Mila
Miami Beach, United States · South Beach
Insider Compass
An expert assessment built on data, context and gastronomic judgement.
About Mila
MILA has achieved something remarkable in the American restaurant landscape: becoming the highest-grossing independent restaurant in the United States while maintaining a stellar 4.7 rating across over 18,000 reviews. Perched atop a rooftop in Miami Beach, this MediterrAsian fusion concept combines Mediterranean sensibilities with Asian techniques in an informal izakaya dining style, creating a transportive experience that appeals to both serious diners and the scene-seeking crowd.
The restaurant's design merges Cycladic architecture with Japanese Wabi-Sabi details, creating a sophisticated backdrop for what is fundamentally a high-energy dining and nightlife destination. The venue includes a mixology bar, rooftop lounge, and underground dining spaces, with fire artists adding theatrical flair to the proceedings. Under the guidance of 26-times Michelin-awarded chef Michaël Michaelidis, who trained across Cannes, Monaco, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo, MILA delivers elevated cuisine in an atmosphere that prioritizes glamour and vibrancy over hushed refinement.
Since opening in 2020, MILA has captured the essence of Miami's dining zeitgeist—where food quality matters but so does the total experiential package. The brunch service features expansive stations including raw bars and international selections, while dinner service focuses on shareable plates that facilitate social dining. It's a restaurant that has mastered the difficult balance of delivering serious culinary credentials while maintaining mass appeal.
Good to know
Request Javier, Ana, Mark, AJ, Mike, or Mez by name—multiple reviews specifically call out exceptional service from these team members.
The chef
Michaël Michaelidis
Chef Michaël Michaelidis brings international experience from prestigious kitchens across Cannes, Monaco, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Tokyo. His career includes 26 collaborations with Michelin-awarded restaurants, informing his approach to MediterrAsian fusion at MILA.
The Insider Compass
Four dimensions, each assessed independently against the same criteria everywhere we rate.
Plate
Chef Michaël Michaelidis brings an impressive pedigree with 26 Michelin-awarded collaborations across prestigious kitchens in Cannes, Monaco, and throughout Asia. His MediterrAsian fusion concept translates this training into an informal izakaya-style approach that emphasizes shareability and bold flavors over precise technical demonstrations. The cuisine showcases fresh, flavorful preparations that reviewers consistently praise for quality and freshness.
The brunch service reveals the restaurant's ambitions, offering expansive stations including raw bars, international selections, and classic preparations that cater to diverse palates. Reviews highlight the 10-out-of-10 raw bar and the variety available across multiple stations. The dinner menu focuses on Mediterranean foundations enhanced with Asian techniques and presentations, creating dishes that work well for sharing and social dining. While the food consistently earns praise for being delicious and fresh, the emphasis remains on accessible, crowd-pleasing preparations rather than avant-garde techniques or challenging flavor profiles. This is sophisticated food designed for a broad audience in a high-energy setting.
Vibe
FestiveMILA operates firmly in ROAR territory—this is a glamorous, high-energy destination where the total sensory experience rivals the food itself. The rooftop space combines Cycladic design elements with Wabi-Sabi details, creating an Instagram-worthy backdrop enhanced by fire artists and a vibrant crowd. Reviews note there's "a lot going on," confirming the intentionally stimulating atmosphere where music, crowds, and theatrical elements create a party-like energy.
The restaurant offers alternative spaces including an underground lounge that provides respite from the rooftop's intensity, though the overall identity remains firmly anchored in Miami's scene-driven dining culture. This is where you come to celebrate, be seen, and experience the full Miami glamour—it's sophisticated entertainment as much as it is dining. The 18,000+ reviews and status as America's highest-grossing independent restaurant confirm MILA has perfected the formula for this style of experience.
Service
Service receives consistently positive mentions across reviews, with multiple guests calling out specific team members by name—Javier, Ana, Mark, AJ, Mike, and Mez all earn individual praise for warmth, accommodation, and menu guidance. Staff demonstrate strong knowledge of the extensive menu, helping guests navigate the many options and providing solid drink recommendations. The team manages the complex flow of a high-volume, multi-level venue while maintaining attentiveness.
However, one review mentions recurring issues with door policies and "making up stories to not let people in," suggesting some inconsistency in guest management at entry level. Once seated, the service appears professional and well-coordinated, handling the demands of both the bustling brunch service with its multiple stations and the more refined dinner service. The service style matches the venue's energy—polished but not formal, attentive but adapted to a lively rather than hushed environment.
Setting
The rooftop location on Meridian Avenue positions MILA as a destination venue in Miami Beach, offering elevated views and open-air dining that capitalizes on South Florida's climate. The design concept merges Cycladic architectural elements—clean lines, white surfaces, Mediterranean simplicity—with Japanese Wabi-Sabi details that add textural depth and organic imperfection to the aesthetic. This East-meets-West design philosophy mirrors the culinary approach.
The venue spans multiple levels including the signature rooftop space, a mixology bar, and an underground lounge that provides a more intimate alternative to the main dining areas. The rooftop terrace serves as the restaurant's crown jewel, offering both views and the open-air ambiance that defines Miami's luxury dining scene. Fire artists and theatrical elements add kinetic energy to the space. The setting achieves that difficult Miami balance: sophisticated enough for serious diners while dramatic enough for celebratory occasions and the social media-savvy crowd.
These four dimensions are a handful of the attributes we review. The Insider Rating also draws on research the compass does not display — among them the wine programme, the size and quality of the cellar, the location, and how long the house has operated. It is not an average of the scores above.
Go for
- The full Miami rooftop experience combining serious food with glamorous atmosphere and scene
- Celebratory occasions where you want both culinary quality and high-energy entertainment
- The expansive brunch service with multiple stations including an exceptional raw bar
Don't go for
- Intimate, quiet conversations or business dinners requiring discretion
- Avant-garde or challenging culinary experiences beyond crowd-pleasing preparations
Details
1636 Meridian Ave Rooftop, Miami Beach, FL 33139, USA
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