Review: City Hall, The Restaurant - Miami FL

City Hall, The Restaurant

2004 Biscayne Blvd

Miami, FL

www.cityhalltherestaurant.com

A group of 20 or so of my colleagues chose City Hall for an weeknight’s dinner based solely on its proximity to the Hilton Downtown.  We walked in right on time for a 7 p.m. reservation, and were seated immediately in the main lower section of the dining area.  That section was fully occupied, although the second floor was not in use.

When I saw the sign, my twisted brain took me straight to a Mel Brooks movie.  Spaceballs, The Restaurant.  Fortunately, the similarities ended there.

The engineered ambiance struck me as a nice feature.  The ceilings were high, and the tables not packed so closely together that conversation was impossible.  The setup was perfect for a business lunch, or a quiet conversation with friends.

I have always found the menus in variety restaurants perplexing.  I understand the concept of broad appeal, but sometimes there are too many choices.  City Hall has various specialty items, unique to this particular chef I suppose, since I had never heard of any of them.  One selection stood out, and I zeroed in on it immediately.

Meatloaf - plain old ordinary meatloaf with house gravy, a miscellaneous vegetable, a roll, and something they called “Maple mac and cheese.”  I’d never heard of that, but whatever, bring it.  Now, I’ve travelled the world, but my stomach is from the Ozarks.  I ordered a Bombay Sapphire martini, dry as a bone, and shaken.  That’s me – the redneck diplomat.  City Hall did not disappoint me, and before long I was tearing into a meatloaf that was almost as good as Mom’s.  Mom never served it with a martini, but I didn’t see sweet tea on the menu.  While others in my party were enjoying such treats as grilled salmon with sesame and mushrooms, my spirit was back in Missouri, and wherever this maple-flavored macaroni was from.

I’ve always broken down a restaurant into the big three criteria – food, atmosphere, and service.  City Hall has the first two perfected hands down.  The service leaves something to be desired…no, that’s not quite right, because it’s too general.  The bartender was fast, and so was the cook.  The waiter was a jackass.  That’s better.  The guy complained about dividing a table of 20 into separate checks, as though he wasn’t already going to get a healthy share of the 18% tip that the Miami restaurant mafia builds into all checks, hoping you won’t notice and will tip even more.  Someone didn’t tell him that I didn’t care that he had four more tables.  A second waiter spotted my empty martini glass and took care of it, returning with my second precisely prepared drink, which Mr. Grumpy-Pants definitely noticed.  Begone from me, Mr. Grumpy-pants, and let me enjoy my meatloaf.

Even with two $12 martinis, my bill came to about $55.  The meatloaf was on the less expensive side of the menu at $18; most entrees ran between $22-$28.

Conclusion:  It’s the perfect place for a business lunch or a more formal gathering – it’s quiet, even when full, and the food is well presented with a classy menu full of specialty items. 

For something a little more laid-back, note my experiences in two other Miami eateries – The Knife Argentinean Steakhouse, and Largo Bar and Grill, both located at Bayside Marketplace.