Legendary Japanese Spot Yamashiro Opens in Miami This October

For the first time in over a century, the renowned and storied Japanese restaurant, Yamashiro, is expanding beyond Los Angeles with a new location in downtown Miami. As first reported by New Times in September, the new restaurant will open at the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences on Wednesday, October 29.

Yamashiro opened in the Hollywood Hills in 1914 and has captivated guests for generations with its sweeping views, iconic Japanese architecture, and tranquil gardens. Originally built as a private estate, it later evolved into a renowned Asian fusion restaurant and event venue, attracting both celebrities and locals. Today, it stands as one of Los Angeles’ oldest continuously operating restaurants, celebrated for its historic design and modern take on traditional Japanese flavors.

Now, Yamashiro Miami is set to bring this Hollywood legacy to life with a distinctly Magic City flair.

Miami Was the Natural Next Chapter for the Famed Restaurant

“Miami for us mirrors Hollywood in creativity, design, and global influence,” Freddy Braidi, CEO of Boulevard Hospitality Group, tells New Times. “We really feel like the culinary experience that we want to bring is going to really live in the dynamic food scene in Miami. Being at the Gale, I think, is just an incredible opportunity for us to take what is history in LA and make it history in Miami.”

Helmed by partner and chef Charbel Hayek and executive chef Gustavo Montes, Braidi tells New Times that the Miami menu includes staples such as Japanese fried chicken, katsu sando, lobster in a miso beurre blanc, and black garlic Chilean sea bass. The menu also features a selection of prime Japanese and American wagyu, used in dishes such as the wagyu tomahawk, served with bone marrow teriyaki and house pickles.

“In LA, we have our top rolls and our sort of staple dishes,” says Braidi. “But we are a very seasonal restaurant, so we’re constantly changing our menu. Creatively, with our chefs from LA and Japan, our culinary team just takes food and really expands on it. I think people will see that when they come and experience what we have to offer.”

Expect Yamashiro Staples and Seasonal Dishes

Much like the food, the beverage program will feature a blend of Japanese-inspired cocktails infused with local tropical flavors. Highlights include the “Beso Robado,” made with a clarified rum, nori, passion fruit, and sugar cane syrup; “Fortune Teller,” made with Japanese whisky, honey, yuzu, sweet chili sauce, and a vibrant touch of blue spirulina; and the “Samurai Negroni,” made with a mix of mezcal and nigori sake.

“We’re also gonna feature a martini cart with liquid nitrogen, frozen crystal glasses with table-side service,” says Braidi. “Along with all the extensive sakes and Japanese whisky, we have really good brands that are aged and coming from Tokyo. Some vintage tequilas that we’re bringing over from LA, a unique variety of spirits that people won’t be able to get in other places.”

The restaurant will also offer an immersive “Sakura Bloom Tea Ritual,” inspired by traditional Japanese culture.

Soon to come will be Yamashiro’s “400 Club,” a speakeasy-style described by Braidi as a decadent VIP lounge experience that blends Hollywood Golden Age and Tokyo nightlife, inspired by Yamashiro’s history. In 1920, the Hollywood property became an exclusive 400-member club frequented by some of the biggest writers and directors of the time, before it evolved into the restaurant that stands to this day.

“There are people who came here 40 years ago, and when they come back, those experiences and those memories are important,” says Braidi. “Our history is really important. We’ve been in LA for 100 years, and we want to be in Miami for 100 years more.” Yamashiro will be open Wednesday through Sunday for dinner service beginning at 5 p.m.

Yamashiro Miami. 159 NE Sixth St., Ninth Floor, Miami, at the Gale Miami Hotel & Residences; yamashiromiami.com.