Last updated: June 2026

If you want Miami waterfront dining in 2026, the reliable corridors are the Miami River downtown, the Biscayne Bay edge in Edgewater, and the Rickenbacker Marina on Key Biscayne. The five restaurants below are open as of June 2026, sit directly on the water, and represent a range of price points and cuisines. I have flagged each one's neighborhood so you can connect a table to the residential market around it, which is the lens I use when clients ask where the dining scene and the housing stock overlap.

A quick scale note for context: the 2025 MICHELIN Guide selection for Miami includes 69 recommended restaurants and 14 with stars [1]. None of the five waterfront spots below currently hold a MICHELIN star, so I describe them by cuisine, location, and setting rather than by any award they have not earned.

One change from older versions of this guide: La Mar by Gaston Acurio is no longer on Brickell Key. The Mandarin Oriental, Miami hotel that housed its waterfront terrace closed in May 2025 and is being demolished and rebuilt, with the new hotel targeted for 2030 [2]. La Mar relocated to a non-waterfront address on South Miami Avenue, so it is out of this list and a verified bayfront restaurant on Key Biscayne is in.

Seaspice (Miami River)

Seaspice sits on the north bank of the Miami River at 412 NW North River Drive, with a long dock where yachts tie up through dinner service [3]. The kitchen runs a New American and Mediterranean-leaning seafood menu, and the room opens onto the water so the river traffic is part of the experience. It is open Tuesday through Sunday for lunch and dinner, with weekend brunch [3]. If you are docking a boat, this is one of the more straightforward dock-and-dine arrivals downtown.

Casadonna (Edgewater)

Casadonna opened in October 2023 inside the historic Miami Woman's Club building on Biscayne Bay in Edgewater [4]. The menu is coastal Italian, built around recipes from towns like Naples, Positano, and Gaeta, and the floor plan moves from the restored interior out to a bayfront terrace. It serves dinner nightly with weekend brunch [4]. The Mediterranean Revival building gives it a setting most newer waterfront rooms cannot replicate.

Garcia's Seafood Grille & Fish Market (Miami River)

Garcia's has operated on the Miami River since 1966 and remains family-run at 398 NW North River Drive [5]. It pairs a working fish market with a casual upstairs deck over the water, and the menu is straightforward grilled and fried local seafood. It is open seven days a week for lunch and dinner [5]. Among the river restaurants it is the most affordable and the least scene-driven, which is part of why it has lasted nearly six decades.

Amara at Paraiso (Edgewater)

Amara at Paraiso is chef Michael Schwartz's bayfront restaurant in Edgewater, two blocks east of Biscayne Boulevard off 31st Street [6]. The dining room carries floor-to-ceiling windows onto Biscayne Bay, plus deck seating directly on the water, and the menu leans into Latin American flavors and coastal ingredients [6]. It opened in 2018 and anchors the same Edgewater bay edge as Casadonna, so the two pair well if you are scouting the neighborhood.

Rusty Pelican (Key Biscayne)

The Rusty Pelican has sat on the Rickenbacker Causeway at 3201 Rickenbacker Causeway since 1972, with one of the more direct downtown-skyline views in the city across Biscayne Bay [7]. The menu is contemporary American seafood with a Latin accent, and the room was renovated to keep the focus on the water. It is open for brunch, lunch, and dinner [7]. This is the entry that replaces the old Brickell Key listing and shifts the geography out to Key Biscayne.

How dining corridors map to neighborhoods

Three of these restaurants cluster in two residential markets worth knowing. Casadonna and Amara sit on the Edgewater bay edge, a high-rise corridor where new condo towers line the water. Seaspice and Garcia's anchor the Miami River downtown, which has drawn residential development as the river has been cleaned up and reopened to mixed use. The Rusty Pelican points you toward Key Biscayne, a low-density island market with its own pricing dynamics. If you are weighing a purchase near any of these, the walkable distance to a bayfront table is a real amenity that shows up in resale demand.

A practical planning note: winter is peak season for Miami restaurants, so book the bayfront and river rooms well ahead from roughly December through April. Several of these locations offer dock-and-dine for guests arriving by boat, which is worth confirming directly with the restaurant when you reserve.

Frequently asked questions

Is La Mar by Gaston Acurio still on Brickell Key?

No. The Mandarin Oriental, Miami on Brickell Key closed in May 2025 and is being rebuilt, with reopening targeted for 2030 [2]. La Mar relocated to a non-waterfront address on South Miami Avenue, so it no longer offers the bayfront terrace it was known for.

Which of these waterfront restaurants have a MICHELIN star?

None of the five currently hold a MICHELIN star. For reference, Miami's 2025 selection lists 14 starred restaurants and 69 recommended overall [1]. The restaurants here are included for their location on the water and their cuisine, not for an award.

Can I arrive by boat?

Several of these restaurants, including the Miami River locations, accommodate dock-and-dine arrivals. Dock availability and rules change, so confirm with the specific restaurant when you book.

When is the busiest time to reserve?

Miami's restaurant peak season runs roughly December through April. Reserve the bayfront and river rooms several weeks ahead during that window, especially for weekend dinner and brunch.

Which neighborhoods put me closest to waterfront dining?

Edgewater puts you near Casadonna and Amara on Biscayne Bay, the downtown Miami River corridor puts you near Seaspice and Garcia's, and Key Biscayne puts you near the Rusty Pelican. If you want to compare what waterfront access does to home values, a buyer consultation is the place to start.

Gabriel

Sources

Gabriel A. Moyers, PA. eXp Realty. Florida License #3407280. Equal Housing Opportunity. This article is general information as of June 2026 and is not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify current figures against authoritative sources before acting.

Waterfront dining in Miami: a 2026 neighborhood guide