No Reservations, Liza Meli's New Wine Bar, Opens Next Week

When Liza Meli closed her beloved Mediterranean wine bar BarMeli 69 on Biscayne Boulevard, Miamians lost a neighborhood favorite. Meli's bistro had a loyal following who came to drink wine and eat chef Christophe Bibard's food — but also to bask in Mel's spectacular hospitality. Meli special gift was to make it seem like you were being hosted at her home in some beautiful Mediterranean coastal town rather than dining at a restaurant.

Now, Meli is poised to open her new place, No Reservations. The 1,000-square-foot restaurant in a strip mall on 109th Street and Biscayne Boulevard held a packed preview dinner last weekend. "I invited 40 people, and 100 showed up," Meli tells New Times as she pours wine and helps serve tables.

No Reservations is sleek and chic. The walls are painted in white and red tones with hints of gold, and the tables and chairs are black and red. A small bar greets you with a red neon "No Reservations" sign above it.

Chef Bibard, the Top Chef France finalist and BarMeli chef, helms the intimate open kitchen at No Reservations. And though the space is small, Bibard's menu offers a wide range of food that pairs well with wine. The "bar bites" menu offers sharable snacks like jamón serrano croquetas, polenta fries with truffle aioli, and porcini with smoked gouda arancini. Larger plates include steak au poivre, monkfish roulade, and Wagyu oxtail ragout ravioli. 

Of course, if Liza Meli is running a restaurant, there will be a robust selection of affordable, natural wines. "We will have about 50 different wines, mostly natural and organic. The wines are small production and mostly from the Mediterranean,  but some are from the U.S. and South America," she says.

On Saturday evening, the little restaurant was bustling. When a restaurateur moves locations, there's a chance that regulars might not make the trip. Not this time. At every table were the familiar faces of people who have enjoyed Meli's hospitality for years. 

Last weekend's preview served a tasting menu of offerings from the menu. Standouts included the arancini, a delectable burrata tartlet, and the deconstructed nicoise salad with generous portions of perfectly seared tuna.

No Reservations might have a different menu and new, modern decor, but some things haven't changed. Meli still runs a casual, romantic restaurant with good food, great wine, and excellent hospitality that welcomes couples celebrating date night or friends who want to catch up over a few glasses of wine. And, of course, no reservations will be required once it opens this coming Monday, April 24.

No Reservations. 10990 Biscayne Blvd., #13, Miami. Monday through Saturday noon to late night.