Area 31

“The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate.” – Oprah Winfrey

I’m truly grateful for another year of life. At twenty-four I can honestly say that I have everything I could hope for and more. My life is exactly how I imagined it would be, and I credit God for every bit of it. To commemorate another year of life, I usually plan a girls night out on my birthday weekend. However, this year I opted out of the “turn up” and decided to do a night out with the hubby, a real life indicator that I’m truly getting older. Lol.

Three years ago to celebrate our 5^th anniversary, Jovan took me out to enjoy roof top dining at upscale restaurant called Area 31. I am a huge fan of cityscapes and lounge dinning, so  needless to say, it was love at first sight…and bite. There are a lot of restaurants I enjoy going to, but this particular restaurant stands out amongst the rest – mainly because of the beautiful view. It’s very rare that I continuously want to go out to the same restaurant, seeing as though I love trying new places. However, if I could, I would go to Area 31 to commemorate every special occasion.

Area 31 : 270 Biscayne Boulevard Way, Miami, FL 33131 

https://area31restaurant.com/

Ambiance: 5 out of 5 

Located in Brickell near the Miami River and Biscayne Bay; Area 31 offers a beautiful scenic view of the “305”. Located on the 16th floor in the Miami’s Kimpton Epic Hotel, Area 31 will make you feel as though you are dinning on top of the city. The restaurant offers both indoor and outdoor seating. However the beauty of the restaurant is all outdoors, so if you are afraid of heights then this restaurant is definitely not for you. Lol. The restaurant has a very romantic feel, with candle lights on table and the city as your back drop, you’re sure to feel the “mood” lol. The view is simply amazing, you can see the Miami River as well as the beauty of Biscayne Bay from every angel. If you’re like me and enjoy being in the city then this restaurant is definitely for you. I have never been, but I heard that they have an amazing happy hour and occasional weekend pool party. As I said before, the restaurant is inside of a hotel, so they are always hosting elaborate parties. From what I can see the restaurant is even as beautiful during the day as it is in the night. If you’re planning a birthday dinner, engagement party, or anything special; Area 31 also has a room for private dinning that can seat up to 16 guest. There are no fancy bells and whistles, however with the right company Area 31 offers the perfect dining experience.

Menu: 4.8 out of 5 ($$$)

The menu at Area 31 fluctuates based on what you order, so the choice is ultimately yours. There are items on the menu starting at $18 and ranging up to $120, nevertheless the average price of an entrée on the menu is around $35; which is pretty reasonable. The food is amazing to say the least. I have had the snapper, lamb, and steak- each one equally as good as the next. However, if I had to choose only one, my favorite would be the snapper, which was a whole snapper fish seasoned to perfection, served with thyme and lemon garnished in the middle. Unfortunately, I was not blogging during my previous visits to Area 31, so I do not have any photo evidence of just how delicious the food was. However, during my birthday dinner I was able to capture the deliciousness (is that even a word lol) of the lamb, which was so tender and juicy. I also had the yuca fries and asparagus which was incredible! I have never had a meal at Area 31 and left feeling unsatisfied. Pictures are great, but you need to go for yourself to experience exactly what I am saying.

Attire:

The thing I like about Area 31 is that you can choose to dress up or dress down depending on the occasion, and not feel out of place whichever way you choose. For my birthday I wore an off-the-shoulder dress from Fashion Nova with heels. It wasn’t too dressy, but was still elegant enough for the affair. There were a group of friends sitting at the table next to me who were also celebrating a birthday, who all had on jeans. The men wore button downs, and the women had on either a nice blouse, sweater top, or blazer. I wouldn’t say that it is okay to dress too casually, but there is also no pressure to overdo it either. The restaurant is a tad bit upscale, but also offers a very relaxed atmosphere. I would classify the attire as dressy casual.

Overall: 10 out of 10

I have no problem admitting that my rating is completely bias, I love Area 31.  I am a sucker for city view dinning and great food. If you’re looking for a nice romantic date, or a nice spot to lounge with some friends, then I definitely recommend Area 31. If you go, please let me know what you think!

As always, enjoy!