Makoto

Should You Book Makoto?

If you're weighing Japanese dining options in Miami Beach, Makoto at the Bal Harbour Shops is the comparison most others get measured against. Where Hiyakawa Miami leans into an intimate omakase-first format and Sushi Yasu Tanaka targets the pure sushi counter experience, Makoto operates at a different scale: a full-service Japanese kitchen under Stephen Starr's hospitality group, open seven days a week from 11:30 am through 11 pm, and accessible enough that reservations are not the ordeal they are at tighter, counter-only venues. For a special occasion dinner or a business lunch that needs to impress, this is a serious option — but it carries $$$ pricing on both food and wine, so go in with your eyes open.

The Kitchen and What It Does Well

Chef Makoto Okuwa leads the kitchen, and the culinary program sits firmly in the Japanese tradition without drifting into fusion territory for its own sake. The cuisine pricing at $$$ reflects a typical two-course meal above $66, which positions Makoto in the upper band of Miami's Japanese dining market. The wine program reinforces that positioning: Wine Director Ewa Ferguson oversees a 360-selection list with 5,000 bottles in inventory, with particular depth in France and California. That kind of wine infrastructure is rare at Japanese restaurants in Miami and signals a room designed for guests who want a full dining experience, not just a quick sushi run. Corkage is set at $35 if you bring your own bottle.

Opinionated About Dining, one of the more data-driven restaurant ranking platforms in North America, ranked Makoto #512 on its Leading Restaurants in North America list in 2024 and flagged it as a Recommended venue in 2023. Those are meaningful credentials in a category where recognition is competitive. For context, other North American Japanese reference points on lists like this include venues such as Myojaku in Tokyo and Azabu Kadowaki — Makoto's inclusion in the same ranking conversation reflects real kitchen seriousness.

The Room and Occasion Fit

The restaurant sits inside Bal Harbour Shops at 9700 Collins Ave, one of the higher-end retail environments in South Florida. Visually, the setting delivers: the room is polished and composed, appropriate for a celebration dinner, a date, or a client meal where the environment needs to carry some of the weight. Google reviewers rate it 4.5 from over 2,100 reviews, which at that volume suggests consistent execution rather than a few enthusiastic outliers. General Manager Hector Diaz leads the floor team under Starr's operational standards, and that hospitality group pedigree typically means trained, attentive service without the rougher edges you sometimes find at chef-driven independents.

Lunch runs the same hours as dinner service starting from 11:30 am, which makes it one of the more versatile options in the Miami Beach Japanese category. If you're considering a business lunch with wine, the combination of a deep list, a polished room, and lunch availability makes a strong case. For comparable lunch-with-wine experiences in the broader Miami market, you'd otherwise be looking at venues like Komodo for pan-Asian scale, or stepping outside the Japanese category entirely.

Booking and Practical Details

Makoto books easily relative to other venues in its tier. There is no indication of the weeks-long waits that characterize the tighter counter restaurants in this city, so planning a week or so ahead should be sufficient for most dates. The $$$ price tier means you should budget above $66 per person for food before beverages, and the wine list's $$$ pricing indicates bottles comfortably above $100 are the norm. If you're bringing a bottle, factor in the $35 corkage. The venue serves lunch and dinner daily, which gives you real scheduling flexibility that venues like Ogawa or ITAMAE may not always offer. For more on dining in this city, see our full Miami restaurants guide, and for where to stay nearby, our Miami hotels guide covers the Bal Harbour and Miami Beach options in detail. You can also browse Miami bars, wineries, and experiences to round out your visit.

The Verdict

Makoto earns its place at the leading of Miami's Japanese dining tier through consistent kitchen output, a serious wine program, and a room designed for occasions that matter. It is not the city's most intimate Japanese experience , if a tight counter format is what you want, Hiyakawa Miami or Sushi Yasu Tanaka are worth considering. But for a special occasion dinner, a business meal, or any visit where you want a full-service Japanese restaurant with a real wine list and easy booking, Makoto is the right call in this market.

FAQ

• Is Makoto good for solo dining? Yes, though Makoto's format , a full-service restaurant rather than an intimate counter , means solo diners get a comfortable meal without the social pressure of a chef's counter. Pricing at $$$ means a solo visit runs above $66 for food before drinks, so factor that in. If you want a more focused, counter-centric solo experience in Miami, Sushi Yasu Tanaka is worth comparing.
• Can Makoto accommodate groups? A venue operating at Starr restaurant scale in a Bal Harbour Shops location is generally well-equipped for groups. That said, specific private dining room availability isn't confirmed in available data, so call ahead or email to confirm group seating arrangements before finalising plans. For group dining in Miami broadly, see our Miami restaurants guide for venues with confirmed private dining options.
• Does Makoto handle dietary restrictions? Japanese kitchens of this calibre typically accommodate common dietary needs with advance notice, but specific dietary policy isn't confirmed in the venue record. Contact the restaurant directly before booking if you have significant restrictions. The breadth of a full Japanese menu format gives more flexibility than an omakase-only venue.
• Is lunch or dinner better at Makoto? Lunch is the sharper value play at $$$ pricing , same kitchen, same room, and the wine list is available. For a business meal or a daytime occasion, the 11:30 am opening gives you a real window. Dinner is the better choice if atmosphere and full evening pacing matter, and the room is well suited for it. Either works; your schedule should decide.
• Is Makoto good for a special occasion? Yes. The Bal Harbour Shops setting is polished and composed, the Opinionated About Dining ranking (#512 in North America, 2024) signals genuine kitchen quality, and the 4.5 rating across 2,100+ Google reviews points to consistent execution. At $$$ for food and a deep wine list, it has the ingredients for a celebration dinner. If you want a higher-ceremony tasting menu format for a milestone occasion, venues like Lazy Bear in San Francisco or The French Laundry in Napa set a different bar, but within Miami's Japanese category, Makoto delivers.
• What are alternatives to Makoto in Miami? For Japanese dining: Hiyakawa Miami for an omakase-forward, more intimate counter experience; Sushi Yasu Tanaka for focused sushi counter work; Ogawa for another Japanese option in the Miami market. If you're open to other high-end Miami dining, Boia De (Italian, $$$) and Cote Miami (Korean Steakhouse, $$$) sit in the same price tier with strong critical standing. See our full Miami restaurants guide for a broader view.