Stephen Starr Opens Swanky Steakhouse at Bal Harbour Shops

The golden age of cinema has officially flicked on its marquee at the Bal Harbour Shops. Slim’s, the latest project from Philadelphia-born restaurateur Stephen Starr, opened its doors last night, March 17. The restaurant takes over the intimate ground-floor space that originally housed Starr’s celebrated Makoto, marking a homecoming for the $400 million restaurant man.

For Starr, returning to the 2,500-square-foot space felt like a full-circle moment. “Going back to the old space felt good,” Starr says. “It was like coming home and redoing your bedroom.” While the location is familiar, the space has been completely reimagined by design firm Gachot into a 183-seat restaurant that leans into the sophistication of the 1930s and ’40s.

High-Stakes Sourcing

At its core, Slim’s is a steakhouse that prioritizes sourcing over spectacle. Starr is particularly proud of the beef program, noting that the restaurant is sourcing from a consistent, exclusive ranch. “We have the best steak in Miami,” Starr says. “We are getting them from a place that no one else gets them, and the quality is just exceptional.” When pressed for the name of the ranch, he politely declined to disclose it.

The menu features a massive 36-ounce Owner’s Choice Delmonico for $155 and a dedicated Japanese Wagyu section with cuts like Olive Strip and Kobe Strip for $210. The most anticipated item, however, is the $100 cheesesteak.

A legendary staple from Starr’s Barclay Prime in Philadelphia, the sandwich makes its Miami debut here loaded with shaved wagyu beef, black truffle, foie gras, and fried onions on a freshly baked sesame roll.

Beyond the prime cuts, the menu functions as a meticulously researched tribute to midcentury fine dining. Chef Anthony Micari has filled the lineup with nostalgic versions of classics, including a barely bound Virginia-style crab cake and a Chinese chicken salad updated with mango. Even the dessert tray feels like a throwback, boasting options like a 1950s-style champagne cake and bananas foster.

Sophistication Over “Clubstaurants”

In a city currently dominated by scene-forward, clubstaurant dining, Slim’s is intentionally staying away from that. The name of the restaurant is a nod to Lauren Bacall’s nickname in the 1944 film To Have and Have Not, and the interior reflects that cinematic cool with checkered marble floors and Art Deco murals by famed illustrator Christoph Niemann, whose style most New Yorker fans will immediately recognize.

The beverage program mirrors this sentiment with a dedicated martini list featuring “The Sinatra,” a $48 cocktail served with a caviar-topped oyster. Whether you take your martini shaken hard with olives or stirred with a twist, Slim’s is banking on the idea that Miami is finally ready to act its age.

Slim’s. 9700 Collins Ave., Bal Harbour, at Bal Harbour Shops; slimsbalharbour.com. Open daily for lunch and dinner.