceiling and stone wine cellar that looks like a cave. The meal always starts with bread and chimichurri, which you should save for your juicy ribeye. Plus, the by-the-glass selection here is by-the-quartino, meaning you get a quarter of a bottle of wine for around $16. For dessert, order pancakes. They’re rolled, filled with dulce de leche, and flambéed tableside with orange liqueur.

Sarussi Cafe Subs

There are multiple Sarussis in Miami. All of them serve a monstrous and unique version of a cuban sandwich with mozzarella, cooked in a pizza oven and covered with tangy orange sauce. But the Sarussi on Bird Road has a colorful mural complete with an alligator and our city’s official mascot, Dwyane Wade. What really sets this one apart is its Nicaraguan spin on the menu. We like the massive fritanga wraps and bowls with yuca fries. It's the only place we know of that combines Cuban and Nicaraguan flavors so well. And yes, they have Sarussi’s very good flan at this location too.

7.9

Pamela's

Pamela’s is a classic restaurant on Bird Road, and one of Miami’s only Chilean restaurants . They’ve got a big menu full of sandwiches, seafood, soups, and more. But the one thing you can find on just about every table here are empanadas. Pamela’s is deservedly famous for their delicious versions, which are mostly baked, generously filled, and pretty massive (our favorite is the shrimp and cheese). Another thing that should be on the table—besides the wonderful frozen pisco sour—is the pastel de choclo. It’s a sort of corn casserole with a golden brown surface and chunks of tender chicken dispersed throughout. The dining room is casual and quiet—good for a family dinner or big Sunday night meal.

7.8

Thorn

Thorn is a bar in an apartment building with good food and reasonably priced cocktails. This place feels like a 2012 time capsule—when bars in warehouses were cool, decorated with antique sofas, and blasted Foster The People. This is not an insult. We miss those simpler times. Quality cocktails were $14, the old fashioned was having a moment, and so were cartoon mustaches for some reason. You can find all of those things (except the mustaches) here. Our favorite thing on the menu is the burger—a single patty with american cheese, crispy shredded lettuce, red onion, and house pickles. It’s also got a great Happy Hour that runs from 3-7pm on weekdays.

7.7

El Atlakat Bird Road

Not to be confused with Little Havana’s El Atlakat on 7th Street (or El Atlacatl on Calle Ocho), this Atlakat is not affiliated with the others. The Salvadoran restaurant used to be a Mexican spot, and regulars demanded some dishes remain on the menu. So don’t be surprised when you see folks eating tacos here. But we’re fans of their pupusas —especially the loroco. If all flower buds tasted this good, we’d be grazing the floral section of Whole Foods. The pupusas are big, only about $5 each, and come with fermented cabbage and salsa roja. They also have a stellar carne asada that’s charred, cooked, and seasoned perfectly. El Atlakat is great for lunch or a casual dinner. Service is fast but friendly, and there's a covered patio surrounded by trees.

7.7

El Floridita Seafood Restaurant

There are several El Floridita locations in Miami, but this is the original Cuban seafood spot that’s been around for decades. The restaurant is filled with regulars who come here for attentive service and some of the most affordable fresh fish in Miami. The fish case near the entrance and the way servers ask couples for updates on their grandkids are evidence of this. If the entire family is in tow, order the lobster or fried whole fish to share. But if you’re looking for a deal, get a combo. It comes with your choice of soup (chicken or fish), an entree, and two sides for about $15. Go for the enchilado de pescado and also make sure you order the meaty lobster croquetas.

7.7

Rio Cristal

This Cuban diner is known for one thing: the bistec rio cristal. It’s a thin steak with one giant side of papitas. It’s why people come here—a pile of fries the size of Mt. Tropical Park that makes you question if there really is a steak under all those potato twigs. But it’s there, juicy, and layered with onions and parsley. Some people like to spurt ketchup all over the top, but these are not finger fries. They’re short and bumpy so you can stab them with your fork and eat them together with your steak. Rio Cristal also might have the absolute best flan in Miami too.

7.6

Beehive Cafe & Juice Bar

Beehive relocated several blocks west from its original location, but it’s still on Bird Road and the smell of vitamins still punches you as you step inside. They sell every kind of supplement and health food imaginable—but there’s also a counter where you can devour daily specials like zucchini lasagna with brown rice and black beans for $10. The special changes daily, and you can also make your own salads or sandwiches. Plus, they have a jackfruit empanada that looks and tastes like barbecue chicken.

7.6

Frankie's Pizza

If you are sick of the trendy $50 pizzas that have spread across Miami, Frankie’s will feel refreshing. Its retro sign has been hanging over Bird Road since 1955, and people have been taking boxes of the square pizza home to eat on the couch ever since. This is not Detroit-style—the slices are much thinner—but the corner slices still have those edges with delicious little burnt bits. This place also sells “half-baked” pies in case you want to finish yours in the oven at home. But it’s going to taste better if you eat it hot and fresh at one of the cement tables in the back while you remember the days when going out for pizza wouldn’t set you back $100.

7.5

Il Bambino

This tiny Italian spot has been around since the ‘80s, and it’s possible the giant bowl of candy at the bar has been too. It’s a solid choice if you’re looking for large portions of classic pastas. Our favorite is the beef lasagna. It has thick layers of al dente pasta and the ideal ratio of beef, ricotta, and alfredo. If you finish it in one sitting you should consider trying out for a competitive eating contest. If lasagna isn’t your thing, create your own pasta bowl by choosing a pasta, sauce, and toppings. Prices are pretty reasonable. Those bowls start at $13, and the lasagna is just under $16. It's not the fanciest Italian restaurant in Miami . But it's a casual and comfortable spot that’s great for a night out with the family.

7.5

Arbetter's Hot Dogs

Arbetter's has been a chili dog destination since 1959. Sure, chili dogs are a pretty specific craving, and that’s what this place is known for. But every form of hot dog, including the crispy corn dogs, are good enough to make us forgive all the Boston sports memorabilia on the brick walls. Nostalgic Americana spots like this are hard to come by in Miami, but this Westchester holdout still has a line every day of the week. Also, if you leave without an order of cheese fries, we don’t understand you.

7.0

Pueblito Viejo

It's not the best Colombian food in Miami. But if you like the idea of two musical comedians roasting your friends in front of an entire restaurant, go to Pueblito Viejo on a weekend. This place probably has the most bananas interior of any restaurant in Miami. They should put a handrail by the entrance because you’ll want to hold on to something after a dozen stuffed parrots, Mickey Mouse toys, and wax caricatures of Juanes and Celia Cruz greet you. The food isn’t the attraction here—the distractions from it are. You’ll happily munch on crispy chicharrones while watching folks dance salsa. Pueblito Viejo is campy and not afraid to make fun of itself—or you. Just don't bother trying to hide from the singers. They have wireless microphones, and they will find you.