Contessa Miami Reviews

This place is different with elegant vibe and friendly staff. We stopped for a quick casual lunch and finished with attention to detail and friendly staff. Would love to come back again.

Walking around the design district with my wife, we were lured by the nice music. We shared all the dishes: The Octopus Agrodolce, Margherita Pizza, Ribeye Tagliata and Crema Inglese for dessert. Everything was delicious and the meat was grilled to perfection. All servers were very professional and cordial. I usually eat Italian at home, but the dishes, service and facilities were top-notch. This was a memorable dinner, and I highly recommend this restaurant.

Some friends recommended it, but we noticed the arrogance of the staff upon arrival, even with a reservation we had to be told that we had to wait..., After sitting down we had to beg someone to serve...., And the food was reasonable...., The carpaccio was great, but the Milanese veal left something to be desired... I really didn't like it.

Found this Italian restaurant in the heart of the extremely popular design district. Decor was very nice, elegant, ambiance was perfect, not to loud, service was very attentive and the fare was cooked to perfect. Started with the avocado bruschetta, very large and fresh, enough for 4 to share. We had a variety of main’s from spicy lobster pasta, not to spicy and the pasta made fresh. We also tried the grilled Branzino, very fresh and cooked to perfection as was the veal Malenese. They also have an wonderful assortment of wines by the glass and cocktails. Loved the restaurant and we will definitely return.

A beautiful place with a terrible service. Not an extensive menu, but the selection for us was great. Nice ambiance in one of the most popular places. We were seated outside, we were wait long enough for service. After a long wait, they brought water, that person can’t take the order, so we waited more time until the responsible of our area came for that. The food was a good choice Meatballs, Marguerite Pizza and Spicy Lobster Capellini. After finished no one offered coffee, dessert or anything else. After waiting again for the service person, we requested for the ticket and when she getting back, for our surprise the 20% for service fee was included as well as they asking for another suggested tip. AMAZING… TIPS is To Insure Prompt Service!! the one we missed. They can improve and give better experiences, with a best service team in rush days and times.

Originally from Boston, and brought to Miami by the Major Food Group, Contessa is a lovely Design District Italian restaurant. Service and ambience is lovely (Insiders Tip: Upstairs dining is less noisy than loud, busy Downstairs; in winter months Upstairs outdoor patio dining is wonderful). The large menu (salads, pizzas, pastas, entrees etc) has something for everyone. Reservations are recommended. We enjoyed: Very good cocktails (Boulevardier; Margarita) Artichoke salad - very good Shrimp ravioli - delicious Lobster capellini - a house special Grilled shrimp - yum House gelato - delicious All-in-all, dinner at Contessa Miami is highly enjoyable in every way!

Going into Contessa is a treat as the decoration is stunning with an old school charm to it. Food is good we had the pizza funghi and the branzino that was good but a very small portion. Dessert was probably the best with Crostata di Limone.

A beautiful restaurant like there are not many, unfortunately the service is uncoordinated and the food can be improved.

I recommend a must go restaurant and design district. The presentations and food quality, preparation, and presentations excellent. If you like outdoor seating, I recommend upstairs outdoor seating. The squash carpaccio is delightful as an appetizer. The presentation is amazing. We tried the Brandino salmon chicken, and they were all very good. The portions are good size. I recommended highly.

I made a reservation for a table of three at 8:45pm. After half an hour waiting my husband ask the hostess when we will have our table. She said that the next table will be our. She gave the next table to another. One hour wainting I said to my husband I am tired. I am 62yo. He said to the hostess that the nest table will be our. We sit down on the bext table availability. The manager came complainhing with us. My husband got angry because we are wating for a long time and that we did not respect the hostess. Come on, the restaurant did not respect at all our reservation time and consequently their clients. I felt very upset with this situation. No respect with us at all seating people that arrive after us. This is not correct at all. I do not want to come back to a place that treats their client like nothing.

Major Food Groups latest project, Contessa, is great. Loved the food, ambiance, and good service. Much better value than Carbone—particularly the wine. The Veal Milanese is a must and the pasta dish we had, Cinghali Bolognese was delicious. Recommend the Torta di Baci for dessert. The bottle of Valpolicella we had for $65 was a steal. Good looking crowd and nice upstairs bar and dining area.

Great place! We sat upstairs and it was quaint. The food was fantastic! The service was wonderful. Alex was our waiter and he was attentive and had great suggestions for the menu. We will be back!

If Jay Gatsby had a restaurant, Contessa would be it! Vibing 1925 cool, this place is chic as it is beautiful. Fits perfectly in the Miami Design District. Our server, Noah was charming, professional, knowledgeable and has the best recommendations. The Northern Italian cuisine was exquisite. Their signature dishes: Squash Carpaccio with arugula, pumpkin seeds, and agrodolce, and the Spicy Lobster Capellini were incredible. The Pizza Funghi made with shaved cremini mushrooms, and fontina cheese was also amazing. Excellent, Excellent, Excellent. 10/10 all around.

The decor is stunning. The menu looks great. The food is sub par. And it’s so insanely freezing inside, yet the manager refused to warm it up until minutes before our departure. It’s on our forget it list.

A taste party! Excellent starter, main course and dessert. Food, atmosphere, attention and music 10/10. For those who like to enjoy the dining experiences!

Not for locals ~ tourist trap for shoppers in Design District. Instagrammable Italian with expensive decor. Antipasti $19 - $29 Veal Milanese $51 (crazy)

Me and my friend had an experience at contessa. Everything Maritza recommend was great. The mushroom pizza was amazing

With a very good terrace, just a little warmth, its interior is very pleasant, with a very good bar, its food is excellent and the attention very friendly. Highly recommended.

Tons of screaming kids and the restaurant did nothing about it. Felt like a restaurant in a mall. My steak was over cooked, service felt like a fast food restaurant. Really missed the mark. Would not go back

Seemingly incapable of getting gluten free pasta right. Twice they’ve served my daughter pasta that isn’t gluten free when requested and twice it arrived in butter instead of olive oil and garlic requested. Her food finally came right as the rest of us were ready for dessert, she was meant to eat with the starters!! The service tonight was terrible, practically non existent and he didn’t listen - clearly. Lastly no Beef carpaccio, in my option contessa isn’t contessa without this signature dish, the only reason we returned after the first poor experience yet none available. Pumpkin ravioli is tiny, you need double the amount and I’m a small petite lady! I’ve asked my husband to remove Contessa off our Miami restaurants list!

I wouldn't return. The food looked pretty but tasted off. Each dish had something wrong with it. Too salty, or too chunky, or too thick. The ambiance is great, except for the mosquitoes outside.

We were very disappointed with the quality of food that we received. When we reserved for Jan 1, 2024 we thought that the service and attention to quality would be more focused than previous nights. Our two Margarita Pizzas came out with barely seen white spots of Mozzarella cheese and to make it worse they were served almost warm to cold so we had to return to be heated. We wouldn't say that we had a yummy Pizza there, sorry to say that. One of our guests had to order another pasta plate to enjoy his dinner.

As the title suggests this restaurant is very much so "Miami". A New York transplant that suffers from not being able to live up to a high standard. The looks are amazing but once you get to know the restaurant it falls short of being able to be loved. I was here with my wife for an anniversary dinner. We were familiar with BFG restaurants and wanted to come to this restaurant as it had a well-known name plus nice decor. Our Reservation was for the outside terrace. We arrived early to our reservation and elected to stay at the bar. The bartenders were dressed nicely, friendly, and knowledgeable. I ordered an Old Fashioned and the wife ordered a Spritz. The drinks were well made and priced accordingly. When asked how we wanted to pay we were asked if we wanted to add the bill to our reservation. We agreed. After a while, a hostess then told us our table was ready but asked us to close out our tab at the bar. I thought we were offered to add to our reservation... Why would the bar offer if it was not an option? The server replied, "well that's not standard to what people do". Rather than go back and forth with someone clueless over a simple accommodation that was offered to us we asked for a different terrace table on the second floor which she said would take a few minutes. We understood and started making conversations with fellow guests and the bartenders. After a bit a different hostess arrived saying our table was ready... asked us how we wanted the bill handled... we stated the reservation... and guess what? NO PUSHBACK! Going upstairs the decor was nice and the second-floor terrace definitely outclassed the first-floor terrace. We sat down and ordered our food and asked for the Sommelier as we had questions about the wine selection. Sommelier arrives and we come to a decision on a bottle of wine. The Wife ordered a dish after asking for a recommendation, and I ordered salmon a mushroom pizza & an octopus appetizer. I eat salmon every day as I'm Pescetarian. I can honestly say the salmon was alright. Nothing to fawn over, especially for the price. The octopus was very tasty and had a little kick in it; priced well. The pizza was the best thing I had but it was just a pizza. I think spending all this money just to order a pizza would be making the Italians sad. The waiter returns and asks if everything is ok. For the most part, nothing is spectacular, but nothing is terrible, so I guess no complaints???? THE BIGGEST MISTAKE then occurs which honestly the restaurant could have handled better. Wife asks the waiter if her dish has pork, which was not brought up when the dish was recommended to her. And the waiter explains that the dish DOES NOT have pork, it has WILD BOAR. She says to the waiter "So it has pork then?"..... waiter states "No, it's wild boar". I do a double take... is the wine this good? Has it been laced with something? Did I get a heavy pour on the Old Fashioned? Or is this the dumbest thing I've ever heard? Must be the latter. I have never heard of a server justifying a mistake by doubling down on it by stating they are wrong over and over again. If this occurred in Aventura there would be a riot lol. But with that logic dying from a shellfish allergy would be fine because it was WILD shrimp. LOL We chug our drinks as the skillset of the staff is becoming more and more frustrating. I can only imagine how they deal with the Miami clientele if they can't even handle some low-maintenance locals. All we asked for was a tab being transferred and if our dish had pork.... Here comes the tab. Overpriced but expected but WAIT. Overcharged for the bottle of wine. After inspection, we are charged for a different bottle of wine. Turns out, they opened a completely different bottle than what we told the sommelier, and we were told we had to pay for their mistake. Overall, I'd give this restaurant a C+ with a standard deviation of one letter grade depending on how much you love the decor.... For the price just book a flight to Lima, Peru eat better food at some of the top restaurants in the world, and enjoy a vacation while you're at it.

Shopping in DD with a friend but we were both famished and decided to pop in. Definitely had the Carbone feel walking in. Beautiful restaurant - was surprised by the faux flowers. Food was pretty good - the lamb chops and garlic broccoli were my fav. The squash carpaccio was good. Because we popped in at an odd hour, service was slow. I felt like he was very attentive when we arrived and when food was delivered, but then dropped off the map. We had to flag someone down eventually for a bill. Seems like the dinner menu might be worth coming back for.

This restaurant is a disappointment. Food very so-so, heavy, tasteless. The place is cute but the food is not worth a single calorie. Lemon dessert is very weak. The Italian ice cream is reasonable. The staff are attentive. A place to, perhaps, socialize.

Great food and good service. The burrata and cured meats is good. And the olive oil gelato was a perfect ending. Will be back.

The restaurant is very good. All dishes very well presented. Highlights include the pumpkin ravioli and lobster pasta. The aragula salad (arugula) was also very good.

Imported from Boston, the Major Food Group has opened CONTESSA MIAMI (now open for 4-5 weeks in Miami Design District). Overall rating - very good. Ambiance - stylish “bistro” loud interior; more quiet covered outdoor patio seating. The restaurant is 2 stories; the 2nd floor outdoor patio would be my first choice in winter months Service - friendly and capable; servers take your complete order & food arrives when ready; food delivers were confused at times (attempting to deliver incorrect items to us more than once) Foods/Plates are meant for sharing Cocktails - very good Margarita, and rye Manhattan (Old fashioned was average) Artichoke salad - excellent starter! Margherita pizza - fresh; good Lobster capellini (Contessa’s most “famous” dish) - good Scallops peperoncino - fair (probably would not order again) Garlic broccoli - fair (good taste, but broccoli) Gelato - 2 scoops - very creamy/heavy - good Chocolate hazelnut tort - good Overall, Contessa Miami has good solid foods. In general, it’s good but not exceptional. The entree prices are reasonable eg. $39 for their signature Lobster capellini pasta dish. The “stealth” charges (Pizza $23, Old fashioned $19, Gelato $18, Chocolate hazelnut tort $18 etc) all add-up. It’s a fun place. We’ll definitely return to try more menu items.

Contessa boasts an attractive exterior and a prime location, but the overall experience falls short. The interior aims for a 1960s Italian vibe, but ends up feeling cluttered, overly dark, and very loud—with background music that makes conversation difficult. There’s little authenticity in the Italian offering: no olive oil or bread on the table, no Italian spoken by the staff, and several staples like parmigiana, gnocchi, or olives are missing from the menu. The food is overly salty and of average quality. The pizza doesn’t resemble Neapolitan style—more like something frozen and reheated. Pasta comes already topped with cheese, rather than letting diners choose. On the bright side, the ribeye and milanesa were solid, and the gelato was decent. Service was underwhelming. Waitstaff lacked initiative, didn’t greet us properly, and took orders one dish at a time—though to their credit, the food arrived quickly. The tables for four are uncomfortably designed, with awkward legs that restrict movement. The restrooms were perhaps the worst part: too few, with long lines, and frequently occupied by guests using them as dressing rooms or makeup stations. It is very expensive. In short, Contessa is more style than substance. If you’re looking for an authentic Italian experience in Miami, there are far better options.

We had a wonderful dinner on Valentines Day at Contessa . Contrary to some of the other reviews the food was excellent and the service was professional and friendly . Our server Alexandra guided us to some exceptional dishes including the squash carpaccio and the branzino with olives. There was a lively and fun atmosphere and the acoustics were excellent so we could hear ourselves speak . Also other certain other restaurants I have been to on Valentines Day , there was no overpriced special menu and we able to take our time and enjoy a relaxing dinner .

This place is so pretty! It dazzles with its decor & lures you inside with a false impression of refinement. It’s pretentious, only accepting reservations a month in advance, exclusively on Resy. We waited weeks to dine here, but we’re disappointed. The hostesses are snobby. Though there were tables available on the first floor, we were taken to the second floor up a steep flight of stairs. The upstairs is not as pretty. The elevator was broken. We were seated at a small table. Right next to us, there was also a table for 2 that was larger. It was literally right next to our table. We asked if we could change tables. After waiting a few minutes, the hostess said it was not possible because that specific table had been reserved. The table was empty for an hour & later occupied by two men who had just walked in. The food was good. However, the service, though attentive, is lacking. The staff us poorly trained & disorganized. We ordered prosciutto as appetizer that came at the end of our meal. Our 2nd round of champagne was poured right over our used glasses. Champagne served in wine glasses, instead of flutes. Staff that speaks is slang. Pistachio gelato watered down. The staff is lost. Sorely disappointed in this place. Patrons in shorts & tee shirts in a supposedly “upscale” place. Skip it. It’s totally not worth it. A phony, pretentious place.

Contessa met my expectations as a typical over-hyped Miami façade. While it appears that Contessa is striving for a high-end experience, they missed the mark when accommodating our larger group. The kitchen's timing could use some fine tuning. For our party of 10, the first dish delivered was cold by the time the last dish hit the table. Unless you plan on a family style experience, I highly recommend choosing a restaurant that has more flexibility accommodating large parties. In 2024, I am shocked that this restaurant group has either: 1. chosen a POS system that doesn't allow for split checks OR 2. cares so little about the customer experience that they refuse to split them for you. Today's technology has made it easier than ever to easily accommodate any preference for payment, yet Contessa remains stuck in the dark ages. It must be noted that the downstairs bartender was a delight. Her cocktails were outstanding, her service reflected that of a true hospitality professional. Unfortunately, I cannot remember her name but her personality and spicy martinis outshined any other aspect of the experience.

So-called Italian restaurant in the Design District. Beautiful designed - excellent light concept and also the garden is beautiful. BUT the food was a real disappointment. It is not even close to be Italian. No bread being served ! Calamari fritti was a greasy thing without any taste. Only the carpaccio was very good. the Pasta was soaked in oil and greasy heavy stuff. Never will return !

OVERPRICED / TERRIBLE SERVICE HIGHLIGHTS The Good: - Nice architecture and interior design - Good ambiance (at first glance obly) Areas of Improvement: - Expensive Menu, but very average food - Dessert menu, it claims to be Italian, but in reality is just average desserts written in Italian to make them seem legit - Service is the worst. It's clear they are just interested in the tip you'll leave at the end, so if you are a small party, little-to-non attention you'll receive. Latin Waiter (trying to fake he was italian) completely abandoned us, and stop paying attention to us. - Wine menu is limited (something you wouldn't expect in a "trendy" Italian restaurant, even it'll its trendy due tilo the location) - I ordered an Irish Coffee with dessert - they couldn't make it, even though they have a big bar where they make the big bucks. So they told me it was not possible to have an Irish Coffee. - I asked for a Grappa (digestive), the uninterested waiter didn't know what I was talking about. - The ambiance: escorts and prostitutes all around. Uncomfortable for a couple's aor family dinner. CONCLUSION: If you can avoid this restaurant , do so. Not worth the time and effort, there are so much better Italian options for way less of the cost.

This review isn't about the food or the service, it's about the attitude of the management team. My husband and I booked the early seating for NYE and were looking so forward to visiting Contessa. When we arrived, the restaurant was pretty empty and we thought we might take a chance and ask for an upstairs table indoors given that the night was very humid and we were dressed up. We were told NO. So upstairs we go to the terrace and proceed to have dinner by ourselves, outside. No other tables were booked. During our entire dinner, the indoor dining room was about half full and there were several tables for two that sat empty for the entire duration of our visit. I felt like a child with my nose pressed to the window while all the cool kids were indoors having a party. After dinner, we decided to have a drink at the upstairs bar and we finally got to feel like we were part of the NYE celebration -- the bartender was amazing and very friendly and during our after dinner drink, one of the hostesses came by to ask how our dinner was. I indicated to her very quietly that we had asked to be sat indoors (and pointed out the table for two that was still empty) and explained that we were a bit perplexed that we were not moved indoors given that they were half full upstairs. She mentioned that she remembered my husband asking for an indoor table. Her very tepid response was that they don't like to ask patrons to give up a table after a set time. I call "false" on that one given that it is very clear on the website when you book a table that it is for a set period of time. I indicated that we would have been happy to do so as they had already stated on the website that there was a time limit for the tables. I then asked to speak to a manager and she indicated that there was no manager on duty that evening -- riiiiigght, no manager on NYE. "Ah well", she said and then shrugged and moved on. Couple of points here ... 1. A customer service oriented restaurant would have accomodated our request especially given the empty tables -- we are not stupid and deciding to treat us in this manner is ignorant and short sighted. 2. At the very least, an experienced hostess would have apologized and bought us a drink to try to make up for a really bad decision -- lying to us that there was no manager is worse and makes the resto look very stupid. 3. Not enabling your team to deliver great customer service is amateur hour unless you have decided that treating guests based on them being rich and famous or regulars (read" insta famous" or trust fund babies) is really appalling. I visit Miami at least six or seven times a year for business and take investors and clients (private bankers, family office owners and lawyers) out to dinner often. Contessa won't be on my list for these dinners. My clients are people who represent HNW and UHNW individuals and families -- exactly the clients that you would like to attract Contessa. I can't help but feel that Contessa is a good representation of Miami itself -- at a micro level the people are hardworking and amazing (staff at the resto) but those who make the rules (the management team) are shallow and vapid and make decisions based on perceived appearance and those who live to see and be seen. We won't be back and I won't be taking clients or recommending this resto to my clients.

In years of accumulated trips around the world, eating in all kinds of establishments, this undoubtedly is the WORST that has touched me being one of the most expensive. We were a group of 7 people 4 adults, 2 teenagers and a girl. In the first 40 minutes we couldn't get bread to the table. After an hour and a half the girl fell asleep without dinner (and we had arrived at 7 o’clock to a place almost empty precisely so that it would not get late). Claim after claim, the excuse: “the kitchen is very busy” which, if you charge the dishes close to $60 must solve the local and not me. Of the snacks the disorder and unprofessionalism in the service we thought could not get worse. But he did. The lamb arrived on a plate without the minimum aesthetic contribution, lying there and also cold. While the other 5 dishes did not arrive until 10 minutes later. 2 of my daughters were eating and brought the bill without asking for dessert. At that moment we called the manager who apologized (?) and took the lamb out of the account. Don't go. Miami is full of beautiful places where you eat well and also give you excellent service. We regret that we did not ask for the mandatory 20% of service to be removed.

The service was terrible and the food was salty, appetizers where nice but the waiters have no clue of what they are doing, they are not amicable either, first time I see a Rose Prosecco served in a wine glass, soup spoon for dessert, they tell u all the time the cost of everything, very bad I do not recommend anyone to go

The first impression is already very good pq the Mood is beautiful! Chic, well decorated, cosy! We were super well served, the restaurant was empty because it was very early. The waitress was super attentive, had mastery of the menu and knew how to guide us when the boys didn't eat pepper, for example. We picked up a menu that cost $50 cle gave right to an entrance, a main dish and a dessert. The boys and my husband ordered at the entrance some almogegas and were delicious, came with the separate sauces at our request and I ordered the burrata that melted and the tomatoes were sweet, delight! From the main dish the boys ordered rigatone the bolonhesa and is good, but my lagoon pasta was splendid! The desserts very good and well served! It was worth it!

Wonderful place, incredible music, impeccable service! The food is very delicious! The atmosphere and music were the highlight of the dinner! And the Gran finale raspberry and coconut sorbet!

Very weak restaurant, heavy and tasteless food, terrible carpaccio, Ok steak, heavy pasta, nothing gourmet or Italian, I will never go back!!!!

Nice place, with a nice bar , a terrace where they do not let smoke (it is always very hot there) the food is only discreet and the attention from normal to bad

At the heart of the design district, this Italian restaurant offers comfort and excellent food. Price of dishes consistent with quality. I recommend the entrance meetballs and the sausage pizza. Fantastic atmosphere and good service.

The district itself is worth the visit, and the restaurant is very cozy, the food is good, and the service is attentive, a good choice in the neighborhood.

Basic food for the price, place made not to be attractive. Care in a hurry and weak. Definitely not worth it!

Cold food and they service is too bad, because we request to change and we have to wainting for a long tine. So my husband and I finish and my daughter have to waiting for along time

Excellent experience. Impeccable attention and cuisine. The setting according to what I expected. I will return without hesitation.

What a joke of a restaurant I cannot believe major food group is part of this establishment. We had a Dover sole it was rubber. I’ve actually never had a bad Dover soul in my life. We also had a ribeye, medium rare. That was hard and unacceptable.. The only decent dish was the squash carpaccio! The service was also poor at best. I’m a Carbone lover so I decided to try contessa what a mistake

Waitstaff were the highlight of this experience. Good, kind, attentive people. The food was across the board lousy. Small bowl of greasy calamari. Lemon chicken that was- and I don’t say this lightly- inedible-chemical, tasting like lemon Pledge. An astonishingly bad meal in an equally beautiful room.

Nice ambience but slow service. It took a while to get the order done. Twice we were told that soon the waiter would come. Food quality was good however wine was served in a glass directly at the bar and not from the bottle at the table.

Unbelievable what terrible service they have. The hostess was rude, the manager was insensitive and unable to handle a simple request, arrogant patronizing. Tye server was the only nce person wr ket. Food was pretty pricy and frankly only average.

Looks can be deceiving. This restaurant needs serious help in this service department. Staff has no idea about service and serving utensils. Most of shared plates were served without serving utensils. The staff seemed clueless about the use of serving utensils. Meal was served cold due to the wait. Pricey restaurant with service automatically included. Do not the tolerate the financial abuse. It’s quite insulting that they expect top dollar for this crap.

It goes without saying that a nicely decorated restaurant can create an unforgettable dining experience for customers. One example of a well-decorated restaurant is contemporary fine dining establishment is Contessa. As you enter, the first thing you notice is the greenery surrounding the entrance and outside terrace, next is the dim lighting that creates a warm and intimate atmosphere. The walls are painted in soft lush colors and adorned with tasteful artwork, creating a sophisticated yet welcoming ambiance. The tables are elegantly set with crisp white linens, gleaming silverware, and sparkling glassware, adding a touch of luxury to the dining experience. PROTIP- There is an upstairs area and the outside area on a nice night is always the move! If you like Italian you're going to love the menu. The dishes themselves are beautifully plated, with attention paid to every detail, from the colors and textures to the arrangement of the food on the plate. I personally have had (Octopus Agrodolce, Chianina Beef Carpaccio, Calamari Marco, Spicy Lobster Capellini, Grilled Mediterranean Branzino, Truffle Pizza) to say the least. I would for sure recommend those items from the as they were all flavorful and some were ordered as seconds. Overall, this new place by MFG is another BANGER!! #countmeincontessa